bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MRI of kidney size matters
Authors: Niendorf Thoralf , Gladytz Thomas , Cantow Kathleen , Klein Tobias , Tasbihi Ehsan , Velasquez Vides Jose Raul , Zhao Kaixuan , Millward Jason M. , Waiczies Sonia , Seeliger Erdmann
Published: July 2024

Objective

To highlight progress and opportunities of measuring kidney size with MRI, and to inspire research into resolving the remaining methodological gaps and unanswered questions relating to kidney size assessment.

Materials and methods

This work is not a comprehensive review of the literature but highlights valuable recent developments of MRI of kidney size.

Results

The links between renal (patho)physiology and kidney size are outlined. Common methodological approaches for MRI of kidney size are reviewed. Techniques tailored for renal segmentation and quantification of kidney size are discussed. Frontier applications of kidney size monitoring in preclinical models and human studies are reviewed. Future directions of MRI of kidney size are explored.

Conclusion

MRI of kidney size matters. It will facilitate a growing range of (pre)clinical applications, and provide a springboard for new insights into renal (patho)physiology. As kidney size can be easily obtained from already established renal MRI protocols without the need for additional scans, this measurement should always accompany diagnostic MRI exams. Reconciling global kidney size changes with alterations in the size of specific renal layers is an important topic for further research. Acute kidney size measurements alone cannot distinguish between changes induced by alterations in the blood or the tubular volume fractions—this distinction requires further research into cartography of the renal blood and the tubular volumes.
When Being Bad Feels Good: A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Positive Emotion and Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Moore Jessica , Tam Lok Yee Chloe , Allen Jennifer L.
Published: July 2024

Antisocial behavior in childhood and adolescence is associated with poor family and peer relationships, and a higher risk of mental and physical health problems in adulthood, as well as criminality. Emotions play a central role in children’s moral development, but most research has focused on negative emotions (e.g., shame and guilt), in relation to childhood antisocial behavior. Research in adult populations indicates that positive emotions experienced in anticipation of, during, and after antisocial acts may play an important role in the development and maintenance of antisocial behavior. Consequently, this systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between positive emotion and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. A systematic search in five databases was conducted, yielding 52 studies that used different methodological approaches, samples, designs and methods to examine this association. Results provide support for a positive relationship between positive emotion and antisocial behavior across community, forensic and clinical samples. This link appeared to be stronger for younger children, boys, and for children high in social dominance, callous-unemotional or sensation-seeking traits. Results suggested that positive affect may act in concert with negative emotion, cognitive, personality and motivational processes, as well as peer influences to determine the initiation and maintenance of antisocial behavior. This review presents directions for future research and discusses the implications of findings for prevention and intervention programs for youth with antisocial behavior.
Cellulose formulations for hair modelling
Authors: Carvalho José Pedro , Martins Madalena , Cavaco-Paulo Artur
Published: July 2024

Chemical processes to change the hair shape can lead to damaged hair fibre. Here, we propose benign formulations based on different types of cellulose using imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) and a commercial serum as solvents. Formulations with concentrations at 3% and 0.5% of HEC (Hydroxyethyl cellulose) and CMC (Carboxymethylcellulose) showed the best results after washing, around 10% of curling effect. Images from fluorescence microscopy enable to observe the coating layer formed on the surface of the hair fiber. ATR-FTIR corroborate the presence of functional groups of cellulose on the coated hair fiber. SEM images revealed that the treated hair fiber preserved it structural integrity, especially for the 3% CMC formulation. Those formulations also presented good mechanical wear determined by mass loss percentage. The novelty of this work is the methodology established associated with the cellulose formulation for hair modelling up to three washes.

Graphical Abstract
Confounded or Controlled? A Systematic Review of Media Comparison Studies Involving Immersive Virtual Reality for STEM Education
Authors: Lawson Alyssa P. , Martella Amedee Marchand , LaBonte Kristen , Delgado Cynthia Y. , Zhao Fangzheng , Gluck Justin A. , Munns Mitchell E. , Wells LeRoy Ashleigh , Mayer Richard E.
Published: July 2024

A substantial amount of media comparison research has been conducted in the last decade to investigate whether students learn Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content better in immersive virtual reality (IVR) or more traditional learning environments. However, a thorough review of the design and implementation of conventional and IVR conditions in media comparison studies has not been conducted to examine the extent to which specific affordances of IVR can be pinpointed as the causal factor in enhancing learning. The present review filled this gap in the literature by examining the degree to which conventional and IVR conditions have been controlled on instructional methods and content within the K-12 and higher education STEM literature base. Thirty-eight published journal articles, conference proceedings, and dissertations related to IVR comparison studies in STEM education between the years 2013 and 2022 were coded according to 15 categories. These categories allowed for the extraction of information on the instructional methods and content characteristics of the conventional and IVR conditions to determine the degree of control within each experimental comparison. Results indicated only 26% of all comparisons examined between an IVR and conventional condition were fully controlled on five key control criteria. Moreover, 40% of the comparisons had at least one confound related to instructional method and content. When looking at the outcomes of the studies, it was difficult to gather a clear picture of the benefits or pitfalls of IVR when much of the literature was confounded and/or lacked sufficient information to determine if the conditions were controlled on key variables. Implications and recommendations for future IVR comparison research are discussed.
Co-designing Data-Driven Educational Technology and Practice: Reflections from the Japanese Context
Authors: Ogata Hiroaki , Liang Changhao , Toyokawa Yuko , Hsu Chia-Yu , Nakamura Kohei , Yamauchi Taisei , Flanagan Brendan , Dai Yiling , Takami Kyosuke , Horikoshi Izumi , Majumdar Rwitajit
Published: July 2024

This paper explores co-design in Japanese education for deploying data-driven educational technology and practice. Although there is a growing emphasis on data to inform educational decision-making and personalize learning experiences, challenges such as data interoperability and inconsistency with teaching goals prevent practitioners from participating. Co-design, characterized by involving various stakeholders, is instrumental in addressing the evolving needs of technology deployment. Japan's educational context aligns with co-design implementation, with a learning and evidence analytics infrastructure facilitating data collection and analysis. From the Japanese co-design practice of educational technologies, the paper highlights a 6-phase co-design framework: motivate, pilot, implement, refine, evaluate, and maintain. The practices focus on data-driven learning strategies, technology interventions, and across-context dashboards, covering assorted learning contexts in Japan. By advocating for a co-design culture and data-driven approaches to enhance education in Japan, we offer insights for education practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and industry developers.
Double Trouble! Do Workplace Supports Mitigate Lost Productivity for Young Workers with Both Severe Rheumatic Diseases and Depressive Symptoms?
Authors: Dobson Kathleen G. , Gignac Monique A. M. , Tucker Lori , Jetha Arif
Published: July 2024

Background

The objectives of this longitudinal study were to understand how comorbid rheumatic disease and depression symptoms were associated with at-work productivity among young adults, and to examine whether workplace support modified this association.

Methods

Seventy-six Canadian young adults who were employed and living with a rheumatic disease were surveyed three times over 27 months. Morbidity was defined by whether participants reported severe rheumatic disease symptoms and/or depressive symptoms. Participants were asked about presenteeism, absenteeism, and whether the workplace support needs (accommodation and benefit availability and use) were met. Generalized estimating equations were used to address study objectives.

Results

Seventeen participants experienced neither severe rheumatic disease nor depressive symptoms (no morbidity), 42 participants experienced either severe rheumatic disease or depressive symptoms (single morbidity), and 17 participants reported comorbidity at baseline. Participants with comorbidity reported greater presenteeism scores and were most likely to report absenteeism, compared to the other two morbidity levels. Having workplace support needs met was associated with decreased presenteeism over the 27-month period among participants with no and a single morbidity. Conversely, unmet support need was associated with greater presenteeism for participants with comorbidity. Having workplace support needs met did not modify the association between morbidity and absenteeism.

Conclusion

Comorbid rheumatic disease and depression burden reduce productivity among young adults. A supportive work environment has the potential to address at-work productivity challenges. Additional research is needed to understand how workplace supports coupled with clinical interventions may tackle challenges at work for young adults living with rheumatic disease and depression.
Hadal zones of the Southwest Pacific and east Indian oceans
Authors: Jamieson Alan J. , Giles Gaelen T. , Stewart Heather A.
Published: July 2024

The hadal zone (water depths > 6000 m) are unlike the overlying shallower marine regions (bathyal and abyssal) as it does not follow a continuum from the continental shelves to abyssal plains, but rather exhibits a globally disjunct series of discrete deep-sea habitats confined within geomorphological features. From an ecological perspective, hadal communities are often endemic to individual or adjacent features and are partitioned and isolated by geomorphological structures. To examine the size, shape, depth and degree of isolation of features where hadal fauna inhabit, this study explores the broad seafloor geomorphology, and distinctly partitioned hadal areas, across the Southwest Pacific and East Indian oceans using global bathymetric datasets. This research revealed the area occupied by hadal depths to be 716,915 km2 of which 58% are accounted for by trenches, 37% in basins and troughs, and 5% fracture zones. The largest feature in terms of area > 6000 m depth is the Wharton Basin with 218,030 km2 spanning 376 discrete areas. The largest continuous hadal habitats were the Kermadec and Tonga trenches at 145,103 and 111,951 km2 respectively, whereas features such as the Java Trench comprise two hadal components partitioned by a bathymetric high. Conversely, no physical barrier exists between the New Britain and Bougainville trenches thus any literature pertaining to hadal species or habitats from these trenches can be merged. This study highlights that the hadal zone mainly comprises two main geomorphological features (trenches and basins) that differ in size, depth and complexity. Hadal basins cover vast, generally shallower areas, comparable to abyssal plains, whereas trenches, despite a lesser footprint, represent greater depth ranges and complexity. As such, sampling designs and interpretation of ecological data must differ and hadal basins likely play an increasingly important role in understanding ecological shifts from abyssal to hadal ecosystems.
Learning from disability studies to introduce the role of the individual to naturalistic accounts of disease
Authors: Altinok Ozan Altan
Published: July 2024

Disability studies have been successfully focusing on individuals' lived experiences, the personalization of goals, and the constitution of the individual in defining disease and restructuring public understandings of disability. Although they had a strong influence in the policy making and medical modeling of disease, their framework has not been translated to traditional naturalistic accounts of disease. I will argue that, using new developments in evolutionary biology (Extended Evolutionary Synthesis [EES] about questions of proper function) and behavioral ecology (Niche conformance and construction about the questions of reference classes in biostatistics accounts), the main elements of the framework of disability studies can be used to represent life histories at the conceptual level of the two main “non-normative” accounts of disease. I chose these accounts since they are related to medicine in a more descriptive way. The success of the practical aspects of disability studies this way will be communicated without causing injustice to the individual since they will represent the individuality of the patient in two main naturalistic accounts of disease: the biostatistical account and the evolutionary functional account. Although most accounts criticizing the concept of disease as value-laden do not supply a positive element, disability studies can supply a good point for descriptive extension of the concept through inclusion of epistemic agency.
From alert to action: earthquake early warning and deaf communities
Authors: Cooper Audrey C. , Cooke Michele L. , Takayama Kota , Sumy Danielle F. , McBride Sara
Published: July 2024

Earthquake early warning (EEW) alerts may give people valuable seconds to take protective action, such as drop, cover and hold on, before earthquake shaking starts. In order for individuals to take protective action, they need to receive the alert, understand the alert message, and have enough contextual knowledge to take appropriate protective action. Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH+) persons do not have equitable access to earthquake information, warning systems, training, and participation in disaster decision-making at all levels. Despite international policies for emergency alerts to be accessible to people with disabilities, there are no research publications that specifically address the effectiveness of EEW alerts for DHH+ communities. Missed notifications and misunderstandings about elements of the EEW alert message can delay the response time of DHH+ persons. Furthermore, unequal access to earthquake drills and preparedness information can leave DHH+ persons with insufficient context to take protective action when receiving alerts. The existing gaps in effectiveness of the EEW alerts stem from language inequities for DHH+ persons in our schools, workplaces and families, which we analyze by applying linguistic anthropological and sociolinguistic frameworks to examine the nexus of DHH+ communities’ languages and EEW messaging. To advance language equity in EEW alerting, inclusion of DHH+ communities can improve messaging and reduce misunderstandings so that DHH+ persons can quickly take protective action when they receive an alert.
Symphytum genus—from traditional medicine to modern uses: an update on phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, and safety
Authors: Trifan Adriana , Wolfram Evelyn , Skalicka-Woźniak Krystyna , Luca Simon Vlad
Published: July 2024

With around 34 recognized species, Symphytum genus (comfrey) has a noteworthy position within the Boraginaceae family. Comfrey species have been empirically used since ancient times as wound-healing and skin-regenerating agents in ulcers, wounds, bone fractures, and rheumatic complaints. This review aims to provide a thorough examination of recent scientific advances and challenges within the Symphytum genus, covering data published between 2013 and 2023. It delivers an updated overview of the taxonomy, ethnopharmacological uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological activities of the genus. Special emphasis is put on molecular identification methods for species taxonomy, emerging extraction technologies for comfrey phytochemicals, metabolomics techniques for mapping chemical complexity, modern bioassay platforms revealing its poly-pharmacology, formulation strategies, and remediation approaches for removal of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). For instance, recent metabolomic studies employing advanced spectro-chromatographic techniques have revealed a diverse chemical composition of comfrey plants, including polysaccharides, allantoin, benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, fatty acids, and unsaturated necine-structure-based PAs. The mechanisms underlying their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, wound-healing, anti-irritant, and osteo-regenerative properties were targeted in modern pharmacological setups. Thus, key compounds like allantoin, rosmarinic acid, globoidnans A and B, rabdosiin, and comfreyn A, have been identified as significant contributors to the anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects of Symphytum-derived preparations. Despite their well-established clinical use, concerns about PAs-induced toxicity have prompted the development of novel PA remediation strategies, enabling the production of comfrey extracts with enhanced safety profiles that can meet the regulatory standards imposed by authorities.
App-Based Addiction Prevention at German Vocational Schools: Implementation and Reach for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Guertler Diana , Bläsing Dominic , Moehring Anne , Meyer Christian , Brandt Dominique , Schmidt Hannah , Rehbein Florian , Neumann Merten , Dreißigacker Arne , Bischof Anja , Bischof Gallus , Sürig Svenja , Hohls Lisa , Hagspiel Maximilian , Wurm Susanne , Haug Severin , Rumpf Hans-Jürgen
Published: July 2024

This article examines the implementation, participation rates, and potential determinants of participation in the digital addiction prevention program “ready4life.” A two-arm cluster-randomized trial recruited German vocational students via class-based strategies. Intervention group received 16 weeks of in-app coaching; the control group received health behavior information, with coaching offered after 12 months. Potential determinants of participation were analyzed based on class and individual characteristics. Out of 525 contacted schools, 35 participated, enrolling 376 classes. Implementation during the pandemic required flexible adjustments, with 49.7% of introductions conducted in person, 43.1% digitally via online streaming, and 7.2% received a video link via email. Despite challenges, 72.3% of the vocational students downloaded the app, and 46.7% gave informed consent. Participation rates were highest among (associate) professionals, vocational grammar school classes, classes introduced by females, younger individuals, members of the project team, and classes introduced face-to-face. Female gender, lower social competencies, lifetime cannabis use, higher problematic internet use, and higher perceived stress were associated with higher individual participation. The study highlights the importance of proactive outreach and personalized interventions for addiction prevention programs in vocational schools. While reached students aligned with the aims of the app, tailored recruitment strategies could enhance engagement among under-represented groups. The trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00022328; registration date 09.10.2020.
“The value-free ideal, the autonomy thesis, and cognitive diversity”
Authors: Politi Vincenzo
Published: July 2024

Some debates about the role of non-epistemic values in science discuss the so-called Value-Free Ideal together with the autonomy thesis, to the point that they may be assumed to be intertwined. As I will argue in this article, the two are independent from one another, are supported by different arguments, and ought to be disentangled. I will also show that the arguments against value-freedom and supporting a value-laden conception of science, are different from the arguments against autonomy, which support democratized science. Moreover, while some of the arguments against autonomy and for democratized science may actually be consistent with value-freedom, they conflict with some philosophical views about the internal diversity of well-designed epistemic communities. This article distinguishes the Value-Free Ideal and the autonomy thesis, as well as their antitheses, and investigates their relations to some of the socio-epistemological models of the social organization of scientific research. Its aim is to make explicit some incompatibilities between different normative frameworks developed in philosophy of science.
Standardization in the context of transdisciplinarity
Authors: Blind Knut
Published: July 2024

Transdisciplinarity is an integrative approach that includes different scientific disciplines as well as stakeholders and researchers to tackle both societal and scientific challenges. Since standards are jointly developed by science, business, and other stakeholders, standardization can be perceived as a specific mode of transdisciplinarity. In the discussion on knowledge transfer as a further performance dimension for researchers, participation in standardization procedures is now also being considered as a further channel, albeit without a sound conceptual and empirical basis. The paper thus aims to provide a conceptual base of standardization as a transdisciplinary knowledge production mode and transfer channel but also gives an outlook on its empirical implementation. The literature review on transdisciplinarity helps us to put standardization into the context of transdisciplinary research and to present a conceptual model of standardization as transdisciplinary knowledge production and transfer. Further, we present the first methodological approaches for the empirical analysis of the transdisciplinary character of standardization. Finally, we conclude with a summary, a number of recommendations derived from transdisciplinary research for standardization, and an outlook toward future research to be tackled with the proposed methodologies.
Temperature Dependence of the Defect States in LWIR (100) and (111)B HgCdTe Epilayers for IR HOT Detectors
Authors: Murawski Krzysztof , Majkowycz K. , Sobieski J. , Kopytko M. , Martyniuk P.
Published: July 2024

HgCdTe epilayers grown by chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on GaAs substrates operating in the long-wave infrared range were characterized by the photoluminescence (PL) method. Photodiode and photoconductor designs, both (100) and (111)B crystallographic, were analyzed. Spectral current responsivity (RI) and a PL signal approximated by a theoretical expression being the product of the density of states and the Fermi–Dirac distribution were used to determine the fundamental transition (energy gap, Eg). For all the samples, an additional deep-level-related transition associated with mercury vacancies (VHg) were observed. The energy distance of about 80 meV above the valence band edge was observed for all the samples. Moreover, measurements at low temperature showed shallow acceptor-level (AsTe and VHg as acceptors) transitions. In HgCdTe(100), due to the higher arsenic activation, AsTe was the dominant acceptor dopant, while, in HgCdTe(111)B, the main acceptor level was formed by the neutral VHg. The determined activation energies for AsTe and VHg dopants were of about 5 meV and 10 meV, respectively.
Fully automated determination of robotic pedicle screw accuracy and precision utilizing computer vision algorithms
Authors: Groisser Benjamin N. , Thakur Ankush , Hillstrom Howard J. , Adhiyaman Akshitha , Zucker Colson , Du Jerry , Cunningham Matthew , Hresko M. Timothy , Haddas Ram , Blanco John , Potter Hollis G. , Mintz Douglas N. , Breighner Ryan E. , Heyer Jessica H. , Widmann Roger F.
Published: July 2024

Historically, pedicle screw accuracy measurements have relied on CT and expert visual assessment of the position of pedicle screws relative to preoperative plans. Proper pedicle screw placement is necessary to avoid complications, cost and morbidity of revision procedures. The aim of this study was to determine accuracy and precision of pedicle screw insertion via a novel computer vision algorithm using preoperative and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. Three cadaveric specimens were utilized. Screw placement planning on preoperative CT was performed according to standard clinical practice. Two experienced surgeons performed bilateral T2–L4 instrumentation using robotic-assisted navigation. Postoperative CT scans of the instrumented levels were obtained. Automated segmentation and computer vision techniques were employed to align each preoperative vertebra with its postoperative counterpart and then compare screw positions along all three axes. Registration accuracy was assessed by preoperatively embedding spherical markers (tantalum beads) to measure discrepancies in landmark alignment. Eighty-eight pedicle screws were placed in 3 cadavers’ spines. Automated registrations between pre- and postoperative CT achieved sub-voxel accuracy. For the screw tip and tail, the mean three-dimensional errors were 1.67 mm and 1.78 mm, respectively. Mean angular deviation of screw axes from plan was 1.58°. For screw mid-pedicular accuracy, mean absolute error in the medial–lateral and superior–inferior directions were 0.75 mm and 0.60 mm, respectively. This study introduces automated algorithms for determining accuracy and precision of planned pedicle screws. Our accuracy outcomes are comparable or superior to recent robotic-assisted in vivo and cadaver studies. This computerized workflow establishes a standardized protocol for assessing pedicle screw placement accuracy and precision and provides detailed 3D translational and angular accuracy and precision for baseline comparison.
Youth-onset Type 2 Diabetes: An Overview of Pathophysiology, Prognosis, Prevention and Management
Authors: Titmuss Angela , Korula Sophy , Wicklow Brandy , Nadeau Kristen J.
Published: July 2024

Purpose of review:

This review explores the emerging evidence regarding pathogenesis, future trajectories, treatment options, and phenotypes of youth-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Recent findings:

Youth-onset T2D is increasing in incidence and prevalence worldwide, disproportionately affecting First Nations communities, socioeconomically disadvantaged youth, and people of colour. Youth-onset T2D differs in pathogenesis to later-onset T2D and progresses more rapidly. It is associated with more complications, and these occur earlier. While there are limited licensed treatment options available, the available medications also appear to have a poorer response in youth with T2D. Multiple interacting factors likely contribute to this rising prevalence, as well as the increased severity of the condition, including structural inequities, increasing obesity and sedentary lifestyles, and intergenerational transmission from in-utero exposure to maternal hyperglycemia and obesity. Youth-onset T2D is also associated with stigma and poorer mental health, and these impact clinical management.

There is an urgent need to develop effective interventions to prevent youth-onset T2D and enhance engagement of affected youth. It is also critical to better understand the differing phenotypes of youth-onset T2D, to effectively target treatments, and to address intergenerational transmission in high-risk populations.
Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy plus camrelizumab and apatinib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zuo Mengxuan , Cao Yuzhe , Yang Yi , Zheng Guanglei , Li Da , Shao Hongyan , Ma Qiaoyun , Song Peng , An Chao , Li Wang
Published: July 2024

Background and aims

There is limited information on combination of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (Ad-HCC). We aim to compare the efficacy and safety of HAIC plus camrelizumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) and apatinib (an VEGFR-2 inhibitor) versus camrelizumab and apatinib for Ad-HCC.

Methods

From April 2019 to October 2022, 416 patients with Ad-HCC who received either HAIC plus camrelizumab and apatinib (TRIPLET protocol, n = 207) or camrelizumab and apatinib (C–A protocol, n = 209) were reviewed retrospectively. The propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce selective bias. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared using the Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test. Cox regression analyses of independent prognostic factors were evaluated.

Results

After PSM 1:1, 109 patients were assigned to two groups. The median OS of not reached in the TRIPLET group was significantly longer than that of 19.9 months in the C–A group (p < 0.001), while in the TRIPLET group, the median PFS of 11.5 months was significantly longer than that of 9.6 months in the C–A group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that the factors significantly affected the OS were CTP grade, tumor number > 3, and TRIPLET treatment (p < 0.001). Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred at a rate of 82.1% vs. 71.3% in TRIPLET and C–A groups, respectively.

Conclusion

The TRIPLET protocol has promising survival benefits in the management of patients with Ad-HCC, with acceptable safety.

Trail registration: The study has been retrospectively registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/, ChiCTR2300075828).
The Value of Labial Gland Biopsies as a Diagnostic Test for Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Clark Mollie , Walsh Hannah , Stephens-Laborde India , Khurram Syed Ali
Published: July 2024

Purpose

There are a number of diagnostic criteria that can be used to support a diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), a chronic autoimmune condition often characterised by xerostomia and xerophthalmia. Of the available investigations, the most invasive is the labial gland biopsy (LGB) for histopathology, which is associated with a risk of long-term altered sensation to the lip. A positive histological diagnosis is currently considered to be one of the most objective criteria, however there is debate about the interobserver agreement between pathologists, as well as the sensitivity and specificity of this test. We aim to determine if the diagnostic value of the LGB is significant enough to warrant the surgical procedure and its associated risks.

Methods

This study involved assessing the degree of agreement between members of a pathology team for a cohort of 50 LGBs taken for the purpose of confirming or excluding SS. The Tarpley system was used, which involves the allocation of a ‘focus score’. Additionally, the histological diagnoses were compared to the relevant serological findings where available.

Results

All cases within the cohort had adequate tissue for assessment. 84% agreement (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.585) was seen between the current team’s consensus and the original reporting pathologist on whether the appearance was supportive of SS. However, only 58% agreement was seen for focus scores (Weighted Kappa = 0.496). The agreement between the serology result and whether the histology was supportive of SS was 79% (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.493).

Conclusion

The findings raise the possibility that undue emphasis is placed on the value of a histological SS diagnosis. The current system for assessing and grading these biopsies is ambiguous in nature, with a low threshold considered indicative of SS. Due to the risk of complications associated with a LGB, alternative minimally invasive investigations should always be considered. The histological findings in isolation, particularly when a low focus score is seen, may not be predictive of a diagnosis of SS.
The Spanish Version of the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Others Scale (SOCS–O) in Nursing Students: Psychometric Properties and Its Relation with Mindfulness
Authors: Sansó Noemí , Escrivá-Martínez Tamara , Flowers Sarah , West Michael A. , Galiana Laura
Published: July 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Others Scale (SOCS–O) in a large sample of Spanish undergraduate nursing students.

Method

After a forward–backward translation process, we conducted a cross-sectional study among nursing students in their first year of training at two Spanish universities. The mean age of the participants (n = 683) was 22.74 years old, and 83.46% were women. Together with compassion for others, mindfulness was also assessed.

Results

Descriptive results revealed high scores across all dimensions of the SOCS–O. The data supported a 3-factor structure with correlated factors (χ2(167) = 363.47, p < 0.01; CFI = 0.96; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.05, 90% CI = 0.04, 0.05; SRMR = 0.04). Reliability estimates, measured by Cronbach’s alpha, were excellent, ranging from 0.87 to 0.93. Measurement invariance across gender was confirmed. Men exhibited significantly lower levels in all compassion dimensions: Recognizing suffering (mean difference =  − 0.40), Understanding the universality of suffering (mean difference =  − 0.33), and Behavioral compassion (mean difference =  − 0.57) (all p < 0.01). The structural equation model showed a clear relationship between mindfulness and compassion (χ2(581) = 1345.79, p < 0.01; CFI = 0.92; TLI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.04, 90% CI = 0.04, 0.04; SRMR = 0.06).

Conclusions

The findings showed that the Spanish version of the SOCS–O has robust psychometric properties. The SOCS–O is a reliable tool for measuring compassion with three subscales and helps advance understanding of compassion among student nurses. The positive relationship between mindfulness and compassion suggests that incorporating mindfulness training into nursing curricula could enhance the delivery of compassionate care.

Preregistration

This study was not preregistered.
Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors approved for systemic therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: recent advances and future perspectives
Authors: Liu Jianzhong , Xia Shuai , Zhang Baoyi , Mohammed Dina Mostafa , Yang Xiangliang , Zhu Yanhong , Jiang Xinnong
Published: July 2024

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer. More than half of the HCC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and often require systemic therapy. Dysregulation of the activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is involved in the development and progress of HCC, RTKs are therefore the potential targets for systemic therapy of advanced HCC (aHCC). Currently, a total of six small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been approved for aHCC, including first-line sorafenib, lenvatinib, and donafenib, and second-line regorafenib, cabozantinib, and apatinib. These TKIs improved patients survival, which are associated with disease stage, etiology, liver function, tumor burden, baseline levels of alpha-fetoprotein, and treatment history. This review focuses on the clinical outcomes of these TKIs in key clinical trials, retrospective and real-world studies and discusses the future perspectives of TKIs for aHCC, with an aim to provide up-to-date evidence for decision-making in the treatment of aHCC.
Revealing the effect of sea buckthorn oil, fish oil and structured lipid on intestinal microbiota, colonic short chain fatty acid composition and serum lipid profiles in vivo
Authors: Song Ankang , Li Yanbo , Wang Wei , Hu Yueqi , Xu Junjie , Xu Zhixin , Zhou Li , Liu Jikai
Published: July 2024

In this study, the effects of sea buckthorn oil (SBO), fish oil (FO) and an enzymatically synthesized structured lipid (SL) on serum, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and intestinal microbiota in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were investigated. The results demonstrated that FO, SBO, and SL effectively reduced the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the serum of SD rats. SBO increased serum triglyceride levels, while FO elevated total cholesterol levels. Furthermore, all three dietary lipids decreased short-chain fatty acid production and enhanced intestinal microbiota diversity. FO increased the abundance of intestinal microbiota including Romboutsia, Lactobacillus, Escherichia-Shigella, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group. Conversely, all three dietary lipids reduced the abundance of Klebsiella and Blautia. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the functionality of SBO and FO as well as their potential application in synthesizing novel SLs to regulate intestinal microbiota.

Graphical Abstract
Enriched Koszul duality
Authors: Eurenius Björn
Published: July 2024

We show that the category of non-counital conilpotent dg-coalgebras and the category of non-unital dg-algebras carry model structures compatible with their closed non-unital monoidal and closed non-unital module category structures respectively. Furthermore, we show that the Quillen equivalence between these two categories extends to a non-unital module category Quillen equivalence, i.e. providing an enriched form of Koszul duality.
Environmental risk and market approval for human pharmaceuticals
Authors: Fumagalli Davide
Published: July 2024

This paper contributes to the growing discussion about how to mitigate pharmaceutical pollution, which is a threat to human, animal, and environmental health as well as a potential driver of antimicrobial resistance. It identifies market approval of pharmaceuticals as one of the most powerful ways to shape producer behavior and highlights that applying this tool raises ethical issues given that it might impact patients’ access to medicines. The paper identifies seven different policy options that progressively give environmental considerations increased priority in the approval process, identifies ethically relevant interests affected by such policies, and makes explicit tensions and necessary tradeoffs between these interests. While arguing that the current European regulation gives insufficient weight to environmental considerations, the paper highlights concerns with the strongest policy options, on the grounds that these may very well endanger patients’ access to effective medication.
High Density 3D Carbon Tube Nanoarray Electrode Boosting the Capacitance of Filter Capacitor
Authors: Chen Gan , Han Fangming , Ma Huachun , Li Pei , Zhou Ziyan , Wang Pengxiang , Li Xiaoyan , Meng Guowen , Wei Bingqing
Published: July 2024

Electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) with fast frequency response are regarded as small-scale alternatives to the commercial bulky aluminum electrolytic capacitors. Creating carbon-based nanoarray electrodes with precise alignment and smooth ion channels is crucial for enhancing EDLCs’ performance. However, controlling the density of macropore-dominated nanoarray electrodes poses challenges in boosting the capacitance of line-filtering EDLCs. Herein, a simple technique to finely adjust the vertical-pore diameter and inter-spacing in three-dimensional nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (3D-AAO) template is achieved, and 3D compactly arranged carbon tube (3D-CACT) nanoarrays are created as electrodes for symmetrical EDLCs using nanoporous 3D-AAO template-assisted chemical vapor deposition of carbon. The 3D-CACT electrodes demonstrate a high surface area of 253.0 m2 g−1, a D/G band intensity ratio of 0.94, and a C/O atomic ratio of 8. As a result, the high-density 3D-CT nanoarray-based sandwich-type EDLCs demonstrate a record high specific areal capacitance of 3.23 mF cm−2 at 120 Hz and exceptional fast frequency response due to the vertically aligned and highly ordered nanoarray of closely packed CT units. The 3D-CT nanoarray electrode-based EDLCs could serve as line filters in integrated circuits, aiding power system miniaturization.
Application of Artificial Intelligence to the Alert of Explosions in Colombian Underground Mines
Authors: Vallejo-Molina Luis , Blandon-Montes Astrid , Lopez Sebastian , Molina-Escobar Jorge , Ortiz Andres , Soto David , Torero Jose , Toro Alejandro , Molina Alejandro
Published: July 2024

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), in alerting possible scenarios of methane explosions in Colombian underground mines is illustrated by the analysis of an explosion that killed twelve miners. A combination of geological analysis, a detailed characterization of samples of coal dust and scene evidence, and an analysis with physical modeling tools supported the hypothesis of the existence of an initial methane explosion ignited by an unprotected tool that was followed by a coal dust explosion. The fact that one victim had a portable methane detector at the moment of the methane explosion suggested that the ubiquitous use of these systems in Colombian mines could be used to alert regulatory agencies of a possible methane explosion. This fact was illustrated with the generation of a database of possible readouts of methane concentration based on the recreation of the mine atmosphere before the explosion with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This database was used to train and test an ANN that included an input layer with two nodes, two hidden layers, each with eight nodes, and an output layer with one node. The inner layers applied a rectified linear unit activation function and the output layer a Sigmoid function. The performance of the ANN algorithm was considered acceptable as it correctly predicted the need for an explosion alert in 971.9 per thousand cases and illustrated how AI can process data that is currently discarded but that can be of importance to alert about methane explosions.
Evidence on price stickiness in Japan
Authors: Ueda Kozo
Published: July 2024

Using microdata from the Retail Price Survey (the basic statistics for the Consumer Price Index), we document facts regarding price stickiness in Japan. The main results are as follows: (1) The average frequency of price changes approximates $$20\%$$

20
%

on a monthly basis. (2) The frequency of price changes is more heterogeneous than that in the US (3) Whereas no clear relationship exists between the frequency and size of price changes, a positive correlation emerges between the size of price changes and price dispersion across stores. (4) Large cities tend to have a higher frequency of price changes and smaller price dispersion than small cities. (5) A positive relationship exists between price changes and jobs-to-applicants ratio for some services. (6) Behind the 2022–2023 price increase, the frequency of price changes exhibits a notable increase for certain goods and services such as eating out, while no distinct change is observed for the size of price changes or price dispersion.
Indikationen für die Cholezystektomie
Authors: Weber Lorenz , Gutknecht Stefan , Weber Markus
Published: July 2024

Mit 191 Operationen pro 100.000 Einwohner jährlich ist die Cholezystektomie eine der häufigsten Operationen in der Schweiz. Die richtige Indikationsstellung ist zum Teil die grössere Herausforderung als der Eingriff selber. Bei asymptomatischer Cholezystolithiasis ist die Indikation nur in speziellen Situationen gegeben, wie bei der Porzellangallenblase, bei grossen Gallensteinen > 3 cm, bei Gallenblasenpolypen ab 10 mm sowie bei Gallensteinen im Rahmen eines grossen Abdominaleingriffs. Bei typischen biliären Symptomen sollte aufgrund der Beschwerdelast sowie möglichen biliären Komplikationen elektiv operiert werden. Eine Cholezystektomie ist notfallmässig bei der akuten Cholezystitis und zeitnahe bei der milden biliären Pankreatitis zu planen. Ebenso ist bei der Choledocholithiasis eine Cholezystektomie innert 3 Tagen nach Steinsanierung anzustreben. Nach Gallenblasendrainage bei Hochrisikopatienten respektive nach schwerer, nekrotisierender, biliärer Pankreatitis ist die Cholezystektomie im Intervall zu planen, insbesondere bei der Pankreatitis beträgt das ideale Intervall frühestens 8 Wochen.
Measure-operator convolutions and applications to mixed-state Gabor multipliers
Authors: Feichtinger Hans G. , Halvdansson Simon , Luef Franz
Published: July 2024

For the Weyl-Heisenberg group, convolutions between functions and operators were defined by Werner as a part of a framework called quantum harmonic analysis. We show how recent results by Feichtinger can be used to extend this definition to include convolutions between measures and operators. Many properties of function-operator convolutions carry over to this setting and allow us to prove novel results on the distribution of eigenvalues of mixed-state Gabor multipliers and derive a version of the Berezin-Lieb inequality for lattices. New results on the continuity of Gabor multipliers with respect to lattice parameters, masks and windows as well as their ability to approximate localization operators are also derived using this framework.