bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delineating soil moisture dynamics within an evapotranspiration surface barrier using spatial‐temporal analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhuanfang Fred , Mehta Sunil , Bergeron Marcel P.
Published: May 2023

Evapotranspiration (ET) surface barriers store infiltrated precipitation during the recharge period and release the stored water to the atmosphere via ET. The primary purpose of a surface barrier is to reduce or eliminate drainage to the underlying waste zone. The objective of this study is to analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil moisture within an ET surface barrier based on observed and simulated data. This study characterizes the water movement processes using contour plots of soil moisture content and flux rate in the depth‐time domain. Zero‐flux planes (ZFPs) divide the depth‐time domain into stored water, ET, and drainage zones. Some flow dynamics (e.g., flow rate and direction) that were not observed in the field were elaborated with simulation results to identify the depth of the recharge front of infiltrated water, the release front of stored water, and the bottom of the ET zone. The ET‐drainage divide marks the bottom of the ET zone and the top of the drainage zone. The results showed that the temporal analysis of soil moisture storage could indicate the degree of usage of the storage capacity of a surface barrier. The spatial‐temporal analyses of soil moisture content and flux rate can characterize the durations of the recharge/release processes and the depth of the stored water. Quantification of these processes and related zones provides beneficial understanding of the state and dynamics of soil moisture for a range of weather and vegetation conditions and is useful in optimizing the design of an ET surface barrier.
Dynamic Multi-View Fusion Mechanism for Chinese Relation Extraction
Authors: Yang Jing , Ji Bin , Li Shasha , Ma Jun , Peng Long , Yu Jie
Published: May 2023

Recently, many studies incorporate external knowledge into character-level feature based models to improve the performance of Chinese relation extraction. However, these methods tend to ignore the internal information of the Chinese character and cannot filter out the noisy information of external knowledge. To address these issues, we propose a mixture-of-view-experts framework (MoVE) to dynamically learn multi-view features for Chinese relation extraction. With both the internal and external knowledge of Chinese characters, our framework can better capture the semantic information of Chinese characters. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, we conduct extensive experiments on three real-world datasets in distinct domains. Experimental results show consistent and significant superiority and robustness of our proposed framework. Our code and dataset will be released at: https://gitee.com/tmg-nudt/multi-view-of-expert-for-chinese-relation-extraction
Collision integrals for cosmological phase transitions
Authors: De Curtis Stefania , Delle Rose Luigi , Guiggiani Andrea , Muyor Ángel Gil , Panico Giuliano
Published: May 2023

Abstract

The dynamics of the true-vacuum bubbles nucleated during a first-order phase transition is affected by the distribution functions of the particle species in the plasma, driven out-of-equilibrium by the travelling domain wall. An accurate modelling of this phenomenon is relevant for a quantitative description of phase transitions in the early universe and for the determination of the corresponding cosmic relics, such as, among the others, the stochastic background of gravitational waves. We address this problem by developing a new spectral method devised for a fast and reliable computation of the collision integral in the Boltzmann equations. In a scalar singlet extension of the Standard Model chosen as a benchmark scenario, we test our algorithm, determining the bubble speed and profile, and we assess the impact of the out-of-equilibrium dynamics.
Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Stroke with a Large Ischemic Core: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Abuelazm Mohamed , Ahmad Unaiza , Abu Suilik Husam , Seri Amith , Mahmoud Abdelrahman , Abdelazeem Basel
Published: May 2023

Background

Endovascular thrombectomy (ET) efficacy and safety in stroke with a large ischemic core is still inconclusive as this population has been underrepresented in ET randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing RCTs, which were retrieved by systematically searching: PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through February 18th, 2023. Our primary outcome was neurological disability measured by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Dichotomous outcomes were pooled using risk ratio (RR) along with confidence interval (CI) using Revman V. 5.4 software.

Results

Three RCTs with a total of 1010 patients were included in our analysis. ET significantly increased the rates of functional independence (mRS ≤ 2) (RR: 2.54 with 95% CI [1.85, 3.48]), independent ambulation (mRS ≤ 3) (RR: 1.78 with 95% CI [1.28, 2.48]), and early neurological improvement (RR: 2.46 with 95% CI [1.60, 3.79]). However, there was no difference between endovascular thrombectomy and medical care in excellent neurological recovery (mRS ≤ 1) (RR: 1.35 with 95% CI [0.88, 2.08]). Also, ET significantly reduced the rate of poor neurological recovery (mRS 4–6) (RR: 0.79 with 95% CI [0.72, 0.86]). However, endovascular thrombectomy was associated with more incidence of any intracranial hemorrhage (RR: 2.40 with 95% CI [1.90, 3.01] [0.72, 0.86]).

Conclusion

ET combined with medical care was associated with better functional outcomes compared with medical care alone. However, ET was associated with a higher rate of intracranial hemorrhage. This can support extending ET indication in the management of stroke with a large ischemic core.
The countdown to type 1 diabetes: when, how and why does the clock start?
Authors: Ziegler Anette-Gabriele
Published: May 2023

‘The clock to type 1 diabetes has started when islet antibodies are first detected’, commented George Eisenbarth with regard to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. This review focuses on ‘starting the clock’, i.e. the initiation of pre-symptomatic islet autoimmunity/the first appearance of islet autoantibodies. In particular, this review addresses why susceptibility to developing islet autoimmunity is greatest in the first 2 years of life and why beta cells are a frequent target of the immune system during this fertile period. A concept for the development of beta cell autoimmunity in childhood is discussed and three factors are highlighted that contribute to this early predisposition: (1) high beta cell activity and potential vulnerability to stress; (2) high rates of and first exposures to infection; and (3) a heightened immune response, with a propensity for T helper type 1 (Th1) immunity. Arguments are presented that beta cell injury, accompanied by activation of an inflammatory immune response, precedes the initiation of autoimmunity. Finally, the implications for strategies aimed at primary prevention for a world without type 1 diabetes are discussed.

Graphical Abstract
Persistence of commuting habits: context effects in Germany
Authors: Jost Ramona
Published: May 2023

In this study, I investigate the commuting behavior of workers in Germany. Using comprehensive geo-referenced administrative employee and firm data, I can calculate the exact commuting time and the distance between workers’ residence and workplace locations. Based on a behavioral economic approach (Simonson and Tveresky in J Mark Res 29:281–295, 1992), I show that individual commuting decisions are influenced by wages and individual heterogeneity as well as depending on the context individuals observed in the past. In particular, my results show that previously observed commutes have an impact on subsequent commuting behavior: workers choose longer commuting times in the region they recently moved to when the average commute in the region they left was longer. The results indicate that while selectivity and sorting do not influence the effect of the context, the inclusion of individual fixed effects is crucial.
Efficient GPU Cloud architectures for outsourcing high-performance processing to the Cloud
Authors: Sánchez-Ribes Víctor , Maciá-Lillo Antonio , Mora Higinio , Jimeno-Morenilla Antonio
Published: May 2023

The world is becoming increasingly dependant in computing intensive applications. The appearance of new paradigms, such as Internet of Things (IoT), and advances in technologies such as Computer Vision (CV) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are creating a demand for high-performance applications. In this regard, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have the ability to provide better performance by allowing a high degree of data parallelism. These devices are also beneficial in specialized fields of manufacturing industry such as CAD/CAM. For all these applications, there is a recent tendency to offload these computations to the Cloud, using a computing offloading Cloud architecture. However, the use of GPUs in the Cloud presents some inefficiencies, where GPU virtualization is still not fully resolved, as our research on what main Cloud providers currently offer in terms of GPU Cloud instances shows. To address these problems, this paper first makes a review of current GPU technologies and programming techniques that increase concurrency, to then propose a Cloud computing outsourcing architecture to make more efficient use of these devices in the Cloud.
MAM-2201 acute administration impairs motor, sensorimotor, prepulse inhibition, and memory functions in mice: a comparison with its analogue AM-2201
Authors: Corli Giorgia , Tirri Micaela , Bilel Sabrine , Arfè Raffaella , Coccini Teresa , Roda Elisa , Marchetti Beatrice , Vincenzi Fabrizio , Zauli Giorgio , Borea Pier Andrea , Locatelli Carlo Alessandro , Varani Katia , Marti Matteo
Published: May 2023

Rationale

1-[(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl](4-methyl-1-naphthalenyl) methanone (MAM-2201) is a potent synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist illegally marketed in “spice” products and as “synthacaine” for its psychoactive effects. It is a naphthoyl-indole derivative which differs from its analogue 1-[(5-Fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl](1-naphthylenyl) methanone (AM-2201) by the presence of a methyl substituent on carbon 4 (C-4) of the naphthoyl moiety. Multiple cases of intoxication and impaired driving have been linked to AM-2201 and MAM-2201 consumption.

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the in vitro (murine and human cannabinoid receptors) and in vivo (CD-1 male mice) pharmacodynamic activity of MAM-2201 and compare its effects with those induced by its desmethylated analogue, AM-2201.

Results

In vitro competition binding studies confirmed that MAM-2201 and AM-2201 possess nanomolar affinity for both CD-1 murine and human CB1 and CB2 receptors, with preference for the CB1 receptor. In agreement with the in vitro binding data, in vivo studies showed that MAM-2201 induces visual, acoustic, and tactile impairments that were fully prevented by pretreatment with CB1 receptor antagonist/partial agonist AM-251, indicating a CB1 receptor mediated mechanism of action. Administration of MAM-2201 also altered locomotor activity and PPI responses of mice, pointing out its detrimental effect on motor and sensory gating functions and confirming its potential use liability. MAM-2201 and AM-2201 also caused deficits in short- and long-term working memory.

Conclusion

These findings point to the potential public health burden that these synthetic cannabinoids may pose, with particular emphasis on impaired driving and workplace performance.
Lethal and Sub-lethal Implications of Sodium Chloride Exposure for Adult Unionid Mussel Species: Eurynia dilatata and Lasmigona costata
Authors: Burton Erika A. , Atkinson Brian , Salerno Joseph , Khan Hufsa N. , Prosser Ryan S. , Gillis Patricia L.
Published: May 2023

The elevated use of salt as a de-icing agent on roads in Canada is causing an increase in the chloride concentration of freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater Unionid mussels are a group of organisms that are sensitive to increases in chloride levels. Unionids have greater diversity in North America than anywhere else on Earth, but they are also one of the most imperiled groups of organisms. This underscores the importance of understanding the effect that increasing salt exposure has on these threatened species. There are more data on the acute toxicity of chloride to Unionids than on chronic toxicity. This study investigated the effect of chronic sodium chloride exposure on the survival and filtering activity of two Unionid species (Eurynia dilatata, and Lasmigona costata) and assessed the effect on the metabolome in L. costata hemolymph. The concentration causing mortality after 28 days of exposure was similar for E. dilatata (1893 mg Cl−/L) and L. costata (1903 mg Cl−/L). Significant changes in the metabolome of the L. costata hemolymph were observed for mussels exposed to non-lethal concentrations. For example, several phosphatidylethanolamines, several hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, pyropheophorbide-a, and alpha-linolenic acid were significantly upregulated in the hemolymph of mussels exposed to 1000 mg Cl−/L for 28 days. While no mortality occurred in the treatment, elevated metabolites in the hemolymph are an indicator of stress.
Association between routine cell salvage use for lower segment caesarean section and post-operative iron infusion and anemia
Authors: Fox Tom P. , Timpani Evelyn , Green Amanda , Parange Anupam , Sinha Romi , Kelly Thu-Lan , Hodyl Nicolette A. , Froessler Bernd
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Intraoperative cell salvage is central to Patient Blood Management including for lower segment caesarean section. Prior to April 2020, we initiated intraoperative cell salvage during caesarean section based on risk assessment for hemorrhage and patient factors. As the pandemic broadened, we mandated intraoperative cell salvage to prevent peri-partum anemia and potentially reduce blood product usage. We examined the association of routine intraoperative cell salvage on maternal outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a single-center non-overlapping before-after study of obstetric patients undergoing lower segment caesarean section in the 2 months prior to a change in practice (‘usual care = selective intraoperative cell salvage’, n = 203) and the 2 months following (‘mandated intraoperative cell salvage’, n = 228). Recovered blood was processed when a minimal autologous reinfusion volume of 100 ml was expected. Post-operative iron infusion and length of stay were modelled using logistic or linear regression, using inverse probability weighting to account for confounding.

Results

More emergency lower-segment caesarean sections occurred in the Usual Care group. Compared to the Usual Care group, post-operative hemoglobin was higher and anemia cases fewer in the Mandated intraoperative cell salvage group. Rates of post-partum iron infusion were significantly lower in the Mandated intraoperative cell salvage group (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.80, P = 0.016). No difference was found for length of stay.

Conclusion

Routine cell salvage provision during lower segment caesarean section was associated with a significant reduction in post-partum iron infusions, increased post-operative hemoglobin and reduced anemia prevalence.
Apicomplexan parasites are attenuated by low-energy electron irradiation in an automated microfluidic system and protect against infection with Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Finkensieper Julia , Mayerle Florian , Rentería-Solís Zaida , Fertey Jasmin , Makert Gustavo R. , Lange Franziska , Besecke Joana , Schopf Simone , Poremba Andre , König Ulla , Standfest Bastian , Thoma Martin , Daugschies Arwid , Ulbert Sebastian
Published: May 2023

Radiation-attenuated intracellular parasites are promising immunization strategies. The irradiated parasites are able to invade host cells but fail to fully replicate, which allows for the generation of an efficient immune response. Available radiation technologies such as gamma rays require complex shielding constructions and are difficult to be integrated into pharmaceutical production processes. In this study, we evaluated for the first time low-energy electron irradiation (LEEI) as a method to generate replication-deficient Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum. Similar to other radiation technologies, LEEI mainly damages nucleic acids; however, it is applicable in standard laboratories. By using a novel, continuous, and microfluidic-based LEEI process, tachyzoites of T. gondii and oocysts of C. parvum were irradiated and subsequently analyzed in vitro. The LEEI-treated parasites invaded host cells but were arrested in intracellular replication. Antibody-based analysis of surface proteins revealed no significant structural damage due to LEEI. Similarly, excystation rates of sporozoites from irradiated C. parvum oocysts were similar to those from untreated controls. Upon immunization of mice, LEEI-attenuated T. gondii tachyzoites induced high levels of antibodies and protected the animals from acute infection. These results suggest that LEEI is a useful technology for the generation of attenuated Apicomplexan parasites and has potential for the development of anti-parasitic vaccines.
Psychological and social challenges of patients with locally advanced and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) on long-term treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a qualitative study with patients and medical oncologists
Authors: van de Wal Deborah , Fauske Lena , Bruland Øyvind S. , Jones Robin L. , Kasper Bernd , Wilson Roger , van der Graaf Winette T. A. , Husson Olga
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). Patients are experiencing prolonged survival but often at the expense of their health-related quality of life. It is not only the physical side effects that impact GIST patients’ daily lives but also the psychological and social challenges they have to deal with. This qualitative study aimed to explore the psychological and social life challenges of GIST patients with locally advanced and metastatic disease on ≥ 5 years TKI treatment.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews with 15 locally advanced and/or metastatic GIST patients and 10 medical oncologists with experience of delivering care to this specific patient group were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.

Results

Psychological challenges expressed by participants concerned fears, scanxiety, negative change in emotion and mood, doubts about their treatment and follow-up, living with uncertainty, lack of understanding from others or healthcare professionals, and constantly being reminded of their illness. Challenges regarding social health included financial difficulties, challenges in relationships, concerns about fertility and parenting, work, and impact on social activities.

Conclusion

The reported psychological and social challenges can significantly hamper the overall quality of life of GIST patients. Some challenges were clearly underreported and hardly recognized by medical oncologist, as they may tend to focus on the physical side effects and clinical outcomes of treatment. Therefore, it is essential to take the patient’s perspective into account in research and clinical practice to ensure optimal care for this patient group.
Primary succession of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Alnus sieboldiana on Izu-Oshima Island, Japan
Authors: Ishikawa Akira , Nara Kazuhide
Published: May 2023

The primary succession of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi has been well described for Pinus and Salix, but the succession for other pioneer hosts is almost unknown. Here, we investigated ECM fungal communities of Alnus sieboldiana at different host growth stages in a primary successional volcanic site on Izu-Oshima Island, Japan. ECM root tips were collected from 120 host individuals, encompassing seedling, sapling, and mature tree stages. The taxonomic identity of the ECM fungi was determined based on rDNA internal transcribed spacer region sequences. Nine molecular taxonomic units were detected from a total of 807 root tips. The initial ECM fungal community on the pioneer seedlings was composed of only three species, where an undescribed Alpova species (Alpova sp.) was exclusively frequent. With host growth, other ECM fungal species were added to the communities, while the initial colonizers remained even at mature tree stages. Thus, the ECM fungal composition significantly changed along host growth stages and showed the nested community structure. Although most of the ECM fungi confirmed in this study had a broad Holarctic geographical distribution, the Alpova sp. had no previous records in other regions. These results suggest that a locally evolved Alpova sp. plays an essential role in the initial seedling establishment of A. sieboldiana at early successional volcanic sites.
Level of difficulty of tooth extractions among roughly 100,000 procedures in primary care
Authors: Lindahl Oona , Ventä Irja
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The study examined treatment codes of extracted teeth and aimed to assess degree of difficulty concerning all tooth extractions.

Materials and methods

Retrospective data on treatment codes of all tooth extractions during a two-year period were obtained from the patient register in primary oral healthcare of the City of Helsinki, Finland. Prevalence, indication, and method of extraction appeared in the treatment codes (EBA-codes). Degree of difficulty was determined from the method and classified as non-operative or operative and as routine or demanding. Statistics included frequencies, percentages, and χ2 test.

Results

Total number of extraction procedures was 97,276, including 121,342 extracted teeth. The most frequent procedure was a routine extraction of a tooth with forceps (55%, n = 53,642). The main reason for extraction was caries (27%, n = 20,889). Of the extractions, 79% (n = 76,435) were non-operative, 13% (n = 12,819) operative, and 8% (n = 8,022) multiple extractions in one visit. Level of difficulty was distributed as routine non-operative (63%), demanding non-operative (15%), routine operative (12%), demanding operative (2%), and multiple extractions (8%).

Conclusions

Two-thirds of all tooth extractions in primary care were relatively simple. However, 29% of procedures were classified as demanding.

Clinical relevance

As earlier methods for assessing level of difficulty were aimed at third molars alone, an analysis was presented for all tooth extractions. This approach may be useful for research purposes, and the profile of tooth extractions and their difficulty level may be practical also for decision-makers in primary care.
A step-by-step researcher's guide to the use of an AI-based transformer in epidemiology: an exploratory analysis of ChatGPT using the STROBE checklist for observational studies
Authors: Sanmarchi Francesco , Bucci Andrea , Nuzzolese Andrea Giovanni , Carullo Gherardo , Toscano Fabrizio , Nante Nicola , Golinelli Davide
Published: May 2023

Objective

This study aims at investigating how AI-based transformers can support researchers in designing and conducting an epidemiological study. To accomplish this, we used ChatGPT to reformulate the STROBE recommendations into a list of questions to be answered by the transformer itself. We then qualitatively evaluated the coherence and relevance of the transformer’s outputs.

Study design

Descriptive study.

Methods

We first chose a study to be used as a basis for the simulation. We then used ChatGPT to transform each STROBE checklist’s item into specific prompts. Each answer to the respective prompt was evaluated by independent researchers in terms of coherence and relevance.

Results

The mean scores assigned to each prompt were heterogeneous. On average, for the coherence domain, the overall mean score was 3.6 out of 5.0, and for relevance it was 3.3 out of 5.0. The lowest scores were assigned to items belonging to the Methods section of the checklist.

Conclusions

ChatGPT can be considered as a valuable support for researchers in conducting an epidemiological study, following internationally recognized guidelines and standards. It is crucial for the users to have knowledge on the subject and a critical mindset when evaluating the outputs. The potential benefits of AI in scientific research and publishing are undeniable, but it is crucial to address the risks, and the ethical and legal consequences associated with its use.
Ductile tearing of aluminium plates: experiments and modelling
Authors: Espeseth Vetle , Morin David , Tekoğlu Cihan , Børvik Tore , Hopperstad Odd Sture
Published: May 2023

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on quasi-static ductile tearing of thin plates of the aluminium alloy AA6016 in three tempers. Depending on the temper, the main fracture mechanism in the plate tearing tests changes from grain boundary failure to coalescence of voids nucleated at the constituent particles. The experiments are complemented by nonlinear finite element simulations using an enriched Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) model to describe the material response. The onset of accelerated void growth is initiated either by incipient material softening (named the softening model) or by the occurrence of strain localization (named the localization model). It was found that strain localization takes place at a critical porosity $$f_\text{ c }$$

f

c

, which depends on the current hydrostatic and deviatoric stress states. While the failure strain depends on the stress path, the critical porosity appears to be path independent. A third method is proposed (named the $$f_\text{ c }(T,L)$$

f

c

(
T
,
L
)

model), where a critical porosity surface $$f_\text{ c } = f_\text{ c }\left( T,L\right) $$

f

c

=

f

c

T
,
L

is used to determine when accelerated void growth starts. The surface is generated beforehand by solving for strain localization under proportional stress states defined by the stress triaxiality T and the Lode parameter L. By comparing the simulations to the experiments, it was found that the localization model performed well for a wide range of stress states. The softening model does not portray dependence on the Lode parameter and is therefore less versatile. The localization model and the $$f_\text{ c }(T,L)$$

f

c

(
T
,
L
)

model gave similar predictions, but some minor differences were observed for two of the three tempers.
“Impact of aging on maximal oxygen uptake adjusted for lower limb lean mass, total body mass, and absolute values in runners”
Authors: Seffrin Aldo , Vivan Lavínia , dos Anjos Souza Vinícius Ribeiro , da Cunha Ronaldo Alves , de Lira Claudio Andre Barbosa , Vancini Rodrigo Luiz , Weiss Katja , Knechtle Beat , Andrade Marilia Santos
Published: May 2023

Performance in endurance sports decreases with aging, which has been primarily attributed to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal aging; however, there is still no clear information on the factors that are most affected by aging. The aim of this study was to compare two groups of runners (< 50 and > 50 years of age) according to their absolute, weight-adjusted maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), lower limb lean mass-adjusted V̇O2max, ventilatory threshold, and respiratory compensation point (RCP). A total of 78 male recreational long-distance runners were divided into Group 1 (38.12 ± 6.87 years) and Group 2 (57.55 ± 6.14 years). Participants were evaluated for body composition, V̇O2max, VT, and RCP. Group 1 showed higher absolute and body mass-adjusted V̇O2max (4.60 ± 0.57 l·min−1 and 61.95 ± 8.25 ml·kg−1·min−1, respectively) than Group 2 (3.77 ± 0.56 l·min−1 and 51.50 ± 10.22 ml·kg−1·min−1, respectively), indicating a significant difference (p < 0.001, d =  − 1.46 and p < 0.001, d =  − 1.16). Correspondingly, Group 1 showed a significantly higher lower limb lean mass–adjusted V̇O2max (251.72 ± 29.60 ml·kgLM−1·min−1) than Group 2 (226.36 ± 43.94 ml·kgLM−1·min−1) (p = 0.008, d =  − 0.71). VT (%V̇O2max) (p = 0.19, d = 0.19) and RCP (%V̇O2max) (p = 0.24, d = 0.22) did not differ between the groups. These findings suggest that both variables that are limited by central or peripheral conditions are negatively affected by aging, but the magnitude of the effect is higher in variables limited by central conditions. These results contribute to our understanding of how aging affects master runners.
Extending bioelectric navigation for displacement and direction detection
Authors: Maier Heiko , Schunkert Heribert , Navab Nassir
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Bioelectric navigation is a navigation modality for minimally invasive endovascular procedures promising non-fluoroscopic navigation. However, the method offers only limited navigation accuracy between anatomical features and expects the tracked catheter to move only in one direction at all times. We propose to extend bioelectric navigation with additional sensing capabilities, allowing for the estimation of the distance traveled by the catheter, thereby improving accuracy between feature locations and allowing to track also under alternating forward- and backward motion.

Methods

We perform experiments in finite element method (FEM) simulations and in a 3D printed phantom. A solution for estimating the traveled distance using a stationary electrode is proposed, together with an approach on how to evaluate the signals obtained with this additional electrode. We investigate the effects of surrounding tissue conductance on this approach. Finally, the approach is refined in order to mitigate the effects of parallel conductance on the navigation accuracy.

Results

The approach allows to estimate the catheter movement direction and the distance traveled. Simulations show absolute errors below 0.89 mm for non-conducting surrounding tissue, but errors up to 60.27 mm when the tissue is electrically conductive. This effect can be mitigated by a more sophisticated modeling (errors up to 33.96 mm). In experiments in a 3D printed phantom, the mean absolute error over 6 catheter paths is 6.3 mm, with standard deviations smaller than or equal to 1.1 mm.

Conclusions

Extending the setup of bioelectric navigation with an additional stationary electrode allows to estimate the distance traveled by the catheter, as well as the movement direction. The effects of parallel conductive tissue could be partially mitigated in simulations, but further research is needed to investigate these effects in real biological tissue, and to bring the introduced errors down to a clinically acceptable level.
Development of a Chief Resident Medical Procedure Service: a 10-Year Experience
Authors: Nathanson Robert , Baher Hasan , Phillips Jason , Freeman Megan , Sehgal Raj , O’Rorke Jane , Soni Nilam J.
Published: May 2023

Background

Lack of experienced faculty to supervise internal medicine (IM) residents is a significant barrier to establishing a medical procedure service (MPS).

Aim

Describe the development and 10-year outcomes of an MPS led by IM chief residents.

Setting

University-based IM residency program affiliated with a county and Veterans Affairs hospital.

Participants

Categorical IM interns (n=320) and 4th-year IM chief residents (n=48) from 2011 to 2022.

Program Description

The MPS operated on weekdays, 8 am–5 pm. After training and sign-off by the MPS director, chief residents trained and supervised interns in ultrasound-guided procedures during a 4-week rotation.

Program Evaluation

From 2011 to 2022, our MPS received 5967 consults and 4465 (75%) procedures were attempted. Overall procedure success, complication, and major complication rates were 94%, 2.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. Success and complication rates for paracentesis (n=2285) were 99% and 1.1%, respectively; 99% and 4.2% for thoracentesis (n=1167); 76% and 4.5% for lumbar puncture (n=883); 83% and 1.2% for knee arthrocentesis (n=85); and 76% and 0% for central venous catheterization (n=45). The rotation was rated 4.6 out of 5 for overall learning quality.

Discussion

A chief resident–led MPS is a practical and safe approach for IM residency programs to establish an MPS when experienced attending physicians are unavailable.
Excitation Transfer from Cr2+ to Fe2+ Ions in Co-doped ZnSe as a Pumping Scheme for Infrared Solid-State Lasers
Authors: Tomm Jens W. , Steinmeyer Günter , Fürtjes Pia , Griebner Uwe , Elsaesser Thomas
Published: May 2023

We present the results of the photoluminescence behavior reflecting Cr2+ → Fe2+excitation transfer in co-doped ZnSe:Cr2+Fe2+. This transfer can be seen as a possible promising pump mechanism to create short pulse lasers for the 3- to 6-µm wavelengths that can be excited using inexpensive 2-µm pump light sources. In addition to the kinetics, emphasis was put on comparing the intensities of both emissions, those of Cr2+and Fe2+. With resonant excitation of Cr2+, the kinetics of the Fe2+emission shows a very clear picture of the transfer with 60-ns rise time and the peak delayed by 200 ns. However, the evaluation of the PL intensities brought a surprise. With efficiencies above 80%, the observed Cr2+ → Fe2+transfer is much more efficient than theoretically expected, and even the overall efficiency including the losses at the Fe2+ions of almost 4% is still an order of magnitude higher than the theoretical values given for the Förster transfer alone. This leads to the suspicion that either the dopant atoms might not be uniformly distributed in the samples or that the transfer mechanism might be more effective than previously thought.
KPRLN: deep knowledge preference-aware reinforcement learning network for recommendation
Authors: Wu Di , Tang Mingjing , Zhang Shu , You Ao , Gao Wei
Published: May 2023

User preference information plays an important role in knowledge graph-based recommender systems, which is reflected in users having different preferences for each entity–relation pair in the knowledge graph. Existing approaches have not modeled this fine-grained user preference feature well, as affecting the performance of recommender systems. In this paper, we propose a deep knowledge preference-aware reinforcement learning network (KPRLN) for the recommendation, which builds paths between user’s historical interaction items in the knowledge graph, learns the preference features of each user–entity–relation and generates the weighted knowledge graph with fine-grained preference features. First, we proposed a hierarchical propagation path construction method to address the problems of the pendant entity and long path exploration in the knowledge graph. The method expands outward to form clusters centered on items and uses them to represent the starting and target states in reinforcement learning. With the iteration of clusters, we can better learn the pendant entity preference and explore farther paths. Besides, we design an attention graph convolutional network, which focuses on more influential entity–relation pairs, to aggregate user and item higher order representations that contain fine-grained preference features. Finally, extensive experiments on two real-world datasets demonstrate that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art baselines.
Women with type 1 diabetes gain more weight during pregnancy compared to age-matched healthy women despite a healthier diet: a prospective case–control observational study
Authors: Defeudis Giuseppe , Mazzilli Rossella , Benvenuto Domenico , Ciccozzi Massimo , Di Tommaso Alfonso Maria , Faggiano Antongiulio , Tuccinardi Dario , Watanabe Mikiko , Manfrini Silvia , Khazrai Yeganeh Manon
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), especially those with suboptimal glucose control, have 3–4 greater chances of having babies with birth defects compared to healthy women. We aimed to evaluate glucose control and insulin regimen modifications during the pregnancy of women with T1D, comparing the offspring’s weight and the mother’s weight change and diet with those of non-diabetic, normal-weight pregnant women.

Methods

Women with T1D and age-matched healthy women controls (CTR) were consecutively enrolled among pregnant women with normal weight visiting our center. All patients underwent physical examination and diabetes and nutritional counseling, and completed lifestyle and food intake questionnaires.

Results

A total of 44 women with T1D and 34 healthy controls were enrolled. Women with T1D increased their insulin regimen during pregnancy, going from baseline 0.9 ± 0.3 IU/kg to 1.1 ± 0.4 IU/kg (p = 0.009), with a concomitant significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.009). Over 50% of T1D women were on a diet compared to < 20% of healthy women (p < 0.001). Women with T1D reported higher consumption of complex carbohydrates, milk, dairy foods, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, while 20% of healthy women never or rarely consumed them. Despite a better diet, women with T1D gained more weight (p = 0.044) and gave birth to babies with higher mean birth weight (p = 0.043), likely due to the daily increase in insulin regimen.

Conclusion

A balance between achieving metabolic control and avoiding weight gain is crucial in the management of pregnant women with T1D, who should be encouraged to further improve lifestyle and eating habits with the aim of limiting upward insulin titration adjustments to a minimum.
Klinische Qualitätssteuerung – ein praktischer Versuch in der Hausarztpraxis am Beispiel der Influenzaimpfung
Authors: Souhrada Vera , Zrenner Mirjam , Schaubroeck Emmily , Roos Marco , Kühlein Thomas
Published: May 2023

Klinische Qualitätssteuerung (KQS) meint ein Qualitätsmanagement im klinischen Bereich. Vermutlich aufgrund der Coronapandemie meldeten sich im Jahr 2020 deutlich mehr influenzaimpfwillige Patient*innen als in den Vorjahren, sodass sich abzeichnete, dass für Hochrisikopatient*innen nicht ausreichend Impfdosen zur Verfügung stehen würden. Um dem Problem zu begegnen, setzten wir einen KQS-Zyklus in Gang. Bei diesem Artikel handelt es sich explizit nicht um eine wissenschaftliche Arbeit, sondern um die exemplarische Beschreibung einer Priorisierung und einer KQS als Beispiel, zur Anregung und zur Diskussion. Wir erstellten folgenden Prozess: 1. Evaluation des Ist-Zustands; 2. Priorisierung der Patient*innen, die sich als impfwillig gemeldet hatten, und Impfung der Hochrisikogruppe zuerst; 3. Identifikation, telefonische Kontaktierung und Impfung der Hochrisikopatient*innen, die sich nicht selbstständig als impfwillig gemeldet hatten. Patient*innen über 60-Jahre mit chronisch obstruktiver Lungenerkrankung (COPD) wurden als Indikatorgruppe gewählt. Zunächst waren nur 3 (8 %) unserer 38 COPD-Patient*innen gegen Influenza geimpft. Nach Priorisierung und Impfung der Hochrisikogruppe in der Liste der Impfwilligen waren 25 (66 %) der insgesamt 38 COPD-Patient*innen geimpft. Nach telefonischer Einladung und Aufforderung waren zuletzt 28 (74 %) der 38 Patient*innen geimpft. Dies entspricht einer Steigerung der Impfquote der über 60-jährigen COPD-Patient*innen von 8 % auf 74 % und damit nahezu dem Zielwert der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO). Hausärzt*innen müssen sich gelegentlich mit Ressourcenknappheit auseinandersetzen und sich mit Strategien beschäftigen, ihr zu begegnen. Unter anderem in diesem Zusammenhang bietet sich eine KQS in der Hausarztpraxis an. Die Praxisverwaltungssysteme (PVS) sollten für diesen Zweck von Seiten der Hersteller benutzerfreundlicher gestaltet werden.
If you don’t test, they will not treat: Impact of stopping preoperative screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria
Authors: Winkler Marisa L. , Huang Joanne , Starr Jessica , Hooper David C. , Paras Molly L. , Letourneau Alyssa R. , Shenoy Erica S.
Published: May 2023

Objective:

Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is not recommended outside of patients undergoing invasive urological procedures and during pregnancy. Despite national guidelines recommending against screening for ASB, this practice is prevalent. We present outcomes from a quality-improvement intervention targeting patients undergoing cardiac artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) at Massachusetts General Hospital, a tertiary-care hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, where preoperative testing checklists were modified to remove routine urinalysis and urine culture. This was a before-and-after intervention study.

Methods:

Prior to the intervention, screening for ASB was included in the preoperative check list for all patients undergoing CABG. We assessed the proportion of patients undergoing screening for ASB in the 6 months prior to and after the intervention. We estimated cost savings from averted laboratory analyses, and we evaluated changes in antibiotic prescriptions. We additionally examined the incidence of postoperative surgical-site infections (SSIs), central-line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs).

Results:

Comparing the pre- and postintervention periods, urinalyses decreased by 76.5% and urine cultures decreased by 87.0%, with an estimated cost savings of $8,090.38. There were 50% fewer antibiotic prescriptions for bacteriuria after the intervention.

Conclusions:

Removal of urinalysis and urine culture from preoperative checklists for cardiac surgery led to a statistically significant decrease in testing without an increase in SSIs, CLABSIs, CAUTIs, or CDI. Challenges identified included persistence of checklists in templated order sets in the electronic health record.
Factorisation de la cohomologie étale p-adique de la tour de Drinfeld
Authors: Colmez Pierre , Dospinescu Gabriel , Nizioł Wiesława
Published: May 2023

For a finite extension F of

${\mathbf Q}_p$

, Drinfeld defined a tower of coverings of

(the Drinfeld half-plane). For

$F = {\mathbf Q}_p$

, we describe a decomposition of the p-adic geometric étale cohomology of this tower analogous to Emerton’s decomposition of completed cohomology of the tower of modular curves. A crucial ingredient is a finiteness theorem for the arithmetic étale cohomology modulo p whose proof uses Scholze’s functor, global ingredients, and a computation of nearby cycles which makes it possible to prove that this cohomology has finite presentation. This last result holds for all F; for

$F\neq {\mathbf Q}_p$

, it implies that the representations of

$\mathrm{GL}_2(F)$

obtained from the cohomology of the Drinfeld tower are not admissible contrary to the case

$F = {\mathbf Q}_p$

.
Efficient simplicial replacement of semialgebraic sets
Authors: Basu Saugata , Karisani Negin
Published: May 2023

Designing an algorithm with a singly exponential complexity for computing semialgebraic triangulations of a given semialgebraic set has been a holy grail in algorithmic semialgebraic geometry. More precisely, given a description of a semialgebraic set

$S \subset \mathbb {R}^k$

by a first-order quantifier-free formula in the language of the reals, the goal is to output a simplicial complex

$\Delta $

, whose geometric realization,

$|\Delta |$

, is semialgebraically homeomorphic to S. In this paper, we consider a weaker version of this question. We prove that for any

$\ell \geq 0$

, there exists an algorithm which takes as input a description of a semialgebraic subset

$S \subset \mathbb {R}^k$

given by a quantifier-free first-order formula

$\phi $

in the language of the reals and produces as output a simplicial complex

$\Delta $

, whose geometric realization,

$|\Delta |$

is

$\ell $

-equivalent to S. The complexity of our algorithm is bounded by

$(sd)^{k^{O(\ell )}}$

, where s is the number of polynomials appearing in the formula

$\phi $

, and d a bound on their degrees. For fixed

$\ell $

, this bound is singly exponential in k. In particular, since

$\ell $

-equivalence implies that the homotopy groups up to dimension

$\ell $

of

$|\Delta |$

are isomorphic to those of S, we obtain a reduction (having singly exponential complexity) of the problem of computing the first

$\ell $

homotopy groups of S to the combinatorial problem of computing the first

$\ell $

homotopy groups of a finite simplicial complex of size bounded by

$(sd)^{k^{O(\ell )}}$

.
Evaluation of a new Perinatal Mental Health Service in a University Maternity Hospital
Authors: Cooney C. , Kennedy N. , Doherty A. , Shipsey M. , Lindow S. W. , Hinds C.
Published: May 2023

Objectives:

Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) are a new development in Ireland. This service evaluation examined the impact of the introduction of a SPMHS multidisciplinary team (MDT) on prescribing practices and treatment pathways in an Irish maternity hospital.

Methods:

Clinical charts were reviewed to collect data on all referrals, diagnoses, pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions delivered in a SPMHS over a 3-week period in 2019. The findings were compared to the same 3-week period in 2020 following the expansion of the SPMHS MDT.

Results:

In 2019 (n = 32) and 2020 (n = 47), most (75 and 79%, respectively) assessments were antenatal. The proportion of patients prescribed psychotropic medication within the SPMHS was not significantly different from 2019 (31%) to 2020 (23%), though more patients were already prescribed psychotropic medications at the time of referral (22% in 2019 v. 36% in 2020). There was an increase in MDT interventions in 2020 with more input from psychology, clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and social work intervention. Adherence to prescribing standards improved from 2019 to 2020.

Conclusion:

Prescribing patterns remained unchanged between 2019 and 2020. Improvement was observed in adherence to prescribing standards and there was increased provision of MDT interventions in 2020. Broader diagnostic categories were also used in 2020, possibly suggesting that the service is now providing more individualized care.
Activism versus Criticism? The Case for a Distinctive Role for Social Critics
Authors: GILSON LISA
Published: May 2023

This essay makes a distinction between the roles that activists and social critics can play in democratic societies and defends the separate tasks of a non-activist social critic. Drawing on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writings, I argue that non-activist social critics are better situated than activists to reach certain audiences, cultivate certain democratic capacities, and preserve their audience’s agency while doing so. In Emerson’s case, his concerns about his activist contemporaries led him to craft new ways of critically engaging his peers. At the same time, as Emerson’s life also illustrates, non-activist critics are limited by their roles and must forgo some of their distinctive advantages in order to do activist work. Clarifying the scope of the social critic’s role in this way helps critics to draw on the benefits of their position and avoid overstepping its constraints, thereby allowing them to more effectively promote political reform.
The Rise of the Indigenous Jurists
Authors: Ando Clifford
Published: May 2023

Numerous Roman grants to local communities of the right to use local law survive in contemporaneous copies starting in the second century BCE. Contemporaneous with these grants of autonomy, Rome urged institutional changes that reconstituted local elites as aristocracies of office. By contrast, evidence that individuals identified themselves as experts in local law survives in bulk only starting in the second century CE. The paper urges that the superimposition of Roman courts as courts of the second instance created a role in local polities for expertise in local law in mediation with these Roman courts, and that local elites sought to monopolize this role and the technocratic prestige that it brought.