bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Low Engine Order Excitation of a Contaminated Turbocharger Radial Turbine Stage Using a Nozzle Ring Only Computational Model
Authors: Beierl Michaela R. , Vogt Damian M. , Fischer Magnus , Müller Tobias R. , Kai So Kwok
Published: September 2022

The use of critical fuels such as heavy fuel oil (HFO) usually leads to deposits of combustion residues in the turbocharger turbine stage, foremost in the nozzle ring where flow channels can get partially or completely clogged. The resulting change in geometry is heavily asymmetrical and therefore induces low engine order (LEO) excitation, which may lead to resonant excitation of rotor blades and potentially to high cycle fatigue (HCF) failure. The accurate prediction of LEO excitation is computationally intensive especially, in the context of a probabilistic analysis. The current study investigates the suitability of using a simplified model that only contains the nozzle ring in the assessment of LEO excitation to reduce computational costs. The aerodynamic excitation is assessed from the circumferential variation of the nozzle ring outflow. The results obtained with this simplified model are compared to results of validated forced response analyses. Two deteriorated nozzle rings are used for validation purposes, a generic one having one passage blocked by 90%, and a digital replica of a real contaminated nozzle ring. It is shown that the simplified model is suitable for the qualitative prediction of the aerodynamic excitation if the contamination patterns feature sufficiently large differences and that the computational costs can be greatly reduced.
Neural Network-Assisted Design: A Study of Multiscale Topology Optimization With Smoothly Graded Cellular Structures
Authors: Rastegarzadeh Sina , Wang Jun , Huang Jida
Published: September 2022

Integration of machine learning (ML) with topology optimization (TO) has been attempted in many works. However, most works employ ML in a data-driven paradigm, which requires well-defined training data, and the generalization is questionable. This paper aims to utilize the optimization capability of ML for high-resolution structure design. Rather than learning a priori, the neural network (NN) acts as an optimizer in the TO problem. Specifically, the density field is reparametrized into a function representation-based microstructure. The level surface is the design parameter that controls the microstructure’s volume and shape. We reformulate the multiscale TO problem with this new design variable. NN is utilized to map the microstructure parameters into the design domain. The input of NN is spatial coordinates, and the output is the microstructure level surface value. The network parameters are optimized through backpropagation, which leads to optimal design. In this framework, predicting the microstructure’s parameter at any arbitrary point is possible by taking advantage of the mesh size-independent continuous NN. Once the network is optimized, the resolution of structures can be increased accordingly without increasing computational cost. This is crucial to address the sharp transition problem of adjacent microstructures–a common one in the multiscale structure design. Several benchmarks have been studied to validate the proposed method’s effectiveness. Experimental results demonstrate that our work yields high-resolution designs with smooth transitions and improves the overall performance of final structures compared to previous methods.
Quantifying the Effect of Body Habitus on Cardiac Auscultation Via Computational Hemoacoustics
Authors: Lee David Hojun , Seo Jung-Hee , Mittal Rajat
Published: September 2022

The effect of body habitus on auscultation of heart murmurs is investigated via computational hemoacoustic modeling. The source of the heart murmur is first obtained from a hemodynamic simulation of blood flow through a stenosed aortic valve. This sound source is then placed at the aortic valve location in four distinct human thorax models, and the propagation of the murmur in each thorax model is simulated by solving the elastic wave equations in the time-domain. Placing the same sound source in different thorax models allows for the disambiguation of the effect of body habitus on cardiac auscultation. The surface acceleration resulting from the murmur on each subject's chest surface shows that subjects with higher body-mass index and thoracic cross-sectional area yield smaller acceleration values for the S1 sound. Moreover, the spectral analysis of the signal shows that slope from linear regression in the normal heart sound frequency range (10–150 Hz) is larger for children at the aortic, pulmonic, and mitral auscultation points compared to that for adults. The slope in the murmur frequency range (150–400 Hz) was larger for female subjects at the mitral point compared to that for male subjects. The trends from the results show the potential of the proposed computational method to provide quantitative insights regarding the effect of various anatomical factors on cardiac auscultation.
Data-Driven Sensor Selection for Signal Estimation of Vertical Wheel Forces in Vehicles
Authors: Zheng Xueke , Wang Ying , Wang Le , Cai Runze , Li Mian , Qiu Yu
Published: September 2022

Sensor selection is one of the key factors that dictate the performance of estimating vertical wheel forces in vehicle durability design. To select K most relevant sensors among S candidate ones that best fit the response of one vertical wheel force, it has (SK) possible choices to evaluate, which is not practical unless K or S is small. In order to tackle this issue, this paper proposes a data-driven method based on maximizing the marginal likelihood of the data of the vertical wheel force without knowing the dynamics of vehicle systems. Although the resulting optimization problem is a mixed-integer programming problem, it is relaxed to a convex problem with continuous variables and linear constraints. The proposed sensor selection method is flexible and easy to implement, and the hyper-parameters do not need to be tuned using additional validation data sets. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified using numerical examples and experimental data. In the results of different data sizes and model orders, the proposed method has better fitting performance than that of the group lasso method in the sense of the 2-norm based metric. Also, the computational time of the proposed method is much less than that of the enumeration-based method.
Near-Net Shape Manufacture of Ultra-High Strength Maraging Steel Using Flow Forming and Inertia Friction Welding: Experimental and Microstructural Characterization
Authors: Banerjee Amborish , Wylie Andrew , Da Silva Laurie
Published: September 2022

Flow forming and inertia friction welding (IFW) have been widely used as manufacturing processes that produce high-value engineering components. Combining these two advanced processes facilitates the fabrication of near-net shape components leading to optimized designs. This study introduces the joining of flow-formed seamless tubes of MLX®19 maraging steel using the IFW process to fabricate a near-net shape component used in landing gears and missile parts. The as-received material was initially provided ≈30% reduction in thickness from the flow forming trials and then welded at four varying weld energies while maintaining constant friction and forge pressures. The mechanical behavior of the weldments was characterized, and the optimized weld parameters were determined. The concomitant microstructural evolution of the optimized weld was also examined to comprehend the underlying deformation mechanisms. The weld strength, axial shortening, and width of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) displayed an increasing trend with an increase in the weld energy. The weld-zone (WZ) and thermomechanical affected zone (TMAZ) showed the presence of martensite, whereas in the HAZ presence of intermetallic precipitates and reverted austenite was confirmed along with tempered martensite. Based on microstructural evidence, it was concluded that the peak temperature attained in the WZ was above Ac3, whereas in the TMAZ it was in-between Ac1 and Ac3. The evolution of crystallographic texture implied that WZ was subjected to pure shear deformation during the welding whereas the TMAZ experienced a combined shear and compressive deformation.
Burnup Characteristics of Transuranic Fuel With Burnable Poison in Dual Cooled Annular Rod of VVER-1000
Authors: Ahmed Md. Tanvir , Sahadath Md. Hossain , Islam Md. Ashraful
Published: September 2022

The potentiality of Transuranic (TRU) fuel as dual cooled annular fuel rods with different types of burnable absorbers (BAs)- integrated burnable absorbers (IBAs), burnable poison rods (BPRs), coated absorbers, etc. in the hexagonal assembly of VVER-1000 was studied. Annular 7, Annular 8, and Annular 9 models were taken for various combinations of TRU fuel and BAs. Planned models were simulated in Monte Carlo particle simulation code OpenMC and lattice physics deterministic code Dragon Version5. Burnup-dependent multiplication factors (MFs) were simulated for 3000 effective full power days (EFPDs). Reactivity was calculated by taking 3% neutron leakage. The study showed that both the MF and reactivity for TRU fuel are significantly higher than conventional UO2 fuel. Linear reactivity model (LRM) was applied to find out cycle burnup, discharge cycle burnup, and cycle length. High cycle burnup, discharge burnup, and cycle length have been observed for TRU fuel compared to UO2 fuel. Burnup-dependent atomic concentration graphs showed that slight burn of Np-237, constant concentration for Cm-244, a slight increase for Am-242, and linear burnout of BAs- Gd-155, Gd-155, and Er-167. A lower concentration of Xe-135 has been observed for TRU fuel. Pin power distribution and energy-dependent neutron flux for different models and BAs combinations are also included in this study.
SAÚDE DIGITAL À PORTUGUESA – TESTEMUNHOS, EXPERIÊNCIAS E UTOPIA
Authors: Pinto Costa José Carlos
Published: September 2022

A digitalização tem vindo a assumir-se como um imperativo das políticas se saúde um pouco por todo o mundo. Instando à construção e à viabilização de infraestruturas inovadoras para armazenar e trocar grandes quantidades de dados biométricos e clínicos e à reconfiguração de modelos de prestação de cuidados de saúde, através da transformação de interações terapêuticas, o discurso da digitalização da saúde alimenta imaginários sociotécnicos particulares e promove a emergência de uma nova epistemologia cívica global sobre como se deve viver saudavelmente. Em simultâneo, levanta questões éticas importantes, nomeadamente, relacionadas com a segurança dos dados e o direito à privacidade e com a igualdade no acesso aos cuidados de saúde. Em Portugal, a crise da dívida pública de 2011-2014 e o resgate financeiro que se seguiu serviram de gatilho para o investimento na implementação da saúde digital como uma oportunidade para reformar o sistema público de saúde. A tradução local do discurso neoliberal global sobre a digitalização da saúde assumiu a forma daquilo que Aihwa Ong designa por exceção neoliberal. Com base nos resultados preliminares da análise de entrevistas realizadas a figuras-chave envolvidas no processo de implementação da saúde digital em Portugal, propõe-se nesta comunicação divulgar os elementos centrais destacados pelos informantes para imaginar o futuro em que a digitalização dos cuidados de saúde irá transformar as formas tradicionais de tratamento e de prestação de cuidados médicos, os comportamentos de procura de ajuda e os modelos de gestão da saúde.
Altered epidermal proliferation, differentiation, and lipid composition: Novel key elements in the vitiligo puzzle
Authors: Kovacs Daniela , Bastonini Emanuela , Briganti Stefania , Ottaviani Monica , D’Arino Andrea , Truglio Mauro , Sciuto Lorenzo , Zaccarini Marco , Pacifico Alessia , Cota Carlo , Iacovelli Paolo , Picardo Mauro
Published: September 2022

Vitiligo is an acquired skin depigmentation disease involving multiple pathogenetic mechanisms, which ultimately direct cytotoxic CD8
+
cells to destroy melanocytes. Abnormalities have been described in several cells even in pigmented skin as an expression of a functional inherited defect. Keratinocytes regulate skin homeostasis by the assembly of a proper skin barrier and releasing and responding to cytokines and growth factors. Alterations in epidermal proliferation, differentiation, and lipid composition as triggers for immune response activation in vitiligo have not yet been investigated. By applying cellular and lipidomic approaches, we revealed a deregulated keratinocyte differentiation with altered lipid composition, associated with impaired energy metabolism and increased glycolytic enzyme expression. Vitiligo keratinocytes secreted inflammatory mediators, which further increased following mild mechanical stress, thus evidencing immune activation. These findings identify intrinsic alterations of the nonlesional epidermis, which can be the prime instigator of the local inflammatory milieu that stimulates immune responses targeting melanocytes.
Cryogenian glacial erosion of the central Canadian Shield: The “late” Great Unconformity on thin ice
Authors: McDannell Kalin T. , Keller C. Brenhin
Published: September 2022

The Great Unconformity has been recognized for more than a century, but only recently have its origins become a subject of debate. Hypotheses suggest global Snowball Earth glaciations and tectonic processes associated with the supercontinent Rodinia as drivers of widespread kilometer-scale erosion in the late Neoproterozoic. We present new integrated zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He and fission-track thermochronology from Precambrian basement samples of the central Canadian Shield in northern Manitoba to test these ideas. Bayesian inverse modeling indicates that 150–200 °C of cooling (>3 km of exhumation) occurred simultaneously with Cryogenian glaciations at ca. 690–650 Ma within interior North America. This estimate for the timing of unroofing is more precise than previous appraisals and does not align with any known tectonic or magmatic events (i.e., large igneous province eruptions) potentially associated with the supercontinent cycle that occurred during the late Proterozoic along the Laurentian margins. Based on these results and interpretations, the timing and magnitude of exhumation is best explained by glacial erosion, and further establishes the importance of multiple thermochronometers for resolving detailed deeptime thermal histories.
Hematite geochronology reveals a tectonic trigger for iron ore mineralization during Nuna breakup
Authors: Courtney-Davies Liam , Danišik Martin , Ramanaidou Erick R. , Kirkland Christopher L. , Evans Noreen J. , Piechocka Agnieszka M. , McInnes Brent I.A.
Published: September 2022

Hematite and goethite deposits hosted in banded iron formations (BIFs) in the Pilbara craton (Western Australia) represent one of Earth's most significant Fe reserves; however, the timing and tectonic triggers underpinning deposit genesis remain contentious. Uncertainty in ore genesis stems from a lack of direct age measurements, which could aid in correlating periods of BIF mineralization with tectono-thermal events observed elsewhere. Archean–Paleoproterozoic BIFs in the Hamersley Province host extensive martite–microplaty hematite orebodies that formed at 2.2–2.0 Ga, based on indirect constraints. In contrast, combined hematite in situ U-Pb geochronology and (U-Th)/He thermochronology demonstrate that martite–microplaty hematite ores in the Chichester Range crystallized ca. 1.26–1.22 Ga and underwent cratonic denudation between ca. 0.57 and 0.38 Ga. Nanoscale imaging of dated hematite indicates that U-Th-Pb is lattice bound and not hosted in inclusions. New U-Pb hematite ages overlap with other mineral ages reported at the margins of the Pilbara and Yilgarn cratons (1.3–1.1 Ga), where mineral formation was driven by plate reorganization following breakup of the Nuna supercontinent. This age correlation suggests that a combination of increased orogenic (+diagenetic) and heat (+fluid) generative processes resulting from supercontinent reconfiguration was a key trigger for iron ore formation in the Pilbara craton.
Orbitally paced global oceanic deoxygenation decoupled from volcanic CO2 emission during the middle Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event 1b (Aptian-Albian transition)
Authors: Wang Yi , Bodin Stéphane , Blusztajn Jerzy S. , Ullmann Clemens , Nielsen Sune G.
Published: September 2022

The ongoing oceanic oxygen loss will have a profound impact on the distribution and density of life on Earth. However, drivers of the initiation and termination of global oceanic deoxygenation are poorly understood. Here we present a thallium isotope record that reveals three rapid (50 k.y.) global deoxygenation intervals during the mid-Cretaceous that postdate massive volcanism by at least 1 m.y. New strontium isotope data reveal gradually enhanced continental weathering under a warmer climate following volcanism. However, global deoxygenation occurred only under the combined influences of a long-term increase in weathering rates in a warmer climate and short-term orbital modulation that led to atmospheric-circulation reorganization. Interactions of multiple drivers are consistent with the abrupt termination of each deoxygenation interval. Dynamic oxygenation responses in the mid-Cretaceous highlight the role of these processes for understanding the consequences and potential termination of the current oceanic deoxygenation.
Severe bullous pemphigoid with excoriation disorder
Authors: McGowan Kaitlin , Poos Stephen , Vo Nguyen
Published: September 2022

Bullous pemphigoid is the most common autoimmune blistering skin disease. Pathogenesis involves autoantibodies that attack the basement membrane, resulting in blisters and intense pruritus. We present a case of bullous pemphigoid with concurrent excoriation disorder in a woman in her 50s. The suspected diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid was confirmed through direct immunofluorescence testing on a specimen obtained via punch biopsy, then treated with vancomycin and steroids. In addition, cross tapering from duloxetine to fluoxetine was used to treat the patient’s excoriation disorder. The concurrent dermatological and psychiatric components, as well as the severity, made this case unique.
Efficacy of botulinum toxin type a in the targeted treatment of sleep bruxism: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over study
Authors: Cruse Belinda , Dharmadasa Thanuja , White Elise , Hollis Callum , Evans Andrew , Sharmin Sifat , Kalincik Tomas , Kiers Lynette
Published: September 2022

Background

Intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) have been used in the treatment of sleep bruxism (SB) however controlled trials are limited and the optimal injection strategy and dose is not known.

Methods

This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over study evaluated the efficacy and safety of BTX-A in participants with SB. Average bruxism events per hour of sleep (Bruxism Index, BI) was calculated using surface electromyography. Participants with BI >5 were included and randomised by order of injection (active or placebo with the opposite 20 weeks later) and into one of three differing treatment groups: bilateral masseter (60 units(U)), bilateral masseter and temporalis (90U) and bilateral masseter, temporalis and medial pterygoid muscles (120U). Change in BI and subjective measures of headache, pain, and bruxism at 4 and 12 weeks was calculated following intervention, and differences between treatment groups analysed.

Results

41 participants were recruited, 35 randomised and data from 22 participants (14 female) were analysed. BI was significantly lower at 4 weeks after active treatment when compared with placebo (mean=−1.66, p=0.003), not sustained at 12 weeks. The difference was greater with higher doses injected and among those with greater baseline BI. There was no difference in subjective measures at any time point. Five participants injected had mild, transient side effects.

Discussion

Targeted BTX-A injection is a safe and effective treatment for SB. A greater benefit may be achieved by administering BTX-A into more muscles and at higher total doses and among those with higher baseline BI.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12618001430224.
Patients’ self-reported medical care for low back pain: a nationwide population-based study
Authors: Gomes Luís Antunes , Cruz Eduardo Brazete , Henriques Ana Rita , Branco Jaime C , Canhão Helena , Rodrigues Ana Maria
Published: September 2022

Objectives

To estimate the prevalence of medical care-seeking among adults with low back pain (LBP) and to characterise and compare use of diagnostic procedures and medical management between primary and secondary care.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Data from the EpiReumaPt, a nationwide population-based study conducted in Portugal including a representative sample of non-institutionalised adults (n=10 661) stratified by administrative territorial units was analysed.

Participants

Individuals who self-reported history of LBP within the previous 12 months (n=6434) and sought medical care for this problem in the same period (n=2618).

Outcome measures

Patients’ self-reported diagnostic workup and management procedures performed by medical care for LBP collected through a structured questionnaire. Medical care procedures were stratified by level of care.

Results

The prevalence of medical care-seeking for LBP was 38.0% (95% CI 35.9% to 40.1%). Primary care in isolation (45.3%) was the most sought level of care. Emergency departments (25.9%) and orthopaedics (19.4%) were the most sought secondary medical specialties. Several pathoanatomical diagnoses were used, supported by laboratory or imaging tests (91.1%). Disc herniation (20.4%) and osteoarthritis (19.7%) were the most frequent diagnoses, and X-ray (63.7%) was the most frequent diagnostic procedure self-reported by individuals. Most (75.1%) reported being treated for LBP: 80.4% with oral medication and 49.9% with injectables. The mean duration of pharmacological treatment was 104.24 (SD, 266.80) days. The use of pathoanatomical diagnoses, laboratory or imaging tests, and pharmacological treatments were generally more frequent for secondary care (p<0.05). Approximately one-quarter of individuals (24.5%) reported seeking care from additional healthcare providers, physiotherapists (66.9%) were the most frequent.

Conclusions

Medical care for LBP is frequent and associated with high levels of pathoanatomical diagnoses, imaging and laboratory tests and pharmacological therapy in both primary and secondary care settings. Funding and delivery actions should be prioritised to assure appropriate care for LBP.
Prevalence and predictors of mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact at birth in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Aboagye Richard Gyan , Okyere Joshua , Dowou Robert Kokou , Adzigbli Leticia Akua , Tackie Vivian , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Seidu Abdul-Aziz
Published: September 2022

Objective

This study examined the prevalence and predictors of maternal and newborn skin-to-skin contact at birth in Papua New Guinea.

Design

Data for the study was extracted from the 2016–18 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey. We included 6,044 women with birth history before the survey in the analysis. Percentages were used to summarise the prevalence of maternal and newborn skin-to-skin contact. A multivariable multilevel binary logistic regression was adopted to examine the predictors of maternal and newborn skin-to-skin contact. The results were presented using adjusted ORs (aORs), with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Setting

The study was conducted in Papua New Guinea.

Participant

Mothers with children under 5 years.

Outcome measures

Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact.

Results

The prevalence of mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact was 45.2% (95% CI=42.4 to 48.0). The odds of mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact was higher among women with primary education (aOR=1.38; 95% CI=1.03 to 1.83), women with four or more antenatal care attendance (aOR=1.27; 95% CI=1.01 to 1.61), those who delivered at the health facility (aOR=1.27; 95% CI=1.01 to 1.61), and women from communities with high socioeconomic status (aOR=1.45; 95% CI=1.11 to 1.90).

Conclusion

The study has demonstrated that the prevalence of mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact in Papua New Guinea is low. Factors shown to be associated with mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact were maternal level of education, antenatal care attendance, health facility delivery, and community socioeconomic status. A concerted effort should be placed in improving maternal health service utilisation such as antenatal care attendance and skilled birth delivery, which subsequently lead to the practice of skin-to-skin contact. Also, women should be empowered through education as it has positive impact on their socioeconomic status and health service utilisation.
Impact of cancer on income, wealth and economic outcomes of adult cancer survivors: a scoping review
Authors: Bentley Colene , Teckle Paulos , McQuarrie Lisa , Peacock Stuart , El Adam Shiraz
Published: September 2022

Objective

To summarise peer-reviewed evidence on the effect of a cancer diagnosis on the different sources of income of individuals diagnosed with cancer during adulthood (age ≥18 years).

Design

A scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews and reporting results following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.

Data sources

Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, Econ-Lit and Evidence-based Medicine Reviews, and reference lists of evidence syntheses. Published literature of any study type in English was searched from January 2000 to December 2020.

Eligibility and criteria

Study participants were individuals diagnosed with cancer during adulthood (age ≥18 years). Studies from any country and/or healthcare system were included. Primary outcomes were employment income (eg, individual or household); investment income (eg, stocks/bonds, properties, savings); government transfer payments (eg, disability income/pension); debt and bankruptcy.

Data extraction and synthesis

Findings are summarised descriptively and in tabular form.

Results

From 6297 citations retrieved, 63 studies (67 articles) met our inclusion criteria. Most (51%) were published in 2016–2020; 65% were published in the USA or Scandinavia. Survivors incurred debt (24 studies), depleted savings (13 studies) and liquidated stocks/bonds (7 studies) in response to a cancer diagnosis. 41 studies reported changes to employment income; of these, 12 case–control studies reported varying results: 5 reported survivors earned less than controls, 4 reported no significant differences, 2 reported mixed results and 1 reported income increased. Initial declines in income tended to lessen over time.

Conclusions

Cancer’s impact on survivors’ income is complex and time-varying. Longitudinal studies are needed to document the trend of initial declines in income, with declines lessening over time, and its variations. Study designs using standardised income measures and capturing treatment type and follow-up time will improve our understanding of cancer’s impact on survivors’ income.
Improving personality disorder care across mental health services: a system-wide approach
Authors: Morgan Mia , Hunt David Francis , Trueman Hayley , Vincent Charles , Maughan Daniel
Published: September 2022

Improving personality disorder (PD) care across a healthcare system is an important but complex task and one that has been endeavoured by many organisations. Oxford Health National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust recently received funding from the NHS Long Term Plan’s Community Mental Health Framework to improve PD care across Buckinghamshire mental health services. Therefore, Oxford Healthcare Improvement performed a system-wide diagnostic assessment of gaps in the provision of care for patients with PD and produced a list of recommendations to aid future improvement work. We used a robust and systematic approach that included, a range of quality improvement methods, the mapping of patient pathways, collection of quantitative data on the utilisation of these pathways and focus groups with staff, patients and carers. This paper summarises our mixed-method approach to show how the first stage of improving a complex mental health system could be approached. It also outlines potential areas for improvement associated with the care and treatment of patients with PD and change ideas to address these areas. These include, ensuring a specialised approach to triage and assessment for patients with PD, upskilling the workforce across the system and utilising a variety of evidence-based practices to best support the range of patient needs. As well as introducing a leadership structure to ensure and support improvement work associated with PD care and treatment. We believe our methodological approach could be used beyond improving PD care and we hope that sharing our methods will aid organisations when approaching system-wide improvement work.
Comparison of two pathological processing methods for large endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens
Authors: Yu Zixiang , Jiang Dongxian , Huang Wen , Luo Rongkui , Wang Haixing , Su Jieakesu , Liu Jia , Xu Chen , Hou Yingyong
Published: September 2022

Aims

Accurate histopathological evaluation of the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens is essential for clinicians to guide further triage and management. This study aimed to report a novel processing technique for large ESD (≥4 cm) specimens.

Methods

92 patients with colorectal neoplasms who had undergone ESD were included. 46 ESD specimens were treated with conventional handling process, while the rest 46 cases were given the optimised method. Macrobiocassettes and L-shaped embedding moulds were applied in the optimised method. We evaluated the efficacy of this improved procedure in terms of the number of paraffin blocks, storage space and time consumption of pathological assessment.

Results

The average diameter of ESD specimens was 4.5±0.4 cm and 4.7±0.5 cm in the control and test group (p=0.023), respectively. In control group, 398 paraffin blocks of 46 cases were obtained. With the same cases number and larger lesion size, only 276 blocks were achieved in test group (p<0.001). As for the storage space, the total volume of paraffin blocks and slides (4554.0 cm3and 1207.5 cm3) of optimised method was significantly reduced compared with the control group (6208.8 cm3and 1741.3 cm3) (p=0.001, p<0.001). In addition, the optimised method was superior to the conventional one in shortening time consumption of pathological assessment (164.5 min and 269.0 min, p<0.001).

Conclusions

The optimised technique not only reduced the workload and storage space, but also facilitated accurate pathological assessment.
Why the wrongness of intentionally impairing childrenin uterodoes not imply the wrongness of abortion
Authors: Cushing Simon
Published: September 2022

Perry Hendricks’ ‘impairment argument’, which he has defended in this journal, is intended to demonstrate that the generally conceded wrongness of giving a fetus fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) shows that abortion must also be immoral, even if we allow that the fetus is not a rights-bearing moral person. The argument fails because the harm of causing FAS is extrinsic but Hendricks needs it to be intrinsic for it to show anything about abortion. Either the subject of the wrong of causing FAS is a person who does not exist in the case of abortion or the wrong is negligible.
Which interventions improve HPV vaccination uptake and intention in children, adolescents and young adults? An umbrella review
Authors: Bennett Clare , Edwards Deborah , Sherman Sue M , Baker Peter , Waheed Dur-e-Nayab , Vorsters Alex , Sarıca Çevik Hüsna , Karafillakis Emilie , Prue Gillian , Kelly Daniel
Published: September 2022

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination offers protection against the virus responsible for cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, vulval and penile cancers. However, there is considerable variation across, and even within, countries as to how HPV vaccination is offered and accepted. This review aimed to identify what interventions exist to promote uptake and how effective they are.

Methods

We conducted an umbrella review using the JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) methodology to evaluate routine or catch-up interventions to increase HPV vaccination uptake and/or intention for children aged 9 years and older, adolescents and young adults up to 26. Comprehensive searches for English language quantitative systematic reviews, published between January 2011 and July 2021, were conducted across five databases. After reviewing titles and abstract, relevant papers were independently assessed in detail.

Main results

From 1046 records identified, 10 articles were included in the review. They reported on 95 randomised controlled trials, 28 quasi-experimental studies, 14 cohort studies, 6 non-randomised pretest/post-test studies with control groups, 5 single-group pretest/post-test studies, 1 single-group post-test study and 1 randomised longitudinal study. Some interventions promoted change at the individual, community or organisational level, while others used a multicomponent approach. Face-to-face presentations, printed information and supplementing both strategies with additional components appear effective at increasing vaccination intention, while reminders and multicomponent strategies, especially ones that include some intervention aimed at provider level, appear effective at increasing vaccination uptake. Interventions that did not lead to an improvement in HPV vaccination intention or uptake varied in design and impacts were inconsistent across children/adolescents, young adults or parents.

Conclusion

The evidence suggests that there is no single solution to increasing vaccination uptake and that different approaches may be better suited to certain populations. However, generalisations are limited by poor reporting and a paucity of studies beyond the USA. Further high-quality studies, therefore, are needed to understand how best to increase HPV vaccination uptake in different target populations.
Effects of specialised nutritional interventions in patients with incurable cancer: a systematic review
Authors: de Oliveira Livia Costa , Calixto-Lima Larissa , Cunha Gabriella da Costa , Silva Naira Freire da , Souza-Silva Renata de , Fonseca Tais Saint Martin , Souza Thamiris de , Santos Carolline de Melo , Santos Daiane Almeida dos , Varea Maria Wiegert Emanuelly
Published: September 2022

Objective

To evaluate current evidence of the effect of specialised nutritional interventions on nutritional status, survival, quality of life and measures of functionality in patients with incurable cancer.

Methods

Systematic literature review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS and Cochrane Library databases. Clinical studies that evaluated different specialised nutritional interventions, such as nutritional counselling, oral nutritional supplementation (ONS), enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN), were eligible. Only studies classified as being of high methodological quality (ie, low or moderate risk of bias) were included.

Results

A total of 22 studies reporting on 2448 patients were deemed eligible. Five types of specialised nutrition were observed: mixed (multimodal nature, ie, dietary counseling, ONS, physical activity and/or drugs) (n=12), ONS (n=5), PN (n=3), EN (n=1) and multidisciplinary team counselling (n=1). Benefits of any kind from the interventions were reported in 14 (63.6%) studies, mainly resulting from mixed intervention. Nutritional status improved in 12 (60.0%) of 20 studies and quality of life improved in eight (50.0%) of 16 studies. Few studies have evaluated the influence of nutritional interventions on survival and measure of functionality, and have not shown improvement in these outcomes.

Conclusion

Despite the limited evidence, specialised nutritional interventions can yield positive effects for patients with incurable cancer, mainly in their nutritional status and quality of life.
Lattice Monte Carlo simulations with two impurity worldlines
Authors: Hildenbrand Fabian , Elhatisari Serdar , Lähde Timo A. , Lee Dean , Meißner Ulf-G.
Published: September 2022

We develop the impurity lattice Monte Carlo formalism for the case of two distinguishable impurities in a bath of polarized fermions. The majority particles are treated as explicit degrees of freedom, while the impurities are described by worldlines. The latter serve as localized auxiliary fields, which affect the majority particles. We apply the method to non-relativistic three-dimensional systems of two impurities and a number of majority particles where both the impurity–impurity interaction and the impurity–majority interaction have zero range. We consider the case of an attractive impurity–majority interaction, and we study the formation and disintegration of bound states as a function of the impurity–impurity interaction strength. We also discuss the potential applications of this formalism to other quantum many-body systems.
Interaction of two-photon NOON state with ultrasonic wave
Authors: Kwiek Piotr
Published: September 2022

The paper presents a classical and quantum description of the diffraction of two light beams incident on an ultrasonic wave at a positive and negative Bragg angle. The quantum description of the interaction with the ultrasonic wave was carried out for the two-photon NOON state. Study of diffraction of entangled pair of photon was performed in Mach–Zehnder interferometer wherein an output beam splitter is replaced by ultrasonic wave. It has been shown theoretically and experimentally that when a pair of photons generated from a parametric down-conversion was incident on two input ports of Mach–Zehnder interferometer with an acousto-optical beam splitter, then two-photon beats are observed at the output of the interferometer. The phenomenon of two-photon beats with the double frequency of the ultrasonic wave is the result of the Doppler effect on the ultrasonic wave. Time-correlated single-photon counting method was used to register the phenomenon of two-photon beats. The method of calibrating the interferometer with the use of an additional light source was presented in detail, which guarantees the observation of interaction of two-photon NOON state with ultrasonic wave.

Graphical abstract
SEMI-ANALYTIC FIBONACCI POLYNOMIAL SOLUTION FOR VOLTERRA–FREDHOLM INTEGRAL EQUATION WITH ERROR ANALYSIS
Authors: MOKHTAR MAHMOUD M. , EL DEWAIK M. H. , MOHAMED AMANY S.
Published: September 2022

Herein, a spectral scheme is implemented and analyzed for numerically handling general Volterra–Fredholm integral equations (VFIEs), for this purpose, the linearly independent Fibonacci polynomials are utilized as basis functions for the solution, then the spectral collocation process is used to transform the integral equation into a system of algebraic equations with undetermined coefficients. The error, convergence and stability analyses of the scheme are discussed in-depth, some numerical examples are exhibited to ensure the applicability, efficiency and accuracy of the solver.
The Status and Management Policy Suggestions of Socialized Emergency Rescue Organizations
Authors: Wang Yujia , Zou Ziyue , Zhou Minjie
Published: September 2022

Although human society has developed to an unprecedented height in terms of politics, economy and culture, it is still impossible to avoid local wars, epidemics, earthquakes, fires, floods, snow disasters, mudslides, mine accidents, major traffic accidents, building collapses, and other disasters, causing heavy casualties and property losses. In the face of a sudden disaster, external support is impossible to arrive immediately, and the government rescue department is relatively short of manpower, requiring social rescue forces as an important supplement. Therefore, this paper will analyze the current situation of socialized emergency rescue organizations at home and abroad, and put forward some suggestions on the management policies of socialized emergency rescue organizations in Shanghai.
Early Paleozoic intermediate igneous rocks in the Dunhuang Block, southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: geochronology, petrogenesis, and implications for tectonic evolution
Authors: Gan Baoping , Diwu Chunrong , Wang Tingyi , Pei Qiuming , Wang Shiming
Published: September 2022

Late Ordovician–Early Silurian intermediate igneous rocks have been detected in the Dunhuang Block, NW China. These igneous rocks help to constrain the tectonic evolution of the Dunhuang Block and the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt in the early Paleozoic. We carried out zircon U–Pb dating, whole-rock geochemistry and zircon Hf isotope analyses for the early Paleozoic gneissic diorites from the Sanweishan and northern Huangshuihou areas in the Dunhuang Block. The zircon U–Pb geochronology shows that the emplacement ages of the gneissic dioritic rocks were
c.
443–440 Ma. The dioritic rocks show varying SiO
2
(48.1–63.1 wt%) and MgO (1.87–3.52 wt%) contents, with high Mg# (46–52) values and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.62–0.94). Zircons in the gneissic diorites from the northern Huangshuigou and Sanweishan areas yield variable

ε

Hf
(
t
) values of −4.4 to +10.4 and −8.6 to −6.2, respectively, coupled with low Rb/Sr (0.04–0.34), Rb/Ba (0.06–0.31) and Al
2
O
3
/(MgO + FeO
T
) (0.72–1.47) ratios, indicating that they were predominately generated by disequilibrium melting of the juvenile crust and mixed with ancient crustal and minor mantle melts. In conjunction with previously published data, we propose that the early Paleozoic gneissic dioritic rocks were formed in a continental margin arc setting related to the southward subduction of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean. Our findings suggest that the Dunhuang Block was modified and reactivated by the Paleozoic orogenic events related to the evolution of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean, resulting in extensive Paleozoic magmatism–metamorphism over the whole Dunhuang area.

Supplementary material:
Analytical methods, U-Pb geochronological data, zircon trace element data, zircon Lu-Hf isotopic compositions, and geochemical data for analysed samples, and additional figures are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6174601
Multi-level Taxonomy Review for Sign Language Recognition: Emphasis on Indian Sign Language
Authors: Bahia Nimratveer Kaur , Rani Rajneesh
Published: September 2022

With the phenomenal increase in image and video databases, there is an increase in the human-computer interaction that recognizes Sign Language. Exchanging information using different gestures between two people is sign language, known as non-verbal communication. Sign language recognition is already done in various languages; however, for Indian Sign Language, there is no adequate amount of work done. This article presents a review on sign language recognition for multiple languages. Data acquisition methods have been over-viewed in four ways (a) Glove-based, (b) Kinect-based, (c) Leap motion controller, and (d) Vision-based. Some of them have pros and cons that have also been discussed for every data acquisition method. Applications of sign language recognition are also discussed.

Furthermore, this review also creates a coherent taxonomy to represent the modern research divided into three levels: Level 1 Elementary level (Recognition of sign characters), Level 2 Advanced level (Recognition of sign words), and Level 3 Professional level (Sentence interpretation). The available challenges and issues for each level are also explored in this research to provide valuable perceptions into technological environments. Various publicly available datasets for different sign languages are also discussed. An efficient review of this article shows that the significant exploration of communication via sign acknowledgment has been performed on static, dynamic, isolated, and continuous gestures using various acquisition methods. Comprehensively, the hope is that this study will enable readers to learn new pathways and gain knowledge to carry out further research work in the domain related to sign language recognition.
Three-tier Storage Framework Based on TBchain and IPFS for Protecting IoT Security and Privacy
Authors: Li Ying , Yu Yaxin , Wang Xingwei
Published: September 2022

Recently, most of the Internet of things (IoT) infrastructures are highly centralized with single points of failure, which results in serious security and privacy issues of IoT data. Fortunately, blockchain technique can provide a decentralized and secure IoT framework to deal with security issues based on the characteristics of decentralization, non-tampering, openness, transparency, and traceability. However, the blockchain consensus protocol guarantees the safety and reliability of data, but it also brings problems such as scalability limitations and poor storage extensibility, resulting in the inability to directly integrate blockchain and the IoT in existing conditions. In this article, a private three-tier local blockchain, Three-tier architecture Blockchain (TBchain), is proposed to solve the problem by splitting part of the transactions in the public blockchain and locking them in a higher-level blockchain TBchain. Additionally, the private blockchain TBchain is connected to the public blockchain to build a hierarchical blockchain network to provide privacy protection for the IoT data stored on the blockchain. Finally, we implement an IoT framework based on TBchain and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) to realize the decentralized IoT, which guarantees the user’s access control right to personal data. Experimental results show that the IoT framework based on TBchain and IPFS realizes the user’s access control right to personal data by verifying in advance to ensure the confidentiality and security of shared data, and improves the security and privacy of IoT data and transactions. Moreover, we prove that the scalability and storage extensibility of the blockchain is positively correlated with the number of data blocks in TBchain.
Circadian cardiac NAD+ metabolism, from transcriptional regulation to healthy aging
Authors: Carpenter Bryce J. , Dierickx Pieterjan
Published: September 2022

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a critical redox factor and coenzyme with rhythmic availability, and reduced NAD+ levels are a common factor in many disease states, including risk factors associated with aging. Recent studies have expanded on the role of circadian rhythms and the core clock factors that maintain them in the regulation of NAD+ levels in the heart. This has revealed that NAD+ pools and their use are tightly linked to cardiac function, but also heart failure. The convergence of these fields, namely, clock regulation, heart disease, and NAD+ metabolism present a complex network ripe with potential scientific and clinical discoveries, given the growing number of animal models, recently developed technology, and opportunity for safe and accessible precursor supplementation. This review seeks to briefly present known information on circadian rhythms in the heart, connect that research to our understanding of cardiac NAD+ metabolism, and finally discuss potential future experiments to better understand interventional opportunities in cardiovascular health regarding these subjects.