bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic manifestations and symptom burden of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy in a referral cohort
Authors: Kelly Cecilia R. , Saw Jacqui‐Lyn , Thapa Prabin , Mandrekar Jay , Naddaf Elie
Published: January 2022

Introduction/Aims

The full spectrum of the clinical phenotype of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), beyond skeletal muscle weakness, remains poorly characterized. In this study, we describe systemic manifestations and symptom burden in a large series of FSHD patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of FSHD patients seen at our institution between 2000 and 2017. We reviewed patients' responses to a comprehensive review of symptoms and the results of diagnostic testing for sensorineural hearing loss, cardiac disease, dysphagia, ocular abnormalities, and respiratory insufficiency. We assessed the association between disease manifestations and age of onset, genetic profile, and disease duration.

Results

We identified 87 patients with FSHD. The most common reported symptoms included pain (71%), difficulty sleeping (41%), headaches (27%), and altered mood (24%). When tested, 7 of 16 (44%) patients had sensorineural hearing loss, 20 of 60 (33%) had cardiac arrhythmias or conduction defects, 17 of 45 (38%) had echocardiogram abnormalities, 12 of 25 (48%) had reduced forced vital capacity, and 4 of 10 (40%) had oropharyngeal dysphagia. However, patients with these abnormalities represented 8%, 23%, 20%, 14%, and 5% of total number of patients, respectively, as uniform screening was lacking. Ocular pathology attributable to FSHD was not detected.

Discussion

FSHD demonstrates a broad clinical phenotype. Increased vigilance among neurologists to screen for systemic manifestations of the disease is warranted. More uniform screening and future population‐based studies are needed to compare findings in FSHD patients with the general population.
Rethinking individual relationships with entities of nature
Authors: Lehnen Lisa , Arbieu Ugo , Böhning‐Gaese Katrin , Díaz Sandra , Glikman Jenny A. , Mueller Thomas
Published: January 2022

Recognizing variation in human–nature relationships across different contexts, entities of nature and individual people is central to an equitable management of nature and its contributions to people, and to design effective strategies for encouraging and guiding more sustainable human behaviour.

We complement the broader Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) conceptual framework by zooming in from relationships between people and nature to individual relationships with entities of nature (IREN), and introduce a new typology that categorizes those relationships based on individual attitude, behavioural preference and behaviour towards an entity. These three dimensions illustrate if an individual perceives the entity to provide mainly positive, negative or no contributions; prefers to have a mainly positive, negative or no impact on the entity; and performs mainly actions with positive, negative or no impacts on the entity.

The IREN typology defines 17 overarching relationship types, including not only types where attitude, behavioural preference and behaviour are all negative (intolerance), all neutral (indifference) or all positive (stewardship), but also types where the valence of some dimensions diverges. Among those, we integrate and redefine established types like tolerance, and introduce new ones like ambivalent opposition, which is highly relevant for the management of overabundant or invasive species.

Combining attitude, behavioural preference and behaviour to categorize different IREN types can help detect inequalities in the benefits and detriments individual people receive from different entities, and signal societal conflict potential or misalignment of behaviour with conservation goals. Combining those three dimensions also indicates the relative importance of goal‐oriented motives like the desire to optimize an entity's perceived contributions, moral motives like the desire to act righteously and implementation barriers preventing individuals from acting according to their preference.

By adding an individual‐ and entity‐specific perspective, the IREN framework and typology can encourage more equitable approaches to managing the benefits and detriments people derive from nature, and assist the development of more effective strategies for aligning human behaviour with conservation and sustainability goals.
Factors associated with resolution of childhood asthma by the age of 17: Large cohort analysis
Authors: Goldberg Shmuel , Picard Elie , Joseph Leon , Kedem Ron , Sommer Adir , Tzur Dorit , Cohen Shlomo
Published: January 2022

Background

Many children with asthma will become asymptomatic during adolescence. In this study, we evaluated factors associated with recovery from asthma by the age of 17.

Methods

The medical records of 17‐year‐old conscripts to the Israeli army with asthma were compared with the records of conscripts with rigorously diagnosed resolved asthma. We assessed the association between the following parameters and asthma resolution: body mass index (BMI), recurrent rhinitis, birth season, socioeconomic level, and cognition.

Results

Sixty‐eight thousand and ninety conscripts with active asthma were compared to 14,695 with resolved asthma. In univariate analysis, rhinitis, overweight, underweight, higher socioeconomic level, and lower cognitive score were associated with active asthma (p < 0.001 for both sexes), but not the season of birth. In multivariate analysis, only overweight, underweight, rhinitis, and lower cognitive score (p < 0.001 for both sexes) remained significantly associated with persistence of asthma.

Conclusions

Although association does not prove causation, our finding is another reason to encourage adolescents with asthma to maintain a normal body weight. Prospective interventional studies are needed in order to decide whether changing weight to ensure BMI is within the ideal range and controlling rhinitis increases the odds of resolution of asthma in adolescence.
Statistics of Nucleation and Growth of Single Monolayers in Nanowires: Towards a Deterministic Regime
Authors: Glas Frank , Panciera Federico , Harmand Jean-Christophe
Published: January 2022

The vapor–liquid–solid growth of semiconductor nanowires proceeds via the sequential nucleation and extension of biatomic monolayers at the interface between the solid wire and a liquid catalyst nanodroplet. In the case of III–V compounds, this mother phase contains only a small concentration of the volatile group V atoms. The growth regime where there is not enough such atoms available in the liquid at nucleation to complete a whole monolayer is studied experimentally and theoretically. Each monolayer cycle then consists in the rapid formation of a partial monolayer, followed by a slower propagation stage and by a waiting time preceding the next nucleation. The propagation and waiting times of long sequences of monolayers are measured in situ in a transmission electron microscope at three growth temperatures, in a single GaAs nanowire. The process is modeled and the statistics of the characteristic times are computed numerically and analytically. At low temperature, the weakness of group V desorption from the liquid should lead to a constant total monolayer cycle time, despite the stochasticity of the nucleation events. The modeling of the experiments yields values of several crucial growth parameters and provides guidance for the growth of nanowires in a deterministic regime.
From Dough to Porous Nanostructured Sn−C Framework: A Green Anode Material for Lithium Ion Battery
Authors: Li Pei‐Dong , Dai Lu , Tu Qiang , Cui Yue‐Hua , Yuan Jia‐Hu
Published: January 2022

This article provides a low cost and green environmental preparation method to produce a high performance of stannum‐carbon lithium battery anode material. The advantage of this method is not only for improving the performance and stability comparing with the stannum‐carbon lithium battery, but also show a way for the industrial scale for the applications at the same time. This paper provides a reasonably designed hybrid composite as lithium ion battery anode that shows a reversible capacity of 440 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 1.0 A g−1. This result is mainly attributed to the nanocrystallization of stannum and the introduction of expansion space by combination of wheat flour nature properties and redox process.
A hybrid approach of wind farm site selection using Group Best‐Worst Method and GIS‐Based Fuzzy Logic Relations. A case study in Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Truong Nhat , Ly Tram Thi Bich , Do Huyen Thi Thu
Published: January 2022

In this study, a hybrid model was developed by the combination of Group Multi‐Criteria Decision‐Making Based on Best‐Worst Method (so‐called Group Best Worst Method) and GIS‐Based Fuzzy Logic Relations to provide decision support of the sustainable development of wind power. The proposed model was developed in four main steps including 1) defining exclusion criteria and weighted criteria; 2) normalizing data by fuzzy membership functions in GIS environment; 3) determining the influence/weighting of the criteria through Group Best‐Worst Method; and 4) identifying the suitable areas for wind farm location. In a case study of Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam, it resulted in the coastal areas being most suitable for the development of wind power. It was found to be in line with the local plan of renewable energy development. Moreover, the paddy field areas could also be highly suitable for wind energy sitting due to the reduced adverse effects on nature reserves biodiversity, and the potential benefits associated with the increased land values and local farmer's income, higher crop yield, etc. The proposed hybrid model is considered a novel and straightforward approach in wind power planning that can be extended to other fields of MCDM regarding the selection of geographical location for the other renewable energy projects.
Metabolism of Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins
Authors: Borén Jan , Taskinen Marja-Riitta
Published: January 2022

Triglycerides are critical lipids as they provide an energy source that is both compact and efficient. Due to its hydrophobic nature triglyceride molecules can pack together densely and so be stored in adipose tissue. To be transported in the aqueous medium of plasma, triglycerides have to be incorporated into lipoprotein particles along with other components such as cholesterol, phospholipid and associated structural and regulatory apolipoproteins. Here we discuss the physiology of normal triglyceride metabolism, and how impaired metabolism induces hypertriglyceridemia and its pathogenic consequences including atherosclerosis. We also discuss established and novel therapies to reduce triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
Lagrangian Methods for Visualizing and Assessing Frontal Dynamics of Floating Marine Litter with a Focus on Tidal Basins
Authors: Ricker Marcel , Meyerjürgens Jens , Badewien Thomas H. , Stanev Emil V.
Published: January 2022

Lagrangian methods are a common tool in physical oceanography. Due to the quasi-Lagrangian characteristics of floating marine litter (FML) and the chemical substances released from it, Lagrangian methods can be used to study this environmental threat. Most of the existing investigations of this topic have been carried out in the deep ocean, where baroclinic dynamics dominate. In contrast, studies of tidally dominated, shallow regions are much fewer in number. Compared to the deep ocean, shallow shelves are more strongly influenced by freshwater inputs, bottom stress, complex coastlines, and wind, which imply higher diffusion rates, especially in the presence of tides. Furthermore, they steer the transport of FML from rivers to the deep ocean with fronts as an important driver. The present chapter reviews Lagrangian methods for visualizing and assessing frontal dynamics in tidal basins with data obtained from numerical modeling and satellite-tracked drifters. The specific requirements for the two data sources are described and discussed. Some of these methods are applied in the North Sea, located on the European northwest shelf, where tidal mixing fronts and fronts due to freshwater runoff exist. It is demonstrated how surface convergence and gradients in temperature, salinity, and density are connected with the accumulation of virtual and satellite-tracked drifters. The effect of tides on the propagation of Lagrangian particles is shown to be significant and demonstrates the importance of tidal forces and vertical dynamics in Lagrangian simulations in tidal basins. The chapter ends with the future outlook, illuminating the numerous knowledge gaps remaining and proposing areas for future research.
Decomposition of BPS moduli spaces and asymptotics of supersymmetric partition functions
Authors: Ardehali Arash Arabi , Hong Junho
Published: January 2022

Abstract

We present a prototype for Wilsonian analysis of asymptotics of supersymmetric partition functions of non-abelian gauge theories. Localization allows expressing such partition functions as an integral over a BPS moduli space. When the limit of interest introduces a scale hierarchy in the problem, asymptotics of the partition function is obtained in the Wilsonian approach by i) decomposing (in some suitable scheme) the BPS moduli space into various patches according to the set of light fields (lighter than the scheme dependent cut-off Λ) they support, ii) localizing the partition function of the effective field theory on each patch (with cut-offs set by the scheme), and iii) summing up the contributions of all patches to obtain the final asymptotic result (which is scheme-independent and accurate as Λ → ∞). Our prototype concerns the Cardy-like asymptotics of the 4d superconformal index, which has been of interest recently for its application to black hole microstate counting in AdS5/CFT4. As a byproduct of our analysis we obtain the most general asymptotic expression for the index of gauge theories in the Cardy-like limit, encompassing and extending all previous results.
Dental extraction, intensity-modulated radiotherapy of head and neck cancer, and osteoradionecrosis
Authors: Balermpas Panagiotis , van Timmeren Janita E. , Knierim David J. , Guckenberger Matthias , Ciernik Ilja F.
Published: January 2022

Objective

To seek evidence for osteoradionecrosis (ORN) after dental extractions before or after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods

Medline/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from 2000 until 2020. Articles on HNC patients treated with IMRT and dental extractions were analyzed by two independent reviewers. The risk ratios (RR) and odds ratios (OR) for ORN related to extractions were calculated using Fisher’s exact test. A one-sample proportion test was used to assess the proportion of pre- versus post-IMRT extractions. Forest plots were used for the pooled RR and OR using a random-effects model.

Results

Seven of 630 publications with 875 patients were eligible. A total of 437 (49.9%) patients were treated with extractions before and 92 (10.5%) after IMRT. 28 (3.2%) suffered from ORN after IMRT. ORN was associated with extractions in 15 (53.6%) patients, eight related to extractions prior to and seven cases related to extractions after IMRT. The risk and odds for ORN favored pre-IMRT extractions (RR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.04–0.74, p = 0.031, I2 = 0%, OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.03–0.99, p = 0.049, I2 = 0%). However, the prediction interval of the expected range of 95% of true effects included 1 for RR and OR.

Conclusion

Tooth extraction before IMRT is more common than after IMRT, but dental extractions before compared to extractions after IMRT have not been proven to reduce the incidence of ORN. Extractions of teeth before IMRT have to be balanced with any potential delay in initiating cancer therapy.
Epidemiologie der Virushepatitiden A bis E in Deutschland
Authors: Dudareva Sandra , Faber Mirko , Zimmermann Ruth , Bock C.-Thomas , Offergeld Ruth , Steffen Gyde , Enkelmann Julia
Published: January 2022

Mit Virushepatitis A bis E werden verschiedene infektiöse Entzündungen des Leberparenchyms bezeichnet, die durch die Hepatitisviren A bis E (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV und HEV) ausgelöst werden. Zwar ähneln sich die Krankheitsbilder, die Erreger gehören jedoch zu verschiedenen Virusfamilien und unterscheiden sich bezüglich der Pathogenese, der Übertragungswege, des klinischen Verlaufs und der Präventions- und Therapiemöglichkeiten. In Deutschland besteht eine namentliche Meldepflicht nach Infektionsschutzgesetz (IfSG) für den direkten oder indirekten Nachweis und für Verdacht, Erkrankung und Tod. Die Daten werden an das Robert Koch-Institut übermittelt.

In diesem Beitrag wird die Epidemiologie der Hepatitiden A bis E anhand publizierter Studien und Meldedaten beschrieben und es werden aktuelle Herausforderungen und Präventionsansätze aufgezeigt. Letztere bestehen insbesondere in der verbesserten Umsetzung bereits bestehender Impfempfehlungen (Hepatitis A und B), dem verbesserten Zugang zu Prävention, Testung und Versorgung, einschließlich Therapie mit antiviralen Medikamenten (Hepatitis B, C und D), und der Erkennung und Verhinderung lebensmittelbedingter Infektionen und Ausbrüche und Verbesserungen auf dem Gebiet der Lebensmittelsicherheit (Hepatitis A und E).
Labor and environment in global value chains: an evolutionary policy study with a three-sector and two-region agent-based macroeconomic model
Authors: Gerdes Lena , Rengs Bernhard , Scholz-Wäckerle Manuel
Published: January 2022

The world economy crucially depends on multi-layered value chains with high degrees of sector-related specialization. Its final products are of international character and serve the needs and wants of the global citizen. However, many production processes are causing severe damage to the environment and moreover create health hazard for workers and local populations. This research article focuses on the increasing global unequal economic- and ecological exchange, fundamentally embedded in international trade. Resource extraction and labor conditions in the Global South as well as the implications for climate change originating from industry emissions in the North are investigated with an agent-based model. The model serves as a testbed for simulation experiments with evolutionary political economic policies. An international institution is introduced sanctioning the polluting extractivist sector in the Global South as well as the emitting industrial capital good producers in the North with the aim of subsidizing innovation reducing environmental and social impacts. Both regions are modelled as macroeconomic complex adaptive systems where international trade is restricted to a three-sector value chain, originating from mining resources in the South that are traded to capital good producers in the North crafting machinery which is eventually traded to consumer good firms, both in the North and South. The main outcome of the study is that sanctions alone are not effective in countering unequal exchange. They only make a difference in combination with subsidies for innovation activities, which are protecting labor and reducing local pollution in mines as well as reducing carbon-emissions in capital good production.
Theranostic PSMA ligands with optimized backbones for intraoperative multimodal imaging and photodynamic therapy of prostate cancer
Authors: Derks Yvonne H. W. , van Lith Sanne A. M. , Amatdjais-Groenen Helene I. V. , Wouters Lieke W. M. , Kip Annemarie , Franssen Gerben M. , Laverman Peter , Löwik Dennis W. P. M. , Heskamp Sandra , Rijpkema Mark
Published: January 2022

Introduction

The first generation ligands for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–targeted radio- and fluorescence-guided surgery followed by adjuvant photodynamic therapy (PDT) have already shown the potential of this approach. Here, we developed three new photosensitizer-based dual-labeled PSMA ligands by crucial modification of existing PSMA ligand backbone structures (PSMA-1007/PSMA-617) for multimodal imaging and targeted PDT of PCa.

Methods

Various new PSMA ligands were synthesized using solid-phase chemistry and provided with a DOTA chelator for 111In labeling and the fluorophore/photosensitizer IRDye700DX. The performance of three new dual-labeled ligands was compared with a previously published first-generation ligand (PSMA-N064) and a control ligand with an incomplete PSMA-binding motif. PSMA specificity, affinity, and PDT efficacy of these ligands were determined in LS174T-PSMA cells and control LS174T wildtype cells. Tumor targeting properties were evaluated in BALB/c nude mice with subcutaneous LS174T-PSMA and LS174T wildtype tumors using µSPECT/CT imaging, fluorescence imaging, and biodistribution studies after dissection.

Results

In order to synthesize the new dual-labeled ligands, we modified the PSMA peptide linker by substitution of a glutamic acid into a lysine residue, providing a handle for conjugation of multiple functional moieties. Ligand optimization showed that the new backbone structure leads to high-affinity PSMA ligands (all IC50 < 50 nM). Moreover, ligand-mediated PDT led to a PSMA-specific decrease in cell viability in vitro (P < 0.001). Linker modification significantly improved tumor targeting compared to the previously developed PSMA-N064 ligand (≥ 20 ± 3%ID/g vs 14 ± 2%ID/g, P < 0.01) and enabled specific visualization of PMSA-positive tumors using both radionuclide and fluorescence imaging in mice.

Conclusion

The new high-affinity dual-labeled PSMA-targeting ligands with optimized backbone compositions showed increased tumor targeting and enabled multimodal image-guided PCa surgery combined with targeted photodynamic therapy.
The face never lies: facial expressions and mimicry modulate playful interactions in wild geladas
Authors: Gallo Alessandro , Zanoli Anna , Caselli Marta , Norscia Ivan , Palagi Elisabetta
Published: January 2022

Play fighting, the most common form of social play in mammals, is a fertile field to investigate the use of visual signals in animals’ communication systems. Visual signals can be exclusively emitted during play (e.g. play faces, PF, context-dependent signals), or they can be released under several behavioural domains (e.g. lip-smacking, LS, context-independent signals). Rapid facial mimicry (RFM) is the involuntary rapid facial congruent response produced after perceiving others’ facial expressions. RFM leads to behavioural and emotional synchronisation that often translates into the most balanced and longest playful interactions. Here, we investigate the role of playful communicative signals in geladas (Theropithecus gelada). We analysed the role of PF and LS produced by wild immature geladas during play fighting. We found that PFs, but not LS, were particularly frequent during the riskiest interactions such as those including individuals from different groups. Furthermore, we found that RFM (PF→PF) was highest when playful offensive patterns were not biased towards one of the players and when the session was punctuated by LS. Under this perspective, the presence of context-independent signals such as LS may be useful in creating an affiliative mood that enhances communication and facilitates most cooperative interactions. Indeed, we found that sessions punctuated by the highest frequency of RFM and LS were also the longest ones. Whether the complementary use of PF and LS is strategically guided by the audience or is the result of the emotional arousal experienced by players remains to be investigated.

Significance Statement

Facial expressions and their rapid replication by an observer are fundamental communicative tools during social contacts in human and non-human animals. Play fighting is one of the most complex forms of social interactions that can easily lead to misunderstanding if not modulated through an accurate use of social signals. Wild immature geladas are able to manage their play sessions thus limiting the risk of aggressive escalation. While playing with unfamiliar subjects belonging to other groups, they make use of a high number of play faces. Moreover, geladas frequently replicate others’ play faces and emit facial expressions of positive intent (i.e. lip-smacking) when engaging in well-balanced long play sessions. In this perspective, this “playful facial chattering” creates an affiliative mood that enhances communication and facilitates most cooperative interactions.
Robustness in action: Leg loss does not affect mating success in male harvestmen
Authors: Escalante Ignacio , Elias Damian O.
Published: January 2022

Defensive strategies, like other life-history traits favored by natural selection, may pose constraints on reproduction. A common anti-predator defense strategy that increases immediate survival is autotomy—the voluntary release of body parts. This type of morphological damage is considered to impose future costs for reproduction and fitness. We tested an alternative hypothesis that animals are robust (able to withstand and overcome perturbations) to this type of damage and do not experience any fitness costs in reproductive contexts. We explored the effects of experimental leg loss on the reproductive behavior of one species of Neotropical Prionostemma harvestmen. These arachnids undergo autotomy frequently, do not regenerate legs, and their courtship and mating necessitate the use of legs. We assessed the effect of losing different types of legs (locomotor or sensory) on courtship behavior and mating success in males. We found no differences in the mating success or in any measured aspect of reproductive behavior between eight-legged males and males that experienced loss of legs of any type. Additionally, we found that morphological traits related to body size did not predict mating success. Overall, our experimental findings support the null hypothesis that harvestmen are robust to the consequences of morphological damage and natural selection favors strategies that increase robustness.

Significance statement

In order to survive encounters with predators, animals have evolved many defensive strategies. Some of those behaviors, however, can come with a cost to their overall body condition. For example, some animals can voluntarily lose body parts (tails, legs, etc.) to escape. This process can then affect many aspects of an animal’s life, including reproduction. In a group of harvestmen (daddy long-legs) from Costa Rica, we tested the hypothesis that males are robust to the potential consequences of losing legs, and will not experience costs. We found that males that lost either legs used for locomotion or for sensory perception reproduced in the same way as animals with all of their legs. Consequently, we demonstrate that these arachnids are able to withstand the loss of legs with no effects on reproduction.
Machine learning to differentiate small round cell malignant tumors and non-small round cell malignant tumors of the nasal and paranasal sinuses using apparent diffusion coefficient values
Authors: Chen Chen , Qin Yuhui , Chen Haotian , Cheng Junying , He Bo , Wan Yixuan , Zhu Dongyong , Gao Fabao , Zhou Xiaoyue
Published: January 2022

Objective

We used radiomics feature–based machine learning classifiers of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps to differentiate small round cell malignant tumors (SRCMTs) and non-SRCMTs of the nasal and paranasal sinuses.

Materials

A total of 267 features were extracted from each region of interest (ROI). Datasets were randomized into two sets, a training set (∼70%) and a test set (∼30%). We performed dimensional reductions using the Pearson correlation coefficient and feature selection analyses (analysis of variance [ANOVA], relief, recursive feature elimination [RFE]) and classifications using 10 machine learning classifiers. Results were evaluated with a leave-one-out cross-validation analysis.

Results

We compared the AUC for all the pipelines in the validation dataset using FeAture Explorer (FAE) software. The pipeline using RFE feature selection and Gaussian process classifier yielded the highest AUCs with ten features. When the “one-standard error” rule was used, FAE produced a simpler model with eight features, including Perc.01%, Perc.10%, Perc.90%, Perc.99%, S(1,0) SumAverg, S(5,5) AngScMom, S(5,5) Correlat, and WavEnLH_s-2. The AUCs of the training, validation, and test datasets achieved 0.995, 0.902, and 0.710, respectively. For ANOVA, the pipeline with the auto-encoder classifier yielded the highest AUC using only one feature, Perc.10% (training/validation/test datasets: 0.886/0.895/0.809, respectively). For the relief, the AUCs of the training, validation, and test datasets that used the LRLasso classifier using five features (Perc.01%, Perc.10%, S(4,4) Correlat, S(5,0) SumAverg, S(5,0) Contrast) were 0.892, 0.886, and 0.787, respectively. Compared with the RFE and relief, the results of all algorithms of ANOVA feature selection were more stable with the AUC values higher than 0.800.

Conclusions

We demonstrated the feasibility of combining artificial intelligence with the radiomics from ADC values in the differential diagnosis of SRCMTs and non-SRCMTs and the potential of this non-invasive approach for clinical applications.

Key Points

• The parameter with the best diagnostic performance in differentiating SRCMTs from non-SRCMTs was the Perc.10% ADC value.

• Results of all the algorithms of ANOVA feature selection were more stable and the AUCs were higher than 0.800, as compared with RFE and relief.

• The pipeline using RFE feature selection and Gaussian process classifier yielded the highest AUC.
Renal puncture access using a blunt needle: proposal of the blunt puncture concept
Authors: Hou Bingbing , Wang Mingquan , Song Ziyan , He Qiushi , Hao Zongyao
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Severe haemorrhage in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is an alarming event, and preventing injury to renal major vessels is a challenge. We evaluated the efficiency of a blunt needle in renal puncture procedures.

Methods

We first retrospectively reviewed the embolization images of post-PCNL patients to analyse the types of arteries injured, which were considered target arteries. Then, either a blunt needle or a conventional needle was used to directly puncture target arteries in ex vivo porcine kidneys and to establish renal access ex vivo and in vivo. The primary outcome was the incidence of target artery injuries, which were observed by digital subtraction angiography, nephroscopy and 3-dimensional endocasts. The secondary outcome was the rate of excreted fluid per access.

Results

The segmental and interlobar arteries were the most common types of injured arteries that needed to be embolized after PCNL. When these arteries were punctured directly, blunt needles reduced injury (1/20 vs. 16/20; OR 4.750; 95% CI 1.966–11.478; P < .001) by 76% compared to injuries induced by conventional needles. Moreover, the blunt needle group also had a significantly lower incidence of these arteries’ injuries ex vivo due to renal puncture and yielded a lower rate of excreted fluid in ex vivo and in vivo renal puncture procedures.

Conclusion

A blunt needle for renal puncture can be effective in reducing injury to renal major arteries and the accompanying haemorrhage. We propose the concept of blunt puncture, which may be a promising method for achieving safe renal access in PCNL.
Seasonality in the relationship between equatorial-mean heat content and interannual eastern equatorial Atlantic sea surface temperature variability
Authors: Turner Kyle J. , Burls Natalie J. , von Brandis Anna , Lübbecke Joke , Claus Martin
Published: January 2022

Interannual sea surface temperature (SST) variations in the tropical Atlantic Ocean lead to anomalous atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns with important ecological and socioeconomic consequences for the semiarid regions of sub-Saharan Africa and northeast Brazil. This interannual SST variability is characterized by three modes: an Atlantic meridional mode featuring an anomalous cross-equatorial SST gradient that peaks in boreal spring; an Atlantic zonal mode (Atlantic Niño mode) with SST anomalies in the eastern equatorial Atlantic cold tongue region that peaks in boreal summer; and a second zonal mode of variability with eastern equatorial SST anomalies peaking in boreal winter. Here we investigate the extent to which there is any seasonality in the relationship between equatorial warm water recharge and the development of eastern equatorial Atlantic SST anomalies. Seasonally stratified cross-correlation analysis between eastern equatorial Atlantic SST anomalies and equatorial heat content anomalies (evaluated using warm water volume and sea surface height) indicate that while equatorial heat content changes do occasionally play a role in the development of boreal summer Atlantic zonal mode events, they contribute more consistently to Atlantic Niño II, boreal winter events. Event and composite analysis of ocean adjustment with a shallow water model suggest that the warm water volume anomalies originate mainly from the off-equatorial northwestern Atlantic, in agreement with previous studies linking them to anomalous wind stress curl associated with the Atlantic meridional mode.
Sigmoid volvulus: outcomes of treatment and predictors of morbidity and mortality
Authors: Moro-Valdezate David , Martín-Arévalo José , Pla-Martí Vicente , García-Botello Stephanie , Izquierdo-Moreno Ana , Pérez-Santiago Leticia , Pedrós-Giménez Jorge Manuel , Villagrasa Rosana , Peña Andrés , Espí-Macías Alejandro
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To analyze the treatment outcomes for sigmoid volvulus (SV) and identify risk factors of complications and mortality.

Methods

Observational study of all consecutive adult patients diagnosed with SV who were admitted from January 2000 to December 2020 in a tertiary university institution for conservative management, urgent or elective surgery. Primary outcomes were 30-day postoperative morbidity, mortality and 2-year overall survival (OS), including analysis of risk factors for postoperative morbidity or mortality and prognostic factors for 2-year OS.

Results

A total of 92 patients were included. Conservative management was performed in 43 cases (46.7%), 27 patients (29.4%) underwent emergent surgery and 22 (23.9%) were scheduled for elective surgery. Successful decompression was achieved in 87.8% of cases, but the recurrence rate was 47.2%. Mortality rates following episodes were higher for conservative treatment than for urgent or elective surgery (37.2%, 22.2%, 9.1%, respectively; p = 0.044). ASA score > III was an independent risk factor for complications (OR = 5.570, 95% CI = 1.740–17.829, p < 0.001) and mortality (OR = 6.139, 95% CI = 2.629–14.335, p < 0.001) in the 30 days after admission. Patients who underwent elective surgery showed higher 2-year OS than those with conservative treatment (p = 0.011). Elective surgery (HR = 2.604, 95% CI = 1.185–5.714, p = 0.017) and ASA score > III (HR = 0.351, 95% CI = 0.192–0.641, p = 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for 2-year OS.

Conclusion

Successful endoscopic decompression can be achieved in most SV patients, but with the drawbacks of high recurrence, morbidity and mortality rates. Concurrent severe comorbidities and conservative treatment were independent prognostic factors for morbidity and survival in SV.
Engineering strategies towards overcoming bleeding and glial scar formation around neural probes
Authors: Otte Elisabeth , Vlachos Andreas , Asplund Maria
Published: January 2022

Neural probes are sophisticated electrophysiological tools used for intra-cortical recording and stimulation. These microelectrode arrays, designed to penetrate and interface the brain from within, contribute at the forefront of basic and clinical neuroscience. However, one of the challenges and currently most significant limitations is their ‘seamless’ long-term integration into the surrounding brain tissue. Following implantation, which is typically accompanied by bleeding, the tissue responds with a scarring process, resulting in a gliotic region closest to the probe. This glial scarring is often associated with neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and a leaky blood–brain interface (BBI). The engineering progress on minimizing this reaction in the form of improved materials, microfabrication, and surgical techniques is summarized in this review. As research over the past decade has progressed towards a more detailed understanding of the nature of this biological response, it is time to pose the question: Are penetrating probes completely free from glial scarring at all possible?
Validity of a single-item indicator of treatment side effect bother in a diverse sample of cancer patients
Authors: Griffiths Pip , Peipert John Devin , Leith Andrea , Rider Alex , Morgan Lucy , Cella David , Cocks Kim
Published: January 2022

Purpose

With higher efficacy of cancer therapies, the numbers and types of side effects experienced by patients have also increased, evidencing a need for brief assessments of side effect bother. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) includes the item “I am bothered by side effects of treatment” (GP5). This study aimed to confirm GP5’s validity in a large, diverse, real-world patient sample.

Methods

Real-world data were drawn from 10 Adelphi Disease Specific Programmes (DSP™) conducted between 2015 and 2019 in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA, covering 10 cancer sites. We examined correlations between GP5 responses and varied measures of patient-reported global health and the number of side effects experienced. We explored whether more advanced patients and those with worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status Rating (ECOG PSR) reported greater side effect bother. Finally, we conducted differential item functioning (DIF) assessment using the Mantel–Haenszel approach.

Results

The sample included 6755 advanced cancer patients. GP5 responses were distributed similarly across most cancer sites. A moderate, negative correlation (rpolyserial =  − 0.43) between GP5 responses and global health evidenced convergent validity. Known groups validity was evidenced by dichotomised distributions of GP5, showing expected results between cancer stage 2 vs. 3 and 4 and with ECOG PSR (p < 0.001). Little evidence of DIF was found.

Conclusion

GP5 exhibited evidence of validity across cancer sites and countries and appeared to measure the same construct across these countries. GP5 has significant promise as a summary indicator of side effect bother.
Explainable image classification with evidence counterfactual
Authors: Vermeire Tom , Brughmans Dieter , Goethals Sofie , de Oliveira Raphael Mazzine Barbossa , Martens David
Published: January 2022

The complexity of state-of-the-art modeling techniques for image classification impedes the ability to explain model predictions in an interpretable way. A counterfactual explanation highlights the parts of an image which, when removed, would change the predicted class. Both legal scholars and data scientists are increasingly turning to counterfactual explanations as these provide a high degree of human interpretability, reveal what minimal information needs to be changed in order to come to a different prediction and do not require the prediction model to be disclosed. Our literature review shows that existing counterfactual methods for image classification have strong requirements regarding access to the training data and the model internals, which often are unrealistic. Therefore, SEDC is introduced as a model-agnostic instance-level explanation method for image classification that does not need access to the training data. As image classification tasks are typically multiclass problems, an additional contribution is the introduction of the SEDC-T method that allows specifying a target counterfactual class. These methods are experimentally tested on ImageNet data, and with concrete examples, we illustrate how the resulting explanations can give insights in model decisions. Moreover, SEDC is benchmarked against existing model-agnostic explanation methods, demonstrating stability of results, computational efficiency and the counterfactual nature of the explanations.
Emotion Dysregulation and Eating Disorder Symptoms: Examining Distinct Associations and Interactions in Adolescents
Authors: Trompeter Nora , Bussey Kay , Forbes Miriam K. , Hay Phillipa , Goldstein Mandy , Thornton Christopher , Basten Christopher , Heruc Gabriella , Roberts Marion , Byrne Susan , Griffiths Scott , Lonergan Alexandra , Mitchison Deborah
Published: January 2022

Emotion dysregulation has been posited as a key transdiagnostic factor of mental health difficulties, including eating disorders. However, how this transdiagnostic factor interacts with the disorder-specific factor of weight and shape concerns remains unclear. The current study examined whether emotion dysregulation is associated with eating disorder behaviors over and above the association between weight and shape concerns and whether these two factors interacted. The current study used data from two samples, a community sample of high school students (n = 2699), and a clinical sample of adolescents receiving outpatient treatment for an eating disorder (n = 149). Participants completed self-report measures on their eating behaviors, weight/shape concerns, and emotion dysregulation. Findings showed that emotion dysregulation had a unique association with engaging in binge eating and purging (community sample only). Weight and shape concerns were found to have a unique association with engaging in binge eating, fasting, purging, and driven exercise (community sample only). Additionally, weight and shape concerns moderated the association between emotion dysregulation and the probability of engaging in binge eating and driven exercise, whereby the strongest association between emotion dysregulation and these behaviors were observed among adolescents with the lowest levels of weight and shape concerns. Regarding the frequency of eating disorder behaviors, emotion dysregulation had a unique association with severity of binge eating and fasting. Weight and shape concerns were uniquely associated with severity of fasting and driven exercise (community sample only). Findings suggest that emotion dysregulation is a distinct factor of eating disorder behaviors among adolescents.
Development of a Drum Tower Severity Scoring (DTSS) system for pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome
Authors: Wang Xuan , Zhang Wei , Zhang Ming , Zhang Feng , Xiao Jiangqiang , Yin Qin , Han Hao , Li Taishun , Lin Ge , Zhuge Yuzheng
Published: January 2022

Background and aims

There has been no reliable severity system based on the prognosis to guide therapeutic strategies for patients with pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA)-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS). We aimed to create a novel Drum Tower Severity Scoring (DTSS) system for these patients to guide therapy.

Methods

172 Patients with PA-HSOS who received supportive care and anticoagulation therapy in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2008 to December 2020 were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. These patients were randomized into a training or validation set in a 3:1 ratio. Next, we established and validated the newly developed DTSS system.

Results

Analysis identified a predictive formula: logit (P) = 0.004 × aspartate aminotransferase (AST, U/L) + 0.019 × total bilirubin (TB, μmol/L) − 0.571 × fibrinogen (FIB, g/L) − 0.093 × peak portal vein velocity (PVV, cm/s) + 1.122. Next, we quantified the above variables to establish the DTSS system. For the training set, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) (n = 127) was 0.787 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.706–0.868; p < 0.001]. With a lower cut-off value of 6.5, the sensitivity and negative predictive value for predicting no response to supportive care and anticoagulation therapy were 94.7% and 88.0%, respectively. When applying a high cut-off value of 10.5, the specificity was 92.9% and the positive predictive value was 78.3%. For the validation set, the system performed stable with an AUC of 0.808.

Conclusions

The DTSS system can predict the outcome of supportive care and anticoagulation in PA-HSOS patients with satisfactory accuracy by evaluating severity, and may have potential significance for guiding therapy.
Comparison of human and faunal enamel isotopes reveals diverse paleodiet and exchange patterns at the highland Maya Site of Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala
Authors: Sharpe Ashley E. , Arroyo Bárbara , Wright Lori E. , Ajú Gloria , Estrada Javier , Kamenov George D. , Serech Emanuel , Zavodny Emily
Published: January 2022

This study provides an isotopic examination of both human and animal paleodiets and mobility patterns at a highland Maya community. Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala, was a large Prehispanic center located in a distinctly cooler, drier setting compared with the majority of Maya sites in the surrounding lowlands. Previous archaeological research at Kaminaljuyu revealed it played an important political and economic role in the Maya region, assisting in the obsidian trade network and maintaining ties with communities as far away as Teotihuacan in central Mexico. By examining the strontium (87Sr/86Sr), carbon (δ13C), and oxygen (δ18O) isotope values from dental enamel of humans and terrestrial mammals at the site, this study provides direct evidence of long-distance animal trade, explores the nature and timing of such activities, and compares highland dietary patterns with faunal studies in the lowlands. Our results indicate that isotopically non-local humans and animals are most frequently found in special and ceremonial contexts, indicating that long-distance movements of people and products were motivated for politically or ritually significant events. Although dietary patterns showed cross-species variation, diets within species were similar between highland and lowland settings.
Reclined trend of alkyl chain of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate molecules induced by friction
Authors: Wang Xianzhang , Liu Yuan , Ma Liran , Xu Xuefeng , Tian Yu
Published: January 2022

Surfactants tend to adsorb on the surface/interface mostly in a directional manner. The alkyl chain orientation and conformation order for molecular monolayers of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) at low concentrations are studied by using the sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS). The molecular arrangement of the surfactants adsorbed at the solid/liquid interface is further investigated. It is found that the arrangement of the SDBS at the interface becomes relatively ordered with increasing bulk concentration. Meanwhile, the orientation angle reduces gradually, and the molecules tend to be upright state. In addition, the effect of friction on the conformation order and orientation angle are also analyzed. The intensity of the SDBS vibrational contraction peak becomes lower after friction, which indicates that the anion has a reorientation process at the interface. The arrangement of molecules becomes more disordered due to friction. The orientation angle increases slightly, which indicates the monolayer has an inclined trend relative to the lateral direction on the interface. A modified adsorption model considering friction effect is proposed. This work may provide a reference for the further study of adsorption mechanism and application of surfactants.