bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D status and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Clasen Joanna L. , Cole Rachel , Aune Dagfinn , Sellon Edward , Heath Alicia K.
Published: March 2023

Background

Vitamin D is important for immunomodulation and may play a role in autoimmune diseases. Studies have reported a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and vitamin D status, assessed by circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration, is inversely associated with RA disease activity. However, it is unclear whether vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of later developing RA. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of pre-diagnostic 25(OH)D concentrations and risk of RA.

Methods

Medline and Embase databases were searched in December 2021 using various keywords for ‘vitamin D’, ‘rheumatoid arthritis’, and ‘prospective study’. Publications identified from the search were screened for eligibility, studies were excluded if vitamin D status was measured at or after RA diagnosis, and data were extracted from relevant articles. Bayesian meta-analysis was used to estimate the summary relative risk (RR) and 95% credible interval (CrI) for risk of RA in relation to circulating 25(OH)D concentrations, as well as the between-study heterogeneity.

Results

The search strategy yielded 908 records, of which 4 publications reporting on 7 studies, involving a total of 15,604 participants and 1049 incident RA cases, were included in the meta-analysis. There was no suggestion of an association between 25(OH)D concentration and subsequent risk of RA. The pooled RR per 25 nmol/L increment in 25(OH)D was 0.96 (95% CrI 0.82–1.13; I2 = 52%). No associations were evident in men (RR = 1.02, 95% CrI 0.65–1.61; I2 = 77%, 2 studies) or women (RR = 0.94, 95% CrI 0.73–1.22; I2 = 71%, 4 studies).

Conclusions

This systematic review and meta-analysis did not identify evidence of an association between 25(OH)D and RA risk, but there was notable between-study heterogeneity and a lack of precision. Investigations in large-scale prospective studies with long follow-up or suitably designed Mendelian randomisation studies with consideration of potential non-linear relationships are needed to determine whether vitamin D is involved in RA aetiology.
Child maltreatment and telomere length in middle and older age: retrospective cohort study of 141 748 UK Biobank participants
Authors: Zhou Ziyi , Lo Camilla K. M. , Chan Ko Ling , Chung Rachel S. Y. , Pell Jill P. , Minnis Helen , Shiels Paul G. , Ip Patrick , Ho Frederick K.
Published: March 2023

Background

There is evidence that child maltreatment is associated with shorter telomere length in early life.

Aims

This study aims to examine if child maltreatment is associated with telomere length in middle- and older-age adults.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of 141 748 UK Biobank participants aged 37–73 years at recruitment. Leukocyte telomere length was measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and log-transformed and scaled to have unit standard deviation. Child maltreatment was recalled by participants. Linear regression was used to analyse the association.

Results

After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, participants with three or more types of maltreatment presented with the shortest telomere lengths (β = −0.05, 95% CI −0.07 to −0.03; P < 0.0001), followed by those with two types of maltreatment (β = −0.02, 95% CI −0.04 to 0.00; P = 0.02), referent to those who had none. When adjusted for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, the telomere lengths of participants with three or more types of maltreatment were still shorter (β = −0.04, 95% CI −0.07 to −0.02; P = 0.0008). The telomere lengths of those with one type of maltreatment were not significantly different from those who had none. When mutually adjusted, physical abuse (β = −0.05, 95% CI −0.07 to −0.03; P < 0.0001) and sexual abuse (β = −0.02, 95% CI −0.04 to 0.00; P = 0.02) were independently associated with shorter telomere length.

Conclusions

Our findings showed that child maltreatment is associated with shorter telomere length in middle- and older-aged adults, independent of sociodemographic and mental health factors.
Observations of Oncologists on Treatment Selection With Interim Positron Emission Tomography–Adapted Approaches in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma: The Real-World CONNECT Study
Authors: Parsons Susan K. , Yu Kristina S. , Liu Nicholas , Kumar Supriya , Fanale Michelle A. , Holmes Katie , Flores Carlos , Surinach Andy , Flora Darcy R. , Evens Andrew M.
Published: March 2023

PURPOSE:

We surveyed oncologists who treat classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) as part of the CONNECT study to understand the treatment decision‐making process, including the impact of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging.

METHODS:

US physicians self-identifying as oncologists, hematologists, or hematologists/oncologists with ≥2 years of practice experience who treated ≥1 adult with stage III/IV cHL in the frontline setting in the last year were surveyed (October 19-November 16, 2020). Physician demographics, guideline adherence, and PET/CT utilization, interpretation, and access barriers were assessed.

RESULTS:

In total, 301 physicians participated in the survey. Eighty-eight percent of physicians gave somewhat-to-significant consideration to NCCN guidelines. Most physicians (94%; n = 284) reported obtaining a PET/CT scan at diagnosis; of these physicians, 97% reported obtaining an interim PET/CT scan for stage III/IV cHL, with 65% typically obtaining an interim PET/CT scan after cycle 2. The Deauville 5-point scale (5PS) was the primary scoring system used to review PET/CT results by 62% of physicians, with a positive score defined as ≥3 by 44%, ≥4 by 37%, and ≥2 by 12% of physicians. Fifty-five percent of physicians reported difficulty in obtaining PET/CT scans.

CONCLUSION:

Although most physicians considered NCCN guidelines when treating patients with stage III/IV cHL, interim PET/CT scans after cycle 2 were not universally obtained. When PET/CT scans were obtained, Deauville 5PS scores were not always provided, and variability existed on what defined a positive score. These findings suggest that opportunities exist for education and improved PET-adapted treatment approaches.
Long-term Outcomes Following Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Beamish Andrew J , Ryan Harper Elizabeth , Järvholm Kajsa , Janson Annika , Olbers Torsten
Published: March 2023

Severe obesity in adolescence negatively impacts upon health and wellbeing. Lifestyle modifications do not usually achieve a sufficient degree or durability of weight loss to mitigate the risk of medical complications. In recent years, metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), already a well-established treatment for adults with severe obesity, has emerged as an option in adolescents. Controlled studies in this age group have demonstrated substantial and sustained weight loss, improvements in associated health parameters, and a safety profile surpassing that observed in adult patients. This review aims to present published data on the results of MBS in adolescents with a focus on long-term outcomes. Indications for bariatric surgery and aspects of timing in the young person's life are also presented, along with safety considerations and factors influencing patient selection for surgery. We conclude, predominantly from short- to medium-term outcomes data, that MBS is a safe and valuable therapeutic option for adolescents with severe obesity. Considering the poor health and social wellbeing prognosis in this group, MBS appears to be underutilized. The need for continued research, multiprofessional specialist provision, coherent contemporary clinical guidelines, and routine long-term follow-up in adolescents undergoing MBS is highlighted.
Metastatic Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma: Somatostatin Receptor 2 Expression, Genetics, and Therapeutic Responses
Authors: Fischer Alessa , Kloos Simon , Maccio Umberto , Friemel Juliane , Remde Hanna , Fassnacht Martin , Pamporaki Christina , Eisenhofer Graeme , Timmers Henri J L M , Robledo Mercedes , Fliedner Stephanie M J , Wang Katharina , Maurer Julian , Reul Astrid , Zitzmann Kathrin , Bechmann Nicole , Žygienė Gintarė , Richter Susan , Hantel Constanze , Vetter Diana , Lehmann Kuno , Mohr Hermine , Pellegata Natalia S , Ullrich Martin , Pietzsch Jens , Ziegler Christian G , Bornstein Stefan R , Kroiss Matthias , Reincke Martin , Pacak Karel , Grossman Ashley B , Beuschlein Felix , Nölting Svenja
Published: March 2023

Context

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) with pathogenic mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) are associated with a high metastatic risk. Somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2)–dependent imaging is the most sensitive imaging modality for SDHB-related PPGLs, suggesting that SSTR2 expression is a significant cell surface therapeutic biomarker of such tumors.

Objective

Exploration of the relationship between SSTR2 immunoreactivity and SDHB immunoreactivity, mutational status, and clinical behavior of PPGLs. Evaluation of SSTR-based therapies in metastatic PPGLs.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of a multicenter cohort of PPGLs at 6 specialized Endocrine Tumor Centers in Germany, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. Patients with PPGLs participating in the ENSAT registry were included. Clinical data were extracted from medical records, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for SDHB and SSTR2 was performed in patients with available tumor tissue. Immunoreactivity of SSTR2 was investigated using Volante scores. The main outcome measure was the association of SSTR2 IHC positivity with genetic and clinical–pathological features of PPGLs.

Results

Of 202 patients with PPGLs, 50% were SSTR2 positive. SSTR2 positivity was significantly associated with SDHB- and SDHx-related PPGLs, with the strongest SSTR2 staining intensity in SDHB-related PPGLs (P = .01). Moreover, SSTR2 expression was significantly associated with metastatic disease independent of SDHB/SDHx mutation status (P < .001). In metastatic PPGLs, the disease control rate with first-line SSTR-based radionuclide therapy was 67% (n = 22, n = 11 SDHx), and with first-line “cold” somatostatin analogs 100% (n = 6, n = 3 SDHx).

Conclusion

SSTR2 expression was independently associated with SDHB/SDHx mutations and metastatic disease. We confirm a high disease control rate of somatostatin receptor–based therapies in metastatic PPGLs.
Opioid-Sparing Multimodal Analgesia Use After Cesarean Delivery Under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Cohort Study in 729 US Hospitals
Authors: Zanolli Nicole C. , Fuller Matthew E. , Krishnamoorthy Vijay , Ohnuma Tetsu , Raghunathan Karthik , Habib Ashraf S.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND:

Optimizing analgesia after cesarean delivery is essential to quality of patient recovery. The American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology recommend multimodal analgesia (MMA). However, little is known about clinical implementation of these guidelines after cesarean delivery under general anesthesia (GA). We performed this study to describe the use of MMA after cesarean delivery under GA in the United States and determine factors associated with use of MMA, variation in analgesia practice across hospitals, and trends in MMA use over time.

METHODS:

A retrospective cohort study of women over 18 years who had a cesarean delivery under GA between 2008 and 2018 was conducted using the Premier Healthcare database (Premier Inc). The primary outcome was utilization of opioid-sparing MMA (osMMA), defined as receipt of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen with or without opioids and without the use of an opioid-combination drug. Any use of either agent within a combination preparation was not considered osMMA. The secondary outcome was use of optimal opioid-sparing MMA (OosMMA), defined as use of a local anesthetic technique such as truncal block or local anesthetic infiltration in addition to osMMA. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with use of osMMA, as well as variation across hospitals.

RESULTS:

A total of 130,946 patients were included in analysis. osMMA regimens were used in 11,133 patients (8.5%). Use of osMMA increased from 2.0% in 2008 to 18.8% in 2018. Black race (7.9% vs 9.3%; odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval {CI}] 0.87 [0.81–0.94]) and Hispanic ethnicity (8.6% vs 10.0%; OR, 0.86 [0.79–0.950]) were associated with less receipt of osMMA compared to White and non-Hispanic counterparts. Medical comorbidities were generally not associated with receipt of osMMA, although patients with preeclampsia were less likely to receive osMMA (9.0%; OR, 0.91 [0.85–0.98]), while those with a history of drug abuse (12.5%; OR, 1.42 [1.27–1.58]) were more likely to receive osMMA. There was moderate interhospital variability in the use of osMMA (intraclass correlation coefficient = 38%). OosMMA was used in 2122 (1.6%) patients, and utilization increased from 0.8% in 2008 to 4.1% in 2018.

CONCLUSIONS:

Variation in osMMA utilization was observed after cesarean delivery under GA in this cohort of US hospitals. While increasing trends in utilization of osMMA and OosMMA are encouraging, there is need for increased attention to postoperative analgesia practices after GA for cesarean delivery given low percentage of patients receiving osMMA and OosMMA.
Introduction: The Returns of Fascism
Authors: Feldman Leah , Mufti Aamir R.
Published: March 2023

“The Returns of Fascism” addresses the emergence of New Right political culture on a global scale, attending to the intersections in US, European, Russian, and Indian New Right movements and their relation to the history of fascisms and late capitalist thought forms, as well as their attack on humanist critique. This special issue argues that the topoi of crisis and catastrophe serve the globalization of the New Right's supremacist and majoritarian political culture as it transcends both the academy and the wider world.
Freedom: The Function of Criticism at All Times
Authors: Bové Paul A.
Published: March 2023

Literary disciplines’ loss of integrity began at the end of the Cold War and accelerated after the financial crisis of 2008–09 because of internal changes responding to external desires along with direct pressures from money and power. Academics follow the desires of moneyed and state interests away from the formation of critical humanists, removing key social values of judgment and self-formation from the ideals of humanistic education. Following the nudges of neoliberal administrations and inventing their own methods and positions congenial to the holders of power and wealth, literary academics in the United States especially have facilitated their own weakness as disciplines with dire political consequences in an era of neo-authoritarianism.
Kinetics of Arf1 inactivation regulates Golgi organisation and function in non-adherent fibroblasts
Authors: B.R. Rajeshwari , Shah Nikita , Joshi Prachi , Madhusudan M. S. , Balasubramanian Nagaraj
Published: March 2023

Arf1 belongs to the Arf family of small GTPases that localise at the Golgi and plasma membrane. Active Arf1 plays a crucial role in regulating Golgi organisation and function. In mouse fibroblasts, loss of adhesion triggers a consistent drop (∼50%) in Arf1 activation that causes the Golgi to disorganise but not fragment. In suspended cells, the trans-Golgi (GalTase) disperses more prominently than cis-Golgi (Man II), accompanied by increased active Arf1 (detected using GFP-ABD: ARHGAP10 Arf1 binding domain) associated with the cis-Golgi compartment. Re-adhesion restores Arf1 activation at the trans-Golgi as it reorganises. Arf1 activation at the Golgi is regulated by Arf1 Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GBF1, and BIG1/2. In non-adherent fibroblasts, the cis-medial Golgi provides a unique setting to test and understand the role GEF-mediated Arf1 activation has in regulating Golgi organisation. Labelled with Man II-GFP, non-adherent fibroblasts treated with increasing concentrations of Brefeldin-A (BFA) (which inhibits BIG1/2 and GBF1) or Golgicide A (GCA) (which inhibits GBF1 only) comparably decrease active Arf1 levels. They, however, cause a concentration-dependent increase in cis-medial Golgi fragmentation and fusion with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Using selected BFA and GCA concentrations, we find a change in the kinetics of Arf1 inactivation could mediate this by regulating cis-medial Golgi localisation of GBF1. On loss of adhesion, a ∼50% drop in Arf1 activation over 120 min causes the Golgi to disorganise. The kinetics of this drop, when altered by BFA or GCA treatment causes a similar decline in Arf1 activation but over 10 min. This causes the Golgi to now fragment which affects cell surface glycosylation and re-adherent cell spreading. Using non-adherent fibroblasts this study reveals the kinetics of Arf1 inactivation, with active Arf1 levels, to be vital for Golgi organisation and function.
Discursive institutionalism and pension reform discursive institutionalism and pension reform in Greece 1990-2002
Authors: Ξιαρχογιαννοπούλου Ελένη
Published: March 2023

Το ερευνητικό παζλ της διατριβής είναι να διερευνήσει πώς μεσολαβεί ο πολιτικός λόγος τηνπροσαρμογή της εσωτερικής πολιτικής ως συνέπεια των δεσμεύσεων που έχουν αναληφθεί στα κράτη μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (Ε.Ε.). Εννοιολογικά υιοθετεί τον Νεο-θεσμισμό του λόγου όπως αναπτύχθηκε από τους Vivien Schmidt και Claudio Radaelli. Εμπειρικά, η διατριβή αυτό επιλέγει την περίπτωση της Ελλάδας και συγκεκριμένα επικεντρώνεται στην Ελληνική συνταξιοδοτική πολιτική γήρατος και την προσαρμογή της κατά την περίοδο 1990-2002. Η διατριβή αξιολογεί επίσης τη διαδικασία του Εξευρωπαϊσμού. Υιοθετεί την προσέγγιση «από κάτω προς τα πάνω» για τον Εξευρωπαϊσμό όπως έχει αναπτυχθεί τον Claudio Radaelli. Υπό αυτό το πεδίο, η ανάλυση δεν ξεκινά από την πολιτική της Ε.Ε. ως ανεξάρτητη μεταβλητή, αλλά από ένα σύστημα αλληλεπίδρασης στο εγχώριο επίπεδο.Εννοιολογικά, η διατριβή εξετάζει τον πολιτικό λόγο ως πολιτικό πόρο συγκρότησης συναίνεσης και νομιμότητας. Επικεντρώνεται στις αλληλεπιδράσεις του λόγου των βασικών φορέων πολιτικής και αναλύει πώς χρησιμοποιούν τον πολιτικό λόγο προκειμένου να δικαιολογήσουν την αναγκαιότητα και την την καταλληλότητα της προσαρμογής της πολιτικής σε ένα δεδομένο θεσμικό πλαίσιο. Η διατριβή υποδηλώνει ότι το επιχείρημα του Νεο-θεσμισμού του λόγου για το πώς ο πολιτικός λόγος διευκολύνει την προσαρμογή της πολιτικής δίνει υπερβολική έμφαση στον κυβερνητικό λόγο και ότι η συμβολή των υπόλοιπων βασικών φορέων πολιτικής πρέπει να συμπεριληφθεί στην ανάλυση. Η διατριβή προτείνει έτσι την ενσωμάτωση ορισμένων στοιχείων του εννοιολογικού πλαισίου της Νεο-θετικιστικής Αφήγησης στη θεωρία του Νεο-θεσμισμού του λόγου. Το επιχείρημα υποστηρίζει ότι ο πολιτικός λόγος των φορέων θα λάβει τη μορφή πολιτικών αφηγημάτων που είτε επεκτείνουν είτε περιέχουν το ζήτημα της πολιτικής. Το θεσμικό πλαίσιο θα καθορίσει το επίπεδο στο οποίο θα πραγματοποιηθεί διαλογική αλληλεπίδραση. Σε απλά πολιτικά συστήματα, όπως η Ελλάδα, ο λόγος θα είναι πιο παχύς στο επικοινωνιακό επίπεδο και πιο λεπτός στο συντονιστικό. Η αποτελεσματικότητα του πολιτικού λόγου θα καθοριστεί από το επίπεδο εμπιστοσύνης μεταξύ της κυβέρνησης, του πολιτικούς φορείς και το κοινό.Η εμπειρική ανάλυση επισημαίνει έναν αριθμό εγχώριων παραγόντων που περιορίζουν την αποτελεσματικότητα του πολιτικού λόγου και της διαδικασίας εξευρωπαϊσμού, που βρίσκονται εκτός του τομέα της συνταξιοδοτικής πολιτικής και της Ελλάδας. Η διατριβή συμβάλλει επίσης στην πρόοδο του Νεο-θεσμισμού του λόγου. Πρώτον, ενσωματώνει την αφηγηματική ανάλυση στη μελέτη του πολιτικού λόγου. Δεύτερον, αναδεικνύει ορισμένους περιορισμούς, προτείνει τρόπους με τους οποίους ο Νεο-θεσμισμός του λόγου θα μπορούσε να βελτιωθεί και κατευθύνσεις προς τις οποίες θα μπορούσε να αναπτυχθεί γόνιμα.
Εγκλήματα ελλήνων πολιτών στην αλλοδαπή (άρθρο 6 ΠΚ)
Authors: Καμπέρου Ελένη
Published: March 2023

Η διατριβή πραγματεύεται την αρχή της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας που συνιστά τη βάση της ποινικής εξουσίας της Ελλάδας όταν το έγκλημα τελέστηκε αποκλειστικά σε αλλοδαπή επικράτεια με υπαίτιο Έλληνα πολίτη (άρθρο 6 ΠΚ). Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζονται τα ζητήματα της ιθαγένειας του υπαιτίου σύμφωνα με τον Κώδικα της Ελληνικής Ιθαγένειας για να διαπιστωθεί πότε και πώς αποκτάται και χάνεται η ελληνική ιθαγένεια. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο αναλύονται ρυθμίσεις ιδίως του διεθνούς δικαίου και διακρίνεται η χερσαία, θαλάσσια και εναέρια επικράτεια της Ελλάδας από τις αντίστοιχες αλλοδαπές επικράτειες. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο διερευνάται η έννοια, το περιεχόμενο και η λειτουργία του όρου του διπλού αξιοποίνου της πράξης σύμφωνα με το αλλοδαπό δίκαιο του τόπου τέλεσής της και η καθιέρωση της αρχής της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας στην απόλυτη μορφή της για συγκεκριμένα εγκλήματα. Το τέταρτο κεφάλαιο αναφέρεται στις δικονομικές προϋποθέσεις της έγκλησης του παθόντος και της αίτησης της ξένης κυβέρνησης για τη δίωξη των πλημμελημάτων που τελέστηκαν στην αλλοδαπή επικράτεια. Το τελευταίο κεφάλαιο της διατριβής είναι αφιερωμένο στην επιρροή που ασκεί το διεθνές ποινικό δίκαιο και το ευρωπαϊκό ποινικό δίκαιο στην έκταση και στο περιεχόμενο της αρχής της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας. Ειδικότερα, εξετάζεται η σχέση της αρχής της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας με την απαγόρευση έκδοσης ημεδαπών από την οποία και πήγασε, η άρση της σχετικής απαγόρευσης για τα κράτη μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης μετά την εισαγωγή του ευρωπαϊκού εντάλματος σύλληψης και η αρχή "aut dedere aut judicare". Έπειτα, ερευνώνται οι σύγχρονες βάσεις ποινικής δικαιοδοσίας της αρχής της κατανομής των αρμοδιοτήτων και της "ευρωπαϊκής εδαφικότητας" και η επιρροή τους στην "κλασσική" αρχή της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας. Στη συνέχεια, προσεγγίζονται τα ζητήματα της σύγκρουσης των ποινικών δικαιοδοσιών των κρατών μελών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης όταν περισσότερα κράτη διεκδικούν ποινική δικαιοδοσία για την ίδια υπόθεση με στοιχεία αλλοδαπότητας, η επίλυση των συγκρούσεων αυτών με διαβουλεύσεις μεταξύ τους και από τη Eurojust, το πρόγραμμα της αμοιβαίας αναγνώρισης των ποινικών αποφάσεων των κρατών μελών και η εναρμόνιση των ουσιαστικών ποινικών δικαίων τους. Αυτό το εξελισσόμενο ευρωπαϊκό ποινικό σύστημα εξυπηρετεί τις ανάγκες της κοινής ευρωπαϊκής αντεγκληματικής πολιτικής και στηρίζεται στη συνεργασία των κρατών μελών. Τέλος υποστηρίζεται η θέση ότι η άσκηση της ποινικής δικαιοδοσίας της Ελλάδας -όπως και των υπολοίπων κρατών μελών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης- με βάση τα συνδετικά στοιχεία που προβλέπει το εθνικό ποινικό δίκαιο εντάσσεται στο ευρύτερο ευρωπαϊκό σύστημα και άρα επηρεάζεται άμεσα από αυτό. Αυτό ισχύει και για την αρχή της ενεργητικής προσωπικότητας του άρθρου 6 ΠΚ, η οποία, ανάλογα με το είδος της ευρωπαϊκής συνεργασίας και τον ειδικότερο στόχο της, άλλοτε υποχωρεί προκειμένου να ασκηθεί η ποινική δικαιοδοσία άλλου κράτους μέλους και άλλοτε αποκτά δυναμική και αυτοτέλεια.
Μαθηματικά και υπολογιστικά μοντέλα στην επιδημιολογία με βάση τη θεωρία διήθησης και τα κοινωνικά δίκτυα
Authors: Κουματζίδης Δημήτριος
Published: March 2023

Οι επιδημίες αποτελούν πεδίο επιστημονικής έρευνας από τα αρχαία χρόνια. Οι επαναλαμβανόμενες ασθένειες φανερώνουν την κυκλικότητα τους στο χρόνο. Η συνεχιζόμενη πανδημία COVID-19, επιβεβαιώνει τις παρατηρήσεις που έγιναν σε προηγούμενες επιδημίες. Η θεωρία της διήθησης και η θεωρία των κοινωνικών δικτύων έπαιξαν κρίσιμο ρόλο για την ανάπτυξη μαθηματικών μοντέλων για τη μελέτη της δυναμικής των επιδημιών. Η θεωρία διήθησης περιγράφει τη συμπεριφορά ενός δικτύου όταν προστίθενται κόμβοι ή σύνδεσμοι από έναν τύπο μετάβασης φάσης, γεωμετρικά. Η θεωρία των κοινωνικών δικτύων διερευνά ρεαλιστικές και θεωρητικές κοινωνικές δομές μέσω της χρήσης σχέσεων και της θεωρίας γραφημάτων. Οι επιδημίες χαρακτηρίζονται κυρίως από δύο παράγοντες: (α) τη δυναμική του πληθυσμού και (β) τη φύση της νόσου. Η διατριβή χρησιμοποιεί διακριτά μαθηματικά μοντέλα, με βάση μια κλιμακούμενη διαμερισματική προσέγγιση, που περιγράφεται από συστήματα διαφορικών εξισώσεων. Προϋπόθεση είναι ότι τα άτομα μπορούν ελεύθερα να μετακινούνται από το ένα διαμέρισμα στο άλλο. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν πολυάριθμα πειράματα για να εξεταστεί ο αντίκτυπος των πολιτικών καραντίνας και εμβολιασμού, χωριστά ή σε συνδυασμό, στο σωρευτικό ιικό φορτίο. Το ιικό φορτίο είναι ένα μέτρο που υιοθετήθηκε για να υπολογίσει το σωρευτικό ιικό φορτίο ενός μολυσμένου πληθυσμού σε μια δεδομένη χρονική περίοδο. Τα τρέχοντα ευρήματα καταδεικνύουν ότι η καραντίνα μπορεί να διαδραματίσει κρίσιμο ρόλο στον έλεγχο μιας επιδημίας στα αρχικά της στάδια, καθώς και τη σημασία της έγκαιρης και ευρείας εφαρμογής ενός προγράμματος εμβολιασμού. Η προτεινόμενη προσέγγιση μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί για τη μελέτη συγκεκριμένων σεναρίων καραντίνας και εμβολιασμού. Μεταβάλλοντας διάφορες παραμέτρους όπως η διάρκεια και η έκταση των μέτρων κοινωνικής αποστασιοποίησης ή η αποτελεσματικότητα και η συμμόρφωση με τις πολιτικές εμβολιασμού, ώστε να βοηθήσει στη λήψη αποφάσεων για την προστασία του πληθυσμού. Τα αποτελέσματα επιβεβαιώνονται με χρήση προσομοιώσεων βασισμένων στην θεωρία κοινωνικών δικτύων.
An Educational Method Based on Student-Generated Questions
Authors: Llinás Julia Gil , Márquez Luis Manuel Tobaja
Published: March 2023

This paper describes an experience based on the use of an active method in which students of a basic physics course prepare multiple choice questions (MCQs) to prepare for exams in the subject. The objective of the research was to provide the students with a method that would enhance their desire to learn physics, and consequently lead to an improvement in their meaningful learning. The participants were 57 first-year students from various engineering degrees. The quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests and a control group is described. The results showed that students who use the method of generating MCQs to prepare exams sometimes improve their learning significantly in comparison with the control group. The method also provides a new way to detect students' misconceptions about the concepts covered in class, which thus allows the evolution of their knowledge to be evaluated. Finally, it should be noted that the students valued the method used positively.
Visual Thinking and Reading Comprehension: Foreign Language Setting as an Example
Authors: Al-Shdeifat Zainab , Al-Jamal Dina
Published: March 2023

This study examines how visual thinking may affect Jordanian female ninth-graders reading abilities. The design had an experimental feel about it. The study included 66 ninth-grade female students who were studying English as a foreign language (EFL). An instructional program was created and put into place, and a pre-post reading exam was created to help the study reach its objective. The results were examined using SPSS. The findings show that there are statistically significant changes in the steps of the visual thinking strategy (VTS) modality between the two groups, with the experimental group benefiting more. VTS has been proven to be a successful strategy for greatly enhancing student attainment of good marks and having an impact on student achievement of course learning outcomes. This study triggered the following reading sub-skills: vocabulary acquisition, imaging, building and activating schema, identifying the main idea and details, questioning, inferring, communicating through oral language, and comprehension. VTS has a real impact on teaching reading sub-skills, which is important for both teachers and curriculum designers. Longitudinal research data is required to further analyze and refine this teaching strategy.
All-optical full-adder design based on photonic crystals using nonlinear effects
Authors: Talebzadeh Reza , Beiranvand Reza , Moayed Seyed Hossein
Published: March 2023

All-optical logic devices are essential for realizing all-optical signal processing. A
full-adder is the basic building block of an arithmetic logic unit
used in all-optical signal processing systems. In this paper, we aim
to design an ultrafast and compact all-optical full-adder based on the
photonic crystal. In this structure, three main inputs are connected
to the three waveguides. Also, we have added one input waveguide to
create symmetry in the structure and to improve the performance of the
device. A linear point defect and two nonlinear rods of doped glass
and chalcogenide are used to control the light behavior. The designed
structure consists of 21×21 dielectric rods with a radius of
114 nm in a square cell and a lattice constant of
543.3 nm. Also, the area of the proposed structure is 130µm2, and the maximum delay time of the
proposed structure is about 1 ps, which indicates the minimum
data rate of 1 THz. The maximum normalized power for low states
and the minimum normalized power for high states are obtained as 25%
and 75%, respectively. These characteristics make the proposed
full-adder appropriate for high-speed data processing systems.
Quantifying the drug response of patient-derived organoid clusters by aggregated morphological indicators with multi-parameters based on optical coherence tomography
Authors: Zhang Linyi , Wang Ling , Yang Shanshan , He Kangxin , Bao Di , Xu Mingen
Published: March 2023

Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) serve as excellent tools for
personalized drug screening to predict clinical outcomes of cancer
treatment. However, current methods for efficient quantification of
drug response are limited. Herein, we develop a method for label-free,
continuous tracking imaging and quantitative analysis of drug efficacy
using PDOs. A self-developed optical coherence tomography (OCT) system
was used to monitor the morphological changes of PDOs within 6 days of
drug administration. OCT image acquisition was performed every
24 h. An analytical method for organoid segmentation and
morphological quantification was developed based on a deep learning
network (EGO-Net) to simultaneously analyze multiple morphological
organoid parameters under the drug's effect. Adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) testing was conducted on the last day of drug treatment.
Finally, a corresponding aggregated morphological indicator (AMI) was
established using principal component analysis (PCA) based on the
correlation analysis between OCT morphological quantification and ATP
testing. Determining the AMI of organoids allowed quantitative
evaluation of the PDOs responses to gradient concentrations and
combinations of drugs. Results showed that there was a strong
correlation (correlation coefficient >90%) between the
results using the AMI of organoids and those from ATP testing, which
is the standard test used for bioactivity measurement. Compared with
single-time-point morphological parameters, the introduction of
time-dependent morphological parameters can reflect drug efficacy with
improved accuracy. Additionally, the AMI of organoids was found to
improve the efficiency of 5-fluorouracil(5FU) against tumor cells by
allowing the determination of the optimum concentration, and the
discrepancies in response among different PDOs using the same drug
combinations could also be measured. Collectively, the AMI established
by OCT system combined with PCA could quantify the multidimensional
morphological changes of organoids under the drug's effect, providing
a simple and efficient tool for drug screening in PDOs.
Estimation of underwater acoustic direction-of-arrival using the probe beam deflection technique
Authors: Yu Rongzhao , Li Xin , Zhen Yifan , Xue Bin
Published: March 2023

This paper proposes a method of estimating the underwater acoustic direction-of-arrival using several laser beams impinging on a propagating underwater acoustic wave. The deflection of the laser beam caused by the spatial variation of the optical refractive index, which is further due to the modulation of the acoustic wave, reflects the information of direction-of-arrival and is sensed by the position sensitive detector (PSD). The sensing of the minute displacement on the PSD, in fact, introduces an extra dimension in the depth direction, which is a significant advantage over the conventional piezoelectric sensing regime. The employment of the extra sensing dimension can overcome several shortcomings, represented by spatial aliasing and phase ambiguity, existing in the current direction-of-arrival estimating methods. In addition, the ringing phenomenon of the piezoelectric effect is greatly reduced in the proposed laser-based sensing regime. By the flexibility of placing the laser beams, a prototype of the hydrophone is designed and manufactured, and a series of testing is performed. The results show that, benefiting from the probe beam deflection technique and combining the rough estimate and fine calculation, the resolution of the underwater acoustic direction-of-arrival can be improved to better than 0.016°, which can support and reform many underwater applications such as underwater acoustic communication, underwater detection, and ocean monitoring.
Sub-0.1 degree phase locking of a single-photon interferometer
Authors: Švarc Vojtěch , Nováková Martina , Dudka Michal , Ježek Miroslav
Published: March 2023

We report a single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer stabilized to a phase precision of 0.05 degrees over 15 hours. To lock the phase, we employ an auxiliary reference light at a different wavelength than the quantum signal. The developed phase locking operates continuously, with negligible crosstalk, and for an arbitrary phase of the quantum signal. Moreover, its performance is independent of intensity fluctuations of the reference. Since the presented method can be used in a vast majority of quantum interferometric networks it can significantly improve phase-sensitive applications in quantum communication and quantum metrology.
Demosaicking DoFP images using edge compensation method based on correlation
Authors: Xin Jianqiao , Li Zheng , Wu Shiguang , Wang Shiyong
Published: March 2023

With the development of nanotechnology, the division of focal plane (DoFP) infrared polarization imaging system with real-time imaging has matured. Meanwhile, the demand for real-time acquisition of polarization information is growing, but the super-pixel structure of the DoFP polarimeter will bring instantaneous field of view (IFoV) errors. Existing polarization demosaicking methods cannot satisfy both accuracy and speed in terms of efficiency and performance. According to the characteristics of DoFP, this paper proposes an edge compensation demosaicking method by analyzing the channel correlations of polarized images. The method performs demosaicing in the differential domain, and the proposed method's performance is verified by comparison experiments using synthetic and authentic polarized images in the near-infrared (NIR) band. The proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency. It achieves an average peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) improvement of 2 db on public datasets compared to current state-of-the-art methods. A typical 768 × 1024 specification short-wave infrared (SWIR) polarized image can be processed in 0.293s on the Intel Core i7-10870 H CPU, and the technique significantly outperforms various existing demosaicking methods.
Hybrid source translation scanning mode for interior tomography
Authors: Ni Song , Yu HaiJun , Chen Jie , Liu ChuanJiang , Liu FengLin
Published: March 2023

Interior tomography is a promising technique that can be used to image large objects with high acquisition efficiency. However, it suffers from truncation artifacts and attenuation value bias due to the contribution from the parts of the object outside the ROI, which compromises its ability of quantitative evaluation in material or biological studies. In this paper, we present a hybrid source translation scanning mode for interior tomography, called hySTCT—where the projections inside the ROI and outside the ROI are finely sampled and coarsely sampled respectively to mitigate truncation artifacts and value bias within the ROI. Inspired by our previous work—virtual projection-based filtered backprojection (V-FBP) algorithm, we develop two reconstruction methods—interpolation V-FBP (iV-FBP) and two-step V-FBP (tV-FBP)—based on the linearity property of the inverse Radon transform for hySTCT reconstruction. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed strategy can effectively suppress truncated artifacts and improve the reconstruction accuracy within the ROI.
Laser performance of high optical quality 4 at.% Pr3+: Sr0.7La0.3Mg0.3Al11.7O19 (Pr:ASL) single crystals
Authors: Cassouret Florent , Badtke Moritz , Loiseau Pascal , Aka Gérard
Published: March 2023

In this work, we present the visible laser performance of improved optical quality Czochralski-grown 4 at.% Pr3+-doped Sr0.7La0.3Mg0.3Al11.7O19 (Pr:ASL) single crystals in the deep red (726 nm), the red (645 nm) and the orange (620 nm) range using two different pumping sources. Using a high beam quality frequency doubled Ti:sapphire laser with 1 W output power as pump source, deep red laser emission was reached at a wavelength of 726 nm with 40 mW of output power and a laser threshold of 86 mW. The corresponding slope efficiency was 9%. At 645 nm in the red, up to 41 mW of laser output power were obtained with 15% slope efficiency. Moreover, orange laser emission at 620 nm was demonstrated with 5 mW output power and 4.4% slope efficiency. Using a 10 W multi-diode module as pumping source allowed to obtain the highest output power of a red and deep-red diode-pumped Pr:ASL laser to date. The respective output powers at 726 and 645 nm reached 206 mW and 90 mW.
Single-pass cutting of frosted glass via change of laser incident medium
Authors: Chen Tianting , Qiao Yaqing , Ma Haoran , Liu Yi , Duan Jun , Xiong Wei , Deng Leimin
Published: March 2023

We report a water medium–assisted composite laser cutting (WMACLC) technology for what is believed to be the first time to achieve single-pass separation of frosted glass (FG). The water medium was used to flatten the surface of FG to reduce the diffuse reflection and random refraction of the incident laser. The simulation results of picosecond pulsed laser Bessel beam (PPLBB) intensity distribution in FG showed that the peak intensity in the presence of water can reach about 24 times and 2.3 times that in the absence of water when the PPLBB is 0.08 mm and 0.3 mm below the upper surface of FG, respectively. A PPLBB with higher intensity can be formed along the thickness direction to realize the material modification. A coaxial CW laser provides the thermal tensile stress required for separation. Finally, high-quality separation of FG was achieved using the WMACLC technology with a speed of 50 mm/s. No deviation in the separation track and no edge collapse occurred. The roughness Sa of the separated sidewall is less than 0.3 µm.
Circulating long non-coding RNAs as novel diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD): A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shobeiri Parnian , Alilou Sanam , Jaberinezhad Mehran , Zare Farshad , Karimi Nastaran , Maleki Saba , Teixeira Antonio L. , Perry George , Rezaei Nima
Published: March 2023

Background

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. It has also been hypothesized that plasma exosomal lncRNAs may be used as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers. In this systematic review, we compiled all studies on the subject to evaluate the accuracy of lncRNAs in identifying AD cases through meta-analysis.

Methods

A PRISMA-compliant systematic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for English publications till September 2022. We included all observational studies published which investigated the sensitivity and specificity of various lncRNAs in plasma samples of AD diagnosis. Our search strategy included lncRNA and all the related spelling and abbreviation variations combined with the keyword Alzheimer’s disease. Methodological quality was assessed using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-II) tool. The meta-analysis was carried out using the area under the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) and sensitivity and specificity values to assess the accuracy of the identified lncRNAs in AD diagnosis. To account for the predicted heterogeneity of the study, a random-effects model was used. All the statistical analyses and visualizations were conducted using Stata 17.0 software.

Results

A total of seven studies (AD patients = 553, healthy controls = 513) were included in the meta-analysis. Three lncRNAs were upregulated (RNA BACE-AS1, RNA NEAT1, RNA GAS5), and one lncRNA (MALAT1) was downregulated in plasma samples of AD patients. RNA 51A and RNA BC200 were reported to have variable expression patterns. A lncRNA (RNA 17A) was not significantly different between AD and control groups. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values of lncRNAs in identifying AD were (0.74; 95% CI [0.63, 0.82], I2 = 79.2%), (0.88; 95% CI [0.75, 0.94], I2 = 88.9%), and 0.86; 95% CI [0.82, 0.88], respectively. In addition, the pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of the five individual lncRNAs in AD diagnosis was 20.

Conclusion

lncRNAs had high accuracy in identifying AD and must be seen as a promising diagnostic biomarker of the disease.
Effect of nanostructural irregularities on structural color in the tail feathers of the Oriental magpie Pica serica
Authors: Park Sangkyu , Choi Jihoon , Kim Bohyun , Noh Heeso , Lee Sang-im
Published: March 2023

The tail feathers of magpies are iridescent, with hues ranging from navy to violet and green. It has been previously shown that the hexagonal arrangement of melanosomes in the distal barbules is responsible for these colors, but previous simulation models have relied on average values for the parameters associated with this arrangement (e.g., periodicity), and it remains to be studied whether the actual (rather than averaged) structural arrangement and its inherent irregularities reliably predict structural color. Previous studies using unmodified images for the analysis have not focused on the effect of such irregularities on the color production. In this study, we conducted finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations using actual transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images obtained from the distal barbules of a magpie tail feather, compared the reflectance spectra predicted using the FDTD simulation with those measured with a spectrometer, and found a substantial discrepancy between the two. Fourier analysis suggests that the non-uniform arrangement of the melanosomes within the barbule is responsible for this discrepancy by creating variation in the periodicity. Our results suggest that a simple model in which the parameters for internal structures are averaged cannot fully explain the variation in the structural colors observed in biological samples such as the feathers of birds.
Restoration and content analysis of ancient manuscripts via color space based segmentation
Authors: Hanif Muhammad , Tonazzini Anna , Hussain Syed Fawad , Khalil Akhtar , Habib Usman
Published: March 2023

Ancient manuscripts are a rich source of history and civilization. Unfortunately, these documents are often affected by different age and storage related degradation which impinge on their readability and information contents. In this paper, we propose a document restoration method that removes the unwanted interfering degradation patterns from color ancient manuscripts. We exploit different color spaces to highlight the spectral differences in various layers of information usually present in these documents. At each image pixel, the spectral representations of all color spaces are stacked to form a feature vector. PCA is applied to the whole data cube to eliminate correlation of the color planes and enhance separation among the patterns. The reduced data cube, along with the pixel spatial information, is used to perform a pixel based segmentation, where each cluster represents a class of pixels that share similar color properties in the decorrelated color spaces. The interfering, unwanted classes can thus be removed by inpainting their pixels with the background texture. Assuming Gaussian distributions for the various classes, a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is estimated through the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm from the data, and then used to find appropriate labels for each pixel. In order to preserve the original appearance of the document and reproduce the background texture, the detected degraded pixels are replaced based on Gaussian conditional simulation, according to the surrounding context. Experiments are shown on manuscripts affected by different kinds of degradations, including manuscripts from the DIBCO 2018 and 2019 publicaly available dataset. We observe that the use of a few PCA dominant components accelerates the clustering process and provides a more accurate segmentation.
Gender gaps in Mathematics and Language: The bias of competitive achievement tests
Authors: Arias Oscar , Canals Catalina , Mizala Alejandra , Meneses Francisco
Published: March 2023

This research paper examines the extent to which high-stakes competitive tests affect gender gaps in standardized tests of Mathematics and Language. To this end, we estimate models that predict students’ results in two national standardized tests: a test that does not affect students’ educational trajectory, and a second test that determines access to the most selective universities in Chile. We used data from different gender twins who took these tests. This strategy allows us to control, through household fixed effects, the observed and unobserved household characteristics. Our results show that competitive tests negatively affect women. In Mathematics, according to both tests, there is a gender gap in favor of men, which increases in the university entrance exam, especially for high-performance students. As the literature review shows, women are negatively stereotyped in Mathematics, so this stereotype threat could penalize high-achieving women, that is, those that go against the stereotype. In Language tests, women outperform men in the standardized test taken in high school, but the situation is reversed in the university entrance exam. From our analysis of Chilean national data, we find no evidence that the gender effect observed in the competitive test depends on the students’ achievement level. Following the literature, this gender gap may be linked to women’s risk aversion, lower self-confidence, lower preference for competition, as well as the effect of answering a test under time pressure.
Civic mindedness and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their future selves
Authors: Torsney Benjamin M. , Patterson Timothy
Published: March 2023

This study examined the relationship among pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) values, certification area of choice and perceptions of future career commitments and aspirations. Values were measured through the personal utility value items on the FIT-Choice scale and what we are calling ‘civic mindedness’, a construct we validated as part of this study. Results from a structural equation model allowed us to confirm our three hypotheses: (1) the civic mindedness variable is a valid construct; (2) civic mindedness positively predicts future career commitments and aspirations; and (3) civic mindedness mediated the relationship among certain PSTs’ certification choices and their future career commitments and aspirations, except their perceptions of how long they plan to persist in the field. Findings from this study suggest that teacher education programmes should consider assessing PSTs’ level of civic mindedness, emphasizing PSTs’ future commitments and aspirations in the field.