bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking cognitive and behavioral reserve: Evidence from the CAN‐PROTECT study
Authors: Guan Dylan X. , Mortby Moyra E. , Pike G Bruce , Ballard Clive , Creese Byron , Corbett Anne , Pickering Ellie , Hampshire Adam , Roach Pamela , Smith Eric E. , Ismail Zahinoor
Published: October 2024

INTRODUCTION

Changes to the brain due to Alzheimer's disease and other age‐related neuropathologies may present with cognitive and behavioral symptoms, even during preclinical and prodromal stages. While cognitive reserve is known to mitigate cognitive decline in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease, links between cognitive reserve and behavioral symptoms remain unclear. This study investigates the relationship between cognitive reserve and mild behavioral impairment (MBI), a neurodegenerative behavioral prodrome.

METHODS

We analyzed cross‐sectional data from 1204 participants in the Canadian Platform for Research Online to Investigate Health, Quality of Life, Cognition, Behavior, Function, and Caregiving in Aging (CAN‐PROTECT) study. A cognitive reserve score (CRS) was generated based on education, occupation, and personal cognitive reserve proxies. MBI presence (MBI+) and MBI global and domain symptom severity were evaluated using the self‐reported MBI Checklist. Initial analyses examined the convergent validity of the CRS through associations with objective neuropsychological test performance and self‐reported cognitive symptoms (Everyday Cognition [ECog‐II] scale). Models were also fitted to assess MBI status and severity as functions of the CRS.

RESULTS

Higher CRS was associated with better neuropsychological test scores, lower odds of subjective cognitive decline (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: [0.76, 0.98], p = .03), and lower ECog‐II total score. Likewise, higher CRS was associated with lower odds of MBI+ (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: [0.71, 0.93], p = .003), and lower MBI symptom severity globally, and in impulse dyscontrol and social inappropriateness domains.

DISCUSSION

We provide preliminary evidence that engagement in activities known to preserve cognitive function in aging and disease may also preserve behavioral function. Future research should disentangle possible pathways through which cognitive reserve may preserve both cognition and behavior, explore common etiologies for these symptoms, and observe outcomes longitudinally to better understand these relationships.

Highlights

Education, occupation, and personal activities are cognitive reserve proxies.

Cognitive reserve is linked to lower subjective cognitive decline in older persons.

Cognitive reserve is linked to lower mild behavioral impairment odds and severity.
‘Popcorning’: an expression of joy, the ‘zoomies’ or something more sinister?
Authors: Loeb Josh
Published: October 2024

Following the inaugural Guinea Pig Welfare Forum in September, Josh Loeb discusses the behavioural sensation known as ‘popcorning’ and what it may mean from a welfare perspective.
What lies in store from a Labour government?
Authors: Shuttleworth Fiona , Trees Lord
Published: October 2024

Fiona Shuttleworth, parliamentary veterinary intern to Lord Trees, discusses what may be on the new government's agenda – despite the omission of animal health and welfare from both its manifesto and introductory King's speech.
A short history of philosophies of hydrological model evaluation and hypothesis testing
Authors: Beven Keith John
Published: October 2024

This historical review addresses the issues of the evaluation and testing of hydrological models, with a focus on rainfall–runoff models. After a discussion of the general philosophies of hydrological modeling, nine different philosophies of model evaluation are considered, focusing on the period of modeling on digital computers since the 1960s. In addition, some discursions to discuss the definitions of calibration and validation, how much data is needed for model calibration, equifinality and uncertainty, probabilities and possibilities, the evaluation of model ensembles, and model benchmarking. The paper finishes with a final discursion on the philosophical problem of induction.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Methods

Science of Water > Hydrological Processes
FeIII‐Based Nanomaterials: A Nanozyme Layer with Peroxidase‐Like Activity for Chemical and Biosensors Applications: A Review
Authors: Tran Hoang V. , Nguyen Tuan K. , Huynh Chinh D.
Published: October 2024

The peroxidase with the most commonly is horseradish peroxidase ‐HRP, with its activity is degradation of hydrogen peroxide into reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is widely used in bio‐catalyzing processes, chemical/biosensors, environments treatments and electrochemical analysis. Unfortunately, by the natural origin, peroxidases are easily losing their activities when the pH is too high or too low, or they are easily inactive when exposing under the light or working temperature above 50 °C. In addition, because of it is a biological molecule, HRP usually loses its activity over time of storage. Therefore, there have been many ideas for synthesizing and using of nanomaterials with HRP‐mimicking activity, which are named nanozymes, to replacing of HRP in biosensor catalysis, organic decomposition catalysis, photocatalysis, synthesis of materials or pharmaceutical synthesis. Using nanozymes give a lot of benefits because of nanozymes are more stable and they usually have stronger catalytic activities than that of natural enzymes. Among of them, Fe(III)‐based peroxidase nanozymes (Fe(III)PONs) are widely used thanks to simple synthesis processes, costly, easy for storage and using. This review focuses on the synthesis, specific properties and applications of Fe(III)PONs, specially in chemical and biosensor applications.
Multiple solutions and temporal stability for ternary hybrid nanofluid flow between non‐parallel plates with entropy generation analysis
Authors: Rana Puneet , Shukla Nisha , Areekara Sujesh , Pop Ioan
Published: October 2024

The present study employs the predictor homotopy analysis method (PHAM) to investigate the behaviour of incompressible, steady ternary hybrid nanofluid flow through a converging or diverging channel (non‐parallel plates). The study aims to capture multiple solutions containing various shapes of nanoparticles, including spherical (Alumina [Al2O3]), platelet‐like (Graphene [Gr]), and cylindrical (carbon nanotube [CNT]). The impact of physical parameters (such as Reynolds number, nanoparticle volume fractions, and heat source/sink parameters) on critical physical quantities has been studied. The study also considers the backflow regime, which results in multiple flow patterns in converging plates but is absent in diverging ones. Additionally, the article deals with a second‐law analysis assuming several parameters, and PHAM is used to investigate the temporal stability of both solution branches. The results show the existence of a stable branch with positive eigenvalues. Stability analysis confirms that the upper branch of the solution is physically significant. The study contributes to understanding the behaviour of nanofluid flow and its applications in various fields.
Up-scattering production of a sterile fermion at DUNE: complementarity with spallation source and direct detection experiments
Authors: Candela Pablo M. , De Romeri Valentina , Melas Pantelis , Papoulias Dimitrios K. , Saoulidou Niki
Published: October 2024

Abstract

We investigate the possible production of a MeV-scale sterile fermion through the up-scattering of neutrinos on nuclei and atomic electrons at different facilities. We consider a phenomenological model that adds a new fermion to the particle content of the Standard Model and we allow for all possible Lorentz-invariant non-derivative interactions (scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, axial-vector and tensor) of neutrinos with electrons and first-generation quarks. We first explore the sensitivity of the DUNE experiment to this scenario, by simulating elastic neutrino-electron scattering events in the near detector. We consider both options of a standard and a tau-optimized neutrino beams, and investigate the impact of a mobile detector that can be moved off-axis with respect to the beam. Next, we infer constraints on the typical coupling, new fermion and mediator masses from elastic neutrino-electron scattering events induced by solar neutrinos in two current dark matter direct detection experiments, XENONnT and LZ. Under the assumption that the new mediators couple also to first-generation quarks, we further set constraints on the up-scattering production of the sterile fermion using coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering data from the COHERENT experiment. Moreover, we set additional constraints assuming that the sterile fermion may decay within the detector. We finally compare our results and discuss how these facilities are sensitive to different regions of the relevant parameter space due to kinematics arguments and can hence provide complementary information on the up-scattering production of a sterile fermion.
Information theoretic measures for Lifshitz system
Authors: Paul Souvik , Chowdhury Anirban Roy , Saha Ashis , Gangopadhyay Sunandan
Published: October 2024

Abstract

In this work, we have studied various mixed state information theoretic quantities for an excited state of Lifshitz spacetime in 3 + 1-dimensions. This geometry is the gravity dual to a class of 2 + 1-dimensional quantum field theories having Lifshitz symmetry. We have holographically calculated mutual information, entanglement wedge cross section, entanglement negativity and mutual complexity for strip like subsystems at the boundary. For this we have used the results of holographic entanglement entropy and complexity present in the literature. We first calculate all of these mentioned quantities for the pure state of Lifshitz spacetime. Then we have moved on to calculate all these quantities for excited state of the Lifshitz spacetime. The gravity dual of excited state of Lifshitz systems in field theory can be obtained by applying constant perturbations along the boundary direction. Further, we would like to mention that for the simplicity of calculation we are only considering results up to the first order in perturbation. The change in the obtained holographic information theoretic quantities are then related to entanglement entropy, entanglement pressure, entanglement chemical potential and charge using the stress tensor complex. These relations are analogous to the first law of entanglement thermodynamics given earlier in the literature. All the calculations are carried out for both values of dynamical scaling exponent (z) present in the Lifshitz field theory.
Gravitational wavefunctions in JT supergravity
Authors: Belaey Andreas , Mariani Francesca , Mertens Thomas G.
Published: October 2024

Abstract

We determine explicit expressions for the continuous two-sided gravitational wavefunctions in supersymmetric versions of JT gravity, focusing mainly on $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 JT supergravity. Our approach is based on representation theory of the associated supergroup, for which we determine the relevant mixed parabolic matrix elements that implement asymptotic AdS boundary conditions at the quantum level. We match our expressions with those found by solving the energy-eigenvalue equation [1]. We discuss gravitational applications by computing several amplitudes of interest, and address how our framework can be generalized further.
Supergluon scattering in AdS: constructibility, spinning amplitudes, and new structures
Authors: Cao Qu , He Song , Li Xiang , Tang Yichao
Published: October 2024

Abstract

We elaborate on a new recursive method proposed in [1] for computing tree-level n-point supergluon amplitudes as well as those with one gluon, i.e. spinning amplitudes, in AdS5 × S3. We present an improved proof for the so-called “constructibility” of supergluon and spinning amplitudes based on their factorizations and flat-space limit, which allows us to determine these amplitudes in Mellin space to all n. We present explicit and remarkably simple expressions for up to n = 7 supergluon amplitudes and n = 6 spinning amplitudes, which can be viewed as AdS generalizations of the scalar-scaffolded gluon amplitudes proposed recently. We then reveal a series of hidden structures of these AdS amplitudes including (1). an understanding of general pole structures especially the precise truncation on descendent poles (2). a derivation of simple “Feynman rules” for the all-n amplitudes with the simplest R-symmetry structures, and (3). certain universal behavior analogous to the soft/collinear limit of flat-space amplitudes.
Morphologic Observations in a Case of Lethal Variant (Type I) Metatropic Dysplasia with Atypical Features: Morphology of Lethal Metatropic Dysplasia
Authors: O'Sullivan M.J. , McAllister W.H. , Ball R.H. , Teitelbaum S.L. , Swanson P.E. , Dehner L.P.
Published: October 2024

Metatropic dysplasia accounts for approximately 5% of cases recorded by the International Skeletal Dysplasia Registry, with a single recorded lethal case. Four forms of the disease are currently recognized: type I, lethal autosomal recessive form; type II, nonlethal autosomal recessive form with survival to childhood; type III, autosomal dominant form with typical features, and type IV, a mild form with uncertain inheritance. The literature contains few well-documented reports of the histopathologic findings in metatropic dysplasia. In this report, we present the radiologic and histopathologic features in a case of type I metatropic dysplasia, with the unusual features of a persistent tail, unique lung dysmorphology, and thyroidal agenesis.
Universal slices of the category of graphs
Authors: Eleftheriadis Ioannis
Published: October 2024

We characterise the slices of the category of graphs that are algebraically universal in terms of the structure of the slicing graph. In particular, we show that algebraic universality is obtained if, and only if, the slicing graph contains one of four fixed graphs as a subgraph.
State-of-the-art application of nanoparticles in radiotherapy: a platform for synergistic effects in cancer treatment
Authors: Mostafavi Mehrnaz , Ghazi Farhood , Mehrabifard Mahboobeh , Alivirdiloo Vahid , Hajiabbasi Mobasher , Rahimi Fatemeh , Mobed Ahmad , Taheripak Gholamreza , Ramezani Farani Marzieh , Huh Yun Suk , Bakhtiyari Salar , Alipourfard Iraj
Published: October 2024

Radiotherapy (RT) is a gold standard cancer treatment worldwide. However, RT has limitations and many side effects. Nanoparticles (NPs) have exclusive properties that allow them to be used in cancer therapy. Consequently, the combination of NP and RT opens up a new frontier in cancer treatment. Among NPs, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are the most extensively studied and are considered ideal radiosensitizers for radiotherapy due to their unique physicochemical properties and high X‑ray absorption. This review analyzes the various roles of NPs as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy of glioblastoma (GBS), prostate cancer, and breast cancer and summarizes recent advances. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of NP radiosensitization, including physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms, are discussed, which may provide new directions for next-generation GNP optimization and clinical transformation.

Graphic abstract
Trajectories of work disability and unemployment before and after a common mental disorder diagnosis among young private sector employees in Sweden–a register-based longitudinal study
Authors: Amin Ridwanul , Björkenstam Emma , Helgesson Magnus , Mittendorfer-Rutz Ellenor
Published: October 2024

Purpose

To identify trajectory groups of work disability (WD), including sick leave and disability pension, and unemployment three years before and six years (from Y-3 to Y + 6) after a common mental disorder (CMD) diagnosis and to investigate associations of socio-demographic, work-related and clinical factors with trajectory membership.

Methods

A longitudinal nationwide register-based study was conducted including individuals aged 22–29 years, gainfully employed in the private sector, with a CMD diagnosis in specialised healthcare or prescribed antidepressant (N = 12,121) in 2014 (Year 0/Y0), with follow-up from Y-3 to Y + 6. Group-based trajectory analyses identified groups of individuals who followed similar trajectories of months of WD and unemployment, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression determined associations between socio-demographic, work-related and clinical factors and trajectory membership.

Results

In the CMD group, we identified three trajectory groups, each for WD and unemployment. Only 7% individuals belonged to a ‘Fluctuant high’ trajectory group with four months of WD in Y0, which peaked at 7 months in Y + 3 and reduced to 5 months in Y + 6. For unemployment, 15% belonged to an ‘Increasing medium’ trajectory group that steadily increased from 1.3 months in Y0 to 2.6 months in Y + 6. Sex, educational level and musculoskeletal disorders for WD, and educational level, living area and occupational class for unemployment, influentially determined the variance across the CMD trajectory groups.

Conclusions

Specific vulnerable groups regarding unfavourable WD (women, low education and musculoskeletal disorders) and unemployment (manual work, low education and rural residence) trajectories require special attention regarding their return-to-work process following a CMD diagnosis.
Pandemics, public policy, and Peltzman effects
Authors: Dietrich Alexander , Kohler Wilhelm , Müller Gernot
Published: October 2024

Against the backdrop of Covid-19, we study the effectiveness of public policies typically employed to fight an epidemic. We extend the compartmental SIR model to explore the trade-offs which govern individual behavior. Our stylized model allows for a closed form analysis of vaccination and lockdown policies. We establish Peltzman effects: as policies lower the risk of infections, people become more socially active, which—in turn—undermines their effectiveness. We detect patterns in data for both US states and countries in Western Europe that are consistent with the notion that such effects are shaping actual infection dynamics to a considerable extent.
Standardization and optimization of the hiPSC-based PluriLum assay for detection of embryonic and developmental toxicants
Authors: Treschow Andreas Frederik , Vinggaard Anne Marie , Valente Maria João
Published: October 2024

New approach methodologies (NAMs) for predicting embryotoxicity and developmental toxicity are urgently needed for generating human relevant data, while reducing turnover time and costs, and alleviating ethical concerns related to the use of animal models. We have previously developed the PluriLum assay, a NKX2.5-reporter gene 3D model using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) that are genetically modified to enable the assessment of adverse effects of chemicals on the early-stage embryo. Aiming at improving the predictive value of the PluriLum assay for future screening purposes, we sought to introduce standardization steps to the protocol, improving the overall robustness of the PluriLum assay, as well as a shortening of the assay protocol. First, we showed that the initial size of embryoid bodies (EBs) is crucial for a proper differentiation into cardiomyocytes and overall reproducibility of the assay. When the starting diameter of the EBs exceeds 500 µm, robust differentiation can be anticipated. In terms of reproducibility, exposure to the fungicide epoxiconazole at smaller initial diameters resulted in a larger variation of the derived data, compared to more reliable concentration–response curves obtained using spheroids with larger initial diameters. We further investigated the ideal length of the differentiation protocol, resulting in a shortening of the PluriLum assay by 24 h to 7 days. Following exposure to the teratogens all-trans and 13-cis retinoic acid, both cardiomyocyte contraction and measurement of NKX2.5-derived luminescence were recorded with a similar or increased sensitivity after 6 days of differentiation when compared to the original 7 days. Finally, we have introduced an efficient step for enzymatic dissociation of the EBs at assay termination. This allows for an even splitting of the individual EBs and testing of additional endpoints other than the NKX2.5-luciferase reporter, which was demonstrated in this work by the simultaneous assessment of ATP levels. In conclusion, we have introduced standardizations and streamlined the PluriLum assay protocol to improve its suitability as a NAM for screening of a large number of chemicals for developmental toxicity testing.
Minimum information for reporting on the TEER (trans-epithelial/endothelial electrical resistance) assay (MIRTA)
Authors: Sharma Monita , Huber Erin , Arnesdotter Emma , Behrsing Holger P. , Bettmann Adam , Brandwein David , Constant Samuel , Date Rahul , Deshpande Abhay , Fabian Eric , Gupta Amit , Gutierrez Robert , Gutleb Arno C. , Hargrove Marie M. , Hollings Michael , Hutter Victoria , Jarabek Annie M. , Kaluzhny Yulia , Landsiedel Robert , Milchak Lawrence , Moyer Robert A. , Murray Jessica R. , Page Kathryn , Patel Manish , Pearson Stephanie N. , Petersen Elijah J. , Reinke Emily , Roldan Nuria , Roper Clive , Scaglione Jamie B. , Settivari Raja S. , Stucki Andreas O. , Verstraelen Sandra , Wallace Joanne L. , McCullough Shaun , Clippinger Amy J.
Published: October 2024

Standard information reporting helps to ensure that assay conditions and data are consistently reported and to facilitate inter-laboratory comparisons. Here, we present recommendations on minimum information for reporting on the TEER (trans-epithelial/endothelial electrical resistance) assay (MIRTA). The TEER assay is extensively used to evaluate the health of an epithelial/endothelial cell culture model and as an indicator of the potential toxicity of a test substance. This publication is the result of an international collaboration─called the RespTox (Respiratory Toxicity) Collaborative─through which twelve laboratories shared their protocols for assessing the barrier function of respiratory epithelial cells using the TEER assay following exposure to substances. The protocols from each laboratory were reviewed to identify general steps for performing the TEER assay, interlaboratory differences between steps, the rationale for differences, whether these differences impact results or cross-laboratory comparisons between TEER measurements. While the MIRTA recommendations are focused on respiratory epithelial cell systems, these recommendations can be adapted for other cell systems that form barriers. The use of these recommendations will support data transparency and reproducibility, reduce challenges in data interpretation, enable cross-laboratory comparisons, help assess study quality, and facilitate the incorporation of the TEER assay into national and international testing guidance.
Oxytocin differentially modulates reward system responses to social and non-social incentives
Authors: Thurston Matthew D. , Ericksen Lauren C. , Jacobson Maci M. , Bustamante Allison , Koppelmans Vincent , Mickey Brian J. , Love Tiffany M.
Published: October 2024

Rationale

Oxytocin has been shown to modulate behavior related to processing of monetary incentives and to regulate social and reproductive behavior, yet little is known about how oxytocin differentially influences neural responses to social and non-social incentives.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the effects of oxytocin administration on behavioral and neural responses to social and monetary incentives.

Methods

Twenty-eight healthy adults (age 18–45 years) performed both monetary and social incentive tasks during blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imaging. Intranasal oxytocin or placebo was administered before each scan using a double blind, randomized, cross-over design. Task performance and self-reported motivation and mood states were collected. Time-series analysis was conducted to assess the influence of oxytocin on the hemodynamic response in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra (VTA/SN) and nucleus accumbens (NAc).

Results

Oxytocin demonstrated a multifaceted effect on VTA/SN and NAc when processing reward incentives, with it increasing BOLD response in VTA/SN and decreasing BOLD response in NAc during social incentive anticipation. A reversal of this was shown with decreased BOLD responses in the VTA/SN and increased BOLD response in the NAc during monetary incentive anticipation.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest a more nuanced purpose of oxytocin when evaluating reward incentive decision making. It is possible that while oxytocin does increase salience to rewards, that it is more important for cognitive control when determining short-term versus long-term benefits in rewards. Future studies should more closely examine the relationship between oxytocin and delay discounting.
Fusarium sp. Strain K-23 Alleviates Salt Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana Through its Root Hair Growth-Promoting Effect
Authors: Onejeme Francis C. , González Ortega-Villaizán Adrián , Rodríguez-Dobreva Estefanía , Topel Prieto Basha , Patel Manish K. , Guendouzi Selma , Reddy Priya Y. N. , Lopez Leonel E. , Estevez José M. , Nataraja Karaba N. , Shaanker R. Uma , Benito Begoña , Vicente-Carbajosa Jesús , Oelmüller Ralf , Pollmann Stephan
Published: October 2024

Soil salinity is a significant abiotic stress factor that impedes plant growth and crop yield, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Recent reports indicate that 8.7% of soils globally and 20–50% of irrigated soils across all continents are affected by salt. This phenomenon jeopardizes the food security of more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. Numerous studies have elucidated the beneficial effects of diverse microbes on plant abiotic stress tolerance. In this study, we report on an observed molecular mechanism involved in the enhanced salt tolerance of Arabidopsis plants co-cultivated with the Fusarium sp. strain K-23. Employing a combination of transcriptomics, phenomics, reverse genetics, and live cell imaging, we elucidated the intricacies of biological processes that influence root growth in the interaction between A. thaliana and the fungus. Moreover, our research corroborated the beneficial effect of the fungus under salt-stress conditions for Arabidopsis and highlighted notable differences compared to previous studies. We utilized an RNA-seq approach to identify biological processes triggered in Arabidopsis roots that interact with K-23, resulting in increased salt tolerance. These experiments necessitated a more comprehensive investigation into the fungal influence on root hair development and elucidated that induced root hair growth was a prerequisite for the enhanced salt stress tolerance conferred by the fungus. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the fungus induces the expression of the NAC transcription factor JUNGBRUNNEN 1 (JUB1). Elevated expression of JUB1 leads to repression of gibberellin biosynthesis, which, in turn, contributes to sustained root hair growth under salt stress conditions, which typically suppresses root hair growth substantially.
Studying Hierarchical Latent Structures in Heterogeneous Populations with Missing Information
Authors: Greselin Francesca , Zaccaria Giorgia
Published: October 2024

An ultrametric Gaussian mixture model is a powerful tool for modeling hierarchical relationships among latent concepts, making it ideal for studying complex phenomena in diverse and potentially heterogeneous populations. However, in many cases, only an incomplete set of observations is available on the phenomenon under study. To address this issue, we propose MissUGMM, an ultrametric Gaussian mixture model which takes into account the missing at random mechanism for the unobserved values. Our approach is estimated using the expectation-maximization algorithm and achieves favorable results in comparison to other existing mixture models in simulations conducted with synthetic and benchmark data sets, even without a theorized ultrametric structure underlying the data. Furthermore, MissUGMM is applied to a real-world problem for exploring the sustainable development of cities across countries starting from incomplete information provided by municipalities. Overall, our results demonstrate that MissUGMM is a powerful and versatile model in dealing with missing data and is applicable to a broader range of real-world problems.
Impact of tongue base mucosectomy on quality-of-life outcomes: systematic review and single-centre experience
Authors: Scholfield Daniel W. , Williamson Andrew J. , Cunning Nina , Awad Zaid
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Tongue base mucosectomy (TBM) is a well-established procedure in investigating cervical squamous cell carcinoma of occult primary. However, its risks have not been balanced against its benefits with validated tools.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted for reported complications and quality-of-life outcomes following TBM. The complications and quality-of-life outcomes following TBM at our institution are then reported using objective metrics and validated assessment tools, including Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HNS), University of Washington Quality-of-life Questionnaire (UW-QOL) and M. D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI).

Results

Eighteen studies met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. Of these, 9 addressed swallowing outcomes described in text, without using validated assessment tools. No studies reported taste, speech and pain outcomes after TBM. Post-operative bleeding was not consistently reported. 20 patients underwent robotic TBM at our institution between 2017 and 2023. The primary tumour was identified in 50% (10/20) of cases. The median time to commencing soft diet and median time of NG feeding was 0 days. The median return to normalcy of diet score was 95. Median post-treatment UW-QOL pain and swallowing scores were 100 and 70 respectively. The median speech score was 100, saliva 70, and taste 70. The median normalised MDADI scores were: global 80; emotional 67; functional 80 and physical 65.

Conclusions

Validated assessment tools better inform patients about treatment options and can help compare post-TBM results across institutions. Our data demonstrates that TBM patients have a functional post-operative swallow, are pain and gastrostomy free, even after adjuvant treatment. Routine post-operative insertion of NG tube is not necessary.
Does the ChOLE classification relate to the duration of surgery?
Authors: Esser Julia , Broicher Leonie , Mayer Marcel , Eckel Hans , Jansen Louis , Nobis Anne , Faste Frederik , Klussmann Jens Peter , Luers Jan Christoffer
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Cholesteatoma, a challenging entity in otologic surgery, necessitates a standardized classification system for effective communication among healthcare providers and consistent reporting of surgical outcomes. The ChOLE Classification System, introduced by Linder et al., stages cholesteatoma based on extension (Ch), ossicular chain status (O), life-threatening complications (L), and Eustachian tube function and mastoid pneumatization (E).

Methods

We classified 199 patients who underwent cholesteatoma surgery between 2019 and 2023 in our University Hospital to assess the distribution of the ChOLE stages and to examine the relationship between the ChOLE stages and the duration of surgery.

Results

This study revealed significant correlations between the ChOLE stage and respective subgroups of the classification and duration of surgery and thus complexity of procedure.

Conclusion

Despite limitations, the ChOLE classification proves valuable in predicting surgical complexity and optimizing patient care. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and enhance cholesteatoma management strategies.
A generic formulation of anisotropic thermo-elastoviscoplasticity at finite deformations for finite element codes
Authors: Abatour Mohamed , Ammar Kais , Forest Samuel , Ovalle Cristian , Osipov Nikolay , Quilici Stéphane
Published: October 2024

Most commercial Finite Element codes rely on hypo-elastoviscoplastic constitutive equations for structural computations at large deformations. Such formulations are known to suffer from physical and thermodynamical flaws but their versatility and ease of implementation made them ubiquitous. The paper presents an alternative systematic and thermodynamically consistent extension of anisotropic thermo-elastoviscoplastic constitutive equations at finite strain. The formulation is based on the well–known multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient into a thermoelastic and an inelastic part. This decomposition relies on Mandel’s isoclinic intermediate configuration. The present framework covers a wide range of multi-mechanism elastoplastic models so that it can advantageously replace the constitutive part of existing codes. The choice of a suitable hyperelastic potential, hardening variables and anisotropy evolution laws are discussed. The concept of plastic spin is used and can be either derived from general representation theorems or obtained from the normality rule. The effect of the plastic spin is discussed in the light of examples involving anisotropic plasticity. The response of the proposed formulation is compared to hypoelastic models in the case of several structural applications. The implementation of this methodology in a commercial FE object-oriented code is detailed. We show how to extend readily a wide range of small strain nonlinear constitutive models to finite deformations. The paper contains original features such as multimechanism based inelastic contributions, a Mandel-stress tensor based nonlinear kinematic hardening rule containing dynamic and static recovery terms, and a study of lattice rotation in single crystalline volume elements and turbine blades. The implementation is proved to be competitive with respect to existing hypo-elastoviscoplastic formulations in terms of CPU time.
p-elements in profinite groups
Authors: Lucchini Andrea , Otmen Nowras
Published: October 2024

We investigate some properties of the p-elements of a profinite group G. We prove that if p is odd and the probability that a randomly chosen element of G is a p-element is positive, then G contains an open prosolvable subgroup. By contrast, there exist groups that are not virtually prosolvable but in which the probability that a randomly chosen element of G is a 2-element is arbitrarily close to 1. We prove also that if a profinite group G has the property that, for every p-element x, it is positive the probability that a randomly chosen element y of G generates with x a pro-p group, then G contains an open pro-p subgroup.
One-stage scalp reconstruction using single-layer dermal regeneration template and split-thickness skin graft: a case series
Authors: Boschetti Ciro Emiliano , Lo Giudice Giorgio , Staglianò Samuel , Pollice Annalisa , Guida David , Magliulo Roberta , Colella Giuseppe , Chirico Fabrizio , Santagata Mario
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Scalp full-thickness defects reconstruction following the resection of skin carcinoma poses significant challenges due to scalp anatomy complexity and limited vascularity. Despite various techniques available, including tissue expansion and local flaps, no single method stands as the gold standard. Moreover, cases requiring adjuvant radiotherapy further complicate reconstruction, demanding durable solutions. This study explores the efficacy of Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template Single Layer (Integra DRTSL) followed by split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) in one-stage scalp reconstruction post oncologic resection.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients undergoing this procedure from January 2020 to October 2023. Surgical outcomes, including graft take rates, complications, and adjuvant therapy tolerability, were assessed.

Results

Results demonstrated successful reconstruction in the majority of cases, with a complete graft take rate of 77% and minimal complications. Notably, the single-stage approach facilitated timely initiation of adjuvant therapy, crucial for oncologic management. Healing times were notably reduced (< 60 days), enabling early radiotherapy commencement. No local recurrences were observed during the 16-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The use of Integra DRTSL with STSG in one-stage reconstruction presents a promising alternative, offering optimal cosmetic and functional outcomes with low complication rates. This approach streamlines the reconstruction process, ensuring timely adjuvant therapy initiation and maximizing patient outcomes, especially in the context of scalp cutaneous tumors requiring radiotherapy.

Clinical trial number

This research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” (protocol code N. 0013333, 29 April 2021)
Hodgkin-like Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Children: Does It Differ from Posttransplant Hodgkin Lymphoma?
Authors: Ranganathan S. , Webber S. , Ahuja S. , Jaffe R.
Published: October 2024

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-mediated lymphoid proliferations occur in patients who are immunocompromised and are reported following bone marrow or solid organ transplantation. Most post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are polymorphic in appearance; some are monomorphic and can resemble conventional malignant lymphomas. PTLD that resembles Hodgkin lymphoma has been reported infrequently. We herein report seven cases of PTLD that have large numbers of Reed-Sternberg-like (RS-like) cells and highlight differences in the phenotype of these cases that may distinguish Hodgkin-like PTLD (HL-PTLD) from true Hodgkin lymphoma/disease (HD). All patients were in the second decade of life and were 8 months to 13 years following transplant. HL-PTLD involves lymph nodes that contain a mixed population of small to intermediate-sized lymphocytes with large mononuclear and occasionally binucleate RS-like cells. The large cells of HL-PTLD are pleomorphic B cells that react strongly for CD20 and/or CD79a, express CD30, but are usually negative for CD15 and have few mitoses. They are positive for EBV early RNA (EBER) using an EBER-1 probe, as are some of the background small lymphocytes. A single case of true Hodgkin lymphoma has highly atypical RS-like cells that contain numerous mitoses, does not have CD20 or CD79a reactivity, has CD15 and CD30 staining, and the EBER-1 probe is confined to the large cells only. All patients were managed by withdrawal of immunosuppression and variably treated with either antiviral or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, or with chemotherapy. A unique instance of evolution from a HL-PTLD to true HD is also illustrated. In conclusion, HL-PTLD and HD appear to be two related but immunophenotypically and biologically distinct forms of lymphoproliferation in post-transplant patients and may require different protocols for their management.
Unveiling blind spots in consulting firms’ disseminating discourse on digital transformation
Authors: Monod Emmanuel , Korotkova Nataliia , Khalil Sabine , Meythaler Antonia , Joyce Elisabeth
Published: October 2024

Leading management consulting firms serve as key influencers in disseminating fashionable management ideas and aiding organizations through their change initiatives. Organizations often seek guidance from these firms to implement the management idea of digital transformation (DT), enticed by the potential benefits this idea promises. This study examines the reports of six leading management consulting firms to assess how they shape the disseminating discourse on DT. Applying the performance-structure-technology framework, we unveil several blind spots in the DT consulting discourse. Our document analyses reveal that leading management consulting firms, in their discourse on DT, neglect comprehensive strategic alignments in the form of people, competitive context, and technological methods and structures. This study contributes to the literature on change management, management ideas, and the broader information systems literature on DT by providing insights into the faddishness and semblance of leading consulting firms’ discourse on DT, while also shedding light on the nuances of DT consulting and its potential for improvement.
Quantile Fourier regressions for decision making under uncertainty
Authors: Khojaste Arash , Pritchard Geoffrey , Zakeri Golbon
Published: October 2024

We consider Markov decision processes arising from a Markov model of an underlying natural phenomenon. Such phenomena are usually periodic (e.g. annual) in time, and so the Markov processes modelling them must be time-inhomogeneous, with cyclostationary rather than stationary behaviour. We describe a technique for constructing such processes that allows for periodic variations both in the values taken by the process and in the serial dependence structure. We include two illustrative numerical examples: a hydropower scheduling problem and a model of offshore wind power integration.
Microplastic contamination in three environmental compartments of a coastal lagoon in the southern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Sánchez-Campos Mitzi , Ponce-Vélez Guadalupe , Sanvicente-Añorve Laura , Alatorre-Mendieta Miguel
Published: October 2024

The Sontecomapan lagoon (Mexico) is a Ramsar site within the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, facing the Gulf of Mexico. Although the site has a protected area status, it is vulnerable to microplastic contamination, whose long-term effects are uncertain. This study gives the first approach to the degree of contamination by microplastics in surface waters, zooplankton, and sediments in the lagoon. The samples in these three environmental compartments were collected in June 2018 and analyzed in the laboratory to extract and quantify the microplastics. The microplastics sampled were classified into fibers, fragments, and foams and identified as polyester, acrylic, and rayon, among others. In the surface waters, the mean concentration of microplastics was 7.5 ± 5.3 items/L, which is higher than the values registered in other protected coastal systems, perhaps because of differences in the methods used. Zooplankton, represented by copepods, luciferids, and chaetognaths, showed concentrations of 0.002 ± 0.005, 0.011 ± 0.011, and 0.019 ± 0.016 items/individual, respectively. These values were low compared to systems with high anthropic influence, and the differences between the three kinds of organisms were attributed to their feeding habits. In the sediments, the mean concentration was 8.5 ± 12.5 items/kg, lower than the values registered in sites of high human impact; the maximum value here found (43 items/kg) was recorded in the internal part of a lagoon arm of almost stagnant water. In general, the degree of contamination by microplastics in the lagoon was low; however, their presence indicates a potential risk to the biota.
Large language models and their big bullshit potential
Authors: Fisher Sarah A.
Published: October 2024

Newly powerful large language models have burst onto the scene, with applications across a wide range of functions. We can now expect to encounter their outputs at rapidly increasing volumes and frequencies. Some commentators claim that large language models are bullshitting, generating convincing output without regard for the truth. If correct, that would make large language models distinctively dangerous discourse participants. Bullshitters not only undermine the norm of truthfulness (by saying false things) but the normative status of truth itself (by treating it as entirely irrelevant). So, do large language models really bullshit? I argue that they can, in the sense of issuing propositional content in response to fact-seeking prompts, without having first assessed that content for truth or falsity. However, I further argue that they need not bullshit, given appropriate guardrails. So, just as with human speakers, the propensity for a large language model to bullshit depends on its own particular make-up.
Spatiotemporal multilevel joint modeling of longitudinal and survival outcomes in end-stage kidney disease
Authors: Kürüm Esra , Nguyen Danh V. , Qian Qi , Banerjee Sudipto , Rhee Connie M. , Şentürk Damla
Published: October 2024

Individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis experience high mortality and excessive burden of hospitalizations over time relative to comparable Medicare patient cohorts without kidney failure. A key interest in this population is to understand the time-dynamic effects of multilevel risk factors that contribute to the correlated outcomes of longitudinal hospitalization and mortality. For this we utilize multilevel data from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), a national database that includes nearly all patients with ESKD, where repeated measurements/hospitalizations over time are nested in patients and patients are nested within (health service) regions across the contiguous U.S. We develop a novel spatiotemporal multilevel joint model (STM-JM) that accounts for the aforementioned hierarchical structure of the data while considering the spatiotemporal variations in both outcomes across regions. The proposed STM-JM includes time-varying effects of multilevel (patient- and region-level) risk factors on hospitalization trajectories and mortality and incorporates spatial correlations across the spatial regions via a multivariate conditional autoregressive correlation structure. Efficient estimation and inference are performed via a Bayesian framework, where multilevel varying coefficient functions are targeted via thin-plate splines. The finite sample performance of the proposed method is assessed through simulation studies. An application of the proposed method to the USRDS data highlights significant time-varying effects of patient- and region-level risk factors on hospitalization and mortality and identifies specific time periods on dialysis and spatial locations across the U.S. with elevated hospitalization and mortality risks.
Reinforcement Learning with Decoupled State Representation for Robot Manipulations
Authors: Dong Kun , Zeng Yu , Wang Kun , Luo Yongle , Wang Yuxin , Cheng Erkang , Sun Zhiyong , Zhang Qiang , Song Bo
Published: October 2024

Deep reinforcement learning has significantly advanced robot manipulations by providing an alternative solution for designing control strategies using raw images as direct inputs. While images offer additional environmental information, the end-to-end policy training manner (from image to action) requires simultaneous representation and task learning by the agent. This often necessitates a substantial number of interaction samples to achieve satisfactory policy performance. Previous works has attempted to address this challenge by learning a visual representation model that encodes the entire image into a low-dimensional vector before the policy training. However, since this vector contains both robot and object information, it inevitably introduces coupling within the state, which can mislead the policy training process. In this study, a novel method called Reinforcement Learning with Decoupled State Representation is proposed to effectively decouple robot and object information within the state representation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits faster learning speed and achieves superior performance compared to previous methods across various robot manipulation tasks. Moreover, with only 3096 offline images, the proposed method successfully applies to real-world robot pushing tasks, which demonstrates its high practicability.