bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mobile Learning for Emergency Situations: Four Design Cases from Latin America
Authors: Castellanos-Reyes Daniela , Romero-Hall Enilda , Vasconcelos Lucas , García Belen 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThis practitioner-focused chapter addresses mobile learning in the Latin American context during the COVID-19 emergency. To guarantee continuity of education during the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors adopted remote education. Even though much of the remote education relied heavily on computers, millions of learners in Latin America do not have a household computer. Nonetheless, mobile connectivity is very high in Latin America, and therefore, mobile learning has greatly supported institutions during remote education. Mobile learning significantly supports learning at a distance in countries that face infrastructure challenges. Even more in the Latin American context, where mobile devices may be low-cost alternatives to computers. We present four design cases about mobile learning for continuity of education during emergencies. Each design case addresses a different country, audience, and content. The design cases focus on generic technology applications regularly used by practitioners and students. The four design cases are: (1) foreign language learning and social studies to 1st – fourth graders using online blogs in Brazil; (2) teaching STEM to 8th–12th graders through social media (i.e., YouTube/WhatsApp) in Panama; (3) education to 6th–12th graders through social media (i.e., YouTube/WhatsApp/Facebook) in Mexico, and (4) humanities higher education using instant messaging and cloud-based platforms (i.e., WhatsApp, Google Drive platform) in Colombia. Recommendations for practitioners and policymakers are provided.
Targeting lactate dehydrogenase B-dependent mitochondrial metabolism affects tumor initiating cells and inhibits tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer by inducing mtDNA damage
Authors: Deng Haibin , Gao Yanyun , Trappetti Verdiana , Hertig Damian , Karatkevich Darya , Losmanova Tereza , Urzi Christian , Ge Huixiang , Geest Gerrit Adriaan , Bruggmann Remy , Djonov Valentin , Nuoffer Jean-Marc , Vermathen Peter , Zamboni Nicola , Riether Carsten , Ochsenbein Adrian , Peng Ren-Wang , Kocher Gregor Jan , Schmid Ralph Alexander , Dorn Patrick , Marti Thomas Michael 
Published: July 2022

AbstractOnce considered a waste product of anaerobic cellular metabolism, lactate has been identified as a critical regulator of tumorigenesis, maintenance, and progression. The putative primary function of lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) is to catalyze the conversion of lactate to pyruvate; however, its role in regulating metabolism during tumorigenesis is largely unknown. To determine whether LDHB plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, we performed 2D and 3D in vitro experiments, utilized a conventional xenograft tumor model, and developed a novel genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), in which we combined an LDHB deletion allele with an inducible model of lung adenocarcinoma driven by the concomitant loss of p53 (also known as Trp53) and expression of oncogenic KRAS (G12D) (KP). Here, we show that epithelial-like, tumor-initiating NSCLC cells feature oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) phenotype that is regulated by LDHB-mediated lactate metabolism. We show that silencing of LDHB induces persistent mitochondrial DNA damage, decreases mitochondrial respiratory complex activity and OXPHOS, resulting in reduced levels of mitochondria-dependent metabolites, e.g., TCA intermediates, amino acids, and nucleotides. Inhibition of LDHB dramatically reduced the survival of tumor-initiating cells and sphere formation in vitro, which can be partially restored by nucleotide supplementation. In addition, LDHB silencing reduced tumor initiation and growth of xenograft tumors. Furthermore, we report for the first time that homozygous deletion of LDHB significantly reduced lung tumorigenesis upon the concomitant loss of Tp53 and expression of oncogenic KRAS without considerably affecting the animal’s health status, thereby identifying LDHB as a potential target for NSCLC therapy. In conclusion, our study shows for the first time that LDHB is essential for the maintenance of mitochondrial metabolism, especially nucleotide metabolism, demonstrating that LDHB is crucial for the survival and proliferation of NSCLC tumor-initiating cells and tumorigenesis.
The use of a modified posterior approach (SPAIRE) may be associated with an increase in return to pre-injury level of mobility compared to a standard lateral approach in hemiarthroplasty for displaced intracapsular hip fractures: a single-centre study of the first 285 cases over a period of 3.5 years
Authors: Charity John , Ball Susan , Timperley Andrew J. 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Background and purpose
A tendon-sparing modification of the posterior approach to the hip joint was introduced in the specialist hip unit at our institution in 2016. The SPAIRE technique—acronym for “Saving Piriformis And Internus, Repair of Externus” preserves the insertions of gemellus inferior, obturator internus, gemellus superior and piriformis intact. We compare the results of the first 285 hip hemiarthroplasty patients, unselected but preferentially treated by our hip unit surgeons using the SPAIRE technique, with 567 patients treated by all orthopaedic surgeons (including the hip unit) in the department over the same 3.5 year period using the standard lateral approach. We report length of stay, return to pre-injury level of mobility, place of residence and mortality at 120 days.

Patients and methods
The review included all hemiarthroplasty patients. Pre-fracture mobility and place of residence, surgical approach, grade of senior surgeon in theatre, stem modularity, acute and overall length of stay, mobility, place of residence, re-operations and mortality at 120 days were recorded. Data were obtained from the National Hip Fracture Database that included a telephone follow-up at 120 days and from electronic patient records.

Results
The odds of returning to pre-injury level of mobility were higher in the SPAIRE technique group than in the standard lateral group; adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)) 1.7 (1.1 to 2.7, p = 0.01).

Interpretation
When used in hip hemiarthroplasty, the SPAIRE technique appears safe and may confer benefit in maintaining the pre-injury level of mobility over the standard lateral approach.
Combined spatial and frequency encoding for electrotactile feedback of myoelectric signals
Authors: Nataletti Sara , Leo Fabrizio , Dideriksen Jakob , Brayda Luca , Dosen Strahinja 
Published: July 2022

AbstractElectrotactile stimulation has been commonly used in human–machine interfaces to provide feedback to the user, thereby closing the control loop and improving performance. The encoding approach, which defines the mapping of the feedback information into stimulation profiles, is a critical component of an electrotactile interface. Ideally, the encoding will provide a high-fidelity representation of the feedback variable while being easy to perceive and interpret by the subject. In the present study, we performed a closed-loop experiment wherein discrete and continuous coding schemes are combined to exploit the benefits of both techniques. Subjects performed a muscle activation-matching task relying solely on electrotactile feedback representing the generated myoelectric signal (EMG). In particular, we investigated the performance of two different coding schemes (spatial and spatial combined with frequency) at two feedback resolutions (low: 3 and high: 5 intervals). In both schemes, the stimulation electrodes were placed circumferentially around the upper arm. The magnitude of the normalized EMG was divided into intervals, and each electrode was associated with one interval. When the generated EMG entered one of the intervals, the associated electrode started stimulating. In the combined encoding, the additional frequency modulation of the active electrode also indicated the momentary magnitude of the signal within the interval. The results showed that combined coding decreased the undershooting rate, variability and absolute deviation when the resolution was low but not when the resolution was high, where it actually worsened the performance. This demonstrates that combined coding can improve the effectiveness of EMG feedback, but that this effect is limited by the intrinsic variability of myoelectric control. Our findings, therefore, provide important insights as well as elucidate limitations of the information encoding methods when using electrotactile stimulation to convey a feedback signal characterized by high variability (EMG biofeedback).
Video survey of deep benthic macroalgae and macroalgal detritus along a glacial Arctic fjord: Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen)
Authors: Schimani Katherina , Zacher Katharina , Jerosch Kerstin , Pehlke Hendrik , Wiencke Christian , Bartsch Inka 
Published: July 2022

AbstractIn Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen), we quantified the zonation of visually dominant macroalgal taxa and of detached macroalgae from underwater videos taken in summer 2009 at six transects between 2 and 138 m water depth. For the first time, we provide information on the occurrence of deep water red algae below the kelp forest and of detached macroalgae at water depth > 30 m. The presence and depth distribution of visually dominant red algae were especially pronounced at the outer fjord, decreased with proximity to the glacial front and they were absent at the innermost locations. Deepest crustose coralline red algae and foliose red algae were observed at 72 and 68 m, respectively. Brown algae were distributed along the entire fjord axis at 2–32 m. Green algae were only present at the middle to inner fjord and at areas influenced by physical disturbance at water depths of 2–26 m. With proximity to the inner fjord the depth distribution of all macroalgae became shallower and only extended to 18 m depth at the innermost location. Major recipients of detached macroalgae were sites at the shallower inner fjord and at the middle fjord below the photic zone at depths to 138 m. They may either fuel deep water secondary production, decompose or support carbon sequestration. Univariate and community analyses of macroalgal classes including detached macroalgae across transects and over depths reveal a considerable difference in community structure between the outermost sites, the central part and the inner fjord areas, reflecting the strong environmental gradients along glacial fjords.
Single image defocus map estimation through patch blurriness classification and its applications
Authors: Galetto Fernando , Deng Guang 
Published: July 2022

AbstractDepth information is useful in many image processing applications. However, since taking a picture is a process of projection of a 3D scene onto a 2D imaging sensor, the depth information is embedded in the image. Extracting the depth information from the image is a challenging task. A guiding principle is that the level of blurriness due to defocus is related to the distance between the object and the focal plane. Based on this principle and the widely used assumption that Gaussian blur is a good model for defocus blur, we formulate the problem of estimating the spatially varying defocus blurriness as a Gaussian blur classification problem. We solve the problem by training a deep neural network to classify image patches into one of the 20 levels of blurriness. We have created a dataset of more than 500,000 image patches of size$$32\times 32$$32×32which does not require human labelling. The dataset is used to train and test several well-known network models. We find that MobileNetV2 is suitable for this application due to its low memory requirement and high accuracy. The trained model is used to determine the patch blurriness which is then refined by applying an iterative weighted guided filter. The result is a defocus map that carries the information of the degree of blurriness for each pixel. We compare the proposed method with state-of-the-art techniques and we demonstrate its successful applications in adaptive image enhancement and defocus magnification limited to images that present a clear distinction between defocus levels.
Modelling the effect of hydrogen bonding on elongational flow of supramolecular polymer melts
Authors: Wagner Manfred H. , Narimissa Esmaeil , Shabbir Aamir 
Published: July 2022

AbstractHydrogen bonding is the most common noncovalent reversible interaction leading to supramolecular polymeric assemblies. Shabbir et al. (Macromolecules 48:5988–5996, 2015) reported both linear and nonlinear rheological data for a model system consisting of pure poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PnBA) homopolymer and three PnBA-poly(acrylic acid) (PnBA-PAA) copolymers with different numbers of acrylic acid (AA) side groups. Hydrogen bonds between the AA groups not only cause the storage and loss modulus to shift in the direction of a power law scaling of 0.5 in the terminal relaxation regime, but also the elongational viscosity shows increasing strain hardening with a strongly nonlinear dependence on the number of hydrogen bonding groups. Based on the “Sticky Rouse” model and a constitutive equation of the Doi-Edwards type with consideration of chain stretch, we model the effect of hydrogen bonding on the elongational viscosity of the PnBA-AA copolymers. We show that the elongational viscosity data are consistent with a Sticky Rouse relaxation modulus of the AA associations characterized by a constant modulus $$G_{A}$$

G

A

and a constant sticker life time $$\tau_{A}$$

τ

A

, while the complexity of the hydrogen assemblies as quantified by the Sticky Rouse time increases with the concentration of AA groups from the order of seconds (3% AA) to hours (6%AA) and to 1 day (13%AA), and leads to extreme strain hardening. The elongational stress shows a steady state at large strains and the stretch reaches a limiting value independent of strain rate. At the highest concentration of AA groups investigated (38%AA), the PnBA-AA copolymer is a weak gel fracturing at a critical strain, and the sticker life time loses its significance. The effect of the Sticky Rouse time on self-healing is discussed.
An interaction between synapsin and C9orf72 regulates excitatory synapses and is impaired in ALS/FTD
Authors: Bauer Claudia S. , Cohen Rebecca N. , Sironi Francesca , Livesey Matthew R. , Gillingwater Thomas H. , Highley J. Robin , Fillingham Daniel J. , Coldicott Ian , Smith Emma F. , Gibson Yolanda B. , Webster Christopher P. , Grierson Andrew J. , Bendotti Caterina , De Vos Kurt J. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractDysfunction and degeneration of synapses is a common feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). A GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene is the main genetic cause of ALS/FTD (C9ALS/FTD). The repeat expansion leads to reduced expression of the C9orf72 protein. How C9orf72 haploinsufficiency contributes to disease has not been resolved. Here we identify the synapsin family of synaptic vesicle proteins, the most abundant group of synaptic phosphoproteins, as novel interactors of C9orf72 at synapses and show that C9orf72 plays a cell-autonomous role in the regulation of excitatory synapses. We mapped the interaction of C9orf72 and synapsin to the N-terminal longin domain of C9orf72 and the conserved C domain of synapsin, and show interaction of the endogenous proteins in synapses. Functionally, C9orf72 deficiency reduced the number of excitatory synapses and decreased synapsin levels at remaining synapses in vitro in hippocampal neuron cultures and in vivo in the hippocampal mossy fibre system of C9orf72 knockout mice. Consistent with synaptic dysfunction, electrophysiological recordings identified impaired excitatory neurotransmission and network function in hippocampal neuron cultures with reduced C9orf72 expression, which correlated with a severe depletion of synaptic vesicles from excitatory synapses in the hippocampus of C9orf72 knockout mice. Finally, neuropathological analysis of post-mortem sections of C9ALS/FTD patient hippocampus with C9orf72 haploinsufficiency revealed a marked reduction in synapsin, indicating that disruption of the interaction between C9orf72 and synapsin may contribute to ALS/FTD pathobiology. Thus, our data show that C9orf72 plays a cell-autonomous role in the regulation of neurotransmission at excitatory synapses by interaction with synapsin and modulation of synaptic vesicle pools, and identify a novel role for C9orf72 haploinsufficiency in synaptic dysfunction in C9ALS/FTD.
Development of a quality of life questionnaire for transgender individuals during hormone therapy (iTransQol)
Authors: Feil Katharina , Riedl David , Gschwentner Lisa , Vomstein Kilian , Wegscheider Julia , Arnold Emanuela , Toth Bettina 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Quality of life (QoL) is a complex term, including mental, physical and social health, and everyone’s individual environment. While transgender individuals still often report lower QoL than other individuals, they can benefit substantially from gender affirming therapy.
The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to determine QoL in transgender individuals during gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT).

Methods
A multi-step questionnaire development process was performed. In phase 1, a list of key issues was established by reviewing relevant literature. In phase 2, n = 38 transgender individuals as well as n = 6 practitioners evaluated the questionnaire (iTransQoL) in terms of relevance, meaning, comprehensibility and redundancy. Psychometric testing of the questionnaire was performed in phase 3 with n = 40 transgender individuals. The external validity of the iTransQoL was tested by comparison with three validated health questionnaires.

Results
The exploratory factor analysis indicated an underlying four-factor solution. Psychometric testing showed acceptable to good overall reliability (α = 0.73–0.83) for the total score and the four subscales as well as good validity indices. Based on the results, a final version of the iTransQoL was established.

Conclusion
The iTransQoL is a reliable and valid tool to evaluate QoL of transgender individuals during GAHT.
Is the age at surgery in Crohn’s disease clinically relevant? Differences and peculiarities: a wide single centre experience after long-term follow-up
Authors: Luceri Cristina , Dragoni Gabriele , Zambonin Daniela , Pesi Benedetta , Russo Edda , Scaringi Stefano , Ficari Ferdinando , Cianchi Fabio , Giudici Francesco 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose
The Montreal classification for Crohn’s disease includes “age at diagnosis” as a parameter but few is reported about the age at surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short- and long-term differences in the postoperative surgical outcome and disease behaviour, according to the age at the first surgery.

Methods
Patients consecutively operated for abdominal Crohn’s disease during the period 1986–2012 at our centre were systematically analysed according to their age at first surgery. In our retrospective cohort, the age at first surgery ranged from 13 to 83 years, and patients were arbitrarily divided into four groups: ≤ 19 (G1), 20–39 (G2), 40–59 (G3) and ≥ 60 (G4) years old.

Results
In total, 1051 patients were included with a median follow-up time of 232 months. The four groups exhibited statistically significant differences in age at diagnosis, smoke habit, time between diagnosis and surgery, disease location and behaviour, history of perianal fistula or abscess, severe malnutrition requiring total parental nutrition before surgery, type of surgery, total length of resected bowel, median duration of hospitalization, incidence of abdominal recurrences and number of surgical recurrences. G1 displays an inverse linear trend with time in the severity of clinical characteristics when compared to G4 groups. On the contrary, the incidence of short-term complications, types of abdominal recurrence and presence of concomitant perianal disease did not vary among groups. In addition, at multivariate analysis, the age at surgery and the disease location were the only independent risk factors for abdominal surgical recurrence.

Conclusion
Despite first surgery is extremely more frequent between 20 and 59 years, patients from G1 and G4 groups showed clinical differences and peculiarities when compared to the other age groups. The most indolent CD behaviour and occurrence of surgical recurrence was observed in patients having their first abdominal surgery in the elderly, while patients operated before the age of 19 experienced a more aggressive disease course.
Detailed functional results after bladder-preserving surgery and high-dose-rate brachytherapy in pediatric bladder/prostate rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Ellerkamp Verena , Schmidt Andreas , Warmann Steven W. , Eckert Franziska , Schaefer Juergen , Paulsen Frank , Fuchs Joerg 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose
In pediatric bladder/prostate-rhabdomyosarcoma, the rate of bladder preservation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is high, with an excellent oncological outcome. Information about functional urological long-term outcomes is rare.

Methods
Data of all patients who had undergone bladder-preserving surgery with or without brachytherapy at our institution between 2009 and 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Detailed urological function was assessed focusing on age-related continence, bladder capacity and urodynamic findings.

Results
We identified 40 patients, median age at surgery of 27 months (range 9–191), and 32 patients additionally received postoperative high-dose-rate brachytherapy. The median follow-up was 32.5 months (range 6–125). The bladder capacity increased from median 66.7% (21.1–180) of expected bladder capacity related to age 3 months after surgery to 87.4% (58.1–181.8) 9 months after surgery. In the group of aged > 6-year-old, continence was 94% (83% with brachytherapy, 100% without brachytherapy). Erectile function was normal in 92% (90% with brachytherapy, 100% without brachytherapy). Bladder capacity was more than 65% expected bladder capacity related to age in 70% (60% with brachytherapy, 86% without brachytherapy). 65% of all patients need neither anticholinergic drugs nor low-dose antibiotics (63% with brachytherapy, 71% without brachytherapy).

Conclusions
Bladder preservation with good functional outcome can be achieved in localized bladder/prostate-rhabdomyosarcoma. In selected cases, supportive brachytherapy additionally contributes to an improvement in the oncological outcome with calculable risks for bladder and erectile function. Careful urological aftercare should be a fixed priority after oncological follow-ups.