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Purpose: Aphasia, which is one of the most common consequences of stroke, has severe impact on everyday life. Quality of life in persons with aphasia changes dramatically. In the recent years, there has been a lot of interest in assessing health-related quality of life, but few questionnaires are adapted to people with aphasia (PwA). The Stroke Aphasia Quality of Life-39 scale (SAQOL-39) Generic Version is suitable for people with and without aphasia. Our study examined the reliability and validity of a translation of the SAQOL-39 g into Slovenian in Slovenian-speaking PwA. Methods: Translation, back-translation from English into Slovenian language was performed. Seventy-three PwA with broad range of severity and times post-onset of stroke were included in the study of psychometric properties of the Slovenian translation. Results: The psychometric properties in Slovenian version were quite similar to other languages, with high internal consistency and test-retest reliability (Cronbach alpha > 0.94; ICC ≥0.99). Conclusion: The Slovenian translation of the SAQOL-39 g is a valid and reliable measure of quality of life in PwA. It can be clinically used as an additional tool for goal setting in Slovenian PwA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is a benign and poorly understood disorder with complex management. Typical symptoms include straining during defaecation, rectal bleeding, tenesmus, mucoid secretion, anal pain and a sense of incomplete evacuation. Diagnosis is based on characteristic clinical symptoms and endoscopic/histological findings. Several treatments have been reported in the literature with variable ulcer healing rates. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different treatments for SRUS. Materials and methods: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis were performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies in English, French and Spanish languages were included. Papers written in other languages were excluded. Other exclusion criteria were reviews, case reports or clinical series enrolling less than five patients, study duplications, no clinical data of interest and no article available. A systematic literature search was conducted from January 2000 to March 2024 using the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. The biases of the studies were assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale or the Jadad scale when appropriate. Types of treatment and their efficacy for the cure of SRUS were collected and critically assessed. The study's primary outcome was to estimate the rate of patients with ulcer healing. Results: A total of 22 studies with 911 patients (men 361, women 550) diagnosed with SRUS were analysed in the final meta‐analysis. The pooled effect estimates of treatment efficacy revealed that surgery showed the highest ulcer healing rate (70.5%; 95% CI 0.57–0.83). Surgery was superior in the cure of ulcers with respect to medical therapies and biofeedback (OR 0.09 and OR 0.14). Conclusion: Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome is a challenging clinical entity to manage. Proficient results have been reported with the surgical approach, suggesting its positive role in cases refractory to medical and biofeedback therapy. Further studies in homogeneous populations are required to evaluate the efficacy of surgery in this setting. (PROSPERO registration number CRD42022331422). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the data on 876 patients after lower limb amputation who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation at the University Rehabilitation Institute in Ljubljana from 2015 to 2017. Upon admission, they were asked about falls at home and/or in the acute hospital since the amputation. The data on comorbidities was also recorded. Six months after discharge, the patients were asked about falls in their home environment. In addition, a test group took part in a short education during inpatient rehabilitation about fall prevention. We applied tobit, negative binomial, logistic, Poisson, zero-inflated Poisson and proportional odds regression models to assess the effect of potential fall risk factors. All regression models were fitted with main effects only. The models for falls during inpatient rehabilitation were adjusted for the length of hospital stay (either as offset variable or as predictor). Different regression models with different assumptions led to similar conclusions. A short-term effect of the education program was observed. Unilateral amputation, age, female sex, falls before admission to inpatient rehabilitation and stroke and/or myocardial infarction proved to be the main risk factors for falls at various stages after lower limb amputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While the use of computer-assisted navigation systems in prosthetic implantation is steadily increasing, its utility in reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of an intraoperative navigation system in patients undergoing RSA. Materials and methods: Patients undergoing navigated or standard RSA at a single institution between September 2020 and December 2021 were prospectively enrolled. Exclusion criteria included noncompliance with study procedures or humeral fracture. Outcome measures included postoperative version and inclination, range of motion (ROM), complications, and patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs: American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score [ASES], Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score [DASH], Simple Shoulder Test [SST], and Visual Analog Scale [VAS]) at final follow-up. Results: The final cohort contained 16 patients with navigation and 17 with standard RSA at a mean follow-up of 16 months (range 12–18 months). Average age was 72 years (range 66–80 years), 8 male (24%) and 25 female (76%). There were no differences in demographics between groups (p > 0.05). At baseline, the navigated group had a greater proportion of Walch B1 and B2 glenoids (p = 0.04). There were no differences between groups regarding baseplate type and native/planned/postoperative glenoid version and inclination. In both groups, planned and postoperative versions were not significantly different (p = 0.76). Patients who did not have navigation demonstrated significant differences between planned and postoperative inclination (p = 0.04), while those with navigation did not (p = 0.09). PROM scores did not differ between groups at final follow-up for SST (p = 0.64), DASH (p = 0.38), ASES (p = 0.77), or VAS (p = 0.1). No difference in final ROM was found between groups (p > 0.05). Over 50% of all screws in both groups were positioned outside the second cortex (p = 0.37), albeit with no complications. Conclusions: There were no statistically significant differences in ROM, PROMs, and satisfaction between patients receiving computer-navigated and standard RSA at a short-term follow-up. Despite more severe preoperative glenoid erosion in the navigated group, all patients were able to achieve an appropriate neutral axis postoperatively. The cost effectiveness and appropriate use of computer-navigated RSA warrant specific investigation in future studies. Level of evidence: II, prospective cohort study. Trial registration: 9/1/2020 to 12/31/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proximal humeral fractures are traditionally treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), but reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has emerged as an increasingly popular treatment option. Although ORIF with angular locking plates is a common treatment for proximal humerus fractures, prior reports suggest high failure and complication rates. Although RTSA has become an increasingly popular option for complex proximal humeral head fractures given its low complication rates, there are concerns it may lead to limited postoperative ROM. Thus, the optimal treatment for patients older than 70 years from a functional and radiographic perspective remains unclear.Questions/purposes: (1) In patients older than 70 years with three-part and four-part proximal humerus fractures, does RTSA result in better functional outcome scores (Constant, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES], and DASH scores) than ORIF with a locking plate? (2) Does RTSA result in greater ROM than ORIF? (3) Does RTSA result in a lower risk of complications than ORIF? (4) In patients with either procedure, what are the rates of negative radiographic outcomes in those treated with ORIF (such as malunion, bone resorption, malalignment, or avascular necrosis) or those with RTSA (such as resorption, notching, and loosening)? (5) At a minimum of 2 years of follow-up, does ORIF result in a greater number of revision procedures than RTSA?Methods: Between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2018, we treated 235 patients for a proximal humeral fracture. We considered only patients without previous ipsilateral fracture or surgery, other fractures, or radial nerve injuries; age older than 70 years; and patients without neurologic disease or cognitive dysfunction as potentially eligible. Sixty-nine percent (162 patients) of the patients were eligible; a further 31% (73 patients) were excluded because 18% (13 of 73 patients) did not meet the inclusion criteria, 62% (45 patients) underwent nonoperative treatment, and 21% (15 patients) declined to participate. Patients were nonrandomly allocated to receive RTSA if they had supraspinatus Goutallier/Fuchs Grade 3 or 4 atrophy or ORIF if they had supraspinatus Goutallier/Fuchs Grade 1 or 2 atrophy. This left 81 patients who were treated with RTSA and another 81 patients who were treated with ORIF. Among the 81 patients treated with RTSA, 11% (nine patients) were lost to the minimum study follow-up of 2 years or had incomplete datasets, leaving 89% (72 patients) for analysis. Among the 81 patients treated with ORIF, 19% (15 patients) were lost before the minimal study follow-up of 2 years or had incomplete datasets, leaving 82% (66 patients) for analysis. The median follow-up for both groups was 53 months (range 24 to 72 months). The mean age was 76 ± 2.9 years in the RTSA group and 73 ± 2.9 years in the ORIF group. In the RTSA group, 27 patients had a three-part fracture and 45 patients had a four-part fracture. In the ORIF group, 24 patients had three-part fractures and 42 patients had four-part fractures (p = 0.48). Shoulder function was assessed using functional outcome questionnaires (ASES, DASH, and Constant) and active ROM measurements. A surgical complication was defined as any instance of dislocations, fractures, adhesive capsulitis, nerve injuries, or surgical site infections. Radiographic outcomes after ORIF (malunion, tuberosity resorption, or avascular necrosis) and RTSA (notching and osteolysis) were assessed. In calculating the revision rate, we considered unplanned revision procedures only.Results: Compared with patients treated with ORIF, patients treated with RTSA had superior improvements in Constant (85.0 ± 7.0 versus 53.0 ± 5.0; mean difference 32 [95% CI 30 to 34]; p < 0.01), ASES (46.3 ± 3.7 versus 30.0 ± 3.5; mean difference 16 [95% CI 15 to 18]; p < 0.01), and DASH scores (40.5 ± 4.2 versus 30.5 ± 2.6; mean difference 10 [95% CI 9 to 11]; p < 0.01). The mean elevation was 135° ± 7° for patients with RTSA and 100° ± 6° for patients with ORIF (mean difference 35o [95% CI 33 to 37]; p < 0.01). The mean abduction was 131° ± 7° for patients with RTSA and 104° ± 6° for those with ORIF (mean difference 27o [95% CI 25° to 29°]; p < 0.01). The mean external rotation was 85° ± 5° for patients with RTSA and 64° ± 5° for those with ORIF (mean difference 21° [95% CI 19° to 23°]; p < 0.01). The mean internal rotation was 45° ± 6° for patients with RTSA and 40° ± 6° for those with ORIF (mean difference 5° [95% CI 3° to 7°]; p < 0.01). The risk of complications was not different between patients with ORIF and those with RTSA (5% [three of 66] versus 1% [one of 72]; relative risk 3.3 [95% CI 0.3 to 30.7]; p = 0.30). Among patients with ORIF, 8% had varus malunions (five of 66), 6% had resorption of the greater tuberosity (four of 66), and 2% had avascular necrosis of the humeral head (one of 66). In the RTSA group, 24% (17 of 72 patients) demonstrated reabsorption of periprosthetic bone and 79% of patients (57 of 72) exhibited no notching. The risk of revision was not different between the RTSA and ORIF groups (0% [0 of 72] versus 9% [six of 66]; relative risk 0.07 [95% CI 0.0 to 1.2]; p = 0.07).Conclusion: In patients older than 70 years with three-part and four-part proximal humerus fractures, primary RTSA resulted in better patient-reported outcome scores and better ROM than ORIF with an angular stable locking plate. Our findings might help surgeons decide between internal fixation and arthroplasty to surgically treat these injuries in older patients. Although RTSA seems to be a preferable treatment modality in view of these findings, longer follow-up is required to evaluate its longevity compared with ORIF with an angular locking plate. Dissimilar to ORIF, which is generally stable once healed, arthroplasties are at a continued risk for loosening and infection even after healing is complete.Level Of Evidence: Level II, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we tackle a key scheduling problem in a robotic arm-based food processing system, where multiple conveyors—an infeed conveyor that feeds food items to robotic arms and two tray lane conveyors, on which trays to batch food items are placed—are implemented. The target scheduling problem is to determine what item on an infeed conveyor belt is picked up by which robotic arm at what position, and on which tray the picked up item will be placed. This problem involves critical constraints, such as sequence-dependent processing time and dynamic item and tray positions. Moreover, due to the speed of the infeed conveyor and latency in the information about entering items into the system, this scheduling problem must be solved in near real time. To address these challenges, we propose a scheduling solution that first decomposes the original scheduling problem into sub-problems, where a sub-problem formulated as a goal program schedules robotic arms only for a single tray. The performance of the proposed solution approach is then tested under a simulation environment, and from the experiments, the proposed approach produces acceptable performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Telemedicine is emerging as an easy way to communicate between patients and surgeons. Use of telemedicine increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. WhatsApp is one of the most common smartphone applications for user-friendly telemedicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient perception of health quality and positive outcomes using a diary sent by the patient to the surgeon via WhatsApp during the first post-discharge week after proctologic surgery. Methods: Ninety-eight patients discharged after proctologic surgery at the Israelite Hospital of Rome and the AOU Policlinico Umberto I of Rome in 1 January–31 December 2019 were divided into two groups: the WhatsApp group (group A), (n = 36) and the no WhatsApp group (group B) (n = 62). Group A patients received a protocol to follow for the day-by-day diary during the first post-discharge week and sending it by WhatsApp to the surgeon. Group B patients only received recommendations at discharge. The tool's usefulness was assessed by a questionnaire one month after the intervention. Results: The two groups were homogeneous for age, sex, schooling, employment, and proctologic pathology. Group A patients had less difficulty keeping a diary (p < 0.0001). Group A patients had the perception of better follow-up post-discharge (p = 0.002). The use of the diary sent by WhatsApp significantly improved the perception of positive post-intervention outcomes (p = 0.007). WhatsApp was the only independent predictor of perception of post-surgical positive outcomes (odds ratio = 4.06; 95% CI 1.35–12.24; p = 0.01). Conclusions: The use of WhatsApp in the post-discharge period improves the lifestyle quality of the patients and their perception of the safety and quality of care received. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and volatile methylsiloxanes (VMSs) are key pollutants from the point of view of the operators of biogas plants. H2S poses corrosive hazards, while VMSs transform into difficult-to-remove deposits, reducing the availability and yield of biogas combustion equipment. This study provides a critical overview and evaluation (so-called SWOT analysis) of implemented and promising methods to reduce the content of the above pollutants in biogas, with particular emphasis on biological techniques. The aim of the analyses was to develop an innovative concept for a hybrid biological method for the combined removal of H2S and VMSs using the same device, i.e., a two-phase biotrickling filter (BTF), in which the organic phase that intensifies the mass transfer of VMSs is in the form of a low-viscosity methyl silicone oil. The finally developed technological schematic diagram includes the basic devices and media streams. The concept is characterized by closed media circuits and comprehensively solves the problem of purifying biogas from sewage sludge. In conclusion, key issues requiring further research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay at hand covers the operations on the southern flank of the German front in Yugoslavia from October 1944 to April 1945. During this period, the Germans managed to extricate their XXI Mountain Corps from virtual encirclement on two occasions (in Montenegro and the Bosna River Valley) and ultimately reinforce their hard-pressed main line in the Balkans with this battered, but still battle-worthy, formation. This article will provide the reader with a brief description of this little-known campaign and explain the reasons behind what was probably the Yugoslav Partisans’ greatest “lost victory” of the war. The main argument is that such an outcome was largely the result of the Yugoslav leadership’s refusal to award sufficient attention to this sector of the front and the internal political considerations, but also of the German army’s skillfully conducted defense. The article will also dwell on the battlefield effectiveness of both sides, and the Partisans’ efforts to become a regular army in both their outlook and operational manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to consider the water table rise into the unsaturated zone when designing subsurface irrigation systems that consist of buried perforated corrugated pipes. Corrections to pipe spacing equations for head losses due to perforations are based on the entrance resistance, which is derived for buried pipes operating in drainage mode. However, the boundary condition at the soil-pipe interface when operated in subsurface irrigation mode requires the use of the exit resistance to accurately account for perforations in the pipe wall. Simulations of a subsurface irrigation system with four soil textures, three lateral pipe spacings, and three buried depths were carried out, with the numerical model COMSOL, to demonstrate the effects of variable perforation characteristics on the transient water table rise into the unsaturated zone. Soil-water fluxes were also computed for the system when operated under steady-state conditions. The simulated water table rise exceeded or approached a predetermined target water level of 1.65 m above the buried pipes in coarse-textured soils (loamy sands and silt loams) with lateral pipe spacings as large as 10 m. Increasing the number and length of rectangular slots in the pipe wall (densely perforated) can reduce the water table response time to reach the target level by 15 h in a silt loam soil and 25 h in a clay soil. The optimum pipe spacing needed to sustain a soil-water flux of 6 mm d-1 (common to eastern Canada and the U.S. Midwest) can be increased from 15.1 to 16.2 m in loamy sands by using densely perforated pipes. In contrast, increasing perforations in pipes buried in clays and sandy clays will result in pipe spacing increases of less than 0.2 m because these fine-textured soils have lower hydraulic conductivity. This study has demonstrated that variable perforation characteristics can be included in the analysis and design of subsurface drainage systems for improving water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tremendous growth in communication and media technology and the wide availability of cheaper end using devices have made 3D video communication very popular due to its immersive experience. It has been observed that a 3D video can be produced either by direct accusation using a 3D camera (say real 3D video) or by rendering from a set of 2D images (say fake 3D video). There are several occasions where it is required to distinguish between such real and fake 3D video sequences. In this paper, an algorithm is proposed which can distinguish the real 3D video from the fake one. A set of distinguishing features has been identified which are primarily based on the vertical parallax and sharpness peculiarities of object edges due to 3D acquisition process and rendering. Finally, two different supervised learning classifiers (Support Vector Machines and Linear discriminant analysis), are being trained using these features to detect the fake 3D video sequences. A comprehensive set of experiments has been carried out to justify the applicability of the proposed detection scheme over the recent existing scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a complex process that begins with regaining totipotency in some somatic cells, proceeds through embryo development and maturation, and ends with the formation of a whole plant. Since the first publications on SE in 1958, this regeneration process has been applied to the in vitro propagation of many plant species and has led to the development of some specific model systems. SE has been used to expand our understanding of the cytomorphological, physiological, biochemical, and genetic processes that govern the earliest developmental events in the life of plants. This paper summarizes the achievements of Polish research groups working on SE systems established for several plants (gentians, the tree fern Cyathea delgadii Sternb., and conifers) and three model species (Arabidopsis thaliana, Medicago sativa, and M. truncatula). SE systems have used a broad spectrum of experimental approaches involving genomic tools (transcriptomics, proteomics, and chromatin analyses), physiological methods which focus on phytohormones, and cytological techniques. Studies on the experimental models of A. thaliana and Medicago spp. have resulted in the identification of new genetic and epigenetic elements of the complex regulatory network controlling embryogenic induction in plant somatic cells. The protocol developed for ferns has provided a unique and simple system for cytological analysis of early SE events that occur in a single cell of initial explants. Gentian embryogenic suspension cultures have successfully been used in broad biotechnological applications, including plant transformation, protoplast isolation, culture, and fusion. Systems described for coniferous species effectively produced many vigorous somatic seedlings and cost-efficient storage of genotypes during clonal field-testing. The research undertaken by Polish scientists has resulted in developing experimental systems that have enabled significant advances in SE knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam discharge produces noise due to rapid expansion and a temperature drop of ejected steam. This is why steam silencers are used to change one-stage into multi-stage expansion, which reduces the intensity of pressure and temperature drop during this process and shifts emitted noise into higher frequencies, which are easier to dampen. This paper presents a flow-acoustic numerical model of a steam silencer. It is meant to help to obtain a precise analysis of phenomena occurring in steam silencers and improve the process of designing this type of device. The model described in this paper was based on the parameters of a real working unit manufactured in the Institute of Power Engineering - Thermal Technology Branch. Most of the steam silencers are designed based on construction guidelines that have not been changed for a long time. This restrained an increase in the acoustics efficiency of the steam silencers. An improvement of their flow and acoustic properties allows for the development of smaller, more efficient, and lighter construction. The current version of the model was used for the analysis of flow and acoustic changes which occur after modifying the lower region of a shell of the steam silencer. The proposed modification allowed for a 19% increase in mass flow rate through the silencer and noise reduction in the low-frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gadolinium-enhancing lesions reflect active disease and are critical for in-patient monitoring in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this work, we have developed the first fully automated method to segment and count the gadolinium-enhancing lesions from routine clinical MRI of MS patients. The proposed method first segments the potential lesions using 2D-UNet from multi-channel scans (T1 post-contrast, T1 pre-contrast, FLAIR, T2, and proton-density) and classifies the lesions using a random forest classifier. The algorithm was trained and validated on 600 MRIs with manual segmentation. We compared the effect of loss functions (Dice, cross entropy, and bootstrapping cross entropy) and number of input contrasts. We compared the lesion counts with those by radiologists using 2,846 images. Dice, lesion-wise sensitivity, and false discovery rate with full 5 contrasts were 0.698, 0.844, and 0.307, which improved to 0.767, 0.969, and 0.00 in large lesions (>100 voxels). The model using bootstrapping loss function provided a statistically significant increase of 7.1% in sensitivity and of 2.3% in Dice compared with the model using cross entropy loss. T1 post/pre-contrast and FLAIR were the most important contrasts. For large lesions, the 2D-UNet model trained using T1 pre-contrast, FLAIR, T2, PD had a lesion-wise sensitivity of 0.688 and false discovery rate 0.083, even without T1 post-contrast. For counting lesions in 2846 routine MRI images, the model with 2D-UNet and random forest, which was trained with bootstrapping cross entropy, achieved accuracy of 87.7% using T1 pre-contrast, T1 post-contrast, and FLAIR when lesion counts were categorized as 0, 1, and 2 or more. The model performs well in routine non-standardized MRI datasets, allows large-scale analysis of clinical datasets, and may have clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive fructose intake including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may be responsible for increase of obesity occurrence. This study was designed to find potential differences in duodenal fructose transporters on mRNA and protein levels between obese and normal weight children and adolescents. We performed a cross-sectional study on a group of 106 hospitalized patients aged 12 to 18. Glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and glucose transporter 5 (GLUT5) mRNA as well as protein levels (ELISA and Western blot methods) were assessed in duodenal mucosa biopsies of the patients categorized as obese or normal weight. Additionally, the expression of the aforementioned transporters was analyzed in patients based on the presence of insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MS). In children with obesity, increased duodenal protein levels of GLUT5 (Relative protein GLUT5 expression/ACTB) (0.027 ​± ​0.009 vs. 0.011 ​± ​0.006, p ​< ​0.05) but not GLUT2 as compared with the normal weight group, were revealed. No significant differences in duodenal relative GLUT2 and GLUT5 genes expression between the studied groups were found. There was no relationship between the presence of IR or MS and intestinal mRNA GLUT2 and GLUT5 as well as GLUT2 protein expression. The upregulation of the duodenal GLUT5 may contribute to obesity occurrence in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about the epistemological unity of psychology may be attributed to the plurality of outlooks and methods, as well as to an ostensible gap between scientific psychology and professional practice. Such a gap threatens the identity of psychology and also hinders the adequate development of its practical dimension. Scientific psychology mainly adopts a naturalistic outlook and calls for a subpersonal account of psychological phenomena. Opponents of such an approach to psychology maintain that human events have unique features and call for a personalistic account of them. The adoption of an approach underscoring the centrality of personhood—that acknowledges the specificity of the personal domain—may bridge the gap between science and practice, promoting the feasibility of practical psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) nucleases has transformed biotechnology by providing an easy, efficient, and versatile platform for editing DNA. However, traditional CRISPR-based technologies initiate editing by activating DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways, which can cause adverse effects in cells and restrict certain therapeutic applications of the technology. To this end, several new CRISPR-based modalities have been developed that are capable of catalyzing editing without the requirement for a DSB. Here, we review three of these technologies: base editors, prime editors, and RNA-targeting CRISPR-associated protein (Cas)13 effectors. We discuss their strengths compared to traditional gene-modifying systems, we highlight their emerging therapeutic applications, and we examine challenges facing their safe and effective clinical implementation. Next-generation CRISPR technologies hold the potential to expand the capabilities of therapeutic editing. Advanced CRISPR modalities harness the versatility and programmability of traditional CRISPR systems but can catalyze highly precise editing outcomes without a DNA double‐strand break. Next-generation CRISPR technologies include base editors, prime editors, and RNA-targeting Cas13 effectors. The continued refinement of these technologies could enable their safe and effective implementation to treat a range of disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between autumn 1943 and autumn 1944, the Wehrmacht's 2nd Panzer Army applied novel methods to stem the ever-growing tide of Yugoslavia's partisan movement. During the first two years of the uprising, the German doctrine for combating the guerrillas was based almost entirely on brute force; in battlefield terms, this amounted to persistent use of classic large-scale encirclement operations aimed at breaking particularly dangerous enemy concentrations. After it had become clear that this wasn't working, the Germans slowly began applying a more diversified approach in late 1943, including more reliance on small unit tactics, flexible operational planning, and subversive propaganda. Although initially successful, these methods came too late to make a strategic impact on the course of the Yugoslavia campaign. Furthermore, they could not offset the effects of Berlin's long-standing refusal to dedicate more resources to this secondary theater of war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural response of small diameter (<300 mm) corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) drainage pipes installed on agricultural lands, has not been thoroughly examined. Additionally, characteristics of imposed wheel loads from agricultural field machinery are not adequately represented in conventional structural design practises for buried pipes. This study investigates the response of single-wall corrugated HDPE pipes (100 mm diameter) under loading from 12 agricultural soil textures, two water table positions, and three agri-machinery wheel loads using a finite-element-based numerical model. Effects from two friction conditions (smooth and bonded) at the soil-pipe interface were assessed. Simulations were also done to determine the impact of variable perforation characteristics (shape, size, and configuration) on the stress distribution and deformation of the corrugated pipes. The results show that bonded friction conditions generally induce larger stresses in the pipe wall than smooth friction conditions, but the differences are not statistically significant across all soil and load types. The critical load case occurs for a loaded grain wagon on silt loam soils. The results also indicate that perforations in the pipe wall induce high stress concentrations at the edges of rectangular slots and circular holes, increasing the risk for failure by ductile yielding. Specifically, corrugated HDPE pipes perforated with 5.6 mm diameter holes produce stresses that exceed the yield strength at buried depths shallower than 0.9 m. In conclusion, perforation characteristics should be considered when assessing the structural adequacy of corrugated HDPE pipes for land drainage. • Friction at the soil-pipe interface has no effect on corrugated pipe wall stresses. • The critical load case occurs for a loaded grain wagon on silt loam soils. • Non-perforated pipes are unlikely to fail by ductile yielding under field traffic. • Vertical deflection under all loading conditions are <5% of the pipe diameter. • Perforations may cause failure due to high stress concentrations in the pipe wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the anatomical reconstruction on the radial tuberosity could be superior to the non-anatomical repair by tenodesis on brachialis, in terms of clinical outcomes and isokinetic evaluation to treat distal biceps brachii tendon ruptures. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated 36 patients at the final follow up; 16 were treated with the anatomical technique (Group A) and 20 with the non-anatomical (Group B). The isokinetic testing was used to assess the functional performance of both arms during flexion/extension and supination/pronation. We determined the Peak Torque, Total Work and Endurance. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the main evaluation scales (DASH, Oxford Elbow score and MEPS). The Wilcoxon Two-Sample Test and the Chi-Square were used to evaluate the differences between the two groups for quantitative variables and qualitative variables, respectively. Results. According to clinical score, both treatments were considered satisfactory. The dynamometric tests demonstrated an overall superiority of the anatomical group compared to the non-anatomical group, with a statistical significant difference (p < 0.05) in the Peak Torque evaluated in flexion both at 90°/seconds and at 210°/seconds. The dominant arms achieved better results compared to the non-dominant extremities in all the tests. No major complications in any of the patients were reported. Conclusions. The anatomical technique using transosseous tunnels is a safe and effective procedure when used in acute patients. Although the non-anatomical treatment presented satisfactory results, the anatomical treatment is able to significantly reduce all the residual functional deficits usually present after the repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the most reliable radiographic measurement method to evaluate PTS as a risk factor for ACL reconstruction failure.Methods: Patients who underwent ACL reconstruction or ACL revision reconstruction between January 2009 and December 2014 by a single surgeon were included. Fifty-two consecutive patients who underwent ACL revision reconstruction were compared to a random selection of 52 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction and a control group of 52 patients without ACL injury. ACL reconstruction was performed using either ipsilateral (primary) or contralateral (revision) quadrupled hamstring autograft. Lateral knee radiographs were evaluated using three methods: (1) longitudinal axis, (2) anterior tibial cortex axis, and (3) posterior tibial cortex.Results: A significant difference was found between subjects who underwent ACL reconstruction and control knees (6.79° vs. 5.31°, p = 0.046) using the posterior tibial cortex method. No other statistical significance was found between groups. A multiple linear regression analysis found that the PTS as measured by any method was not affected by the patient's age, sex, height, weight, and BMI. All methods of measurement for PTS demonstrated excellent (ICC > 0.90) intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, but only the posterior tibial cortex method maintained excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability (ICC > 0.90) when evaluating patients with ACL revision reconstruction.Conclusions: The posterior tibial cortex measurement is the most reliable method for analyzing the PTS on lateral knee radiographs in patients undergoing ACL revision reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of science is to provide an account of what is going on behind the phenomena we experience. In psychology, such a task may be approached from two different perspectives. For those espousing a naturalistic–monistic approach, it implies accounting for human behavior via an appeal to explanations by causes. To exponents of a humanistic–pluralistic approach, it will instead entail adopting a teleological outlook via an appeal to explanations by reasons. While presented as an attempt to restore the latter framework to psychological research, Arocha's account ends up unintentionally endorsing the former, which he purports to reject. It is herein asserted that psychology requires the adoption of a genuinely teleological—that is to say, intentionalistic—framework to account for what is going on behind the observable, thereby contributing to addressing the replication crisis and laying the ground for reforming psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical compounds are considered emerging environmental pollutants that have a potential harmful impact on environment and human health. In this study, the spiky green horse-chestnut shell was used for the biosorption and removal of acetaminophen from aqueous solution. It was analysed how the parameters, like contact time, pH, mass of biosorbent and temperature, influence the effectiveness of acetaminophen removal from aqueous solutions. The equilibrium was quickly achieved after 10 min (∼60%). The amount of acetaminophen adsorption slightly increased with the increase of the mass of biosorbent, and for example for an aqueous solution containing 10 mg/L of acetaminophen adsorption was increased from 62% to 81%. The promising results obtained at pH ranged between 2 and 9, which shows that the adsorption of acetaminophen did not depend on the pH and it may be a consequence of the predominant microporous sorbent and its surface charge. The result is better correlated to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model of type 2 (r2 = 0.9992) than pseudo-first-order. A sorption mechanism of acetaminophen on biosorbent was also proposed. The sorption of acetaminophen over biosorbent is mainly preceded by hydrophilic interactions between hydroxyl and carbonyl groups in pharmaceutical molecules and hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the surface of biosorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrugated high density polyethylene pipes, where groundwater enters through perforations on the pipe wall, are widely used in subsurface drainage systems on agricultural lands. There has been a growing interest in using circular holes in the valleys of corrugated pipes to improve the hydraulic performance of subsurface drains. However, the effects of these circular perforations on the entrance resistance (αe), delivery ratio (Q/Q0), drain spacing, and water table drawdown have not been adequately investigated for corrugated pipes. This study uses a numerical model, calibrated with datasets from sand tank experiments, to simulate the effects of perforation shape, size, and configuration on αe and Q/Q0. The results show that Q/Q0 in corrugated pipes with circular holes is 20% lower than that for plain wall pipes with the same perforation configuration. Perforations shaped as rectangular slots have half the αe of circular holes with the same surface area. It is concluded that the use of rectangular slots is hydraulically more advantageous than circular holes in the valleys of corrugated pipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial networks are currently the only communication means designed for real-time systems used in industry. Networked control systems (NCS) are still important and commonly used type of such systems operating on shop floor. As a computerized node of NCS, a programmable logic controller (PLC) is usually used. In most cases, contemporary devices of such kind are equipped with more than one network interface of various types. Typically, only one interface is activated in NCS. Sometimes, the other is used for communication between NCS and supervisory systems. Occasionally, it is additionally involved in the data transmission in the factory IT systems. In general, however, using a single network interface is a more common solution. In this paper, the mutual utilization of more than one interface is discussed in order to back up the NCS network and to manage the node-related traffic within the scope of higher level services. The question of dependability of such a system from the electromagnetic compatibility point of view is discussed. The example is provided based on Profinet via wired and wireless connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A three-phased catalyst-free reversible aza-Michael reaction in water was studied. • Four kinetic and one novel thermodynamic parameters were determined. • Temperature and NH 3 pressure have the most profound impact on reaction progress. • Aza-Michael acceptor solubility is the limiting factor for reaction conversion. • The presented methodology may be transferred to other heterogeneous reactions. The present research study describes a combined experimental-modelling approach to examine the three-phased catalyst-free reversible aza-Michael addition of NH 3 to the vinyl sulfone pharmaceutical intermediate in water. A series of batch experiments using gaseous NH 3 were performed to thoroughly evaluate the impact of reaction temperature, NH 3 pressure, starting material loading, and starting material quality on reactant solubility, convective mass transfer, and reaction kinetics in the system. A rigorous in-house mechanistic mathematical model was developed. All unknown parameters were determined through nonlinear regression fitting of experimental and simulated quantitative results. Aza-Michael addition kinetics and starting material equilibrium solubility were found to be highly temperature-dependent and had the biggest applicative effect on the maximum aza-Michael reaction rate, which was also confirmed by sensitivity analysis technique. Boundary diffusion of reactants was shown not to be the limiting controlling factor under the chosen operating conditions. Ammonia pressure was found to be important through its impact on the saturated concentration of NH 3. Varying starting material load had impact solely on the time required to reach system equilibrium due to solute concentration limitations. Reverse NH 3 elimination reaction kinetics was shown to be independent on changing all input operating conditions. The specific methodology grants a novel engineering approach for treating complex interrelated multi-phased heterogeneous compositions in active pharmaceutical ingredient reaction systems, which may be applied early in industrial process development, when a small continuous amount of raw data sets is available, the quantity of impurities varies, and simulations can aid intensification. It may be easily transferred to other similar environments for assistance in process development, optimization, and scale-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Object memorability prediction is a task of estimating the probability that a human recognises the recurrence of an object after a single view. Initial research on object memorability showed that it is possible to predict the object memorability scores from the intrinsic features of an object. Though the existing works proposed some of the features for object memorability prediction task, the influence of Spatial-location and Spatial-size of an object to its memorability have not been explored yet. In this work, the importance of these two characteristics in determining object memorability prediction is investigated and the same is demonstrated by building a baseline model. Further, a deep learning model is devised for automatic feature learning on these two object characteristics. Experimental results highlight that the Spatial-location and Spatial-size of an object play a significant role in object memorability prediction and the proposed models outperformed the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care workers, especially those in emergency medicine centres, are highly exposed to workplace stress because of their concern for the patients, professional responsibility, interactions within the work team, night shifts, and demands of the relatives and the general public. We conducted a survey that included the Workplace Stress in Health Care questionnaire among the employees of the Emergency Medicine Centre of the Slovenj Gradec General Hospital. It was returned by 33 of the 35 employees. We could not confirm the association between night shifts and workplace stress, but we observed more stress among the employees with more years of service. We could not reliably confirm a difference in perceived workplace stress between women and men. We found out that supervision is practically non-existent in the studied organisation, or it is voluntary and therefore attended very rarely. Hence, we suggest the Emergency Medicine Centre of the Slovenj Gradec General Hospitalto introduce mandatory supervision; we also recommend them to minimise night shifts or assign those employees to night shifts who perceive them as less stressful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new comb-like stereoregular cyclolinear methylsiloxane copolymers exhibiting the self-assembling behaviour have been designed and studied. For the resulting macromolecular materials, the chiral mesogenic unit, namely (S)-(-)-4-[1-ethoxycarbonyl)ethoxycarbonyl]phenyl-4′-[11-tetramethyldisiloxyl)-undecenyloxy)-biphenyl-4′-carboxylate, has been used as a side group to assure the mesomorphic behaviour. The mesomorphic and structural properties were studied by the polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and small-/wide-angle X-ray diffraction techniques. The designed copolymers form the orthogonal smectic A* and the tilted smectic C* phases over relatively broad temperature range, down to room temperatures. The obtained results are discussed in order to contribute to better understanding of the molecular architecture-nano-organisation relationship for a specific type of macromolecular system based on the lactic acid derivatives used as a flexible side groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area is the Namibian part of the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin (CEB), located in central northern Namibia. The CEB is home to 40 % of Namibia’s population, and most of the people live in rural areas. These people depend on both surface and groundwater resources which are limited in this dryland (mean annual rainfall ranging from 250 to 550 mm/a). The isotopic signatures of δ18O and δ2H from water samples (n = 61) collected over a course of 9 years from various research projects and existing (but mainly unpublished) data of meteoric water of the CEB (10 sites) were evaluated and local meteoric water lines (LMWLs) developed. Further, the data is discussed in the context of seasonal characteristics and trends and compared to available data from the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) for the southern African region. Our results extend the portfolio of previously published LMWLs for southern Africa and provide a more precise baseline for any isotope-based study in that region. The slope of the LMWL from the GNIP stations correlates with latitude. This correlation cannot be found within the CEB. The dominant control on the isotopic signature of the CEB of precipitation is seasonal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a scenario characterized by unpredictable developments, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, epidemiological models have played a leading part, having been especially widely deployed for forecasting purposes. In this paper, two real-world examples of modeling are examined in support of the proposition that science can convey inconsistent as well as genuinely perspectival representations of the world. Reciprocally inconsistent outcomes are grounded on incompatible assumptions, whereas perspectival outcomes are grounded on compatible assumptions and illuminate different aspects of the same object of interest. In both cases, models should be viewed as expressions of specific assumptions and unconstrained choices on the part of those designing them. The coexistence of a variety of models reflects a primary feature of science, namely its pluralism. It is herein proposed that recent over-exposure to science’s inner workings and disputes such as those pertaining to models, may have led the public to perceive pluralism as a flaw—or more specifically, as disunity or fragmentation, which in turn may have been interpreted as a sign of unreliability. In conclusion, given the inescapability of pluralism, suggestions are offered as to how to counteract distorted perceptions of science, and thereby enhance scientific literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to assess the effects of long-term application of liquid manure from pig production and digestate from manure fermentation installation for biogas production on chemical changes in the soil, i.e.: soil reaction, accumulation of available forms of phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in the soil arable layer, as well as the phosphorus balance. The assessment was carried out in two highly productive farms specialising in pig production, located in the Zachodniopomorskie Province. The soils under the study were treated with slurry and digestate annually for subsequent 12 years. The assessment of changes in nutrient content and accumulation was performed twice: after 10 and 12 years of fertiliser treatments. The rate of changes in soil reaction due to slurry and digestate application varied depending on the analysed field. Irrespective of the analysed field, 12-year application of slurry caused a drop in soil pH by an average of half a unit. The direction of changes in the content of available nutrient forms in the soil varied depending on the element evaluated. Notwithstanding the analysed field and the type of slurry used, a decrease in the content of available forms of potassium in the soil was observed. Slurry fertilisation did not affect magnesium contents in the soil. In the study period, the content of magnesium remained unchanged. Among the evaluated nutrients, an increased nutrient content in the soil was only found in the case of phosphorus - as a result of application of liquid manure in combination with mineral fertilisation. In the analysed farms, in the case of fields fertilised with slurry and digestate, the phosphorus balance was positive, and ranged from 15 to 40 kg P·ha-1. The obtained values of the phosphorous balance strongly suggest that regardless of the type of liquid manure used on the farm, measures should be taken to introduce changes in the scope of fertilisation plans, with particular emphasis on the principles of balanced fertilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CRISPR-Cas9 is a versatile tool for genome engineering that has revolutionized biotechnology and is poised to impact medicine. Recent advances in the identification of unique CRISPR systems, as well as the re-engineering of the Cas9 protein for expanded function, has enabled the diversification of the CRISPR genome engineering toolbox. In this review, we highlight these innovations and discuss how advances in CRISPR technology can lead to breakthroughs in the field of gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-step process to synthesize racemic lorcaserin was developed from 2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol via formation of bromide or tosylate derivatives. These derivatives were reacted with allylamine in neat conditions to provide pure N-(4-chlorophenethyl)allylammonium chloride. This compound was cyclized in neat conditions using aluminum or zinc chloride to give racemic lorcaserin. After resolution of enantiomers, the wrong enantiomer was racemized and recycled to give new R-lorcaserin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. In particular, autosomal dominant mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene are responsible for ~20% of all familial ALS cases. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas9) genome editing system holds the potential to treat autosomal dominant disorders by facilitating the introduction of frameshift-induced mutations that can disable mutant gene function. We demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 can be harnessed to disrupt mutant SOD1 expression in the G93A-SOD1 mouse model of ALS following in vivo delivery using an adeno-associated virus vector. Genome editing reduced mutant SOD1 protein by >2.5-fold in the lumbar and thoracic spinal cord, resulting in improved motor function and reduced muscle atrophy. Crucially, ALS mice treated by CRISPR-mediated genome editing had ~50% more motor neurons at end stage and displayed a ~37% delay in disease onset and a ~25% increase in survival compared to control animals. Thus, this study illustrates the potential for CRISPR-Cas9 to treat SOD1-linked forms of ALS and other central nervous system disorders caused by autosomal dominant mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification is recognized as the advanced stage of atherosclerosis burden. We hypothesized that vascular calcium quantification in CT angiography (CTA) would be helpful to differentiate large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) from other stroke etiology in patients with ischemic stroke. We studied 375 acute ischemic stroke patients (200 males, mean age 69.9 years) who underwent complete CTA images of the aortic arch, neck, and head. The automatic artery and calcification segmentation method measured calcification volumes in the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA), cervical carotid artery, and aortic arch using deep-learning U-net model and region-grow algorithms. We investigated the correlations and patterns of vascular calcification in the different vessel beds among stroke etiology by age category (young: <65 years, intermediate: 65–74 years, older ≥75 years). Ninety-five (25.3%) were diagnosed with LAA according to TOAST criteria. Median calcification volumes were higher by increasing the age category in each vessel bed. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction showed calcification volumes in all vessel beds were significantly higher in LAA compared with other stroke subtypes in the younger subgroup. Calcification volumes were independently associated with LAA in intracranial ICA (OR; 2.89, 95% CI 1.56–5.34, P =.001), cervical carotid artery (OR; 3.40, 95% CI 1.94–5.94, P <.001) and aorta (OR; 1.69, 95%CI 1.01–2.80, P =.044) in younger subsets. By contrast, the intermediate and older subsets did not show a significant relationship between calcification volumes and stroke subtypes. Atherosclerosis calcium volumes in major vessels were significantly higher in LAA compared to non-LAA stroke in younger age. • The significance of vascular calcification in differentiating stroke mechanisms is incompletely understood. • Vascular calcification was quantified in the 3 major vessel beds (intracranial internal ICA, cervical carotid artery, and aortic arch). • Calcification volumes were higher by increasing the age stratum in each vascular bed. • Calcification volumes were higher in large artery atherosclerosis compared to other stroke mechanisms in younger age category, but not in intermediate and older subsets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whole Health (WH) is a patient-centered model of care being implemented by the Veterans Health Administration. Little is known about how use of WH services impacts patients' health and well-being. Objective: We sought to assess the association of WH utilization with pain and other patient-reported outcomes (PRO) over 6 months. Design: A longitudinal observational cohort evaluation, comparing changes in PRO surveys for WH users and Conventional Care (CC) users. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance the two groups on observed demographic and clinical characteristics. Participants: A total of 9689 veterans receiving outpatient care at 18 VA medical centers piloting WH. Interventions: WH services included goal-setting clinical encounters, Whole Health coaching, personal health planning, and well-being services. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was change in pain intensity and interference at 6 months using the 3-item PEG. Secondary outcomes included satisfaction, experiences of care, patient engagement in healthcare, and well-being. Key Results: By 6 months,1053 veterans had utilized WH and 3139 utilized only CC. Baseline pain PEG scores were 6.2 (2.5) for WH users and 6.4 (2.3) for CC users (difference p = 0.028), improving by − 2.4% (p = 0.006) and − 2.3% (p < 0.001), respectively. In adjusted analyses, WH use was unassociated with greater improvement in PEG scores compared to CC − 1.0% (− 2.9%, 1.2%). Positive trends were observed for 8 of 15 exploratory outcomes for WH compared to CC. WH use was associated with greater improvements at 6 months in likelihood to recommend VA 2.0% (0.9%, 3.3%); discussions of goals 11.8% (8.2%, 15.5%); perceptions of healthcare interactions 2.5% (0.4%, 4.6%); and engagement in health behaviors 2.2% (0.3%, 3.9%). Conclusion: This study provides early evidence supporting the delivery of WH patient-centered care services to improve veterans' experiences of and engagement in care. These are important first-line impacts towards the goals of better overall health and well-being outcomes for Veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern parts of Yugoslavia were the site of savage fighting between October and December 1944, as the German Army Group E tried to force its way out of an almost desperate situation it had found itself in following the evacuation of Greece. Against all odds, this huge German formation managed to best three Allied armies, rugged terrain, and autumn rains and reach the relative safety of the Independent State of Croatia, where it joined the remainder of the Axis front in the Balkans. Although this dramatic episode had been extensively written about in the former Yugoslavia and Germany, it received next to no attention in the English-speaking academic community. The article at hand will provide an overview and an analysis of military operations based on a wide plethora of primary and secondary sources of all sides. It will also argue that the ultimate success of the breakthrough was as much due to the unwillingness of the Soviet high command to devote more resources to the Balkan Front, and the structural weaknesses of the Bulgarian and Yugoslav Partisans’ armies, as it was to the battlefield prowess of the Wehrmacht. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background An anal fissure (AF) is a tear in the epithelial lining of the anal canal. This is a very common condition, but the choice of treatment is unclear. The use of anal dilators is effective, economic, and safe. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of two conservative treatments, the use of anal dilators or a finger for anal dilatation, in reducing anal pressure and resolving anal fissures. Methods Fifty patients with a clinical diagnosis of AF were randomly assigned to one of the treatments, self-massage of the anal sphincter (group A, 25 patients) or passive dilatation using dilators (group B, 25 patients). All patients were evaluated at baseline, at the end of treatment, and after 12 weeks and 6 months. Pain was measured using a visual analog scale. Results After the treatment, 60% of patients treated with dilators and 80% of patients treated with anal self-massage using a finger showed disappearance of their anal fissures. A comparison between signs and symptoms reported by the patients in the two groups showed a statistically significant reduction in anal pain (group A, P=0.0001; group B, P=0.0001) and bleeding after defecation (group A, P=0.001, group B, P=0.001). At 6 months after treatment, a significantly greater reduction in anal pain was observed in Group A compared to Group B (P=0.02). Conclusion The use of anal self-massage with a finger appears to induce a better resolution of acute anal fissure than do anal dilators, and in a shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and their role in supporting businesses are out of discussion. Digitalization will be the challenge in the next coming years. Greater emphasis on quality as perceived by customers, cost control, and a more rigorous and quantitative way of measuring and managing services will become imperative in the next few years. It will be the key to success for the smarter ICT Company. The approach proposed inverts views and priorities: the constraints and rigidity of ICT no longer condition business, business priorities direct and guide the ICT operations. It retrieves and adapts to ICT well-established manufacturing criteria and concepts such as the bill of materials and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English-language historiography has paid scant attention to the events in Yugoslavia in spring 1945, despite the fact that the combined strength of the armies pitted against each other amounted to around 800,000 men, and that it was the only front in Europe which was held independently by a junior member of the anti-Hitler coalition. This article provides an analysis of both the capitulation of the German Army Group E, and the widely diverging descriptions of the same event offered by German and Yugoslav authors. The main argument presented here is that the Yugoslav leadership, prompted by both internal and foreign policy considerations, did not shirk from using less-than-honourable methods to achieve its aims. In doing this, the article will also provide insights into the functioning of the historiography of the socialist era when dealing with potentially embarrassing issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authenticated ciphers are cryptographic transformations which combine the functionality of confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. This research uses register transfer-level (RTL) design to describe selected authenticated ciphers using a hardware description language (HDL), verifies their proper operation through functional simulation, and implements them on target FPGAs. The authenticated ciphers chosen for this research are the CAESAR Round Two variants of SCREAM, POET, Minalpher, and OMD. Ciphers are discussed from an engineering standpoint, and are compared and contrasted in terms of design features. To ensure conformity and standardization in evaluation, all four candidates are implemented with an identical version of the CAESAR Hardware API for authenticated ciphers. Functionally correct implementations of all four ciphers are realized, and results are compared against each other and previous results in terms of throughput, area, and throughput-to-area (TP/A) ratio. SCREAM is found to have the highest TP/A ratio of these four ciphers in the Virtex-6 FPGA, while Minalpher has the highest TP/A ratio in the Virtex-7 FPGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Extensive modulation of numerous ARF transcripts in the embryogenic culture of Arabidopsis indicates a substantial role of auxin signaling in the mechanism of somatic embryogenesis induction. Abstract: Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is induced by auxin in plants and auxin signaling is considered to play a key role in the molecular mechanism that controls the embryogenic transition of plant somatic cells. Accordingly, the expression of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR ( ARF) genes in embryogenic culture of Arabidopsis was analyzed. The study revealed that 14 of the 22 ARFs were transcribed during SE in Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that the expression of six ARFs ( ARF5, ARF6, ARF8, ARF10, ARF16, and ARF17) was significantly up-regulated, whereas five other genes ( ARF1, ARF2, ARF3, ARF11, and ARF18) were substantially down-regulated in the SE-induced explants. The activity of ARFs during SE was also monitored with GFP reporter lines and the ARFs that were expressed in areas of the explants engaged in SE induction were detected. A functional test of ARFs transcribed during SE was performed and the embryogenic potential of the arf mutants and overexpressor lines was evaluated. ARFs with a significantly modulated expression during SE coupled with an impaired embryogenic response of the relevant mutant and/or overexpressor line, including ARF1, ARF2, ARF3, ARF5, ARF6, ARF8, and ARF11 were indicated as possibly being involved in SE induction. The study provides evidence that embryogenic induction strongly depends on ARFs, which are key regulators of the auxin signaling. Some clues on the possible functions of the candidate ARFs, especially ARF5, in the mechanism of embryogenic transition are discussed. The results provide guidelines for further research on the auxin-related functional genomics of SE and the developmental plasticity of somatic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study briefly the role played by the locally uniformly rotund (LUR) norm and Frechet differentiability of a norm on the Banach space theory. Our old outstanding open Problem 3.8 mentioned below is the main object of this paper. We study nearly about it and find some additional assumptions on the space attached with this problem to obtain its positive or negative answer. We investigate different results related to these norms and their duals on different settings. In particular, we introduce reflexive spaces, Banach spaces with unconditional basis, weakly locally uniformly rotund (WLUR) norm, Almost locally uniformly rotund (ALUR) norm, strongly exposed point, sub-differentiability and ϵ-sub-differentiability, σ-slicely continuity, weakly compactly generated (WCG) Banach spaces with ck -smooth norms, Symulian's Theorem, and some technical lemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a comprehensive set of schemes to generate Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) IDs out of raw results generated by multiple PUF designs. Software scripts have been developed to generate the PUF IDs using five different schemes. We also propose a set of PUF metrics that are based on the Worst Case (WC) PUF performance. Values of these metrics, for the Ring Oscillator (RO) PUF and SR-Latch PUF, have been presented and analyzed in the paper. Additionally, the effect of choosing different parameters on PUF quality metrics is thoroughly analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RATIONALE: The ability to recover the isotopic signature of water added to soil samples that have previously been ovendried decreases with the increasing presence of silt and clay. The effects on the isotopic signature of water associated with physicochemical soil properties are not yet fully understood, for either hydration or dehydration of soil samples. METHODS: The soil sample chemistry and the crystallinity of minerals were measured by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. The organic carbon and the cation-exchange capacity were also determined. Water of known isotopic signature was used to spike an oven-dried substrate and subsequently extracted by cryogenic vacuum extraction at a temperature of 105°C. In addition, the soils were oven-dried at 205°C and water extractions were also performed at 205°C. The isotopic signatures of the water samples were determined by cavity-ring-down spectrometry. RESULTS: The isotope effects caused by the cryogenic vacuum extraction method applied to soils with elevated clay content were reduced. First, by increasing the extraction temperature to 205°C, we improved the precision of the cryogenic vacuum extraction method and the recovery of the known isotopic signature of the spike water. Secondly, the postcorrection of data based on the physicochemical soil properties and a common extraction temperature of 105°C improved the measurement trueness. CONCLUSIONS: The isotopic signature of soil water is influenced by mineral-water interaction. During the hydration of clay, different minerals deplete free water in heavy isotopes. The extracted soil water (dehydration water) gathered from clay-rich soils is generally more depleted in the heavy isotopes than the spike water, making results obtained for different soil types difficult to compare. Isotope effects observed at the mineral-water interface highlight potential explanations for eco-hydrological separation of water pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the synthesis of non-cross-linked, spherical, hollow polymer nanocapsules of low dispersity in aqueous media. For this, well-defined diblock copolymer brushes, comprising a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) inner block and a poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) outer block, were grown from the surface of silica spheres via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Robust, hollow polymer nanocapsules were obtained in water following the etching of the inorganic core, with the hydrophobic PMMA block ensuring the structural integrity of the hollow colloids, while the hydrophilic PDMAEMA outer layer allowed their dispersion in aqueous media. The stability of the hollow polymer nanocapsules was found to require a minimum molecular weight and a high glass transition temperature of the solvent incompatible inner block, while the rigidity of the polymer shell was influenced by the length of the PMMA block as well as the grafting density of the polymer chains on the silica surface. The protocol for the synthesis of hollow polymer nanocapsules established in this work, overcomes the main challenges encountered to date in the preparation of polymer nanocapsules, related to low synthetic yields, polydispersity in size and the requirement to permanently cross-link the polymer chains to retain the capsule stability in the solvent medium. The nanocapsules reported in this study can be prepared at high yields, with tunable sizes and low dispersity in the absence of chemical cross-links. [Display omitted] • Non-cross-linked, spherical, hollow polymer nanocapsules were synthesized. • Amphiphilic diblock copolymer brushes containing PMMA and PDMAEMA grafted on silica particles were used. • Hollow polymer nanocapsules were obtained after etching of silica core. • Morphological features of the synthesized hollow polymer nanocapsules can be tuned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the field of ultralong-range Rydberg molecules with a focus on recent developments. We briefly revisit the binding mechanism of Rydberg molecules based on electron-atom scattering and give an overview of experimental realizations in different ultracold atomic systems. However the main focus of the manuscript is on Rb Rydberg molecules. We discuss different angular momenta of the excited Rydberg states ( S and D) and the interaction of the molecules with external electric and magnetic fields. Furthermore, we cover the transition from low atomic densities, where only a single atom is bound by a Rydberg electron, to high densities, where polyatomic bound states can be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]