3714 research outputs found
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Design of manganese dioxide for supercapacitors and zinc-ion batteries: similarities and differences
No full textEnergy storage devices, e.g., supercapacitors (SCs) and zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), based on aqueous electrolytes, have the advantages of rapid ion diffusion, environmental benignness, high safety and low cost. Generally, SCs provide excellent power density with the capability of fast charge/discharge, while ZIBs offer high energy density by storing more charge per unit weight/volume. Although the charge storage mechanisms are considered different, manganese dioxide (MnO2) has proven to be an appropriate electrode material for both SCs and ZIBs because of its unique characteristics, including polymorphic forms, tunable structures and designable morphologies. Herein, the design of MnO2-based materials for SCs and ZIBs is comprehensively reviewed. In particular, we compare the similarities and differences in utilizing MnO2-based materials as active materials for SCs and ZIBs by highlighting their corresponding charge storage mechanisms. We then introduce a few commonly adopted strategies for tuning the physicochemical properties of MnO2 and their specific merits. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives of MnO2 for SC and ZIB applications regarding the investigation of charge storage mechanisms, materials design and the enhancement of electrochemical performance
Diagnostic accuracy of MRI and PET/CT for neck staging prior to salvage total laryngectomy
No full textAim: Lymph node (LN) metastases are associated with poor outcomes in patients with recurrent larynx squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Neck dissection (ND) is therefore commonly performed along with salvage total laryngectomy (STL). Here, we assess the rate of occult LN metastases and the diagnostic value of MRI and PET/CT for detecting them in recurrent LSCC.Methods: This retrospective study included patients with recurrent LSCC after primary (chemo)radiotherapy [(C)RT] who were re-staged by MRI and/or PET/CT and treated with STL and ND between 2004 and 2019. The histopathology of ND samples was used as the reference standard.Results: Forty-one patients were included. The prevalence of occult metastases in MRI-negative and PET/CT-negative neck nodes was between 3.2% and 6.1%. Negative predictive values of neck node re-staging were 93.9% for MRI, 96.8% for PET/CT, and 96.2% for MRI and PET/CT combined.Conclusion: Both MRI and PET/CT afforded good negative predictive values for nodal staging in patients with recurrent LSCC after (C)RT prior to STL. In selected patients, these radiological modalities, particularly PET/CT, could help to avoid unnecessary surgery to the neck and its associated morbidity
Challenges of mitochondrial DNA editing in mammalian cells: focus on treatment of cardiovascular disease
No full textAtherosclerosis is the major cause of occurrence and development of cardiovascular disease. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can lead to the development of several pathologies. Over the last few years, there has been increasing evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction caused by mtDNA mutations is associated with atherogenesis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system. Several therapeutic approaches have been developed for the improvement of mitochondrial function, and they are mainly associated with the cellular and tissue antioxidant defense system. However, these approaches are not targeted at mtDNA mutations, which trigger the pathogenesis of disease. Gene-editing technologies could be a promising approach for the treatment of cardiovascular disease caused by mtDNA mutations. To date, such technologies have shown considerable success in mitochondrial gene editing in cell and animal models. Gene-editing technologies allow the determination of the role of mitochondrial genome mutations in the development and complication of various chronic diseases. Nevertheless, further investigation and optimization in this field is required for future human trials. This review highlights the progress and existing challenges of modern technologies and approaches to mitochondrial gene editing
Leveraging artificial intelligence for resident recruitment: can the dream of holistic review be realized?
No full textAim: The purpose of this study was to investigate if principles of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically Natural Language Processing (NLP), could be applied to the personal statements of general surgery residency applicants in order to gain valuable insight into the candidates and facilitate a more comprehensive assessment.Methods: The personal statements from individuals applying for a general surgery residency position during the 2021/22 application cycle (n = 1792) were analyzed using AI technology. Comparison groups were drawn from a database of documents from the general population and the personal statements of current general surgery residents (n = 64) at a single academic center. The study was conducted in collaboration with a leading language psychology and natural language processing organization.Results: Applicants exhibited a language-based personality that was highly self-assured (P < 0.0001) and trusting (P < 0.0001), and less stress-prone (P < 0.0001) and impulsive (P < 0.0001) than that of the general population. Compared to the general applicant pool, current residents were significantly more emotionally aware (P < 0.001) and organized (P < 0.001) and less self-assured (P < 0.001) and less driven by power (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Natural language processing technology can be utilized to assess the unique characteristics of general surgery resident applicants based on the content of their personal statements. In addition, candidates who successfully gain admission to a single academic program display different language-based personalities and drives compared to the general applicant pool. Incorporating these principles of artificial intelligence into the residency selection process could facilitate a more holistic evaluation of candidates
Interpretable AI for bio-medical applications
No full textThis paper presents the use of two popular explainability tools called Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) and Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to explain the predictions made by a trained deep neural network. The deep neural network used in this work is trained on the UCI Breast Cancer Wisconsin dataset. The neural network is used to classify the masses found in patients as benign or malignant based on 30 features that describe the mass. LIME and SHAP are then used to explain the individual predictions made by the trained neural network model. The explanations provide further insights into the relationship between the input features and the predictions. SHAP methodology additionally provides a more holistic view of the effect of the inputs on the output predictions. The results also present the commonalities between the insights gained using LIME and SHAP. Although this paper focuses on the use of deep neural networks trained on UCI Breast Cancer Wisconsin dataset, the methodology can be applied to other neural networks and architectures trained on other applications. The deep neural network trained in this work provides a high level of accuracy. Analyzing the model using LIME and SHAP adds the much desired benefit of providing explanations for the recommendations made by the trained model
Smart Grids as product-service systems in the framework of energy 5.0 - a state-of-the-art review
No full textAim: This work explores the opportunities and challenges associated with the integration of Product Service Systems (PSS) into Smart Grids (SGs) with the aim of improving manufacturing and production systems’ sustainability under the Society 5.0 framework.Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted to examine the existing bibliographic material and identify the primary scientific directions for this research area. The aim was to provide a thorough understanding of the research problems and perform an in-depth analysis of the distinctive aspects of development of the scientific research in this field and visualize the results with VOS viewer tool.Results: Industry, society, and academia are being reshaped and reorganized to integrate new information and communications technology (ICT) to enable complete digitization and digitalization of their infrastructures. This trend is driven by the need for more resilient, environmentally sustainable, and human-centric systems, as indicated by the terms Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0. Electrical power generation and distribution currently are critical issues for society. In this context, SGs are examined from the perspective of product-service systems (PSSs). The key enabling technologies are discussed and a technical discussion based on presentation of implemented frameworks follows.Conclusion: Intelligent societies will become the new reality. It is necessary to adapt existing infrastructures toward human centricity, resilience, and sustainability. SGs require further development, with several challenges still to be addressed. However, engineers have several technologies available, including blockchain and PSSs, to promote client activity in societal infrastructures
Epidemiology of cholangiocarcinoma
No full textAim: We aimed to analyze temporal trends in mortality from intrahepatic (ICC) and extrahepatic (ECC) cholangiocarcinoma in selected countries worldwide.Methods: Official death certification data for ICC and ECC and populations estimates for 29 countries worldwide (17 from Europe, 8 from the Americas, and 4 from Australasia) and for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (SAR), from 1995 to 2018, were extracted from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization databases. Age-standardized mortality rates were computed. A joinpoint regression analysis was performed. Results: In both sexes, ICC mortality rates increased in most countries considered, including the USA, the UK, and Australia; in some countries, including Italy and France, the increasing trends leveled off over the most recent years. In men, around 2016, the highest rates (1.7-2.3/100,000) were observed in Hong Kong SAR, Portugal, France, Spain, Australia, Austria, the UK, and Canada; Latin American countries and some eastern European countries had the lowest rates (0.2-0.8/100,000). A similar pattern was observed in women, but with lower rates (from 1.7/100,000 in Hong Kong SAR to 0.14/100,000 in Argentina). ECC mortality declined in most European and Australasian countries, but it tended to increase in Americas. In both sexes, rates were below 1/100,000 around 2016, with the only exceptions being Japan (2.6/100,000 men and 1.2/100,000 women) and Hungary (1.5/100,000 men and 1.1/100,000 women).Conclusion: ICC mortality increased in most areas of the world, likely due to increased prevalence of risk factors and improved cancer recognition and classification. ECC mortality fell in most countries, largely due to the widespread use of cholecystectomy
Management of gastrointestinal bleeding following bariatric surgery
No full textGastrointestinal bleeding following bariatric surgery is a relatively rare adverse event but constitutes a significant cause of morbidity. It requires a high index of suspicion, early diagnosis, and prompt management, as it can lead to rapid deterioration and potential mortality. In most cases, GI bleeding is self-limited and does not necessitate emergent reoperation. For some patients, however, control of postoperative hemorrhage may require various procedural-based interventions via surgical, endoscopic, or radiologic approaches. Recent studies suggest that endoscopic therapies to manage intraluminal bleeding post-bariatric surgery are becoming increasingly popular given their high efficacy rate and favorable safety profile. Currently, there is no consensus on the management of early or late GI hemorrhage after metabolic surgery. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the effectiveness of several treatment options and outline management algorithms for this subset of bariatric patients based on the established literature
Emerging actionable targets to treat therapy-resistant colorectal cancers
No full textIn the last two decades major improvements have been reached in the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and, besides chemotherapy, an ampler choice of therapeutic approaches is now available, including targeted and immunotherapy. Despite that, CRC remains a “big killer” mainly due to the development of resistance to therapies, especially when the disease is diagnosed after it is already metastatic. At the same time, our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying resistance has been rapidly expanding which allows the development of novel therapeutic options in order to overcome it. As far as resistance to chemotherapy is concerned, several contributors have been identified such as: intake/efflux systems upregulation; alterations in the DNA damage response, due to defect in the DNA checkpoint and repair systems; dysregulation of the expression of apoptotic/anti-apoptotic members of the BCL2 family; overexpression of oncogenic kinases; the presence of cancer stem cells; and the composition of the tumoral microenvironment and that of the gut microbiota. Interestingly, several mechanisms are also involved in the resistance to targeted and/or immunotherapy. For example, overexpression and/or hyperactivation and/or amplification of oncogenic kinases can sustain resistance to targeted therapy whereas the composition of the gut microbiota, as well as that of the tumoral niche, and defects in DNA repair systems are crucial for determining the response to immunotherapy. In this review we will make an overview of the main resistance mechanisms identified so far and of the new therapeutic approaches to overcome it
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