Demographics of the members of the special interest group for early career medical physicists: A statistical analysis of survey results.

INTRODUCTION: The Early Career Medical Physicists Special Interest Group (SIG_FREC) that operates within EFOMP aims to represent individuals with less than 10 years of experience working as medical physics professionals. The purpose of this survey was to better understand the specific needs and expectations of early-career medical physicists across Europe. The aim of this study was to allow these early-career professionals to voice their ideas within EFOMP and provide insights into their challenges and opportunities while also providing them with the possibility of making suggestions for the growth of the SIG. Doing this, the members can be better equipped to be future leaders of the Medical Physics profession in their own country and in Europe. METHODS: The Steering Committee of SIG_FREC developed a questionnaire and distributed it to its members. RESULTS: Out of the total number of members of the SIG_FREC at the time of the questionnaire (97 members), 42 of them responded to the survey yielding a response rate of 43%. These provided valuable insights based on their experiences about medical physics in their country. CONCLUSION: The responses to the questionnaire provided a snapshot of the opinion of early-career medical physicists, representing a wide geographical distribution across Europe. The feedback from SIG_FREC members highlighted potential future operations within EFOMP.

[Effect and mechanism of Linggui Zhugan Decoction in regulating Sig1R on Angâ ¡-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy].

This study aims to explore the mechanism of Linggui Zhugan Decoction(LGZGD) in inhibiting Angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by regulating sigma-1 receptor(Sig1R). The model of H9c2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by AngⅡ in vitro was established by preparing LGZGD-containing serum and blank serum. H9c2 cells were divided into normal group, AngⅡ model group, 20% normal rat serum group(20% NSC), and 20% LGZGD-containing serum group. After the cells were incubated with AngⅡ(1 µmol·L~(-1)) or AngⅡ with serum for 72 h, the surface area of cardiomyocytes was detected by phalloidine staining, and the activities of Na~+-K~+-ATPase and Ca~(2+)-Mg~(2+)-ATPase were detected by micromethod. The mitochondrial Ca~(2+) levels were detected by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP), brain natriuretic peptide(BNP), Sig1R, and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor type 2(IP_3R_2) were detected by Western blot. The expression of Sig1R was down-regulated by transfecting specific siRNA for investigating the efficacy of LGZGD-containing serum on cardiomyocyte surface area, Na~+-K~+-ATPase activity, Ca~(2+)-Mg~(2+)-ATPase activity, mitochondrial Ca~(2+), as well as ANP, BNP, and IP_3R_2 protein expressions. The results showed that compared with the normal group, AngⅡ could significantly increase the surface area of cardiomyocytes and the expression of ANP and BNP(P<0.01), and it could decrease the activities of Na~+-K~+-ATPase and Ca~(2+)-Mg~(2+)-ATPase, the concentration of mitochondrial Ca~(2+), and the expression of Sig1R(P<0.01). In addition, IP_3R_2 protein expression was significantly increased(P<0.01). LGZGD-containing serum could significantly decrease the surface area of cardiomyocytes and the expression of ANP and BNP(P<0.05, P<0.01), and it could increase the activities of Na~+-K~+-ATPase and Ca~(2+)-Mg~(2+)-ATPase, the concentration of mitochondrial Ca~(2+ )(P<0.01), and the expression of Sig1R(P<0.05). In addition, IP_3R_2 protein expression was significantly decreased(P<0.05). However, after Sig1R was down-regulated, the effects of LGZGD-containing serum were reversed(P<0.01). These results indicated that the LGZGD-containing serum could inhibit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by AngⅡ, and its pharmacological effect was related to regulating Sig1R, promoting mitochondrial Ca~(2+ )inflow, restoring ATP synthesis, and protecting mitochondrial function.

Design and synthesis of nucleotidyl lipids and their application in the targeted delivery of siG12D for pancreatic cancer therapy.

Nucleic acid drugs are attracting significant attention as prospective therapeutics. However, their efficacy is hindered by challenges in penetrating cell membranes and reaching target tissues, limiting their applications. Nucleotidyl lipids, with their specific intermolecular interactions such as H-bonding and π-π stacking, offer a promising solution as gene delivery vehicles. In this study, a novel series of nucleotide-based amphiphiles were synthesized. These lipid molecules possess the ability to self-assemble into spherical vesicles of appropriate size and zeta potential in aqueous solution. Furthermore, their complexes with oligonucleotides demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and exhibited antiproliferative effects against a broad range of cancer cells. Additionally, when combined with the cationic lipid CLD, these complexes displayed promising in vitro performance and in vivo efficacy. By incorporating DSPE-PEGylated cRGD into the formulation, targeted accumulation of siG12D in pancreatic cancer cells increased from approximately 6% to 18%, leading to effective treatment outcomes (intravenous administration, 1 mg/kg). This finding holds significant importance for the liposomal delivery of nucleic acid drugs to extrahepatic tissues.

Stair-Fall Risk Parameters in a Controlled Gait Laboratory Environment and Real (Domestic) Houses: A Prospective Study in Faller and Non-Faller Groups.

BACKGROUND: Falling on stairs is a major health hazard for older people. Risk factors for stair falls have been identified, but these are mostly examined in controlled biomechanics/gait laboratory environments, on experimental stairs with a given set of step dimensions. It remains unknown whether the conclusions drawn from these controlled environments would apply to the negotiation of other domestic staircases with different dimensions in real houses where people live. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to investigate whether selected biomechanical stepping behavior determined through stair gait parameters such as foot clearance, foot contact length and cadence are maintained when the staircase dimensions are different in real houses. METHODS: Twenty-five older adults (>65 years) walked on a custom-made seven-step laboratory staircase. Older adults were classified into two groups (fallers and non-fallers) based on recent fall history. Among the 25 participants, 13 people had at least one fall, trip, or slip in the last six months and they were assigned to the fallers group; 12 people did not experience any fall in the last six months, so they were assigned to the non-fallers group. In addition, these participants walked on the stairs in three different real exemplar houses wearing a novel instrumented shoe sensor system that could measure the above stair gait parameters. MATLAB was used to extract fall risk parameters from the collected data. One-way ANOVA was used to compare fall risk parameters on the different staircases. In addition, the laboratory-based fall risk parameters were compared to those derived from the real house stairs. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in selected stair-fall biomechanical risk factors among the house and laboratory staircases. The fall risk group comparisons suggest that high-risk fallers implemented a biomechanically riskier strategy that could increase overall falling risk. CONCLUSIONS: The significant differences due to the main effects of the fallers and non-fallers groups were obtained. For example, when ascending, the fallers group had less foot clearance on the entry (p = 0.016) and middle steps (p = 0.003); in addition, they had more foot clearance variability on the entry steps (p = 0.003). This suggests that the fallers group in this present study did not adopt more conservative stepping strategies during stair ascent compared to low-risk older adults. By showing less foot clearance and more variability in foot clearance, the risk for a trip would be increased.

Application of GIS and spatiotemporal analyses in viral infection modelling using multiple datasets - A case study on the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Viral and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 continue to pose a significant public health threat. In order to create an early warning system for new pandemics or emerging versions of the virus, it is imperative to study its epidemiology. In this study, we created a geospatial model to predict the weekly contagion and lethality rates of COVID-19 in Ireland. METHODS: More than forty parameters including atmospheric pollutants, metrological variables, sociodemographic factors, and lockdown phases were introduced as input variables to the model. The significant parameters in predicting the number of new cases and the death toll were identified. QGIS software was employed to process input data, and a principal component regression (PCR) model was developed using the statistical add-on XLSTAT. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The developed models were able to predict more than half of the variations in contagion and lethality rates. This indicates that the proposed model can serve to help prediction systems for the identification of future high-risk conditions. Nevertheless, there are additional parameters that could be included in future models, such as the number of deaths in care homes, the percentage of contagion and mortality among health workers, and the degree of compliance with social distancing.

Sigma-1 receptor regulates the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in the protective mechanism of dexmedetomidine against hyperoxia-induced lung injury.

Perioperative hyperoxia therapy is of great significance to save the lives of patients, but little is known about the possible mechanisms that induce hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI) and the measures for clinical prevention and treatment. In this experiment, the models were established with a feeding chamber with automatic regulation of oxygen concentration. The results showed that with the increase in inhaled oxygen concentration and the prolongation of exposure time, the severity of lung injury also increases significantly, reaching the diagnostic indication of HALI after 48 h of inhaling 95 % oxygen concentration. Subsequently, according to the dynamic changes of apoptosis in lung specimens, and the expression changes in Sig-1R-regulated ER stress pathway proteins (Sig-1R, GRP78, p-PERK, ATF6, IRE1, Caspase-12, ATF4, CHOP, Caspase-3 and p-JNK), it was confirmed that the Sig-1R-regulated ER stress signaling pathway was involved in the occurrence of HALI. To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of routine clinical medication on HALI during the perioperative period, our research group selected dexmedetomidine (Dex) with lung protection. The experimental results revealed that Dex partially reversed the changes in the expression levels of Sig-1R-regulated ER stress pathway proteins. These results preliminarily confirmed that Dex may inhibit apoptosis induced by high oxygen concentration through the Sig-1R-regulated ER stress signaling pathway, thus playing a protective role in HALI.

Inhibition of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) proliferation through targeting G6PD.

Background: Mounting evidence has linked cancer metabolic reprogramming with altered redox homeostasis. The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is one of the key metabolism-related pathways that has been enhanced to promote cancer growth. The glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) of this pathway generates reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), which is essential for controlling cellular redox homeostasis. Objective: This research aimed to investigate the growth-promoting effects of G6PD in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Clinical characteristics and G6PD expression levels in lung tissues of 64 patients diagnosed with lung cancer at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) during 2009-2014 were analyzed. G6PD activity in NSCLC cell lines, including NCI-H1975 and NCI-H292, was experimentally inhibited using DHEA and siG6PD to study cancer cell proliferation and migration. Results: The positive expression of G6PD in NSCLC tissues was detected by immunohistochemical staining and was found to be associated with squamous cells. G6PD expression levels and activity also coincided with the proliferation rate of NSCLC cell lines. Suppression of G6PD-induced apoptosis in NSCLC cell lines by increasing Bax/Bcl-2 ratio expression. The addition of D-(-)-ribose, which is an end-product of the PPP, increased the survival of G6PD-deficient NSCLC cell lines. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings demonstrated that G6PD might play an important role in the carcinogenesis of NSCLC. Inhibition of G6PD might provide a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of NSCLC.

Blocking SIG1R Along with Low Cadmium Exposure Display Anti-cancer Qualities in Both MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 Cells.

Sigma-1 receptor (SIG1R) is a chaperone that modulates inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type1 (IP3R1) calcium (Ca2+) channels on the endoplasmic reticulum. Therefore, SIG1R functions as an indirect regulator of Ca2+ and acts as an apoptosis modulator. Increased expression of SIG1R is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancers (BC), and SIG1R antagonists like BD1047 induce apoptosis. As a heavy metal, cadmium (Cd2+) is competitive with Ca2+ due to its physicochemical similarities and may trigger apoptosis at low concentrations. Our study investigated the SIG1R protein expression in 74 BC patients and found a significant increase in SIG1R expression in the triple-negative BC subtype. We also examined the apoptotic and anti-cancer effects of BD1047 in combination with CdCl2 in MCF7 and MDA-MB-213 cells. Cells were treated with CdCl2 at doses of 1 µM, 25 µM, and 50 µM, along with BD1047. Higher doses of CdCl2 were cytotoxic on both cancer cells and significantly increased DNA breaks. However, low-dose CdCl2 with BD1047 increased cell death and the apoptotic index in BC cells, although it did not exhibit cytotoxic effects on HUVEC cells. Co-administration of low-dose CdCl2 with BD1047 also reduced the migration and colony-forming ability of BC cells. Moreover, the expression of SIG1R protein in these groups decreased significantly compared to groups treated with BD1047 or low-dose CdCl2 alone. In conclusion, low-dose CdCl2 is thought to increase the apoptotic ability of BD1047 in BC cells by reducing SIG1R expression.

Áreas geográficas con mayor concentración de accidentes de tránsito en San Salvador, El Salvador: un análisis espacial del periodo 2014-2018 / Geographic areas with the highest concentration of traffic accidents in San Salvador, El Salvador: a spatial analysis of the 2014-2018 period

RESUMEN Objetivo. Identificar las áreas de mayor concentración de accidentes de tránsito y lesionados en el Área Metropolitana de San Salvador (AMSS). Materiales y métodos. Los accidentes de tránsito se analizaron espacialmente mediante la ubicación puntual y por la sumatoria de eventos en áreas de 200 m2. La ubicación puntual se analizó mediante «análisis de vecinos más cercanos¼, mientras que las áreas con la sumatoria de accidentes de tránsito se analizaron mediante Gi* de Getis-Ord para obtener los puntos calientes. Los puntos calientes resultantes con mayor concentración de accidentes de tránsito en el AMSS se evaluaron en campo mediante un formulario de observación de las características de infraestructura y seguridad vial. Resultados. Al analizar 8191 accidentes de tránsito reportados entre 2014‒2018, se identificaron cinco áreas con mayor cantidad de accidentes de tránsito y lesionados, principalmente sobre vías primarias. Conclusión. Los sitios de mayor concentración de accidentes de tránsito y lesionados se caracterizan por una infraestructura vial con daños considerables y falta de sistemas de seguridad para conductores y peatones. El análisis espacial de los accidentes de tránsito y lesionados puede contribuir a mejorar la vigilancia y seguridad vial en el AMSS.

ABSTRACT Objective. This study aimed to identify the areas with the highest concentration of traffic accidents and injuries in the San Salvador Metropolitan Area (SSMA). Materials and methods. Traffic accidents were analyzed spatially by point location and by the sum of events in areas of 200 m2. The point location was analyzed by "nearest neighbor analysis", while the areas with the sum of traffic accidents were analyzed by Getis-Ord Gi* to obtain the hot spots. The resulting hot spots with the highest concentration of traffic accidents in the SSMA were evaluated in the field using an observation form to collect data on infrastructure and road safety characteristics. Results. Five areas with the highest number of traffic accidents and injuries, mainly containing primary roads, were identified by analyzing 8191 traffic accidents reported between 2014-2018. Conclusion. The sites with the highest concentration of traffic accidents and injuries were characterized by considerably damaged road infrastructure and the lack of safety systems for drivers and pedestrians. The spatial analysis of traffic accidents and injuries can contribute to improve surveillance and road safety in the SSMA.

Geometric versus Hemodynamic Indexes for Rupture-Destined Aneurysms: A Retrospective Cohort and a Repeated-Measures Study.

INTRODUCTION: A proper stratification of intracranial aneurysms is critical in identifying rupture-destined aneurysms and unruptured intracranial aneurysms. We aimed to determine the utility of geometric and hemodynamic indexes in differentiating two types of aneurysms and to examine the characteristics of natural evolutionary changes of unruptured aneurysms. METHODS: Rupture-destined aneurysm refers to an aneurysm that undergoes subsequent aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). On the other hand, an unruptured intracranial aneurysm is characterized by an aneurysm that does not experience rupture during serial time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA). In addition to geometric indexes, signal intensity gradient (SIG), an in vivo approximated wall shear stress from TOF-MRA, was measured in aneurysms. The difference between the maximum and minimum values of SIG in an aneurysm compared to parent arterial values was designated as the delta-SIG ratio. RESULTS: This study analyzed 20 rupture-destined aneurysms in 20 patients and 45 unruptured intracranial aneurysms in 41 patients with follow-up TOF-MRA. While geometric indexes did not show differences between the two groups, the delta-SIG ratio was higher in the rupture-destined aneurysms (1.5 ± 0.6 vs. 1.1 ± 0.3, p = 0.032). The delta-SIG ratio showed a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for SAH than the size ratio (0.72 [95% CI, 0.58-0.87] vs. 0.56 [95% CI, 0.41-0.72], p = 0.033). The longitudinal re-examination of TOF-MRA in the unruptured intracranial aneurysms revealed evidence of aneurysmal growth, while concurrently exhibiting hemodynamic stability. CONCLUSION: The delta-SIG ratio showed higher discriminatory results between the two groups compared to geometric indexes. Aneurysmal rupture risk should be assessed by considering both geometric and hemodynamic information. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05450939).

The relationship between computed tomography-derived body composition, systemic inflammation, and survival in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: Patient selection and risk stratification for elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), either by open surgical repair or by endovascular aneurysm repair, remain challenging. Computed tomography (CT)-derived body composition analysis (CT-BC) and systemic inflammation-based scoring systems such as the systemic inflammatory grade (SIG) appear to offer prognostic value in patients with AAA undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair. The relationship between CT-BC, systemic inflammation, and prognosis has been explored in patients with cancer, but data in noncancer populations are lacking. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between CT-BC, SIG, and survival in patients undergoing elective intervention for AAA. METHODS: A total of 611 consecutive patients who underwent elective intervention for AAA at three large tertiary referral centers were retrospectively recruited for inclusion into the study. CT-BC was performed and analyzed using the CT-derived sarcopenia score (CT-SS). Subcutaneous and visceral fat indices were also recorded. SIG was calculated from preoperative blood tests. The outcomes of interest were overall and 5-year mortality. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) follow-up was 67.0 (32) months, and there were 194 (32%) deaths during the follow-up period. There were 122 (20%) open surgical repair cases, 558 (91%) patients were male, and the median (interquartile range) age was 73.0 (11.0) years. Age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-2.14, P < .001), elevated CT-SS (HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.28-1.94, P < .001), and elevated SIG (HR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.55, P < .01) were independently associated with increased hazard of mortality. Mean (95% CI) survival in the CT-SS 0 and SIG 0 subgroup was 92.6 (84.8-100.4) months compared with 44.9 (30.6-59.2) months in the CT-SS 2 and SIG ≥2 subgroup (P < .001). Patients with CT-SS 0 and SIG 0 had 90% (standard error: 4%) 5-year survival compared with 34% (standard error: 9%) in patients with CT-SS 2 and SIG ≥2 (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Combining measures of radiological sarcopenia and the systemic inflammatory response offers prognostic value in patients undergoing elective intervention for AAA and may contribute to future clinical risk predication strategies.

Sig1R activates extracellular matrix-induced bladder cancer cell proliferation and angiogenesis by combing ß-integrin.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates many biological functions involved in tumorigenesis and tumor development; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Sigma 1 receptor (Sig1R), a stress-activated chaperone, regulates the crosstalk between the ECM and tumor cells and is related to the malignant characteristics of several tumors. However, the link between Sig1R overexpression and ECM during malignancy has not been established in bladder cancer (BC). Here, we analyzed the interaction of Sig1R and ß-integrin in BC cells and its role in ECM-mediated cell proliferation and angiogenesis. We found that Sig1R forms a complex with ß-integrin to promote ECM-mediated BC cell proliferation and angiogenesis, which enhances the aggressiveness of the tumor cells. This leads to poor survival. Our research revealed that Sig1R mediates the cross-talk between BC cells and their ECM microenvironment, thereby driving the progression of BC. Promisingly, targeting an ion channel function through Sig1R inhibition may serve as a potential approach for BC treatment.

The prognostic value of preoperative systemic inflammation-based scoring in patients undergoing endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common condition that is predominantly managed in the United Kingdom by endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Activation of the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) appears to offer prognostic value in patients with vascular disease. The present study examines the relationship between the SIR and survival in patients undergoing standard and complex endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR and fenestrated/branched [F/B]-EVAR). METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing elective EVAR and F/B-EVAR were retrospectively identified from three tertiary vascular centers over a 5-year period. Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score were calculated from preoperative blood results and combined into the systemic inflammatory grade (SIG). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during the follow-up period, which was compared between subgroups of SIGs. RESULTS: There were 506 patients included in the final study, with a median follow-up of 68.0 months (interquartile range, 27.3 months), and there were 163 deaths during the follow-up period. Mean survival in the SIG 0 vs SIG 1 vs SIG 2 vs SIG 3 vs SIG 4 subgroups was 80.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.5-85.0 months) vs 78.7 months (95% CI, 72.7-84.7 months) vs 61.0 months (95% CI, 51.1-70.8 months) vs 65.1 months (95% CI, 45.0-85.2 months) vs 54.9 months (95% CI, 34.4-75.3 months) (P < .05). In the entire cohort, age (P < .001), body mass index (P < .05), high creatinine (P < .05), and SIG (P < .05) were associated with survival on univariate analysis, with retained independent association for age (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.29-2.31; P < .001) and SIG (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.40; P < .05) on multivariate analysis. Increasing SIG (area under the curve, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.58-0.78; P < .01) predicted 1-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Markers of the SIR such the SIG may be used to identify patients at higher risk of adverse outcome in patients undergoing EVAR and F/B-EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysms. These findings warrant further investigation in large prospective cohort studies.

Sarcopenia in the Cirrhotic Patient: Current Knowledge and Future Directions.

Cirrhosis predisposes to abnormalities in energy, hormonal, and immunological homeostasis. Disturbances in these metabolic processes create susceptibility to sarcopenia or pathological muscle wasting. Sarcopenia is prevalent in cirrhosis and its presence portends significant adverse outcomes including the length of hospital stay, infectious complications, and mortality. This highlights the importance of identification of at-risk individuals with early nutritional, therapeutic and physical therapy intervention. This manuscript summarizes literature relevant to sarcopenia in cirrhosis, describes current knowledge, and elucidates possible future directions.

La inteligencia artificial y la video-vigilancia en la predicción y detección de delitos en espacio-tiempo: una revisión sistemática / Artificial intelligence and video surveillance in space-time crime prediction and detection: a systematic review / Inteligência artificial e vídeo-vigilância na previsão e detecção de crimes no espaço-tempo: uma revisão sistemática

En la sociedad de hoy los delitos vienen incrementándose y particularmente en la ciudad de Bogotá, lo que ha causado muchos inconvenientes a la Policía Nacional de Colombia, así como también a los centros de seguridad ciudadana. Ante esta situación, se ha propuesto una predicción de tiempo-espacio en los puntos críticos de crímenes y delitos, con la ayuda de inteligencia artificial. Por consiguiente, este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar, resumir, interpretar y evaluar las distintas técnicas de predicción espacio-temporal de la delincuencia con un panorama inteligente. Por la propia naturaleza de la investigación, se utilizó una metodología de enfoque descriptivo-cualitativo, con la cual se diseñaron fichas de observación estructurada para sistematizar información de cinco bases de datos: Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, ACM, Springer; dichas publicaciones comprenden desde 2019 hasta junio de 2021. En consecuencia, se encontraron en total 3015 estudios, después del proceso de cribado y verificación de los criterios de exclusión e inclusión, se seleccionaron 132 artículos, luego se aplicaron preguntas Psicólogo Interno Residente (PIR), quedando así 18 artículos. Los principales hallazgos encontrados indican que los algoritmos de redes neuronales resultaron ser uno de los métodos más eficaces para la detección de puntos críticos de delincuencia, dado que los grandes avances de la tecnología coadyuvarían en los próximos años a predecir de forma rápida y eficaz los actos delictivos y los crímenes ubicados en cualquier región del continente latinoamericano.

In today's society, crimes are increasing, particularly in the city of Bogota, which has caused many inconveniences to the National Police of Colombia, as well as to the citizen security centers. Given this situation, a time-space prediction of crime and crime hotspots has been proposed with the help of artificial intelligence. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze, summarize, interpret and evaluate the various techniques of space-time prediction of crime with an intelligent view. Due to the very nature of the research, a descriptive-qualitative approach methodology was used, with which structured observation sheets were designed to systematize information from five da-tabases: Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, ACM, Springer; these publications span from 2019 to June 2021. Consequently, a total of 3015 studies were found, after the screening process and verification of exclusion and inclusion criteria, 132 articles were selected, then questions were applied Psychologist Internal Resident (PIR), thus leaving 18 articles. The main findings indicate that neural network algorithms proved to be one of the most effective methods for the detection of crime hotspots, given that the great advances in technology would help in the coming years to quickly and effectively predict criminal acts and crimes located in any region of the Latin American continent.

Na sociedade de hoje, a criminalidade está aumentando, particularmente na cidade de Bogotá, o que tem causado muitos inconvenientes para a Polícia Nacional Colombiana, bem como para os centros de segurança do cidadão. Diante desta situação, foi proposta uma previsão tempo-espacial de hotspots de crime com a ajuda da inteligência artificial. Portanto, este documento visa analisar, resumir, interpretar e avaliar as diversas técnicas de previsão espaço-temporal do crime com uma visão inteligente. Devido à própria natureza da pesquisa, foi utilizada uma metodologia de abordagem descritiva-qualitativa, com a qual foram elaboradas fichas de observação estrutura-das para sistematizar informações de cinco bancos de dados: Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE, ACM, Springer; estas publicações abrangem o período de 2019 a junho de 2021. Consequentemente, foi encontrado um total de 3015 estudos, após o processo de triagem e verificação dos critérios de exclusão e inclusão, 132 artigos foram selecionados, depois foram aplicadas perguntas ao Psicólogo em Residência (PIR), deixando 18 artigos. As principais descobertas indicam que os algoritmos de redes neurais provaram ser um dos métodos mais eficazes para a detecção de hotspots de crime, dado que os grandes avanços na tecnologia ajudarão nos próximos anos a prever rápida e efetivamente atos criminosos e crimes localizados em qualquer região do continente latino-americano.

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Diagnosis from Optic Disc Photographs Using a Siamese Network.

Purpose: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in the United States and worldwide. Although deep learning methods have been proposed to diagnose POAG, these methods all used a single image as input. Contrastingly, glaucoma specialists typically compare the follow-up image with the baseline image to diagnose incident glaucoma. To simulate this process, we proposed a Siamese neural network, POAGNet, to detect POAG from optic disc photographs. Design: The POAGNet, an algorithm for glaucoma diagnosis, is developed using optic disc photographs. Participants: The POAGNet was trained and evaluated on 2 data sets: (1) 37 339 optic disc photographs from 1636 Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) participants and (2) 3684 optic disc photographs from the Sequential fundus Images for Glaucoma (SIG) data set. Gold standard labels were obtained using reading center grades. Methods: We proposed a Siamese network model, POAGNet, to simulate the clinical process of identifying POAG from optic disc photographs. The POAGNet consists of 2 side outputs for deep supervision and uses convolution to measure the similarity between 2 networks. Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures are the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Results: In POAG diagnosis, extensive experiments show that POAGNet performed better than the best state-of-the-art model on the OHTS test set (area under the curve [AUC] 0.9587 versus 0.8750). It also outperformed the baseline models on the SIG test set (AUC 0.7518 versus 0.6434). To assess the transferability of POAGNet, we also validated the impact of cross-data set variability on our model. The model trained on OHTS achieved an AUC of 0.7490 on SIG, comparable to the previous model trained on the same data set. When using the combination of SIG and OHTS for training, our model achieved superior AUC to the single-data model (AUC 0.8165 versus 0.7518). These demonstrate the relative generalizability of POAGNet. Conclusions: By simulating the clinical grading process, POAGNet demonstrated high accuracy in POAG diagnosis. These results highlight the potential of deep learning to assist and enhance clinical POAG diagnosis. The POAGNet is publicly available on https://github.com/bionlplab/poagnet.

Implementation outcomes of the Structured and Codified SIG format in electronic prescription directions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent of implementation, completeness, and accuracy of Structured and Codified SIG (S&C SIG) directions on electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a random sample of 3.8 million e-prescriptions sent from electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) software to outpatient pharmacies in the United States between 2019 and 2021. Natural language processing was used to identify direction components, including action verb, dose, frequency, route, duration, and indication from free-text directions and were compared to the S&C SIG format. Inductive qualitative analysis of S&C direction identified error types and frequencies for each component. RESULTS: Implementation of the S&C SIG format in e-prescribing software resulted in 32.4% of e-prescriptions transmitted with these standardized directions. Directions using the S&C SIG format contained a greater percentage of each direction component compared to free-text directions, except for the indication component. Structured and codified directions contained quality issues in 10.3% of cases. DISCUSSION: Expanding adoption of more diverse direction terminology for the S&C SIG formats can improve the coverage of directions using the S&C SIG format. Building out e-prescribing software interfaces to include more direction components can improve patient medication use and safety. Quality improvement efforts, such as improving the design of e-prescribing software and auditing for discrepancies, are needed to identify and eliminate implementation-related issues with direction information from the S&C SIG format so that e-prescription directions are always accurately represented. CONCLUSION: Although directions using the S&C SIG format may result in more complete directions, greater adoption of the format and best practices for preventing its incorrect use are necessary.

Evaluation of [18F]F-TZ3108 for PET Imaging of Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease.

PURPOSE: Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R), a chaperone that resides at the mitochondrion-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, is an ER stress biomarker. It is thought that ER stress plays a critical role in the progression of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The aim of this study was to evaluate a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [18F]F-TZ3108 targeting Sig-1R for MAFLD. PROCEDURES: The mouse model of MAFLD was established by feeding high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. Dynamic (0-60 min) PET/CT scans were performed after intravenous injection of 2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]-FDG) and [18F]F-TZ3108. Tracer kinetic modeling was performed for quantification of the PET/CT imaging of the liver. Post-PET biodistribution, the liver tissue western blotting (WB), and immunofluorescence (IF) were performed to compare the expression of Sig-1R levels in the organs harvested from both MAFLD and age-matched control mice. RESULTS: The micro PET/CT imaging revealed a significantly decreased uptake of [18F]F-TZ3108 in the livers of the MAFLD group compared to the healthy controls, while the uptake of [18F]-FDG in the livers was not significantly different between the two groups. Based on the tracer kinetic modeling, the binding disassociate rate (k4) for [18F]F-TZ3108 was significantly increased in MAFLD group compared to healthy controls. The volume distribution (VT), and the non-displacement binding potential (BPND) revealed significantly decrease in MAFLD compared to healthy controls respectively. The post-PET biodistribution (%ID/g) of [18F]F-TZ3108 in the livers of MAFLD mice was significantly reduced nearly twofold than that in the livers of control mice. WB and IF experiments further confirmed the reduction of Sig-1R expression in the MAFLD group. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of Sig-1R in the liver, measured by the PET tracer, [18F]F-TZ3108, was significantly decreased in mouse model of MAFLD. The [18F]F-TZ3108 PET/CT imaging may provide a novel means of visualization for ER stress in MAFLD or other diseases in vivo.

Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Contacts Modulate Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Signaling and Oxidative Stress in Brain Disorders: The Key Role of Sigma-1 Receptor.

Significance: Mitochondria-Associated Membranes (MAMs) are highly dynamic endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria contact sites that, due to the transfer of lipids and Ca2+ between these organelles, modulate several physiologic processes, such as ER stress response, mitochondrial bioenergetics and fission/fusion events, autophagy, and inflammation. In addition, these contacts are implicated in the modulation of the cellular redox status since several MAMs-resident proteins are involved in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can act as both signaling mediators and deleterious molecules, depending on their intracellular levels. Recent Advances: In the past few years, structural and functional alterations of MAMs have been associated with the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases that are closely associated with the impairment of several MAMs-associated events, including perturbation of the redox state on the accumulation of high ROS levels. Critical Issues: Inter-organelle contacts must be tightly regulated to preserve cellular functioning by maintaining Ca2+ and protein homeostasis, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics and energy production, as well as ROS signaling. Simultaneously, these contacts should avoid mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, which might lead to energetic deficits and deleterious ROS accumulation, culminating in oxidative stress-induced activation of apoptotic cell death pathways, which are common features of many neurodegenerative diseases. Future Directions: Given that Sig-1R is an ER resident chaperone that is highly enriched at the MAMs and that controls ER to mitochondria Ca2+ flux, as well as oxidative and ER stress responses, its potential as a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Huntington diseases should be further explored. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 758-780.

Effects of Sigma-1 Receptor Ligands on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Peripheral nerve injuries lead to the loss of motor, sensory and autonomic functions in the territories supplied by the injured nerve. Currently, nerve injuries are managed by surgical repair procedures, and there are no effective drugs in the clinic for improving the capacity of axonal regeneration. Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperon protein involved in many functions, including neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. A few previous studies using Sig-1R ligands reported results that suggest this receptor as a putative target to enhance regeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of Sig-1R ligands on axonal regeneration in a sciatic nerve section and repair model in mice. To this end, mice were treated either with the Sig-1R agonist PRE-084 or the antagonist BD1063, and a Sig-1R knock-out (KO) mice group was also studied. The electrophysiological and histological data showed that treatment with Sig-1R ligands, or the lack of this protein, did not markedly modify the process of axonal regeneration and target reinnervation after sciatic nerve injury. Nevertheless, the nociceptive tests provided results indicating a role of Sig-1R in sensory perception after nerve injury, and immunohistochemical labeling indicated a regulatory role in inflammatory cell infiltration in the injured nerve.