Analytical boundary integral solutions for cracks and thin fluid-filled layers in a 3D poroelastic solid in time and wavenumber domain

Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The AuthorThe spectral boundary integral (SBI) method has been widely employed in the study of fractures and friction within elastic and elastodynamic media, given its natural applicability to thin or infinitesimal interfaces. Many such interfaces and layers are also prevalent in porous, fluid-filled media. In this work, we introduce analytical SBI equations for cracks and thin layers in a 3D medium, with a particular focus on fluid presence within these interfaces or layers. We present three distinct solutions, each based on different assumptions: arbitrary pressure boundary conditions, arbitrary flux boundary conditions, or a bi-linear pressure profile within the layer. The bi-linear pressure solution models the flux through a thin, potentially pressurized, leaky layer. We highlight conditions under which the bi-linear SBI equations simplify to either the arbitrary flux or arbitrary pressure SBI equations, contingent on a specific non-dimensional parameter. We then delve into the in-plane pressure effects arising from a shear crack in a poroelastic solid. While such pressurization has been suggested to influence frictional strength in various ways and only occurs in mode II sliding, our findings indicate that a significant portion of the crack face is affected in 3D scenarios. Additionally, we investigate non-dimensional timescales governing the potential migration of this pressurization beyond the crack tip, which could induce strength alterations beyond the initially ruptured area.Peer reviewe

Gastroschisis and omphaloceleIncidence and outcome

Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Laeknafelag Islands. All rights reserved.INNGANGUR Kviðarklofi (gastroschisis) og naflastrengshaull (omphalocele) eru algengustu meðfæddu gallarnir á kviðvegg. Megintilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að kanna nýgengi, aðra meðfædda galla og sjúkdómsgang þessara sjúkdóma hér á landi. EFNIVIÐUR OG AÐFERÐIR Rannsóknin var afturskyggn. Þýðið var þeir nýburar sem lögðust inn á Vökudeild Barnaspítala Hringsins vegna kviðarklofa eða naflastrengshauls 1991-2020. Einnig voru höfð með þau fóstur með sömu greiningar þar sem meðgangan endaði með fósturláti eða þungunarrofi. NIÐURSTÖÐUR Á rannsóknartímabilinu fæddust á Íslandi 54 börn með kviðarklofa og fimm með naflastrengshaul. Nýgengi kviðarklofa var 4,11 og naflastrengshauls 0,38/10.000 fæðingar. Ekki reyndist marktæk breyting á nýgengi sjúkdómanna á tímabilinu. Einnig greindust fimm fóstur með kviðarklofa og 31 með naflastrengshaul þar sem meðgangan endaði með fósturláti eða þungunarrofi. Algengustu aðrir gallar hjá börnum og fóstrum með kviðarklofa voru í meltingarfærum eða þvagfærum, en hjarta, miðtaugakerfi og stoðkerfi hjá þeim með naflastrengshaul, og voru gallarnir alvarlegri í síðarnefnda hópnum. Af fóstrum með naflastrengshaul voru 16 með þrístæðu 18. Mæður 16-20 ára voru líklegri til að eignast barn með kviðarklofa en eldri mæður (p<0,001). Tafarlaus lokun heppnaðist hjá 86% barnanna. Þau komust marktækt fyrr á fullt fæði og útskrifuðust fyrr. Lifunarhlutfall var 95%. Þrjú börn voru enn að fá næringu í æð við útskrift vegna of stuttra þarma. ÁLYKTANIR Nýgengi kviðarklofa hér á landi er í samræmi við erlendar rannsóknir, en nýgengi naflastrengshauls er lægra, sem skýrist að hluta af þungunarrofum. Aðrir fæðingargallar tengdir naflastrengshaul eru alvarlegri en þeir sem tengjast kviðarklofa. Sjúkdómsgangur er auðveldari þegar næst að loka kviðveggnum í fyrstu aðgerð. Börn með kviðarklofa geta þurft langvarandi næringu í æð vegna of stuttra þarma. INTRODUCTION: Gastroschisis and omphalocele are the most common congenital abdominal wall defects. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, other associated anomalies and the course of these diseases in Iceland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was retrospective. The population was all newborns who were admitted to the NICU of Children's Hospital Iceland due to gastroschisis or omphalocele in 1991-2020. Furthermore, all fetuses diagnosed prenatally or post mortem where the pregnancy ended in spontaneous or induced abortion, were included. RESULTS: During the study period, 54 infants were born with gastroschisis and five with omphalocele. The incidence of gastroschisis was 4.11 and omphalocele 0,38/10,000 births. There was no significant change in the incidence of the diseases during the study period. In addition, five fetuses were diagnosed with gastroschisis and 31 with omphalocele where the pregnancy was terminated. In addition to gastroschisis in the live born infants and fetuses the most common associated anomalies were in the gastrointestinal or urinary tract but in infants and fetuses with omphalocele anomalies of the cardiac, central nervous or skeletal systems were the most common. Sixteen fetuses diagnosed with omphalocele had trisomy 18. Mothers aged 16-20 were more likely to give birth to an infant with gastroschisis than older mothers (p< 0.001). Primary closure was successful in 86% of the infants. Those reached full feedings significantly earlier and were discharged earlier. Overall survival rate was 95%. Three children were still receiving parenteral nutrition at discharge due to short bowel syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of gastroschisis in Iceland is in accordance with studies in other countries but but the incidence of omphalocele is lower, which can be partly explained by spontaneous or induced abortions. Other anomalies associated with omphalocele are more severe than those associated with gastroschisis. Primary closure was associated with more benign course. Children with gastroschisis may need prolonged parenteral nutrition due to shortening of their intestines.Peer reviewe

Prevalence of Food Insecurity and Associations with Academic Performance, Food Consumption and Social Support among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: FINESCOP Project in Iceland

(1) Background: Food insecurity (FI) among university students has received less attention in Europe than in other regions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2022 using an online questionnaire (n = 924). The questionnaire addressed food security status; demographic, socioeconomic, and educational variables; academic performance; food consumption; and social support networks. The validated Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to measure food security. Binary logistic regressions adjusted by age and gender were applied to identify FI-related factors. (3) Results: Just over 17% of the students were living with some level of FI, nearly one in three students reported having consumed few kinds of food, and 3.9% spent an entire day without eating due to a lack of resources. Food insecurity was associated with a higher likelihood of negative academic performance, decreased food consumption, and a lower likelihood of having a large support network, when compared to food-secure respondents. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that FI negatively impacts students’ academic performance and food consumption. Future public health programs should be prioritized to prevent students from experiencing hunger due to financial or resource constraints.Peer reviewe

Recommendations for asthma monitoring in children : A PeARL document endorsed by APAPARI, EAACI, INTERASMA, REG, and WAO

Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Monitoring is a major component of asthma management in children. Regular monitoring allows for diagnosis confirmation, treatment optimization, and natural history review. Numerous factors that may affect disease activity and patient well-being need to be monitored: response and adherence to treatment, disease control, disease progression, comorbidities, quality of life, medication side-effects, allergen and irritant exposures, diet and more. However, the prioritization of such factors and the selection of relevant assessment tools is an unmet need. Furthermore, rapidly developing technologies promise new opportunities for closer, or even “real-time,” monitoring between visits. Following an approach that included needs assessment, evidence appraisal, and Delphi consensus, the PeARL Think Tank, in collaboration with major international professional and patient organizations, has developed a set of 24 recommendations on pediatric asthma monitoring, to support healthcare professionals in decision-making and care pathway design. (Figure presented.).Peer reviewe

Roadmap to DILI research in Europe. A proposal from COST action ProEuroDILINet

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.In the current article the aims for a constructive way forward in Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI) are to highlight the most important priorities in research and clinical science, therefore supporting a more informed, focused, and better funded future for European DILI research. This Roadmap aims to identify key challenges, define a shared vision across all stakeholders for the opportunities to overcome these challenges and propose a high-quality research program to achieve progress on the prediction, prevention, diagnosis and management of this condition and impact on healthcare practice in the field of DILI. This will involve 1. Creation of a database encompassing optimised case report form for prospectively identified DILI cases with well-characterised controls with competing diagnoses, biological samples, and imaging data; 2. Establishing of preclinical models to improve the assessment and prediction of hepatotoxicity in humans to guide future drug safety testing; 3. Emphasis on implementation science and 4. Enhanced collaboration between drug-developers, clinicians and regulatory scientists. This proposed operational framework will advance DILI research and may bring together basic, applied, translational and clinical research in DILI.Peer reviewe

Cushing's Disease May Have Higher Incidence than Previously Thought : A Nationwide Study in Iceland 2010-2019

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.INTRODUCTION: In 2011, we reported the overall incidence of Cushing's disease (CD) in Iceland from 1955 through 2009 to be 1.5 cases per million per year with highest incidence in the last decade of the study, a higher incidence then earlier reported. We now present a follow-up study reporting the epidemiology of the disease in Iceland during the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019. METHODS: In this nationwide retrospective study, clinical information on patients diagnosed with CD was obtained from electronic medical records, reviewed by consulting endocrinologists. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were diagnosed with CD, 12 women (71%) and 5 men (29%) giving an overall incidence of 5.2 cases per million per year. The mean age at diagnosis was 46 years (range 13-85 years). Biochemical analysis was recorded for all patients and 12 patients (71%) had visible pituitary adenoma on imaging studies. Sixteen patients (94%) were treated with transsphenoidal surgery of which 4 patients (24%) had gamma knife radiosurgery and three (18%) bilateral adrenalectomy after pituitary surgery. Two patients died during the study period. CONCLUSION: The overall incidence of CD of 5.2 cases per million per year is higher than previously reported, indicating the importance of awareness of CD. As all patients with CD are diagnosed and/or treated at the only University Hospital in Iceland, housing the only department of endocrinology as well as neurosurgery, we are confident that all cases diagnosed during the study period were included in the study.Peer reviewe

Deciphering the genetics and mechanisms of predisposition to multiple myeloma

Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable malignancy of plasma cells. Epidemiological studies indicate a substantial heritable component, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, in a genome-wide association study totaling 10,906 cases and 366,221 controls, we identify 35 MM risk loci, 12 of which are novel. Through functional fine-mapping and Mendelian randomization, we uncover two causal mechanisms for inherited MM risk: longer telomeres; and elevated levels of B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) and interleukin-5 receptor alpha (IL5RA) in plasma. The largest increase in BCMA and IL5RA levels is mediated by the risk variant rs34562254-A at TNFRSF13B. While individuals with loss-of-function variants in TNFRSF13B develop B-cell immunodeficiency, rs34562254-A exerts a gain-of-function effect, increasing MM risk through amplified B-cell responses. Our results represent an analysis of genetic MM predisposition, highlighting causal mechanisms contributing to MM development.Peer reviewe

Enthesitis in a European registry-based cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors : clinical burden, patient-reported outcomes, and treatment response

Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Objective: To explore the registration of enthesitis among biologic-naïve patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment across 12 European registries, compare the disease burden and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between patients with and without enthesitis, and assess the enthesitis treatment response. Method: Demographics, clinical characteristics, and PROs at first TNFi (TNFi-1) initiation (baseline) were assessed in patients with PsA, diagnosed by a rheumatologist, with versus without assessment of entheses and between those with versus without enthesitis. Enthesitis scores and resolution frequency were identified at follow-up. Results: Of 10 547 patients in the European Spondyloarthritis (EuroSpA) Research Collaboration Network initiating TNFi, 1357 underwent evaluation for enthesitis. Eight registries included a validated scoring system for enthesitis. At baseline, 874 patients underwent entheses assessment [Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) 485 patients, Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) 389 patients]. Enthesitis was detected by MASES in 170/485 (35%, mean score ± sd 3.1 ± 2.4) and by SPARCC in 236/389 (61%, 4 ± 3.4). Achilles enthesitis was most frequent, by both MASES (unilateral/bilateral 28%/9%) and SPARCC (48%/18%). MASES/SPARCC baseline and follow-up scores for TNFi-1 were available for 100/105 patients. Of these, 63 patients (63%) (MASES) and 46 (43.8%) (SPARCC) achieved resolution of enthesitis. The site-specific enthesitis resolution was overall lower at SPARCC sites (peripheral; 63–80%) than at MASES sites (mainly axial; 82–100%) following TNFi-1. Disease activity and PROs were worse in patients with versus without enthesitis. Conclusion: Entheseal assessments are only registered in a minority of patients with PsA in routine care. When assessed, enthesitis was common, and a substantial proportion demonstrated resolution following treatment with TNFi-1.Peer reviewe

Early-onset group B streptococcal infections in five Nordic countries with different prevention policies, 1995 to 2019

Publisher Copyright: © 2024 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved.BackgroundNeonatal early-onset disease caused by group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of infant morbidity. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is effective in preventing early-onset GBS disease, but there is no agreement on the optimal strategy for identifying the pregnant women requiring this treatment, and both risk-based prophylaxis (RBP) and GBS screening-based prophylaxis (SBP) are used.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SBP as a public health intervention on the epidemiology of early-onset GBS infections.MethodsIn 2012, Finland started the universal SBP, while Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden continued with RBP. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis taking 2012 as the intervention point to evaluate the impact of this intervention. The incidences of early- and late-onset GBS infections during Period I (1995-2011) and Period II (2012-2019) were collected from each national register, covering 6,605,564 live births.ResultsIn Finland, a reduction of 58% in the incidence of early-onset GBS disease, corresponding to an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.42 (95% CI: 0.34-0.52), was observed after 2012. At the same time, the pooled IRR of other Nordic countries was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-1.0), specifically 0.89 (95% CI: 0.70-1.5) in Denmark, 0.34 (95% CI: 0.15-0.81) in Iceland, 0.72 (95% CI: 0.59-0.88) in Norway and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.85-1.1) in Sweden.ConclusionsIn this ecological study of five Nordic countries, early-onset GBS infections were approximately halved following introduction of the SBP approach as compared with RBP.Peer reviewe

Application of ChatGPT for automated problem reframing across academic domains

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)This paper explores the potential of large language models, specifically ChatGPT, to reframe problems from probability theory and statistics, making them accessible to students across diverse academic fields including biology, economics, law, and engineering. The aim of this study is to enhance interdisciplinary learning by rendering complex concepts more accessible, relevant, and engaging. We conducted a pilot study using ChatGPT to adapt problems across 17 disciplines, evaluated through expert review. Our results demonstrate the significant potential of ChatGPT in reshaping problems for diverse settings, preserving theoretical meaning in 77.1% of cases, and requiring no or only minor revisions in 74% of cases. An evaluation performed by 23 domain experts revealed that in 73.6% of cases the reframed problem was considered to add educational value compared to a corresponding abstract problem and to represent a real-world scenario in 57.0% of cases. Furthermore, a survey involving 44 Computer Science students revealed a diverse range of preferences between original and reframed problems, underscoring the importance of considering student preferences and learning styles in the design of educational content. The study offers insights into the practicality and efficacy of employing large language models, like ChatGPT, to enhance interdisciplinary education and foster greater student engagement and understanding.Peer reviewe