Clear Definition Research Articles

Impact of internet addiction and gaming disorder on body weight in children and adolescents: A systematic review.

Internet use and gaming have increased in daily life. Internet addiction has not been recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition or 11th Revision of International Classification of Diseases despite gaming addiction having been listed since 2013. Previous studies have shown an association between internet use and weight gain or disordered eating patterns in the general population, however none have addressed this association in a paediatric population. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between internet addiction or gaming addiction and weight in children and adolescents under 18 years of age. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted, and articles were screened for relevance. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) 3critical appraisal tool was used to assess quality of studies. Due to heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis could not be performed, thus a narrative summary was performed with the results summarised and tabulated. Of 8114 initial articles identified, we included 14 studies. The review produced inconsistent results, with three of the 14 studies demonstrating no statistically significant relationship between internet and/or gaming addiction and obesity. The remaining 11 studies showed a statistically significant positive association. One study demonstrated that those who are underweight as well as overweight and obese were more likely to have problematic internet use. Four articles demonstrated increased rates of poor nutritional habits, poor eating patterns and weight control behaviour in children and adolescents with internet addiction or gaming disorder. Another study showed no statistically significant association between internet addiction and disordered eating or eating disorder. Most of the available studies revealed increased rates of obesity in children and adolescents with internet addiction or gaming disorder, with poor patterns of eating. Clearer definitions and consistent use of terminology are required to enable more robust research in this field.

Molecular theranostics: principles, challenges and controversies.

Theranostics is a new term for long-established principles in nuclear medicine. The generalisability of the term means there is a very broad use of the term across the medical literature, not all of which is consistent with the intent in nuclear medicine. The term molecular theranostics better reflects the philosophy and application in nuclear medicine. Even with a clearer definition, there are a number of challenges or controversies whose debate provides a richer understanding of the principles and applications of molecular theranostics. Radioiodine imaging and therapy of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer provide the historical context for theranostics. The prototype molecular theranostic is the 68Ga/177Lu DOTATATE pair that targets somatostatin receptor subtype 2 in neuroendocrine tumors. The potential value of precision medicine of radiation dosimetry in molecular theranostics needs a balanced discussion with limitations of reactive dosimetry and the opportunities for predictive or pre-treatment dosimetry. Despite challenges and limitations, molecular theranostics is a powerful tool in the precision medicine landscape. Molecular theranostics is a vehicle for improved outcomes in cancer patients with a future-facing portfolio of opportunities.

Relation Between Quantum Jump and Wave Function Collapse

Whether wave function collapses or not is a major remaining question in the theory of quantum measurement. This difficulty stems from following two facts. First, it has not been recognized that single-particle quantum mechanics and many-particle quantum mechanics must be treated separately. Second, quantum jump (QJ) and wave function collapse (WFC) need clearer definitions. We define a QJ as a process of selecting a set of system eigenvalues (SEVs) of an observable and a WFC as a process of determining the probability distribution (PD) of SEVs, both from a single measurement. The goal of quantum observation is to obtain the PD, which is determined from an ensemble of SEVs. The wave function becomes an observable when the PD is determined. In single-particle quantum mechanics, a single measurement results in only one set of SEVs and the PD is not observable. Therefore the WFC does not happen. In many-particle quantum mechanics, we focus on the occupation number of a singe quantum state. The wave function does not collapse in general, but there are exceptions. The occupation number can be huge and macroscopic for photons or for Bose-Einstein condensates. In such a case, the PD is determined from a single measurement of a real ensemble and the WFC occurs. We call it a macroscopic quantum jump, which effectively is a measurement of a classical observable.

"I Accuse" and "I Wander": on the Writer's Identity Formation from the SDGS Perspective

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the definition of writers, exploring the different configurations of writers in the context of diverse education, and learning about the importance of quality education for independent thinking and critical thinking. Method: This research adopts the methods of literature research and close reading of texts, analyzing historical works, academic monographs, and literary works to summarize the experiences, creations, and identities of contemporary Chinese writers, forming a comprehensive perspective. Results and Discussion: The writer is not only the material individual but also the creation main body, its position and the function in the literature field hold the balance. They are the primary force of literary production and the core of literary mechanism. After analyzing the history, definition and identity of a writer, we can divide the writer's identity into two types: the intellectual and the wanderer, which to some extent clears the fog of the writer's identity. Originality/Value: The current academic attention to the writer's identity is insufficient, the writer's identity structure in literary research is still not clear. This has led to a divergence of views in the community and the academic community on the writer, almost all the discussions are in disputes and conflicts, and the writer's identity which is very vague is more complicated. This study clarifies the definition of writers, provides a clearer definition and conclusion on the identity configuration of writers, and highlights the importance of quality education for independent and critical thinking.

Information in summaries of product characteristics about use in children is limited and needs standardisation: a systematic analysis in Switzerland

BackgroundA considerable proportion of drugs administered to children are not authorised for this purpose, and consequently off-label use is common in paediatric care. Our aims were to quantify systematically the...

UG-schematic Annotation for Event Nominals: A Case Study in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract Divergence of languages observed at the surface level is a major challenge encountered by multilingual data representation, especially when typologically distant languages are involved. Drawing inspiration from a formalist Chomskyan perspective towards language universals, Universal Grammar (UG), this article uses deductively pre-defined universals to analyze a multilingually heterogeneous phenomenon, event nominals. In this way, deeper universality of event nominals beneath their huge divergence in different languages is uncovered, which empowers us to break barriers between languages and thus extend insights from some synthetic languages to a non-inflectional language, Mandarin Chinese. Our empirical investigation also demonstrates this UG-inspired schema is effective: With its assistance, the inter-annotator agreement (IAA) for identifying event nominals in Mandarin grows from 88.02% to 94.99%, and automatic detection of event-reading nominalizations on the newly-established data achieves an accuracy of 94.76% and an F1 score of 91.3%, which significantly surpass those achieved on the pre-existing resource by 9.8% and 5.2%, respectively. Our systematic analysis also sheds light on nominal semantic role labeling. By providing a clear definition and classification on arguments of event nominal, the IAA of this task significantly increases from 90.46% to 98.04%.

#2168 Lupus nephritis histopathological classification system: a questionnaire-based survey of the Renal Pathology Society (RPS)

Abstract Background and Aims Kidney biopsy is the gold standard for lupus nephritis diagnosis, defining histologic class, disease activity and chronicity in detail and providing guidance for treatment. The updated 2018 ISN/RPS histopathological classification in lupus nephritis is widely used for prognosis and treatment decisions. Given the evolving phenotypes of lupus nephritis and the success of new targeted agents in clinical trials, there is ongoing discussion about the need for updating existing classification systems. A survey to assess the current use of the lupus nephritis histopathological classification systems in everyday practice was conducted on behalf of the RPS. Method An online survey was sent between September 27th and October 24th, 2023 to active members of the RPS. The survey used an internet platform and contained both multiple-choice and open-ended questions; results were analyzed anonymously. Results 185 of 562 RPS members replied to the questionnaire. 179 (97%) were pathologists and the level of expertise in lupus nephritis was good: 120 (65%) participants indicated they encounter more than 20 biopsies with lupus nephritis per year, while only 13% encounter fewer than 10. Almost 90% of responders discuss kidney biopsy results in a multidisciplinary meeting involving both clinicians and pathologists, on a weekly or monthly basis. The 2018 ISN/RPS lupus nephritis classification is used in most cases (92%), while 7% of participants prefer the earlier 2004 version. The average grade on the utility of the 2018 ISN/RPS classification was 8 (IQR 7-9) on a scale from 0 (not useful) to 10 (extremely useful). Almost 90% of the pathologist responders indicated they include the NIH activity/chronicity indices in biopsy reports. Reasons for not adding the activity/chronicity indices were given as responses to open-ended questions: (1) clinicians usually do not ask for activity/chronicity indices—(2) the extra workload outweighs the perceived clinical benefit—(3) a quantitative description of the degree of activity/chronicity is less time-consuming and more understandable than the indices—(4) reproducibility is not guaranteed. The average grade on the utility of the activity/chronicity indices was 7 (IQR 7-9) on a scale from 0 (not useful) to 10 (extremely useful). Pathologists rated treating clinicians' understanding of kidney biopsy reports and lupus classification at light microscopy with an average score of 8 (IQR 7-9) on a scale from 0 (no understanding) to 10 (complete understanding). Suggested improvements of the 2018 ISN/RPS lupus nephritis classification were further standardization and simplicity. Clearer definitions were requested for: class III vs class IV; segmental sclerosis vs fibrotic crescents; the role of globally sclerosed glomeruli; lupus-like entities; and lupus podocytopathy. Furthermore, there was a request on guidelines for new parameters: e.g., focus on extraglomerular involvement, laboratory and clinical features and biomarkers; CD68+ staining to detect endocapillary hypercellularity; and EXT1/2 immunostaining. Conclusion Our survey shows the 2018 ISN/RPS lupus nephritis classification is widely used in everyday practice by pathologists, and well known by clinicians. The results obtained by the RPS survey serve as a starting point for the new Working Group of lupus nephritis classification. We will consider the ideas and suggestions of the international community to evaluate biopsies from extensively phenotyped cohorts, to modify the classification and to facilitate improved targeted treatment decisions—a current unmet need.

Rapid reviews methods series: guidance on rapid qualitative evidence synthesis

This paper forms part of a series of methodological guidance from the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group and addresses rapid qualitative evidence syntheses (QESs), which use modified systematic, transparent and...

Peroxiredoxin II exerts neuroprotective effects by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress-induced neuronal pyroptosis.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a critical neurological condition with few treatment options, where secondary immune responses and specific cell death forms, like pyroptosis, worsen brain damage. Pyroptosis involves gasdermin-mediated membrane pores, increasing inflammation and neural harm, with the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway being central to this process. Peroxiredoxin II (Prx II), recognized for its mitochondrial protection and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging abilities, appears as a promising neuronal pyroptosis modulator. However, its exact role and action mechanisms need clearer definition. This research aims to explore Prx II impact on neuronal pyroptosis and elucidate its mechanisms, especially regarding endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage modulation. Utilizing MTT assays, Microscopy, Hoechst/PI staining, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence, we found Prx II effectively reduces LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis and neuroinflammation in HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells. Our results indicate Prx II's neuroprotective actions are mediated through PI3K/AKT activation and ER stress pathway inhibition, diminishing mitochondrial dysfunction and decreasing neuronal pyroptosis through the ROS/MAPK/NF-κB pathway. These findings highlight Prx II potential therapeutic value in improving intracerebral hemorrhage outcomes by lessening secondary brain injury via critical signaling pathway modulation involved in neuronal pyroptosis. Our study not only underlines Prx II importance in neuroprotection but also opens new therapeutic intervention avenues in intracerebral hemorrhage, stressing the complex interplay between redox regulation, ER stress, and mitochondrial dynamics in neuroinflammation and cell death management.

A Retrospective Comparison of Multiple Approaches to Anatomically Informed Contact Selection in Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease.

Conventional deep brain stimulation (DBS) programming via trial-and-error warrants improvement to ensure swift achievement of optimal outcomes. The definition of a sweet spot for subthalamic DBS in Parkinson's disease (PD-STN-DBS) may offer such advancement. This investigation examines the association of long-term motor outcomes with contact selection during monopolar review and different strategies for anatomically informed contact selection in a retrospective real-life cohort of PD-STN-DBS. We compared contact selection based on a monopolar review (MPR) to multiple anatomically informed contact selection strategies in a cohort of 28 PD patients with STN-DBS. We employed a commercial software package for contact selection based on visual assessment of individual anatomy following two predefined strategies and two algorithmic approaches with automatic targeting of either the sensorimotor STN or our previously published sweet spot. Similarity indices between chronic stimulation and contact selection strategies were correlated to motor outcomes at 12 months follow-up. Lateralized motor outcomes of chronic DBS were correlated to the similarity between chronic stimulation and visual contact selection targeting the dorsal part of the posterior STN (rho = 0.36, p = 0.007). Similar relationships could not be established for MPR or any of the other investigated strategies. Our data demonstrates that a visual contact selection following a predefined strategy can be linked to beneficial long-term motor outcomes in PD-STN-DBS. Since similar correlations could not be observed for the other approaches to anatomically informed contact selection, we conclude that clear definitions and prospective validation of any approach to imaging-based DBS-programming is warranted.

Implementation of an Arabic spell checker

This paper outlines the implementation of a spell checker for the Arabic language, leveraging the capabilities of NooJ and its functionality, specifically noojapply. In this paper, we shall proceed to provide clear definitions and comprehensive descriptions of several categories of spelling errors. Next, we will provide a comprehensive introduction to the NooJ platform and its command-line utility, noojapply. In the subsequent section, we shall outline the four main phases of our spell checker prototype. We intend to develop a local grammar in NooJ for the purpose of error detection. Afterwards, a morphological grammar and a local grammar will be created in NooJ with the aim of providing an exhaustive list of possible corrections. Following that, a revised algorithm will be employed to arrange these candidates in descending order of ranking. Subsequently, a web user interface will be developed to visually represent our research efforts. Finally, we will proceed to showcase a series of tests and evaluations conducted on our prototype, Al Mudaqiq.

Exploring fair scheduling aspects – Through final exam scheduling

AbstractFair treatment of individuals in a scheduling task is essential. Unfairness can cause dissatisfaction among workers, faster obsolescence of work tools and underutilization of others. The literature's definitions vary, and there is no clear definition of general scheduling tasks.This article explores fair scheduling through the lens of final exams, aiming to extend decision support system methodologies. It proposes a method based on Lipschitz mapping to measure fairness and presents a pseudo-algorithm for estimating optimal trend lines.The model and the algorithm are demonstrated using the example of final exam schedules. In this way, two feasible solutions can be measured and compared in terms of fairness.

The ethically significant difference between dual use and slippery slope arguments, in relation to CRISPR-Cas9: philosophical considerations and ethical challenges

Biomedical research, on the one hand, contributes to important goals from generation of knowledge about the human body to the development and testing of therapeutics of all kinds. On the other hand, it can produce serious and sometimes unforeseeable consequences. In the ethical analysis of these two aspects of biomedical research, two important argumentative strategies play a major role. First, slippery slope arguments are used to warn of potential risks and to highlight knowledge-based limitations. Second, a dual-use problem describes the challenge that already established techniques can be used for both morally wrong and morally right purposes. These two argumentative strategies appear to share several similarities, which will be investigated in this article. For this purpose, the article will first provide clear working definitions for both types of argument. This lays the foundation for the further ethical analysis. In a second step, and in order to investigate the similarities and differences of the argumentative strategies with an example from current ethical debates, CRISPR-Cas9, a currently very promising tool of genome editing, will be examined. The extent to which the possible applications of this genome editing tool can be addressed by slippery slope arguments or the dual use problem will be investigated. For this purpose, selected studies involving the use of CRISPR-Cas9 will be examined. Based on this two-step, analytic and example-based comparison of slippery-slope argumentation and dual-use considerations, the article will detail the ethically relevant difference between the two argumentative strategies and at the same time contribute to the ongoing ethical debate about CRISPR-Cas9.

Unveiling Confinement Engineering for Achieving High-Performance Rechargeable Batteries.

The confinement effect, restricting materials within nano/sub-nano spaces, has emerged as an innovative approach for fundamental research in diverse application fields, including chemical engineering, membrane separation, and catalysis. This confinement principle recently presents fresh perspectives on addressing critical challenges in rechargeable batteries. Within spatial confinement, novel microstructures and physiochemical properties have been raised to promote the battery performance. Nevertheless, few clear definitions and specific reviews are available to offer a comprehensive understanding and guide for utilizing the confinement effect in batteries. This review aims to fill this gap by primarily summarizing the categorization of confinement effects across various scales and dimensions within battery systems. Subsequently, the strategic design of confinement environments is proposed to address existing challenges in rechargeable batteries. These solutions involve the manipulation of the physicochemical properties of electrolytes, the regulation of electrochemical activity, and stability of electrodes, and insights into ion transfer mechanisms. Furthermore, specific perspectives are provided to deepen the foundational understanding of the confinement effect for achieving high-performance rechargeable batteries. Overall, this review emphasizes the transformative potential of confinement effects in tailoring the microstructure and physiochemical properties of electrode materials, highlighting their crucial role in designing novel energy storage devices.

Interaction-Shaping Robotics: Robots That Influence Interactions between Other Agents

Work in Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) has investigated interactions between one human and one robot as well as human–robot group interactions. Yet the field lacks a clear definition and understanding of the influence a robot can exert on interactions between other group members (e.g., human-to-human). In this article, we define Interaction-Shaping Robotics (ISR), a subfield of HRI that investigates robots that influence the behaviors and attitudes exchanged between two (or more) other agents. We highlight key factors of interaction-shaping robots that include the role of the robot, the robot-shaping outcome, the form of robot influence, the type of robot communication, and the timeline of the robot’s influence. We also describe three distinct structures of human–robot groups to highlight the potential of ISR in different group compositions and discuss targets for a robot’s interaction-shaping behavior. Finally, we propose areas of opportunity and challenges for future research in ISR.

A New Species of Chigger (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Indonesia and Current Differentiation of Trombicula Berlese, 1905 Sensu Stricto Group.

Two new species of chiggers in the two genera (Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 and Rudnicula Vercammen-Grandjean, 1964) have been described in Indonesia since 2020. The checklist of all known bat-infesting chiggers has also been compiled for Indonesia. It summarizes 16 species in 9 genera of chiggers parasitizing 12 bat species belonging to 5 families collected on 8 Indonesian islands. Nine specimens collected in 2020 on Nusa Penida Island were not included in the checklist because of their uncertain taxonomy. In the current paper, we resolve the taxonomy of these specimens belonging to Trombicula sensu stricto group. We also revise the existing characters of this group and provide new characters helping with the clear definition of this taxa. Hosts and chiggers were captured in February 2020 in Nusa Penida Islands in Indonesia using standard bat-capturing and parasite-collecting methods. For the specimens examined in this study were provided drawings, measurements, and microscopy images. This type material is deposited in the Slovak and Czech National museums. In the paper, we describe anew species parasitizing diadem leaf-nosed batin the Goa Peteng cave on Nusa Penida Island (Lesser Sunda Islands, East Indonesia). This new species differs from all related species by the presence of avery long tarsala I (S1). A key to the larvae of all seven known Trombicula s. s. species is provided. The differentiation of Trombicula s. s. group is based on leg segmentation fsp = 6.6.6, rugose scutum with complete AM, AL and PL setation, and fT = 5B, 5BN or 4B2N. Anew species within the genus Trombicula, group minor has been described. The new species also increases the number of known chiggers in Indonesia and the number of species parasitizing the host species Hipposideros diadema. Trombicula s. s. has also been revised and more clearly defined.

Groups of Persons in the Proposed AI Act Amendments

Abstract This article explores the proposed amendments to the AI Act, which introduce the concept of “groups of persons”. The inclusion of this notion has the potential to broaden the traditional individual-centric approach in data protection. The analysis explores the context and the challenges posed by the rapid evolution of technology, with an emphasis on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It discusses both the potential benefits and challenges of recognising groups of people, including issues such as discrimination prevention, public trust and redress mechanisms. The analysis also identifies key challenges, including the lack of a clear definition for “group”, the difficulty in explaining AI architecture concerning groups and the need for well-defined redress mechanisms. The article also puts forward recommendations aimed at addressing these challenges in order to enhance the effectiveness and clarity of the proposed amendments.

Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy: A Modern Definition and Description.

Currently, orthopaedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) lacks a description of practice that reflects contemporary thinking and embraces advances across the scientific, clinical, and educational arms of the profession. The absence of a clear definition of OMPT reduces understanding of the approach across health care professions and potentially limits OMPT from inclusion in scientific reviews and clinical practice guidelines. For example, it is often incorrectly classified as passive care or incorrectly contrasted with exercise-therapy approaches. This perspective aims to provide clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders a modern definition of OMPT that improves the understanding of this approach both inside and outside the physical therapist profession. The authors also aim to outline the unique and essential aspects of advanced OMPT training with the corresponding examination and treatment competencies. This definition of practice and illustration of its defining characteristics is necessary to improve the understanding of this approach and to help classify it correctly for study in the scientific literature. This perspective provides a current definition and conceptual model of OMPT, defining the distinguishing characteristics and key elements of this systematic and active patient-centered approach to improve understanding and help classify it correctly for study in the scientific literature.

A coming-of-age story: adult neurogenesis or adolescent neurogenesis in rodents?

It is surprising that after more than a century using rodents for scientific research, there are no clear, consensual, or consistent definitions for when a mouse or a rat becomes adult. Specifically, in the field of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, where this concept is central, there is a trend to consider that puberty marks the start of adulthood and is not uncommon to find 30-day-old mice being described as adults. However, as others discussed earlier, this implies an important bias in the perceived importance of this trait because functional studies are normally done at very young ages, when neurogenesis is at its peak, disregarding middle aged and old animals that exhibit very little generation of new neurons. In this feature article we elaborate on those issues and argue that research on the postnatal development of mice and rats in the last 3 decades allows to establish an adolescence period that marks the transition to adulthood, as occurs in other mammals. Adolescence in both rat and mice ends around postnatal day 60 and therefore this age can be considered the onset of adulthood in both species. Nonetheless, to account for inter-individual, inter-strain differences in maturation and for possible delays due to environmental and social conditions, 3 months of age might be a safer option to consider mice and rats bona fide adults, as suggested by The Jackson Labs.

Nosocomial Infections in Adults Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Review for Infectious Diseases Clinicians.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a rapid expansion in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the care of patients with refractory cardiac or respiratory failure. Infectious diseases clinicians must reconcile conflicting evidence from limited studies as they develop practices at their own institutions, which has resulted in considerably different practices globally. This review describes infection control and prevention as well as antimicrobial prophylaxis strategies in this population. Data on diagnostics and treatment for patients receiving ECMO with a focus on diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship is then examined. This review summarizes gaps in the current ECMO literature and proposes future needs, including developing clear definitions for infections and encouraging transparent reporting of practices at individual facilities in future clinical trials.