Subsequent Measurements Research Articles

Optical sensor reveals the hidden influence of cell dissociation on adhesion measurements

Cell adhesion experiments are important in tissue engineering and for testing new biologically active surfaces, prostheses, and medical devices. Additionally, the initial state of adhesion (referred to as nascent adhesion) plays a key role and is currently being intensively researched. A critical step in handling all adherent cell types is their dissociation from their substrates for further processing. Various cell dissociation methods and reagents are used in most tissue culture laboratories (here, cell dissociation from the culture surface, cell harvesting, and cell detachment are used interchangeably). Typically, the dissociated cells are re-adhered for specific measurements or applications. However, the impact of the choice of dissociation method on cell adhesion in subsequent measurements, especially when comparing the adhesivity of various surfaces, is not well clarified. In this study, we demonstrate that the application of a label-free optical sensor can precisely quantify the effect of cell dissociation methods on cell adhesivity, both at the single-cell and population levels. The optical measurements allow for high-resolution monitoring of cellular adhesion without interfering with the physiological state of the cells. We found that the choice of reagent significantly alters cell adhesion on various surfaces. Our results clearly demonstrate that biological conclusions about cellular adhesion when comparing various surfaces are highly dependent on the employed dissociation method. Neglecting the choice of cellular dissociation can lead to misleading conclusions when evaluating cell adhesion data from various sources and comparing the adhesivity of two different surfaces (i.e., determining which surface is more or less adhesive).

Percutaneous triamcinolone injection for upper eyelid retraction in thyroid eye disease.

To evaluate percutaneous triamcinolone (TA) injection efficacy in treating upper eyelid retraction (UER) for Australian thyroid eye disease (TED) patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis across 8 years and multiple diverse Australian centres identified UER patients who received TA injections. A single operator administered 40mg/1ml TA through upper eyelid skin. Assessments at 4-6 weeks and subsequent eyelid measurements gauged treatment response and complications. 24 patients and 25 eyelids were included in the study. 91.6% were female, mean age 40.8 ± 10.3 years with mean follow-up of 17.5 months (± 18.5). Pre-treatment MRD1 was 6.2mm ± 1.4, and we observed a mean improvement of 2.2mm from pre-treatment to post-treatment (p<0.001). The mean UER measurement before treatment (defined as MRD1 - 4.0mm) was 3.0mm ± 1.3 (range, 0-6mm). After treatment, the mean UER measurement was -0.1mm. Quality of life (QOL) assessment improved significantly, from pre-treatment score of 4.13 ± 2.4 to post-treatment 8.0 ±1.7 (p<0.001). Percutaneous injection of TA is an effective and safe treatment option for UER in patients with TED. This technique can be performed without upper eyelid eversion, which makes it more tolerable for patients and less complex for the operator compared to the transconjunctival injection approach. Our results show a significant improvement in MRD1 and UER, as well as patient QOL. Moreover, we found a low rate of complications (4.2% induced ptosis) and no cases of raised intraocular pressure. Percutaneous TA injection can greatly reduce the need for eyelid lowering surgery in this patient population.

Serial Cervical Length Measurement for Determining the Risk of Preterm Labor: A Prospective Study

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether serial evaluations of cervical length (CL) have the potential to determine preterm labor in women with threatening preterm labor (TPL). Materials and Methods: This prospective study included pregnant women at 24 to 37 weeks of gestation referred to our institute because of TPL. Cervical length was measured at three successive time points using transvaginal sonography (upon admission, one-, and two-weeks post-admission). Data were analyzed using both parametric and non-parametric statistics. Results: The mean age of the 126 patients included was 25.60 ± 6.48 years, with age ranging from 14 to 42 years. The mean pregnancy age, at the time of the sonogram, was 33.54 ± 2.78 weeks. The initial CL had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.854. The CLs measured one and two weeks later had AUROCs of 0.868 and 0.870, respectively. Based on these data, the cut-off points of 28.5 and 27.5 mm were identified for the initial and subsequent two-week CL measurements, respectively, capable of predicting preterm delivery. If the CL measured at initial admission was &gt;28.5 mm, the likelihood of timely delivery was 92.22%. However, if the CL measured at initial admission was &lt;28.5 mm, the chance of premature preterm delivery increased by 2.3 times. Patients with a CL &lt;27.5 mm in the second week were 18.75% more likely to have a preterm delivery. If the CL was &gt;27.5 mm, the probability of timely delivery was 89.7%. Conclusion: In this cohort of women, serially measured CLs taken during transvaginal sonography demonstrated promise as a method for indicating the possible risk of preterm delivery. Thus, measured CL may be a useful diagnostic component for prenatal care, as well as for classifying the risk of preterm delivery. Nevertheless, further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness and safety of these sonographic measures in larger and more diverse patient cohorts.

A three-dimensional algorithm for precise measurement of human auricle parameters

Measurement of auricle parameters for planning and post-operative evaluation presents substantial challenges due to the complex 3D structure of the human auricle. Traditional measurement methods rely on manual techniques, resulting in limited precision. This study introduces a novel automated surface-based three-dimensional measurement method for quantifying human auricle parameters. The method was applied to virtual auricles reconstructed from Computed Tomography (CT) scans of a cadaver head and subsequent measurement of important clinically relevant aesthetical auricular parameters (length, width, protrusion, position, auriculocephalic angle, and inclination angle). Reference measurements were done manually (using a caliper and using a 3D landmarking method) and measurement precision was compared to the automated method. The CT scans were performed using both a contemporary high-end and a low-end CT scanner. Scans were conducted at a standard scanning dose, and at half the dose. The automatic method demonstrated significantly higher precision in measuring auricle parameters compared to manual methods. Compared to traditional manual measurements, precision improved for auricle length (9×), width (5×), protrusion (5×), Auriculocephalic Angle (5–54×) and posteroanterior position (23×). Concerning parameters without comparison with a manual method, the precision level of supero-inferior position was 0.489 mm; and the precisions of the inclination angle measurements were 1.365 mm and 0.237 mm for the two automated methods investigated. Improved precision of measuring auricle parameters was associated with using the high-end scanner. A higher dose was only associated with a higher precision for the left auricle length. The findings of this study emphasize the advantage of automated surface-based auricle measurements, showcasing improved precision compared to traditional methods. This novel algorithm has the potential to enhance auricle reconstruction and other applications in plastic surgery, offering a promising avenue for future research and clinical application.

A review of research performed on the approach to the subsequent measurement of goodwill

Orientation: By taking stock of goodwill accounting literature, the article identifies key themes and highlights the lack of innovation in goodwill and intangibles’ accounting evolution.Research purpose: This article suggests pure grounded theory research is required to develop a novel perspective on goodwill accounting.Motivation for the study: Little progress has been made to overcome the dated issues related to goodwill impairment necessitating a genuinely fresh approach.Research approach/design and method: A search was performed on the Scopus Database and all sources containing a combination of ‘goodwill’ and ‘impairment’, ‘amortisation’ or ‘depreciation’ in the title, abstract or keywords were extracted. A total of 231 sources from 1990 to 2022 are analysed. These are coded with the support of a content analysis and a bibliometric analysis.Main findings: This research identifies the dominance of positivist quantitative research and financial economics as a key issue that may be holding back progress on the subsequent treatment of goodwill. The research iterates three core issues, namely: (1) that the impairment-only approach allows too much managerial discretion, (2) an inability to reasonably estimate the useful life of goodwill deters many from supporting goodwill amortisation and (3) sometimes goodwill may be a wasting asset while others may genuinely have an indefinite useful life.Practical/managerial implications: This research may be relevant for standard setters when considering goodwill accounting methods.Contribution/value-add: The research provides insights into existing literature and highlights areas for future accounting research.

Single and multiple breath nitrogen washout compared with the methacholine test in patients with suspected asthma and normal spirometry

BackgroundMethods used to assess ventilation heterogeneity through inert gas washout have been standardised and showed high sensitivity in diagnosing many respiratory diseases. We hypothesised that nitrogen single or multiple breath...

A high-intensity, low-energy heavy ion source for a neutron target proof-of-principle experiment at LANSCE

The capability to directly study neutron capture reactions on radionuclides with half-lives on the of order minutes would allow key cross section measurements in nuclear astrophysics and energy applications. However, such experiments with stationary targets are currently impossible because of signal detection and target sample fielding issues. To overcome these challenges, a neutron target facility is being developed to permit neutron capture experiments on unstable isotopes in inverse kinematics at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). This next-generation facility will consist of a heavily moderated, high-intensity spallation neutron target coupled with a radioactive ion beam storage ring. A proof-of-principle experiment is underway to demonstrate this neutron target concept at LANSCE in the near term with stable ions and without a storage ring. Here, mA-level beams of 10-50 keV heavy ions exhibiting large resonant neutron capture cross sections will be generated by a new ion source, transported through a large-volume neutron moderator surrounding an adjacent spallation target driven by the LANSCE accelerator, and collected downstream of the moderator for subsequent decay-counting measurements. The neutron density within the moderator will be obtained from these decay yields and compared with Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation results. The science application, operational requirements, and performance objectives for this heavy ion source will be presented.

Influence of base designs on the manufacturing accuracy of vat-polymerized diagnostic casts using two different technologies

Statement of problemDiagnostic casts can incorporate different base designs and be manufactured using different vat-polymerization technologies. However, the influence of the interrelation between the base design and the 3D printing technology on the casts' final accuracy remains unclear. PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the influence of different base designs of 3D printed casts on the accuracy of 2 vat-polymerization technologies. Material and methodsA digital maxillary cast was obtained and used to generate 3 different base designs: solid (S group), honeycombed (HC group), and hollow (H group). The HC and H groups were subdivided based on the wall thickness of the cast design, resulting in 2 subgroups with thicknesses of 1 mm (HC1 and H1) and 2 mm (HC2 and H2) (N=100, n=10). Eleven reference cubes were added to each specimen for subsequent measurements. Specimens were manufactured by using 2 vat-polymerization 3D printers: Nextdent 5100 (ND group) and Sonic Mini 4K (SM4K group) and a resin material suitable for both 3D printers (Nextdent Model 2.0). A coordinate measuring machine quantified the linear and 3-dimensional discrepancies between the digital cast and each reference specimen. Trueness was defined as the average absolute dimensional discrepancy between the virtual cast and the specimens produced through additive manufacturing (AM), while precision was delineated as the standard deviation in dimensional discrepancies between the digital cast and the AM specimens. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U pairwise comparison tests (α=.05). ResultsFor the NextDent group the trueness ranged from 21.83 µm to 28.35 µm, and the precision ranged from 17.82 µm to 37.70 µm. For the Phrozen group, the trueness ranged from 45.15 µm to 64.51 µm, and the precision ranged from 33.51 µm to 48.92 µm. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant differences on the x-, y-, and z-axes and in the 3D discrepancy (all P<.001). On the x-axis, the Mann-Whitney U test showed significant differences for the Phrozen group between the H-2 and H-1 groups (P=.001), H-2 and S groups (P<.001), and HC-2 and S groups (P=.012). On the y-axis, significant differences were found in the Phrozen group between the H-2 and H-1 groups (P=.001), the H-2 and S, H-1 and HC-1, and HC-1 and S groups (P<.001), the H-1 and HC-2 groups (P=.007), and the HC-2 and S groups (P=.009). The NextDent group exhibited significant differences, particularly among the HC-1 and H-2 groups (P=.004), H-1 (P=.020), and HC-2 (P=.001) groups; and on the z-axis significant differences were found in the Phrozen group between the H-2 and H-1 and S groups and the HC-2 group and H-1 and S groups (both P<.001). In the NextDent group, significant differences were found between the H-2 and HC-2 (P=.047) and HC-1 (P=.028) groups. For the 3D discrepancy analysis, significant differences were found in the Phrozen group between the H-2 and H-1 and S groups (P<.001), the H-1 and HC-2 groups (P=.001), the S and HC-1 and HC-2 groups (P<.001), and the H-1 and HC-1 groups (P=.002). In the NextDent group, significant differences were observed between the H-2 and HC-1 groups (P=.012). ConclusionsThe accuracy of digital casts depends on the manufacturing trinomial and base design of the casts. The honeycomb and hollow based designs provided the highest accuracy in the NextDent and Phrozen groups respectively for the material polymer tested. All specimens fell in the clinically acceptable range.

Advancements in gas phase pollutant removal: A comprehensive study on the sorption of CO2 and SO2 on modified carbon monoliths

The synthesis of carbon monoliths using activated carbon treated with phenol-formaldehyde resin has been identified as a promising approach for the removal of pollutants from the gas phase. Monolithic adsorbents were synthesised and modified by adding silica, acid etching, and high temperature activation with CO2. Sorption capacities were determined by CO2 and SO2 adsorption tests. Preliminary findings indicated that the unmodified monoliths exhibited limited porosity. The activation process significantly altered the textural parameters, resulting in an increase in surface area and adsorption and desorption capacity. The modification yielded a monolith with a specific surface area of 598 m2/g and a pore volume of 438 mm3/g. The sorption capacity of the monoliths towards CO2 and SO2 was 1.64 mmol/g and 3.93 mmol/g, respectively. The modifications introduced developed the sorption capacity of the monoliths, enabling the regeneration process and its further use in subsequent measurement cycles.

Analyzing the Sustainability Report of Multinational Companies

Nowadays, more and more multinational corporations attach importance to sustainable development, and most of them present their annual decisions in sustainability reports. However, most multinational corporations only execute sustainability decisions to establish a good corporate image and reputation and meet public expectations, without rigorously evaluating the feasibility of sustainability reports and subsequent measurements, so this article uses HP, a representative multinational corporation, and critically analyzes HP's sustainability reports in recent years using the well-known and widely used GRI framework and corporate social responsibility theory.

Spectral characterization of elemental emissions, experimental insights and theoretical evaluation

This experimental study delves into the spectral analysis of five discrete spectral lamps, namely helium, sodium, mercury, cadmium and zinc, utilizing a suite of scientific instrumentation including an optical spectrometer with converging lenses and a diffraction grating. The primary objective is to determine the wavelengths corresponding to visible spectral lines emitted by these lamps. Calibration of the spectrometer with the helium lamp facilitated the derivation of the diffraction grating constant. Subsequent measurements of diffraction angles allowed for the computation of experimental wavelengths, which were then compared with theoretical values. Analysis revealed slight discrepancies between experimental and theoretical values, likely attributed to systematic errors such as extraneous light sources and parallax errors in angle measurements. Furthermore, examination of spectral line splitting demonstrated the removal of degeneracy within specified energy levels, resulting in the observation of distinct spectral components. Overall, this study underscores the significance of meticulous experimental techniques in the elucidation of fundamental physical phenomena and highlights the interplay between theory and observation in spectral analysis.

Interaction of olive oil-based propolis and caffeic acid phenethyl ester with methylprednisolone used in the treatment of human acute myeloid leukemia.

Methylprednisolone (MP) is a pharmaceutical agent employed in the management of Leukemia, which is a systemic malignancy that arises from abnormalities in the hematological system. Numerous investigations in the field of cancer research have directed their attention towards propolis, a natural substance with significant potential as a treatment-supportive agent. Its utilization aims to mitigate the potential adverse effects associated with chemotherapy medications. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of olive oil-based propolis (OEP) and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, as well as to determine if they exhibit a synergistic effect when combined with the therapeutic support product methylprednisolone. The proliferation of HL-60 cells was quantified using the WST-8 kit. The PI Staining technique was employed to do cell cycle analysis of DNA in cells subjected to OEP, CAPE, and MP, with subsequent measurement by flow cytometry. The apoptotic status of cells was determined by analyzing them using flow cytometry after staining with the Annexin V-APC kit. The quantification of apoptotic gene expression levels was conducted in HL-60 cells. In HL-60 cells, the IC50 dosages of CAPE and MP were determined to be 1 × 10- 6 M and 5 × 10- 4 M, respectively. The HL-60 cells were subjected to apoptosis and halted in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle after being treated with MP, CAPE, and OEP. Propolis and its constituents have the potential to serve as effective adjunctive therapies in chemotherapy.

Double lumen endobronchial tube intubation: lessons learned from anatomy

BackgroundDouble lumen endobronchial tubes (DLTs) are frequently used to employ single lung ventilation strategies during thoracic surgical procedures. Placement of these tubes can be challenging even for experienced clinicians. We hypothesized that airway anatomy, particularly of the glottis and proximal trachea, significantly impacts the ease or difficulty in placement of these tubes.MethodsImages from 24 randomly selected Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scans were evaluated for several anatomic aspects of the upper airway, including size and angulation of the glottis and proximal tracheal using calibrated CT measurements and an online digital protractor. The anatomic issues identified were confirmed in cadaveric anatomic models.ResultsProximal tracheal diameter measurements in PET-CT scans demonstrated a mean ± standard deviation of 20.4 ± 2.5 mm in 12 males and 15.5 ± 0.98 mm in 12 females (p < 0.001), and both were large enough to accommodate 39 French and 37 French DLTs in males and females, respectively. Subsequent measurements of the posterior angulation of the proximal trachea revealed a mean angle of 40.8 ± 5.7 degrees with no sex differences. By combining the 24 individual posterior tracheal angles with the 16 angled distal tip measurements DLTs (mean angle 24.9 ± 2.1 degrees), we created a series of 384 patient intubation angle scenarios. This data clearly showed that DLT rotation to a full 180 degrees decreased the mean intubation angle between the DLT and the proximal trachea from a mean of 66.6 ± 5.9 to only 15.8 ± 5.9 degrees.ConclusionsRotation of DLTs a full 180 instead of the recommended 90 degrees facilitates DLT intubations.

Psychometric Properties of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Norwegian Children.

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC) for young Norwegian children, a scale that is aligned with skills assessed in the Test of Gross Motor Development- Third Edition. We used convenience sampling to recruit 396 Norwegian-speaking children (7-10-year-olds) who completed the PMSC. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed factorial validity for the proposed three-factor model of the PMSC, encompassing measures of self-perceived ball, locomotor, and active play competence. Internal item consistency coefficients of these sub-scales were acceptable, and subsequent measurement invariant analysis found a gender difference such that boys rated their competence higher than girls in running, jumping forward, hitting a ball (racket), kicking, throwing a ball and rope climbing, while girls rated themselves higher, compared to boys, in galloping and skating/blading. Furthermore, there was a slightly better model fit for boys than for girls. Several items were significantly related to children's age, and the three-factor model exhibited differential age related factor mean differences across older and younger children. Overall, we found the PMSC to have acceptable psychometric properties for confident use in assessing perceived motor competence among 7-10-year-old Norwegian children, though we observed age and gender differences in children's responses that warrant careful interpretation of results and further research investigation.

Variation in monitoring: Glucose measurement in the ICU as a case study to preempt spurious correlations

ObjectiveHealth inequities can be influenced by demographic factors such as race and ethnicity, proficiency in English, and biological sex. Disparities may manifest as differential likelihood of testing which correlates directly with the likelihood of an intervention to address an abnormal finding. Our retrospective observational study evaluated the presence of variation in glucose measurements in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). MethodsUsing the MIMIC-IV database (2008–2019), a single-center, academic referral hospital in Boston (USA), we identified adult patients meeting sepsis-3 criteria. Exclusion criteria were diabetic ketoacidosis, ICU length of stay under 1 day, and unknown race or ethnicity. We performed a logistic regression analysis to assess differential likelihoods of glucose measurements on day 1. A negative binomial regression was fitted to assess the frequency of subsequent glucose readings. Analyses were adjusted for relevant clinical confounders, and performed across three disparity proxy axes: race and ethnicity, sex, and English proficiency. ResultsWe studied 24,927 patients, of which 19.5% represented racial and ethnic minority groups, 42.4% were female, and 9.8% had limited English proficiency. No significant differences were found for glucose measurement on day 1 in the ICU. This pattern was consistent irrespective of the axis of analysis, i.e. race and ethnicity, sex, or English proficiency. Conversely, subsequent measurement frequency revealed potential disparities. Specifically, males (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 – 1.21), patients who identify themselves as Hispanic (IRR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.21), or Black (IRR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.12), and patients being English proficient (IRR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.15) had higher chances of subsequent glucose readings. ConclusionWe found disparities in ICU glucose measurements among patients with sepsis, albeit the magnitude was small. Variation in disease monitoring is a source of data bias that may lead to spurious correlations when modeling health data.

Remanent Magnetic Field Scanning of Coating‐Graded Hybrid Foams

The manufacturing of hybrid materials such as nickel/polyurethane (Ni/PU) hybrid foams and 3D printed hybrid materials with the aid of electrochemical coating of lightweight structures leads to new materials, which can be used as crash absorbers, but also for lightweight design applications. Optimizing the coating quality of the developed hybrid materials necessitates a characterization on different scales regarding the coating thickness distribution. The ferromagnetic properties of the nickel coating enable a remanent magnetization of the produced hybrid foams and a subsequent measurement of resulting magnetic fields, so that the time‐consumption of a coating distribution determination could be enormously reduced by automating the quantification method. Previous studies have shown, that the local strength of these fields correlates with the deposited mass thus the coating thickness. The here presented automated measurement gives useful information about the homogeneity and the local coating thickness distribution according to an appropriate calibration. In order to optimize the coating quality of the newly developed hybrid materials, improved deposition conditions, as well as semi‐automated characterization methods, are studied to establish a large‐scale industrial production and a higher applicability of hybrid materials in the near future.

Relationship between tumor thickness and GATA3 immunoexpression in lip and tongue squamous cell carcinomas.

Lower lip squamous cell carcinomas (LLSCCs) exhibit lower levels of aggressiveness, low relations with metastases and better prognosis when compared with intraoral squamous cell carcinomas. Differently from the oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas (OTSCCs) have a high tendency towards local invasion and lymph nodal dissemination. Our aim was to evaluate tumor thickness in cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma and correlate it with histological grade of malignancy and GATA3 immunoreactivity. Sixty specimens (30 LLSCCs and 30 OTSCCs) were scanned and digitized for the subsequent measurement of tumor thickness, histopathological examination, and quantitative analysis of GATA3 in the parenchyma and stroma of the tumors. Tumor thickness was lower in LLSCC compared to OTSCCs. Immunohistochemical analysis of GATA3 in parenchyma, stroma and both compartments showed higher immunoreactivity in LLSCCs compared to OTSCCs. We observed a negative correlation between tumor thickness and GATA3 expression in parenchyma, stroma, and both compartments. Our results revealed the presence of GATA3 in all cases both in the parenchyma and in the stroma. Higher expression was more related to LLSCCs, which are known to be less aggressive tumors than OTSCCs. A greater tumor thickness was found in OTSCCs, which was correlated with lower expression of GATA3, suggesting that this protein is involved in the inhibition of proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacity.

486 Quantification of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) in cubital tunnel

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The long-term goal of our lab is to develop clinical and intra-operative methods to aid in assessment of compressive and traumatic peripheral neuropathies. The overall objective of this project is toidentify the potential of serum neurofilament light chain as a diagnostic biomarker for nerve injury. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The objective of this prospective study is to obtain data on serum NfL levels in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome and traumatic nerve injuries. Serum NfL from patients with cubital tunnel and traumatic nerve injuries will be compared to serum NfL of asymptomatic, sex and aged matched controls. Pre-operative and post-operative serum levels will be measured and compared topatient’s pre-operative physical exam findings, motor and sensory function testing, electrodiagnostic studies, ultrasound, presence of intraneural vascularity, and post-operative patient reported outcome measures for cubital tunnel patients. For patients with traumatic nerve injury, acute phase and a subsequent serum NfL measurement will be used to assess temporal changes in NfL. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The central hypothesis of this study is that symptomatic compression of the ulnar nerve or traumatic injury to the brachial plexus leading to axonotmesis will result in measurable increases in serum NfL proportional to the degree of nerve injury. This hypothesis has been formulated based on clinical experience and published studies demonstrating increased expression of serum NfL levels with axonal injury secondary to varying forms of peripheral neuropathy. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The significance of this project is that characterization of the relationship of clinical symptoms, non-invasive imaging and expression of NfL will lead to better diagnostic and prognostic algorithms in the treatment of compressive and traumatic peripheral neuropathies.

Sex Differences in Adult Incarceration After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (pTBI) is a major risk factor associated with adulthood incarceration. Most research into the link between pTBI and adulthood incarceration has focused on incarcerated males, who comprise the vast majority of incarcerated adults, particularly in industrialized nations. In this review, we sought to identify sex-related differences in the incidence and pathophysiology of pTBI and subsequent risk of adulthood incarceration. A scoping review was undertaken using PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and the Cochrane Library. Articles analyzing sex-related differences in pTBI and adult incarceration rates, studies conducted on an incarcerated population, and cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses were included in this review. Of the 85 unique results, 25 articles met our inclusion criteria. Male children are 1.5 times more likely to suffer a TBI than females; however, the prevalence of incarcerated adults with a history of pTBI is ∼35-45% for both sexes. Neurophysiologically, female sex hormones are implicated in neuroprotective roles, mitigating central nervous system (CNS) damage post-TBI, although this role may be more complex, given that injury severity and sequelae have been correlated with male sex whereas increased mortality has been correlated with female sex. Further investigation into the relationship between estrogen and subsequent clinical measurements of CNS function is needed to develop interventions that may alleviate the pathophysiological consequences of pTBI.

Issues of developing an employee motivation system for energy sector companies

As the object of research in the paper practical solutions in terms of material and non-material incentives for personnel in energy companies as well as methodological guidelines justifying their implementation are chosen. The subject area chosen is the processes of personnel motivation in energy companies in Russia. The objective of the study is to formulate directions for improving this work based on the analysis of information presented in the open press about existing approaches to building a system of personnel motivation in energy companies, taking into account modern transformations in the industry and the demand for innovative development. The methods used in this article include theoretical analysis of scientific literature on personnel motivation in relation to the development of the energy sector, graphical method, analysis of statistical data, analysis of documents covering decisions on personnel motivation in energy companies and the application of advanced digital technologies in management. The main result of the study is the conclusion that the basis for the development of the motivation system should be the perception of employees not as one of the company's resources, but as its value asset, the growth of their involvement for the benefit of achieving the goals and objectives which implies a change in the approach to the personnel motivation system, namely, the strengthening of the personalised component. This approach will allow to focus on incentives, tangible and intangible, oriented to each specific specialist, according to his/her role, contribution and prospects for the organisation. Tangible non-monetary incentives may (with equal amounts in terms of monetary equivalent) differ depending on the employee's interests, his/her needs (education, sports, examinations, hobbies, etc.) and the needs of their family. Non-material incentives related to the formal and informal status and personal brand of an employee in the organisation should also be individualised. This implies the use of AI to process an array of information about existing employees and determine their real contribution to the company's development, their performance at their current place of work, and to develop individualised motivational proposals with subsequent measurement of their performance.