bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Situational stress and suicide attempt behavior in Army soldiers and veterans: Insights from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience inServicemembers‐LongitudinalStudy
Authors: Edwards Emily R. , Coolidge Brettland , Ruiz Danny , Epshteyn Gabriella , Krauss Alison , Gorman Daniel , Connelly Brigid , Redden Clare , El‐Meouchy Paul , Geraci Joseph
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Prevention of suicide‐related behaviors is considered a top clinical priority within the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense. Despite previous literature attesting to the likely importance of situational stress as a key correlate of acute changes in suicide risk, longitudinal research into associations between situational stress and suicide‐related outcomes among military personnel has been relatively limited.

Methods

The current study examined associations between situational stress, recent suicide attempt, and future suicide attempt using data from 14,508 Army soldiers and recently discharged veterans enrolled in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers‐Longitudinal Studies (STARRS‐LS).

Results

Recent situational stress was more common among recently discharged veterans (vs. soldiers), those with a recent suicide attempt (vs. those without), and those with a subsequent suicide attempt (vs. those without). Job loss was more closely associated with suicide attempts among soldiers, whereas financial crisis, police contact, and death, illness, or injury of close others were more closely associated with suicide attempts among recently discharged veterans.

Conclusion

Findings further highlight situational stress as a salient risk factor for suicide‐related outcomes among military personnel, particularly among recently discharged veterans. Implications for screening and treatment of at‐risk military personnel are discussed.
Geography, ethnicity, genealogy and inter‐generational social inequality in Great Britain
Authors: Longley Paul , Lan Tian , van Dijk Justin
Published: June 2023

This paper documents population‐wide inequalities of outcome in Great Britain amongst and between long‐established and more recently arrived family groups. ‘Establishment’ is defined using family group presence in the 1851 Census of Population as a benchmark, and the ethnicity or nationality of more recent migrants is determined through classification of given and family names. Inequalities of outcome are measured using a harmonised indicator of neighbourhood deprivation (hardship). White British individuals tend to live in the best neighbourhoods, but within‐group inequalities reflect regional locations in which different family names were first coined 700 or more years ago. The living circumstances of White Irish and Chinese migrants are observed to be in line with long‐established White British family lines, but other conventionally defined ethnic groups fare worse, some very markedly so. Disaggregation of conventional ethnic groups used by the Office for National Statistics such as White Other and Other Asian reveals stark within‐group inequalities. These findings suggest: (a) regional origins of inter‐generational inequalities amongst the White British; (b) comparable neighbourhood environments experienced by the White Irish, Chinese and some White Other groups and (c) significantly worse neighbourhood circumstances within and between other more recently arrived immigrant groups. This work has several implications for understanding economic assimilation of migrants and the existence of inequalities amongst and between populations.
Rehabilitation effects of game therapy in people living with dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Jiashuai , Guo Yang , Yang Kaixi , Zhang Guoyu , Huang Kexiang , Zhou Jia , Sun Yue , Wang Zhiwen
Published: June 2023

Background

As a devastating neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD) imposes a considerable direct and indirect financial burden. However, effective drug treatment options are limited. In recent years, game therapy has become a research hotspot in this field.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the conclusions of existing studies and integrate the data to evaluate the effects of game therapy on people living with dementia (PLWD).

Methods

We included randomized clinical trials and quasi‐experimental studies which assessed the impacts of game therapy on PLWD and took cognitive function, quality of life, and depression as outcome indicators. Two trained researchers independently screened the studies, evaluated the quality, and extracted the data. Statistical analysis was performed by Review Manager (Revman) 5.3 and STATA16.0 software.

Results

There were 12 studies involving 877 PLWD included, total. The results of the meta‐analysis demonstrated that the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of the test group were significantly higher than that of the control group (SMD = 2.69, 95% CI [1.88, 3.51], p < .01), and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia scores of the test group were significantly lower than those of the control group (SMD = −4.28, 95% CI [−6.96, −1.60], p < .01); but in terms of quality of life (SMD = 0.17, 95% CI [−0.82, 1.16], p = .74), the difference was not statistically significant.

Linking Evidence to Action

Game therapy can improve cognitive function and depression in PLWD. The combination of different types of games can improve the different clinical symptoms of PLWD, and different intervention time also have different effects on the outcome, which shows that we can develop unique, systematic, safe, and scientific game intervention programs for PLWD to improve their cognitive function and depression.
Case Studies in Transient Heat Transfer With Sensitivities to Governing Variables
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

Every heat transfer problem has to satisfy the first law of thermodynamics, namely the law of conservation of energy. Before steady-state conditions are reached, every heat transfer problem is in an unsteady state and energies in a control volume and energies coming in and out of a control volume can change with time. These time dependent energy conservation in a control volume refers to a fascinating and challenging part of heat transfer called the unsteady state or transient heat transfer. This book deals with twenty-four transient heat transfer problems in our everyday lives. Some examples are: How electromagnetic waves coming from our Sun affect our Earth daily and seasonally? How ablating materials are used to capture most of incoming heat loads to protect a spacecraft, its occupants and its instruments, when entering Earth’s atmosphere at very high speeds? How frost damage penetrates a spherical and ripe orange when there is a sudden change in outside temperature at night? How much time it takes to roast one piece beef as rare and another same size piece as well done?
Back Matter
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

This back matter contains the References, Appendix and Index.
A Triangular Prism whose Boundaries are Subject to Radiation Heat Transfer
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

In this chapter, we will cover the explicit finite difference method application to a long triangular prism with radiation heat transfer at its boundaries in a vacuum environment in transient and 2-dimensional mode. Let us investigate the heating of this titanium alloy triangular prism, with insulated ends from an initial temperature of 20 C (293 K) up to 600 C (873 K) at its center of gravity. The triangle is an equilateral one with 1 m sides. Three sides of the long triangular prism are subject to radiation heat transfer from radiation energy sources at 1,000 C (1,273 K) in a vacuum environment as shown in end view in Figure 10-1.
Solidification of Molten Surface Coating on a Semi-Infinite Solid Substrate
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

In this chapter, we will investigate surface coating by thermal spraying of molten material on a semi-infinite solid substrate. Wire or powder flame spraying on the surface of a solid substrate is a very reliable and cost-effective process used for corrosion, erosion and wear resistance in automotive and aerospace industries and on bridges, ships and other structures. Aluminum oxide and zinc alloys are most widely used molten materials for flame spraying on iron and steel.
Large Plane Concrete Wall Subjected Suddenly to Convection Heat Transfer
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

In this chapter, we will investigate transient temperature distribution in a large plane concrete wall which is subjected suddenly to convection heat transfer on both surfaces and the initial plane wall temperature, Tw − ini, does not equal to environment’s temperature, Tenv, or Tw − ini ≠ Tenv, as shown in Figure 19-1. There are several ways we can approach to solve transient temperature distributions in a large plane wall depending upon values of two important non-dimensional numbers. First non-dimensional number is the Biot number given in Equation 19-1 which is the ratio of the conduction heat transfer resistance within the plane wall to convection heat transfer resistance at two surfaces of the plane wall.
Transient Heat Transfer During Seasonal Heating and Cooling of Earth’s Surface with Periodic Surface Temperature Fluctuations
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

Temperatures on Earth’s surface fluctuates daily and seasonally in a periodic fashion that affect temperatures on its surface and in its depths. In this chapter, we will investigate transient heat transfer from a semi-infinite surface with periodic surface temperature fluctuations with respect to an average annual temperature, Tave, and a maximum annual temperature, Tmax, as given in Equations 22-1.
Transient Heat Transfer Lumped Capacitance Method Applied to Composite Systems
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

The simple lumped capacitance method of solving transient heat transfer problems was introduced in Chapter 2. This method can also be applied to composite systems as long as each lump of the composite system satisfies Bilump < 0.1. In this chapter, we will determine the temperature-time history of water in a thin-walled cubic aluminum container which is immersed in engine oil which is also contained in a thin-walled chromium-steel container as shown in Figure 3-1. Initially, this whole composite system is at 20 C and it is suddenly immersed into a large environment that is filled with water at 90 C.
Use of Ablation Materials As Heat Shield to Protect Spacecrafts Entering Earth’s Atmosphere From Incoming Excessive Heat Loads
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

The surface boundary of a spacecraft entering Earth’s atmosphere from space at very high speeds, i.e. about 18,000 mph, experiences high heat loads, i.e. in the order of 107 W/m2, due to convection and radiation heat transfers and aerodynamic heating. Ablating materials are used to capture most of the incoming heat load to protect the spacecraft, its occupants and its instruments from excessive heat loads. Ablation of special materials such as teflon, phenolic nylon, and silicon based ablative materials are used to cover surfaces of a spacecraft in order to absorb, melt and evaporate during this high heat load event. These ablative materials have special characteristic such as low thermal conductivity, low density, low coefficient of thermal expansion, high emissivity and high melting temperatures.
Times to Hard Boil Different Sized Chicken Eggs
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

Chicken eggs have been studied extensively for their nutrients, physical and thermal properties. A large chicken egg is composed of a thin outside shell with a 0.03 cm mean thickness which is made out of calcium carbonate crystals and it is semipermeable. The middle layer is the egg white with a 1.22 cm mean thickness for a large egg that protects egg’s yoke in the middle and the egg white is composed of water, protein, and ropes that hold the egg’s yoke in the middle. A large egg’s yoke in the middle with a 1.1 cm mean thickness contains water, proteins, vitamins and minerals. The egg shell has a high thermal conductivity of about 225 W/(m-K).
A Finite Difference Method to Solve 2-Dimensional Transient Heat Transfer Equation
Authors: Atesmen M. Kemal
Published: June 2023

The lumped capacitance method and analytical solutions cannot be applied to transient and multi-dimensional heat transfer problems with complicated geometries and boundary conditions. In this chapter, we will cover the explicit finite difference method application to a 2-dimensional transient heat transfer problem with multiple boundary conditions. Let us investigate the cooling of a stainless- steel rectangular prism bar with 1 m by 1 m square insulated ends from an initial temperature of 500 C down to 100 C at its center. The rectangular prism bar is subject to free and forced convection heat transfer at its four surfaces as shown in a 1 m by 1 m square cross-section view in Figure 9-1.
DESIGN OF AN MRI-COMPATIBLE ROBOT FOR IMAGE-GUIDED NEEDLE INSERTION PROCEDURES USING ACTIVE TENDON-DRIVEN NEEDLES
Authors: Lafreniere Samuel , Sprouse Olivia Lee , Padilla Ryan Justin , Konh Bardia
Published: June 2023

Visualization and tip tracking of needles inside the body in needle-based interventions are usually challenging using conventional medical imaging modalities such as ultrasound and CT. MRI provides an amazing imaging feedback for the operator to target lesions with a great confidence. However, the needle should be operated teleoperatively using a robot interface. This work introduces a novel design of an MRI-compatible (slave) robot for image-guided needle insertions. The robot is designed with MRI-compatible materials and actuators to enable manual initial positioning inside the MRI bore prior to operation, as well as robotic teleoperation (insertion and actuation) of an active tendon-driven needle towards targets. The range of motion is shown to be appropriate for transperineal prostate interventions such as prostate biopsy and brachytherapy.
ON THE DESIGN OF ULTRA-WIDE BAND ANTIPODAL VIVALDI ANTENNA FOR BIOMEDICAL SENSORS
Authors: Samaddar Poulami , Nusrat Tasin , Gaddam Sunil , Leggett Cadman L. , Dey Shuvashis , Mitra Dipankar , Roy Sayan , Arunachalam Shivaram P.
Published: June 2023

Designing an effective antenna is very important to utilize microwave imaging. A high gain antipodal antenna designed with ultra-wideband frequency range is presented here. The simulated results are validated with measured data. The antenna can operate within the Ultra band frequency range of 3 to 8 GHz. The maximum gain of 2.96 dBi is obtained at 4 GHz. An experiment with biological tissues is also done to show the effectiveness of the antenna using as a resonator.
DETECTING PULMONARY EDEMA THROUGHOUT EX VIVO LUNG PERFUSION
Authors: Nadybal Ryan , Wang Andrew , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: June 2023

Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP) is now a powerful clinical technique that has facilitated the increase in successful human lung transplantation procedures. By having the abilities to assess marginal lungs, extend preservation times, and expand geographical distances for donations, EVLP has effectively both expanded the human lung transplantation donor pool and shortened times on the transplant waitlist. While clinical usage has expanded, preclinical research on EVLP has not. EVLP can be utilized as a preclinical research model, i.e., to investigate pharmacological responses (e.g., post-conditioning agents), organ preservation, device testing and/or methodology development. To facilitate the use of EVLP as a research tool, we have developed a low-cost testing system with ever increasing capabilities e.g., the use of a novel continuous weight sensor to evaluate lung edema. Real time tracking of edema allows us to hone in on potential causes of lung damage, and investigate techniques to rehabilitate and mitigate damage on a short time scale (<8 hours). This system enhances our abilities to accurately test medical devices, lung physiology, and potential treatment impacts on lungs.
HYPER-LOCAL AIR ZONE EVALUATOR (HAZE): AN OPEN SOURCE SYSTEM FOR PERSONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE MONITORING
Authors: Yetkin Oguz , Terry Brian B. , Baptist Joshua R. , Nielsen Alex C. , Cordner Jessica , Gowda Sanjay
Published: June 2023

Personal environmental exposure monitoring is an important method for evaluating detrimental effects of pollutants (or otherwise) on human health. We present an open source, affordable personal environmental exposure monitoring system based on off-the shelf components. The system is meant to be worn around the neck for continuous environmental monitoring, which can be useful for future epidemiological studies as well as personal exposure monitoring. We provide the schematics for the Printed Circuit Board as well as the firmware to run the system under a permissive license. Specifically, the system is designed to count airborne particles (PM0.5, PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10), measure CO, CO2, O3, H2S, as well as temperature, pressure, motion, and the relative presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). This low-cost and open-source device presented here is an important step to empower individuals, researchers, and underserved communities alike to better understand how daily life within one’s own environments impacts our health and welfare.
DESIGN OF BICORPORAL PUMP FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCEPHALUS
Authors: Cummings Marcus , Hampton Kate , Locknar Megan , Anderson Eric , Vasudevanallar Harshini , Lin Julian , Morris Martin
Published: June 2023

With the current design for shunt systems used to treat hydrocephalus, tissue from the brain ventricle can cause blockages that obstruct cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow through the proximal catheter. Previous work demonstrated that the reversing of flow through the proximal catheter can restore flow through a blocked catheter. Periodic backwash through the proximal catheter can prevent obstructions and maintain adequate drainage. This project aims to design a pump that can periodically reverse the flow of CSF to backwash the proximal catheter. To reduce the complexity of the implanted components, a simple diaphragm pump can be externally actuated. Actuation of the pump can be achieved using an electromagnet located outside of the body; a metal cap placed on the diaphragm can be magnetically manipulated to pump CSF and backwash the proximal catheter. Testing demonstrates the feasibility of this pump design with an achieved flow rate of 3.4 to 4 mL/min. This bicorporal pump used as part of a backwashing system may favorably change the shunt failure rate and provide a more robust treatment for hydrocephalus.
STETHAID: AN ELECTRONIC STETHOSCOPE CONNECTED TO IOS MOBILE APPS FOR AI-ASSISTED AUSCULTATION
Authors: Arjoune Youness , Salvador Tyler , Nguyen Trong N. , Telluri Anha , John Titus , Schroder Jonathan C. , Pillai Dinesh K. , Teach Stephen J. , Patel Shilpa J. , Doroshow Robin W. , Shekhar Raj
Published: June 2023

Auscultation is a critical component of a cardiopulmonary examination; however, several studies have shown that many physicians lack proficiency in it. With the development of artificial intelligence (AI)-augmented auscultation tools, physicians could improve their auscultation skills and provide accurate diagnoses, even approaching the expertise of seasoned clinicians. Although a few AI auscultation platforms have been created, none have been adopted widely in clinical settings. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive digital auscultation platform, termed StethAid, to supplement the value of auscultation.

StethAid is a comprehensive auscultation platform that comprises of an electronic stethoscope, mobile applications, and website portals. The StethAid stethoscope enables streaming and recording of heart and lungs sounds. It features 100 levels of sound amplification, digital filtering, active noise cancellation, and wireless connectivity. The StethAid stethoscope is similar to FDA-approved stethoscopes in its frequency response. Our mobile apps deliver various auscultation tools, as well as an AI suite and remote auscultation capabilities. The AI suite includes deep learning-based automated wheeze detection from auscultated lungs sounds. StethAid has been rigorously validated technically and clinically. StethAid could assist physicians in making more informed decisions, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes.
DESIGN OF A MECHANISM TO ASSIST THE STANDING UP AND SITTING DOWN OF A WHEELCHAIR USER
Authors: Jasso Verónica , Torres Felipe J. , Martínez Israel , Núñez Diego A. , Hernández Martha
Published: June 2023

This paper details the design of a mechanism to assist the wheelchair user during actions like standing up and sitting down. The original structural design of a commercial basic wheelchair has been retained, therefore, the proposed 3-bar mechanism to move only the seat through a linear actuator has been intended to match the dimensions and shaping of a commercial wheelchair. Moreover, the mechanism has been reasoned to be easy to manufacture and install, besides, this must support the weight to load. For this reason, the design is based on kinematic synthesis and results of simulations with SolidWorks showing a correct trajectory of motion and the required force by the actuator in relation to the available device.
DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A SYSTEM FOR CT-FREE VOLUME RECONSTRUCTION FROM INTRA-OPERATIVE FLUOROSCOPY FOR NAVIGATION IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
Authors: Tatum Marcus , Thomas Geb W. , Anderson Donald D.
Published: June 2023

A novel biomechanical guidance system (BGS) for markerless intra-operative bone tracking that seamlessly integrates into the surgical setting was recently developed [1]. It utilizes 3D models from pre-operative CT, via 3D-to-2D registration methods, to update object poses based on 2D fluoroscopic images. However, on occasion pre-operative CT images may be unavailable. We developed a CT-free method to enable BGS use that leverages neural radiance fields (NeRF) to generate a continuous volumetric scene [2,3] from intra-operative fluoroscopy. For proof of concept, digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) were created from pelvic CT data as a stand-in for intra-operative fluoroscopy. DRRs and virtual C-arm positions were fed into an existing NeRF scene reconstruction system,[2,3] and bones were segmented from the reconstruction. The accuracy of NeRF-derived segmentations was evaluated by comparison to gold-standard CT segmentation. The number of input DRRs was varied to study how this parameter influences reconstructions. Volume reconstructions were readily obtained using the NeRF scene reconstruction system. RMS errors of the NeRF-derived segmentations ranged from 1.23 mm when using 36 input DRR images to 1.98 mm when using only 8 input DRR images. Based on this performance, we conclude that CT-free NeRF volume reconstruction from intra-operative fluoroscopy holds great potential for use in surgical navigation applications involving bony procedures.
Regulating Ambush Marketing in an Increasingly Social Era
Authors: Grady John
Published: June 2023

The practice of ambush marketing continues to proliferate around mega sport events, notably during the Olympics. The ongoing commercial threat to official sponsors and event organizers threatens the sponsorship model on which the events rely. The current situation is further complicated by increased social media activity and engagement by competing athletes to engage not only with their followers on social media but also with endorser brands who may not always also be official sponsors of the event. The increasing role of Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter as a regulatory tool on social media to prevent ambush marketing is discussed as an additional brand protection measure beyond traditional legal enforcement. The commentary explores advances in recent scholarship related to ambush marketing and suggests directions for future research. Legal, policy, and practical implications for social media in sport are discussed.
The unfolded protein response components IRE1α and XBP1 promote human coronavirus infection
Authors: Oda Jessica M. , den Hartigh Andreas B. , Jackson Shoen M. , Tronco Ana R. , Fink Susan L.
Published: June 2023

The cellular processes that support human coronavirus replication and contribute to the pathogenesis of severe disease remain incompletely understood. Many viruses, including coronaviruses, cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress during infection. IRE1α is a component of the cellular response to ER stress that initiates non-conventional splicing of
XBP1
mRNA. Spliced
XBP1
encodes a transcription factor that induces the expression of ER-related targets. Activation of the IRE1α–XBP1 pathway occurs in association with risk factors for severe human coronavirus infection. In this study, we found that the human coronaviruses HCoV-OC43 (human coronavirus OC43) and SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) both robustly activate the IRE1α–XBP1 branch of the unfolded protein response in cultured cells. Using IRE1α nuclease inhibitors and genetic knockdown of IRE1α and XBP1, we found that these host factors are required for optimal replication of both viruses. Our data suggest that IRE1α supports infection downstream of initial viral attachment and entry. In addition, we found that ER stress–inducing conditions are sufficient to enhance human coronavirus replication. Furthermore, we found markedly increased XBP1 in circulation in human patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Together, these results demonstrate the importance of IRE1α and XBP1 for human coronavirus infection.

IMPORTANCE

There is a critical need to understand the cellular processes co-opted during human coronavirus replication, with an emphasis on identifying mechanisms underlying severe disease and potential therapeutic targets. Here, we demonstrate that the host proteins IRE1α and XBP1 are required for robust infection by the human coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43. IRE1α and XBP1 participate in the cellular response to ER stress and are activated during conditions that predispose to severe COVID-19. We found enhanced viral replication with exogenous IRE1α activation, and evidence that this pathway is activated in humans during severe COVID-19. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of IRE1α and XBP1 for human coronavirus infection.
Prophage Gifsy-1 Induction in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Reduces Persister Cell Formation after Ciprofloxacin Exposure
Authors: Braetz Sebastian , Schwerk Peter , Figueroa-Bossi Nara , Tedin Karsten , Fulde Marcus
Published: June 2023

Bacterial infections resulting from antibiotic treatment failure can often be traced to nonresistant persister cells. Moreover, intermittent or single treatment of persister cells with β-lactam antibiotics or fluoroquinolones can lead to the formation of drug-resistant bacteria and to the emergence of multiresistant strains.
Bilateral vestibulopathy presaging clinically probable multisystem atrophy
Authors: Ravishankar Uma , Ramesh Rithvik , Venkatasubramanian Shankar , Shanmugam Sundar
Published: June 2023

Bilateral vestibulopathy is a clinical diagnosis backed by investigative confirmation, which can be masked by the lack of lateralising signs. It has a broad aetiological spectrum including neurodegenerative conditions, though many such cases also have unknown aetiology. We present the case of an elderly gentleman who presented with progressive bilateral vestibulopathy nearly 1.5 years prior to his eventual diagnosis of clinically probable multisystem atrophy. This case highlights the need to serially re-evaluate for parkinsonism and cerebellar signs in idiopathic bilateral vestibulopathy and raises a possibility that bilateral vestibulopathy, similar to constipation or anosmia, could be an early syndrome presaging the onset of overt extrapyramidal or cerebellar symptoms in patients with multisystem atrophy.
Effects of blood pressure and tranexamic acid in spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage: a secondary analysis of a large randomised controlled trial
Authors: Appleton Jason Philip , Law Zhe Kang , Woodhouse Lisa Jane , Al-Shahi Salman Rustam , Beridze Maia , Christensen Hanne , Dineen Robert A , Guerrero Juan José Egea , England Timothy J , Karlinski Michal , Krishnan Kailash , Laska Ann Charlotte , Lyrer Philippe , Ozturk Serefnur , Roffe Christine , Roberts Ian , Robinson Thompson G , Scutt Polly , Werring David J , Bath Philip M , Sprigg Nikola
Published: June 2023

Background

Tranexamic acid reduced haematoma expansion and early death, but did not improve functional outcome in the tranexamic acid for hyperacute spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage-2 (TICH-2) trial. In a predefined subgroup, there was a statistically significant interaction between prerandomisation baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the effect of tranexamic acid on functional outcome (p=0.019).

Methods

TICH-2 was an international prospective double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial evaluating intravenous tranexamic acid in patients with acute spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Prerandomisation baseline SBP was split into predefined ≤170 and >170 mm Hg groups. The primary outcome at day 90 was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), a measure of dependency, analysed using ordinal logistic regression. Haematoma expansion was defined as an increase in haematoma volume of >33% or >6 mL from baseline to 24 hours. Data are OR or common OR (cOR) with 95% CIs, with significance at p<0.05.

Results

Of 2325 participants in TICH-2, 1152 had baseline SBP≤170 mm Hg and were older, had larger lobar haematomas and were randomised later than 1173 with baseline SBP>170 mm Hg. Tranexamic acid was associated with a favourable shift in mRS at day 90 in those with baseline SBP≤170 mm Hg (cOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.91, p=0.005), but not in those with baseline SBP>170 mm Hg (cOR 1.05, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.30, p=0.63). In those with baseline SBP≤170 mm Hg, tranexamic acid reduced haematoma expansion (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.82, p=0.001), but not in those with baseline SBP>170 mm Hg (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.35, p=0.90).

Conclusions

Tranexamic acid was associated with improved clinical and radiological outcomes in ICH patients with baseline SBP≤170 mm Hg. Further research is needed to establish whether certain subgroups may benefit from tranexamic acid in acute ICH.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN93732214.
Validation of diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and stroke in electronic medical records: a primary care cross-sectional study in Madrid, Spain (the e-MADVEVA Study)
Authors: de Burgos-Lunar Carmen , del Cura-Gonzalez Isabel , Cárdenas-Valladolid Juan , Gómez-Campelo Paloma , Abánades-Herranz Juan C , Lopez-de-Andres Ana , Sotos-Prieto Mercedes , Iriarte-Campo Victor , Fuentes-Rodriguez Carmen Y , Gómez-Coronado Rafael , Salinero-Fort Miguel A
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To validate the diagnoses of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke recorded in electronic medical records (EMR) and to estimate the population prevalence of both diseases in people aged ≥18 years.

Design

Cross-sectional validation study.

Setting

45 primary care centres.

Participants

Simple random sampling of diagnoses of AMI and stroke (International Classification of Primary Care-2 codes K75 and K90, respectively) registered by 55 physicians and random age-matched and sex-matched sampling of the records that included in primary care EMRs in Madrid (Spain).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and overall agreement were calculated using the kappa statistic. Applied gold standards were ECGs, brain imaging studies, hospital discharge reports, cardiology reports and neurology reports. In the case of AMI, the ESC/ACCF/AHA/WHF Expert Consensus Document was also used. Secondary outcomes were the estimated prevalence of both diseases considering the sensitivity and specificity obtained (true prevalence).

Results

The sensitivity of a diagnosis of AMI was 98.11% (95% CI, 96.29 to 99.03), and the specificity was 97.42% (95% CI, 95.44 to 98.55). The sensitivity of a diagnosis of stroke was 97.56% (95% CI, 95.56 to 98.68), and the specificity was 94.51% (95% CI, 91.96 to 96.28). No differences in the results were found after stratification by age and sex (both diseases). The prevalence of AMI and stroke was 1.38% and 1.27%, respectively.

Conclusion

The validation results show that diagnoses of AMI and stroke in primary care EMRs constitute a helpful tool in epidemiological studies. The prevalence of AMI and stroke was lower than 2% in the population aged over 18 years.
Trend of risk and correlates of under-five child undernutrition in Bangladesh: an analysis based on Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data, 2007–2017/2018
Authors: Rahman Md Tahidur , Jahangir Alam Md , Ahmed Noyon , Roy Dulal Chandra , Sultana Papia
Published: June 2023

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to identify the trend of undernutrition risk among under-five children (U5C) in Bangladesh and the trend of its correlates.

Design

Multiple cross-sectional data sets from different time points were used.

Setting

Nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHSs) were conducted in 2007, 2011, 2014 and 2017/2018.

Participants

In the BDHSs, the sample sizes for ever-married women (age: 15–49 years) were 5300 in 2007, 7647 in 2011, 6965 in 2014 and 7902 in 2017/2018.

Outcomes

Extant indicators of undernutrition (stunted, wasted and underweight) have been considered as the outcome variables.

Materials and methods

Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and factor loadings from factor analysis have been used to determine the prevalence of undernutrition over the years and find the trend of risk and its correlates.

Results

Risks of stunting among the U5C were 41.70%, 40.67%, 36.57% and 31.14%; that of wasting were 16.94%, 15.48%, 14.43% and 8.44%; and that of underweight were 39.79%, 35.80%, 32.45% and 22.46% in 2007, 2011, 2014 and 2017/2018, respectively. From the factor analysis, it has been found that the top five potential correlates of undernutrition are the wealth index, the education of the father and mother, the frequency of antenatal visits during pregnancy, the father’s occupation and/or the type of place of residence in the last four consecutive surveys.

Conclusion

This study helps us gain a better understanding of the impact of the top correlates on child undernutrition. To accelerate the reduction of child undernutrition more by 2030, Government and non-government organisations should focus on improving education and household income-generating activities among poor households and raising awareness among women about the importance of receiving antenatal care during pregnancy.
Disease modification achievement in patients with lupus nephritis in a real-life setting: mission impossible?
Authors: Panagiotopoulos Alexandros , Kapsia Eleni , Michelakis Ioannis , Boletis John , Marinaki Smaragdi , Sfikakis Petros P , Tektonidou Maria G
Published: June 2023

Objective

A preliminary definition of disease modification (DM) in lupus nephritis (LN) was recently developed focusing on long-term remission and damage prevention, with minimal treatment-associated toxicity. We aimed to further specify aspects of DM criteria in LN, assess DM achievement in a real-world setting and examine potential DM predictors and long-term outcomes.

Methods

We collected clinical/laboratory and histological inception cohort data from biopsy-proven LN patients (82% females) with ≥72 months follow-up at two joint academic centres. Specific criteria for 24-hour proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), renal flares and glucocorticoids dose were set at three time frames (months 0–12, 13–60 and 72) to assess DM. In the first model, DM was achieved if patients fulfilled all four criteria at all three time frames (achievers). In the second model, the continued glucocorticoids reduction criterion was excluded. Logistic regression analyses were performed. Possible different trends in DM achievement between past and recent decades were also investigated.

Results

DM was achieved by 60% of patients, increased to 70% when glucocorticoids excluded from DM criteria. 24-hour proteinuria at 9 months predicted DM achievement (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.97, p=0.03), but none of baseline characteristics. Among patients with >72 month follow-up, non-achievers had worse renal outcomes (flares, >30% proteinuria increase, eGFR decline) than achievers at the end of follow-up (median 138 months). Patients diagnosed between 1992 and 2005 were found to have significantly lower percentages of DM achievement and met less often the glucocorticoids dose reduction criterion in all three time frames, compared with those diagnosed between 2006 and 2016 (p=0.006 and p<0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

DM was achieved by only 60% of LN patients in a real-life setting, partly due to lack of glucocorticoids dose target attainment, while DM failure was associated with worse long-term renal outcomes. This may imply limitations in the effectiveness or implementation of current LN treatments, supporting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.
Baseline composition, quantity, and condition of bycatch in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence spring and summer American lobster fisheries
Authors: Boudreau Stephanie A. , Hanley Patricia H.
Published: June 2023

The impact of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence American lobster ( Homarus americanus) fishery on species bycatch is currently unknown. The composition of the incidental catch, both nonharvestable lobster (by fisheries regulations) and nonlobster species, was systematically collected over the 2015 spring and summer fishing seasons. A total of 51 948 (7147 were nonlobster taxa) individual organisms weighing 13 987.60 kg (1223.91 kg of nonlobster taxa) were captured as bycatch during 73 fishing trips. By weight per trip, the most common lobster bycatch were undersized male and females, and the highest nonlobster species catch were Atlantic rock crab ( Cancer irroratus). A semiquantitative assessment of injury and vitality was applied to bycatch as a proxy for discard mortality. The majority of the individuals assessed for visible injury were deemed uninjured (98% both fish and invertebrates); however, postrelease mortality was not measured. A smaller study in 2019 corroborated the 2015 catches and supported current assumptions that the passive gear type, the low diversity of bycatch, and the rapid hand-sorting of the trap minimize the impact of the lobster fishery on incidentally captured taxa. Further scientific monitoring is recommended to better account for all sources of mortality in stock assessments and rebuilding plans.
Study of SRCs in neutron-rich nuclei with inverse kinematics measurements
Authors: Kahlbow Julian
Published: June 2023

Experiments in inverse kinematics are a novel approach to study short-range correlations in atomic nuclei. Such fully exclusive experiments offer unique advantages over normal kinematics as they allow to study the structure of short-lived radioactive-nuclei using quasi-free scattering reactions and measure the complete final state directly. In pilot experiments at JINR using a $$^{12}$$

12

C beam at 4 GeV/c/nucleon on a proton target, we show that challenges posed by final-state interactions can be overcome taking advantage of post-selection. This opens a new research path to study the dynamics of high-momentum nucleons in extremely asymmetric nuclei.
Development of Bethe–Salpeter theory for dealing with unstable system
Authors: Chen Xiaozhao , Lü Xiaofu
Published: June 2023

In the framework of relativistic quantum field theory, the solution of homogeneous Bethe–Salpeter equation for two-body bound state can not describe unstable system, so we develop Bethe–Salpeter theory to investigate resonance which is regarded as an unstable two-body system. Based on Bethe–Salpeter wave function, we consider the time evolution of two-body bound state determined by the total Hamiltonian. The total matrix element for arbitrary decay channel is expressed in terms of the Heisenberg picture, and Mandelstam’s approach is generalized to calculate the matrix element between bound states with respect to arbitrary value of the final state energy. Some innovations to Feynman diagram are made so that the key features of dispersion relation can be more clearly exhibited. This new resonance theory in quantum field theory is applied to investigate exotic particle which is considered as an unstable meson–meson molecular state.
Peristaltic motion of a Casson nanofluid in a vertical layer with suction and injection
Authors: Lakshmi R. , Kavitha A.
Published: June 2023

Inquisitive researchers have studied the movement of peristaltic nanofluids due to the enlightening impact of nanoliquids in various technological and therapeutic fields, particularly in the fluids transport mechanisms known as peristalsis. The Casson fluid belongs to a group of non-Newtonian fluids that, according to a particular stress threshold, exhibit elastic solid behavior before changing to liquid behavior. These fluids are known as viscoelastic fluids and have several uses in engineering, food preparation, drilling and other fields. The Casson nanofluid model is used in this investigation. In order to better understand this, this study examines the peristaltic motion of a Casson nanofluid in a vertical layer with suction/injection. The resulting flow model is successfully simulated under the realistic assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number after obtaining the governing conservation equations. By using workable transformations, the derived partial differential equations are mathematically converted into a dimensionless form. Analytical solutions have been found for the resulting flow problem’s temperature distribution, velocity, pressure rate per wavelength and concentration of nanoparticles. Using Wolfram Mathematica software, the impacts of all physical characteristics on temperature, velocity, concentration fields, pressure rate, frictional force and pressure gradient are graphically studied. The influences of thermophoresis parameter Nt raise the temperature and diminish fluid concentration. By raising the suction and injection parameter k values, the velocity in the directions of x and y is decreased. The pressure rate enhances by raising the Reynolds number and diminishes by enhancing the Grashof number.
Hierarchical Wi-Fi Trajectory Embedding for Indoor User Mobility Pattern Analysis
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhu Hengshu , Wang Peng , Chen Enhong , Xiong Hui
Published: June 2023

The recent advances in smart building technologies have enabled us to collect massive Wi-Fi network based trajectory data, which provide an unparalleled opportunity for understanding the indoor user mobility pattern and enabling a wide range of business applications. While some previous studies have explored the Wi-Fi positioning of users, there still lacks a systematic and effective solution for indoor user mobility pattern analysis based on Wi-Fi trajectory data. To this end, in this paper, we propose a unified framework for modeling Wi-Fi trajectory data, namely HWTE, which can empower various tasks of indoor user mobility pattern analysis, such as user classification, next location prediction and schedule estimation. Specifically, we first propose a session trajectory construction module to extract the spatio-temporal semantic information from the Wi-Fi trajectories of users. Then, we devise a pre-training module to learn the unified representation of Wi-Fi trajectories. In particular, a session position embedding technique and a position query task is introduced to enhance the representation ability of the whole trajectory. Moreover, we further propose a hierarchical Transformer-based fine-tuning module to support various application tasks with time and space efficiency. Finally, we validate our framework on a real-world dataset with all three kinds of downstream tasks.
TwinkleTwinkle
Authors: Cheng Haiming , Lou Wei , Yang Yanni , Chen Yi-pu , Zhang Xinyu
Published: June 2023

Recent years have witnessed the rapid boom of mobile devices interweaving with changes the epidemic has made to people's lives. Though a tremendous amount of novel human-device interaction techniques have been put forward to facilitate various audiences and scenarios, limitations and inconveniences still occur to people having difficulty speaking or using their fingers/hands/arms or wearing masks/glasses/gloves. To fill the gap of such interaction contexts beyond using hands, voice, face, or mouth, in this work, we take the first step to propose a novel Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) system, TwinkleTwinkle, which senses and recognizes eye blink patterns in a contact-free and training-free manner leveraging ultrasound signals on commercial devices. TwinkleTwinkle first applies a phase difference based approach to depicting candidate eye blink motion profiles without removing any noises, followed by modeling intrinsic characteristics of blink motions through adaptive constraints to separate tiny patterns from interferences in conditions where blink habits and involuntary movements vary between individuals. We propose a vote-based approach to get final patterns designed to map with number combinations either self-defined or based on carriers like ASCII code and Morse code to make interaction seamlessly embedded with normal and well-known language systems. We implement TwinkleTwinkle on smartphones with all methods realized in the time domain and conduct extensive evaluations in various settings. Results show that TwinkleTwinkle achieves about 91% accuracy in recognizing 23 blink patterns among different people.
Come Fly With Me
Authors: Colley Mark , Meinhardt Luca-Maxim , Fassbender Alexander , Rietzler Michael , Rukzio Enrico
Published: June 2023

Automated Urban Air Mobility will enhance passenger transportation in metropolitan areas in the near future. Potential passengers, however, have little knowledge about this mobility form. Therefore, there could be concerns about safety and low trust. As trajectories are essential information to address these concerns, we evaluated seven path visualizations in an online video-based study (N=99). We found that a path line visualization was rated highest for trust and perceived safety. In a follow-up virtual reality study (N=24), we evaluated the effects of this visualization and of other air traffic flying by. We found that the participants looked at the path line more often when other air traffic was present and that the path line increased trust and predictability of the air taxi's future path.