bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flammable futures—storylines of climatic impacts on wildfire events and palm oil plantations in Indonesia
Authors: Corning Shelby N , Boere Esther , Krasovskiy Andrey , Lessa Derci Augustynczik Andrey , Shepherd Ted , Ghosh Rohit , Kraxner Florian , Havlík Peter
Published: September 2024

Wildfire events are driven by complex interactions of climate and anthropogenic interventions. Predictions of future wildfire events, their extremity, and their impact on the environment and economy must account for the interactions between these drivers. Economic policy and land use decisions influence the susceptibility of an area to climate extremes, the probability of burning, and future decision making. To better understand how climate-driven drought events and adaptation efforts affect burned area, agricultural production losses, and land use decisions, we developed a storyline approach centered on Indonesia’s 2015 fire events, which saw significant (>5%) production losses of palm oil. We explored analogous events under three warming conditions and two storylines (multi-model ensemble mean climate change and high impact). We employed a model chain consisting of CMIP6 climate modeling to quantify climate change impacts, a wildfire climate impacts and adaptation model (FLAM) to predict burned areas, and the Global biosphere management model (GLOBIOM) to predict the resultant production losses and socio-economic consequences in the oil palm sector in Indonesia and, by extension, the EU. FLAM is a mechanistic, modular fire model used to reproduce and project wildfires based on various scenario criteria and input variables, whereas GLOBIOM is a global economic land use model, which assesses competition for land use and provides economic impacts based on scenario data. We found that total burned area and production loss can increase by up to 25% and lead to local price increases up to 70%, with only minor differences beyond 2.5 degrees of warming. Our results highlight the importance of considering the interactions of future warming, drought conditions, and extreme weather events when predicting their impacts on oil palm losses and burned area. This study sets the stage for further exploration on the impacts of land management policies on local and international environments and economies in the context of global warming.
Visualisation of surface coating distribution patterns on modified CaCO3
Authors: He Yi , Li Junhao , Zhou Juying , Zhao Yanzhi , Lu Jianfang , Qi Wen , Yang Aimei , Zhu Yong
Published: September 2024

In this work, the surface modification of calcite-type calcium carbonate using the anionic surfactant sodium stearate was studied. The optimal amount of surfactant and its distribution on the surface of calcium carbonate is of great significance to the actual production. Various techniques were used to characterize these important parameters such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle measurements, Raman Mapping visualizationimaging, Raman depth profiling, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results of the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) suggest the formation of a coating on the surface of the modified calcium carbonate. Water contact angle measurements, Raman Mapping visualizationimaging, and TGA indicate that the optimal initial dosage of sodium stearate required to form a monolayer coating is about 2 wt%. Here, the hydrophilic heads of the sodium stearate are arranged vertically on the calcium carbonate surface forming the monolayer. As the concentration of sodium stearate increases, the hydrophobic tails of the sodium stearate or calcium stearate connect each other, forming bilayer or multilayer coatings. Furthermore, the surface coating on calcium carbonate originates from the edge vertices and gradually spreads towards the central region as the amount of sodium stearate increases until complete coverage is achieved. Raman depth profiling and AFM visualization results suggest that the thickness of the monolayer coating is approximately 5.25 nm.
Yttrium iron garnet single-crystal particles—a simple and effective synthesis
Authors: Schabikowski M , Laskowska M , Pastukh O , Swiec P , Pawlik K , Pawlik P , Karczmarska A , Kac M , Zielinski P M , Laskowski L
Published: September 2024

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG) is a ferrimagnetic material which found applications in magnetics, electronics and optics. For those applications, a monocrystalline structure is often required. Although effective methods to grow large YIG single crystals exist, fabricating such structures in a powder form can be challenging. Here, we show a simple procedure to obtain large quantities of monocrystalline Y3Fe5O12 particles based on the precipitation synthesis. The average size of the single crystals was evaluated to be 149(6) nm. The morphology of the particles was analysed using SEM, TEM, DLS and nitrogen adsorption techniques. The material was tested for its structural properties with the use of XRD and electron diffraction methods. The chemical composition was investigated using FTIR, EDS and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, the thermal characteristics were analysed using TGA, while magnetic properties were tested with the use of the SQUID magnetometry. The obtained results are in good agreement with the theoretical values.
Development of electrode and electrolyte materials for solid-state batteries based on Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3
Authors: Lisovskyi I , Barsukov V , Solopan S , Belous A , Khomenko V , Stryzhakova N , Maletin Y
Published: September 2024

The dependence of the electrochemical characteristics of a layered cathode material containing LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 on the method for applying a protective layer of nanoparticles of the lithium-conducting material Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 with a NASICON structure to its surface has been studied. The surface modification has been found to improve the capacity retention in prolonged charge/discharge cycling (up to 15%) and to allow fast charge/discharge processes. The possibility of using a composite electrolyte consisting of a porous ceramic matrix of aluminum-substituted lithium titanium phosphate Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 with a transition layer of liquid electrolyte LP-71 has been shown. The use of a thick composite solid electrolyte results in a slight reduction (∼5–7 mAh g−1) in initial capacity compared to laboratory cells with the widely used Celgard 2400 separator impregnated with liquid electrolyte. Laboratory cells assembled with a composite electrolyte showed higher stability during charge/discharge cycling: after 80 deep charge/discharge cycles, the capacity reduction was ∼12% for cells with a composite electrolyte, while for the reference cell it was ∼23%.
Focus on wildfires: impacts on health in the context of climate change
Authors: Reid Colleen E
Published: September 2024

Wildfires are becoming increasingly common in many parts of the world due to a variety of factors including historical fire suppression, increasing drought influenced by climate change, and increasing ignitions from humans. In these regions, wildfire smoke is becoming an increasing source of air pollution people are breathing. Wildfire smoke has been shown to affect numerous physical health outcomes, with clear evidence of impacts on respiratory health but less consistent and comprehensive evidence for effects on cardiovascular disease, mortality, birth outcomes and more. There is a need for more research into which populations are most affected by wildfire smoke; these populations could be affected by where they live and work and how much they are able to protect themselves. Public health interventions that are promoted, such as staying indoors, and using personal air cleaners and masks, may not be equally accessible to all individuals. Additionally, there needs to be research into how best to communicate public health guidance so that it reaches targeted populations. Health impacts from wildfires can also go beyond smoke impacts to include economic and social challenges during recovery when one’s home is lost to on-the-job dangers from wildland firefighters. Articles in this focus issue document scientific studies that address some of these topics.
Is Universal Consciousness Fit for Ground?
Authors: Albahari Miri
Published: September 2024

The Perennial Philosophy centres around what is said to be a recurring mystical insight: that our inherent nature is actually pure, unconditioned consciousness, identical to the ground of all being. Perennial Idealism, the name the author gives to a metaphysical system she has been building, extrapolates from the Perennial Philosophy to explain how the world could be configured if it were in fact true. Among the most serious challenges faced is that of articulating and defending the very notion that our world is grounded in universal consciousness. This chapter further develops a line of reply to what the author thinks are four major objections to the idea that universal consciousness grounds all being. The author calls these the Thales Objection, the Problem of the One and the Many, the Self-defeating Objection, and the Power Challenge.
Idealism and the Interface Theory
Authors: Lee Geoffrey
Published: September 2024

The chapter argues that there is a non-standard but theoretically important notion of “veridicality,” on which perception is only veridical if it does not scramble the objective physical structure of the environment. It argues that non-veridicality in this sense is compatible with veridicality in more familiar senses, and motivates the importance of the notion. For example, a certain kind of realism about the scientific enterprise (that it can uncover nature’s natural joints), requires that perception is veridical in this sense. The chapter suggests that the best reconstruction of Hoffman, Singh and Prakah’s “Interface Theory” is as the view that perception is non-veridical in this non-standard sense—a view that is reasonably understood as a kind of transcendental idealism, because it makes the objective structure of the world unknowable to us. They offer debunking arguments against perceptual veridicality (in this special sense). The chapter responds to these arguments, and sketches a realist alternative.
Inner Acquaintance Theories of Consciousness
Authors: Giustina Anna
Published: September 2024

Most philosophical theories of consciousness account for it in terms of representation, the bulk of the debate revolving around whether (suitably) representing something is sufficient for consciousness (as per first-order representationalism) or some further (meta-)representation is needed (as per higher-order representationalism and self-representationalism). This chapter explores an alternative theory of consciousness, one that aims to explain consciousness not in terms of representation but in terms of the epistemically and metaphysically direct relation of acquaintance. The author calls this the Inner Acquaintance Theory of consciousness (IAT). Roughly, on IAT, what makes a mental state conscious is its subject being acquainted with it. The main goal of this chapter is to take some steps toward developing the details of IAT, illustrate its potential explanatory power, and put it forward as a plausible alternative to representational theories.
Revelation and the Appearance/Reality Distinction
Authors: Liu Michelle
Published: September 2024

It is often said that there is no appearance/reality distinction with respect to consciousness. Call this claim ‘nard’. In contemporary discussions, nard is closely connected to the thesis of revelation, the claim that the essences of phenomenal properties are revealed in experience, though the connection between the two requires clarification. This chapter distinguishes different versions of nard and homes in on a particular version that is closely connected to revelation. It shows how revelation and the related version of nard pose a threat to physicalism. Responses from physicalism and their limitations are also considered.
The Conscious Theory of Higher-Orderness
Authors: Silins Nicholas
Published: September 2024

The massive debate in philosophy and psychology and neuroscience about higher-order theories of consciousness has not adequately distinguished between the following two claims: (i) (Necessary Awareness): For any conscious mental state M and subject S, if S is in M, then S is aware of M; and (ii) (The Higher-Order Theory): For any conscious mental state M and subject S, if S is in M, then M is conscious because S is aware of M. While the chapter will assume that the first claim is true, it will argue that we should reject higher-order theories of consciousness. We should turn them on their head to go with the following theory: (The Ascending Road): For any conscious mental state M and subject S, if S is in M, then S is aware of M because M is conscious.
Simulation: Its Metaphysics and Epistemology
Authors: Peacocke Christopher
Published: September 2024

Dogmatic slumbers are as much a danger for us now as they were in Kant’s time. David Chalmers’ immensely stimulating and engaging book Reality+ ought to wake many of us from our own contemporary slumbers. Chalmers is Hume in this analogy; I am certainly not going to pretend to be Kant. But I will elaborate a disagreement on an issue in metaphysics and on an interrelated issue in epistemology, and indeed these disagreements do broadly concern the conditions of possibility of experience. I disagree with Chalmers’ statements that “Simulations are not illusions. Virtual worlds are real. Virtual objects really exist” (12) when applied to simulations that represent the world as spatial. That is the disagreement in metaphysics. I also question his position on a closely related matter of epistemology, his thesis that “We can’t know that we’re not in a simulation” (11). I take the metaphysical issue first.
AI-based IsAb2.0 for antibody design
Authors: Liang Tianjian , Sun Ze-Yu , Hines Margaret G , Penrose Kerri Jo , Hao Yixuan , Chu Xiaojie , Mellors John W , Dimitrov Dimiter S , Xie Xiang-Qun , Li Wei , Feng Zhiwei
Published: September 2024

Therapeutic antibody design has garnered widespread attention, highlighting its interdisciplinary importance. Advancements in technology emphasize the critical role of designing nanobodies and humanized antibodies in antibody engineering. However, current experimental methods are costly and time-consuming. Computational approaches, while progressing, faced limitations due to insufficient structural data and the absence of a standardized protocol. To tackle these challenges, our lab previously developed IsAb1.0, an in silico antibody design protocol. Yet, IsAb1.0 lacked accuracy, had a complex procedure, and required extensive antibody bioinformation. Moreover, it overlooked nanobody and humanized antibody design, hindering therapeutic antibody development. Building upon IsAb1.0, we enhanced our design protocol with artificial intelligence methods to create IsAb2.0. IsAb2.0 utilized AlphaFold-Multimer (2.3/3.0) for accurate modeling and complex construction without templates and employed the precise FlexddG method for in silico antibody optimization. Validated through optimization of a humanized nanobody J3 (HuJ3) targeting HIV-1 gp120, IsAb2.0 predicted five mutations that can improve HuJ3-gp120 binding affinity. These predictions were confirmed by commercial software and validated through binding and neutralization assays. IsAb2.0 streamlined antibody design, offering insights into future techniques to accelerate immunotherapy development.
Multimodal functional deep learning for multiomics data
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Geng Pei , Zhang Shan , Xiao Feifei , Cai Guoshuai , Chen Li ,   For the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Lu Qing
Published: September 2024

With rapidly evolving high-throughput technologies and consistently decreasing costs, collecting multimodal omics data in large-scale studies has become feasible. Although studying multiomics provides a new comprehensive approach in understanding the complex biological mechanisms of human diseases, the high dimensionality of omics data and the complexity of the interactions among various omics levels in contributing to disease phenotypes present tremendous analytical challenges. There is a great need of novel analytical methods to address these challenges and to facilitate multiomics analyses. In this paper, we propose a multimodal functional deep learning (MFDL) method for the analysis of high-dimensional multiomics data. The MFDL method models the complex relationships between multiomics variants and disease phenotypes through the hierarchical structure of deep neural networks and handles high-dimensional omics data using the functional data analysis technique. Furthermore, MFDL leverages the structure of the multimodal model to capture interactions between different types of omics data. Through simulation studies and real-data applications, we demonstrate the advantages of MFDL in terms of prediction accuracy and its robustness to the high dimensionality and noise within the data.
MEHunter: transformer-based mobile element variant detection from long reads
Authors: Jiang Tao , Zhou Zuji , Zhang Zhendong , Cao Shuqi , Wang Yadong , Liu Yadong
Published: September 2024

Mobile genetic elements (MEs) are heritable mutagens that significantly contribute to genetic diseases. The advent of long-read sequencing technologies, capable of resolving large DNA fragments, offers promising prospects for the comprehensive detection of ME variants (MEVs). However, achieving high precision while maintaining recall performance remains challenging mainly brought by the variable length and similar content of MEV signatures, which are often obscured by the noise in long reads. Here, we propose MEHunter, a high-performance MEV detection approach utilizing a fine-tuned transformer model adept at identifying potential MEVs with fragmented features. Benchmark experiments on both simulated and real datasets demonstrate that MEHunter consistently achieves higher accuracy and sensitivity than the state-of-the-art tools. Furthermore, it is capable of detecting novel potentially individual-specific MEVs that have been overlooked in published population projects.

Availability and implementation

MEHunter is available from https://github.com/120L021101/MEHunter.
Children born very preterm experience altered cortical expansion over the first decade of life
Authors: Gorham Lisa S , Latham Aidan R , Alexopoulos Dimitrios , Kenley Jeanette K , Iannopollo Emily , Lean Rachel E , Loseille David , Smyser Tara A , Neil Jeffrey J , Rogers Cynthia E , Smyser Christopher D , Garcia Kara
Published: September 2024

The brain develops rapidly from the final trimester of gestation through childhood, with cortical surface area expanding greatly in the first decade of life. However, it is unclear exactly where and how cortical surface area changes after birth, or how prematurity affects these developmental trajectories. Fifty-two very preterm (gestational age at birth = 26 ± 1.6 weeks) and 41 full-term (gestational age at birth = 39 ± 1.2 weeks) infants were scanned using structural magnetic resonance imaging at term-equivalent age and again at 9/10 years of age. Individual cortical surface reconstructions were extracted for each scan. Infant and 9/10 cortical surfaces were aligned using anatomically constrained Multimodal Surface Matching (aMSM), a technique that allows calculation of local expansion gradients across the cortical surface for each individual subject. At the neonatal time point, very preterm infants had significantly smaller surface area than their full-term peers (P < 0.001), but at the age 9/10-year time point, very preterm and full-term children had comparable surface area (P > 0.05). Across all subjects, cortical expansion by age 9/10 years was most pronounced in frontal, temporal, and supramarginal/inferior parietal junction areas, which are key association cortices (PSpin < 0.001). Very preterm children showed greater cortical surface area expansion between term-equivalent age and age 9/10 compared to their full-term peers in the medial and lateral frontal areas, precuneus, and middle temporal/banks of the superior sulcus junction (P < 0.05). Furthermore, within the very preterm group, expansion was highly variable within the orbitofrontal cortex and posterior regions of the brain. By mapping these patterns across the cortex, we identify differences in association cortices that are known to be important for executive functioning, emotion processing, and social cognition. Additional longitudinal work will be needed to understand if increased expansion in very preterm children is adaptive, or if differences persist into adulthood.
Differential efficacy of modified enriched environment on motor, emotion, and cognition in cortical ischemic mice
Authors: Huang Dan , Fan Yunhui , Zhang Jingjun , Weng Yuanfeng , Xiao Xiao , Wu Yi , Wu Junfa
Published: September 2024

A modified enriched environment (mEE) with 12 h per night was recently proposed and exhibited cognitive improvement. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different courses of mEE on different deficits in ischemic mice. Mice were subjected to photothrombotic stroke at the left sensorimotor cortex and then randomly assigned to standard environment or mEE for 7 d (St-PE) or 28 d (Ct-PE) on the third day post-stroke. Neurological deficits and sensorimotor, emotional, and cognitive performances were assessed at the 10th, 17th, and 31st days post-stroke. Our results demonstrated that Ct-PE ameliorated neurological deficits, forelimb using asymmetry, and reduced slip rates of the affected limbs at all time points, while this effect of St-PE was observed only on the 10th day. Similarly, Ct-PE for 28 d promoted spatial learning and working memory, but St-PE did not. Differently, ischemic mice in both St-PE and Ct-PE groups exhibited increased exploration behavior in the open field, light–dark box and elevated plus maze, and less immobile behavior during the tail suspension at all the time points. Our findings indicated that Ct-PE improved sensorimotor and cognitive dysfunctions after cortical ischemia in a time-dependent manner, but St-PE appeared to have greater therapeutic potential on anxiety and depression.
Construction minerals as part of an urban circular economy? A multi-scalar study of the city of Oslo and its hinterland
Authors: Sæther Bjørnar
Published: September 2024

Flows of construction minerals in the Oslo region are studied in a multi-scalar perspective. Urban densification and construction of infrastructure result in large volumes of gravel and stone which according to law is waste. Waste is landfilled in the hinterland putting pressure on socio-ecological qualities. Lack of regional planning promoting circularity implies municipalities in the hinterland have to regulate land for landfills. Norway has a competitive advantage in construction minerals and prices on virgin, compared to recycled construction minerals are relatively low. Combined with a planning regime supporting linear resource governance, the consumption of virgin construction minerals and farmland in the hinterland is de facto stimulated. Differences are identified between the Oslo region and some city regions in the core of Europe concerning the level of progress towards a circular economy. A distinction between resource-rich and resource-strapped regions is proposed as part of an explanation of such differences.
Full-Length Immune Repertoire Reconstruction and Profiling at the Transcriptome Level Using Long-Read Sequencing
Authors: Luo Xuanmei , Zhang Lili , Li Yifei , Li Chang , Sun Gaoyuan , Zhang Chunli , Fu Yu , Lv Haozhen , Liu Ming , Cui Hongyuan , Cai Dali , Zou Lihui , Ma Jie , Xiao Fei
Published: September 2024

Background

Due to the diversity of the immune repertoire (IR), reconstructing full-length IR using traditional short-read sequencing has proven challenging.

Methods

A full-length IR sequencing (FLIRseq) work flow was developed with linear rolling circle amplification and nanopore sequencing. Its accuracy and quantification ability were verified by plasmid mixtures and commercial B-cell receptor/T-cell receptor sequencing (BCR/TCR-seq) based on short reads. IRs in tissues and the peripheral blood from 8 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 3 patients with allergic diseases, 4 patients with psoriasis, and 5 patients with prostate cancer were analyzed using FLIRseq.

Results

FLIRseq reads had lower mismatch rates and gap rates, and higher identify rates than nanopore reads (all P < 2.2 × −16). The relative quantification of components by FLIRseq was consistent with the actual quantification (P > 0.05). FLIRseq had superiority over BCR/TCR-seq, providing the long complementarity-determining region 3, B-cell isotype, and the rarely used V gene sequence. FLIRseq observed an increase in clonotype diversity (P < 0.05) and a decrease in the percentage of abnormal BCRs/TCRs in patients with leukemia in remission. For patients with allergic diseases or psoriasis, FLIRseq provided direct insights into V(D)J recombination and specific immunoglobulin classes. Compared with that in prostate cancer tissues, the full-length V segment of the biased T-cell receptor β chain from lymphocytes in psoriatic tissues showed a more consistent AlphaFold2-predicted protein structure (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

FLIRseq enables unbiased and comprehensive analyses of direct V(D)J recombination and immunoglobulin classes, thereby contributing to characterizing pathogenic mechanisms, monitoring minimal residual disease, and customizing adoptive cell therapy.
Circulating ECM proteins decorin and alpha-L-iduronidase differentiate ATTRwt-CM from ATTRwt-negative HFpEF/HFmrEF
Authors: Tubben Alwin , Markousis-Mavrogenis George , Meems Laura M G , van Essen Bart J , Baumhove Lukas , Berends Milou , Tingen Hendrea S A , Bijzet Johan , Hazenberg Bouke P C , Voors Adriaan A , van Veldhuisen Dirk J , Slart Riemer H J A , Nienhuis Hans L A , van der Meer Peter
Published: September 2024

Aims

Wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt-CM) is an under-recognized aetiology of heart failure (HF), necessitating early detection for timely treatment. Our study aimed to differentiate patients with ATTRwt-CM from ATTRwt-negative HFpEF/HFmrEF patients by identifying and validating circulating protein biomarkers. In addition, we measured the same biomarkers in patients with cardiomyopathy due to light chain amyloidosis (AL)-CM to gain disease-specific insights.

Methods and results

In this observational study, serum concentrations of 363 protein biomarkers were measured in a discovery cohort consisting of 73 ATTRwt-CM, 55 AL-CM, and 59 ATTRwt-negative HFpEF/HFmrEF patients, using multiplex proximity extension assays. Sparse partial least squares analyses showed overlapping ATTRwt-CM and AL-CM biomarker profiles with clear visual differentiation from ATTRwt-negative patients. Pathway analyses with g:Profiler revealed significantly up-regulated proteoglycans (PG) and cell adhesion pathways in both ATTRwt-CM and AL-CM. Penalized regression analysis revealed that the proteoglycan decorin (DCN), lysosomal hydrolase alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) and glycosyl hydrolase galactosidase β-1 (GLB-1) most effectively distinguished ATTRwt-CM from ATTRwt-negative patients (R2 = 0.71). In a prospective validation cohort of 35 ATTRwt-CM patients and 25 ATTRwt-negative patients, DCN and IDUA significantly predicted ATTRwt-CM in the initial analysis (DCN: OR 3.3, IDUA: OR 0.4). While DCN remained significant after correcting for echocardiographic parameters, IDUA did not. DCN showed moderate discriminative ability (AUC, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61–0.87; sensitivity, 0.91; specificity, 0.52) as did IDUA (AUC, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65–0.91; sensitivity, 0.91; specificity, 0.61). A model combining clinical factors (AUC 0.92) outperformed DCN but not IDUA, a combination of the biomarkers was not significantly better. Neither DCN nor IDUA correlated with established disease markers.

Conclusion

ATTRwt-CM has a distinctly different biomarker profile compared with HFpEF/HFmrEF, while ATTRwt-CM patients share a similar biomarker profile with AL-CM patients characterized by up-regulation of proteoglycans and cell-adhesion pathways. The biomarkers DCN and IDUA show the potential to serve as an initial screening tool for ATTTRwt-CM. Further research is needed to determine the clinical usefulness of these and other extracellular matrix components in identifying ATTRwt-CM.
Prognosis and predictors of right ventricular dysfunction by quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Wang Tom Kai Ming , Kocyigit Duygu , Chan Nicholas , Salam Donna , Turkmani Mustafa , Bullen Jennifer , Popović Zoran B , Nguyen Christopher , Griffin Brian P , Tang W H Wilson , Kwon Deborah H
Published: September 2024

Aims

Pathophysiology and prognostic implications of right ventricle (RV) dysfunction in heart failure are complex and incompletely elucidated. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is the reference standard for RV quantification, but its clinical implications in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), in the context of myocardial fibrosis and functional mitral regurgitation are not well defined. We evaluated predictors, prognostic impact, and thresholds for defining significant RV dysfunction in NICM.

Methods and results

NICM patients (n = 624) undergoing CMR assessment during 2002–2017 were retrospectively studied. CMR’s quantification of right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was evaluated against the primary outcome of all-cause mortality, heart transplant, and/or left ventricular assist device implantation in threshold and multivariable analyses. Mean RVEF was 43 ± 13%, and factors associated with reduced RVEF were male sex, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV, right bundle branch block, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher mitral regurgitant fraction (MR-RF) and right ventricle size in NICM. RVEF per 5% increase was independently associated with the primary endpoint hazards ratio (95% confidence interval) 0.80 (0.73–0.88), P < 0.001. RVEF ≤40% was the optimal threshold associated with worse prognosis, regardless of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) or MR-RF quantification. On the other hand, higher LGE was associated with primary endpoint in patients with RVEF ≤ 40% only, while risk associated with MR-RF was significant dampened after adjusting for RVEF.

Conclusion

RVEF provides powerful risk stratification, with RVEF ≤ 40% defining significant RV dysfunction associated with adverse outcomes in NICM. The integration of quantitative CMR measurements for RVEF, LGE, and MR-RF provides comprehensive NICM risk prognostication.
Rheumatic heart disease manifesting as mitral stenosis and tricuspid regurgitation in a young Asian male: a case report
Authors: Ko Kyu-Yong , Kim Sung Eun , Hwang Ji-Won , Cho Sung Woo , Kwak Jae-Jin
Published: September 2024

Background

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major global health issue because of its potential to cause heart failure. While RHD has been reported more frequently in women, this case report highlights the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of rheumatic multivalvular disease in a young Asian male.

Case summary

A 46-year-old Asian man with a history of percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) was admitted with dyspnoea and generalized oedema that severely hindered his quality of life. Transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography revealed severe mitral stenosis, left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus, and severe tricuspid regurgitation due to RHD. Following a comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team, we advised mitral valve replacement, LAA thrombectomy, and tricuspid valve annuloplasty based on the detailed imaging of the valve anatomy and the patient’s low surgical risk. Surgical intervention led to considerable improvement in the patient’s symptoms, enabling a return to routine activities.

Discussion

This case highlights the chronic nature of RHD and its potential to cause heart failure. This report emphasizes the need for regular follow-up in patients with a history of RHD to detect potential complications and ensure timely management. The successful outcome in this case underscores the importance of a team-based approach for managing complex valvular heart disease.
CTG repeat length underlying cardiac events and sudden death in myotonic dystrophy type 1
Authors: Itoh Hideki , Hisamatsu Takashi , Segawa Kazuhiko , Takahashi Toshiaki , Sato Takumi , Takada Hiroto , Kuru Satoshi , Wada Chizu , Suzuki Mikiya , Tamura Takuhisa , Suwazono Shugo , Kimura Koichi , Matsumura Tsuyoshi , Takahashi Masanori P
Published: September 2024

Aims

Myotonic dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) is caused by the expansion of CTG repeats (CTGn) in the DM1 protein kinase (DMPK) gene, while it remains unclear whether CTGn may be associated with the incidence of cardiac events or sudden death in Japan as well as Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CTGn and cardiac involvements.

Methods and results

This cohort study included patients with DM1 who were retrospectively recruited from nine Japanese hospitals specializing in neuromuscular diseases. A total of 496 patients with DM1 who underwent a genetic test in the DMPK gene were analysed. Patients with congenital form or under 15 years old were excluded and patients were assigned into the quartiles. When we compared the incidence of cardiac events including advanced/complete atrioventricular block, pacemaker implantation, and ventricular tachycardias or mortality among four groups, patients with 1300 or longer CTGn experienced composite cardiac events [hazard ratio (HR): 3.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–9.99, P = 0.014] more frequently and had significantly higher mortality rate (HR: 6.79, 95% CI: 2.05–22.49, P < 0.001) than those under 400 CTGn while the rate of sudden death was not significantly different.

Conclusion

Regarding the cardiac events and mortality in patients with DM1, patients with 1300 or longer CTGn are at especially high risk.
Optimal Taxation of Capital Income with Heterogeneous Rates of Return
Authors: Gerritsen Aart , Jacobs Bas , Spiritus Kevin , Rusu Alexandra V
Published: September 2024

We derive the Pareto-efficient mix of non-linear taxes on labour income and capital income if people differ in their rates of return on capital. We allow for two reasons why rates of return differ: because individuals with higher ability are better able to invest their capital or because wealthier individuals enjoy scale effects in wealth accumulation. In both cases, a strictly positive tax on capital income is part of any Pareto-efficient tax system. We derive a condition for the Pareto-efficient tax mix that relies solely on empirical sufficient statistics—not on social welfare weights—and find that Pareto-efficient taxes on capital income increase with the degree of return heterogeneity. Numerical simulations for empirically plausible return heterogeneity suggest that Pareto-efficient marginal tax rates on capital income are positive and substantial.
Beyond the organ: lung microbiome shapes transplant indications and outcomes
Authors: Ponholzer Florian , Bogensperger Christina , Krendl Felix Julius , Krapf Christoph , Dumfarth Julia , Schneeberger Stefan , Augustin Florian
Published: September 2024

The lung microbiome plays a crucial role in the development of chronic lung diseases, which may ultimately lead to the need for lung transplantation. Also, perioperative results seem to be connected with altered lung microbiomes and its dynamic changes providing a possible target for optimizing short-term outcome after transplantation. A literature review using MEDLINE, PubMed Central and Bookshelf was performed. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) seems to be influenced and partly triggered by changes in the pulmonary microbiome and dysbiosis, e.g. through increased bacterial load or abundance of specific species such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, the specific indications for transplantation, with their very heterogeneous changes and influences on the pulmonary microbiome, influence long-term outcome. Next to composition and measurable bacterial load, dynamic changes in the allografts microbiome also possess the ability to alter long-term outcomes negatively. This review discusses the “new” microbiome after transplantation and the associations with direct postoperative outcome. With the knowledge of these principles the impact of alterations in the pulmonary microbiome in hindsight to CLAD and possible therapeutic implications are described and discussed. The aim of this review is to summarize the current literature regarding pre- and postoperative lung microbiomes and how they influence different lung diseases on their progression to failure of conservative treatment. This review provides a summary of current literature for centres looking for further options in optimizing lung transplant outcomes and highlights possible areas for further research activities investigating the pulmonary microbiome in connection to transplantation.
The association of economic difficulties with social and health care costs of children—target trial emulation using complete birth cohort data in Finland
Authors: Hiilamo Aapo , Keski-Säntti Markus , Juutinen Aapo , Mäkinen Lauri , Ristikari Tiina , Lallukka Tea
Published: September 2024

It is unclear how much costs economic difficulties in families with children incur to the health and social care sector. We examined the health and social service costs after families entered into, and transitioned out of, social assistance used as a proxy measure for economic difficulties. We analyzed register data on all Finnish children born in 1997 and used the non-randomized target trial framework. The two target trials of entry to economic difficulties (social assistance) and continued economic difficulties included 697 680 and 71 131 children-year observations, respectively, in total. Inverse probability treatment weighting techniques were used to make the comparison group similar to the treatment group in terms of health, socioeconomic and demographic-related pretreatment variables. Entry to social assistance use was associated with some 1511–2619€ (50% compared to the control group) higher cumulative health and social care costs of the children three years after their families transitioned to social assistance, compared to the group that did not enter to social assistance system. This difference was primarily attributed to higher social care costs. Continued social assistance use was associated with some 1007–2709€ (31%) higher costs compared to the comparison group that exited social assistance. These findings support an economic argument to prevent families from entering economic difficulties and to help those in such situations to transition out.
Context Matters: Internet Usage and Loneliness Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Hosea Angelica Vania , Kung Claryn S J , Potter Sophie , Steptoe Andrew
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Later life is often categorized by higher-than-average levels of loneliness, but individual differences are vast and not well understood. Emerging evidence indicates that broad-based contextual factors such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic—and the use of the internet throughout—are differentially associated with the experience of loneliness. We, therefore, target internet usage and loneliness among middle-aged and older adults during the pandemic and examine the moderating role of age, gender, and limiting illness therein.

Methods

We applied hierarchical regression models to data from the COVID-19 substudy Wave 1 (June/July 2020) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 4,790; Mage = 70.2; standard deviation = 9.0; range: 50–90; 43.5% male).

Results

Infrequent internet use was associated with less loneliness compared with very frequent users—an association that strengthened with age. Conversely, the purpose of internet use was associated with more loneliness, with higher levels exhibited by those searching for health-related information—an effect stronger among those with a limiting illness.

Discussion

Findings imply that infrequent internet use may reduce loneliness, while health-related internet searches may increase loneliness among older adults with different physical capacities. Findings are contrary to prepandemic reports, underscoring the importance of broad-based contextual factors for understanding loneliness across adulthood and old age.
Bio-Based Innovation and the Global Patent System: Exploring the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge
Authors: Perron-Welch Frédéric
Published: September 2024

This opinion critically examines the 2024 WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge, a new instrument addressing the use of genetic resources (GR), and traditional knowledge associated with GR (ATK) in the global patent system. Given the Treaty’s position at the intersection of intellectual property and environmental law, this article discusses its history and negotiation in the first part, including the Treaty’s links to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It then discusses the concept of bio-based innovation and its role in the bioeconomy. Following this, the article assesses the Treaty’s contents, including its context and objectives, scope, the Patent Disclosure Requirement (PDR), sanctions and remedies for non-compliance with the PDR, information systems on GR and ATK, and its relationship with other international instruments. The article highlights the extensive diplomatic negotiations that shaped the final text and considers potential amendments that could be made during the Treaty’s review process. The Treaty is intended to improve the global patent system’s effectiveness, transparency, and quality concerning GR and ATK and to prevent Offices from granting patents erroneously. Its provisions present new challenges and complexities for stakeholders, and its long-term success will depend on ongoing international collaboration and engagement, both within and outside the Treaty’s framework, and ensuring equitable benefit-sharing from the use of GR and ATK as part of a global sustainable bioeconomy.
Uniqueness and Non-Uniqueness Results for Spacetime Extensions
Authors: Sbierski Jan
Published: September 2024

Given a function $f: A \to{\mathbb{R}}^{n}$ of a certain regularity defined on some open subset $A \subseteq{\mathbb{R}}^{m}$, it is a classical problem of analysis to investigate whether the function can be extended to all of ${\mathbb{R}}^{m}$ in a certain regularity class. If an extension exists and is continuous, then certainly it is uniquely determined on the closure of $A$. A similar problem arises in general relativity for Lorentzian manifolds instead of functions on ${\mathbb{R}}^{m}$. It is well-known, however, that even if the extension of a Lorentzian manifold $(M,g)$ is analytic, various choices are in general possible at the boundary. This paper establishes a uniqueness condition for extensions of globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds $(M,g)$ with a focus on low regularities: any two extensions that are anchored by an inextendible causal curve $\gamma : [-1,0) \to M$ in the sense that $\gamma $ has limit points in both extensions must agree locally around those limit points on the boundary as long as the extensions are at least locally Lipschitz continuous. We also show that this is sharp: anchored extensions that are only Hölder continuous do in general not enjoy this local uniqueness result.
On the Fourier Coefficients of Powers of a Finite Blaschke Product
Authors: Borichev Alexander , Fouchet Karine , Zarouf Rachid
Published: September 2024

Given a finite Blaschke product $B$ we prove asymptotically sharp estimates on the $\ell ^{\infty }$-norm of the sequence of the Fourier coefficients of $B^{n}$ as $n$ tends to $\infty $. This norm decays as $n^{-1/N}$ for some $N\ge 3$. Furthermore, for every $N\ge 3$, we produce explicitly a finite Blaschke product $B$ with decay $n^{-1/N}$. As an application we construct a sequence of $n\times n$ invertible matrices $T$ with arbitrary spectrum in the unit disk and such that the quantity $|\det{T}|\cdot \|T^{-1}\|\cdot \|T\|^{1-n}$ grows as a power of $n$. This is motivated by Schäffer’s question on norms of inverses.
Objects of Expertise. The Socio-Material Politics of Expert Knowledge in Global Governance
Authors: Esguerra Alejandro
Published: September 2024

Global governance institutions emerge around problems ranging from climate change to cybersecurity. Expert knowledge is instrumental in defining these problems, developing corresponding solutions, and thereby structuring international order. But in the process of problem construction, claims to expertise are competing, often contingent, and increasingly rely on graphs and models, black-boxing normative assumptions of knowledge production. Thus, international relations (IR) requires an approach that engages with the political dynamics of knowledge production happening within and beyond the spheres of traditional politics. This special forum on objects of expertise offers such an approach, and this introductory article lays out the overarching framework. It conceptualizes objects of expertise as authoritative knowledge relevant for governing put into a socio-material form. First, understanding expertise in terms of authoritative knowledge points to the contested attempts at rendering knowledge authoritative in a specific sphere; expertise is a relational category of (contested) group belonging. Second, knowledge becomes expertise when it is made authoritative in relation to a problem relevant for governing. Finally, expertise gains objectual character when it is put into a delineable socio-material entity in which it assumes a recognizable, specific form. This form grants objects of expertise a certain level of credibility and stability, allowing them to function as trusted sources of information and guidance.
Knowledge Machineries and Their Objects of Expertise. Knowing Bodies, Moves, and Moods through “Mobile Health” Data
Authors: Littoz-Monnet Annabelle
Published: September 2024

This article argues that the politics of socio-material objects should be examined in relationship with the machineries of knowing these objects are embedded in and also sustain. Objects of expertise are embedded in discursive constructs, material infrastructures, and relationships that “surround” and permeate their production. In turn, such objects give traction to the machineries of knowing that enable their emergence. The article uses the concept of “knowledge machinery,” coined by sociologist of science Karin Knorr-Cetina, to denote a focus on the “machinery” and its “parts” at the same time, or to the “macro” and the “micro,” as highly intertwined and mutually reinforcing in processes of knowledge production. The article explores these questions in the context of global health governance, with a specific focus on the politics of mobile health and the data it generates, conceived as an object of expertise of its own kind. It shows, first, that mobile health data have specific characteristics and claims attached to them; they are, in themselves, the turning of bodies and lifestyles into standardized and fully mobile “data units” that feed into data flows. As such, they produce ordering, norming, and governance effects, which do not disrupt but sustain the knowledge machinery of global health.