bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What attracts sustainable fund flows? Prospectus versus ratings*
Authors: Birk Kevin , Jacob Stefan , Wilkens Marco
Published: December 2024

Many studies indicate that sustainability ratings attract high fund flows, reinforcing the dominant role of rating agencies for the fund industry. However, these studies neglect prospectus information, which is very likely to influence investors' decisions. By analyzing 23,606 equity mutual funds and ETFs, we find that self-declared sustainability statements in fund prospectus are the main driver of retail and institutional fund flows. Additionally, sustainability references in the fund name and the fund’s employed sustainability investment approach significantly affect flows. External sustainability ratings on the other hand appear to be less relevant for fund flows than previous studies suggest.
Influence of employee impact on their evaluation of enterprise digital capability: a mediated moderation model
Authors: Zhou Qiwei , Zang Lingqiao , Fu Feiqiang
Published: December 2024

Digital transformation elicits new management challenges. Studies have investigated its direct impact on employee behavior, but how employees evaluate enterprise digital capability, and its underlying mechanism remains unknown. Employees’ evaluations of enterprise digital capability tend to shape their subsequent attitudinal and behavioral responses towards the digital transformation, which may ultimately stress influence on the overall transformation initiative in a “bottom-up” manner. Drawing from work design theory and conservation of resources theory, this study proposes that through the implementation of effective work design strategies, organizations can foster a sense of employee impact, and further construes a mediated moderation model regarding how the relationship between employee impact and their evaluation of enterprise digital capability is moderated by empowering leadership, and further, mediated by cognitive adjustment at work. Empirical results based on a three-wave survey featuring 424 full-time Chinese employees show that: employee impact predicts evaluation of enterprise digital capability, and such linkage is not only enhanced by empowering leadership but also strengthened by cognitive adjustment at work. The moderation effect of empowering leadership in the relationship between impact and digital capability evaluation is further mediated by cognitive adjustment at work. We explore the antecedents and mechanisms of differences in employees’ evaluation of enterprise digital capability and propose takeaway managerial messages.
Application of the Optuna-NeuralProphet model for predicting step-like landslide displacement
Authors: Huang Ming , Yang Hougang , Yang Fan
Published: December 2024

Displacement prediction is crucial to landslide engineering monitoring and early warning. An Optuna-NeuralProphet model is proposed based on the Optuna framework and the NeuralProphet model to address the challenge of predicting step-like landslide displacement. The NeuralProphet model, with its capabilities for time series decomposition and combination prediction, is introduced to predict step-like landslide displacement. The various modules of the NeuralProphet model, such as the trend, periodicity, and auto-regression modules, effectively capture the complex characteristics of landslide monitoring data. The Optuna framework is utilized to optimize the model’s hyperparameters, enhancing its applicability and prediction accuracy. The Baijiabao landslide displacement prediction model is constructed by selecting appropriate modules of the NeuralProphet model based on the monitoring data characteristics. Subsequently, the model’s hyperparameters are optimized to facilitate the training and prediction of landslide displacement data. Finally, the efficacy of the Optuna-NeuralProphet model is validated through comparative analysis with multiple models. The results indicate that the Optuna-NeuralProphet model achieves higher accuracy and accurately predicts landslide deformation, better fulfilling the practical requirements of step-like landslide monitoring and early warning.
The relevance of degenerate states in chiral polaritonics
Authors: Bustamante Carlos M. , Sidler Dominik , Ruggenthaler Michael , Rubio Ángel
Published: December 2024

In this work, we theoretically explore whether a parity-violating/chiral light–matter interaction is required to capture all relevant aspects of chiral polaritonics or if a parity-conserving/achiral theory is sufficient (e.g., long-wavelength/dipole approximation). This question is non-trivial to answer since achiral theories (Hamiltonians) still possess chiral solutions. To elucidate this fundamental theoretical question, a simple GaAs quantum ring model is coupled to an effective chiral mode of a single-handedness optical cavity in dipole approximation. The bare matter GaAs quantum ring possesses a non-degenerate ground state and a doubly degenerate first excited state. The chiral or achiral nature (superpositions) of the degenerate excited states remains undetermined for an isolated matter system. However, inside our parity-conserving description of a chiral cavity, we find that the dressed eigenstates automatically (ab initio) attain chiral character and become energetically discriminated based on the handedness of the cavity. In contrast, the non-degenerate bare matter state (ground state) does not show energetic discrimination inside a chiral cavity within a dipole approximation. Nevertheless, our results suggest that the handedness of the cavity can still be imprinted onto these states (e.g., angular momentum and chiral current densities). Overall, the above findings highlight the relevance of degenerate states in chiral polaritonics. In particular, because recent theoretical results for linearly polarized cavities indicate the formation of a frustrated and highly degenerate electronic ground state under collective strong coupling conditions, which, likewise, is expected to form in chiral polaritonics and, thus, could be prone to chiral symmetry breaking effects.
The importance of sampling the dynamical modes: Reevaluating benchmarks for invariant and equivariant features of machine learning potentials for simulation of free energy landscapes
Authors: Perez-Lemus Gustavo , Xu Yinan , Jin Yezhi , Zubieta Rico Pablo , de Pablo Juan
Published: December 2024

Machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) are rapidly gaining interest for molecular modeling, as they provide a balance between quantum-mechanical level descriptions of atomic interactions and reasonable computational efficiency. However, questions remain regarding the stability of simulations using these potentials, as well as the extent to which the learned potential energy function can be extrapolated safely. Past studies have encountered challenges when MLIPs are applied to classical benchmark systems. In this work, we show that some of these challenges are related to the characteristics of the training datasets, particularly the inefficient exploration of the dynamical modes and the inclusion of rigid constraints. We demonstrate that long stability in simulations with MLIPs can be achieved by generating unconstrained datasets using unbiased classical simulations, provided that the important dynamical modes are correctly sampled. In addition, we emphasize that in order to achieve precise energy predictions, it is important to resort to enhanced sampling techniques for dataset generation, and we demonstrate that safe extrapolation of MLIPs depends on judicious choices related to the system’s underlying free energy landscape and the symmetry features embedded within the machine learning models.
Electrical transport and rectification behavior in monolayer MoSi2N4 with different metal electrode contacts
Authors: Jia Jianming , Shi Daning , Feng Xiaoqin , Yang Yan
Published: December 2024

Monolayer MoSi2N4 has been proposed as a promising channel material for new-generation nanodevices, owing to its superb ambient stability and exceptional electronic properties. Despite recent experimental and theoretical research revealing the interfacial characteristics of monolayer MoSi2N4 in contact with metals, the effect of different metal electrode contacts on the electrical transport of MoSi2N4 within the framework of device configuration remains unexplored. Using first-principles transport calculations, this study investigates the electrical properties of metal semiconductor devices with monolayer MoSi2N4 placed between MoSi2N4-metal (Au, Ag, Pt, and Ti) electrodes. While n- and p-type Schottky contacts are formed in Au_MoSi2N4_Au and Pt_MoSi2N4_Pt, respectively, quasi- and entire ohmic contacts are achieved in Ag_MoSi2N4_Ag and Ti_MoSi2N4_Ti, respectively. I–V characteristics show that devices with asymmetric metal electrodes exhibit pronounced rectification behaviors. The rectification ratio of Ag_MoSi2N4_Au exceeds 106, which is related to the extreme asymmetric band arrangement in devices driven by a bias polarity. These results provide valuable guidelines for the development of high-performance MoSi2N4-based electrical nanodevices.
Practical parameters for extending the velocity range when applying a partial inversion pulse to the ultrasonic time-domain cross-correlation method
Authors: Wada Sanehiro , Furuichi Noriyuki
Published: December 2024

This paper describes a method to reduce false velocity detection by applying a partial inversion pulse (PIP) to the ultrasonic time-domain cross-correlation (UTDC) method. False detection occurs when we attempt to expand the velocity range of UTDC (same as the aliasing limit of the pulsed Doppler method). Specifically, the effects of three parameters that are important for practical use and have not been discussed before were examined, and recommended values for them were determined. The UTDC method can obtain the flow velocity profile along an ultrasonic beam by transmitting and receiving pulses. The PIP is a waveform that is phase-inverted within a pulse that is half as short as a conventional waveform, and it can reduce false detection by simply applying to the UTDC method. The three important parameters are the width of the reference window, the number density of reflective particles in the measurement volume, and the threshold for the cross-correlation coefficient. The PIP waveform was modeled, and the influences of these parameters were evaluated by simulations that calculate the correlation coefficient for single pulses and for waveforms overlapped with up to three pulses. In addition, the method was also experimentally verified in a pipe flow. Tests were also carried out with various number densities of reflectors. From these results, the effect of applying the PIP was confirmed for all values of these parameters. Specifically, the PIP can shift and reduce the peak of the first sidelobe in the correlation coefficient. As recommended values for each parameter, the experimental results showed that the width of the reference window should be equal to the pulse width, the number density of reflectors should be about one in the measurement volume, and the threshold value of the correlation coefficient should be about 0.5–0.7.
Acquiring pulse a priori information for chirp transform spectrometer systems through phase error measurements
Authors: Hu Baifan , Liu Mengwei , Xie Lurui , Wang Wen
Published: December 2024

With the rapid advancement in deep-space exploration, back-end systems such as chirp transform spectrometers (CTSs) must be equipped with larger bandwidths, higher frequency resolutions, and enhanced sensitivities. Phase errors in chirp signals distort pulse compression waveforms, significantly affecting CTS system performance. To correct the distorted pulses, we acquire a priori information about the pulse waveform by measuring the phase errors in the CTS system. This paper measures and analyzes phase errors in the expander and compressor signals of a 1 GHz bandwidth CTS system. We discuss the impact of these phase errors on pulse waveforms, system frequency resolution, sensitivity, and other critical performance parameters. Additionally, we plot the in-band phase error curves for the system. By utilizing these phase error curves, we can determine the phase error for any input frequency, thereby providing valuable prior information for pulse compression waveform correction. This approach is crucial for guiding subsequent error optimization and compensation in the CTS system.
Two Repeated Quasi-periodic Oscillations in the FSRQ S5 1044+71 Observed by TESS
Authors: Wang Jun-Jie , Yi Ting-Feng , Zhang Yangwei , Lu He , Shen Yuncai , Mao Lisheng , Dong Liang
Published: December 2024

In this work, we report for the first time two repeated quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the light curve of the Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar S5 1044+71. This source was observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite in multiple sectors. We used the generalized Lomb-Scargle periodogram method and weighted wavelet Z-transform method to search for significant periodic signals. The main results are as follows: We found QPOs of  ~7.0 days (persisted for 4 cycles, with a significance of  ~3.5σ) and  ~7.3 days (persisted for 5 cycles, with a significance of  ~3.8σ) in the light curves of Sector 47 and EP1, respectively. Considering range of error, we regard them to be the same. We discussed two likely models of these rapid quasi-periodic variations: One comes from the jet and the other from the accretion disk. For the first one, we consider kink instability of the jet as a plausible explanation. Second, the QPO probably comes from the main hot spots in the accretion disk, which are located approximately within the innermost stable circular orbit allowed by general relativity. Based on this model, we estimate the mass of the black hole in S5 1044+71 to be 3.49 × 109
M
⊙.
Relativistic Low Angular Momentum Advective Flows Onto Black Hole and Associated Observational Signatures
Authors: Huang Jun-Xiang , Singh Chandra B.
Published: December 2024

We present simulation results examining the presence and behavior of standing shocks in zero-energy low angular momentum advective accretion flows and explore their (in)stability properties, taking into account various values of specific angular momentum, λ
0. Within the range 10−50R

g
(where R

g
denotes the Schwarzschild radius), shocks are discernible for λ
0 ≥ 1.75. In the special relativistic hydrodynamic simulation when λ
0 = 1.80, we find the merger of two shocks resulted in a dramatic increase in luminosity. We present the impact of external and internal flow collisions from the funnel region on luminosity. Notably, oscillatory behavior characterizes shocks within 1.70 ≤ λ
0 ≤ 1.80. Using free–free emission as a proxy for analysis, we show that the luminosity oscillations between frequencies of 0.1−10 Hz for λ
0 range as 1.7 ≤ λ
0 ≤ 1.80. These findings offer insights into quasi-periodic oscillation emissions from certain black hole X-ray binaries, exemplified by GX 339-4. Furthermore, for the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center, Sgr A*, oscillation frequencies between 10−6 and 10−5 Hz were observed. This frequency range, translating to one cycle every few days, aligns with observational data from X-ray telescopes such as Chandra, Swift, and XMM-Newton.
ATLAS pixel detector overview
Authors: Kakoty Niraj ,   the ATLAS ITk collaboration
Published: December 2024

In the high-luminosity era of the Large Hadron Collider, the instantaneous luminosity is expected to reach unprecedented values, resulting in up to 200 proton-proton interactions in a typical
bunch crossing. To cope with the resulting increase in occupancy, bandwidth and radiation damage, the ATLAS Inner Detector will be replaced by an all-silicon system, the Inner Tracker (ITk). The innermost part of the ITk will consist of a pixel detector, with an active area of about 13 m2. To deal with the changing requirements in terms of radiation hardness, power dissipation and production yield, several silicon sensor technologies will be employed in the barrel and endcap layers. The ITk project is currently in the pre-production stage; sensors, modules, mechanical structures and services are being fabricated. The pixel modules assembled with ITkPix readout chips have been built to evaluate their performance and production rate. Irradiation campaigns were done to determine their thermal and electrical performance before and after irradiation. A new powering scheme — serial — will be employed in the ITk pixel detector, helping to reduce the material budget of the detector as well as power dissipation.

This contribution presents the status of the ITk-pixel project focusing on the lessons learned and the biggest challenges towards production. It will summarize the latest results on module assembly and testing. It will also present results from test beam campaigns.
Synthesis and characterization of a novel photothermal hydrogel composite with combined osteogenic and antibacterial activities
Authors: Ge Tao , Jin Jianxiang , Feng Kuan , Gu Xialong , Ye Gengfan , Shi Taotao , Li Jia , Wang Hao , Wang Hongcai , Chen Maosong
Published: December 2024

Cranial defect repair remains a significant challenge in neurosurgery, and designing material complexes that can support bone regeneration while minimizing complications such as infection and inflammation could help alleviate this clinical challenge. This study presents a photothermal hydrogel complex with a controlled rapid gelation process, PDA-G-A-H, which integrates photothermal polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) with gentamycin (G) and alendronate acid (A). Furthermore, the incorporation of the injectable hydrogel Pluronic F127 and collagen (H) made this composite hydrogel (PDA-G-A-H) suitable for the multifaceted needs of cranial defects. The PDA-G-A-H hydrogel exhibited superior biocompatibility, as evidenced by high cell viability and minimal hemolysis, making it a safe candidate for biomedical applications. In vitro assessments with MC3T3-E1 cells demonstrated that this hydrogel enhanced mineralization and osteogenic differentiation, and significant upregulation of key osteogenic markers was subsequently detected. The antibacterial activity of the hydrogel against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis was also investigated. The results of the RT‒PCR analysis revealed the potential for inhibiting biofilm formation. The hydrogel composite combines biocompatibility, osteoinductive, and antibacterial potential. It has translational potential for cranial defect repair and other bone regeneration therapies.
Revealing the mismatch in the response to warm-wetting climate of vegetation greenness and primary productivity using MODIS GPP/LAI in Nepal
Authors: Zhong Dongping , Zeng Lingwen , Chen Ye , Tong Yingdong , Bai Nana , Sun Jia , Zhang Dongdong , Fu Yingchun
Published: December 2024

The increasingly warm-wetting climate has gradually promoted vegetation greenness on the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding region, yet the specific mechanisms driving this change in high-altitude mountainous areas remain unclear. This study, using Nepal as a case study, investigated the spatial and temporal impacts of hydro-climatic factors on leaf area index (LAI) and gross primary productivity (GPP), as well as the coupling degree of GPP-LAI expressed as the correlation coefficient (R
2) of these trends from 2003 to 2020. The results indicated both GPP and LAI increased significantly more during the dry season than the rainy season in Nepal, but the coupling degree of GPP-LAI in Nepal showed distinct seasonal and elevational differences. Relative to low coupling degree in high and low elevation regions, a higher yet gradually decreasing coupling degree was demonstrated in the mid high regions of central Nepal. By analyzing the effects of elevational profiles, this study revealed that temperature and solar radiation exhibited significant negative correlations with GPP in the southern and central forests at mid elevation, while suggesting a positive correlation in the high mountain alpine forests, which mitigated the limiting effects of precipitation constraints on GPP during the dry season. And the decreased temperature and precipitation had negative impacts on treeline deviation, which led to spatial variations in treeline deviation and coupling degree on either side of the 83°E in the Nepalese Himalayan alpine forests. Additionally, trends of shrubland in GPP and LAI growth reflected adaptations to a warmer and wetter climate. The study about spatio-temporal variation in response to warm-wetting climate, affected by seasons and elevations, offers a scientific basis for the adaptation and conservation of alpine vegetation in Nepal.
Grayscale-phase calibration of liquid crystal spatial light modulator with vortex-grating lateral-shearing interferometry
Authors: Hu Yingqing , Zhang Junyong , Zhu Jianqiang
Published: December 2024

Liquid crystal spatial light modulators (LC-SLMs) are widely used in optics, and grayscale-phase calibration can effectively improve their modulation accuracy. The most commonly used grayscale-phase calibration method is based on the displacement of interference fringes, which is susceptible to environmental interference and only uses a part of the LC-SLM area. In this paper, vortex-grating lateral-shearing interferometry is introduced into the grayscale-phase calibration, which can theoretically obtain the phase information of the full pixel on the LC-SLM. The self-reference experiment not only carries out the grayscale-phase calibration, but also proves the effectiveness of our proposed method by Twyman–Green interferogram between the reference beam and the vortex beam produced by LC-SLM. High-precision grayscale-phase calibration of LC-SLM can open up some new application scenarios in the future.
Detecting unfaithful entanglement by multiple fidelities
Authors: Zhang Ruiqi , Wei Zhaohui
Published: December 2024

Certifying entanglement for unknown quantum states experimentally is a fundamental problem in quantum computing and quantum physics. Because of being easy to implement, a most popular approach for this problem in modern quantum experiments is detecting target quantum states with fidelity-based entanglement witnesses. Specifically, if the fidelity between a target state and an entangled pure state exceeds a certain value, the target state can be guaranteed to be entangled. Recently, however, it has been realized that there exist so-called unfaithful quantum states, which can be entangled, but their entanglement cannot be certified by any fidelity-based entanglement witnesses. In this paper, by specific examples, we show that if one makes a slight modification to fidelity-based entanglement witnesses by combining multiple fidelities together, it is still possible to certify entanglement for unfaithful quantum states with this popular technique. Particularly, we will analyze the mathematical structure of the modified entanglement witnesses, and propose an algorithm that can search for the optimal designs for them.
MIMO antenna with improved isolation for 5G millimeter wave applications
Authors: Singh Akanksha , Kumar Arvind , Kanaujia Binod Kumar
Published: December 2024

In this research, an 8-element multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna is presented for millimeter wave communication systems. The present design incorporates two circular rings cojoined with a monopole. Both the rings are cross-coupled for better radiation and less interference properties. The present MIMO structure is designed from the reference antenna by placing antenna elements along X and Y axis. The overall dimensions of the presented MIMO structure are

50

mm
×
70

mm
×
1.6

mm

. The bandwidth of the proposed antenna ranges from 25.4 to 29.5 GHz, which covers the mm-wave frequency spectrum of n257 and n261 bands. The present MIMO antenna is a self-isolated MIMO antenna and provides the isolation of better than −27 dB which is desirable for the MIMO communication systems. To evaluate the diversity characteristics different parameters are examined like total active reflection coefficient (TARC), channel capacity loss (CCL), envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), and Diversity gain (DG). ECC of < .003, DG > 9.9999, TARC < −19.8 dB at 28 GHz, and CCL less than 0.4 is obtained for the proposed MIMO structure in the specified frequency range. With the acceptable radiation pattern, the gain achieved by this antenna is 6.6 dBi at 28 GHz. The proposed structure is fabricated and it is found that the Simulated and measured results agree closely.
Characterisation of dissimilar metal weldments of titanium alloys Ti-64 and Ti-6246 made using electron beam and rotary friction welding
Authors: Murali Akkula , Velu M
Published: December 2024

Welding of dissimilar Titanium alloys viz. Ti-64 and Ti-6246 by fusion processes is challenging due to their different physical properties. Such alloys find applications in turbine disks and blades. The alloys were welded using Electron Beam Welding (EBW) and Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) processes. In this paper, metallurgical and mechanical properties of welded joints between the Titanium alloys were examined and reported. Microstructures, electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis, and residual stresses were also examined. The EBW weld was free of defects such as porosity and inclusions. Furthermore, RFW weld was also free of any defects. SEM and EBSD analysis also support this conclusion. The coarse columnar beta grains with thin needle-like alpha can be observed in the fusion zone of the EBW weldments. The grains appeared to have been refined in the deformation zone (DZ) due to dynamic recrystallization (DRX) in the RFW joints. The yield and ultimate tensile strengths of EBW weldments were 977 MPa and 1051 MPa respectively. While that of RFW weldments, 960 MPa and 1039 MPa. The percent elongation of the EBW weldments and RFW weldments was 14.2 and 10.28 respectively. The welds were stronger than the base metal in both the weldments as the fracture occurred in the Ti-64 base metal and not in the weld during tensile test. The microhardness of the fusion zone of EBW weldments was approximately 430 HV to 460 HV. While that of weld nugget of RFW weldments was 380 HV. The mechanical properties indicate that either of the welding processes is suitable for welding the alloys.
Transfer learning for multi-material classification of transition metal dichalcogenides with atomic force microscopy
Authors: Moses Isaiah A , Reinhart Wesley F
Published: December 2024

Deep learning models based on atomic force microscopy enhance efficiency in inverse design and characterization of materials. However, the limited and imbalanced data of experimental materials that are typically available is a major challenge. Also important is the need to interpret trained models, which are normally complex enough to be uninterpretable by humans. Here, we present a systemic evaluation of transfer learning strategies to accommodate low-data scenarios in materials synthesis and a model latent feature analysis to draw connections to the human-interpretable characteristics of the samples. While we imagine this framework can be used in downstream analysis tasks such as quantitative characterization, we demonstrate the strategies on a multi-material classification task for which the ground truth labels are readily available. Our models show accurate predictions in five classes of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) (MoS2, WS2, WSe2, MoSe2, and Mo-WSe2) with up to 89% accuracy on held-out test samples. Analysis of the latent features reveals a correlation with physical characteristics such as grain density, Difference of Gaussian blob, and local variation. The transfer learning optimization modality and the exploration of the correlation between the latent and physical features provide important frameworks that can be applied to other classes of materials beyond TMDs to enhance the models’ performance and explainability which can accelerate the inverse design of materials for technological applications.
The IMAP and MICAP Flaps for Autologous Breast Reconstruction: An Anatomic, Clinical, and Outcome Study
Authors: Angrigiani Claudio , Rancati Alberto , Spinelli Esteban , Rancati Agustín , Nahabedian Maurice Y
Published: December 2024

Background

Local flaps for breast reconstruction are becoming recognized as a viable alternative to remote flaps.

Objectives

The purpose of this article was to describe the anatomy and clinical outcomes of internal mammary artery perforators and lateral intercostal artery perforator flaps for breast reconstruction.

Methods

Twelve cadaveric specimens were injected with colored latex and dissected to demonstrate the medial perforators of the fifth intercostal space. Twenty-two patients had partial or total breast reconstruction with internal mammary artery perforator flaps, which were combined with lateral intercostal artery perforator flaps in 4 patients. The study was performed at the Hospital de Clinicas Jose de San Martin, which is affiliated with the Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina, between March 2018 and December 2023. Outcomes were based on clinical evaluation and statistical analysis. Patient satisfaction was assessed on a 5-point Likert scale based on whether patients were clothed or unclothed.

Results

All flaps survived without any evidence of partial flap necrosis. There were no major complications (total flap loss, partial necrosis); however, fat necrosis was demonstrated in 2 patients. Minor complications included a small hematoma and a minor wound dehiscence. Patient satisfaction was rated as very good or excellent in 100% of females when clothed and rated as good to very good in 93.3% of females when unclothed.

Conclusions

Submammary perforator flaps can be raised on numerous vascular pedicles. This study has demonstrated that the internal mammary and the lateral intercostal perforators can be successfully utilized for partial or total breast reconstruction in properly selected patients.

Level of Evidence: 4 (Therapeutic)
Witnessing memories that are being destroyed: Challenges and staff support in psychosocial support services after the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes
Authors: Kelebek Küçükarslan Görkem , Albayrak Hande , Selçuk Ozan , Güzel Bekir
Published: December 2024

Disasters have a profound impact on people’s lives and require effective psychosocial support (PSS) services to mitigate the negative effects and accelerate recovery. The Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye in 2023 posed major challenges for psychosocial support professionals (PSSPs). This study examines the role, challenges, and needs of PSSPs after these earthquakes and aims to find solutions to improve service delivery and professional well-being. We analysed the data thematically by conducting in-depth interviews with thirty PSSPs from nine institutions in the most affected provinces. The results show that PSSPs faced numerous challenges, including emotional distress, inadequate self-care, difficult working conditions, and lack of coordination. High expectations and experiences of traumatic events led to burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Despite various coping strategies, their effectiveness was impaired by the continuous deployment and inadequate conditions. Coordination issues led to inefficiencies, duplication of work, and feelings of professional inadequacy. The study emphasizes the need for improved coordination, structured support, and better working conditions for PSSPs. Institutional support, including supervision and self-care initiatives, is crucial to increase the effectiveness and well-being of these professionals. Targeted interventions and best practices for interprofessional collaboration can significantly improve the delivery of PSS services in disaster contexts.
Complex I deficiency remains the most frequent cause of Leigh syndrome spectrum
Authors: Rahman Shamima
Published: December 2024

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Biallelic NDUFA13 variants lead to a neurodevelopmental phenotype with gradual neurological impairment’, by Kaiyrzhanov et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcae453).
Context changes retrieval of prospective outcomes during decision deliberation
Authors: Göktepe-Kavis Pinar , Aellen Florence M , Cortese Aurelio , Castegnetti Giuseppe , de Martino Benedetto , Tzovara Athina
Published: December 2024

Foreseeing the future outcomes is the art of decision-making. Substantial evidence shows that, during choice deliberation, the brain can retrieve prospective decision outcomes. However, decisions are seldom made in a vacuum. Context carries information that can radically affect the outcomes of a choice. Nevertheless, most investigations of retrieval processes examined decisions in isolation, disregarding the context in which they occur. Here, we studied how context shapes prospective outcome retrieval during deliberation. We designed a decision-making task where participants were presented with object–context pairs and made decisions which led to a certain outcome. We show during deliberation, likely outcomes were retrieved in transient patterns of neural activity, as early as 3 s before participants decided. The strength of prospective outcome retrieval explains participants’ behavioral efficiency, but only when context affects the decision outcome. Our results suggest context imparts strong constraints on retrieval processes and how neural representations are shaped during decision-making.
Revaluation of the genetic diversity–area relationship by integrating nucleotide and haplotype diversity
Authors: Fan Ping , Song Gang , Qiao Huijie , Zhang Dezhi , Ji Yanzhu , Qu Yanhua , Fjeldså Jon , Lei Fumin
Published: December 2024

Understanding the genetic diversity–area relationship (GAR) is essential for comprehending how species adapt to environmental changes, as genetic diversity is an indicator of a species’ adaptive potential. Variation in environmental adaptation capacity exists among species and animal taxa with different distribution areas, highlighting the importance of understanding the GAR. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the GAR in terrestrial vertebrates, we assessed both haplotype diversity–area and nucleotide diversity–area relationships using 25,453 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences from 142 amphibian species, 574 bird species, and 342 mammal species. We found that both measures of genetic diversity increased with species range size across major animal groups. Nevertheless, the GAR did not differ among animal groups, while haplotype diversity performed better than nucleotide diversity in profiling the GAR, as indicated by higher R2 values. The difference in the modeling fit may stem from the distinct biological and mathematical significance of nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity. These results suggest that the GAR follows similar rules among different animal taxa. Furthermore, haplotype diversity may serve as a more reliable indicator for assessing the potential effects of area size changes on animal populations and provide better guidance for conserving genetic diversity.
Isolated atrial infarction complicated by sick sinus syndrome and atrial fibrillation: a case report
Authors: Maeda Takanori , Yamashita Soichiro , Kuroda Koji , Okuda Masanori
Published: December 2024

Background

Atrial infarction is a complication of myocardial infarction with ventricular infarction; however, isolated atrial infarction (IAI) has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a case of IAI associated with sick sinus syndrome and atrial fibrillation (AF).

Case summary

An 83-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department with a complaint of general malaise. An electrocardiogram at the time of her arrival showed a junctional rhythm with sinus arrest (SA) at a heart rate of 30 bpm; therefore, temporary pacing was placed urgently, and coronary angiography (CAG) was performed. Coronary angiography showed a solitary occlusion of the sinus node (SN) artery originating from the proximal portion of the right coronary artery. Therefore, revascularization was performed for the occluded SN artery to recover SN function. Bradycardia persisted for several days after the procedure but returned to normal sinus rhythm on day 10. However, during hospitalization, AF attacks frequently appeared with an SA for up to 10 s at AF termination, which is known as the bradycardia–tachycardia syndrome. Catheter ablation (CA) was performed for AF, and no recurrence of AF or bradycardia occurred thereafter. She was discharged without any symptoms.

Discussion

We have experienced a patient who underwent revascularization for the occluded SN artery and CA for paroxysmal AF following IAI, which evaded permanent pacemaker implantation.
A comparison between 64-projection and 32-projection myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
Authors: Abedi Seyed Mohammad , Ghadirzadeh Erfan , Karimi Hanie , Nezhadnaderi Pedram , Daryabari Seyede Sepide , Moradi Amir , Khorrami Moghaddam Alireza , Hosseinimehr Seyed Jalal , Taghavi Morteza , Golshani Samad , Farsavian Ali Asghar , Mardanshahi Alireza , Mostafavinia Ali
Published: December 2024

Aims

While most clinical guidelines recommend using a 64-projection view technique, some protocols do not specify a preference between 32-projection and 64-projection methods for conducting myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS), which shows the lack of consensus in this matter. Nevertheless, these guidelines and protocols have not provided us with compelling evidence to support why the 64-projection technique is usually chosen. Thus, we aimed to determine if there is a significant difference between them in the assessment of cardiac perfusion and functional indices.

Methods and results

Sixty-nine patients were included in this pilot prospective, cross-sectional, cross-over, same patient control protocol study and underwent 32- and 64-projection MPS at both stress and rest phases after injecting 740–925 MBq of 99mTc-MIBI for every patient. Then, cardiac indices, including summed stress, rest, and difference scores, extent-stress and rest, left ventricular volumes and ejection-fraction, peak filling rate (PFR), and time to peak filling rate (TTPF) were recorded. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient was used to assess the agreement between protocols, and a paired sample t-test was used to compare the means of variables where appropriate. Findings revealed no significant difference as well as excellent/good agreement between the two methods in either the stress or rest state, except for the TTPF and PFR.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that lower-projection techniques could be adequate for routine clinical assessments without sacrificing diagnostic accuracy. However, the poor agreement for PFR and TTPF indicates that the 32-projection method may not reliably assess diastolic function, implying that the 64-projection protocol is preferable when precise evaluations are necessary.
Frailty and the Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Prospective Cohort and Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Zhu Xinyu , Huang Yikeng , Liang Li , Zhang Xinyu , Zhang Zixuan , Jiang Yujin , Wu Xiaoqian , Li Chenxin , Zheng Zhi , Bao Zhangli , Zou Wenjun , Zhao Shuzhi
Published: December 2024

Background

Both frailty and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are related to aging and may share some common mechanisms. We aimed to examine the observational and causal association between frailty and the risk of AMD.

Methods

We included 320 810 participants free of AMD at baseline from the UK Biobank. Frailty phenotypes were defined according to 5 components: weight loss, exhaustion, slow gait speed, low grip strength, and low physical activity. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between frailty phenotype and the risk of AMD. A causal relationship between frailty phenotype and AMD was examined using 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Results

During a median follow-up of 12.81 years, 7 222 AMD cases were documented. After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with nonfrail participants, both pre-frail and frail participants were significantly associated with an increased risk of AMD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.17, [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.11, 1.23] for pre-frailty and HR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.40, 1.73] for frailty). With each 1-point increase in frailty phenotype score, the risk of AMD increased by 14%. Results from the 2-sample MR analysis supported the potential causal effect of frailty phenotype on AMD.

Conclusions

Our findings suggested that frailty assessment may help identify at-risk populations and serve as a potential strategy for early prevention and management of AMD.
The Bidirectional Relationship Between Intrinsic Capacity and Catastrophic Health Expenditure in China: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Kang Yuting , Shi Hong , Zhang Jie , Meng Xue , Zhang Chi , Shen Ji , Zhang Pengjun
Published: December 2024

Background

Intrinsic capacity (IC), as a potential proxy for healthy aging, guidance on framing the concept is limited. Furthermore, research on the relationship between IC and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) is scarce. The current study aims to construct a validated IC framework using structural equation modeling (SEM) and examine such an association among older adults in China.

Methods

Using a 4-year prospective observational study, we enrolled 5 427 participants from Wave 1 and Wave 3 in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study for analysis. The SEM was used to construct IC score, and assessed its association with medical and financial burdens by using negative binomial regression and logistic mixed-effects models, where financial burden was defined as CHE according to the World Bank definitions.

Results

The SEM results showed a clear 5-subfactor structure for IC. After adjustment for potential confounders, the populations with poor and moderate IC had 1.927 times (95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]: 1.559–2.382) and 1.548 times (95% CI: 1.281–1.872) higher risk for inpatient visits in comparison with the group showing high IC, respectively, and also experiencing 2.163 times (95% CI: 1.674–2.795) and 1.687 times (95% CI: 1.347–2.112) risk for CHE, respectively.

Conclusions

Our analysis with both cross-sectional and longitudinal representative national data provided an extensive picture of the adverse effects of IC loss, demonstrating that a favorable IC is important to reduce medical and financial burden. IC is applicable to more widely as a usual clinical assessment tool to reduce effectively health burden.
Black Carbon Air Pollution and Incident Mortality among the Advance-Aged Adults in China: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhu Anna , Kan Haidong , Shi Xiaoming , Zeng Yi , Ji John S
Published: December 2024

Background

We aimed to assess associations between black carbon (BC) and non-accidental mortality among advance-aged adults in China.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study in 22 provinces of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We calculated concentrations of 3-year average BC, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and other PM2.5 components (SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, and organic matter) at individual levels. We used Cox proportional hazards models to assess dose-response BC exposure on non-accidental mortality, adjusted for total PM2.5, green space, temperature, humidity, and demographic covariates.

Results

We studied 12,873 participants, with a median age of 88 years and 57.4% females. For a median follow-up of 4 years, we observed 7,426 mortality events. The mean 3-year average BC and total PM2.5 exposure concentrations were 3.49 and 66.97 μg/m3, respectively. An increase of 1 μg/m3 in BC was associated with a 39% increase in mortality risks (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.36, 1.43), notably higher than the corresponding increase in mortality risks linked to total PM2.5 (HR: 1.003, 95% CI: 1.002, 1.004). The stratified analyses show that people living in rural areas, with lower social and leisure activity index, and lower physical activity, were at greater risk from BC exposure.

Conclusions

BC is a strong predictor of mortality, with a higher effect estimate compared with total PM2.5 and other PM2.5 components, particularly in rural populations. While total PM2.5 has been a target indicator of clean air policy interventions, our results indicate that BC concentration should be routinely measured, reported, and studied to improve public health.
Psychological insight as an effect of inspiring narratives: validating the psychological insight self-report scale
Authors: Igartua Juan-José , Oliver Mary Beth , González-Vázquez Alejandro , Piñeiro-Naval Valeriano , Marcos-Ramos María , Rodríguez-Contreras Laura
Published: December 2024

This article presents the results of two experiments in which participants were exposed to audiovisual narratives (Study 1, N = 245) and to short written narratives (Study 2, N = 360) with high or low inspiring potential so as to validate a measurement instrument to assess psychological insight (Psychological Insight Self-Report Scale). Insight is defined as a reception process involving sudden discovery and the sensation of experiencing a state of enlightenment or inner revelation through exposure to inspiring narratives. The results of our research confirm the structural, criterion, construct, and incremental validity of the scale. Our work furthers the advancement of media entertainment research regarding the impact of eudaimonic messages by providing a new construct (psychological insight) to explain the effects of inspiring narratives.
Temporal variations in the non-linear relationships between metro ridership and the built environment: insights from interpretable machine learning using four-year data
Authors: Yang Linchuan , Peng Ying’ao , Chen Jie , Liu Yanan , Yang Haosen
Published: December 2024

Understanding the association between metro ridership and the built environment is crucial for promoting integrated transportation and land use planning. However, prior research has rarely examined the temporally varying and/or non-linear associations between metro ridership and the built environment. To address this gap, this study collects metro ridership data in Chengdu, China, for January of each year between 2019 and 2022 and uses light gradient-boosting machine and SHapley Additive exPlanations models to examine the complex, non-linear associations between metro ridership and the built environment over 4 years. Our findings highlight the non-linear nature of the built environment’s influence. The key predictors remained relatively stable throughout the years, including the number of entrances (the top predictor across all years), employment density, and the floor area ratio. However, the influence of built environment factors, such as land-use mix, residential micro-district density, and distance to the city center, shows great temporal variations, underscoring the importance of incorporating temporal dynamics into analyses of the interactions between metro ridership and the built environment. This study offers a valuable reference for urban and transportation planners in crafting tailored policies for station-area transit-oriented development.