bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction models for differentiating benign from malignant liver lesions based on multiparametric dual-energy non-contrast CT
Authors: Ota Takashi , Onishi Hiromitsu , Fukui Hideyuki , Tsuboyama Takahiro , Nakamoto Atsushi , Honda Toru , Matsumoto Shohei , Tatsumi Mitsuaki , Tomiyama Noriyuki
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To create prediction models (PMs) for distinguishing between benign and malignant liver lesions using quantitative data from dual-energy CT (DECT) without contrast agents.

Materials and methods

This retrospective study included patients with liver lesions who underwent DECT, including non-contrast-enhanced scans. Benign lesions included hepatic hemangioma, whereas malignant lesions included hepatocellular carcinoma, metastatic liver cancer, and intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma. Patients were divided into derivation and validation groups. In the derivation group, two radiologists calculated ten multiparametric data using univariate and multivariate logistic regression to generate PMs. In the validation group, two additional radiologists measured the parameters to assess the diagnostic performance of PMs.

Results

The study included 121 consecutive patients (mean age 67.4 ± 13.8 years, 80 males), with 97 in the derivation group (25 benign and 72 malignant) and 24 in the validation group (7 benign and 17 malignant). Oversampling increased the benign lesion sample to 75, equalizing the malignant group for building PMs. All parameters were statistically significant in univariate analysis (all p < 0.05), leading to the creation of five PMs in multivariate analysis. The area under the curve for the five PMs of two observers was as follows: PM1 (slope K, blood) = 0.76, 0.74; PM2 (slope K, fat) = 0.55, 0.51; PM3 (effective-Z difference, blood) = 0.75, 0.72; PM4 (slope K, blood, fat) = 0.82, 0.78; and PM5 (slope K, effective-Z difference, blood) = 0.90, 0.87. PM5 yielded the best diagnostic performance.

Conclusion

Multiparametric non-contrast-enhanced DECT is a highly effective method for distinguishing between liver lesions.

Clinical relevance statement

The utilization of non-contrast-enhanced DECT is extremely useful for distinguishing between benign and malignant liver lesions. This approach enables physicians to plan better treatment strategies, alleviating concerns associated with contrast allergy, contrast-induced nephropathy, radiation exposure, and excessive medical expenses.

Key Points

Distinguishing benign from malignant liver lesions with non-contrast-enhanced CT would be desirable.

This model, incorporating slope K, effective Z, and blood quantification, distinguished benign from malignant liver lesions.

Non-contrast-enhanced DECT has benefits, particularly in patients with an iodine allergy, renal failure, or asthma.

Graphical Abstract
Reduced bias estimation of the log odds ratio
Authors: Saleh Asma
Published: August 2024

Analysis of binary matched pairs data is problematic due to infinite maximum likelihood estimates of the log odds ratio and potentially biased estimates, especially for small samples. We propose a penalised version of the log-likelihood function based on adjusted responses which always results in a finite estimator of the log odds ratio. The probability limit of the adjusted log-likelihood estimator is derived and it is shown that in certain settings the maximum likelihood, conditional and modified profile log-likelihood estimators drop out as special cases of the former estimator. We implement indirect inference to the adjusted log-likelihood estimator. It is shown, through a complete enumeration study, that the indirect inference estimator is competitive in terms of bias and variance in comparison to the maximum likelihood, conditional, modified profile log-likelihood and Firth’s penalised log-likelihood estimators.
Myocarditis incidence and hospital mortality from 2007 to 2022: insights from a nationwide registry
Authors: Rottmann Felix A. , Glück Christian , Kaier Klaus , Bemtgen Xavier , Supady Alexander , von zur Mühlen Constantin , Westermann Dirk , Wengenmayer Tobias , Staudacher Dawid L.
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To investigate the burden of disease of myocarditis in Germany and identify similarities and differences in myocarditis with or without COVID-19.

Methods

All patients hospitalized with myocarditis in Germany were included in this nationwide retrospective analysis. Data were retrieved from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (DESTATIS) for the years from 2007 to 2022. The primary endpoint was hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 88,159 patients hospitalized with myocarditis were analyzed. Annual cases increased from 5100 in 2007 to 6593 in 2022 (p < 0.001 for trend) with higher incidence during winter months. Incidence per 100,000 inhabitants was 6.2 in 2007 rising to 7.8 in 2022 (p < 0.001 for trend). Hospital mortality remained constant at an average of 2.44% (p = 0.164 for trend). From 2020 to 2022, 1547/16,229 (9.53%) patients were hospitalized with both, myocarditis and COVID-19 (incidence 0.62/100,000 inhabitants and 180/100,000 hospitalizations with COVID-19). These patients differed significantly in most patient characteristics and had a higher rate of hospital mortality compared to myocarditis without COVID-19 (12.54% vs. 2.26%, respectively, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Myocarditis hospitalizations were slowly rising over the past 16 years with hospital mortality remaining unchanged. Incidence of hospitalizations with combined myocarditis and COVID-19 was low, but hospital mortality was high.
Design of Rock Support in Low Overburden and Hard Rock Conditions with the use of Rock Mass Classification Systems and Numerical Analyses: a Study Based on the Construction of the Hestnes Railway Tunnel, Norway
Authors: Terron-Almenara Jorge , Skretting Erlend , Holter Karl Gunnar
Published: August 2024

Engineering rock mass classifications are used to describe rock masses and to assist in the design of rock support in hard rock tunneling. In most of the encountered geological- and rock mechanical conditions, from hard and competent rock to poor and fractured rock masses, the application of classification systems has normally resulted in successful and economic designs. However, complex ground conditions as these derived from tunneling in low rock overburden pose several challenges to rock mass classification and support design. In the present study, an analysis of the ground behavior and tunnel stability in a portion with very low rock overburden during the construction of the Hestnes railway tunnel (Norway) was conducted to investigate the performance of the current classification practice for tunnel rock support design. The results have revealed several challenges, which are related to conservative rock mass and rock support assessments due to the lack of consideration of the important stabilizing effect that rock arching has on tunnel stability. It was also found that with the application of an integrated methodology able to combine classification methods with numerical simulations and detailed information of the ground properties and behavior, more optimal designs in the form of rock reinforcement with bolts and shotcrete can be achieved when rock mass quality Q < 1. On this basis, a set of design recommendations was developed for the integration of classification systems with more elaborated engineering design analyses to provide guidance in design optimization for hard rock tunnels subject to low overburden.
Künstliche Intelligenz in der Medizin
Authors: Rubeis Giovanni
Published: August 2024

Technologien maschinellen Lernens, die auf einem Big-Data-Ansatz beruhen, werden als Schlüssel einer personalisierten Medizin angesehen. Von Bilderkennungssoftware zu Chatbots, von Systemen der Entscheidungsunterstützung zu sozialen Robotern, bieten diese Technologien ein breites Spektrum an Einsatzmöglichkeiten in der Medizin. Die besondere Herausforderung besteht darin, dass diese Anwendungen künstlicher Intelligenz keine bloß passiven Werkzeuge darstellen. Vielmehr handelt es sich um „artificial agents“, also nichtmenschliche Akteure, die autonome oder teilautonome Entscheidungen treffen und Handlungen setzen. Zudem verändern diese Technologien die epistemischen Praktiken von Ärzt:innen, d. h. die Art und Weise, wie diese Patient:innen lesen. Beide Aspekte führen zu einer fundamentalen Transformationen von Praktiken, Beziehungen und Umwelten in der Medizin. In diesem Beitrag werden die ethischen Aspekten dieser Transformation erläutert. Ob sich die Medizin zum Besseren oder Schlechteren verändern wird, ist nicht durch die Technik vorbestimmt. Vielmehr kommt es gerade darauf an, auf den Ebenen Entwicklung, Implementierung und Nutzung der Technologie klare Ziele zu definieren. Dabei sollte als Grundsatz gelten: Prozesse automatisieren, nicht Entscheidungen; zeitraubende Tätigkeiten delegieren, statt Ärzt:innen zu ersetzen. So lässt sich das Potenzial von KI zur Ermöglichung von Best Practice und der Förderung des Patientenwohls nutzen. Die Betrachtungen basieren auf den grundlegenden Resultaten der Monografie Ethics of Medical AI des Autors.
The Fröhlich polaron at strong coupling: Part II — Energy-momentum relation and effective mass
Authors: Brooks Morris , Seiringer Robert
Published: August 2024

We study the Fröhlich polaron model in $\mathbf {R}^{3}$

R
3

, and prove a lower bound on its ground state energy as a function of the total momentum. The bound is asymptotically sharp at large coupling. In combination with a corresponding upper bound proved earlier (Mitrouskas et al. in Forum Math. Sigma 11:1–52, 2023), it shows that the energy is approximately parabolic below the continuum threshold, and that the polaron’s effective mass (defined as the semi-latus rectum of the parabola) is given by the celebrated Landau–Pekar formula. In particular, it diverges as $\alpha ^{4}$

α
4

for large coupling constant $\alpha $
α
.
Looking back on a gold standard: a systematic literature review of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication as an anti-reflux treatment option
Authors: Zehetner Joerg , Hoffsten Johanna , Das Shuchesmita , Schoppmann Sebastian F. , Lipham John C.
Published: August 2024

Background

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is considered the gold standard in surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Therefore, exhaustive scrutiny of the procedure is necessary. The aim of this study was to perform a complete and systematic literature review of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication to summarize the evidence for safety and efficacy over time.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials investigating intra- and postoperative outcomes at follow-ups between 4–6 weeks and 17 years.

Results

Among 1675 screened articles, 63 articles were identified comprising 40 trials with a total of 2619 participants. Intraoperative events included bleeding (2.9%), gastroesophageal injury/perforation (0.9%), and spleen injury/splenectomy (0.9%). One-year clinical follow-up presented the following: dysphagia (22.4%), heartburn or epigastric/sternal pain (15.1%), gas bloating (30.1%), and inability to vomit/belch (16.4%). These outcomes displayed a U-shaped curve with a minimum of symptoms at 1 year. At 10 years postoperatively, clinical outcomes deteriorated, demonstrating dysphagia (45.3%), heartburn or epigastric/sternal pain (30.9%), inability to vomit/belch (48.8%), and gas bloating (44.4%). Furthermore, the surgical benefit seems to dissipate at 17 years. At 1 and 10 years after surgery, reoperation rates were 6.7% and 16.3%, whereas proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use was at 12.3% and 23.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

The performance of Nissen fundoplication declines over time, as demonstrated by increased PPI medication usage for recurrent symptoms and an increased reoperation rate reaching a combined 39.6%, representing failures after 10 years. The complication rates are dominated by dysphagia, gas bloating, inability to belch/vomit, and/or recurrent reflux symptoms with heartburn.
CO2 adsorption in biochars obtained from soursop (Anonna muricata) seeds by chemical activation with metallic salts
Authors: López Jhoan M. Camargo , Martínez José J. , Brijaldo María H. , Acevedo Sergio
Published: August 2024

Environment remediation is one of the primary goals of sustainable development and anthropogenic activities, and the use of fuels in various industrial processes through combustion has led to an increase in CO2 as well as big damage to the atmosphere by the greenhouse effect. Biochar has been used for the capture of carbon dioxide due to its high surface area. In this study, we obtained biochar from soursop seeds. The materials were synthesized by pyrolysis of precursor materials and chemical activation with chlorides of Ca and Mg at a concentration of 5% w/v. The effect of the defatting process of the soursop seeds on the obtained carbon was also researched. The absorbed solids were characterized through thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and CO2 adsorption, followed by infrared spectroscopy, N2-physisorption, CO2-physisorption, CO2, XPS, DRIFTS and TPD of NH3. The type of activating agent and pretreatment conditions used were more favorable than the defatted process at obtaining carbons with N2 surface areas between 26 and 220 m2g−1. The biochars were analyzed by CO2 surface area to describe the microporous framework, and the solid with the best CO2 surface area was the one with the highest CO2 adsorption. According to the statistical analyses conducted, the evaluated models Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson presented good fits to the experimental data. However, the Redlich-Peterson model showed the lowest values for the residual variance, which were of the order of 0.001 or less in all cases based on the CO2 adsorption isotherms on the studied activated carbons. However, the carbons obtained by defatting showed favorable hydrophilic behavior along with adsorption capacities in the bioremediation process and affinity towards of this GHG.
More, better feedback please: are learning analytics dashboards (LAD) the solution to a wicked problem?
Authors: Kitto Simon , Chiang H. L. Michelle , Ng Olivia , Cleland Jennifer
Published: August 2024

There is a long-standing lack of learner satisfaction with quality and quantity of feedback in health professions education (HPE) and training. To address this, university and training programmes are increasingly using technological advancements and data analytic tools to provide feedback. One such educational technology is the Learning Analytic Dashboard (LAD), which holds the promise of a comprehensive view of student performance via partial or fully automated feedback delivered to learners in real time. The possibility of displaying performance data visually, on a single platform, so users can access and process feedback efficiently and constantly, and use this to improve their performance, is very attractive to users, educators and institutions. However, the mainstream literature tends to take an atheoretical and instrumentalist view of LADs, a view that uncritically celebrates the promise of LAD’s capacity to provide a ‘technical fix’ to the ‘wicked problem’ of feedback in health professions education. This paper seeks to recast the discussion of LADs as something other than a benign material technology using the lenses of Miller and Rose’s technologies of government and Barry’s theory of Technological Societies, where such technical devices are also inherently agentic and political. An examination of the purpose, design and deployment of LADs from these theoretical perspectives can reveal how these educational devices shape and govern the HPE learner body in different ways, which in turn, may produce a myriad of unintended– and ironic– effects on the feedback process. In this Reflections article we wish to encourage health professions education scholars to examine the practices and consequences thereof of the ever-expanding use of LADs more deeply and with a sense of urgency.
Unveiling the social media landscape: exploring factors influencing usage patterns among tertiary education students in Ghana
Authors: Odoom Daniel , Agyepong Lawrencia , Dick-Sagoe Christopher , Mensah Eric Opoku
Published: August 2024

This research assessed the factors affecting social media usage by tertiary education students in Ghana. The technology acceptance model underpinned the study. A total of 513 tertiary education students selected from across the country completed a set of questionnaires using Google Forms. Frequencies, percentages, means, independent samples t-test, and ANOVA were used as the analytical framework for the study. Although respondents were very highly aware of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, they were less aware of platforms such as Flicker, SoundCloud, Evernote, Pinterest, 2go, and MySpace. In addition, respondents reported that the extent to which social media was used for information sharing, entertainment, education, interpersonal connectivity, and social bonding was high. The level at which social media was used for self-promotion, impression management, self-disclosure, and self-documentation, and displaying creativity was moderate. The major factors respondents considered when using social media platforms were the convenience of the platforms, their experience with the platforms, their perceived usefulness, social influence, and the cost of the platforms. Despite their importance, legal risks and privacy issues did not strongly feature in the factors respondents considered before using social media platforms. Significant differences existed in the respondents’ views on the factors affecting their social media platform usage based on age. Tertiary education students in Ghana are advised to maximise their use of social media platforms for educational purposes. Finally, to avoid inconveniences, Ghanaian tertiary education students should pay increased attention to the legal implications and privacy issues associated with social media adoption.
A semi-automated image processing method for analysing the taxonomic composition of algal biofilms
Authors: Novák Zoltán , Bernát Gábor , Steinbach Gábor , Boross Nóra , Pirger Zsolt , Boros Gergely
Published: August 2024

Benthic phototrophic communities play a crucial role in the functioning of shallow lake ecosystems. The complexity of benthic algal communities poses challenges for exploring their fine structures using traditional methods such as light microscopy. However, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) offers the potential for microscale-level structural investigation of phototrophic biofilms, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the structural and compositional changes within these communities. The primary objective of this study was to develop a relatively rapid, semi-automated, and freely available image processing method to facilitate the tracking of spatio-temporal alterations in intact biofilms. To evaluate our image processing method, we conducted an eight-week long outdoor mesocosm experiment, manipulating temperatures based on two global warming scenarios (assuming intermediate- and high degree of greenhouse gas emission), with increases of 3°C and 5°C, respectively, compared to the reference/unheated mesocosms. Eight limestone cubes were placed on the bottom of each mesocosm to provide 'natural' surfaces for phytobenthos colonization, which was subsequently analysed by confocal microscopy. We hypothesized that increasing water temperature might have a significant impact on the taxonomic composition of algal biofilms, particularly on the abundance of phototrophic prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The designed 'FIJI macro' efficiently analysed the recorded images, including single images, series of Z-stack images, and projection images. Our image processing method effectively discriminated photosynthetic prokaryotes and eukaryotes based on their pigment composition and proved suitable for the high-throughput analysis of structural and compositional changes in algal biofilms. Moreover, this study confirmed that climate-induced warming can lead to an increasing dominance of cyanobacteria in benthic phototrophic communities at the expense of eukaryotic algae.
A Systematic Review of Interventions to Promote Cervical Cancer Screening among Immigrant Vietnamese Women
Authors: Hua Jacqueline , Jackson Kristopher
Published: August 2024

Vietnamese women have a higher incidence rate of cervical cancer and are less likely to have ever been screened for cervical cancer than their White counterparts in the US. This review synthesizes findings from published interventions to promote cervical cancer screening in this vulnerable population. Articles were identified through a systematic search of PsycInfo, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials in October 2022. Articles were included if they were published in a peer-reviewed journal, written in English, included one or more interventions promoting cervical cancer screening, assessed at least one outcome relevant to screening, and included a sample of ≥ 70% Vietnamese participants. Quality assessment scores were computed using the Downs and Black Checklist. Fifteen articles met review inclusion criteria. Studies were, on average, of good quality. Most studies were conducted in the US (n = 12), used a quasi-experimental design (n = 9), and employed multiple intervention strategies (n = 12). Intervention strategies included educational sessions, lay health worker (LHW) outreach, small media, mass media, patient navigation, and community or healthcare-based strategies. The most common study outcomes were screening intention and receipt. All but two studies reported improved cervical cancer screening outcomes following intervention. Findings support the effectiveness of multicomponent culturally tailored interventions to improve cervical cancer screening outcomes in immigrant Vietnamese women. Further research is needed to determine whether these interventions will be as successful in non-US countries and to address broader community- and healthcare-based factors in screening.
Lagrange Stability of Competitive Neural Networks with Multiple Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Tang Dandan , Wang Baoxian , Jian Jigui , Hao Caiqing
Published: August 2024

In this paper, the Lagrange stability of competitive neural networks (CNNs) with leakage delays and mixed time-varying delays is investigated. By constructing delay-dependent Lyapunov functional, combining inequality analysis technique, the delay-dependent Lagrange stability criterion are obtained in the form of linear matrix inequalities. And the corresponding global exponentially attractive set (GEAS) is obtained. On this basis, by exploring the relationship between the leakage delays and the discrete delay, a better GEAS of the system is obtained from the six different sizes of the two types of delays. Finally, three examples of numerical simulation are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.
A protocol for the development and maintenance of Coffea arabica (L.) cell suspension cultures
Authors: Di Bonaventura Azzurra , Marchetti Stefano , Petrussa Elisa , Braidot Enrico , Colomban Silvia , Navarini Luciano , Zancani Marco
Published: August 2024

Coffea spp. are remarkable sources of phytochemicals, but the lack of a well-defined culture medium aimed at the induction of non-embryogenic and friable callus hampers the establishment of plant cell suspension cultures for large-scale production of valuable compounds. In this paper, we describe a one-medium protocol suitable to obtain both callus and cell suspension cultures from leaves of two elite cultivars of C. arabica. The protocol was developed through an iterative process involving the determination of the best concentration of auxin and cytokinin, their optimal ratio, as well as the most effective molecule of either hormone class. Young leaves were found to be a good and easy-to-use explant source for callus induction and proliferation, provided that a cytokinin was present in association with a chlorinated auxin in a full strength, semi-solid MS medium. The best results were obtained by hormone concentration and combination of 1 mg/L of both kinetin and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The same ratio of these growth regulators was conveniently used for the development and stabilization of cell suspension cultures in liquid MS medium. When grown in darkness, stabilized suspension cultures showed a fine and homogeneous texture, with a 10-fold biomass increase within 25 days and a cell viability > 90%. In addition, the phytochemical profile revealed the presence of the most widely studied coffee compounds. The protocol can be applied to obtain adequate amounts of cell biomass for use in physiological studies concerning the production of secondary metabolites.
Relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer
Authors: Yamaguchi Ken , Nakazono Takahiko , Egashira Ryoko , Fukui Shuichi , Imaizumi Tsutomu , Maruyama Katsuya , Nickel Dominik , Hamamoto Takahiro , Yamaguchi Rin , Irie Hiroyuki
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between kinetic parameters of ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer.

Patients and methods

This retrospective study was approved by an institutional review board and included 76 women (median age: 60) with 76 surgically proven breast cancers who underwent DCE MRI including ultrafast sequence. Based on the TILs level, we classified the patients into the low-TILs (< 10%) group and the high-TILs (≥ 10%) group. Maximum slope (MS) and time to enhancement (TTE) derived from ultrafast DCE sequence were correlated in each TILs group. The percentages of six kinetic patterns (fast, medium, and slow from the early phase, washout, plateau, and persistent from the delayed phase) derived from the conventional DCE sequence were also correlated in each TILs group.

Results

Of the 76 breast cancers, 57 were in the low-TILs group and 19 comprised the high-TILs group. The median MS in the high-TILs group (32.4%/sec) was significantly higher than that in the low-TILs group (23.68%/s) (p = 0.037). In a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for differentiating between the high- and low-TILs group was 0.661. The TTE in the high-TILs group was significantly shorter than that in the low-TILs group (p = 0.012). In the ROC analysis, the AUC was 0.685. There were no significant differences between the percentages of the six kinetic patterns from the conventional DCE sequence and the TILs level (p = 0.075–0.876).

Conclusion

Compared to the low-TILs group, the high-TILs group had higher MS and shorter TTE.
Towards an Epistemic Compass for Online Content Moderation
Authors: Tobi Abraham
Published: August 2024

The internet provides easy access to a wealth of information that can sometimes be false and harmful. This is most apparent on social media platforms. To combat this, platforms have implemented various methods of content moderation to flag or block content that is inaccurate or violates community standards. This approach has limitations – from the epistemic injustices that might occur due to content moderation practices to the concerns about the legitimacy of these for-profit platforms’ epistemic authority. In this paper, I highlight some of the epistemic challenges of online content moderation with a focus on how it harms internet users and moderators. If we are to moderate content effectively and ethically, we must attend to these challenges. Hence, I map out an epistemic compass for online content moderation that looks to attend to these challenges. I argue for a pluralistic model of content moderation that categorises content online and distributes the task of content moderation between human moderators, automated moderators, and community moderators in a way that plays to the strengths of each content moderation model. My compass is beneficial for two reasons: first, it allows room for the internet to realise its potential as a democratising force for knowledge, and second, it helps minimise the epistemic downsides of relying on profit-driven companies as epistemic authorities.
Key Uncertainties and Modeling Needs for Managing Living Marine Resources in the Future Arctic Ocean
Authors: Mason Julia G. , Bryndum‐Buchholz Andrea , Palacios‐Abrantes Juliano , Badhe Renuka , Morgante Isabella , Bianchi Daniele , Blanchard Julia L. , Everett Jason D. , Harrison Cheryl S. , Heneghan Ryan F. , Novaglio Camilla , Petrik Colleen M.
Published: August 2024

Emerging fishing activity due to melting ice and poleward species distribution shifts in the rapidly‐warming Arctic Ocean challenges transboundary management and requires proactive governance. A 2021 moratorium on commercial fishing in the Arctic high seas provides a 16‐year runway for improved scientific understanding. Given substantial knowledge gaps, characterizing areas of highest uncertainty is a key first step. Marine ecosystem model ensembles that project future fish distributions could inform management of future Arctic fisheries, but Arctic‐specific variation has not yet been examined for global ensembles. We use the Fisheries and Marine Ecosystem Intercomparison Project ensemble driven by two Earth System Models (ESMs) under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1‐2.6 and SSP5‐8.5) to illustrate the current state of and uncertainty among biomass projections for the Arctic Ocean over the duration of the moratorium. The models generally project biomass increases in more northern Arctic ecosystems and decreases in southern ecosystems, but wide intra‐model variation exceeds projection means in most cases. The two ESMs show opposite trends for the main environmental drivers. Therefore, these projections are currently insufficient to inform policy actions. Investment in sustained monitoring and improving modeling capacity, especially for sea ice dynamics, is urgently needed. Concurrently, it will be necessary to develop frameworks for making precautionary decisions under continued uncertainty. We conclude that researchers should be transparent about uncertainty, presenting these model projections not as a source of scientific “answers,” but as bounding for plausible, policy‐relevant questions to assess trade‐offs and mitigate risks.
New Insights Into the Sources of Atmospheric Organic Aerosols in East China: A Comparison of Online Molecule‐Level and Bulk Measurements
Authors: Ge Dafeng , Nie Wei , Liu Yuliang , Huang Dan Dan , Yan Chao , Wang Jinbo , Li Yuanyuan , Liu Chong , Wang Lei , Wang Jiaping , Chi Xuguang , Ding Aijun
Published: August 2024

Organic aerosols (OA) significantly contribute to haze pollution, threaten human health, and affect the radiation balance. However, real‐time tracking of OA evolution at the molecular level is limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of their origins and behaviors. In this study, we investigated wintertime OA in a megacity in East China by combining simultaneous measurements from an extractive electrospray ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer (EESI‐TOF) and a high‐resolution time‐of‐flight aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) (HR‐TOF‐AMS). AMS results indicate that OA accounts for about 27% of non‐refractory submicron particulate matter (NR‐PM1) on average. EESI‐TOF data reveal that CxHyOz and CxHyN1–2Oz are the predominant OA components, contributing over 70% and 20%, respectively. Factorization analysis shows that while traffic, cooking, and biomass burning are major primary sources, most OA (>70% for EESI‐TOF, >55% for AMS) originate from secondary production. EESI‐TOF, although missing hydrocarbon‐like OA, excels in providing molecular information on oxygenated OA, identifying aromatics and aliphatics as possible key precursors. It further differentiates less oxidized secondary organic aerosols (SOA) into two factors with distinct molecular compositions, likely due to diverse source regions. Importantly, EESI‐TOF identifies two additional factors: one possibly related to plasticizers and another representing SOA formation from monoterpene oxidation by NO3 radicals. In conclusion, EESI‐TOF complements AMS by offering valuable molecular insights into the chemical processes underlying OA formation, especially in complex urban environments.
Ultra-broadband diffractive imaging with unknown probe spectrum
Authors: Chen Chuangchuang , Gu Honggang , Liu Shiyuan
Published: August 2024

Strict requirement of a coherent spectrum in coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) architectures poses a significant obstacle to achieving efficient photon utilization across the full spectrum. To date, nearly all broadband computational imaging experiments have relied on accurate spectroscopic measurements, as broad spectra are incompatible with conventional CDI systems. This paper presents an advanced approach to broaden the scope of CDI to ultra-broadband illumination with unknown probe spectrum, effectively addresses the key challenges encountered by existing state-of-the-art broadband diffractive imaging frameworks. This advancement eliminates the necessity for prior knowledge of probe spectrum and relaxes constraints on non-dispersive samples, resulting in a significant extension in spectral bandwidth, achieving a nearly fourfold improvement in bandlimit compared to the existing benchmark. Our method not only monochromatizes a broadband diffraction pattern from unknown illumination spectrum, but also determines the compressive sampled profile of spectrum of the diffracted radiation. This superiority is experimentally validated using both CDI and ptychography techniques on an ultra-broadband supercontinuum with relative bandwidth exceeding 40%, revealing a significantly enhanced coherence and improved reconstruction with high fidelity under ultra-broadband illumination.
Schnurri-3 inhibition rescues skeletal fragility and vascular skeletal stem cell niche pathology in the OIM model of osteogenesis imperfecta
Authors: Li Na , Shi Baohong , Li Zan , Han Jie , Sun Jun , Huang Haitao , Yallowitz Alisha R. , Bok Seoyeon , Xiao Shuang , Wu Zuoxing , Chen Yu , Xu Yan , Qin Tian , Huang Rui , Zheng Haiping , Shen Rong , Meng Lin , Greenblatt Matthew B. , Xu Ren
Published: August 2024

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a disorder of low bone mass and increased fracture risk due to a range of genetic variants that prominently include mutations in genes encoding type I collagen. While it is well known that OI reflects defects in the activity of bone-forming osteoblasts, it is currently unclear whether OI also reflects defects in the many other cell types comprising bone, including defects in skeletal vascular endothelium or the skeletal stem cell populations that give rise to osteoblasts and whether correcting these broader defects could have therapeutic utility. Here, we find that numbers of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) and skeletal arterial endothelial cells (AECs) are augmented in Col1a2oim/oim mice, a well-studied animal model of moderate to severe OI, suggesting that disruption of a vascular SSC niche is a feature of OI pathogenesis. Moreover, crossing Col1a2oim/oim mice to mice lacking a negative regulator of skeletal angiogenesis and bone formation, Schnurri 3 (SHN3), not only corrected the SSC and AEC phenotypes but moreover robustly corrected the bone mass and spontaneous fracture phenotypes. As this finding suggested a strong therapeutic utility of SHN3 inhibition for the treatment of OI, a bone-targeting AAV was used to mediate Shn3 knockdown, rescuing the Col1a2oim/oim phenotype and providing therapeutic proof-of-concept for targeting SHN3 for the treatment of OI. Overall, this work both provides proof-of-concept for inhibition of the SHN3 pathway and more broadly addressing defects in the stem/osteoprogenitor niche as is a strategy to treat OI.
Radiation-induced YAP/TEAD4 binding confers non-small cell lung cancer radioresistance via promoting NRP1 transcription
Authors: Wang Mingwei , Yi Junxuan , Gao Hui , Wei Xinfeng , Xu Weiqiang , Zhao Mingqi , Zhao Mengdie , Shen Yannan , Wang Zhicheng , Wu Ning , Wei Wei , Jin Shunzi
Published: August 2024

Despite the importance of radiation therapy as a non-surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), radiation resistance has always been a concern, due to poor patient response and prognosis. Therefore, it is crucial to uncover novel targets to enhance radiotherapy and investigate the mechanisms underlying radiation resistance. Previously, we demonstrated that NRP1 was connected to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis of constructed radiation-resistant A549 and H1299 cell models revealed that transcription coactivator YAP is a significant factor in cell proliferation and metastasis. However, there has been no evidence linking YAP and NRP1 to date. In this research, we have observed that YAP contributes to radiation resistance in NSCLC cells by stimulating cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, YAP dephosphorylation after NSCLC cell radiation. YAP acts as a transcription co-activator by binding to the transcription factor TEAD4, facilitating TEAD4 to bind to the NRP1 promoter region and thereby increasing NRP1 expression. NRP1 has been identified as a new target gene for YAP/TEAD4. Notably, when inhibiting YAP binds to TEAD4, it inhibits NRP1 expression, and Rescue experiments show that YAP/TEAD4 influences NRP1 to regulate cell proliferation, metastasis and leading to radiation resistance generation. According to these results, YAP/TEAD4/NRP1 is a significant mechanism for radioresistance and can be utilized as a target for enhancing radiotherapy efficacy.
Fatty acid metabolism constrains Th9 cell differentiation and antitumor immunity via the modulation of retinoic acid receptor signaling
Authors: Nakajima Takahiro , Kanno Toshio , Ueda Yuki , Miyako Keisuke , Endo Takeru , Yoshida Souta , Yokoyama Satoru , Asou Hikari K. , Yamada Kazuko , Ikeda Kazutaka , Togashi Yosuke , Endo Yusuke
Published: August 2024

T helper 9 (Th9) cells are interleukin 9 (IL-9)-producing cells that have diverse functions ranging from antitumor immune responses to allergic inflammation. Th9 cells differentiate from naïve CD4+ T cells in the presence of IL-4 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β); however, our understanding of the molecular basis of their differentiation remains incomplete. Previously, we reported that the differentiation of another subset of TGF-β–driven T helper cells, Th17 cells, is highly dependent on de novo lipid biosynthesis. On the basis of these findings, we hypothesized that lipid metabolism may also be important for Th9 cell differentiation. We therefore investigated the differentiation and function of mouse and human Th9 cells in vitro under conditions of pharmacologically or genetically induced deficiency of the intracellular fatty acid content and in vivo in mice genetically deficient in acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), an important enzyme for fatty acid biosynthesis. Both the inhibition of de novo fatty acid biosynthesis and the deprivation of environmental lipids augmented differentiation and IL-9 production in mouse and human Th9 cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that the increase in Th9 cell differentiation was mediated by the retinoic acid receptor and the TGF-β–SMAD signaling pathways. Upon adoptive transfer, ACC1-inhibited Th9 cells suppressed tumor growth in murine models of melanoma and adenocarcinoma. Together, our findings highlight a novel role of fatty acid metabolism in controlling the differentiation and in vivo functions of Th9 cells.
Risk factors for reoperation of inflatable penile prosthesis among an ethnically diverse urban population in a high-volume center
Authors: Hawks-Ladds Noah , Babar Mustufa , Labagnara Kevin , Loloi Justin , Patel Rutul D. , Aalami Harandi Arshia , Zhu Michael , Salami Azizou , Maria Pedro
Published: August 2024

Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) is a surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction refractory to medical therapy or for those who desire permanent treatment. Complications like mechanical failure and infection may necessitate reoperation, and patients with certain risk factors remain predisposed to reoperation. We retrospectively analyzed 530 patients undergoing primary IPP implantation at a large, urban, multiethnic hospital with a high volume of IPP implantations. Primary outcomes were reoperation due to any reason and reoperation due to infection. Patient characteristics and intraoperative factors were compared between those requiring reoperation and those not requiring reoperation. Overall, 12.1% of patients underwent reoperation, primarily due to infection, with a median time to reoperation of 4 months. Analysis revealed an increased likelihood of reoperation with Peyronie’s disease (OR = 2.47), hemoglobin A1c over 8 (OR = 2.25), active smoking (OR = 2.75), and estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥ 25cc (OR = 2.45). A decreased likelihood of reoperation was observed when Arista™ powder was used intraoperatively (OR = 0.38). Reoperation specifically due to infection was associated with an infrapubic approach (OR = 2.56) and hypertension (OR = 9.12). Our findings confirm smoking and diabetes as risk factors for reoperation, while also providing insights into factors like estimated blood loss and Arista™ powder use. However, long-term survival rates were limited by loss to follow-up. (Clinical trial registration N/A).
Subducted carbon weakens the forearc mantle wedge in a warm subduction zone
Authors: Oyanagi Ryosuke , Okamoto Atsushi
Published: August 2024

Subducting oceanic plates carry large amounts of carbon into the Earth’s interior. The subducted carbon is mobilized by fluid and encounters ultramafic rocks in the mantle wedge, resulting in changes to the mineral assemblage and mechanical properties of the mantle. Here, we use thermodynamic modeling of interactions between carbon-bearing multi-component fluids and mantle rocks to investigate the down-dip variation in mineral assemblage in the forearc mantle along subduction megathrusts. We found that fluids rich in aqueous carbon are preferentially generated in a warm subduction zone (e.g., Nankai, SW Japan), causing a change in mineral assemblage from serpentine-rich at the mantle wedge corner to talc + carbonate-rich at greater depths. The transition caused by the infiltration of aqueous carbon may influence the depth of the boundary between the seismogenic and aseismic zones, and the down-dip limit of episodic tremor and slip.
Systematic discovery of gene-environment interactions underlying the human plasma proteome in UK Biobank
Authors: Hillary Robert F. , Gadd Danni A. , Kuncheva Zhana , Mangelis Tasos , Lin Tinchi , Ferber Kyle , McLaughlin Helen , Runz Heiko ,   Biogen Biobank Team, Marshall Eric , Marioni Riccardo E. , Foley Christopher N. , Sun Benjamin B.
Published: August 2024

Understanding how gene-environment interactions (GEIs) influence the circulating proteome could aid in biomarker discovery and validation. The presence of GEIs can be inferred from single nucleotide polymorphisms that associate with phenotypic variability - termed variance quantitative trait loci (vQTLs). Here, vQTL association studies are performed on plasma levels of 1463 proteins in 52,363 UK Biobank participants. A set of 677 independent vQTLs are identified across 568 proteins. They include 67 variants that lack conventional additive main effects on protein levels. Over 1100 GEIs are identified between 101 proteins and 153 environmental exposures. GEI analyses uncover possible mechanisms that explain why 13/67 vQTL-only sites lack corresponding main effects. Additional analyses also highlight how age, sex, epistatic interactions and statistical artefacts may underscore associations between genetic variation and variance heterogeneity. This study establishes the most comprehensive database yet of vQTLs and GEIs for the human proteome.
Formation of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation lower limb is critically dependent on Atlantic-Arctic mixing
Authors: Dey Dipanjan , Marsh Robert , Drijfhout Sybren , Josey Simon A. , Sinha Bablu , Grist Jeremy , Döös Kristofer
Published: August 2024

Deep-water formation in the eastern Subpolar North Atlantic Ocean (eSPNA) and Nordic Seas is crucial for maintaining the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), of consequence for global climate. However, it is still uncertain which processes determine the deep-water formation and how much Atlantic and Arctic waters respectively contribute to the lower limb. To address this, here we used Lagrangian trajectories to diagnose a global eddy-resolving ocean model that agrees well with recent observations highlighting the eSPNA as a primary source of the AMOC lower limb. Comprised of 72% Atlantic waters and 28% Arctic waters, the density and depth of the AMOC lower limb is critically dependent on Atlantic-Arctic mixing, primarily in the vicinity of Denmark Strait. In contrast, Atlantic waters gaining density through air-sea interaction along the eastern periphery of Nordic Seas and not entering the Arctic Ocean make a negligible contribution to the lower limb.
Epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of staphylococci on commercial pig farms in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Ocloo Remous , Newton-Foot Mae , Chabuka Lucious , Ziebuhr Wilma , Whitelaw Andrew Christopher
Published: August 2024

Staphylococci are responsible for a wide range of infections in animals. The most common species infecting animals include Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus intermedius. Recent increases in antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in animals highlight the need to understand the potential role of commercial livestock as a reservoir of staphylococci and antibiotic resistance genes. Nasal swabs were collected from 143 apparently healthy pigs and 21 pig farm workers, and 45 environmental swabs of feed and water troughs, from two commercial pig farms in the Western Cape, South Africa. Staphylococci were isolated, identified using mass-spectrometry, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing and Illumina whole genome sequencing were performed. One hundred and eighty-five (185) Staphylococcus spp. isolates were obtained, with Mammalicoccus sciuri (n = 57; 31%) being the most common, followed by S. hyicus (n = 40; 22%) and S. aureus (n = 29; 16%). S. epidermidis was predominantly identified in the farm workers (n = 18; 86%). Tetracycline resistance was observed across all species, with rates ranging from 67 to 100%. Majority of M. sciuri isolates (n = 40; 70%) were methicillin resistant, with 78% (n = 31) harbouring mecA. M. sciuri isolates had genes/elements which were associated with SCCmec_type_III (3A) and SCCmec_type_VIII(4A) and were mostly observed in ST61 strains. ST239 strains were associated with SCCmec_type_III(3A). High rates of tetracycline resistance were identified among staphylococci in the pig farms in Western Cape, South Africa. This highlights the need for policy makers to regulate the use of this antibiotic in pig farming.