bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facile Preparation of Chitosan/Carnauba Wax Emulsion‐Based Coatings for Hydrophobic and Oleophobic Cellulose‐Based Food Packaging
Authors: Zou Yang , Zhang Yanfen , Zhang Hui , Cao Bin , Luo Zixin , Duan Huawei
Published: July 2024

Studies have shown that fluoridated reagents for oil and water resistance are harmful to the human bodies and the environment. Consequently, the developments of nontoxic, environmentally friendly, fluorine‐free and degradable materials have received increasing attentions. Here, we introduce a novel method for fabricating a hydrophobic and oleophobic paper‐based packaging material through the application of chitosan/carnauba wax emulsions. These emulsions were prepared via high‐shear homogenization, blending melted carnauba wax with chitosan in acetic acid aqueous solutions. The stable chitosan/carnauba wax emulsion with particle size of 430 nm was prepared at the chitosan concentration of 1.5 wt%, the carnauba wax concentration of 8 wt% and temperature of 85 °C. After 10 g/m2 of chitosan/carnauba wax emulsion was applied to the paper surface, the oil and water resistance of the paper was significantly improved. The experimental results of kit rating value, oil contact angle, Cobb60 value and water contact angle were 9.5 ± 0.6, 86.6 ± 2.1°, 8.90 ± 1.62 g/m2 and 123.5 ± 2.6°, respectively. The application of chitosan/carnauba wax emulsion coating on papers provided a significantly lower water vapour transmission rate (WVTR, 78.45 ± 18.92 g/m2·24 h) and oxygen transmission rate (OTR, 94.26 ± 20.21 g/m2·24 h) as compared to the original paper, which met the needs of strawberry packaging.
Ensemble weather forecast post‐processing with a flexible probabilistic neural network approach
Authors: Mlakar Peter , Merše Janko , Faganeli Pucer Jana
Published: July 2024

Ensemble forecast post‐processing is a necessary step in producing accurate probabilistic forecasts. Many post‐processing methods operate by estimating the parameters of a predetermined probability distribution; others operate on a per‐lead‐time or per‐station basis. All of the aforementioned factors either limit the expressive power of the methods in question or require additional models, one for each lead time and station. We propose a novel, neural network‐based method that produces forecasts for all lead times jointly and requires a single model for all stations. We incorporate normalizing spline flows as flexible parametric distribution estimators, which enables us to model complex forecast distributions. Furthermore, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in the context of the EUPPBench benchmark, where we conduct 2‐m temperature forecast post‐processing for stations in a subregion of Europe. We show that our novel method exhibits state‐of‐the‐art performance on the benchmark, improving upon other well‐performing entries. Additionally, by providing a detailed comparison of three variants of our novel post‐processing method, we elucidate the reasons why our method outperforms per‐lead‐time‐based approaches and approaches with distributional assumptions.
Estimating the gain of increasing the ensemble size from analytical considerations
Authors: Christiansen Bo
Published: July 2024

Model ensembles may provide estimates of uncertainties arising from unknown initial conditions and model deficiencies. Often, the ensemble mean is taken as the best estimate, and quantities such as the mean‐squared error between model mean and observations decrease with the number of ensemble members. But the ensemble size is often limited by available resources, and so some idea of how many ensemble members that are needed before the error has saturated would be advantageous. The behaviour with ensemble size is often estimated by producing subsamples from a large ensemble. But this strategy requires that this large ensemble is already available. Fortunately, in many situations, the dependence on ensemble size follows simple analytical relations when the quantity under interest (such as the mean‐squared error between ensemble mean and observations) is calculated over many grid points or time points. This holds both for ensemble means and the related sampling variance. Here, we present such relations and demonstrate how they can be used to estimate the gain of increasing the ensemble. Whereas previous work has mainly focused on the size of the model ensemble, we recognize that uncertainties in observations play a role. We therefore also study the effect of using the mean of an ensemble of reanalyses. We show how the analytical relations can be used to estimate the point where the gain of increasing the size of the model ensemble is dwarfed by the gain of increasing the number of reanalyses. We demonstrate these points using two climate model ensembles: a large multimodel ensemble and a large single‐model initial‐condition ensemble.
Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy under real‐time radial EBUS: First report on a novel twist of the classical technique
Authors: Anagnostopoulos Nektarios , Petrarulo Simone , Ravaglia Claudia , Dubini Alessandra , Piciucchi Sara , Stratakos Grigoris , Poletti Venerino
Published: July 2024

Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) is a relatively new technique for obtaining lung biopsies, known for being the least invasive method while offering a high diagnostic yield, a favourable safety profile, and a significant reduction in morbidity, mortality, and hospital stay length compared to surgical lung biopsy. Radial‐EBUS (r‐EBUS) represent a cornerstone modality for accessing ‘invisible’ peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, a major drawback of these techniques is the lack of ‘real‐time’ visualization of the biopsy being obtained. In this case report, we present a young woman who was referred to us with a cough, haemoptysis, and a non‐resolving lung consolidation. She underwent TBLC under real‐time rEBUS guidance. This clinical case demonstrates that, in specific clinical scenarios, TBLC with real‐time rEBUS is an excellent diagnostic tool.
Characterizing climate pathways using feature importance on echo state networks
Authors: Goode Katherine , Ries Daniel , McClernon Kellie
Published: July 2024

The 2022 National Defense Strategy of the United States listed climate change as a serious threat to national security. Climate intervention methods, such as stratospheric aerosol injection, have been proposed as mitigation strategies, but the downstream effects of such actions on a complex climate system are not well understood. The development of algorithmic techniques for quantifying relationships between source and impact variables related to a climate event (i.e., a climate pathway) would help inform policy decisions. Data‐driven deep learning models have become powerful tools for modeling highly nonlinear relationships and may provide a route to characterize climate variable relationships. In this paper, we explore the use of an echo state network (ESN) for characterizing climate pathways. ESNs are a computationally efficient neural network variation designed for temporal data, and recent work proposes ESNs as a useful tool for forecasting spatiotemporal climate data. However, ESNs are noninterpretable black‐box models along with other neural networks. The lack of model transparency poses a hurdle for understanding variable relationships. We address this issue by developing feature importance methods for ESNs in the context of spatiotemporal data to quantify variable relationships captured by the model. We conduct a simulation study to assess and compare the feature importance techniques, and we demonstrate the approach on reanalysis climate data. In the climate application, we consider a time period that includes the 1991 volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo. This event was a significant stratospheric aerosol injection, which acts as a proxy for an anthropogenic stratospheric aerosol injection. We are able to use the proposed approach to characterize relationships between pathway variables associated with this event that agree with relationships previously identified by climate scientists.
Using instruments for selection to adjust for selection bias in Mendelian randomization
Authors: Gkatzionis Apostolos , Tchetgen Tchetgen Eric J. , Heron Jon , Northstone Kate , Tilling Kate
Published: July 2024

Selection bias is a common concern in epidemiologic studies. In the literature, selection bias is often viewed as a missing data problem. Popular approaches to adjust for bias due to missing data, such as inverse probability weighting, rely on the assumption that data are missing at random and can yield biased results if this assumption is violated. In observational studies with outcome data missing not at random, Heckman's sample selection model can be used to adjust for bias due to missing data. In this paper, we review Heckman's method and a similar approach proposed by Tchetgen Tchetgen and Wirth (2017). We then discuss how to apply these methods to Mendelian randomization analyses using individual‐level data, with missing data for either the exposure or outcome or both. We explore whether genetic variants associated with participation can be used as instruments for selection. We then describe how to obtain missingness‐adjusted Wald ratio, two‐stage least squares and inverse variance weighted estimates. The two methods are evaluated and compared in simulations, with results suggesting that they can both mitigate selection bias but may yield parameter estimates with large standard errors in some settings. In an illustrative real‐data application, we investigate the effects of body mass index on smoking using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
An augmented illness‐death model for semi‐competing risks with clinically immediate terminal events
Authors: Reeder Harrison T. , Lee Kyu Ha , Papatheodorou Stefania I. , Haneuse Sebastien
Published: July 2024

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy‐associated condition posing risks of both fetal and maternal mortality and morbidity that can only resolve following delivery and removal of the placenta. Because in its typical form preeclampsia can arise before delivery, but not after, these two events exemplify the time‐to‐event setting of “semi‐competing risks” in which a non‐terminal event of interest is subject to the occurrence of a terminal event of interest. The semi‐competing risks framework presents a valuable opportunity to simultaneously address two clinically meaningful risk modeling tasks: (i) characterizing risk of developing preeclampsia, and (ii) characterizing time to delivery after onset of preeclampsia. However, some people with preeclampsia deliver immediately upon diagnosis, while others are admitted and monitored for an extended period before giving birth, resulting in two distinct trajectories following the non‐terminal event, which we call “clinically immediate” and “non‐immediate” terminal events. Though such phenomena arise in many clinical contexts, to‐date there have not been methods developed to acknowledge the complex dependencies between such outcomes, nor leverage these phenomena to gain new insight into individualized risk. We address this gap by proposing a novel augmented frailty‐based illness‐death model with a binary submodel to distinguish risk of immediate terminal event following the non‐terminal event. The model admits direct dependence of the terminal event on the non‐terminal event through flexible regression specification, as well as indirect dependence via a shared frailty term linking each submodel. We develop an efficient Bayesian sampler for estimation and corresponding model fit metrics, and derive formulae for dynamic risk prediction. In an extended example using pregnancy outcome data from an electronic health record, we demonstrate the proposed model's direct applicability to address a broad range of clinical questions.
Synthesis of Pyridine Dicarboxylic Acid Functionalized and Crosslinked to Polyvinyl Alcohol/polyamide for Thorium Capturing From Aqueous Solution
Authors: Hendy Mohamed A. , Kashar Tahani I. , Allam Eman M. , Gado Mohamed A. , Yahia Naema S. , Cheira Mohamed F.
Published: July 2024

Thorium harms humans and the environment. Mining can release thorium‐containing waste. This study aims to simplify the production of a novel poly‐adsorbent by mixing pyridine dicarboxylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyamide and first removing thorium from the solution. Various analytical methods were used to characterize the produced dicarboxylic acid/polyvinyl alcohol/polyamide poly‐adsorbent. The practical conditions on adsorption effectiveness evaluated to pH 3.5, 60 mg poly‐adsorbent, 60 min. Th(IV) uptake for poly‐adsorbent is 107.3 mg/g. The linear and nonlinear uptake for the pseudo‐second‐order is closer to the practical uptake (107.71 mg/g). Hence, the kinetic analysis verified the sorption mechanism. Also, the uptake of linear (107.64 mg/g) and nonlinear (108.63 mg/g) types for the Langmuir isotherm is closer to the practical uptake (107.71 mg/g); thus, the sorption isotherm was suitably utilizing Langmuir modeling. Thermodynamic studies proved that the sorption is spontaneous, exothermic, and random due to the negative ΔG°, negative ΔH°, and positive ΔS° during the thorium adsorption process on poly‐adsorbent. In addition, the regeneration ability of poly‐adsorbent was tested utilizing 1.5 M H2SO4. After six cycles, the poly‐adsorbent showed about 83 % regeneration efficacy. The results confirmed that the dicarboxylic acid/polyvinyl alcohol/polyamide poly‐adsorbent might be effective in removing Th(IV) from the watery solution.
In‐Plane Mesoporous 3D Flower‐Like Mo2Ti2C3Clx MXene Anodes for Li‐Ion Batteries: From Structure to Performance
Authors: Gandla Dayakar , Li Qian , Zhou Yun'an , Yan Yihao , Liu Zhaoxi , Chen Jia , Tan Daniel Q.
Published: July 2024

MXenes are known for their exceptional electrical conductivity and surface functionality, gaining interest as promising anode materials for Li‐ion batteries. However, conventional 2D multilayered MXenes often exhibit limited electrochemical applicability due to slow ion transport kinetics and low structural stability. Addressing these challenges, this study develops a 3D flower‐type double transition metal MXene, Mo2Ti2C3Clx, with precisely engineered in‐plane mesoporosity using HF‐free Lewis acid‐assisted molten salt method, coupled with intercalation and freeze‐drying. The molar ratio of Lewis acid to eutectic salts is meticulously controlled to create the mesoporosity, which is preserved through freeze‐drying. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations assess the impact of in‐plane pore size on the structure and transport dynamics of electrolyte components. Density functional theory (DFT) shows that chlorine surface functional groups significantly reduce Li‐ion diffusion barriers, thereby enhancing ion transport and battery performance. Electrochemical evaluations reveal that small‐sized (2–5 nm) mesoporous Mo2Ti2C3Clx achieves a specific capacity of 324 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 and maintains 97% capacity after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, outperforming larger‐pored (10 nm) and non‐porous variants. This research highlights a scalable strategy for designing mesoporous materials that optimize ion transport and structural stability, essential for advancing next‐generation high‐performance energy storage solutions.
Cardiac Tissue Engineering: A Journey from Scaffold Fabrication to In Vitro Characterization
Authors: Ketabat Farinaz , Alcorn Jane , Kelly Michael E. , Badea Ildiko , Chen Xiongbiao
Published: July 2024

Cardiac tissue engineering has been rapidly evolving with diverse applications, ranging from the repair of fibrotic tissue caused by “adverse remodeling,” to the replacement of specific segments of heart tissue, and ultimately to the creation of a whole heart. The repair or replacement of cardiac tissue often involves the development of tissue scaffolds or constructs and the subsequent assessment of their performance and functionality. For this, the design and/or selection of biomaterials, and cell types, scaffold fabrication, and in vitro characterizations are the first starting points, yet critical, to ensure success in subsequent implantation in vivo. This highlights the importance of scaffold fabrication and in vitro experiments/characterization with protocols for cardiac tissue engineering. Yet, a comprehensive and critical review of these has not been established and documented. As inspired, herein, the latest development and advances in scaffold fabrication and in vitro characterization for cardiac tissue engineering are critically reviewed, with focus on biomaterials, cell types, additive manufacturing techniques for scaffold fabrication, and common in vitro characterization techniques or methods. This article would be of benefit to the ones who are working on cardiac tissue engineering by providing insights into the scaffold fabrication and in vitro investigations.
High‐purity La3‐xTe4 Material with Superior Thermoelectric Performance Synthesized via Te‐vapor Transport and Solid‐State Diffusion
Authors: Pan Yu‐Lin , Cao Yan , Qiao Feng , Xia Sheng‐Qing , Liu Xiao‐Cun , Zhou Tian , Hou Xu‐Feng
Published: July 2024

La3‐xTe4 is a very promising high‐temperature candidate applied in next‐generation Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). Conventional synthesis of such materials is based on the mechanochemical method, which makes the sample difficult to purify due to the high‐energy ball milling. In this report, a novel synthetic method is developed, which utilizes Te‐vapor transport and solid‐phase diffusion to efficiently produce the RE3‐xTe4 phases (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd). Notably, this method obviates the requirement for high‐energy ball‐milling instruments, conventionally indispensable in the mechanochemical syntheses. For as‐synthesized La2.74Te4 material, a high figure of merit of 1.5 is achieved at 1073 K, owning to the reduced electronic thermal conductivity with metal impurities well eliminated.
New aquatic insects from the Miocene of Australia with notes on the ecology and ontogeny of a new species of Chaoborus (Diptera, Chaoboridae)
Authors: Baranov Viktor , Frese Michael , Beattie Robert , Djokic Tara , McCurry Matthew R.
Published: July 2024

We describe a diverse aquatic insect assemblage from McGraths Flat, a Miocene Lagerstätte in central New South Wales, Australia that includes representatives of Sialidae, Limoniidae, Chironomidae and Chaoboridae. The aquatic insect fossils from this deposit consist predominantly of larvae. These include a new species of phantom midge (Chaoborus, Chaoboridae), three morphotypes of non‐biting midges (Chironomidae), one morphotype of cranefly (Limoniidae) and one morphotype of alderfly (Sialidae). The large number of fossil specimens enabled us to study the ontogeny of the new midge species. We discerned growth rates in fossil larvae, using morphometry of all four instars of Chaoborus. The simultaneous presence of taxa associated with still water and taxa associated with flowing water supports the hypothesis that McGraths Flat was deposited in an isolated water body (oxbow lake/billabong) with influence from a river during high water events.
Research on the Dynamic Softening Mechanism of Dual‐Phase Structure During Warm Forming of Fe–8.5Mn–1.5Al Medium‐Manganese Steel
Authors: Liu Xiu‐Zheng , Li Xiao‐Lin , Sun Ying , Hou Hongli , Li Hui‐Ping , Li Zhi‐Chao , He Lian‐Fang
Published: July 2024

In this article, Fe–8.5Mn–1.5Al medium‐manganese steel is taken as the research object, and Gleeble 3500 thermal simulation testing machine is used to conduct isothermal compression at different deformation temperatures, strain rates, and strains in its austenite ferrite two‐phase zone. A constitutive model and a dynamic recrystallization volume fraction model for materials are established, and finite‐element method is used to simulate the temperature, equivalent strain, and dynamic recrystallization volume fraction distribution in different regions of the workpiece under different deformation conditions. By comparing and analyzing the microstructure, finite‐element simulation results, and hot working diagrams obtained from the experiment, the microscopic mechanism of dynamic softening of the material when ferrite and austenite coexist is explained; the transformation of the dynamic softening mechanism of the two phases with the hot deformation process is also explained. Early deformation mainly occurs in softer ferrite, which preferentially undergoes continuous dynamic recrystallization. Austenite has a lower stacking fault energy, and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) occurs when the dislocation density reaches a certain critical value. At the same time, when the strain reaches a certain level, the dynamic softening behavior of ferrite will also transform into DDRX. The optimal deformation conditions for Fe–8.5Mn–1.5Al medium‐manganese steel during warm processing in the two‐phase zone are a temperature of 720 °C, a strain rate of 0.01 s−1, and a large deformation zone.
A Cartridge Structure Facilitates Clinical Mass Spectrometry Pretreatment and Can be Integrated Into a High‐Throughput Instrument
Authors: He Xiaofei , Feng Mengxue , Xu Xiaofeng , Zhao Hong , Qian Xueqing
Published: July 2024

Liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) is becoming an increasingly essential analytical technique in many fields, such as food, environmental, biochemical, pharmaceutical, and clinical chemistry. The testing matrices, such as plasma and serum, cannot usually be sent directly to the LC–MS/MS system because of the large number of unrelated substances in addition to target analytes in samples, such as cells, tissues, and proteins. Protein precipitation (PPT) is the most utilized pretreatment method in clinical analysis because of its ease of use; its performance always involves the separation of the liquid phase from the solid phase, in which the most commonly used manipulation is centrifugation. However, there is an upper limit of throughput for centrifugation, and the cost and difficulty of integrating centrifugation into automatic equipment are usually high. To solve the drawbacks of the current PPT method, we developed a cartridge structure that can omit the centrifugation step in PPT, which, in turn, can facilitate the incorporation of the PPT method into an automatic clinical pretreatment procedure for LC–MS/MS. We used vitamin D analysis as a representative application in our endeavor to develop a centrifugation‐free PPT method that can be easily applied to a new automatic clinical pretreatment procedure.
Combining Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification to Ascertain the Mechanism of Action of Asparagus officinalis Against the Brain Damage Caused by Fluorosis
Authors: Wang Feiqing , Liu Yang , Li Yanju , Yang Xu , Zhao Jianing , Yang Bo , Tang Dongxin , Zhang Chike , He Zhixu , Ming Dong , Zhu Xiaodong
Published: July 2024

Asparagus officinalis (ASP) has antioxidation, anti‐inflammatory, antiaging, and immune system‐enhancing effects. We explored the preventive and therapeutic consequences of ASP on the brain damage elicited by fluorosis through network pharmacology and in vivo experimental validation. We ascertained the pharmaceutically active ingredients and drug targets of ASP from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database, predicted the disease targets of fluorosis‐induced brain injury using GeneCards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man databases, obtained target protein–protein interaction networks in the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database, used Cytoscape to obtain key targets and active ingredients, and conducted enrichment analyses of key targets in the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Enrichment analyses showed that “mitogen‐activated protein kinase” (MAPK), “phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B” (PI3K‐Akt), “nuclear factor‐kappa B” (NF‐κB), and the “neurotrophin signaling pathway” were the most enriched biological processes and signaling pathways. ASP could alleviate fluorosis‐based injury, improve brain‐tissue damage, increase urinary fluoride content, and improve oxidation levels and inflammatory‐factor levels in the body. ASP could also reduce dental fluorosis, bone damage, fluoride concentrations in blood and bone, and accumulation of lipid peroxide. Upon ASP treatment, expression of silent information regulator (SIRT)1, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), MAPK, NF‐κB, PI3K, Akt, and B‐cell lymphoma‐2 in rat brain tissue increased gradually, whereas that of Bax, caspase‐3, and p53 decreased gradually. We demonstrated that ASP could regulate the brain damage caused by fluorosis through the SIRT1/BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway, and reported the possible part played by ASP in preventing and treating fluorosis.
Indoor Air Quality: Bibliometric Analysis of the Published Literature Between 2018 and 2023
Authors: Nazli Siti Nurshahida , Vilcins Dwan , Sly Peter D. , Razak Azli Abd , Sabri Nurhidayah , Ibrahim Tengku Nilam Baizura Tengku
Published: July 2024

This bibliometric study employs a rigorous approach to scrutinize and visually represent the existing body of literature on indoor air quality (IAQ). Utilizing the Scopus collection database, we conducted an exhaustive exploration of published research literature in the IAQ field. The study involves a thorough visual analysis using Harzing's Publish and Perish and VOSviewer software programs, examining parameters such as citations, publication year, journals, authors, research institutions, countries, and research topics. A total of 1729 pieces of literature related to IAQ research from 2018 to 2023 were retrieved. The dominant formats were articles and conference papers, underscoring their significance in IAQ documentation. Primary subject areas included “Engineering” and “Environmental Science,” highlighting the multidisciplinary nature of IAQ studies. The upward trend in IAQ publications, reaching 330 articles in 2023, emphasizes the growing importance of this field. However, citation impact varied, emphasizing the need to assess research quality alongside quantity. Global distribution identified leading countries, including the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, which were also top contributors in co‐authorship and country‐level analyses. The top journals were “Building and Environment” and “Sustainable Cities and Society,” showcasing varying publication and citation powers. Notable impactful articles in the IAQ domain were led by Agarwal et al. and Van Tran, Park, and Lee. Keyword co‐occurrence analysis identified thematic clusters, with keywords such as “Indoor Air Quality (IAQ),” “Air Quality,” and “Indoor Air Pollution” dominating the literature. Through a comprehensive analysis of published literature, this study provides a visual representation of studies with significant contributions to the IAQ field, offering insights into its development and changes from 2018 to 2023. The findings also guide future IAQ research directions.
Remission of diabetes mellitus induced by prednisolone in combination with cyclosporine toxicity in a cat
Authors: Cha Sijin , Koo Yoonhoi , Choi Yujin , Chae Yeon , Lee Dohee , Yun Taesik , Yang Mhan‐Pyo , Kang Byeong‐Teck , Kim Hakhyun
Published: July 2024

A 6‐year‐old spayed female domestic short‐hair cat was presented for primary complaints of anorexia and lethargy. The cat was being treated with cyclosporine (25 mg/cat, PO q24h) and prednisolone (1 mg/kg, PO q12h) for feline hypersensitivity dermatitis and inflammatory bowel disease for 1 year, wherein prednisolone was withdrawn 2 weeks prior to presentation. At presentation, dehydration, hyperglycaemia, ketonaemia, increased fructosamine, glucosuria, ketonuria and metabolic acidosis were observed. The cat was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Immediate treatments with insulin continuous‐rate infusion and intravenous fluid therapy were initiated. A serum cyclosporine concentration was >2100 ng/mL, indicating cyclosporine toxicity. Cyclosporine was discontinued immediately. The cat's acidosis and ketonaemia were resolved within a week, allowing a switch from insulin continuous‐rate infusion to subcutaneous glargine (1 IU/cat), which was eventually discontinued due to persistent normoglycaemia 12 days after initial presentation. Hyperglycaemia was not observed for 28 days thereafter without insulin, indicating remission of diabetes mellitus. This report suggests that using prednisolone, particularly immune suppressive doses, could be problematic in cats receiving long‐term cyclosporine therapy. Additionally, diabetic cats receiving immune‐suppressive agents can possibly achieve diabetic remission after surviving DKA through regular monitoring of blood glucose concentration, elimination of prednisolone and intensive blood glucose management.
Levopositioned caudal vena cava and circumcaval left ureter with subsequent hydronephrosis and hydroureter in a dog
Authors: Woolley Eleanor L. E. , Hogan Kathryn , House Arthur K.
Published: July 2024

The presentation and investigation of a levopositioned caudal vena cava, a rare congenital vascular abnormality seen mainly in Bernese Mountain Dogs, which resulted in ureteral compression, hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Surgical transection, transposition and anastomosis were performed to reposition the circumcaval ureter. A 19‐month‐old male neutered Bernese Mountain Dog was presented with a 13‐month history of vague signs including intermittent abdominal pain, inappetence and diarrhoea, which were poorly responsive to medical management. Abdominal ultrasound revealed left‐sided hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Further investigation included abdominal computed tomography and pre‐ and post‐intravenous iodinated contrast, which revealed a levopositioned caudal vena cava with associated ureteral displacement to a circumcaval position, resulting in ureteral compression and proximal dilation affecting both the proximal ureter and the left kidney. The patient was also found to have concomitant gall bladder agenesis. Surgery was performed to transect, transpose and anastomose the ureter in a normal anatomical position, and the patient made an excellent clinical recovery. All gastrointestinal signs resolved within 2 weeks of surgery and remained resolved 12 months later. Follow‐up ultrasound and pyelography were performed at 4‐month post‐surgery, revealing a mild improvement in the hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Although rare, circumcaval ureter should be considered a differential in dogs presenting with hydroureter and hydronephrosis, especially Bernese Mountain Dogs.
The 1/4-BPS building blocks of brane interactions
Authors: Eckardt Ben , Li Yixuan
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We study, from the perspective of supersymmetry and space-time Killing spinors, the local brane densities involved in 1/4-BPS intersecting brane systems. In particular, we classify the possible local brane structures that have maximal (16) supersymmetries in 1/4-BPS intersecting brane backgrounds. Applied to BPS black holes, this classification reveals the allowed local microstructure for pure microstates. We further use these structures with local 16 supersymmetries as building blocks to generalise to 1/8-BPS systems. Moreover, we give examples of 1/8-BPS black holes for which the local supersymmetries are compatible with the combination of different entropy-generating effects from brane interaction. Finally, applying our classification to BPS domain walls, we illustrate how our formalism may possibly describe the local picture of the Hanany-Witten effect.
Subvolume method for SU(2) Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature: topological charge distributions
Authors: Yamada Norikazu , Yamazaki Masahito , Kitano Ryuichiro
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We apply the previously-developed sub-volume method to study the θ-dependence of the four-dimensional SU(2) Yang-Mills theory at finite temperature. We calculate the first two coefficients, the topological susceptibility χ and the fourth cumulant b2, in the θ-expansion of the free energy density around the critical temperature (Tc) for the confinement-deconfinement transition. Lattice calculations are performed with three different spatial sizes 243, 323, 483 to monitor finite size effects, while the temporal size is fixed to be 8. The systematic uncertainty associated with the sub-volume extrapolation is studied with special care. The sub-volume method allows us to determine the values of b2 much more accurately than the standard full-volume method, and we successfully identify the temperature dependence of b2 around Tc. Our numerical results suggest that the θ-dependence of the free energy density near θ = 0 changes from 4χ(1 − cos(θ/2)) to χ(1 − cos θ) as the temperature crosses Tc.
Rechtsmedizinische Lehrtätigkeit an den Hochschulen mit Polizeistudiengängen in Deutschland
Authors: Lemke V. , Clas S. , Metzler K. , Heide S. , Hollmann T.
Published: July 2024

Hintergrund und Fragestellung

An den rechtsmedizinischen Universitätsinstituten in Deutschland bildet die Vermittlung fachspezifischer Lehrinhalte an die Polizei häufig einen traditionellen Bestandteil der Lehrtätigkeit. Konkrete Darstellungen zur Ausgestaltung dieser Lehrveranstaltungen liegen bislang nur vereinzelt vor.

Ziel der Arbeit

Vor dem Hintergrund der zunehmenden Bedeutung moderner hochschuldidaktischer Aspekte in allen Studienrichtungen konnte in einer deutschlandweiten Studie erstmals die aktuelle Situation der rechtsmedizinischen Lehrtätigkeit an den Polizeihochschulen erfasst werden.

Material und Methoden

Im Verlauf des Jahres 2023 wurden alle 19 deutschen Hochschulen mit Polizeistudiengängen und potenziell möglicher Vermittlung von rechtsmedizinischen Lehrinhalten zu den formalen und inhaltlichen Aspekten der derzeitigen Lehrsituation schriftlich befragt.

Ergebnisse

An 17 der 19 Hochschulen werden rechtsmedizinische Lehrinhalte vermittelt. Zumeist erfolgt diese Lehrtätigkeit über Kooperationsverträge oder Lehraufträge mit rechtsmedizinischen Einrichtungen oder sogar mit eigenen rechtsmedizinischen Professuren. Teilweise werden diese Lehrinhalte auch über nichtmedizinische Dozent*innen vermittelt. Im Umfang und in der konkreten Ausgestaltung der angewendeten Lehr‑, Lern- und Prüfungsformate besteht ein heterogenes Spektrum. So dominieren z. B. frontale Unterrichtsformate und faktenbasierte Prüfungen.

Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung

Im Ergebnis der Studie zeigt sich eine weite Verbreitung rechtsmedizinischer Lehrinhalte an den Polizeihochschulen. Dabei ist jedoch die teilweise Vermittlung von rechtsmedizinischen Kernthemen durch nichtmedizinische Dozent*innen kritisch zu hinterfragen. Da aber gleichzeitig eine zunehmende Nachfrage nach den bereits jetzt sehr umfangreichen rechtsmedizinischen Lehrangeboten für andere Studienrichtungen bzw. Berufsgruppen besteht, ist für die Lösung dieser Problematik eine Ausbildung von zusätzlichen, fachlich und didaktisch gut geschulten rechtsmedizinischen Lehrkräften unverzichtbar. Damit könnte auch eine Weiterentwicklung der Lehre innerhalb der Polizeiausbildung mit stärkerer Fokussierung auf praktisch orientierte Formate ermöglicht werden.
Aquaporin 4 and the endocannabinoid system: a potential therapeutic target in brain injury
Authors: Martínez-Torres Ari Misael , Morán Julio
Published: July 2024

Brain edema is a critical complication arising from stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) with an important impact on patient recovery and can lead to long-term consequences. Therapeutic options to reduce edema progression are limited with variable patient outcomes. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a water channel that allows bidirectional water diffusion across the astrocyte membrane and participates in the distinct phases of cerebral edema. The absence or inhibition of this channel has been demonstrated to ameliorate edema and brain damage. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a neuromodulator system with a wide expression in the brain and its activation has shown neuroprotective properties in diverse models of neuronal damage. This review describes and discusses the major features of ECS and AQP4 and their role during brain damage, observing that ECS stimulation reduces edema and injury size in diverse models of brain damage, however, the relationship between AQP4 expression and dynamics and ECS activation remains unclear. The research on these topics holds promising therapeutic implications for the treatment of brain edema following stroke and TBI.
Degloving intramuscular injuries of the semimembranosus and adductor longus muscles in adolescent soccer players
Authors: Bordalo Marcelo , de Aysa Patricia Nunez , Helito Paulo Victor Partezani , Djadoun Mohamed Abdelatif , Gulde Maria Lua Sampaio , Alonso Juan Manuel
Published: July 2024

Degloving muscle injury was described for the rectus femoris where the inner bipennate component is dissociated from its superficial unipennate component. The semimembranosus muscle displays a distinctive dual morphology, featuring both unipennate and bipennate muscle fibers. Nevertheless, this specific tear pattern has not been previously documented. Conversely, the adductor longus muscle showcases an elongated intramuscular tendon segment, indicating a multipennate morphology. We present two separate cases of previous undescribed degloving injuries of the semimembranosus and the adductor longus in teenage soccer players with MRI and ultrasound diagnosis, ultrasound-guided hematoma aspiration, and recovery timelines for return-to-play.
Personalized risk prediction for prolonged ileus after minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery: in-depth risk factor analysis and model development
Authors: Xiu Wenchao , Zhang Yalin , Man Yifan , Yu Zongping , Ren Dawei
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Despite the increasing preference for minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC), the incidence of prolonged postoperative ileus (PPOI) remains high. Thus, this study aimed to identify risk factors for PPOI in patients with CRC who underwent minimally invasive surgery (MICRS) and to develop a practical nomogram for predicting individual PPOI risk.

Methods

A consecutive series of 2368 patients who underwent MICRS between 2013 and 2023 at two tertiary academic centers were retrospectively studied. Using the data from 1895 patients in the training cohort, a multivariable logistic regression model was employed to select significant variables for the construction of a best-fit nomogram. The nomogram was internally and externally validated.

Results

PPOI occurred in 9.5% of patients. Six independent risk factors were identified to construct a nomogram: advanced age (OR 1.055, P = 0.002), male sex (OR 2.914, P = 0.011), age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 6 (OR 2.643, P = 0.025), preoperative sarcopenia (OR 0.857, P = 0.02), preoperative prognostic nutritional index (OR 2.206, P = 0.047), and intraoperative fluid overload (OR 2.227, P = 0.045). The AUCs of the model for predicting PPOI in the training and external validation cohorts were 0.887 and 0.838, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated excellent consistency between the nomogram-predicted and observed probabilities in both cohorts. Individuals with a total nomogram score of < 197 or ≥ 197 were considered to be at low or high risk for PPOI, respectively.

Conclusions

The integrated nomogram we developed could provide personalized risk prediction of PPOI after MICRS. This quantification enables surgeons to implement personalized prevention strategies, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Spatiotemporal analysis of multi-scale cell structure in spheroid culture reveals hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation
Authors: Tomida Kosei , Kim Jeonghyun , Maeda Eijiro , Adachi Taiji , Matsumoto Takeo
Published: July 2024

3D cell culture has emerged as a promising approach to replicate the complex behaviors of cells within living organisms. This study aims to analyze spatiotemporal behavior of the morphological characteristics of cell structure at multiscale in 3D scaffold-free spheroids using chondrogenic progenitor ATDC5 cells. Over a 14-day culture period, it exhibited cell hypertrophy in the spheroids regarding cellular and nuclear size as well as changes in morphology. Moreover, biological analysis indicated a signification up-regulation of normal chondrocyte as well as hypertrophic chondrocyte markers, suggesting early hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation. Cell nuclei underwent changes in volume, sphericity, and distribution in spheroid over time, indicating alterations in chromatin organization. The ratio of chromatin condensation volume to cell nuclear volume decreased as the cell nuclei enlarged, potentially signifying changes in chromatin state during hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation. Our image analysis techniques in this present study enabled detailed morphological measurement of cell structure at multi-scale, which can be applied to various 3D culture models for in-depth investigation.
Bibliometric analysis of research trends in the relationship between frailty and neoplasms over the past decade
Authors: Chen Yuqin , Chen Xiaoping , Zhong Lifang , Lu Huiming , Zhang Huiting , Jiang Mengxiao
Published: July 2024

Background

The relationship between frailty and neoplasms has attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. This study aims to identify current research hotspots and status in this field through bibliometric and visualization analysis.

Methods

Literature on the relationship between frailty and neoplasms, meeting the inclusion criteria, was collected from the Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis and visualization were performed using WoS, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.

Results

Our study included 7410 documents on frailty and neoplasms, authored by 43,605 researchers from 9478 institutions across 115 countries, and published in 2067 journals. The USA emerged as the most productive and influential country in this field, with 3059 publications and 89,319 citations. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic were recognized as the most productive institution and the institution with the highest citation count, respectively. The Journal of Geriatric Oncology was the leading publisher. Kirsten K Ness and James L Kirkland were identified as the most productive and most cited authors, respectively. Cluster analysis identified five key areas: body condition and nutrition, quality of life, frailty, mortality and care, and the elderly and frailty.

Conclusion

The relationship between frailty and neoplasms remains a contentious and frequently discussed topic. Our findings indicate that research primarily focuses on cancer, the elderly, clinical trials, adverse health outcomes, frailty assessment, and nutrition.
Neurophysiological evidence for the overview effect: a virtual reality journey into space
Authors: van Limpt-Broers H. A. T. , Postma M. , van Weelden E. , Pratesi S. , Louwerse M. M.
Published: July 2024

The Overview Effect is a complex experience reported by astronauts after viewing Earth from space. Numerous accounts suggest that it leads to increased interconnectedness to other human beings and environmental awareness, comparable to self-transcendence. It can cause fundamental changes in mental models of the world, improved well-being, and stronger appreciation of, and responsibility for Earth. From a cognitive perspective, it is closely linked to the emotion of awe, possibly triggered by the overwhelming perceived vastness of the universe. Given that most research in the domain focuses on self-reports, little is known about potential neurophysiological markers of the Overview Effect. In the experiment reported here, participants viewed an immersive Virtual Reality simulation of a space journey while their brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Post-experimental self-reports confirmed they were able to experience the Overview Effect in the simulated environment. EEG recordings revealed lower spectral power in beta and gamma frequency bands during the defining moments of the Overview Effect. The decrease in spectral power can be associated with reduced mental processing, and a disruption of known mental structures in this context, thereby providing more evidence for the cognitive effects of the experience.
Comparing groups of units through composite indicators in a non-convex approach: corporate social responsibility for the food and beverage manufacturing industry
Authors: Kapelko Magdalena , Ortiz Lidia , Aparicio Juan
Published: July 2024

This paper compares the performance of groups of units by composing indicators of corporate social responsibility (CSR) from an efficiency and productivity perspective, applicable across various industries. From a methodological perspective, our work extends the traditional input-oriented Benefit-of-the-Doubt (BoD) model in the multiplier form, by first adapting it to accommodate the non-convexities of the production set, and second, by innovatively applying it to compare indicators across groups of firms. This adaptation, pioneered in our study, leverages the framework previously established in the literature to address more complex scenarios. From an empirical perspective, we contribute by comparing the efficiency and productivity in CSR activities of food and beverage companies across regions of Europe, the United States and Canada, and Asia–Pacific over the period 2009–2018. The paper reveals that USA-Canadian firms tend to perform best with respect to CSR, followed by European firms, and that Asian-Pacific firms achieve the worst efficiency and productivity results. The study also shows that regional catching up in CSR productivity occurred over the analyzed period.
Genomic analysis of the class Phycisphaerae reveals a versatile group of complex carbon-degrading bacteria
Authors: Lenferink Wouter B. , van Alen Theo A. , Jetten Mike S. M. , Op den Camp Huub J. M. , van Kessel Maartje A. H. J. , Lücker Sebastian
Published: July 2024

Bacteria of the phylum Planctomycetota have received much attention over the years due to their unique cell biology and potential for biotechnological application. Within the phylum, bacteria of the class Phycisphaerae have been found in a multitude of environmental datasets. However, only a few species have been brought into culture so far and even enrichments are scarce. Therefore, very little is known about their lifestyle, which has hindered efforts to estimate their environmental relevance. Here, we analysed all medium- and high-quality Phycisphaerae genomes represented in the genome taxonomy database to learn more about their physiology. We combined automatic and manual annotation efforts to provide a bird’s eye view of their diverse energy metabolisms. Contrasting previous reports, we did not find indications for the presence of genes for anaerobic ammonium oxidation in any Phycisphaerae genome. Instead, we found that many members of this class are adapted to a facultative anaerobic or strictly fermentative lifestyle and may be specialized in the breakdown of carbon compounds produced by other organisms. Based on these findings, we provide a practical overview of organic carbon substrates predicted to be utilized by Phycisphaerae families.