bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molten Salts and Pyrochemical Processing Progress at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory
Authors: Carvajal-Ortiz Ruth , Edmondson Mike J. , Hay Moya
Published: January 2025

The UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory offers infrastructure and capabilities to support research and development programmes for advanced fuel cycles and partitioning and transmutation (P&T). Our world-leading facilities have been widely used as part the UK government funded Advance Fuel Cycle Programme. Part of the programme involved the development of molten salt and pyrochemical processing capabilities including fuel manufacture, salt science, engineering, online monitoring, and fuel cycle integration. This has led to a resurgence of activity in molten salt technologies for nuclear application.
Impact of Ligand Structures on Precipitation Kinetics of Uranyl Nitrate Coordination Polymers with Diamide Linkers
Authors: Nojima Makito , Tsushima Satoru , Takao Koichiro
Published: January 2025

The structure of uranyl nitrate complexes with four different diamide ligands with trans-1,4-cyclohexyl bridging moieties (two cyclic diamides (L1: γ-lactam, L2: δ-lactam) and two acyclic diamides with different linear chains (L3: Me, L4: Et)) and the effect of different ligand structures on the rate of precipitation formation were examined. L2, L3, and L4 formed 1D coordination polymers [UO2(NO3)2(Lx)]n (x = 2-4) in a similar manner to the previously reported case of L1. In use of the cyclic diamides, L1 and L2, the precipitation formation started right after loading these precipitants, and rapidly proceeded. On the other hand, use of the acyclic diamides, L3 and L4, exhibited induction period for more than the first 60 minutes prior to the precipitation formation, and even after that, slower precipitation rate was observed.
Flowsheets for the Validation of the Reference AmSEL System
Authors: Vanel Vincent , Wilden Andreas , Modolo Giuseppe , Geist Andreas , Montuir Marc
Published: January 2025

Recycling americium (Am) from spent nuclear fuels is an important option considered for the future nuclear fuel cycle as americium is the main contributor to the long-term radiotoxicity and heat power of the ultimate waste. The AmSEL flowsheet aims at recovering and purifying americium from a PUREX raffinate. This separation can be achieved by co-extracting lanthanide(III) (Ln) and actinide(III) cations (Am(III) and Cm(III)) into an organic phase containing the TODGA extractant (N,N,N’,N’-tetraoctyl diglycolamide), and then stripping Am(III) selectively towards curium and lanthanides. The water-soluble ligand SO3-Ph-BTBP (6,6′-bis(5,6-dialkyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine) is used to selectively strip Am from the loaded organic phase. The objective of this work is to design a flowsheet for the Am stripping and Cm re-extraction steps to recover americium selectively from Cm and Ln, with TODGA as extractant and SO3-Ph-BTBP as complexing reagent. The test was implemented in August 2023 at FZ Jülich with trace amounts of americium and curium.
Suivre les bidons jaunes à Toliara, ville du sud-ouest de Madagascar : contribution exploratoire au développement d’une écologie globale des plastiques
Authors: Fache Élodie , Toussaint Marie , Djahere Ahamada Saïd , Manjaka Fereta Rodin , Randrianomenjanahary Angela Fabiola , Veriza Espérant Flaubert
Published: January 2025

Dans la ville de Toliara dans le sud-ouest de Madagascar, les bidons de 20 litres en plastique jaune sont omniprésents. Intacts ou altérés, ils font l’objet d’usages variés, par divers acteurs, dans divers contextes. S’intéresser à ces bidons sous l’angle de leur biographie permet d’éclairer l’amont des proliférations de macro- et microdéchets plastiques dans l’environnement marin. Cinq principaux moments de la vie d’un bidon jaune, soulevant chacun une problématique sociale principale, sont ici mis en lumière : (1) le bidon comme contenant d’huile alimentaire, reflet de l’économie de marché ; (2) la vente de bidons vides comme petit métier urbain ; (3) le bidon comme contenant d’eau, mais aussi indicateur de la précarité hydrique et outil d’adaptation ; (4) le bidon altéré, objet de multiples réutilisations ; (5) les fragments de bidon, entre déchet sauvage et potentielle matière à recycler.
A new method for the preparation of FeIV and comparison with the performance of FeO42−
Authors: Guo Haoda , Fan Linhao , Zhang Naidong
Published: January 2025

FeO32− acted as a highly effective water-purifying agent and exhibited superior performance compared with FeO42−. The traditional synthesis method of FeO32− requires challenging reaction conditions. This study focused on the environmentally friendly synthesis of green Na2FeO3 crystals using sodium hypochlorite as a medium by a concentration method under depressurisation. In an alkaline hypochlorite system, infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed that, under different OH− concentrations and temperatures, hypochlorite can oxidise FeIII to FeO32−. Na2FeO3 served as a highly effective water-purifying agent and was superior to K2FeO4 in the treatment of oil-recovery wastewater. Na2FeO3 and K2FeO4 reacted similarly to organic compounds as determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Additionally, it is less expensive to synthesise Na2FeO3 compared with K2FeO4.
The pathway of unconventional protein secretion involves CUPS and a modified trans-Golgi network
Authors: Curwin Amy J. , Kurokawa Kazuo , Bigliani Gonzalo , Brouwers Nathalie , Nakano Akihiko , Malhotra Vivek
Published: January 2025

Compartment for unconventional protein secretion (CUPS), a compartment for secretion of signal sequence–lacking proteins, forms through COPI-independent extraction of membranes from early Golgi cisternae, lacks Golgi-specific glycosyltransferases, and requires phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) for biogenesis, as well as phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate for stability. Our findings demonstrate that Drs2, a PI4P effector from the trans-Golgi network (TGN), is essential for CUPS formation, specifically through its interaction with Rcy1, and Rcy1 is crucial for the unconventional secretion. Using 4D super-resolution confocal live imaging microscopy, we observed that CUPS interact with a modified TGN that contains Drs2 in addition to proteins Tlg2 and Snc2, which are necessary for membrane fusion. Notably, while CUPS remain stable, the modified TGN undergoes remodeling during the later stages of unconventional secretion. In summary, we suggest that CUPS and the modified TGN, without the function of COPII and COPI, participate in collecting and sorting unconventionally secreted proteins, reflecting the role of Golgi membranes in receiving cargo from the ER during conventional secretion.
Cytosolic companionship: Rickettsia connects with the endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Gilk Stacey D.
Published: January 2025

Rickettsia are bacterial pathogens known for their actin-based motility in the host cell cytoplasm. In this issue, Acevedo-Sánchez and colleagues (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202406122) discover non-motile Rickettsia bacteria hijack host machinery to form stable membrane contact sites with the host endoplasmic reticulum.
A three-stage method for reconstructing multiple coefficients in coupled photoacoustic and diffuse optical imaging
Authors: Pan Yinxi , Ren Kui , Tong Shanyin
Published: January 2025

This paper studies inverse problems in quantitative photoacoustic tomography with additional optical current data supplemented from diffuse optical tomography. We propose a three-stage image reconstruction method for the simultaneous recovery of the absorption, diffusion, and Grüneisen coefficients. We demonstrate, through numerical simulations, that: (i) when the Grüneisen coefficient is known, the addition of the optical measurements allows a more accurate reconstruction of the scattering and absorption coefficients; and (ii) when the Grüneisen coefficient is not known, the addition of optical current measurements allows us to reconstruct uniquely the Grüneisen, the scattering and absorption coefficients. Numerical simulations based on synthetic data are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed idea.
Broadband solar selective absorbers for efficient photothermal conversions using multilayer structures
Authors: Qi Buxiong , Shou Haijun , Zhang Jingwei , Ma Ziyin , Mei Zhonglei
Published: January 2025

A properly designed broadband solar selective absorber can significantly enhance the efficiency of solar-thermal conversion in practical applications. Although solar selective absorbers have made significant progress in recent years, challenges remain in designing absorbers that are both simple and cost-effective. In this paper, we propose a layered film metamaterial solar absorber for solar-thermal conversion by combining the transfer matrix method with genetic algorithms, which achieves highly efficient solar absorption and low thermal radiation. The absorber attained an absorption of over 90% in the wavelength range of 375.6–2646 nm, with an average solar energy absorption of 95.9%. It is worth noting that the emissivity of the absorber in the mid-infrared band is lower than 6.38%, thus exhibiting efficient spectral selectivity characteristics and minimizing thermal losses. Moreover, the solar absorber achieves a maximum photothermal conversion efficiency of 95.65%. Therefore, the proposed solar absorber holds great potential for low-grade solar energy applications.
NdFeB-YOLOv10: an intelligent detection network for sintered NdFeB raw defects
Authors: Liu Guiyi , Zhang Chao , Zhang Jing , Wu Yangbiao , Ouyang Bing
Published: January 2025

NdFeB magnets, composed of neodymium, iron, and boron, are essential components in various technological applications owing to their superior magnetic properties. In the production of rare earth permanent magnets, surface defects in NdFeB have a significant impact their application, leading to substantial economic losses. Given the high precision and large volume required for NdFeB surface defect detection (32 000 pieces per day), accurately detecting and sorting sintered NdFeB raw materials online is a challenging task. This paper proposes a fast and accurate surface defect detection model for NdFeB, which enables real-time sorting based on defect detection results. The proposed model utilizes an attention module to enhance detection accuracy and enable real-time control. Compared to the original model, the proposed model improves detection accuracy by nearly 6% and achieves a detection speed of 29 FPS, thus meeting real-time performance requirements. This study offers new insights into the application of computer vision in the development of intelligent factories.
Smart-monitoring capabilities of CFRP strips in civil structures based on width-to-length ratio optimization
Authors: Xie Gui-hua , Wang Shu-yang , Xia Hong-yun , Li Shi-quan
Published: January 2025

Structural health monitoring is critical for ensuring the serviceability of in-service structures. However, mainstream monitoring technologies have inherent limitations. In this study, a novel approach was investigated by using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) by leveraging its self-sensing properties. Six groups of CFRP smart strips were designed and applied to high ductile concrete (HDC) columns subjected to axial compression, with the view to ascertain the strain and damage sensing capabilities of the CFRP strips having different width-to-length (w/l) ratios and gauge lengths. Experimental results show that the longitudinal and transverse resistances of all CFRP smart strips decrease with increasing compressive strain, attributing to the Poisson effect as well as the change in fiber-to-fiber contact rate within the microstructure. Abrupt changes in resistance occur upon the fracture of the HDC column. The w/l ratio emerges as a crucial factor affecting the sensing performance of the CFRP smart strips. A w/l ratio of smaller than 0.1 corresponds to a small gauge factor (GF) of less than 35, with the maximum coefficient of determination of 0.78829. When the w/l ratio is between 0.1 and 0.125, the GF averagely increases to 224.1, with the average coefficient of determination of 0.96082. For the CFRP smart strips having the same w/l ratio of 0.125, the GF increases from 158.76 to 194.89 as the gauge length rises from 80 mm to 120 mm, while the coefficient of determination slightly decreases from 0.97842 to 0.97381. As the gauge length extends to 160 mm, an enormous improvement from 194.89 to 445.5 in the GF is achieved, accompanied by a reduction in the coefficient of determination from 0.97381 to 0.93459. Compared with the transverse resistance, the longitudinal resistance exhibits the superiority in both the GF and the coefficient of determination. The established model of fiber-to-fiber contact rate theoretically interprets and validates the influence of w/l ratio on the smart properties of the CFRP strips.
Optical trapping of high and low refractive index nanoparticles using pulsed bottle beam
Authors: Thabit F M , Shukri M A
Published: January 2025

Bottle beam can be effectively used for three-dimensional trapping of minute particles with high and low refractive indices. This study introduces pulsed bottle beam composed of

L

G

0

0

and

L

G

p

0

modes with a phase difference of π. We have derived expressions for the optical forces associated with this beam. Our findings demonstrate that the values of p, τ, and n

p
directly influence trap performance, including force magnitude, and the number and area of trapping zones.
Saturation of a quasi-mode parametric instability in an inhomogeneous plasma
Authors: Chen Kunyu , Gao Zhe
Published: January 2025

Quasi-mode parametric instabilities (PI) can result in significant power loss in RF-plasma interactions. However, theoretical difficulties still remain in the analysis of their saturation mechanisms within the framework of the Wenzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation, mainly due to the uncertainty of the impact of an inhomogeneous plasma. In this article, we present a systematic theoretical model under the WKB framework to analyze the saturation process of quasi-mode PIs, using the spatial gradient of the dielectric function to replace the linear dispersion relation to evaluate the effects of plasma inhomogeneity. The amplification factor of a quasi-mode PI in an inhomogeneous plasma with a finite pump profile is calculated using such a method to analyze the dominant mechanism of saturation.
Chitosan-functionalized viscose fiber from post-consumer cotton waste for durable biomedical materials
Authors: Mahmud Rois Uddin , Alam Rubel , Islam Raijul , Hasan Zahid , Moniruzzaman Md , Islam Tarikul
Published: January 2025

This study aims to transform post-consumer textile waste (cellulosic materials) into viscose fiber using a xanthation technique, as well as to develop value-added antibacterial chitosan functionalized viscose (CFV) fiber for biomedical applications (e.g., sanitary pad) through an economic up-cycling wet spinning integrated chitosan coating approach. Surface morphology (SEM), FTIR, XRD, mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties (both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria) were investigated for the CFV fiber. The Degree of Polymerization (DP) of the raw viscose (RV) fiber was approximately 782 ± 35, comparable to the DP of commercial viscose fibers. The surface of CFV fiber is uneven, hazy, and rough, and its average fiber diameter is 15.65 ± 1.75 μm, which is higher than commercial viscose fiber. CFV fibers have stronger strength than RV fibers, as demonstrated by FTIR, the creation of hydrogen bonds with chitosan is the fundamental reason for the strength.. Overall, antibacterial effects (zone of inhibition) against E. c
oli, S.Typhi, and S.aureus are 17 ± 1.2 mm, 13 ± 0.8 mm, and 10 ± 1.1 mm, respectively. However, the development process and results confirm the successful formation of CFV fiber and highlight its potential for sustainable biomedical applications compared to other alternatives.
Self-guided tomography of time-frequency qudits
Authors: Serino Laura , Rambach Markus , Brecht Benjamin , Romero Jacquiline , Silberhorn Christine
Published: January 2025

High-dimensional time-frequency encodings have the potential to significantly advance quantum information science; however, practical applications require precise knowledge of the encoded quantum states, which becomes increasingly challenging for larger Hilbert spaces. Self-guided tomography (SGT) has emerged as a practical and scalable technique for this purpose in the spatial domain. Here, we apply SGT to estimate time-frequency states using a multi-output quantum pulse gate. We achieve fidelities of more than 99% for 3- and 5-dimensional states without the need for calibration or post-processing. We demonstrate the robustness of SGT against statistical and environmental noise, highlighting its efficacy in the photon-starved regime typical of quantum information applications.
Accuracy of a Novel High-Throughput “Car Blood Pressure” Measurement Protocol
Authors: Lima Neiberg de Alcantara , Cardozo Shaun , Johnson Andrew , Reed Brian , Korzeniewski Steven , Levy Phillip D , Brook Robert D
Published: January 2025

Background

More than one in three adults with hypertension in the United States are unaware of their condition, highlighting the importance of large-scale screening campaigns. Currently, the identification of hypertension is largely limited to medical settings. To help overcome this barrier, we developed a novel high-throughput screening protocol that measures blood pressure (BP) while patients remain seated in an automobile (“car-BP”). The aim of this study was to provide an initial assessment of the accuracy of car-BP.

Methods

Three BP readings were determined in a clinic exam room before and after three BP readings were taken while patients were seated in a parked car outside (n = 100 participants). The same validated device model (Omron HEM-907XL) and BP measurement methods adhering to guidelines were used in both scenarios. The average of all 6 clinic readings was compared to the average of the 3 car-BP readings in each individual.

Results

Mean clinic and car-BP readings were 120.9 ± 16.2/78.0 ± 9.9 and 118.9 ± 15.2/76.0 ± 10.0 mm Hg, respectively. The paired mean and absolute mean differences in systolic BP levels between methods were -1.92 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI) -3.2 to -0.7 mm Hg) and 4.8 mm Hg (95%CI 3.8 to 5.6 mm Hg), respectively. A total of 85% of participants had both systolic and diastolic BP levels ≤ 10 mm Hg different between measurement scenarios (meeting the a priori determined study primary outcome).

Conclusions

Car-BP represents an innovative and accessible approach for potential large-scale hypertension screening campaigns.
scatterbar: an R package for visualizing proportional data across spatially resolved coordinates
Authors: Velazquez Dee , Fan Jean
Published: January 2025

Motivation

Displaying proportional data across many spatially resolved coordinates is a challenging but important data visualization task, particularly for spatially resolved transcriptomics data. Scatter pie plots are one type of commonly used data visualization for such data but present perceptual challenges that may lead to difficulties in interpretation. Increasing the visual saliency of such data visualizations can help viewers more accurately identify proportional trends and compare proportional differences across spatial locations.

Results

We developed scatterbar, an open-source R package that extends ggplot2, to visualize proportional data across many spatially resolved coordinates using scatter stacked bar plots. We apply scatterbar to visualize deconvolved cell-type proportions from a spatial transcriptomics dataset of the adult mouse brain to demonstrate how scatter stacked bar plots can enhance the distinguishability of proportional distributions compared to scatter pie plots.

Availability and implementation

scatterbar is available on CRAN https://cran.r-project.org/package=scatterbar with additional documentation and tutorials at https://jef.works/scatterbar/.
A unified combination framework for dependent tests with applications to microbiome association studies
Authors: Yu Xiufan , Zhang Linjun , Srinivasan Arun , Xie Min-ge , Xue Lingzhou
Published: January 2025

We introduce a novel meta-analysis framework to combine dependent tests under a general setting, and utilize it to synthesize various microbiome association tests that are calculated from the same dataset. Our development builds upon the classical meta-analysis methods of aggregating P-values and also a more recent general method of combining confidence distributions, but makes generalizations to handle dependent tests. The proposed framework ensures rigorous statistical guarantees, and we provide a comprehensive study and compare it with various existing dependent combination methods. Notably, we demonstrate that the widely used Cauchy combination method for dependent tests, referred to as the vanilla Cauchy combination in this article, can be viewed as a special case within our framework. Moreover, the proposed framework provides a way to address the problem when the distributional assumptions underlying the vanilla Cauchy combination are violated. Our numerical results demonstrate that ignoring the dependence among the to-be-combined components may lead to a severe size distortion phenomenon. Compared to the existing P-value combination methods, including the vanilla Cauchy combination method and other methods, the proposed combination framework is flexible and can be adapted to handle the dependence accurately and utilizes the information efficiently to construct tests with accurate size and enhanced power. The development is applied to the microbiome association studies, where we aggregate information from multiple existing tests using the same dataset. The combined tests harness the strengths of each individual test across a wide range of alternative spaces, enabling more efficient and meaningful discoveries of vital microbiome associations.
Refractory eosinophilic pustular folliculitis treated with tofacitinib: a case series and literature review
Authors: Wang Qin-Xiao , He Hai-Yang , Niu Ying-Luo , Fang Sheng
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) is an uncommon skin condition that presents as follicular papules or pustules. The treatment of EPF is challenging due to the high relapse rates. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib as a treatment for EPF.

Methods

We presented 3 patients with refractory EPF who had been successfully treated with tofacitinib at our clinic and conducted a literature review using the PubMed database to gain further insight into this promising therapy.

Results

Our patients were effectively treated with tofacitinib. To date, only three patients with EPF treated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have been reported and reviewed: one treated with tofacitinib and two with abrocitinib. Complete remission was observed in all the above patients, with no adverse events or relapses reported during an average follow-up period of 4.3 months.

Conclusion

Tofacitinib may be an emerging alternative treatment option for EFP patients. Larger randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Simplifying nasal reconstruction after Mohs surgery: an algorithm based on review of over 400 cases
Authors: Breneman Alyssa , Trager Megan H , Bowling Anna , Gordon Emily R , Pollack Karlyn , Samie Faramarz H
Published: January 2025

Literature on reconstruction techniques for post-Mohs nasal defects with particular emphasis on the unique properties of underlying skin is lacking. We aimed to develop an algorithm to simplify the approach to post-Mohs reconstruction of the nose based on defect size, location, and cutaneous features of the surrounding skin. Retrospective review of 404 patients who underwent post-Mohs nasal reconstruction by a single Mohs surgeon between 2018 and 2024 was conducted. Defects were divided into small, medium, and large sizes. Locations were categorized into 3 zones based on cutaneous characteristics. Frequency of reconstructive techniques based on defect size and location was analyzed. Trends towards specific repairs based on the cutaneous location and size of Mohs defects were utilized to develop an algorithm for reconstructive decision making. This algorithm was based on zones defined by cutaneous characteristics, and may serve as an initial guide for surgeons planning reconstruction of nasal defects.
Challenging Popular Narratives: The Course of Power Transition and Sino–US Relations
Authors: Duan Xiaolin
Published: January 2025

Despite intensive scholarly interest in power transition theory (PTT) and its relevance to contemporary Sino–US relations, this article addresses three aspects central to policy discussions that have been largely neglected or taken for granted in the existing scholarly works on PTT. This article first establishes an analytical framework to analyse the course of power transition, enabling an in-depth analysis of the strategic interactions between the rising power and the dominant power throughout this process. It then critically reviews the historical, theoretical, and empirical studies focusing on three key aspects: (1) the timing and regularity of most war-prone moments in the course of power transition; (2) the role of the established power in the rise of its challenger; and (3) the rising power and established power’s incentives for strategic conflict avoidance. It challenges the prevailing narratives that depict a gradual trajectory toward conflict and confrontation as relative power dynamics shift, highlighting the complexity of strategic interactions between the two powers.
A pro-inflammatory diet is associated with growth and virulence of Escherichia coli in pediatric Crohn’s disease
Authors: Breton Jessica , Tu Vincent , Tanes Ceylan , Wilson Naomi , Quinn Ryan , Kachelries Kelly , Friedman Elliot S , Bittinger Kyle , Baldassano Robert N , Compher Charlene , Albenberg Lindsey
Published: January 2025

Background and Aims

Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between the inflammatory potential of dietary patterns and Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the relationships of these inflammatory dietary determinants with the microbiome remain largely unknown. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluate the association between the inflammatory potential of habitual diet, as assessed by the modified Children-Dietary Inflammatory Index (mC-DII), and the fecal microbiome and metabolome of children with CD in comparison to healthy children.

Methods

A cross-sectional study including 51 children with CD between 6 and 18 years of age and 50 healthy controls was conducted. Dietary inflammatory potential was measured using the mC-DII, and diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and alternate Mediterranean Eating Index (aMed). The microbiome was analyzed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analysis.

Results

A poor-quality, pro-inflammatory diet, with similar mC-DII, HEI-2015, and aMed scores, was found across healthy children and children with CD. In children with active disease, a pro-inflammatory diet was associated with decreased diversity, increased virulence potential, and expansion of the Proteobacteria phylum dominated by Escherichia coli (E. coli) spp. A positive correlation between E. coli relative abundance and mC-DII was associated with a low intake of a cluster composed of fibers, vitamins, and minerals with anti-inflammatory potential. A negative association between metabolites of fatty acid metabolism and HEI was found.

Conclusions

In total, our results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet may potentiate hallmarks of the inflammation-associated dysbiosis in CD and highlight the need for microbiome-targeted dietary interventions optimizing the anti-inflammatory potential of habitual diet in the management of pediatric CD.
Women’s physical health around live births and pregnancy losses: a longitudinal study
Authors: Di Nallo Alessandro
Published: January 2025

This study examines the long-term physical health impacts of pregnancy outcomes, comparing women who experienced live births to those who had pregnancy losses (miscarriages or stillbirths). While previous research has documented short-term links between pregnancy outcomes and physical health, fewer studies have explored these associations over the long term, particularly considering women’s preconception health. Data were drawn from the Understanding Society Survey [UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS)] from 2009 to 2023. The sample included 2386 women who reported their first pregnancy and were observed over multiple time points, both before and after pregnancy. Physical health was assessed using the Physical Component Summary (PCS) from the 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12) questionnaire. Linear fixed-effects models were used to analyze changes in physical health relative to pregnancy outcomes, adjusting for socioeconomic, demographic, and mental health covariates. The analysis revealed a sharp decline in physical health (PCS score) at the end of pregnancy for both groups, with a more pronounced decline among women experiencing pregnancy losses. Post-pregnancy, these women continued to report lower PCS scores compared to those with live births, particularly in the 2 years following pregnancy. The confounders did not fully explain the observed differences. Pregnancy losses are associated with a significant and lasting decline in women’s physical health, even after controlling for socio-demographic factors. Women who experience losses often report worse health than those transitioning to motherhood, with symptoms potentially including fatigue, pain, and cardiovascular diseases. These findings underscore the importance of long-term health monitoring and support for women following miscarriage or stillbirth.
Computational fluid dynamics to simulate stenotic lesions in coronary end-to-side anastomosis
Authors: Kamiya Kenichi , Terada Shinya , Nagatani Yukihiro , Matsubayashi Yuji , Suzuki Kohei , Miyazaki Shohei , Matsui Hiroki , Takano Shota , Nakata Susumu , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Suzuki Tomoaki
Published: January 2025

OBJECTIVES

End-to-side anastomosis is common in coronary artery bypass grafting, although restrictive suturing can narrow the anastomosis. We evaluated ex vivo end-to-side models by numerically simulating fluid dynamics to compare various degrees of stenotic anastomoses to predict haemodynamic effects.

METHODS

A carotid artery was grafted via an end-to-side anastomosis onto the left anterior descending artery of a porcine heart, with liquid silicone injected into the vessels. The end-to-side image was acquired via multidetector computed tomography for reference, and models of longitudinal shortening and bilateral narrowing were created with 25%, 50%, 75%, along with 90%, and 100% stenosis in the native coronary artery. Haemodynamics were analysed using computational fluid dynamics simulations to calculate streamlines, wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index.

RESULTS

In the reference model, the graft inflow impinged on the floor of the native artery, creating a recirculating vortex and a high oscillatory shear index region near the heel. As the graft flow angle increased with longitudinal stenosis, bilateral stenosis generated helical flow near the lateral wall of the native artery, worsening with increased stenosis. At 75% stenosis, both longitudinal shortening and bilateral narrowing caused abnormal flow separation, with low wall shear stress and high oscillatory regions forming distal to the toe of the anastomosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Computational fluid dynamics modelling predicts that end-to-side anastomoses with 75% longitudinal or bilateral stenosis are at a risk of intimal hyperplasia causing graft failure, while anastomotic stenosis <50% indicates acceptable haemodynamics. Future studies should explore long-term clinical outcomes with suboptimal surgical anastomotic construction.

CLINICAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Not applicable.
Non-planar Ends are Continuously Unforgettable
Authors: Aramayona Javier , de Pool Rodrigo , Skipper Rachel , Tao Jing , Vlamis Nicholas G , Wu Xiaolei
Published: January 2025

We show that continuous epimorphisms between a class of subgroups of mapping class groups of orientable infinite-genus 2-manifolds with no planar ends are always induced by homeomorphisms. This class of subgroups includes the pure mapping class group, the closure of the compactly supported mapping classes, and the full mapping class group in the case that the underlying manifold has a finite number of ends or is perfectly self-similar. As a corollary, these groups are Hopfian topological groups.
Ten-Year Surveillance of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations in Adults: Incidence Rates and Case Definition Implications
Authors: Urchueguía-Fornes Arantxa , Muñoz-Quiles Cintia , Mira-Iglesias Ainara , López-Lacort Mónica , Mengual-Chuliá Beatriz , López-Labrador F Xavier , Díez-Domingo Javier , Orrico-Sánchez Alejandro
Published: January 2025

Background

The impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older adults is underrecognized, and the limited existing studies on the incidence of hospitalizations show great variability. This study aims to estimate the seasonal incidence rates (IRs) of RSV hospitalizations among adults aged ≥60 years and evaluate how different case definitions influence these estimates.

Methods

A prospective, multicenter observational study with active monitoring was conducted over 10 seasons (2010–2011 to 2019–2020) in 4–10 hospitals (depending on the season) and covered 21%–46% of the region's total population (about 5 million people). RSV hospitalization IRs per 100 000 person-years and 95% confidence intervals were calculated with the exact Poisson method and were stratified by age group (≥60, ≥70, or ≥80 years), RSV season, sex, and the entire study period. Two case definitions were compared: influenzalike illness (ILI) and the combined use of ILI and extended severe acute respiratory infection (ILI/SARI).

Results

A total of 40 600 hospitalizations of individuals aged ≥60 years were included. The RSV hospitalization IRs ranged from 21 to 402 per 100 000 person-years, varying by season, age group, and case definition. The highest IRs were observed in those aged ≥80 years. The ILI case definition underestimated RSV hospitalizations by 13%–40% when compared with the ILI/SARI case definition.

Conclusions

On average, approximately 1 in every 1000 adults aged ≥60 years is hospitalized due to RSV. The risk of a severe RSV infection increases with age and varies significantly between seasons. These are key results for the estimation of the potential impact of the new available RSV vaccines.
A staged approach to resecting a large rectal polyp using endoscopic mucosal resection and trans-anal endoscopic microsurgery: a case report
Authors: Guduguntla Bhavna A , Yee Jared , Wise Paul E , Bazarbashi Ahmad Najdat
Published: January 2025

Large rectal adenomatous polyps are not uncommon. Proctectomy sparing interventions are favored when feasible. We present a case of a 62-year-old woman, who presented with diarrhea for several years. Colonoscopy revealed a very large 60 mm rectal polyp, biopsied as tubulovillous adenoma. This was successfully resected using a staged approach with endoscopic mucosal resection and trans-anal endoscopic microsurgery. Endoscopic mucosal resection removed 70% of the lesion with central scarred not amenable to resection but amenable to transanal excision. Pathology demonstrated tubulovillous adenoma with negative margins. Flexible sigmoidoscopy at 6-month follow-up revealed well healed scar without recurrence or residual disease. This demonstrates a staged resection for a large rectal polyp which is minimally invasive and organ preserving.
Stress Echocardiography
Authors: Pellikka Patricia A.
Published: January 2025

Stress echocardiography is a well-validated, relatively inexpensive, and widely available means of detecting coronary artery disease and assessing prognosis. Newer techniques may permit increased accuracy and quantification of the extent and severity of ischemia. The test is highly versatile and additionally has applications to evaluation of valvular heart disease, diastolic dysfunction, and exertional cardiac symptoms.
Nuclear Cardiology: SPECT Imaging
Authors: Jouni Hayan , Askew J. Wells
Published: January 2025

Nuclear imaging techniques are commonly used to evaluate myocardial perfusion at rest and with stress, to measure left ventricular function and volume, and to determine the presence or absence of myocardial viability. Important imaging isotopes in cardiology are thallium 201 and technetium 99m. Standard imaging planes used for tomographic reconstruction are short axis, horizontal long axis, and vertical long axis
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Clinical Medicine
Authors: Allison Thomas G.
Published: January 2025

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing—also called metabolic stress testing and maximum oxygen consumption testing—is an important tool in a state-of-the-art, comprehensive cardiovascular center. Originally, cardiopulmonary exercise testing was developed for testing the fitness of athletes, such as long-distance runners and cross-country skiers since maximum oxygen consumption is the most important predictor of performance in endurance events. Measurement of oxygen consumption during various forms of physical labor was also an important early use of cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
Evaluation and Management of Pregnancy-Associated Arrhythmias
Authors: Brady Peter A.
Published: January 2025

Arrhythmias that occur for the first time during pregnancy are uncommon and are usually due to exacerbation of a known rhythm disorder or an arrhythmic substrate (eg, congenital heart disease).
Syncope: Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Lee Justin Z. , Shen Win-Kuang
Published: January 2025

This chapter summarizes key areas for patient evaluation and syncope management, including definition and differential diagnosis of syncope, pertinent history and physical examination findings, appropriate use of diagnostic testing, and treatment of various conditions causing syncope.
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Trials and Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death
Authors: Sugrue Alan , Killu Ammar M.
Published: January 2025

As many as 450,000 people may experience sudden cardiac death each year in the United States. This number may be an overestimation because it is understood that perhaps 25% to 50% of deaths attributed to cardiac arrest, when no other obvious cause is identified, are actually noncardiac. Ventricular fibrillation, often preceded by ventricular tachycardia, is a common cause of sudden cardiac death and is effectively terminated by defibrillation. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators have revolutionized the approach to management of sudden cardiac death. Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators were initially met with skepticism and critique, in which many believed this to be an unethical therapy, multiple clinical trials have defined the indications for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy for both primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death.
Epidemiology of Valvular Heart Diseases
Authors: Waterbury Thomas M. , Nkomo Vuyisile T.
Published: January 2025

Typically, valvular heart diseases are left-sided and affect the mitral and aortic valves, which can become regurgitant or stenotic. Physiologic valve regurgitation is common in the general population and is not associated with adverse outcomes, but regurgitation that is not physiologic, particularly if it is moderate or severe, negatively affects overall survival. Any degree of valve stenosis is pathologic, and stenosis that is moderate or severe is associated with decreased survival. Primary right-sided (tricuspid and pulmonic) valve diseases are less common. Tricuspid valve regurgitation is usually due to left-sided heart disease or lung disease.
Carcinoid and Drug-Related Heart Disease
Authors: Waterbury Thomas M. , Connolly Heidi M. , Pellikka Patricia A.
Published: January 2025

Progress in the management of patients with metastatic carcinoid tumors has resulted in improved symptoms and long-term survival, yet carcinoid heart disease remains a major cause of morbidity and death. There are limited medical treatment options for patients with carcinoid heart disease; for patients with severe carcinoid valvular heart disease, valve replacement has been increasingly used.
Quick Reference Guide to Valvular  Heart Disease
Authors: Luis S. Allen , Padang Sari
Published: January 2025

The assessment and management of valvular heart disease plays an essential role in the practice of cardiovascular medicine. We present suggested algorithms based on current guidelines and literature to guide the management of patients with valvular heart disease. These algorithms form a suggested approach to management, and clinical judgment should always be exercised to determine their applicability to a particular patient. The assessment of valvular heart disease requires careful clinical evaluation, including a meticulous history and physical examination.
Treatment and Prevention of Arterial Thrombosis
Authors: McBane Robert D. , Wysokinski Waldemar E.
Published: January 2025

Each year, more than 1 million Americans experience a new or recurrent myocardial infarction and 795,000 Americans have a new or recurrent stroke. These events are thrombotic in nature and, therefore, are potentially treatable and preventable with the appropriate use of antithrombotic agents. Current antithrombotic therapy targets 3 of the 4 stages of thrombus formation: platelet activation, platelet aggregation, and coagulation cascade activation. There are no effective means to prevent the initial stage of platelet adhesion to injured arterial walls. This chapter reviews the mechanism of action, pharmacology, and clinical use of agents for the prevention and treatment of arterial thrombosis.
Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Wysokinski Waldemar E. , McBane Robert D.
Published: January 2025

Pulmonary embolism is an acute complication of deep vein thrombosis and represents the third most common cause of cardiovascular death. Morbidity and mortality from pulmonary embolism depend not only on the clot burden but also on the presence and severity of preexisting cardiopulmonary disease and the response of the cardiovascular system to the embolism. Cardiovascular physicians caring for patients with chest pain syndromes and cardiovascular disease must be proficient in the evaluation, risk stratification, and treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism. Management of pulmonary embolism must take into consideration all antithrombotic agents to treat the pulmonary embolism but also counterbalance the risk of major bleeding, particularly for patients who require combined antiplatelet agents.
Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Svatikova Anna
Published: January 2025

Metabolic syndrome is typified by an aggregation of specific metabolic risk factors: abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. It has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several different clinical definitions of metabolic syndrome have been proposed by various organizations, including International Diabetes Foundation and American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. To unify these criteria, an international consortium of cardiovascular and diabetes organizations published a Joint Scientific Statement in 2009, which stated that the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires the presence of at least 3 of the following 5 risk factors: increased waist circumference, elevated serum triglyceride level, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, hypertension, and increased fasting glucose value.
Hypertension
Authors: Brady Adrian J. B. , Murphy Joseph G.
Published: January 2025

Hypertension is the clinical condition of sustained high blood pressure and if untreated causes coronary heart disease and hypertensive heart failure, renal failure, and retinal damage. It is the most risk important risk factor for stroke and can cause hypertensive encephalopathy. Stroke risk is linearly related to blood pressure. The detection and treatment of hypertension are the most important interventions in cardiovascular medicine worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Epidemiology of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Reddy Yogesh N. , Barsness Gregory W.
Published: January 2025

Acute coronary syndromes, encompassed by complete coronary artery occlusion, represent 1 of the leading causes of death worldwide. There has been tremendous progress in the past 3 decades in our understanding of the mechanism underlying the transition from stable coronary artery disease to a plaque rupture leading to thrombotic vessel occlusion and acute coronary syndrome. Development of effective pharmacologic therapy, along with advances in interventional cardiology and percutaneous coronary intervention, have dramatically altered the natural history of acute coronary syndrome and greatly improved survival. However, despite these advances, acute coronary syndrome is still 1 of the leading causes of death in the US. In this chapter, we will focus on the epidemiology of acute coronary syndrome in the modern era, with a particular focus on specific subsets where management decisions may defer from the standard approach.
Cardiac Biomarkers
Authors: El Sabbagh Abdallah , McKie Paul M.
Published: January 2025

Rapid and reliable diagnosis of myocardial infarction is crucial. Initially, clinical assessment and electrocardiography were the primary means of diagnosis, but over time it became clear that they are often nondiagnostic. Clinicians now rely heavily on cardiac biomarkers. Guidelines require an increase and decrease in cardiac biomarkers for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. The interpretation of cardiac biomarker values may be challenging. To accurately interpret biomarker results, clinicians must have an understanding of the kinetics of the biomarkers and knowledge of the mechanisms that can cause their increase.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Thomas Randal J.
Published: January 2025

An understanding of cardiac rehabilitation is important for several reasons. First, a large and growing evidence base shows that the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation include improved cardiovascular risk factors, functional status, adherence to preventive medications, psychological health, and event-free survival. Second, many persons with cardiovascular disease world would benefit from the services provided through cardiac rehabilitation. Third, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology have designated it a class 1 recommendation in several cardiovascular disease-related clinical practice guidelines. Fourth, an understanding of cardiac rehabilitation is needed because its low current reach is due to barriers that limit its utilization. However, potential solutions to this problem are available and are described in this chapter.
Heart Failure: Diagnosis and Evaluation
Authors: Rodeheffer Richard J. , Redfield Margaret M. , Boilson Barry A.
Published: January 2025

Heart failure is a pathophysiologic state in which an abnormality of cardiac function prevents the heart from pumping blood at a rate commensurate with the metabolic requirements of the body, or allows it to do so only when ventricular filling pressures are excessively increased. Only some patients with this circulatory pathophysiology manifest the physical signs and symptoms of the clinical syndrome we call heart failure.