bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MINARO DRS: usability study of a robotic-assisted laminectomy
Authors: Vossel Manuel , Theisgen Lukas , Wickel Noah , Phlippen Lovis , Pjontek Rastislav , Drobinsky Sergey , Clusmann Hans , Radermacher Klaus , Blume Christian , de la Fuente Matías
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Although the literature shows that robotic assistance can support the surgeon, robotic systems are not widely spread in clinics. They often incorporate large robotic arms adopted from the manufacturing industry, imposing safety hazards when in contact with the patient or surgical staff. We approached this limitation with a modular dual robot consisting of an ultra-lightweight carrier robot for rough prepositioning and small, highly dynamic, application-specific, interchangeable tooling robots.

Methods

A formative usability study with N = 10 neurosurgeons was conducted using a prototype of a novel tooling robot for laminectomy to evaluate the system’s usability. The participants were asked to perform three experiments using the robotic system: (1) prepositioning with the carrier robot and milling into (2) a block phantom as well as (3) a spine model.

Results

All neurosurgeons could perform a simulated laminectomy on a spine phantom using the robotic system. On average, they rated the usability of this first prototype already between good and excellent (SUS-Score above 75%). Eight out of the ten participants preferred robotic-assisted milling over manual milling. For prepositioning, the developed haptic guidance showed significantly higher effectiveness and efficiency than visual navigation.

Conclusion

The proposed dual robot system showed the potential to increase safety in the operating room because of the synergistic hands-on control and the ultra-lightweight design of the carrier robot. The modular design allows for easy adaptation to various surgical procedures. However, improvements are needed in the ergonomics of the tooling robot and the complexity of the virtual fixtures. The cooperative dual robot system can subsequently be tested in a cadaver laboratory and in vivo on animals.
Prediction of cardiovascular events after carotid endarterectomy using pathological images and clinical data
Authors: Ishida Shuya , Morita Kento , Hatakeyama Kinta , Ren Nice , Watanabe Shogo , Kobashi Syoji , Iihara Koji , Wakabayashi Tetsushi
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgical treatment for carotid artery stenosis. After CEA, some patients experience cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, etc.); however, the prognostic factor has yet to be revealed. Therefore, this study explores the predictive factors in pathological images and predicts cardiovascular events within one year after CEA using pathological images of carotid plaques and patients’ clinical data.

Method

This paper proposes a two-step method to predict the prognosis of CEA patients. The proposed method first computes the pathological risk score using an anomaly detection model trained using pathological images of patients without cardiovascular events. By concatenating the obtained image-based risk score with a patient’s clinical data, a statistical machine learning-based classifier predicts the patient’s prognosis.

Results

We evaluate the proposed method on a dataset containing 120 patients without cardiovascular events and 21 patients with events. The combination of autoencoder as the anomaly detection model and XGBoost as the classification model obtained the best results: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score were 81.9%, 84.1%, 79.1%, 86.3%, and 76.6%, respectively. These values were superior to those obtained using pathological images or clinical data alone.

Conclusion

We showed the feasibility of predicting CEA patient’s long-term prognosis using pathological images and clinical data. Our results revealed some histopathological features related to cardiovascular events: plaque hemorrhage (thrombus), lymphocytic infiltration, and hemosiderin deposition, which will contribute to developing preventive treatment methods for plaque development and progression.
Observing sustainability through the mindfulness lens: a conceptual framework based on a bibliometric review analysis
Authors: Barbir Jelena , Baars Caterina , Eustachio João H. P. P. , Sharifi Ayyoob , Demarzo Marcelo , Filho Walter Leal
Published: November 2024

To shift human behaviour towards sustainability, a complete comprehension of the approaches that lead to it is required. This study aims to review potential connections between the mindfulness state and trait and changes in human behaviour toward sustainability. Using bibliometric analysis as an innovative approach in this field, combined with an expert-driven literature review, the research builds on previous works regarding sustainability and mindfulness and fosters the research field by exploring six thematic clusters, each containing a set of specific mediators that could bridge this connection. To illustrate the relationship between mindfulness and sustainable development, a framework was developed, illustrating how mindfulness-based skills could positively influence these mediators and which dimensions of sustainable development could be further impacted by it. Moreover, a mindfulness program focused on sustainability and planetary health may be an innovative way to develop competencies related to the variables identified as mediators.
Do Statins Affect Cognitive Health? A Narrative Review and Critical Analysis of the Evidence
Authors: Kazibwe Richard , Rikhi Rishi , Mirzai Saeid , Ashburn Nicklaus P. , Schaich Christopher L. , Shapiro Michael
Published: November 2024

Purpose of Review

Statins are the first-line treatment for hypercholesterolemia and play a key role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current studies report mixed effects of statins on cognitive health, including harmful, neutral, and protective outcomes. However, these ongoing controversies about the potential cognitive adverse effects of statins may compromise their use in CVD prevention. Several factors may influence how statins affect cognition, including the unique cholesterol homeostasis in the brain, the limited permeability of the blood-brain barrier to lipoproteins, and the varying lipophilicity of different statins. This review examines the evidence linking statins to cognitive function and considers the effect of different dosages and treatment durations.

Recent Findings

Earlier studies suggested cognitive disturbances with statins, but recent evidence does not strongly support a link between statins and cognitive impairment. In fact, observational studies suggest potential neuroprotective benefits, though biases like selection bias, confounding and reverse causation limit definitive conclusions. Two large randomized controlled trials, STAREE and PREVENTABLE, are underway, and their results are expected to address some of these gaps in the literature.

Due to insufficient evidence in the current literature, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed for a better understanding of statins’ effects on cognition. More data is needed regarding statin type, dose intensity, and treatment duration, which may affect cognitive outcomes. Future studies are also needed to examine how statins may affect cognition in specific high-risk groups, such as individuals with mild cognitive impairment, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or chronic kidney disease.
Burnout and Post-traumatic Stress Disorders in Police Officers: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Ugwu Lawrence E. , Idemudia Erhabor Sunday
Published: November 2024

The occupational environment of law enforcement officers, characterised by high-stress situations and critical societal roles, necessitates continuous monitoring of their mental health. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to explore the associations and impacts of burnout and PTSD among police officers, shedding light on how these conditions are influenced by evolving job demands and societal expectations. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we searched four databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL from January 2000 to January 2024. Studies involving active-duty police officers that assessed burnout and PTSD using validated tools were included. A risk of bias was assessed using an eight-criteria scale, focusing on methodological strengths and weaknesses across studies. We analysed data from 10 studies comprising 4572 officers worldwide. The results indicated variable relationships between burnout, PTSD, and their impacts on occupational functioning, with significant heterogeneity across studies (I2 > 75%). Despite the variability, there was a consistent trend showing that occupational stressors are linked to both burnout and PTSD, suggesting a pervasive influence of job-related demands on officer mental health. The findings reveal a complex interaction between burnout and PTSD in police officers, influenced by both individual and occupational factors. This interplay highlights the need for interventions that are sensitive to cultural and contextual nuances of policing. Future strategies should prioritise individual, organisational, and societal dimensions to reduce the psychological burden and enhance resilience among officers.
Multi-scale inhomogeneity and anomalous mechanical response of nanoscale metallic glass pillar by cryogenic thermal cycling
Authors: Liu Xiao , Di Si-Yi , Zhou Jing , Miao Fang , Wang Hong-Ze , Wu Yi , Wang Hao-Wei , Ke Hai-Bo , Li Qiang
Published: November 2024

The mechanical responses and structure variations of Ta80Co20 nanoscale metallic glass (MG) film samples upon cryogenic thermal cycling (CTC) treatment were studied. The simultaneous improvements of strength and deformation ability bring about a super-high strength of 4.5 GPa and a large plastic strain of about 80% after CTC treatment. The significant increase in inter-element bonding and hardness makes the activation and percolation of shear transformation zones to be more difficult and delays the yielding event, leading to the ultra-high strength. Although the TaCo MG pillar reaches a relaxation energy state, the micro- and nanoscale inhomogeneities remain induced by the local densely packed units along with crystal-like ordering embedded in the matrix. The multi-scale inhomogeneity can effectively hinder the sliding of the shear bands and improve their propagation stability, which is considered to be the origin of its excellent plasticity. Our study reveals another prospect of CTC treatment on nanoscale MG samples of constructing an anomalous inhomogeneous structure and obtaining simultaneous enhancement of strength and plasticity.

Graphical abstract
Synthetic Media Detection, the Wheel, and the Burden of Proof
Authors: Harris Keith Raymond
Published: November 2024

Deepfakes and other forms of synthetic media are widely regarded as serious threats to our knowledge of the world. Various technological responses to these threats have been proposed. The reactive approach proposes to use artificial intelligence to identify synthetic media. The proactive approach proposes to use blockchain and related technologies to create immutable records of verified media content. I argue that both approaches, but especially the reactive approach, are vulnerable to a problem analogous to the ancient problem of the criterion—a line of argument with skeptical implications. I argue that, while the proactive approach is relatively resistant to this objection, it faces its own serious challenges. In short, the proactive approach would place a heavy burden on users to verify their own content, a burden that is exacerbated by and is likely to exacerbate existing inequalities.
Use of the Brief-BESTest partially instrumented with accelerometry to detect balance deterioration in middle-age
Authors: Baranes Guy , Hayek Roee , Gutman Itai , Frenkel-Toledo Silvi , Springer Shmuel
Published: November 2024

Background

Most standardized balance tests cannot detect subtle balance deterioration in middle age, or identify those at higher risk for accelerated balance decline due to a ceiling effect.

Aims

To determine whether the Brief Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest), partially instrumented with accelerometry, can detect balance deterioration in middle age and identify individuals with poor balance.

Methods

We studied young (25.3 ± 2.3 years), early middle-aged (47.7 ± 2.6 years), and late middle-aged adults (60.6 ± 3.6 years), with 25 participants in each age group. Subjects wore an accelerometer on their lower back while performing the Brief-BESTest. Balance measurements included the Brief-BESTest total and sub-measures scores, and postural sway during the Brief-BESTest standing tasks, calculated by the 95% confidence ellipse trajectory of the center of mass (COM-95% ellipse).

Results

Compared to the two middle-aged groups, young adults had better total Brief-BESTest and sub-measures scores, apart from the Stability-in-Gait sub-measure, and less postural sway during the Sensory-Orientation sub-measure. The total Brief-BESTest scores as well as the Biomechanical-Constraints and Sensory-Orientation sub-measures differed also between early and late middle-aged adults. Both the Brief-BESTest total scores and the Sensory-Orientation postural sway values demonstrated increased variation with age, allowing to identify subjects with poor balance. A moderate negative correlation (r = -0.43) was found between the Brief-BESTest total score and the COM-95% ellipse size, and a moderate agreement (k = 0.56) in identifying subjects with poor performance in the early but not the late middle age group.

Conclusions

The Brief-BESTest test combined with accelerometry could be a suitable screening tool to identify middle-aged people with early balance deterioration and potentially identify those with poor balance and a possible higher risk for falls. Clinicians and policymakers can use our findings to implement balance assessment programs in patients < 65 years, leading to preventive strategies before the risk increases.
Analysis of the Arab singer Shadia’s lyrics
Authors: Khamis Mohamed A. , Gomaa Walid
Published: November 2024

In this work, we analyze the lyrics of one of the most famous and influential Arab artists in the twentieth century, namely "Image missing" (Shadia). Lyrics analysis provides a deep insight into the artist’s career evolution and her interactions with the surrounding environment including the social, political, and economic conditions. In order to perform such analysis, we had to collect and compile the lyrics of Shadia accompanied with the necessary meta-data into an organized and structured form. The data are preprocessed by removing stop words and doing some normalization operations over the songs prose. We did not perform any lemmatization or stemming as the original form of the tokens conveys much more information than the source words. We performed a lexical analysis in order to study both the lexical diversity and density over the course of Shadia’s career life. We have as well studied the most significant words, idioms, and terms played in the songs using tools such as word clouds and more quantitative measures such as term frequency–inverse document frequency. We have divided the career life of Shadia into sub-decades of length 5 years, and all analyses are done both in a yearly fashion and more coarsely over such sub-decades. Our quantitative analyses show strong correlations between the artistic lyrical work of Shadia and the state of affairs in Egypt and the Arab World during her time. In particular, Shadia’s lyrics reflect the radical changes in all aspects of the social, political, and economic conditions. This is especially relevant knowing that Shadia is very much truly considered the daughter of the generation of the 1952 revolution in Egypt. The significance of Shadia and her lyrics stem essentially from being contemporaneous to radical changes in Egypt across all sectors including political (support of liberation movements across the world and the conflict with Israel) and socioeconomic (especially changing the social class structure in Egypt). We also investigated the potential effectiveness of PoS (Part-of-Speech) tagging in genre analysis and classification.
Ethical challenge of student-participants using a research survey for giving course feedback
Authors: Siipi Helena , Uusitalo Susanne
Published: November 2024

Conducting research with one’s students as participants can have various challenges. We describe one particular challenge we have encountered when conducting research surveys with participants who had been students of a doctoral course taught by us. Some participants gave course feedback in the research. This may indicate blurring of the roles of student and research participant. Blurring is problematic from the perspectives of research ethics and research integrity. Problems may arise concerning voluntariness, confidentiality and the quality of data. We suggest possible ways of preventing this blurring. These concern (1) the timing of the research in relation to the course, (2) information for the participants, (3) the recruitment practice and (4) the format of the survey questions.
A Philosopher Looks at Friendship
Authors: Chappell Sophie Grace
Published: November 2024

What is it to be a friend? What does the role of friend involve, and why? How do the obligations and prerogatives associated with that role follow on from it, and how might they mesh, or clash, with our other duties and privileges? Philosophy often treats friendship as something systematic, serious, and earnest, and much philosophical thought has gone into how 'friendship' can formally be defined. How indeed can friendship be good for us if it doesn't fit into a philosopher's neat, systematising theory of the good? For Sophie Grace Chappell, friendship is neither systematic nor earnest, yet is certainly one of the greatest goods of life. Drawing on well-known examples from popular culture, and examining these alongside recent philosophical, political, social, and theological debates, Chappell demystifies and redefines friendship as a highly untidy and many-sided good, and certainly also as one of the most central goods of human experience.
Temporal Forms and the Nineteenth-Century Mediterranean
Authors: Chappell Lindsey N.
Published: November 2024

The Mediterranean is ubiquitous in nineteenth-century British literature, but this study is the first to fully recover and explore the region's centrality to Romantic and Victorian constructions of the past, the present, and the shape of time itself. Placing regions central to the making of Western cultural heritage, such as Italy and Greece, into context with one another and with European imperialism, Lindsey N. Chappell traces the contours of what she terms 'heritage discourse' – narrative that constructs or challenges imperial identities by reshaping antiquity – across nineteenth-century British texts. Heritage discourse functions via time, and often in counterintuitive and paradoxical ways. If assertions of political, cultural, and eventually racial supremacy were the end of this discourse, then time was the means through which it could be deployed and resisted. Chappell shows how historical narratives intervened in geopolitics, how antiquarianism sparked scientific innovation, and how classical and biblical heritage shaped British imperialism.
The Theological Imagination
Authors: Wolfe Judith
Published: November 2024

How can we live truthfully in a world riddled with ambiguity, contradiction, and clashing viewpoints? We make sense of the world imaginatively, resolving ambiguous and incomplete impressions into distinct forms and wholes. But the images, objects, words, and even lives of which we make sense in this way always have more or other possible meanings. Judith Wolfe argues that faith gives us courage both to shape our world creatively, and reverently to let things be more than we can imagine. Drawing on complementary materials from literature, psychology, art, and philosophy, her remarkable book demonstrates that Christian theology offers a potent way of imagining the world even as it brings us to the limits of our capacity to imagine. In revealing the significance of unseen depths – of what does not yet make sense to us, and the incomplete – Wolfe characterizes faith as trust in God that surpasses all imagination.
Scale‐ and Variable‐Dependent Localization for 3DEnVar Data Assimilation in the Rapid Refresh Forecast System
Authors: Yokota Sho , Carley Jacob R. , Lei Ting , Liu Shun , Kleist Daryl T. , Wang Yongming , Wang Xuguang
Published: November 2024

This study demonstrates the advantages of scale‐ and variable‐dependent localization (SDL and VDL) on three‐dimensional ensemble variational data assimilation of the hourly‐updated high‐resolution regional forecast system, the Rapid Refresh Forecast System (RRFS). SDL and VDL apply different localization radii for each spatial scale and variable, respectively, by extended control vectors. Single‐observation assimilation tests and cycling experiments with RRFS indicated that SDL can enlarge the localization radius without increasing the sampling error caused by the small ensemble size and decreased associated imbalance of the analysis field, which was effective at decreasing the bias of temperature and humidity forecasts. Moreover, simultaneous assimilation of conventional and radar reflectivity data with VDL, where a smaller localization radius was applied only for hydrometeors and vertical wind, improved precipitation forecasts without introducing noisy analysis increments. Statistical verification showed that these impacts contributed to forecast error reduction, especially for low‐level temperature and heavy precipitation.
Exploring the Spatially Compounding Multi‐Sectoral Drought Vulnerabilities in Colorado's West Slope River Basins
Authors: Gold David F. , Gupta Rohini S. , Reed Patrick M.
Published: November 2024

The state of Colorado's West Slope Basins are critical headwaters of the Colorado River and play a vital role in supporting Colorado's local economy and natural environment. However, balancing the multi‐sectoral water demands in the West Slope Basins while maintaining crucial downstream deliveries to Lake Powell is an increasing challenge for water managers. Internal variability of the hydroclimatic system and climate change complicate future vulnerability assessments. This work contributes a detailed accounting of multi‐sectoral drought vulnerability in the West Slope Basins and the impacts of drought on downstream deliveries. We first introduce a novel multi‐site Hidden Markov Model (HMM)‐based synthetic streamflow generator to create an ensemble of streamflows for all West Slope basins that better characterizes the region's drought extremes. We capture the effects of climate change by perturbing the HMM to generate an ensemble of streamflows reflecting plausible changes in climate. We then route both ensembles through StateMod, Colorado's water allocation model, to evaluate spatially compounding drought impacts across the West Slope Basins. Our results illustrate how drought events emerging from the system's stationary internal variability in the absence of climate change can significantly impact local water uses and deliveries to Lake Powell, exceeding extreme conditions in the historical record. Further, we find that even modest climate change can cause a regime shift where historically low downstream delivery volumes and extreme drought impacts become routine. These results can inform future Colorado River planning efforts, and our methodology can be expanded to other snow‐dominated regions that face persistent droughts.
Turbulent Vertical Velocities in Labrador Sea Convection
Authors: Clément L. , Merckelbach L. , Frajka‐Williams E.
Published: November 2024

Turbulent vertical velocity measurements are scarce in regions prone to convection such as the Labrador Sea, which hinders our understanding of deep convection dynamics. Vertical velocity, , is retrieved from wintertime glider deployments in the convective region. From , downward convective plumes of dense waters are identified. These plumes only cover a small fraction of the convective area. Throughout the convective area, the standard deviation of agrees with scaling relations for the atmospheric surface and boundary layers. It initially depends on surface buoyancy loss in winter, and later, on wind stress after mid‐March. Both periods are characterized by positive turbulent vertical buoyancy flux. During convective periods in winter, the positive buoyancy flux is mostly forced by surface heat loss. After mid‐March, when buoyancy loss to the atmosphere is reduced, the positive buoyancy flux results from a restratifying upward freshwater flux, potentially of lateral origins and without much atmospheric influence.
High‐Frequency Gravity Waves and Kelvin‐Helmholtz Billows in the Tropical UTLS, as Seen From Radar Observations of Vertical Wind
Authors: Kottayil Ajil , Podglajen Aurélien , Legras Bernard , Atlas Rachel , K Prajwal , Satheesan K. , S Abhilash
Published: November 2024

The present study analyzes novel observations of vertical wind in the tropical upper troposphere‐lower stratosphere obtained from a radar wind profiler in Cochin, India. Between December 2022 and April 2023, 63 consecutive 4 hr curtains of were measured with a vertical spacing of 180 m and a sampling time step of 44 s, thus resolving almost the whole spectrum of vertical motions. Spectra of strongly vary with altitude. They are generally flat up to the local Brunt‐Väisälä frequency (BVF), but sometimes exhibit a peak of variance closer to BVF, a feature which may be attributed to trapped gravity waves. At other times and locations, the profiles reveal Kelvin‐Helmholtz billows. Finally, the variability of variance over the 4 month campaign period is investigated. Using brightness temperature from geostationary satellites as a convective proxy, it is found that variance is highly correlated with fluctuations in convective activity.
Conformably Variable Geocentric Axial Dipole at ca. 2.1 Ga: Paleomagnetic Dispersion of the Indin Dyke Swarm, Slave Craton
Authors: Liu Yu‐Shu , Mitchell Ross N. , Bleeker Wouter , Peng Peng , Salminen Johanna , Evans David A. D.
Published: November 2024

Precambrian paleomagnetic studies are critical for testing paleogeographic reconstructions in deep time but rely on the fidelity of the assumption of the geocentric axial dipole (GAD) hypothesis. With high‐reliability data from mafic dykes and volcanic rocks, the scatter of individual virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) can be used to test simple GAD models. In order to conduct such a test, the VGPs must be adequate in number and in spatial coverage of the sampling sites. In this study, we targeted the 2.1 Ga Indin dyke swarm of the Slave craton. Building on previous sampling of the Indin dyke swarm in the western and central parts of southern Slave craton, we report results from 9 additional sites in the central and eastern parts of the craton, sites that significantly expand the width of the dyke swarm across the entire craton. The VGPs obtained from 7 of 9 newly identified Indin dykes are broadly similar to previously reported directions, expanding the total of VGPs for individual Indin dykes to n = 28, which is sufficient for a test of the GAD‐based statistical models using VGP scatter. The high VGP scatter of the Indin swarm can be attributed to the relatively high paleolatitude of 56° ± 6° for the Slave craton at the time of dyke emplacement. The Indin data have VGP scatter that is consistent with field models associated with the GAD hypothesis for the indicated paleolatitude, thus confirming the fidelity of the GAD field at ca. 2.1 Ga.
Implications of a Reverse Polarity Earthquake Pair on Fault Friction and Stress Heterogeneity Near Ridgecrest, California
Authors: Shearer Peter M. , Shabikay Senobari Nader , Fialko Yuri
Published: November 2024

We apply the Matrix Profile algorithm to 100 days of continuous data starting 10 days before the 2019 M 6.4 and M 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquakes from borehole seismic station B921 near the Ridgecrest aftershock sequence. We identify many examples of reversely polarized waveforms, but focus on one particularly striking earthquake pair with strongly negatively correlated P and S waveforms at B921 and several other nearby stations. Waveform‐cross‐correlation‐based relocation of these events indicates they are at about 10 km depth and separated by only 115 m. Individual focal mechanisms are poorly resolved for these events because of the limited number of recording stations with unambiguous P polarities. However, relative P and S polarity and amplitude information can be used to constrain the likely difference in fault plane orientation between the two events to be 5–20°. We explore possible models to explain these observations, including low effective coefficients of fault friction and short‐wavelength stress heterogeneity caused by prior earthquakes. Although definitive conclusions are lacking, we favor local stress heterogeneity as being more consistent with other observations for the Ridgecrest region.
Nutrient‐Rich Winter Water Formation on the Beaufort Shelf, Arctic Ocean
Authors: Wang Yanxin , Lin Peigen , Pickart Robert S.
Published: November 2024

Newly ventilated winter water (NVWW) is a cold, salty, nutrient‐rich water mass that is critical for supporting the ecosystem of the western Arctic Ocean and for ventilating the halocline in the Canada Basin. While the formation of NVWW is well‐documented on the Chukchi shelf, there remain fundamental questions regarding its formation on the western Beaufort shelf. In this study, we use hydrographic data from two late‐fall cruises in 2018 and 2022 to investigate the roles of sea ice production and wind‐driven upwelling in the formation of NVWW and the implications for the nutrient content of the water. For each of the shipboard transects, we apply proxies for the extent of the winter water formation and the strength of the associated upwelling, respectively. It is demonstrated that the NVWW attains higher levels of nitrate due to two factors: (a) more active formation of the water associated with enhanced sea ice production and (b) more extensive upwelling of water high in nutrients from the basin to the shelf following an easterly wind event. The latter process would be less common on the wide Chukchi shelf. These findings have significant implications for the regional primary production.
Seasonal and Interannual Salinity Variability on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf: Insights From Satellite Sea Surface Salinity and Implications for Stratification
Authors: Ryan Svenja , Ummenhofer Caroline C. , Gawarkiewicz Glen G.
Published: November 2024

The Northeast U.S. continental shelf (NEUS) is a highly productive and economically important region that has undergone substantial changes in recent years. Warming exceeds the global average and several episodes of anomalously warm, sustained temperatures have had profound impacts on regional fisheries. A majority of recent research studies focused on the analysis of temperature; however, salinity can serve as a valuable tracer as well. With now more than a decade of remote‐sensing sea surface salinity data, we shed new light onto salinity variability in the region with focus on the Mid‐Atlantic Bight and assess its role for modulating stratification on the shelf using historical hydrographic data. Local river discharge drives decreasing salinities not only in spring and summer on the shelf but also in the Slope Sea. In spring, fresher water aids the build‐up of stratification and a low salinity surface layer extends to the shelf break above the pycnocline by the beginning of summer. An observed salinification in the fall is linked to offshore forcing over the slope associated with the presence of Warm Core Rings. Coherent low‐frequency salinity variability is found over the slope and shelf, highlighting that shelf conditions are significantly impacted by offshore variability. Conditions on the NEUS in 2015 were characterized by anomalously high salinities, associated with a northerly position of the Gulf Stream. A freshening between 2015 and 2021, is in agreement with increased river cumulative discharge as well as lower offshore salinities. Overall, salinity serves as a valuable additional tracer of these multi‐variate processes.
Assessing Radiative Feedbacks and Their Contribution to the Arctic Amplification Measured by Various Metrics
Authors: Huo Yiling , Wang Hailong , Lu Jian , Fu Qiang , Jonko Alexandra K. , Lee Younjoo J. , Ma Weiming , Maslowski Wieslaw , Qin Yi
Published: November 2024

Arctic amplification (AA), characterized by a more rapid surface air temperature (SAT) warming in the Arctic than the global average, is a major feature of global climate warming. Various metrics have been used to quantify AA based on SAT anomalies, trends, or variability, and they can yield quite different conclusions regarding the magnitude and temporal patterns of AA. This study examines and compares various AA metrics for their temporal consistency in the region north of 70°N from the early twentieth to the early 21st century using observational data and reanalysis products. We also quantify contributions of different radiative feedback mechanisms to AA based on short‐term climate variability in reanalysis and model data using the Kernel‐Gregory approach. Albedo and lapse rate feedbacks are positive and comparable, with albedo feedback being the leading contributor for all AA metrics. The net cloud feedback, which has large uncertainties, depends strongly on the data sets and AA metrics used. By quantifying the influence of internal variability on AA and related feedbacks based on global climate model ensemble simulations, we find that water vapor and cloud feedbacks are most heavily affected by internal variability.
Diagenetic History and Biosignature Preservation Potential of Fine‐Grained Rocks at Hogwallow Flats, Jezero Crater, Mars
Authors: Broz A. P. , Horgan B. , Kalucha H. , Johnson J. R. , Royer C. , Dehouck E. , Mandon L. , Cardarelli E. L. , Garczynski B. , Haber J. H. , Benison K. C. , Ives E. , Stack K. M. , Mangold N. , Bosak T. , Simon J. I. , Gasda P. , Clave E. , Kathir B. S. , Zawaski M. , Barnes R. , Siljeström S. , Randazzo N. , Madariaga J. M. , Farley K. , Maki J. , Kah L. , Rapin W. , Kivrak L. L. , Williams A. J. , Hausrath E. , Núñez J. I. , Gómez F. , Steele A. , Fouchet T. , Bell J. F. , Wiens R. C.
Published: November 2024

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover discovered fine‐grained clastic sedimentary rocks in the “Hogwallow Flats” member of the “Shenandoah” formation at Jezero crater, Mars. The Hogwallow Flats member shows evidence of multiple phases of diagenesis including Fe/Mg‐sulfate‐rich (20–30 wt. %) outcrop transitioning downward into red‐purple‐gray mottled outcrop, Fe/Mg clay minerals and oxides, putative concretions, occasional Ca sulfate‐filled fractures, and variable redox state over small (cm) spatial scales. This work uses Mastcam‐Z and SuperCam instrument data to characterize and interpret the sedimentary facies, mineralogy and diagenetic features of the Hogwallow Flats member. The lateral continuity of bedrock similar in tone and morphology to Hogwallow Flats that occurs over several km within the western Jezero sedimentary fan suggests widespread deposition in a lacustrine or alluvial floodplain setting. Following deposition, sediments interacted with multiple fluids of variable redox state and salinity under habitable conditions. Three drilled sample cores were collected from this interval of the Shenandoah formation as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. These samples have very high potential to preserve organic compounds and biosignatures. Drill cores may partially include dark‐toned mottled outcrop that lies directly below light‐toned, sulfate‐cemented outcrop. This facies may represent some of the least oxidized material observed at this interval of the Shenandoah formation. This work reconstructs the diagenetic history of the Hogwallow Flats member and discusses implications for biosignature preservation in rock samples for possible return to Earth.
Modulation of Deformation by Magmatic Tempo, Coast Mountains Batholith, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Rusmore Margaret E. , Woodsworth Glenn J. , Cecil M. Robinson , Stowell Harold H. , Bollen Elizabeth , Gehrels George E. , Grove Marty , Young Pinkie
Published: November 2024

The tectonomagmatic evolution of the southern Coast Mountains batholith, British Columbia reveals the relation of magmatic tempo, deformation, and relative plate motions which inform models for growth of continental crust and convergent plate dynamics. Magmatism in the southern batholith is episodic, derived primarily from the mantle, and reflects lower‐plate dynamics (Cecil et al., 2018, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018gc007874, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1130/ges02361.1). New field, structural, geochronologic, and geobarometric results from the southern batholith document three episodes of deformation, each spatially and temporally coincident with a high magmatic flux event (HFE). Sinistral faulting (<117–103 Ma) and penetrative deformation (110–90 Ma) occurred only within two distinct areas affected by a HFE at 114–102 Ma. Following a magmatic lull, crustal shortening occurred after 90 Ma and before 72 Ma within the region affected by a second HFE (85–70 Ma). After 70 Ma and before 53 Ma, >100 km of dextral slip occurred on the Coast shear zone and minor shortening affected 64–62 Ma plutons, overlapping with the 64–61 Ma HFE. Thus, at the crustal level exposed in the southern batholith, the timing and location of deformation is linked to magmatic tempo and the style of deformation varies through time. These results suggest that magmatic HFE modulate the timing and location of deformation while relative plate motions during HFE influence the style of deformation. Periods of deformation in batholiths may thus record high‐flux magmatic events and coeval plate motion but do not necessarily signal changes in plate motions.
Anemia in patients ten years after bariatric surgery
Authors: Karlsson Mimmi , Ottosson Johan , Clarkson Spencer , Sjöberg Klas
Published: November 2024

Background

More than 10% of the global population has a BMI above 35. Bariatric surgery is an efficient way to treat this condition. Unfortunately, there is a risk of nutritional deficiencies. The number of studies after a longer time span is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of anaemia five and ten years after bariatric surgery and how it was related to substitution therapy.

Patients and methods

Registry data from individuals having primary bariatric surgery in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg) from 2007 to 2022 and with a follow-up at five or ten years was retrieved. Demographic data including weight, as well as method of surgery, Hb levels, supplementation, PPI use and stomal ulcerations were recorded.

Results

In total, 39,992 individuals (mean age 41 years, range 18–74, 77% women) could be included. The majority, 78%, had undergone laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. After five years, 2838/13,944 women (20.3%) and 456/4049 men (11.2%) had anaemia. After ten years, 644/3400 women (18.9%) and 178/947 men (18.8%) had anaemia. The use of oral iron increased from 40 to 45%, and the need for parenteral iron intake increased from 5 to 11%.

Conclusions

Anaemia is a significant but manageable condition five and ten years after bariatric surgery. Despite the prescription of oral iron supplements to 45% ten years after surgery, the Hb levels could still not be fully restored. Consequently, the importance of follow-up visits and continuous supplementation is emphasised.
Measured air quality impacts after teaching parents about cooking ventilation with a video: a pilot study
Authors: Holm Stephanie M. , Singer Brett C. , Kang Dufour Mi-Suk , Delp Woody , Nolan James E. S. , Bueno de Mesquita P. Jacob , Ward Bailey , Williamson Yahna , Le O’Philia , Russell Marion L. , Harley Kim G. , Balmes John R.
Published: November 2024

Background

Cooking-related emissions contribute to air pollutants in the home and may influence children’s health outcomes.

Objective

In this pilot study, we investigate the effects of a cooking ventilation intervention in homes with gas stoves, including a video-based educational intervention and range hood replacement (when needed) in children’s homes.

Methods

This was a pilot (n = 14), before-after trial (clinicaltrials.gov #NCT04464720) in homes in the San Francisco Bay Area that had a school-aged child, a gas stove, and either a venting range hood or over-the-range microwave/hood. Cooking events, ventilation use, and indoor air pollution were measured in homes for 2–4 weeks, and children completed respiratory assessments. Midway, families received this intervention: (1) education about the hazards of cooking-related pollutants and benefits of both switching to back burners and using the range hood whenever cooking and (2) ensuring the range hood met airflow and sound performance standards. The educational intervention was delivered via a video developed in conjunction with local youth.

Results

We found substantially increased use of back burners and slight increases in range hood use during cooking after intervening. Even though there was no change in cooking frequency or duration, these behavior changes resulted in decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2), including significant decreases in the total integrated concentration of NO2 over all cooking events from 1230 ppb*min (IQR 336, 7861) to 756 (IQR 84.0, 4210; p < 0.05) and NO2 collected on samplers over the entire pre- and post-intervention intervals from 10.4 ppb (IQR 3.5, 47.5) to 9.4 (IQR 3.0, 36.1; p < 0.005). There were smaller changes in PM2.5, and no changes were seen in respiratory outcomes.

Impact

This pilot before-after trial evaluated the use of a four-minute educational video to improve cooking ventilation in homes with gas stoves and one or more school-aged children. Participant behavior changed after watching the video, and there were decreases in indoor air pollutant concentrations in the home, some of which were significant. This brief video is now publicly available in English and Spanish (wspehsu.ucsf.edu/projects/indoor-air-quality), and this provides suggestive evidence of the utility of this simple intervention, which could be particularly beneficial for households that have children with asthma.
Surgically managed traumatic spinal cord injury in Singapore: a descriptive study across two level one trauma centres
Authors: Tan Yong Yao , Jiang Lei , Chew Zhihong , Yang Zhen , Rajaram Rajashulakshana , Tun Mon Hnin , Prasanna Kappaganthu Venkateshi , Chen Li Tat John , Soh Reuben Chee Cheong , Kumar Shree Dinesh
Published: November 2024

Study design

Case Series

Objectives

To provide an updated understanding of the incidence of surgically managed Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI) in Singapore and to identify factors affecting discharge disposition.

Setting

Patients were identified from two level one trauma centres in Singapore.

Methods

All patients who underwent surgical management for acute TSCI between January 2020 to December 2021 were included. Demographics, injury details, peri-operative condition, hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge disposition were evaluated. The overall characteristics of TSCI were summarised using descriptive statistics. The difference between discharge destinations was compared using chi-square test or t test. Variables with p values < 0.3 were selected for multivariable analysis.

Results

Forty-four patients were included. Median age was 65. The most common SCI aetiology was fall from standing height or less (54.6%). Accidents involving personal mobility devices, bicycles and motor vehicles made up the next largest group (20.5%). Thirty-nine cases (88.6%) involved the cervical region. There were two cases of inpatient mortality. Twenty-one patients (50%) were discharged home, 21 (50%) were discharged to a community hospital (CH) or nursing home (NH). The median LOS in an acute hospital was 41 days. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that functional independence measure (FIM) score on discharge was an independent factor that influenced discharge disposition (p = 0.037).

Conclusion

A public health focus on falls prevention, the development of geriatric spinal rehabilitation programs, and the consideration of a national registry are recommended for the comprehensive management of TSCI in Singapore.
Inhibition of VDAC1 oligomerization blocks cysteine deprivation-induced ferroptosis via mitochondrial ROS suppression
Authors: Jang Se-Kyeong , Ahn Se Hee , Kim Gyeongmi , Kim Selim , Hong Jungil , Park Ki Soo , Park In-Chul , Jin Hyeon-Ok
Published: November 2024

Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS), is characterized by iron accumulation and lethal lipid peroxidation. Mitochondria serve as the primary source of ROS and thus play a crucial role in ferroptosis initiation and execution. This study highlights the role of mitochondrial ROS and the significance of voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) oligomerization in ferroptosis induced by cysteine deprivation or ferroptosis-inducer RSL3. Our results demonstrate that the mitochondria-targeted antioxidants MitoQ and MitoT effectively block ferroptosis induction and that dysfunction of complex III of the mitochondrial electron transport chain contributes to ferroptosis induction. Pharmacological inhibitors that target VDAC1 oligomerization have emerged as potent suppressors of ferroptosis that reduce mitochondrial ROS production. These findings underscore the critical involvement of mitochondrial ROS production via complex III of the electron transport chain and the essential role of VDAC1 oligomerization in ferroptosis induced by cysteine deprivation or RSL3. This study deepens our understanding of the intricate molecular networks governing ferroptosis and provides insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting dysregulated cell death pathways.
Reconstructing the regulatory programs underlying the phenotypic plasticity of neural cancers
Authors: Larsson Ida , Held Felix , Popova Gergana , Koc Alper , Kundu Soumi , Jörnsten Rebecka , Nelander Sven
Published: November 2024

Nervous system cancers exhibit diverse transcriptional cell states influenced by normal development, injury response, and growth. However, the understanding of these states’ regulation and pharmacological relevance remains limited. Here we present “single-cell regulatory-driven clustering” (scregclust), a method that reconstructs cellular regulatory programs from extensive collections of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from both tumors and developing tissues. The algorithm efficiently divides target genes into modules, predicting key transcription factors and kinases with minimal computational time. Applying this method to adult and childhood brain cancers, we identify critical regulators and suggest interventions that could improve temozolomide treatment in glioblastoma. Additionally, our integrative analysis reveals a meta-module regulated by SPI1 and IRF8 linked to an immune-mediated mesenchymal-like state. Finally, scregclust’s flexibility is demonstrated across 15 tumor types, uncovering both pan-cancer and specific regulators. The algorithm is provided as an easy-to-use R package that facilitates the exploration of regulatory programs underlying cell plasticity.