bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
31 ANALYSIS OF THE INTERVENTION EFFECT OF DIGITAL ART TEAM ON LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION DISORDERS IN AUTISTIC PATIENTS
Authors: Sun* Menglin , Zhang Yixin , Yu Meng , Chen Anqi
Published: February 2025

Background

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by poor communication behavior, narrow interests, and stereotyped behavior. Language communication barriers have a profound impact on the lives of individuals with autism, as they struggle to understand the verbal and nonverbal communication of others, and have weak adaptability. Studies have shown that painting can help individuals with autism release their inner emotions and stress, reduce anxiety and stereotyped behavior. The digital art team can provide patients with a non-verbal way of expression through art therapy, helping them release emotions and improve social interaction and communication skills. However, the actual application effect of digital art teams in the intervention of language communication disorders in autistic patients has not been verified. Therefore, the study will explore the intervention effect of digital art teams on language communication disorders in individuals with autism.

Methods

The study selected 65 autistic patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in a certain city from October 2019 to July 2023 as the research subjects, and divided them into an observation group (n=33) and a control group (n=32) using a random number table method. Patients in the control group received routine care, while patients in the observation group received art therapy from the digital art team on the basis of routine care. The experiment lasts for 2 months. The study used the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) to evaluate the degree of autism in autistic patients before and after treatment from four dimensions: language communication, physiology, cognitive ability, and social ability. The higher the score, the more severe the symptoms.

Results

The ATEC scores of the two groups of patients before and after treatment are shown in Table 1. From Table 1, there was no statistically significant difference in ATEC scores between the two groups of patients before treatment (P>0.05). After two months of treatment, the ATEC scores of both groups of patients significantly decreased (P<0.05). And the scores of the observation group patients in the four dimensions of language communication, physiology, cognitive ability, and social ability were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05).

Discussion

Language communication skills disorder is a common and significant obstacle among individuals with autism. The experimental results show that the art therapy of digital art teams can effectively improve the language communication ability, cognitive ability, and social ability of autistic patients, and improve their autism symptoms. The research findings contribute to improving the quality of life and social functioning of individuals with autism, and provide an effective means of intervening in language communication disorders among individuals with autism.
62 EFFECT OF CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE COMBINED WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES
Authors: Su Yiying
Published: February 2025

Background

Schizophrenia, a chronic and disabling mental illness, affects approximately 1% of the world’s population. It is characterised by a range of symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, disturbed thinking and cognitive impairment. The traditional approach to treating schizophrenia has centred on antipsychotic medications and various forms of psychotherapy. However, recent research suggests that supplemental therapies such as complementary therapies supplemented with contemporary literature can enhance the effectiveness of traditional treatments by improving cognitive functioning and mood regulation. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of integrating contemporary literature into psychotherapy on mental health outcomes for patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

A randomised controlled trial of 120 participants with schizophrenia diagnosed at our institution were selected for the study. All participants were divided into a control group and an intervention group of 60 participants each. The control group received standard treatment (antipsychotic medication and traditional psychotherapy) and the intervention group received the same standard treatment and a programme treatment involving reading and discussing contemporary literature. The intervention group participated in weekly programme treatments, reading and discussing selected works, focusing on themes related to mental health and personal experiences. The study used the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) were conducted to assess participants’ cognition and emotion. The entire experimental period was 12 months.

Results

Positive symptoms (hallucinations and delusions) decreased by 25% (P<0.05) and negative symptoms (social withdrawal and emotional flatness) decreased by 30% (P<0.05) in the intervention group after 12 months. Cognitive functioning in the intervention group as measured by the MCCB improved by 15% (P<0.05) compared to the control group. Emotion regulation in the intervention group improved DERS scores by 20% compared to the control group (P>0.05). The results showed that there was a correlation between the level of engagement with literature and the improvement of participants’ symptoms and cognitive functioning (R=0.56, P<0.001). Specific results are shown in Table 1.

Discussion

Findings suggest that integrating contemporary literature into psychotherapy can significantly improve mental health outcomes for people with schizophrenia. Using literature as a therapeutic tool appears to enhance emotional expression and cognitive engagement, leading to better symptom management and improved social functioning. The study highlights the potential of complementary therapies in mental health treatment and calls for further research into how literary engagement affects cognitive and affective processes in people with schizophrenia.
63 THE IMPACT OF COLOR THERAPY IN FASHION DESIGN ON COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Wang Yanhui , Wei* Na
Published: February 2025

Background

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the exploration of non-drug treatment for schizophrenia. Among them, color therapy, as a new treatment method, shows a positive impact on the possible treatment of schizophrenia. Color therapy uses the psychological effect of color on emotion and behavior to improve patients’ mental health by triggering emotional response and regulating behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of color therapy on cognitive function of schizophrenic patients in fashion design. By examining the influence of specific color matching in clothing, we hope to provide more scientific basis for the role of environmental stimulation in mental health management and rehabilitation.

Methods

120 patients diagnosed as schizophrenia were included in the study, and were randomly assigned to the control group or the experimental group. The control group received routine mental health care, including medication, psychosocial intervention and regular medical monitoring. The experimental group received routine nursing care and additionally introduced color therapy. Participants in the experimental group were provided with a set of specially designed colorful clothes, and the color selection of these clothes was based on the color psychology principle that was proved in previous studies to stimulate positive emotions and alleviate anxiety. The cognitive function of the two groups was evaluated by using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), including the tests of attention, memory and executive function. Data were collected at baseline, immediately after intervention and three months later.

Results

The experiment showed that the cognitive function of the experimental group was significantly improved compared with the control group (P<0.05). In the experimental group, the attention (P<0.05) and working memory (P<0.05) were significantly improved. This improvement was maintained during the three-month follow-up, indicating the lasting effect of color therapy intervention. Visual scanning path analysis shows that compared with the control group, the patients in the experimental group are more focused and efficient in visual attention mode. The specific results are shown in Table 1.

Discussion

The results show that the color therapy applied in fashion design can significantly improve the cognitive function of schizophrenic patients. The use of specific colors in clothing may provide a non-invasive and cost-effective way to improve cognitive performance. The results support the integration of color therapy into the treatment plan of schizophrenia, which may supplement traditional drug and psychological intervention. Future research should explore the long-term effect of color therapy and its influence on all aspects of schizophrenia, including emotional symptoms and social functions.

Funding

No. 18YJC760091; No. 22BGL067; No. 23FYSB011.
70 RESEARCH ON THE ROLE OF VOCAL TRAINING IN IMPROVING COGNITIVE FUNCTION OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Zhuang Jing
Published: February 2025

Background

Schizophrenia patients exhibit sensory and behavioral abnormalities, and the current common intervention treatment mainly uses drugs to block dopamine receptors in the brain. However, the cognitive function of patients with schizophrenia cannot be cured through medication. In current interventions for schizophrenia, vocal training therapy can regulate the patient’s breathing rhythm, maintain their heart rate and emotions, relax their mood and body, thereby increasing their resistance to stressful situations. Therefore, the study explored the positive effects of vocal training on cognitive function training in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

A study was conducted on 150 patients with schizophrenia, who were evenly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 75 patients in each group. The control group received routine nursing methods and the nursing time was maintained for 6 months. The experimental group added soothing vocal training activities on the basis of routine care, twice a week for 30 minutes each time. The same intervention lasted for 6 months in the experimental group. After intervention, Stroop color word test was used to evaluate patients’ cognitive function.

Results

The study will evaluate the cognitive function level of patients with schizophrenia based on the Stroop color word test results before and after intervention in the experimental and control groups. The specific results are shown in Table 1.

From the table, it can be seen that the control group scored 97.32±1.27 and 97.87±1.40 before and after intervention in the A card test, respectively. The scores of the experimental group before and after intervention were 97.65±1.27 and 99.70±0.46, respectively. In the detection of the B card, the scores of the control group before and after intervention were 94.75±1.77 and 95.18±2.22, respectively, while the detection scores of the experimental group were 95.10±1.66 and 98.73±1.04, respectively. In the C card, the scores of the control group before and after intervention were 87.20±3.83 and 88.08±3.76, respectively. The scores of the experimental group before and after intervention were 86.53±3.55 and 95.60±2.12, respectively. From the data results, it can be seen that the experimental group showed a greater increase in Stroop color word test scores after intervention, indicating that vocal training can effectively improve cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia.

Discussion

The experimental results indicate that the intervention method of vocal training can improve patients’ thinking expression ability and memory by soothing their physical and mental health, and through vocal music. Through vocal training, patients with schizophrenia can enhance their self-identity through beautiful musical works and singing behavior, thereby improving their psychological state and cognitive function, enhancing their self-management level and quality of life.
84 THE STRESS REGULATION OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS THROUGH VR DIGITAL CULTURAL TOURISM
Authors: Wang Xiaofen , Liao Fuxuan , Li Zongfei , Han Lihua , Wang Yanzhen , Li Hang
Published: February 2025

Background

Virtual Reality (VR) digital tourism refers to the use of VR technology combined with digitalization to create virtual experiences with cultural and tourism elements. Through VR technology, users can immerse themselves in exploring various cultural heritage, historical scenes, tourist attractions, etc., achieving cultural and tourism experiences in virtual spaces. With the continuous advancement of VR technology, it has also been widely applied in the field of mental illness. VR technology can bring patients into a virtual environment and provide them with immersive therapy, effectively alleviating their symptoms. The research aims to explore the moderating effect of VR digital tourism on psychological stress in patients with schizophrenia, in order to provide guidance for clinical practice.

Methods

56 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in the Department of Psychiatry from January 2024 to June 2024 were selected from the First People’s Hospital of a certain city. The participants were randomly assigned to a VR digital tourism treatment group (28 patients) and a conventional treatment group (28 patients). The conventional treatment group received treatment through medication and psychological guidance, while the VR digital tourism treatment group provided patients with VR devices and selected virtual environments based on their needs for treatment. The treatment lasted for 3 months. Using SPSS 22.0 statistical software for data analysis, the status of patients with schizophrenia was evaluated through the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS), which includes three dimensions: psychosocial, energy dynamics, and symptoms/side effects.

Results

The comparison results of the included patients’ SQL scores are shown in Table 1. Before intervention, the VR digital tourism treatment group scored 32.25 ± 5.08, 20.46 ± 4.17, and 22.38 ± 4.74 in the dimensions of psychosocial, energy dynamics, and symptom/side effects, respectively. After intervention, the VR digital tourism treatment group scored 23.86 ± 2.82, 14.58 ± 2.12, and 15.52 ± 2.02 in three dimensions, respectively. After intervention, the scores of the VR digital tourism treatment group in three dimensions were lower than before intervention, and the scores of the VR digital tourism treatment group after intervention were significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).

Discussion

VR digital tourism has a significant effect on stress regulation in patients with schizophrenia. VR technology can help patients with schizophrenia relax their body and mind, enjoy their mood, improve their sleep quality, and effectively regulate their stress by creating numerous high-quality scenes.

Funding

2022YFF0902402; 2024-01; 22285801Z; ZD202121; 22375801D.
94 THE IMPACT OF LIVING SPACES BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL ART DESIGN ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Che Haoqiang
Published: February 2025

Background

Environmental art design is a comprehensive design method that improves the living experience of residents by optimizing the artistic and functional aspects of space and environment. In recent years, environmental art design has gradually been applied in the field of mental health. Multiple studies have shown that optimized living environments can effectively alleviate negative emotions in patients with schizophrenia. However, the application of environmental art design in the psychological rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia is still in its early stages. The study aims to explore the impact of living spaces based on environmental art design on the psychological rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

A study selected 58 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia from a certain hospital, divided into an experimental group and a control group. Both groups of patients were treated with conventional drugs. The control group maintained the original hospitalization environment. The living space of the experimental group patients was renovated according to the principles of environmental art design. In the renovation, the overall color design is mainly focused on warm and comfortable tones. At the same time, natural lighting was increased, and wide windows and transparent materials were installed. In addition, add plants, natural landscapes, and artistic decorations indoors. Before and after the experiment, the Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used to evaluate the psychological rehabilitation status of patients.

Results

The SDS and SAS scores of the two groups of patients before and after the experiment are shown in Table 1. According to Table 1, the SDS scores of the experimental group before and after treatment were 45.2 ± 5.3 points and 28.6 ± 4.8 points, respectively. The SAS scores before and after treatment were 51.1 ± 7.8 points and 31.5 ± 5.5 points, respectively, with statistical differences (P<0.05). The improvement of depression and anxiety symptoms in the control group was relatively small, with only the SDS score showing statistical differences (P<0.05). In the inter group comparison results, the scores of the experimental group were significantly better than those of the control group (P<0.05).

Discussion

The research results indicate that optimizing living spaces through design elements such as warm color tones, sufficient natural lighting, green plants, and artistic decorations can significantly improve the psychological state of patients with schizophrenia. Environmental art design not only helps improve patients’ living comfort, enhance the natural and aesthetic effects of the environment, but also alleviates patients’ negative emotions and promotes their psychological recovery. Subsequent research can further explore the impact of environmental design on patients’ psychological rehabilitation mechanisms.
Examining Different Methods to Assess Busulfan Exposure in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
Authors: Thompson Maxwell , Staatz Christine E. , Fraser Christopher J. , Hennig Stefanie , Lawson Rachael
Published: February 2025

Background:

Noncompartmental analysis (NCA) and model-based method (MBM) can be used to estimate the cumulative area under the concentration–time curve (AUCcum) during therapeutic drug monitoring. Understanding predictive differences among these techniques should assist in switching between them and interpreting their results. The aim of this study was to compare busulfan AUCcum prediction based on NCA technique (Kinetica) and MBM (NextDose) applied to the same concentration–time data from pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients.

Methods:

Data on busulfan therapy administered once daily through intermittent infusion were obtained from 4 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Busulfan concentrations were measured at 3, 3.25, 4, 5, 6, and 8 hours after infusion initiation over 4 treatment days. Information on busulfan dose, pharmacokinetic profile, and patient covariate factors (if required) were supplied sequentially to Kinetica and NextDose to generate NCA-based and MBM-based predictions of busulfan exposure; differences in AUCcum estimates at the end of the treatment course were compared using Bland–Altman plots, box plots, and Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test.

Results:

Data from 90 HSCT recipients (2131 busulfan samples) were included. The median patient age and weight were 4.3 years and 17.0 kg, respectively. Median AUCcum estimated based on NCA and MBM were 78.0 mg.h/L [range: 51.7–107.0] and 85.5 mg.h/L [range: 60.6–120.8], respectively, with statistically significant difference in AUCcum values (P < 0.001). The mean percentage difference in AUCcum values between the 2 different methods suggested that if the AUCcum target using MBMs (NextDose) is 78–101 mg.h/L, then an equivalent target using NCA (Kinetica) would be reduced by 9.1%.

Conclusions:

When switching between NCA and MBMs to estimate busulfan AUCcum in pediatric HSCT recipients, a change in the target AUCcum is likely required to maintain a similar drug exposure during therapeutic drug monitoring.
A New Technique for Anticoagulation and Prevention of Bleeding During Impella 5.5 Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation
Authors: Copeland Hannah , Mohammed Asim , Morton John
Published: February 2025

The Abiomed Impella 5.5 (Danvers, MA) is a temporary left ventricular assist device (LVAD) used to support patients during acute cardiogenic shock. It is a catheter-based micro-axial blood pump that is surgically implanted to provide up to 5.5 liters per minute (LPM) of cardiac augmentation. The pump is most frequently inserted through a right subclavicular incision to the axillary artery. Anticoagulation is used during the implant procedure and then maintained at a lower concentration during the duration of support. Inadequate anticoagulation can result in pump thrombosis with subsequent thromboembolization. Excess anticoagulation can result in surgical site bleeding and potential hematoma formation. This case series details three patients with a low-dose anticoagulation strategy. There were no adverse embolic or hemorrhagic events in the peri- or postoperative period.
Bioactive compounds in human milk
Authors: Witte Castro Ariadna , Sanchez-Holgado Maria , Saenz de Pipaon Miguel
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review:

Human milk is the optimal food choice for infants. Reviewing the latest advances in research about human milk compounds and their effect on health helps understand the benefits of breastfeeding and improves knowledge of key bioactive nutrients that can be used to improve feeding during infancy, with short and long-time effects on health.

Recent findings:

In the last years, it has been described how bioactive compounds such as Human milk oligosaccharides, hormones, lipids, cellular components and microbes play an important role in the infants’ health, reducing the risk of infectious, metabolic and autoimmune diseases. The mechanisms of transmission from the mother to the infant of these bioactive compounds are not always well described, but there are several lines of research to understand the biological mechanisms of these beneficial effects.

These findings may help improve research in maternal and infant interventions, the modifiable factors that are able to modulate human milk composition. They may help to improve the development of infant formulas and enhance nutritional plans. Also, human milk bioactive compounds identification and isolation may describe new ways of supplementation.
Disease associated malnutrition in pediatrics – what is new?
Authors: Huysentruyt Koen , Hulst Jessie M. , Gerasimidis Konstantinos , Joosten Koen F.
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review

Disease associated malnutrition (DAM) remains an important concern in the care of hospitalized children and children with a chronic disease. This review focused on pediatric literature published since 2023 on the prevalence, assessment and treatment of DAM in different settings.

Recent findings

The prevalence of DAM depends on a variety of factors. Studies focused on the relationship between different assessment methods of DAM and sarcopenia in hospitalized children and children with an underlying disease and clinical outcomes. Several papers focused on exploring the interplay between nutritional management and the evolving metabolic phases of critically ill children. Some studies explored feeding intolerance and barriers to administering enteral nutrition, micronutrient assessment and whether continuous versus intermittent feeding was superior in pediatric intensive care.

In hospitalized children and chronically ill children, nutritional assessment and assessment of frailty and/or sarcopenia is best done using a comprehensive approach integrating anthropometrics, nutrition focused history and physical examination. Adequate nutritional support for critically ill children is challenging and needs to be tailored to the specific phases of critical illness. Intermittent feeding may offer potential advantages in inducing ketosis and circadian rhythm alignment but requires careful management to prevent nutritional deficits.
The history and future of online hemodiafiltration and online solutions in North America
Authors: Leduc Clement , Tomisawa Narumi , Ronco Claudio , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar
Published: February 2025

Purpose of review

Online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is a type of outpatient intermittent dialysis therapy using purified online dialysis fluid sourced from the city water supply. OL-HDF has been widely practiced in Europe and Japan, and its clinical effects have been reported for prevention of dialysis amyloidosis, inflammation, and dialysis hypotension.

Recent findings

A randomized controlled trial of all-cause mortality in postdilution OL-HDF and high-flux hemodialysis groups with replacement fluid volumes >23 l/session (CONVINCE study) reported a lower risk of all-cause mortality with OL-HDF compared to conventional hemodialysis. Whereas USA had not previously adopted OL-HDF, in February 2024 Fresenius’ 5008K received 510K FDA approval, Although efforts to purify dialysis water and systems using dialysis fluid for HDF, such as those from Aksys (2002) and Nephros (2012), had been made in the past in the USA, they did not gain widespread adoption. Neighboring Canada has been conducting OL-HDF using the Gambro AK200 (1999), Baxter Artis (2009), B. Braun Dialog+ (2010), B. Braun Dialog IQ (2021) and the Fresenius 5008 (2013), all of which have received Health Canada approval for OL-HDF.

OL-HDF's introduction to the USA represents both a challenge and an opportunity for patient care and the nephrology community. As a potentially superior treatment for ESRD patients, OL-HDF enables larger volumes of exchange, reduces costs by creating online solutions to replace expensive offline fluids, makes HDF therapy affordable for outpatient setting, and may improve survival and quality of life. However, significant barriers − ranging from regulatory and reimbursement hurdles to infrastructural inadequacies − must be addressed. Whether OL-HDF can finally emerge as a transformational renal replacement therapy after its entry to the US healthcare system remains to be determined.
“Redefining the Incidence of Infantile Glenohumeral Dysplasia Following Brachial Plexus Birth Injury”
Authors: Khabyeh-Hasbani Nathan , Robbins Victoria , Gotlieb-Horowitz Megan , Behbahani Mandana , Meisel Erin , Koehler Steven M
Published: February 2025

Background:

Glenohumeral dysplasia (GHD) is a well-documented sequelae following brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI). Despite its morbidity, the precise incidence of infantile GHD varies widely in the literature.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study included consecutive patients diagnosed with a non-transient BPBI between November 2021-November 2023. Patients were enrolled into the study from a specialized, high-volume brachial plexus clinic. A diagnosis of GHD was made by an alpha angle measurement on ultrasonography greater than 30° in the setting of abnormal shoulder function, as indicated by Active Movement Scale (AMS) scores for shoulder abduction, shoulder flexion, and external rotation.

Results:

Forty-two infants with a diagnosis of non-transient BPBI were initially seen at a mean age of 1.6 months. During continuous follow-up, 50% (n=21) of patients were diagnosed with GHD with a mean alpha angle of 35° (SD 8) and at a mean age of 3.2 (SD 1.4) months. At the time of diagnosis, infants had a median AMS score of 4 (interquartile [IQR] 3, 5) for shoulder abduction, 5 (IQR 3, 5) for shoulder flexion, and 4 (IQR 2, 5) for external rotation. The presence of upper extremity fracture was significant when comparing BPBI patients with GHD and those without, though the relative risk was not significant.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates a high incidence of GHD in a prospective evaluation of infants with BPBI using serial ultrasonography. Those caring for BPBIs should be aware of such a common sequela and initiate early screening and management protocols to prevent and treat the deformity.
Recovery Patterns
Authors: Toben Daan J , de Wind Astrid , van der Meij Eva , Huirne Judith AF. , Hoogendoorn Mark , Anema Johannes R
Published: February 2025

Background:

A rise in the proportion of day surgery has seen a concomitant increase in the proportion of patients recovering at home. Blended eHealth is well situated to provide this group with medical support and supervision. However, a data-driven description of the heterogeneity is missing.

Objective:

To identify clinically meaningful patterns of functional recovery following abdominal surgery and describe how the emergent patient characteristics differ between them.

Methods:

This was a secondary data analysis of two datasets collected through two previously conducted RCTs. We used k-medoids clustering and Growth Mixture Modelling on the longitudinal patient reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS) physical function (PF) t-scores of 649 patients. Differences in patient characteristics between the resultant clusters were identified through statistical tests.

Results:

Three clusters – fast, intermediate and uneven recovery - were identified regardless of the dataset or statistical technique. A fourth cluster – relapse – was identified by both statistical techniques but only in the presence of heavy surgery. The fifth and sixth clusters – low gain and high gain – were identified for both light and heavy surgery, but only through k-medoids clustering.

Conclusions:

Trajectories of physical function following abdominal surgery are heterogenous but distinct clinically meaningful patterns can be extracted. This classification may facilitate shared-decision making during pre-operative care and future research may utilize them as targets for prediction.
Multicenter Prospective Evaluation of Patient Radiation Exposure During Fenestrated-Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair
Authors: Mesnard Thomas , Huang Ying , Schanzer Andres , Timaran Carlos H. , Schneider Darren B. , Mendes Bernardo C. , Eagleton Matthew J. , Farber Mark A. , Parodi F. Ezequiel , Gasper Warren J. , Beck Adam W. , Sweet Matthew P. , Zetterval Sara L. , Lee Anthony , Oderich Gustavo S. ,   On behalf of the United States Aortic Research Consortium
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To assess patient radiation exposure as reflected by cumulative air kerma (CAK) and dose area product (DAP) during fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR).

Summary Background Data:

Patient radiation exposure during FB-EVAR has been reported inconsistently.

Methods:

Data from 2,111 patients enrolled in 10 physician-sponsored investigational device exemption studies (2012-2022) were analyzed from the United States Aortic Research Consortium database. Procedures were performed using seven fixed imaging systems (A to G). Patients were classified into three groups by imaging era: 2012-2015 (Group 1), 2016-2018 (Group 2), and 2019-2022 (Group 3). Primary endpoints were CAK and DAP risk factors, assessed using linear mixed-effect models. Secondary endpoints were diagnostic reference levels (DRL) for FB-EVAR.

Results:

Of the 2,111 patients (71% males; mean 74±9 years years-old) treated by FB-EVAR; 263 (12%) were in Group 1, 541 (26%) in Group 2, and 1,307 (62%) in Group 3. Use of ≥4 vessel stent-graft designs increased from 69% (Group 1) to 79% (Group 3) (P<0.001). Median CAK decreased from 3,644 mGy (Group 1) to 1,753 mGy (Group 3), and DAP from 441 Gy.cm² to 208 Gy.cm² (P<0.001). Higher BMI, iliac branch device (IBD) use, and longer fluoroscopy time (FT) were associated with increased CAK and DAP, while experienced operators and systems D, F, and G were protective (P<0.05). DRLs for Group 3 were 2,800 mGy (CAK) and 340 Gy.cm² (DAP).

Conclusions:

Radiation exposure during FB-EVAR significantly decreased over time. Higher BMI, IBD use, and FT were linked to increased exposure, while experienced operator and System D, F or G were protective. Trial registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifiers: NCT02043691 NCT00583817 NCT00483249 NCT01937949 NCT02050113 NCT02323581 NCT01874197 NCT01654133 NCT02266719.
Postoperative Sarcopenia and Association with Recurrence in Resected Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Cancer
Authors: Khan Arsalan A , Shah Savan K , Naeem Wara , Basu Sanjib , Alex Gillian C , Geissen Nicole M , Liptay Michael J , Seder Christopher W
Published: February 2025

Introduction:

We hypothesize that reduction in skeletal muscle volume between the time of surgery and the first postoperative surveillance CT scan is associated with recurrence in resected early-stage NSCLC patients.

Methods:

Patients who underwent lung resection for pT1-2aN0 NSCLC between 2010-2021 were identified. Exclusion criteria included neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy, missing CT scan data, and steroid use. Volumetric body composition analysis was performed with Data Analysis Facilitation Suite software using preoperative and initial postoperative surveillance CT scans. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the association between body composition changes and recurrence.

Results:

Overall, 233 patients were examined, including 63% (147/233) females with a median BMI of 27 (IQR 23-30) kg/m2, and median tumor size of 1.6 (IQR 1.3-2.2) cm. Disease recurrence was observed in 14% (33/233), and the median time to recurrence was 15 (IQR 9-25) months. In patients that recurred, median skeletal muscle percent change was -3.6% (IQR -9.26 to 1.23) and 1.99% (IQR -4.6 to 11.4) in non-recurrent patients. On univariable analysis, loss in skeletal muscle volume > 1% was associated with worse disease-free survival (HR 2.93, CI 1.42- 6.04, p=0.004). On multivariable analysis, after controlling for gender, age, race, BMI, pack-years, FEV1, histology, tumor size, number of nodes, procedure type, and co-morbidities, this association persisted (HR 3.16, CI 1.44-6.94, p=0.004).

Conclusion:

Loss in skeletal muscle volume on first surveillance CT scan is associated with recurrence after resection of early-stage NSCLC.
Analysis of the sheep (Ovis aries) vaginal microbiota preceding spontaneous abortion: a pilot study
Authors: Jonas Lucille C. , Schmitz-Esser Stephan , Youngs Curtis R.
Published: February 2025

Little is known regarding the vaginal microbiota of sheep that undergo spontaneous abortions. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, the vaginal microbiota throughout gestation of two ewes (Ewe1 and Ewe2) that spontaneously aborted. Ewe1’s vaginal microbiota contained high abundances of Histophilus, Staphylococcus, and Unclassified Pasteurellaceae. Most notable was the high abundance of Campylobacter in Ewe1’s vaginal microbiota following the abortion. Ewe2’s vaginal microbiota was characterized by high abundances of Pasteurella throughout gestation. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing produced two high quality metagenome-assembled-genomes (MAGs), identified as Campylobacter jejuni and Histophilus somni. The C. jejuni MAG had 99.95% average nucleotide identity (ANI) to the most abundant sheep-abortive C. jejuni clone in the US. The H. somni MAG was most similar to a pathogenic H. somni strain, and contained genes that contribute to serum resistance and sialic acid utilization. The results presented here demonstrate the need for continued research into the vaginal microbiota, specifically to identify potential predictors of spontaneous abortion.
Nicotine Influence on Vascular and Neurocognitive Function with In-utero Electronic Cigarette Exposure
Authors: Mills Amber , Corbin Deborah , Dakhlallah Duaa , Chantler Paul D. , Olfert Ivan Mark
Published: February 2025

Emerging studies find arteriolar dysfunction in offspring with in-utero electronic cigarette (Ecig) exposure, but the long-term effect on offspring's cerebrovascular vascular and neurocognitive health is poorly understood. Ecigs provides a unique opportunity to directly evaluate the contributions of inhaled nicotine from the vehicle e-liquid - which was not possible with traditional cigarettes. Moreover, many Ecigs have variable power settings, which can alter the toxicity of the aerosol cloud produced. We hypothesize maternal vaping at different wattages will have variable effects on cerebrovascular function in the offspring, and that these effects would be independent of nicotine. We used time-mated female Sprague-Dawley rats with Ecig exposure from gestation day (GD)2-21. We studied male and female offspring for vascular and neurocognitive function at 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-months of age. We found that, both sexes, offspring with in-utero exposure (at 5w and 30w Ecig conditions) exhibited impaired middle cerebral artery (MCA) reactivity. While the magnitude of impairment was greater at higher that lower watts, Ecig at 5-watts still exhibited significant impairments in MCA function (suggesting the harm threshold for blood vessels is very low). Vascular dysfunction was evident with or without nicotine in the e-liquid, but nicotine exposure resulted in short-term memory deficits, evidence of neuronal damage, and increased astrocyte interaction with endothelial cells in 6- and 12-month-old offspring. We also observed altered expression of clock genes and antioxidant signaling pathways, along with a decrease in sirtuin-1 expression, decreased ratio of beta-amyloid A? 42/40 protein expression, and increased in NOX1, which are consistent with redox imbalance, neuroinflammation, and advancing cellular senescence. These preclinical data provide evidence suggesting that in utero exposure to Ecigs from maternal vaping can be expected to adversely affect the brain health of offspring in their adult life and that neurocognitive outcomes are worsened with exposure to nicotine.
Long-read single-cell RNA sequencing enables the study of cancer subclone-specific genotypes and phenotypes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Black Gage S. , Huang Xiaomeng , Qiao Yi , Moos Philip , Sampath Deepa , Stephens Deborah M. , Woyach Jennifer A. , Marth Gabor T.
Published: February 2025

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors are effective for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) due to BTK's role in B cell survival and proliferation. Treatment resistance is most commonly caused by the emergence of the hallmarkBTKC481Smutation that inhibits drug binding. In this study, we aimed to investigate cancer subclones harboring aBTKC481Smutation and identify cells with co-occurring CLL driver mutations. In addition, we sought to determine whetherBTK-mutated subclones exhibit distinct transcriptomic behavior when compared to other cancer subclones. To achieve these goals, we use scBayes, which integrates bulk DNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to genotype individual cells for subclone-defining mutations. While the most common approach for scRNA-seq includes short-read sequencing, transcript coverage is limited due to the vast majority of the reads being concentrated at the priming end of the transcript. Here, we utilized MAS-seq, a long-read scRNA-seq technology, to substantially increase transcript coverage and expand the set of informative mutations to link cells to cancer subclones in six CLL patients who acquiredBTKC481Smutations during BTK inhibitor treatment. In two patients who developed two independentBTK-mutated subclones, we found that mostBTK-mutated cells have an additional CLL-driver gene mutation. When examining subclone-specific gene expression, we found that in one patient,BTK-mutated subclones are transcriptionally distinct from the rest of the malignant B cell population with an overexpression of CLL-relevant genes.
Paramagnetic fluctuations of the magnetocaloric compound
MnFe4Si3
Authors: Biniskos N. , Schmalzl K. , Persson J. , Raymond S.
Published: February 2025

An inelastic neutron scattering technique is employed to investigate the paramagnetic spin dynamics in a single-crystalline sample of the magnetocaloric compound MnFe4Si3. In the investigated temperature range, 1.033×TC to 1.5×TC, where TC is the Curie temperature, the spin fluctuations are well described by the ferromagnetic Heisenberg model predictions. Apart from the Heisenberg exchange, additional pseudodipolar interactions manifest through a finite long-wavelength relaxation rate that vanishes at the transition temperature (TC=305 K). Based on the characteristic extent of spin fluctuations in wave-vector and energy space, we determine that the nature of magnetism in MnFe4Si3 is localized above room temperature. This contrasts with the most celebrated Mn- and Fe-based magnetocaloric materials that are considered as itinerant magnets. The field dependence of the paramagnetic spectra shows a strong suppression of the quasielastic excitations, while a field-induced spin-wave mode appears at finite-energy transfers for a magnetic field of 2 T. This modification of the spectra suggests a decrease of magnetic entropy with applied magnetic field that finds echo in the magnetocaloric properties of the system.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Hidden amplitude zeros from the double-copy map
Authors: Bartsch Christoph , Brown Taro V. , Kampf Karol , Oktem Umut , Paranjape Shruti , Trnka Jaroslav
Published: February 2025

Recently, Arkani-Hamed proposed the existence of zeros in scattering amplitudes in certain quantum field theories including the cubic adjoint scalar theory Tr(ϕ3), the SU(N) nonlinear sigma model and Yang-Mills theory. These hidden zeros are special kinematic points where the amplitude vanishes and factorizes into a product of lower-point amplitudes, similar to factorization near poles. In this paper, we show a close connection between the existence of such zeros and the double-copy map. In fact, compatibility with the Bern-Carrasco-Johansson relations requires the presence of these zeros. We also show that these zeros extend via the Kawai-Lewellen-Tye relations to special Galileon amplitudes and their corrections, evincing that these hidden zeros are also present in permutation-invariant amplitudes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
First Measurement of the Neutron-Emission Probability with a Surrogate Reaction in Inverse Kinematics at a Heavy-Ion Storage Ring
Authors: Sguazzin M. , Jurado B. , Pibernat J. , Swartz J. A. , Grieser M. , Glorius J. , Litvinov Yu. A. , Adamczewski-Musch J. , Alfaurt P. , Ascher P. , Audouin L. , Berthelot C. , Blank B. , Blaum K. , Brückner B. , Dellmann S. , Dillmann I. , Domingo-Pardo C. , Dupuis M. , Erbacher P. , Flayol M. , Forstner O. , Freire-Fernández D. , Gerbaux M. , Giovinazzo J. , Grévy S. , Griffin C. J. , Gumberidze A. , Heil S. , Heinz A. , Hess R. , Kurtulgil D. , Kurz N. , Leckenby G. , Litvinov S. , Lorentz B. , Méot V. , Michaud J. , Pérard S. , Petridis N. , Popp U. , Ramos D. , Reifarth R. , Roche M. , Sanjari M. S. , Sidhu R. S. , Spillmann U. , Steck M. , Stöhlker Th. , Thomas B. , Thulliez L. , Versteegen M. , Włoch B.
Published: February 2025

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections of short-lived nuclei are imperative to understand the origin of heavy elements in stellar nucleosynthesis and for societal applications, but their measurement is extremely complicated due to the radioactivity of the targets involved. One way of overcoming this issue is to combine surrogate reactions with the unique possibilities offered by heavy-ion storage rings. In this work, we describe the first surrogate-reaction experiment in inverse kinematics, which we successfully conducted at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of the GSI/FAIR facility, using the Pb208(p,p′) reaction as a surrogate for neutron capture on Pb207. Thanks to the outstanding detection efficiencies possible at the ESR, we were able to measure for the first time the neutron-emission probability as a function of the excitation energy of Pb208. We have used this probability to select different descriptions of the γ-ray strength function and nuclear level density, and provide reliable results for the neutron-induced radiative capture cross section of Pb207 at energies for which no experimental data exist.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Generation of classical non-Gaussian states by squeezing a thermal state into nonlinear motion of levitated optomechanics
Authors: Muffato R. , Georgescu T. S. , Homans J. , Guerreiro T. , Wu Q. , Chisholm D. A. , Carlesso M. , Paternostro M. , Ulbricht H.
Published: February 2025

We report on an experiment achieving the dynamical generation of non-Gaussian states of motion of a levitated optomechanical system. We access intrinsic Duffing-like nonlinearities by thermal squeezing of an oscillator's state of motion by rapidly switching the frequency of its trap. We characterize the experimental non-Gaussian state versus expectations from simulations and give prospects for the emergence of genuine nonclassical features.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Torques on curved atmospheric fibers
Authors: Candelier F. , Gustavsson K. , Sharma P. , Sundberg L. , Pumir A. , Bagheri G. , Mehlig B.
Published: February 2025

Small particles are transported over long distances in the atmosphere, with significant environmental impact. The transport of symmetric particles is well understood, but atmospheric particles, such as curved microplastic fibers or ash particles, are generally asymmetric. This makes the description of their transport properties uncertain. Here, we derive a model of how planar curved fibers settle in quiescent air. The model explains that fluid-inertia torques may align such fibers at oblique angles with gravity as seen in recent laboratory experiments, and shows that inertial alignment is a general and thus important factor for the transport of atmospheric particles.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Bridging Magic and Non-Gaussian Resources via Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill Encoding
Authors: Hahn Oliver , Ferrini Giulia , Takagi Ryuji
Published: February 2025

Although the similarity between nonstabilizer states—also known as magic states—in discrete-variable systems and non-Gaussian states in continuous-variable systems has widely been recognized, the precise connections between these two notions have still been unclear. We establish a fundamental link between these two quantum resources via the Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) encoding. We show that the negativity of the continuous-variable Wigner function for an encoded GKP state coincides with a magic measure we introduce, which matches the negativity of the discrete Wigner function for odd dimensions. We also provide a continuous-variable representation of the stabilizer Rényi entropy—a recent proposal for a magic measure for multiqubit states. We further provide the magic measure with an operational interpretation as a runtime of a classical simulation algorithm. In addition, we employ our results to prove that implementing a multiqubit logical non-Clifford operation in the GKP code subspace requires a non-Gaussian operation even at the limit of perfect encoding, despite the fact that the ideal GKP states already come with a large amount of non-Gaussianity.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025