bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A phase 1 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of danuglipron (PF‐06882961), an oral small‐molecule glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist, in Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ono Ryosuke , Furihata Kenichi , Ichikawa Yoshihiko , Nakazuru Yoshiomi , Bergman Arthur , Gorman Donal N. , Saxena Aditi R.
Published: November 2022

Aims

This study investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of danuglipron (PF‐06882961), which is a novel, oral small‐molecule glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist, in Japanese participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and Methods

This phase 1, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group study enrolled adult Japanese participants with T2DM inadequately controlled on diet and exercise. Participants received twice‐daily oral doses of placebo or multiple ascending doses of danuglipron titrated to 40, 80 or 120 mg twice daily over 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the safety and tolerability of danuglipron. Secondary and exploratory outcomes included plasma pharmacokinetics, glycaemic parameters and body weight.

Results

In the 37 participants randomized, the most common treatment‐emergent adverse events were nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and headache. Most treatment‐emergent adverse events were of mild or moderate intensity. Dose‐proportional increases in danuglipron exposure parameters were observed at steady state (Day 56). Significant reductions from baseline were observed with danuglipron on Day 56 for mean daily glucose [least squares mean (90% confidence interval) placebo‐adjusted difference of up to −67.89 (−88.98, −46.79) mg/dl] and on Day 57 for fasting plasma glucose [up to −40.87 (−53.77, −27.98) mg/dl], glycated haemoglobin [up to −1.41% (−2.01%, −0.82%)] and body weight [up to −1.87 (−3.58, −0.17) kg].

Conclusions

In Japanese adults with T2DM, danuglipron exhibited dose‐proportional increases in plasma exposure at steady state and robustly reduced glycaemic parameters and body weight after 8 weeks of dosing, with a safety profile consistent with the mechanism of action.
Echo‐Doppler measures of right ventricular systolic function are affected by reduced left ventricular systolic function
Authors: López‐Candales Angel , Vallurupalli Srikanth
Published: November 2022

Background

Objective right ventricular (RV) systolic function assessment is attained using a series of well‐described and validated echo‐Doppler measurements. However, how left ventricular (LV) systolic function influences these RV functional measurements has not been previously studied. Consequently, we conducted a retrospective proof‐of‐concept analysis to answer this important question.

Methods

A total of 100 echocardiographic studies were included and patients were divided into two groups according to their LV ejection fraction (LVEF). The following RV variables were acquired including, tricuspid annular systolic plane excursion (TAPSE), velocity of the systolic motion (TA TDI s’), RV outflow tract velocity time integral (VTI), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and the TAPSE to pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) ratio.

Results

Not only TAPSE, TA DI s’, RVOT VTI, PVR, and TAPSE/PASP were all significantly different between patients with normal versus abnormal LVEF; but most importantly, RVOT VTI (p < .0001) was the best discriminatory variable in assessing normal versus abnormal LVEF followed by TAPSE (p = .0001). Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an RVOT VTI value > 11 identified patients with a normal LVEF with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 76%.

Conclusion

Based on our results, reduced LVEF affects the RV, likely mediated by mechanisms of interventricular dependence. Therefore, RV analysis cannot be performed in isolation as it not only reflects intrinsic RV systolic function but also, is dependent on LV systolic function. In cases of reduced LVEF, additional measures of RV assessment should be used to provide better objective assessments.
The impact of dismantling state monopoly on market integration: Evidence from the edible salt reform in China
Authors: Hou Xinyu , Sun Puyang
Published: November 2022

State monopoly hinders market integration through rising interregional trade barriers. This article provides an account of the market reform on dismantling state monopoly as a natural experiment to investigate the extent to which the reform affects domestic market integration. The state monopoly on China's edible salt market was dismantled by implementing a market reform on the first of January 2017 that terminated the 2000‐year state monopoly on edible salt. Using a set of unique retailing price datasets on edible salt across cities over 10‐day periods every month, we take advantage of the regional and temporal variances of edible salt retailing price between origins of production and other cities to demonstrate market integration nationwide in China. The regression discontinuity estimation is leveraged based on an apparently sharp discontinuity in inter‐city price differences. The results suggest that the dissolution of state monopoly on edible salt market leads to a 3.14 percent decrease in price differences of edible salt between origins and other cities, thus ultimately resulting in the promoted market integration. The results also suggest that the varied iodine contents in edible salt, the market power of state‐owned enterprises and the government‐firm relationships exert promising roles in the influence.
The effect of habitat amount on flight‐related traits in the butterflyHamadryas februais sex‐dependent
Authors: Lion Marília Bruzzi , Reis Scarlett , de Brito Marcos Roberto Monteiro , Cardoso Márcio Zikán
Published: November 2022

Mobility in flying animals can be assessed by variations in morpho–ecological traits such as body, thorax and wing sizes, wing shape and the proportion between body mass and wing area. Habitat loss and fragmentation can promote phenotypic plasticity and microevolutionary divergencies in natural populations. In this context, sexual differences in physiology and behaviour can impose different selection pressure on morphological aspects related to flight.

We evaluated the relative impact of forest patch area and habitat amount in shaping flight‐related morpho–ecological traits of the tropical butterflyHamadryas februa. We find a marked sexual dimorphism in the species, with females being larger, having larger thorax, higher wing loadings and larger wing total area than males. These trait values indicate females as the more dispersive sex. We show that habitat amount modulates body mass allocations in both sexes, leading to an increase in thorax mass with decreasing habitat amount. The effect of habitat amount was more pronounced in females, which increased total mass and wing loading while decreasing thorax allocation with decreasing habitat amount. This outcome suggests that females increase abdominal mass in response to a reduction in habitat amount. The focal forest patch increasing area was linked to increases in hindwing lengths in both females and males.

We advocate that both landscape metrics (i.e., habitat amount and patch area) should be considered in studies evaluating landscapes' impacts on insect mobility. We discuss results in terms of the species' sexual differences in flight behaviour and the relative importance of both landscape metrics.
Amp(1q) and tetraploidy are commonly acquired chromosomal abnormalities in relapsed multiple myeloma
Authors: Locher Maurus , Jukic Emina , Vogi Verena , Keller Markus A. , Kröll Teresa , Schwendinger Simon , Oberhuber Klaus , Verdorfer Irmgard , Mühlegger Beatrix E. , Witsch‐Baumgartner Martina , Nachbaur David , Willenbacher Wolfgang , Gunsilius Eberhard , Wolf Dominik , Zschocke Johannes , Steiner Normann
Published: November 2022

Long‐term disease control in multiple myeloma (MM) is typically an unmet medical need, and most patients experience multiple relapses. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the standard technique to detect chromosomal abnormalities (CAs), which are important to estimate the prognosis of MM and the allocation of risk adapted therapies. In advanced stages, the importance of CAs needs further investigation. From 148 MM patients, two or more paired samples, at least one of which was collected at relapse, were analyzed by FISH. Using targeted next‐generation sequencing, we molecularly investigated samples harboring relapse‐associated CAs. Sixty‐one percent of the patients showed a change in the cytogenetic profile during the disease course, including 10% who acquired high‐risk cytogenetics. Amp(1q) (≥4 copies of 1q21), driven by an additional increase in copy number in patients who already had 3 copies of 1q21, was the most common acquired CA with 16% affected patients. Tetraploidy, found in 10% of the samples collected at the last time‐point, was unstable over the course of the disease and was associated with TP53 lesions. Our results indicate that cytogenetic progression is common in relapsed patients. The relatively high frequency of amp(1q) suggests an active role for this CA in disease progression.
Black Theology before the Decolonial Turn
Authors: Tom Nobesuthu
Published: November 2022

The concept of decoloniality has become so popular that one might be forgiven for thinking it is an innovation of the 1990s or 2000s. In fact, decolonial thinking was practised by many academic disciplines even before Anibal Quijano developed the concept of decoloniality. An exploration of Black theology, especially focusing on the writings of James Cone, shows that qualities characteristic of decolonial thinking have been present within Black theology since the 1970s. This article identifies these characteristics within the decolonial wound as a point of origin for Black theology, the unmasking of epistemic silences, the distortions and denials of white theology, and the practices of epistemic disobedience. It concludes by contending that Black theology is a project in continuous evolution.
The “Pinkster Kerk” as a Site of Indigenous Religious Expression within Black Pentecostal Theology
Authors: Jodamus Johnathan
Published: November 2022

Deploying a decolonial epistemological framework that brings critical race and identity theory into conversation with African and Black theologies, this article explores the phenomenon of Pinkster Kerk as a productive site for indigenous meaning‐making within studies on Black theology and African Pentecostalism. Through an autobiographical account of Pinkster and a systematic critical review of the literature on Black theology and African Pentecostalism, I argue that South African Black theology, and studies of Pentecostalism in particular, have much to gain from this unique expression of Pentecostalism found on the Cape Flats. This conversation reflects on three interrelated areas – indigenous religion, Black theology, and African Pentecostalism – and offers some theoretical insights and philosophical signposts for expanding discussion on issues of identity, politics, and race within each of these fields of study.
“Black, Queer, and Christian”
Authors: Adera Godfrey Owino
Published: November 2022

This paper contributes to the panoply of theological discourses in Africa that seek to identify the role and the place of Black theology in post‐apartheid South Africa and the broader context of postcolonial Africa. This task is premised on two assertions. First is the argument of Alistair Kee that Black theology would have become redundant with the end of apartheid if racism remained its only subject of critical analysis. Second, Kee’s assertion corroborates Allan Boesak’s observation that beyond its goal to support the end of apartheid, Black theology is an ongoing discourse to rediscover and reclaim human dignity and identity. These two arguments underscore the need for a reassessment of South African Black theologies, redefining this theology’s foundational ideals and casting new visions for emerging theological concerns today, including for the wider African context. The paper therefore explores the intersecting identities of “black, queer, and Christian” as an imperative for Black theologies’ discourses in Africa today. Using a queer Black consciousness as a theoretical lens, these identities are examined through the eucharistic ritual of an LGBT church in Kenya where the phrase “this is my body,” on the institution of the eucharistic meal in the gospels, has become concretized and performed as a liberative praxis for people who identify as LGBT. As such, it is argued that the eucharistic ritual becomes a symbol, an art, and an act of resistance in Africa, where LGBT people continue to assert and affirm their identity and dignity of blackness, queerness, and faith (Christian).
Vulnerable by Design
Authors: Fortein Eugene
Published: November 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic plunged vulnerable populations and the church in South Africa into a crisis. This article argues that the situation of poor and vulnerable people is not an accident but a deliberate design of the powerful and is therefore closely linked to South Africa’s political past. The paper traces the origins of structural vulnerabilities in various apartheid laws, including the Native Land Act, the Group Areas Act, and the Bantu Education Act. It argues that this deliberate shaping of vulnerable groups continues in post‐apartheid South Africa – hence, South Africa has evolved from a racialized society to a market‐based society. Finally, the article concludes that the COVID‐19 pandemic offers a kairos moment for the church in South Africa to redesign its theologies and consider an option for Black theology as prophetic theology.
Steve Biko’s Black Theology of Liberation from the Perspective of Ubuntu
Authors: Kobe Sandiswa Lerato
Published: November 2022

This article seeks to bring Steve Biko’s Black theology of liberation (BTL) into dialogue with Desmond Tutu’s BTL. Using the philosophy of ubuntu as a lens, the article interrogates the differences in Tutu’s and Biko’s use of this approach in their quest for Black liberation. Several scholars have argued that within the context of BTL, Tutu relied more on Christian theology derived from the Bible and tradition, while Biko relied more on Black consciousness to develop their thinking. In this article, I show how they each used ubuntu as a philosophy, even though they used it differently, especially when read in the context of race and reconciliation. The article concludes that Biko’s understanding of Isintu – African culture, African spirituality, and the African philosophy of ubuntu – can help shape Black consciousness philosophy and thus is important, especially for a contemporary BTL.
Blackness and the God of the Oppressed
Authors: Mdingi Hlulani
Published: November 2022

The state of blackness oscillates between two speculative positions: The first puts forward the irrelevance of race in the modern technological period, a view often coming from those who are colour blind and “optimistic” futurists. The second postulates the need to reaffirm the condition of blackness in a racist and capitalistic production‐driven society. The article argues that in whatever direction technology is going, perhaps through its God complex, idolatry, and the enormous funding behind artificial intelligence, technology and so on, blackness in the age of technology is still an insignia toward humanization and liberation. The eschatological dystopia often portrayed in science fiction is, in fact, here and now; therefore, we must pause and ask if modern technology is a friend, a foe, or just a distraction leading us into the abyss of decay, hopelessness, and landlessness. Political blackness should continue guiding our steps and reality in a world that fails to acknowledge the depths of its racism.
Black Theology in Theological Education
Authors: Headley Selena D.
Published: November 2022

The development and key features of African women’s theologies, primarily through the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, has entered the mainstream of theological education, which could provide insights for Black theology. In the landscape of theological education, which has been dominated by western‐centric approaches, Black theology and the quest for liberation have made some inroads in challenging dominant discourses. However, aspirations for a liberative Afrocentric curriculum and pedagogy are yet to be realized. This paper will briefly survey the development of Black theology, primarily in the South African context, where theology was dominated by universal Western claims to theological education and repressive anti‐Black theology. Second, the development of African women’s theologies, primarily through the work of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, will be explored with particular features which created inroads in theological education despite its marginal position. Finally, the paper will review how robust engagement with the lived realities of African women and their communities through engendering theological education has broadened the scope of the educational enterprise. The intersectional methodological and pedagogical approaches of African women’s theologies open up space to focus on praxis and the lived realities of Africans, which could be instructive to proponents of Black theology.
On Re‐Membering Reconciliation and the Black Theological Impulse Embedded in the Kairos Document
Authors: Solomons Demaine
Published: November 2022

The debates about reconciliation in post‐apartheid South Africa tend to vacillate between paradigms set as dualisms: justice versus peace, equality versus unity, and repentance versus forgiveness. Inspired by Black theological impulses, the Kairos Document (1985) makes a choice in each of these cases: the prerequisite for peace is justice, for unity is equality, and for forgiveness is repentance. Contained within the Kairos Document is the impulse for what it refers to as “prophetic theology” as opposed to “state” and “church” theologies. In this context, the ideals of peace, unity, and forgiveness remain important ideals in post‐apartheid South Africa, and while the freedoms of the Black democratic state have been achieved, justice, peace, and unity remain ideals that need to be fought for, hence the continued need for Black liberation theology. This contribution makes a case for retrieving the Black theological impulse embedded in the Kairos Document for navigating the complex and contested terrain of reconciliation in post‐apartheid South Africa. Through re‐membering the Kairos Document, Christians are challenged to reflect on reconciliation not just as a social problem but as something included in God’s work of reconciliation in Christ, a reconciliation that reflects faith in God’s word, mapping a future out of our painful past.
Walking Together to the Promised Land
Authors: Kobo Fundiswa A.
Published: November 2022

This article posits that Black theology of liberation (BTL) focused only on race and class, even when it included patriarchy in its theological vision, thus running the risk of truncating the liberation of Black humanity. The rigidity of patriarchy and the continued tendency of BTL to speak of the Black community as if Black women do not exist is a problem. It is only by debunking and critiquing the androcentric perspectives of Black consciousness and BTL and clarifying, therefore, the type of womanism that might assist in a quest for the comprehensive liberation of Black personhood. This is what is envisioned in this article: a womanism that stands face to face with another’s struggles and lived experiences of Black women and men. This paper identifies the tenets of the dialogue between Black theologies of liberation and womanist theologies and argues for a comprehensive, combined vision that debunks Eurocentric, conquering, and patriarchal systems of knowledge, life, and spirituality.
Writing the History of Ecumenism
Authors: Clements Keith
Published: November 2022

Intended as a review of the first volume of the new multi‐volume publication A History of the Desire for Christian Unity, this article also considers approaches to the writing of ecumenical history, which can, it asserts, quickly become contested history, and on two fronts. First, ecumenical history cannot isolate itself from the modern, secular approach to historiography, where historical developments are accounted for within the framework of human, social, psychological, economic, and cultural forces without regard to specifically religious factors (still less, divine involvement). Second, advocacy for Christian unity takes different forms, promoted variously by particular churches and traditions, or by the ecumenical organizations themselves, or by certain interest groups.
Black Theologies of Liberation
Authors: Nadar Sarojini , Solomons Demaine
Published: November 2022

This article introduces this thematic issue of The Ecumenical Review, which originates from a colloquium hosted at the University of the Western Cape on Black theologies. Our aim is to propose a set of theological frames through which to consider the 11 articles presented here, as well as the study of Black theology in general. We propose that Black theologies of liberation can be understood within three theological frameworks: a theology of resistance that encompasses both the social and epistemic, a theology of existence that focuses on Black consciousness and identity, and a theology of solidarity that fully embraces African feminist and queer theological perspectives. What the contributors to this issue on Black theology succeed in doing is ushering in new ways of thinking about the subject. Not only do they open new frontiers for theorizing and conceptualizing the gospel in light of Black experiences, but they also challenge the exclusionary nature of the old frontiers, calling to attention how even liberation discourses can sometimes reinscribe hegemony.
Knowledge‐aware representation learning for diagnosis prediction
Authors: Li Weihua , Li Hang , Yang Bei , Zhou Lihua , Yang Xianming , Zhang Miao , Wang Bingyi
Published: November 2022

Diagnosis prediction exploits electronic health records (EHRs) to predict the future diagnoses of patients, further supporting clinical decision making and personalized treatments. However, a patient's EHR is an irregular sequence of visits that contains a large number of medical concepts. The disease progression patterns are closely related to the visits, as well as the contextual knowledge of each visit. The existing diagnosis prediction methods ignore the complex relationships between the visits and the contextual knowledge, and thus cannot achieve satisfactory performance. Therefore, we develop a knowledge‐aware representation learning method to comprehensively model these complex relationships. Specifically, we first construct a medical knowledge graph to model the correlations between medical concepts in EHRs, and project the contextual knowledge into the pre‐learned vectors. We then devise an enhanced gated recurrent unit (GRU) neural network to extract the long‐term intra‐relationships between visits, and design a novel knowledge attention module to capture the complex inter‐relationships between the visits and the contextual knowledge. Armed with these, we provide a powerful and flexible framework to capture the long‐term discriminative disease progression patterns for diagnosis prediction. Intensive experiments are conducted on two real‐world EHR datasets. And the model achieves a competitive performance with Code‐level Accuracy@20 of 0.7465 and Visit‐level Precision@20 of 0.7547 on MIMIC‐III, and Code‐level Accuracy@20 of 0.9337 and Visit‐level Precision@20 of 0.9427 on MIMIC‐IV.
Three‐dimensional dental image segmentation and classification using deep learning with tunicate swarm algorithm
Authors: Awari Harshavardhan , Subramani Neelakandan , Janagaraj Avanija , Balasubramaniapillai Thanammal Geetha , Thangarasu Jackulin , Kohar Rachna
Published: November 2022

Dentistry frequently makes use of intraoral scanning technologies to digitally acquire the three‐dimensional (3D) geometry of teeth. In recent times, dental clinics over the globe utilize used computer aided diagnosis (CAD) models to make treatment plans, for example, orthodontics. Orthodontic CAD system acts as a vital part of the advanced dentistry field. A 3D dental model, computed by patient impression, as input and aids dentist in the extraction, moving, deletion, and rearranging of teeth to simulate treatment output. Tooth segmentation and labelling is the basic and foremost element of the CAD model which needs to be addressed. Automated segmentation and classification of 3D dental images using advanced machine learning and deep learning (DL) models become essential. This article introduces a new 3D dental image segmentation and classification using DL with tunicate swarm algorithm (3DDISC‐DLTSA) model. The major intention of the 3DDISC‐DLTSA system is to segment the tooth model and identify seven distinct tooth types. To accomplish this, the presented 3DDISC‐DLTSA model performs image pre‐processing in two stages namely image filtering and U‐Net segmentation. In addition, the 3DDISC‐DLTSA model derives DenseNet‐169 model for feature extraction purposes. For the recognition and classification of tooth type, the TSA based hyperparameter tuning process is carried out which helps to accomplish maximum classification performance. A wide range of experimental analyses is performed and the outcomes are inspected under many aspects. On dataset‐1, 3DDISC‐DLTSA model accuracy rose by 96.67%. On dataset‐3, 3DDISC‐DLTSA model accuracy rose by 97.48% and algorithm accuracy by 97.35%. The 3DDISC‐DLTSA model outperformed more modern models, according to the comparative investigation.
Pre‐treatment or post‐treatment with hydroxychloroquine demonstrates neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion
Authors: Babataheri Shabnam , Malekinejad Hassan , Mosarrezaii Arash , Soraya Hamid
Published: November 2022

Stroke is a serious life‐threatening medical condition and is one of the principal reasons for death and disabilities worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine the neuroprotective effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and the timing of its administration in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats. A global I/R model was used, and HCQ was administered in either pre‐ or post‐treatment doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. Effects of HCQ on infarct size, histological changes, oxidative stress, and learning and memory were evaluated. Phospho‐AMPK and SQSTM1/p62 protein levels were also measured to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved. HCQ in both pre‐ (at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg) or post‐treatment (at a dose of 50 mg/kg) protocols reduces brain infarct size and histopathological changes and improves learning and memory after cerebral I/R. Pre‐treatment with HCQ reduced AMPK activity with no significant effect on SQSTM1/p62 increment. Post‐treatment with HCQ increased AMPK activity and SQSTM1/p62 protein levels. Our results show the neuroprotective effects of HCQ on cerebral I/R through the reduction in infarct size, histopathological changes, and improvement in memory and learning functions. Moreover, AMPK and autophagy may play a role in this protective effect.
The last hideout: Abundance patterns of the not‐quite‐yet extinct mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum in the Albanian Vjosa River network
Authors: Martini Jan , Walther Franziska , Schenekar Tamara , Birnstiel Emil , Wüthrich Remo , Oester Rebecca , Schindelegger Bernadette , Schwingshackl Thea , Wilfling Olivia , Altermatt Florian , Talluto Lauren , Singer Gabriel , Vitecek Simon
Published: November 2022

The mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum (Müller, 1785) (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) once occurred in many European river networks. However, observations decreased in the last decades and the species can be considered largely extinct throughout Europe due to river alterations.

Only three extant populations are known from Cabriel (southern Spain), Volga (Russia) and Vjosa (Albania) rivers.

We recorded the species along a 150 km stretch in the Vjosa River in three sampling seasons (spring 2018, fall 2018 and fall 2019), counting up to 302 P. pennigerum per m2, the highest recorded abundance for the species to date. Moreover, we detected traces of environmental DNA in a newly designed targeted eDNA assay.

In our modelling approach we define the species' niche in a theoretically available niche space given by the Vjosa River network and predict a high probability of presence () in downstream located sections of this river. Expected abundances (λ) could be related to a set of environmental variables, importantly to higher discharge and increased sediment dynamics.

Simultaneous occurrence of larvae of different sizes at individual sites suggests an asynchronous life cycle, which may be advantageous to cope with the highly dynamic river hydrology.

The P. pennigerum population in the Vjosa is of key importance for the species' global survival.
Synthesis of high entropy carbide powders by low temperature processing
Authors: Li Yao , Wang Yu , Cui Jian , Zhang Guo‐Hua
Published: November 2022

High‐entropy carbides (HECs) possess superior properties such as favorable corrosion resistance and marvelous hardness and are widely applied in specific extreme environments. Herein, a novel method was proposed for synthesizing HECs powders with raw materials of corresponding oxides and carbon black, which was composed of steps of ball‐milling in stainless jar, carbothermic reduction at 1873 K, as well as the following calcium posttreatment at 1273 K to remove residual carbon by generating CaC2. Finally, pure HECs powders could be fabricated after acid leaching treatment. Under the current experimental conditions, besides HfC‐TaC‐ZrC‐NbC quaternary system, a homogeneous solid solution could be fabricated by adding Mo or/and Ti, but it could not be achieved for systems with addition of V, W, or Cr, owing to the low lattice constant or different crystal structure of corresponding carbides. In the reduction step, iron resulted from ball milling process acted as the diffusion channel to promote the mutual diffusion of different components. Meanwhile, the calcium treatment temperature had a weak effect on particle size of HEC powders. HfC‐TaC‐ZrC‐NbC‐MoC‐TiC powders prepared at the calcium posttreatment temperature of 1273 K had an oxygen content of .302% and an average grain size of 252 nm.
Evaluation of major factors influencing the TBC topcoat formation in axial suspension plasma spraying (SPS)
Authors: Joeris Jana , Tiwari Ashutosh , Brinckmann Steffen , Kurze Frank , Guillon Olivier , Vaßen Robert
Published: November 2022

Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) is ideally suited to produce porous or dense columnar, strain‐tolerant thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and also offers the possibility of producing other microstructures such as feathery and dense vertically cracked coatings. The specific properties of the TBC are significantly influenced by the formed microstructure, that is, affected by feedstock material and process parameters. In this work, the effects of various process parameters in the SPS process are investigated. It was found that the suspension feed rate has a significant effect on the microstructure, especially on the column density of the coating, whereas the suspension solids content mainly affects the coating porosity. Additionally, the surface roughness and topography of the bond coat are crucial for the formation of columnar coatings and were therefore investigated. Despite comparable roughness values for as‐sprayed bond coats for high velocity oxy fuel and vacuum plasma spray produced coatings, the surface structures differ significantly from each other and affect the microstructure of the deposited topcoat. Characterization of mechanical properties by means of micro‐indenter can be suitable for columnar coatings to determine Young's modulus within a column. However, due to the heterogeneity of the coating, the method is not suitable to describe the mechanical properties of the topcoat.
Influences of the different chemical components in soybean soluble polysaccharide on the emulsifying performance of its conjugates formed with soybean protein isolate
Authors: Lin Jiawei , Lei Xiping , Chen Jin , Lin Qiyi , Zhang Yanqing , Tang Zhong‐Sheng
Published: November 2022

This work aimed to elucidate the relationship between the chemical components of soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) and its Maillard reaction with soybean protein isolate (SPI). Enzymatic hydrolysis was used to specifically cleave the chemical components of SSPS. Neutral sugar side chain regions of SSPS were easier to conjugate with SPI than the backbone containing galacturonic acid. The modified SSPS with higher content of arabinose showed the highest degree of glycosylation (46.8%). SSPS‐SPI conjugates exhibited lower interfacial tension than SPI, fabricating emulsion with smaller droplets size and better emulsion stability. The improved emulsifying properties could be ascribed to two aspects: (i) a higher percentage of adsorbed protein at the interface to cover more oil droplet surface; (ii) thicker adsorbed layer thickness onto the droplet surface to provide stronger steric‐hindrance effect to prevent droplet coalescence.
Rheumatoid arthritis‐associated antibodies in healthy first‐degree relatives of RA patients
Authors: Vega‐Morales David , Pérez‐Barbosa Lorena , Vega‐Sevilla Luis Francisco , Esquivel‐Valerio Jorge Antonio , Ramírez‐Monterrubio Luis Eduardo , Gonzalez‐Torres Karina I , Leal‐Bramasco Ana Sofía , Elizondo‐Solis Cesar V , Mendiola‐Jimenez Andres , Garza‐Elizondo Mario Alberto , Galarza‐Delgado Dionicio Ángel
Published: November 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects approximately 1.5% of the population worldwide and 0.5–3.3% of the Mexican population. The presence of rheumatoid factor (RF), anti‐citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and anti‐carbamylated protein (anti‐CarP) antibodies has been described in populations at risk of RA development, such as first‐degree relatives (FDR). Anti‐CarP antibodies are present in RA patients (44%), FDR of RA patients (18%) and healthy controls (4.7%). Anti‐CarP antibodies have not been described in FDR of the Mexican population. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Rheumatoid Factors (RF) isotypes, ACPA and anti‐CarP antibodies isotypes in FDR of RA patients. An observational, cross‐sectional study, in an FDR of RA cohort, was performed. We measured IgA, IgG and IgM isotypes of RF, ACPA and anti‐CarP antibodies. A total of 144 FDRs from 99 RA patients were enrolled. The prevalence of anti‐CarP antibodies was 2.8% for IgA, 4.2% for IgG, whereas IgM was not detected. The serologic association was for RF/ACPA 4.48%, RF/anti‐CarP 2.7%, FR 64.5%, ACPA 1.3%, ACPA/anti‐CarP 0.69%, anti‐CarP 3.4%, and no RF/ACPA/anti‐CarP was observed. We found a low prevalence of anti‐CarP antibodies in our cohort of FDR of RA patients, but the prevalence of ACPA and RF were higher than other cohorts previously reported.
Cis women's bodies at work: co‐modification and (in)visibility in organization and management studies and menopause at work scholarship
Authors: Beck Vanessa , Brewis Jo , Davies Andrea , Matheson Jesse
Published: November 2022

This paper reviews research on cis women's bodily self‐discipline in the workplace. We compare literature exemplifying the ‘bodily turn’ in organization and management studies to scholarship on menopause at work, to identify key themes across these oeuvres and the significance of the blind spots in each. There is little overlap between them: only eleven organization and management studies publications dealt with menopause. In classifying these literatures using Forbes’ (2009) concept of co‐modification, we distil four themes: bodily moulding; non‐disclosure; failing; and resistance, redefinition and reclamation. Based on this, we argue for more substantive considerations of menopause in organization and management studies, and suggest what the organization and management literature has to offer its sister scholarship. For example, we foreground how menopause exacerbates the visibility paradox facing female workers which organization and management studies identifies; and argue that menopause at work scholarship should pay more attention to specific bodily accommodations, refusals and the ‘unscripted’ aspects of menopause in organizations.
Automatic identification of areas with low‐voltage fragmented electrograms for the detection of the critical isthmus of atypical atrial flutters
Authors: Franco Eduardo , Lozano Granero Cristina , Cortez‐Dias Nuno , Nakar Elad , Segev Meytal , Matía Roberto , Hernández‐Madrid Antonio , Zamorano José Luis , Moreno Javier
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Critical isthmuses of atypical atrial flutters (AAFLs) are usually located at slow conduction areas that exhibit fractionated electrograms. We tested a novel software, intended for integration with a commercially available navigation system, that automatically detects fractionated electrograms, to identify the critical isthmus in patients with AAFL ablation.

Methods and Results

All available patients were analyzed; 27 patients with 33 AAFLs were included. The PentaRay NAV catheter (Biosense Webster) was used for mapping. The novel software was retrospectively applied; fractionated points with duration ≥80 ms and bipolar voltage between 0.05 and 0.5 mV were highlighted on the surface of maps. In 10 randomly chosen AAFLs, an expert electrophysiologist evaluated the positive predictive value of the algorithm to detect true fractionation: 74.4%. We tested the capacity of the software to identify areas of fractionation (defined as clusters of ≥3 adjacent points with fractionation) at the critical isthmus of the AAFLs (defined using conventional mapping criteria). An area of fractionation was identified at the critical isthmus in 30 cases (91%). Globally, 144 areas of fractionation (median number per AAFL 4 [3–6]) were identified. Duration of the fractionation or the surface of the areas was not different between areas at critical isthmuses and the rest. Setting the fractionation score filter of the software in nine provided best performance.

Conclusions

The novel software detected areas of fractionation at the critical isthmus in most AAFLs, which may help identify the critical isthmus in clinical practice.
Cardiac tamponade complicating ventricular arrhythmia ablation: Real life data on incidence, management, and outcome
Authors: Darma Angeliki , Dinov Borislav , Bertagnolli Livio , Torri Federica , Lurz Julia Anna , Dagres Nikolaos , Bollmann Andreas , Hindricks Gerhard , Arya Arash
Published: November 2022

Background and Objective

Cardiac tamponade during ablation procedures is a life‐threatening complication. While the incidence and management of tamponade in atrial fibrillation ablation have been extensively described, the data on tamponade during ventricular ablations are very limited. The purpose of this study is to shed light on the incidence, typical perforation sites, and optimal management as observed through real‐life data in a tertiary referral center for ventricular ablation.

Methods and Results

Consecutive patients with structural heart disease undergoing ventricular tachycardia ablation from 2008–2020 were analyzed. Of the 1078 patients undergoing 1287 ventricular ablation procedures, 20 procedures (1.5%) were complicated by cardiac tamponade. In all but one patient, the tamponade was treated with emergent pericardial drainage, while nine patients eventually underwent surgical repair. The perforation occurred during transseptal or subxiphoid puncture in six patients, during ventricle mapping in two patients, and during ablation in five patients (predominantly basal left ventricle). Steam pop as definite perforation cause could only be established in two patients. Regardless of the management of the complication, all patients survived to discharge.

Conclusion

Cardiac tamponade during ventricular ablation occurred in 1.5% of the procedures. In nine patients cardiac repair was necessary. Perforation was mostly associated with subxiphoid puncture or ablation of the basal left ventricle.
Pulmonary vein isolation alone or in combination with substrate modulation after electrical cardioversion failure in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: The PACIFIC trial: Study design
Authors: Bortone Agustín Alfonso , Marijon Eloi , Limite Luca Rosario , Lagrange Philippe , Brigadeau François , Martins Raphaël , Durand Cyril , Albenque Jean‐Paul ,   for the PACIFIC study group
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is effective at treating 50% of unselected patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Alternatively, PVI combined with a new ablation strategy entitled the Marshall‐PLAN ensures a 78% 1‐year sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance rate in the same population. However, a substantial subset of patients could undergo the Marshall‐PLAN unnecessarily. It is therefore essential to identify those patients who can be treated with PVI alone versus those who may truly benefit from the Marshall‐PLAN before ablation is performed. In this context, we hypothesized that electrical cardioversion (EC) could help to select the most appropriate strategy for each patient.

Methods

In this multicentre, prospective, randomized study, patients with AF recurrence within 4 weeks after EC will be randomized 1:1 to PVI alone or the Marshall‐PLAN. Conversely, patients in whom SR is maintained for ≥4 weeks after EC will be treated with PVI only and included in a prospective registry. The primary endpoint will be the 1‐year SR maintenance rate after a single ablation procedure.

Results and Conclusion

The Marshall‐PLAN might be necessary in patients with an advanced degree of persistent AF (i.e., where SR is not maintained for ≥4 uninterrupted weeks after EC). Conversely, in patients with mild or moderate persistent AF (i.e., where SR is maintained for ≥4 weeks after EC), PVI alone might be a sufficient ablation strategy. The PACIFIC trial is the first study designed to assess whether rhythm monitoring after EC could help to identify patients who should undergo adjunctive ablation strategies beyond PVI.
Comparison of carotid‐femoral and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity in association with carotid plaque in a Chinese community‐based population
Authors: Liu Bo , Gao Lan , Zheng Bo , Yang Ying , Jia Jia , Sun Pengfei , Jiang Yimeng , Li Kaiyin , Liu Jiahui , Chen Chuyun , Li Jianping , Fan Fangfang , Zhang Yan , Huo Yong
Published: November 2022

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the most widely used measurement of arterial stiffness in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the relationships between carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and brachial‐ankle PWV (baPWV) and the presence of carotid plaque. This study was designed cross‐sectionally and included 6027 participants from a community‐based cohort in Beijing. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate and compare the associations of cfPWV and baPWV with the presence of carotid plaque. The mean (SD) cfPWV and baPWV were 8.55 ± 1.83 and 16.79 ± 3.36, respectively. The prevalence of carotid plaque was 45.26% (n = 2728). Both cfPWV (per 1 m/s increase: OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07–1.16) and baPWV (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.06) were independently associated with carotid plaque after adjusting for various confounders. Compared with bottom quartile (cfPWV ≤7.31 m/s and baPWV ≤14.44 m/s), the top quartile of cfPWV and baPWV had a significantly higher prevalence of carotid plaque (for cfPWV: OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.32–1.92; for baPWV: OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.26–1.86). However, the relationship of baPWV and carotid plaque was nonlinear, with a positive trend only when baPWV < 16.85 m/s. When comparing relationships between PWV indices and carotid plaque in one model, both cfPWV and baPWV were significantly associated with carotid plaque in participants with baPWV < 16.85 m/s; however, only cfPWV was independently associated with carotid plaque in participants with baPWV ≥16.85 m/s. Both cfPWV and baPWV were significantly associated with carotid plaque in the Chinese community‐based population. Furthermore, cfPWV was more strongly correlated with carotid plaque than baPWV in participants with baseline baPWV ≥16.85 m/s.
Molecular profile of the NF‐κB signalling pathway in human colorectal cancer
Authors: Dobre Maria , Trandafir Bogdan , Milanesi Elena , Salvi Alessandro , Bucuroiu Ioana Alina , Vasilescu Catalin , Niculae Andrei Marian , Herlea Vlad , Hinescu Mihail Eugen , Constantinescu Gabriel
Published: November 2022

The development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) have been associated with inflammation processes that involve the overactivation of the NF‐κB signalling pathway. The characterization of the NF‐κB expression profile in CRC is an important topic since the suppression of NF‐κB represents a potential therapeutic approach. In this study, we assessed the expression levels of 84 NF‐κB‐related genes in paired tumoral (T) and peritumoral (PT) tissues from 18 CRC patients and 18 normal colonic mucosae, and the expression levels of three miRNAs targeting the most dysregulated genes revealed by the case–control analysis. Comparing the gene expression profile of T and controls, 60 genes were dysregulated. The comparison of T and PT revealed 17 dysregulated genes in the tumoral tissues, with IL1B, CXCL8, IL1A, and CSF2 being the most upregulated. Notably, through a bioinformatics analysis, the differential gene expression of 11 out of the 17 genes was validated on a larger cohort of 308 CRC patients compared with 41 controls. Moreover, a decrease in the levels of RELA, NOD1, CASP8, BCL2L1, ELK1, and IKBKB was identified in poorly differentiated tumours compared to moderately differentiated tumours. The analysis of the three miRNAs targeting IL1B, CXCL8, IL1A, and CSF2 showed that miR‐182‐5p was upregulated in T compared with PT, whereas miR‐10b‐5p was downregulated in T compared with PT and control tissues. Our results may contribute to the design of new experimental therapeutic strategies based on endogenous molecules, such as miRNAs, to target the genetic key players of the NF‐ κB pathway.