bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mohammed, Warith Deen
Authors: Adhami Zaid
Published: July 2024

Also known as Wallace D. Mohammed, W. D. Mohammed, or Imam Mohammed, was a renowned African American Muslim theologian as well as a religious and civic leader. He was the son of Elijah Muhammad, a longtime leader of the Nation of Islam who was regarded in the movement as the “Messenger of Allah” and referred to as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Upon his father’s passing in 1975, W. D. Mohammed assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam (NOI) as Supreme Minister and immediately began a transition away from many of Elijah Muhammad’s core teachings. He spoke of this transition as an evolution toward “Al-Islam,” or “the religion of Islam.” Mohammed thereby made a claim to a more authentic understanding of Islam. In effect, Mohammed shifted the organization toward the teachings of Sunni Islam (the predominant branch of Islam throughout the world). Under his leadership, congregations from around the country that were part of the NOI joined in this transition. From 1975 through the 1980s Mohammed instituted many drastic changes in the movement, not only theologically but also politically and institutionally. He moved away from the separatist and Black Nationalist orientation of his father’s movement and in certain ways aligned the movement with national immigrant-based Muslim organizations. He also changed the name of the organization several times and decentralized its leadership structure, while adopting the title of “Imam” instead of “Supreme Minister.” Despite changes he introduced, Imam Mohammed identified his teachings as a continuation of the legacy of the Nation of Islam, and he continued to address the particular concerns and realities of African Americans. Congregations following Imam Mohammed maintained a sense of collective belonging to a shared heritage and national community. A unique tradition thus developed with its own historical memory as well as an identifiable style of religious discourse and set of norms, all drawing heavily on the teachings and guidance of Imam W. D., particularly his interpretations of the Qur’an. These congregations have thus preserved an overarching community and tradition associated with Imam W. D. Mohammed, locating themselves historically in the unique African American experience of the NOI, while also aligning themselves with the global ummah (community of faith). Even after W. D. Mohammed’s passing, these congregations have continued to maintain a sense of shared identity and heritage.
Animation in Latin America
Authors: Gómez Menjívar Jennifer Carolina
Published: July 2024

Animation has always been global, though the contributions of Latin American animation industries are often ignored. The history of the medium in the region is extensive, beginning with Quirino Cristiani’s El apóstol (1917)—the first full-length animated feature film in the history of the craft. Its history has been shaped by numerous factors, including the animation industry's turn to studio production in the early 20th century and the implementation of national film policies in the second half of the 20th century. The success of animation production companies throughout Latin America since the early 21st century has led to the emergence of core sites of animation production, circulation, and fandom in many countries of the region. The future of animation in the region will likely depend on a combination of factors, including policies, transnational media flows, and what the digital turn can offer the art form.
Verb Formation by Means of Suffixes in the Romance Languages
Authors: Schafroth Elmar
Published: July 2024

Suffixation is one of the most frequent and most productive word-formation processes in the Romance languages. One branch of it, the formation of verbs through suffixes, is particularly productive, especially regarding the formation of causative verbs with learned or borrowed verb stems (e.g., Fr. glorifier ‘to glorify’, Sp. alfabetizar ‘to alphabetize’, Pt. modernizar ‘to modernize’, Rom. a steriliza ‘to sterilize’). Other derivation techniques, however, such as evaluative verb suffixation (e.g., It. dormicchiare ‘to doze’), are not or are only slightly productive but semantically very complex. In this article, all common verb formations by means of suffixes in all major and some minor Romance languages are treated systematically. A fundamental division is made into non-evaluative and evaluative verbal suffixations. By considering Latin, the etymological foundations and the pre-Romance derivation suffixes are also briefly touched on. Finally, using dictionaries and digital corpora, the aspect of productivity of word formation patterns is considered. As far as evaluative derivation is concerned, it has been shown that the two parameters of quantity and quality across all Romance languages are neither stable nor predictable for any of the relevant suffixes but depend on the meaning of the underlying verb, the situational context, and the attitude of the speakers.
Advancing environmental epidemiologic methods to confront the cancer burden
Authors: Kehm Rebecca D , Lloyd Susan E , Burke Kimberly R , Terry Mary Beth
Published: July 2024

Even though many environmental carcinogens have been identified, studying their effects on specific cancers has been challenging in nonoccupational settings, where exposures may be chronic but at lower levels. Although exposure measurement methods have improved considerably, along with key opportunities to integrate multi-omic platforms, there remain challenges that need to be considered, particularly around the design of studies. Cancer studies typically exclude individuals with prior cancers and start recruitment in midlife. This translates into a failure to capture individuals who may have been most susceptible because of both germline susceptibility and higher early-life exposures that lead to premature mortality from cancer and/or other environmentally caused diseases like lung diseases. Using the example of breast cancer, we demonstrate how integration of susceptibility, both for cancer risk and for exposure windows, may provide a more complete picture regarding the harm of many different environmental exposures. Choice of study design is critical to examining the effects of environmental exposures, and it will not be enough to just rely on the availability of existing cohorts and samples within these cohorts. In contrast, new, diverse, early-onset case-control studies may provide many benefits to understanding the impact of environmental exposures on cancer risk and mortality.

This article is part of a Special Collection on Environmental Epidemiology.
Racial, Ethnic, and Sex Differences in Eating Disorder Onset Among U.S. Military Service Members
Authors: Klimek-Johnson Patrycja , Jacobson Isabel G , Geronimo-Hara Toni Rose , Sharifian Neika , McMaster Hope S , Rull Rudolph P , Maguen Shira , Cohort Study for the Millennium
Published: July 2024

Bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) are the most prevalent eating disorders (EDs) among military personnel. Although sex differences are noted in ED prevalence in military and civilian samples, mixed findings have emerged when evaluating racial and ethnic differences. The present study examined independent associations and interactions between sex, race, ethnicity, and probable BED and BN onset. The sample included 91,413 and 96,245 service members from the Millennium Cohort Study for BED and BN analyses, respectively. Up to four datapoints (from 2001-2013) were used to conduct longitudinal complementary log-log regression analyses, as participants were followed until the outcome occurred or until study completion. BN was more likely among women than men, and no sex difference emerged for BED onset. BN was more likely among Hispanic/Latinx, Multiracial, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) while BED was less likely among Black and API versus non-Hispanic/Latinx White (NHW) service members. Interactions revealed greater likelihood of BN in Hispanic/Latinx service members was driven by men. Additional efforts are needed amongst racially and ethnically diverse groups in preventing and detecting EDs in military personnel. Future intersectionality research could elucidate systemic inequities and other contributing factors to ED onset to inform prevention and treatment efforts.
Barriers to initial COVID-19 booster among US adults who completed a primary vaccine series in the CHASING COVID cohort, September 2021–October 2022
Authors: Rane Madhura S , Shen Yanhan , Robertson Mc Kaylee , Penrose Kate , Srivastava Avantika , Puzniak Laura , Allen Kristen E , Porter Thomas M , Kulkarni Sarah , You William , Berry Amanda , Parcesepe Angela M , Grov Christian , Zimba Rebecca , Nash Denis
Published: July 2024

It is crucial to understand factors associated with COVID-19 booster uptake in the United States given the updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Using data from a national prospective cohort (n = 4616) between September 2021 and October 2022, we examined socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors of initial booster uptake among participants fully vaccinated with the primary COVID-19 vaccines series. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the associations of each factor with time to initial booster uptake. Most participants (86.5%) reported receiving their initial booster. After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, region, and employment, participants with greater risk for severe COVID-19 had similar booster uptake compared with those with lower risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.04; 95% CI, 0.95-1.14). Participants with greater barriers to healthcare (aHR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.84-0.96), food insecurity (aHR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.75-0.89), and housing instability (aHR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73-0.90) were less likely to report receiving initial booster compared with those without those barriers. Factors motivating the decision to vaccinate changed from safety-related concerns for the primary series to perceived need for the booster. It is key to address economic and health access barriers to achieve equitable COVID-19 vaccine uptake and continued protection against COVID-19.
Implementation of an interprofessional model for the management of postpartum hypertension
Authors: Safri Ana A , Kopcza Brian T , Kaplon Stacey Cohen , Norman Kelsey E , O’Brien Katelyn , Falinski Joseph P , O’Brien Megan E , Yarrington Christina D
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Postpartum hypertension (PPHTN) poses increased risks, including of stroke. Timely assessment and management by clinicians is imperative but challenging. Team-based care involving pharmacists has shown promise in improving blood pressure control, yet its application in PPHTN management remains unexplored. The objective of this study was to determine the impact and feasibility of an interprofessional model for PPHTN management.

This initiative implemented a novel interprofessional model at a safety-net hospital to address previous workflow limitations. Ambulatory care pharmacists collaborated with an obstetric nurse (OBRN) and a maternal fetal medicine specialist to manage high-risk patients with PPHTN utilizing electronic consults (e-consults). Data collection and symptom assessment were completed by an OBRN via telemedicine appointments. Pharmacists employed a collaborative practice agreement based on a preestablished algorithm to initiate medications. Data on patient demographics, consult volume, prescriptions, and pharmacist comfort were collected during the first quarter of full integration. Pharmacists completed 55 e-consults and generated 54 prescriptions. The average time spent per chart review was 12.5 minutes, and the average time to completion of e-consults was 54 minutes. Forty-five unique patients received care, who were primarily non–English-speaking and non-Hispanic Black patients. Pharmacists reported moderate to high comfort levels in managing PPHTN based on the algorithm and provided feedback leading to workflow adjustments.

Conclusion

Integration of pharmacists into PPHTN care enables prompt medication initiation and titration. This innovative model, involving remote blood pressure monitoring, telemedicine visits with an OBRN, and e-consults completed by pharmacists, ensures delivery of timely and equitable care and improved access across a diverse population.
Unraveling spatial domain characterization in spatially resolved transcriptomics with robust graph contrastive clustering
Authors: Zhang Yingxi , Yu Zhuohan , Wong Ka-Chun , Li Xiangtao
Published: July 2024

Motivation

Spatial transcriptomics can quantify gene expression and its spatial distribution in tissues, thus revealing molecular mechanisms of cellular interactions underlying tissue heterogeneity, tissue regeneration, and spatially localized disease mechanisms. However, existing spatial clustering methods often fail to exploit the full potential of spatial information, resulting in inaccurate identification of spatial domains.

Results

In this article, we develop a deep graph contrastive clustering framework, stDGCC, that accurately uncovers underlying spatial domains via explicitly modeling spatial information and gene expression profiles from spatial transcriptomics data. The stDGCC framework proposes a spatially informed graph node embedding model to preserve the topological information of spots and to learn the informative and discriminative characterization of spatial transcriptomics data through self-supervised contrastive learning. By simultaneously optimizing the contrastive learning loss, reconstruction loss, and Kullback–Leibler divergence loss, stDGCC achieves joint optimization of feature learning and topology structure preservation in an end-to-end manner. We validate the effectiveness of stDGCC on various spatial transcriptomics datasets acquired from different platforms, each with varying spatial resolutions. Our extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of stDGCC over various state-of-the-art clustering methods in accurately identifying cellular-level biological structures.

Availability and implementation

Code and data are available from https://github.com/TimE9527/stDGCC and https://figshare.com/projects/stDGCC/186525.
Colour pattern diversity and evolution in Oriental velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Aculeata: Mutillidae)
Authors: Boutin Maxime , Vilhelmsen Lars
Published: July 2024

The Mutillidae (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) are a family of solitary ectoparasitoid wasps, famous for their sting and conspicuous coloration. The occurrence of Müllerian mimicry complexes has been demonstrated in both Africa and North America. Müllerian mimicry is the resemblance between several harmful species, advertising their defence to would-be predators by sharing a conspicuous colour pattern. Various colour patterns are known to occur in Oriental (Asian) velvet ants, but potential Müllerian mimicry complexes have not yet been inferred. We analysed the coloration of the females of 283 Oriental velvet ant species (52 genera), characterized by 12 phenotypic traits, and we identified shared colour patterns. Morphological differences between groups were tested using non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational multivariate analysis of variance. We also inferred the geographical range of these colour patterns, and we investigated whether the shared patterns are the result of convergent evolution or common ancestry. We identified six distinct shared colour patterns, of which four can be associated with Müllerian mimicry. We also studied the position and shape of metasomal markings, and we found no association with mimicry rings. Our results improve the understanding of colour evolution in Oriental velvet ants and extend the previously described Müllerian mimicry complex to the south Asiatic landmass.
Testing hypotheses for male aggregations in lek and the implications for sexual selection in the White-throated manakin, Corapipo gutturalis (Aves: Pipridae)
Authors: Tolentino Mariana , Rampini Aline P , Aramuni Filipe , Ryder Thomas B , Anciães Marina
Published: July 2024

To understand male spatial aggregation in lek systems, questions have focused on whether males aggregate in areas with higher female abundance, around males that attract more females, or because of a female preference for certain male. For this, we investigated how social organization and male–male interactions are associated with female visitation in leks of the white-throated manakin (Corapipo gutturalis). Specifically, we evaluated whether females prefer higher-ranked males (based on the fidelity to court, display, and male age) and high-activity courts, as predicted by the hotshot hypothesis. In addition, but not mutually exclusive, we evaluated whether multi-male visitation at court and/or shorter spatial aggregation of courts attracted more females. We found that the highest-ranked males received significantly more female and male visits. However, the total activity at courts did not predict female visitation to males, but did predict male visitation to males. Furthermore, female visitation at courts was not predicted by the proportion of multi-male visitation at courts but by spatial aggregation of courts. These results suggest that the hotshot hypothesis illustrated by the male rank at court explains female visitation and male aggregation in leks of this species, generating a system in which males tend to compete for the highest rank in the court.
High-speed imaging and quantitative analysis of nonequilibrium stochastic processes using atomic resolution electron microscopy
Authors: Nakamuro Takayuki
Published: July 2024

Chemical phenomena are inherently complex and stochastic, making them difficult to fully understand using conventional ensemble-averaged analytical methods. These methods primarily capture long-lived species and common structural features, limiting the study of transient intermediates and minute structural characteristics. In contrast, single-molecule time-resolved analysis using advanced microscopy techniques, particularly transmission electron microscopy, offers high spatial and temporal resolution to observe the nonequilibrium dynamics of molecules and their assemblies. This account discusses the authors’ research on developing transmission electron microscopy techniques to visualize intricate and transient interactions within molecular systems, enhancing the understanding of chemical phenomena at atomic and molecular levels.
Integrins as a bridge between bacteria and cells: key targets for therapeutic wound healing
Authors: Yu Dong , Lu Zhaoyu , Chong Yang
Published: July 2024

Integrins are heterodimers composed of α and β subunits that are bonded through non-covalent interactions. Integrins mediate the dynamic connection between extracellular adhesion molecules and the intracellular actin cytoskeleton. Integrins are present in various tissues and organs where these heterodimers participate in diverse physiological and pathological responses at the molecular level in living organisms. Wound healing is a crucial process in the recovery from traumatic diseases and comprises three overlapping phases: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. Integrins are regulated during the entire wound healing process to enhance processes such as inflammation, angiogenesis and re-epithelialization. Prolonged inflammation may result in failure of wound healing, leading to conditions such as chronic wounds. Bacterial colonization of a wound is one of the primary causes of chronic wounds. Integrins facilitate the infectious effects of bacteria on the host organism, leading to chronic inflammation, bacterial colonization, and ultimately, the failure of wound healing. The present study investigated the role of integrins as bridges for bacteria–cell interactions during wound healing, evaluated the role of integrins as nodes for bacterial inhibition during chronic wound formation, and discussed the challenges and prospects of using integrins as therapeutic targets in wound healing.
Efficacy and safety of a novel weekly topical metformin-loaded peel-off mask in the treatment of melasma: a split-face, placebo-controlled study
Authors: EL-Komy Mohamed H M , Elnowaihy Salma Walaa , Shamma Rehab Nabil , Bedair Nermeen Ibrahim
Published: July 2024

Background

Melasma is a common condition that affects a patient’s quality of life. Metformin is a cheap, well-tolerated and relatively safe medication that is widely prescribed for the treatment of diabetes. Topical metformin has shown promising results in treating melasma as well as several other dermatological conditions such as acne and recalcitrant central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.

Objectives

To study the efficacy and safety of a once-weekly topical metformin-30%-loaded peel-off mask for treating melasma.

Methods

Twenty female patients with melasma were recruited for the application of a metformin mask and placebo mask to either side of the face once weekly for 12 weeks. The hemi-Melasma Area Severity Index (hemi-MASI) was calculated at baseline, at each visit and 12 weeks after the end of treatment.

Results

At baseline, the hemi-MASI score matched between both metformin and placebo sides [7.1 (SD 2.6) and 7.1 (SD 2.6), respectively, P = 0.99]. At the end of the active treatment period, the metformin side showed a significantly better improvement in hemi-MASI score in comparison with placebo [68% (SD 0.2%) improvement on the metformin side in contrast to 20% (SD 0.2%) on the placebo side]. Although scores decreased 3 months after stopping the active treatment [52% (SD 0.2%) improvement on the metformin side compared with the placebo side 15% (SD 0.2%)], they were still significantly better than baseline. No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

Topical metformin-loaded peel-off masks can be a promising, safe and effective treatment for melasma. Although applied only once weekly, metformin peel-off masks show comparable efficacy to previously reported daily usage formulations.
Co-learning companionship benefits word learning in a new language: Evidence from a dual-brain EEG examination
Authors: Shen Yujing , Liu Xu , Xiang Yingyi , Schwieter John W , Liu Huanhuan
Published: July 2024

Companionship refers to one’s being in the presence of another individual. For adults, acquiring a new language is a highly social activity that often involves learning in the context of companionship. However, the effects of companionship on new language learning have gone relatively underexplored, particularly with respect to word learning. Using a within-subject design, the current study employs electroencephalography to examine how two types of companionship (monitored and co-learning) affect word learning (semantic and lexical) in a new language. Dyads of Chinese speakers of English as a second language participated in a pseudo-word-learning task during which they were placed in monitored and co-learning companionship contexts. The results showed that exposure to co-learning companionship affected the early attention stage of word learning. Moreover, in this early stage, evidence of a higher representation similarity between co-learners showed additional support that co-learning companionship influenced attention. Observed increases in delta and theta interbrain synchronization further revealed that co-learning companionship facilitated semantic access. In all, the similar neural representations and interbrain synchronization between co-learners suggest that co-learning companionship offers important benefits for learning words in a new language.
Partisan Politics in Portugal
Authors: Veiga Francisco José , Veiga Linda Gonçalves , Azevedo Beatriz Costa
Published: July 2024

This paper reviews the literature on partisan politics in Portugal at the national and sub-national levels. Starting with a description of the institutional setting, main parties and electoral results, the paper then delves into how partisanship matters for the policies implemented by incumbent governments. The available evidence indicates clear differences in several policy areas, such as the labour market, welfare, health, education, and gender issues, with Portuguese left- and right-wing governments acting in line with their ideological agendas. Voter behaviour and the emergence of the populist far-right in the Portuguese parliament are also analysed. (JEL codes: D04, D7, H4, and H7)
An improved sensing data cleaning scheme for object localization in edge computing environment
Authors: Tang Fang , Du Nengsheng , Zhengwei Zhong , Li Chunlin , Luo Youlong
Published: July 2024

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is widely applied due to its fast identification speed and non-contact detection. However, the identification process of RFID tags is susceptible to interference from other tags and environmental factors, resulting in inaccurate identification data. To overcome these problem, this paper proposes an improved sensing data cleaning scheme for object localization in edge computing environment. In tag level data cleaning, we use adaptive sliding window and further consider dynamic tags and read rate in continuous reading cycle to adjust the window size timely and appropriately. In the reader level data cleaning, we estimate the tag number based on Chebyshev’s inequality through Markov chain for cyclic control and optimize different time slot lengths to improve the recognition rate. We build an edge computing environment and combine the proposed tag-level cleaning method and reader-level cleaning method to form a comprehensive RFID data cleaning process. Comparative experimental results show that the RFID data cleaning method proposed in this paper can effectively reduce redundant and missing data and improve the accuracy of tag recognition.
TLFSL: link prediction in multilayer social networks using trustworthy Lévy-flight semi-local random walk
Authors: Liu Mingchun , Jannesari Vahid
Published: July 2024

As the landscape of online social networks continues to evolve, the task of expanding connections and uncovering novel relationships presents a growing complexity. Link prediction emerges as a crucial strategy, harnessing the current network dynamics to forecast future interactions among users. While traditional single-layer network link prediction models boast a storied legacy, recent attention has shifted towards tackling analogous challenges within the realm of multilayer networks. This paradigm shift underscores the critical role of extracting topological and multimodal features to effectively evaluate link weights, thereby enriching link prediction within weighted networks. Furthermore, the establishment of trustworthy pathways between users emerges as a pivotal tactic for translating unweighted similarities into meaningful weighted metrics. Leveraging the foundational principles of local random walk techniques, this paper introduces the trustworthy Lévy-flight semi-local (TLFSL) random walk framework for link prediction in multilayer social networks. By seamlessly integrating intralayer and interlayer information, TLFSL harnesses a dependable Lévy-flight random walk mechanism to anticipate new links within target layers of multilayer networks. Traditional local random walk techniques often overlook global relationships, as they confine path exploration to immediate neighbours. However, the absence of a direct edge between nodes does not necessarily imply a lack of relationship; nodes with semantic affinity may be spatially distant within the network. To overcome this limitation, we introduce the concept of semi-local random walk, which enables walker hopping with a wider global perspective. Meanwhile, TLFSL includes a distributed local community detection strategy to improve the performance of TLFSL in dealing with large-scale networks. Rigorous experimentation across diverse real-world multilayer networks consistently demonstrates TLFSL’s superior performance compared to equivalent methods.
A case report of cardiac tamponade after a road accident: think beyond trauma
Authors: Civieri Giovanni , Betta Davide , Cernetti Carlo , Gasparetto Nicola
Published: July 2024

Background

Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening compression of the heart caused by the accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. Although central venous catheters (CVCs) are essential in modern medicine, they carry a certain risk of complications including cardiac tamponade.

Case summary

A 12-year-old female was involved in a road accident reporting multiple severe traumatic injuries, including a left humerus fracture and subdural haemorrhage. After 2 days in the intensive care unit, she suddenly developed hypotension and cardiac tamponade was diagnosed. Analysis of the pericardial fluid showed high glucose levels comparable to the parenteral nutrition that she was receiving. Retraction of the CVC allowed resolution of the effusion.

Discussion

Cardiac tamponade is a rare but serious adverse event after CVC insertion, mostly among younger patients. Awareness of this risk allows physicians to promptly recognize and treat this dangerous complication.
Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair of both atrioventricular valves in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: a case report
Authors: Patrascu Alexandru , Binder Donat , Schnabel Peter , Weinmann Kai , Ott Ilka
Published: July 2024

Background

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for the systemic atrioventricular valve has been anecdotally reported as a viable treatment option in symptomatic inoperable adult patients born with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA). However, to date, case reports on TEER treatment of both atrioventricular valves are lacking, especially when considering the present availability of specific mitral and tricuspid valve TEER devices.

Case summary

We present the case of an 84-year-old man with recurrent admissions for acute heart failure due to high-grade regurgitation of both atrioventricular valves. The patient was first diagnosed with ccTGA at this advanced age and underwent a thorough multimodality imaging approach, including transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, cardiac computed tomography, and ventriculography of the systemic ventricle. Due to the high symptom burden despite optimal medical therapy and high doses of diuretics, the heart team recommended TEER, first for the systemic tricuspid valve and later on for the non-systemic mitral valve. Both complex procedures were uneventful and led to considerable improvement in quality of life.

Discussion

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries mostly manifests itself in adulthood and affects both ventricles and atrioventricular valves. In case of anatomical doubts on transthoracic echocardiography, a thorough multimodality imaging work-up is recommended. Transcatheter treatment of both atrioventricular valves seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic option in these often inoperable patients.
ESC pre-test probability estimates for obstructive coronary artery disease: can they be used in Brazil?
Authors: Erthal Fernanda , Lima Ronaldo , Penna Filipe , Chow Benjamin J W , Gismondi Ronaldo
Published: July 2024

Aims

Cardiovascular disease, primarily coronary artery disease (CAD), is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Accurate diagnosis of CAD often requires pre-test probability (PTP) estimation, traditionally performed using scoring systems like the Diamond-Forrester (DF) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) models. However, the applicability of such models in specific populations may vary. This study compares the performance of DF and PTP scores in the Brazilian context, using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) as a reference standard.

Methods and results

PTP for obstructive CAD was calculated using DF and ESC scores in 409 symptomatic patients without known CAD who underwent CCTA between 2019 and 2022. Predicted PTP was compared with actual CAD prevalence. DF overestimated CAD prevalence across age and symptom categories, while ESC showed better alignment with actual prevalence.

Conclusion

Our study confirms that the ESC PTP model is more appropriate than the DF model for determining PTP in the Brazilian population.
Comparison of chairside rectangular chain retainers and multi-stranded conventional retainers: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Waldenström Sara , Qaljaee Jilah , Bresin Andrea , Esmaili Seifi , Westerlund Anna
Published: July 2024

Background

While retention appliances are widely used in orthodontics, there is still no evidence-based consensus regarding the optimal type of appliance or time of retention.

Objectives

To compare chairside rectangular chain retainers, which can be placed in one sitting, with conventional multi-stranded bonded retainers regarding their levels of stability, biological side effects, complications, and patient experiences.

Trial design

A single-centre, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial.

Methods

In total, 48 patients were included in this single-centre, randomized controlled trial conducted in Varberg, Region Halland, Sweden. The patients were randomized to two groups: the chairside rectangular chain retainer group, using the Ortho FlexTech retainer (OFT); and the conventional retainer group, using the 0.0195 Penta One multi-stranded spiral wire (PeO). The primary outcome was Little´s irregularity index (LII) evaluated at debond (T0) and at 3 months (T3) and 12 months (T12). The secondary outcomes were inter-canine distance (ICD), plaque index (PI), calculus index (CI), bleeding on probing (BoP), and caries, evaluated at T0, T3, and T12, as well as patients’ perceptions, evaluated at T3 and T12, and technical complications that were registered throughout the study period. The Mann–Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables for inter-group comparisons, and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used for intra-group comparisons.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding LII, biological side effects, technical complications, or patients’ experiences. However, there was a small but statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the maintenance of the ICD. Within the OFT group, there was a significant increase in CI, and within the PeO group, there was a significant increase in BoP.

Conclusions

In terms of clinical relevance, the chairside rectangular chain retainer and the conventional multi-stranded spiral wire provide similar outcomes with respect to the stability of alignment, biological side-effects, technical complications, and patients’ experiences short-term.

Trial registration

VGFOUreg–929962. Keywords: Orthodontic retainers; fixed retainers; retention; stability
ChatGPT in ELT: disruptor? Or well-trained teaching assistant?
Authors: Ahn Jieun , Lee Jongbong , Son Myeongeun
Published: July 2024

In this series, we explore technology-related themes and topics. The series aims to discuss and demystify what may be new areas for some readers and to consider their relevance for English language teachers.

This paper explores the potential applicability of ChatGPT—a generative, text-based artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot—to ELT. It offers insights and guidelines for using ChatGPT to develop receptive and productive skills. First, ChatGPT can help teachers generate input materials for listening and reading practices. Second, with ChatGPT, teachers can create individualized opportunities for students to practice their speaking and writing skills. We also note important caveats for teachers to consider when implementing ChatGPT as an instructional tool. By exploring its potential benefits and limitations, this paper contributes to the growing discourse on technology integration in ELT and offers practical recommendations for creating a productive learning environment using AI-driven language models like ChatGPT.
Do disinflation policies ravage central bank finances?
Authors: Humann Théodore , Mitchener Kris James , Monnet Eric
Published: July 2024

Advanced-economy central banks are currently experiencing losses. To examine how rate-tightening cycles affect central bank finances, we study the financial statements of ten advanced-economy central banks during the 1970s and 1980s, the most notable and comparable policy environment to the present. We find that central bank profits actually increased in response to the anti-inflationary measures of the 1980s. We thus discuss how central bank profits depend on their policy instruments as well as their balance-sheet position when rate tightening begins, rather than on the tightening per se. Unlike today, central banks in the 1980s avoided losses because they did not remunerate bank reserves and their balance sheets did not carry the legacy of a decade of large asset purchases at low interest rates and long maturity. Our counterfactuals show that only a combination of these factors could have triggered losses in the 1980s: none of them is sufficient on its own. When losses emerged in the late 1970s, before the Volcker shock, they were due to foreign exchange reserves depreciating. In these instances, when central banks carried them forward and did not rely on transfers from the government, there was no loss of central bank independence or their ability to fight inflation.
Plasma proteometabolome in lung cancer: exploring biomarkers through bidirectional Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis
Authors: Dong Bo , Wang Mengyao , Li Kaixiu , Li Zuwei , Liu Lunxu , Shen Shensi
Published: July 2024

Unlike other cancers with widespread screening (breast, colorectal, cervical, prostate, and skin), lung nodule biopsies for positive screenings have higher morbidity with clinical complications. Development of non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers could thereby significantly enhance lung cancer management for at-risk patients. Here, we leverage Mendelian Randomization (MR) to investigate the plasma proteome and metabolome for potential biomarkers relevant to lung cancer. Utilizing bidirectional MR and co-localization analyses, we identify novel associations, highlighting inverse relationships between plasma proteins SFTPB and KDELC2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and positive associations of TCL1A with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and CNTN1 with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Additionally, our work reveals significant negative correlations between metabolites such as theobromine and paraxanthine, along with paraxanthine-related ratios, in both LUAD and LUSC. Conversely, positive correlations are found in caffeine/paraxanthine and arachidonate (20:4n6)/paraxanthine ratios with these cancer types. Through single-cell sequencing data of normal lung tissue, we further explore the role of lung tissue-specific protein SFTPB in carcinogenesis. These findings offer new insights into lung cancer etiology, potentially guiding the development of diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic approaches.
Parallel MCMC algorithms: theoretical foundations, algorithm design, case studies
Authors: Glatt-Holtz Nathan E , Holbrook Andrew J , Krometis Justin A , Mondaini Cecilia F
Published: July 2024

Parallel Markov Chain Monte Carlo (pMCMC) algorithms generate clouds of proposals at each step to efficiently resolve a target probability distribution $\mu $. We build a rigorous foundational framework for pMCMC algorithms that situates these methods within a unified ‘extended phase space’ measure-theoretic formalism. Drawing on our recent work that provides a comprehensive theory for reversible single-proposal methods, we herein derive general criteria for multiproposal acceptance mechanisms that yield ergodic chains on general state spaces. Our formulation encompasses a variety of methodologies, including proposal cloud resampling and Hamiltonian methods, while providing a basis for the derivation of novel algorithms. In particular, we obtain a top-down picture for a class of methods arising from ‘conditionally independent’ proposal structures. As an immediate application of this formalism, we identify several new algorithms including a multiproposal version of the popular preconditioned Crank–Nicolson (pCN) sampler suitable for high- and infinite-dimensional target measures that are absolutely continuous with respect to a Gaussian base measure. To supplement the aforementioned theoretical results, we carry out a selection of numerical case studies that evaluate the efficacy of these novel algorithms. First, noting that the true potential of pMCMC algorithms arises from their natural parallelizability and the ease with which they map to modern high-performance computing architectures, we provide a limited parallelization study using TensorFlow and a graphics processing unit to scale pMCMC algorithms that leverage as many as 100k proposals at each step. Second, we use our multiproposal pCN algorithm (mpCN) to resolve a selection of problems in Bayesian statistical inversion for partial differential equations motivated by fluid measurement. These examples provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy of mpCN for high-dimensional target distributions featuring complex geometries and multimodal structures.
Immunoinformatic approaches for ErpY-LemA chimeric protein design for use in leptospirosis control
Authors: Ávila-Martínez Elsa Giovanna , Cardoso Thayná Laner , Pereira Isabel Ladeira , Caballero Pâmela Scaraffuni , Wozeak Daniela Rodriguero , Neto Amilton Clair Pinto Seixas , Pinto Luciano da Silva , Hartwig Daiane Drawanz
Published: July 2024

Aims

Currently, immunoinformatic approaches have shown promise in rapidly and cost-effectively identifying new antigens from the Leptospira proteome. Chimeric multiepitope proteins offer a strategy with significant potential for implementation in diagnosis and vaccines development.

Methods and results

In this study, we detail the immunoinformatic analyses and design of a new recombinant chimeric protein constructed with epitopes identified from the sequences of ErpY-like and LemA proteins, previously identified as potential antigens for controlling leptospirosis. We expressed the chimeric protein using Escherichia coli heterologous systems, evaluated its antigenicity using serum from naturally infected patients, and its immunogenicity in mice as an animal model, with Freund as an adjuvant. The resulting recombinant chimeric protein, named rErpY-LemA, was successfully expressed and purified using a prokaryotic system, with an expected mass of 35 kDa. Serologic assays using serum samples from naturally infected patients demonstrated recognition of the chimera protein by antibodies present in sera. Animals immunized with the chimera exhibited a significant IgG antibody response from the 7th day (P < 0.001), persisting until day 49 of experimentation, with a titer of 1:12,800 (P < 0.05). Notably, significant production of IgA, IgM, and IgG subclasses was observed in animals immunized with the chimera.

Conclusions

These results highlight the promising role of immunoinformatics in rapidly identifying antigens and the potential of chimeric multiepitope proteins in developing effective strategies for leptospirosis control.
Using publicly available, interactive epidemiological dashboards: an innovative approach to sharing data from the Rakai Community Cohort Study
Authors: Footer Kevin , Lake Camille M , Porter Joshua R , Ha Grace K , Ahmed Tanvir , Glogowski Alex , Ndyanabo Anthony , Grabowski M Kate , Chang Larry W , Ssekasanvu Joseph , Kagaayi Joseph , Serwadda David M , Mckina Jackie , Whalen Christopher , Ssentongo Lloyd , Nsimbi Ivan , Kakeeto Benedicto , Kigozi Godfrey , Ssekubugu Robert , Lutalo Tom , Wawer Maria J , Gray Ronald H , Reynolds Steven J , Rosenthal Alex , Quinn Thomas C , Tartakovsky Michael
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Public sharing of de-identified biomedical data promotes collaboration between researchers and accelerates the development of disease prevention and treatment strategies. However, open-access data sharing presents challenges to researchers who need to protect the privacy of study participants, ensure that data are used appropriately, and acknowledge the inputs of all involved researchers. This article presents an approach to data sharing which addresses the above challenges by using a publicly available dashboard with de-identified, aggregated participant data from a large HIV surveillance cohort.

Materials and Methods

Data in this study originated from the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), which was integrated into a centralized data mart as part of a larger data management strategy for the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Uganda. These data were used to build a publicly available, protected health information (PHI)-secured visualization dashboard for general research use.

Results

Using two unique case studies, we demonstrate the capability of the dashboard to generate the following hypotheses: firstly, that HIV prevention strategies ART and circumcision have differing levels of impact depending on the marital status of investigated communities; secondly, that ART is very successful in comparison to circumcision as an interventional strategy in certain communities.

Discussion

The democratization of large-scale anonymized epidemiological data using public-facing dashboards has multiple benefits, including facilitated exploration of research data and increased reproducibility of research findings.

Conclusion

By allowing the public to explore data in depth and form new hypotheses, public-facing dashboard platforms have significant potential to generate new relationships and collaborations and further scientific discovery and reproducibility.
Causal relationships between height and weight with distal tibia microarchitecture and geometry in adult female twin pairs
Authors: Nissen Frida Igland , Esser Vivienne F C , Bjørnerem Åshild , Hansen Ann Kristin
Published: July 2024

Higher stature and lower weight are associated with increased risk of fracture. However, the pathophysiology for the associations of height and weight with bone microarchitecture and geometry is unclear. We examined whether these associations were consistent with causation and/or with shared familial factors. In this cross-sectional study of 566 female twins aged 26-76 yr, a regression analysis for twin data, Inference about Causation by Examination of FAmilial CONfounding (ICE FALCON), was used for testing causation. The bone microarchitecture and geometry of the distal tibia was assessed using HR-pQCT and the StrAx1.0 software. Higher stature was associated with larger total bone cross-sectional area (CSA), lower total bone volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), larger cortical CSA, thinner cortices, higher porosity of the total cortex, compact cortex, outer and inner transitional zone (TZ), lower cortical vBMD, and larger medullary CSA (regression coefficients (β) ranging from −.37 to .60, all p<.05). Using ICE FALCON, the cross-pair cross-trait associations attenuated toward zero after adjusting for the within-individual association (absolute values of β ranging from .05 to .31, all p<.001). Higher weight was associated with higher total bone vBMD, larger cortical CSA and thicker cortices, lower porosity of the total cortex and inner TZ, and higher cortical vBMD (β ranging from −.23 to .34, all p<.001), and thinner trabeculae, higher trabecular number, lower trabecular separation, and higher trabecular vBMD (β ranging from −.31 to .39, all p<.05). Only cortical CSA attenuated toward zero after adjusting for the within-individual association between weight and bone microarchitecture (β = .042, p=.046). Higher stature was associated with a weaker cortical, not trabecular bone traits, whereas higher weight was associated with stronger cortical and trabecular bone traits. The results were consistent with height having a causal effect on weaker cortical bone structure, whereas weight had a casual effect on the larger cortical CSA.