bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The challenges of 3D metal printing and the machinability characteristics of additively produced materials: a review of hybrid machining
Authors: Balazs B Z , Jacso A , Tancsa V , Takacs M
Published: October 2024

Recently, 3D metal printing technologies are rapidly spreading. The various types of additive manufacturing (powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, binder jetting, and sheet lamination) use very different approaches to produce materials/geometries. The material properties (e.g. porosity/density, strength, surface roughness, hardness) of additively manufactured materials differ from the traditional ones and strongly depend on the applied 3D printing parameters. Therefore, a crucial research direction is how the parameters affect the material properties. Currently, 3D metal printing technologies have limitations in the achievable geometrical accuracy and surface roughness. Therefore, they can rarely be used for part production without further machining. For high-quality requirements, an additional subtractive machining procedure is usually required. Consequently, another intensively researched topic is the machinability of 3D metal printed materials. The industry is increasingly demanding to integrate different manufacturing processes (additive and subtractive technologies) into one machine. These hybrid machines have the advantage that they can produce high-quality parts in one step.
Adhesive Bonding of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite
Authors: Kovács P I
Published: October 2024

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are important and widely used material in today’s manufacture and automotive. It produces a high demand to research the material, therefore industrial sectors can improve. Developing industry and strict requirements leads us to use this type of material in different applications where we need to use bonding technologies. The exploration of bonding technologies is necessary, and adhesive bonds offer a promising alternative. This paper examines the adhesive bonding of carbon fiber composites using a high strength two-component epoxy.
Ultra-thin V2O5 nanowires: synthesis and gas sensing characteristics
Authors: Do Quang Dat , Chu Manh Hung , Nguyen Van Duy , Lam Van Nang , Vo Thi Lan Phuong , Chu Thi Xuan , Nguyen Duc Hoa
Published: October 2024

This study presents the synthesis of vanadium oxide nanowires via a simple hydrothermal method and explores their potential as high-performance sensors for monitoring harmful gases, with a particular focus on NO2. The microstructure and morphology of the nanowires were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, powder x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The vanadium oxide nanowire material demonstrates outstanding NO2 gas sensing capabilities, detecting 5 ppm with a rapid response and high sensitivity at an optimal working temperature of 150 °C. It exhibits a relative resistance change of 70%, showcasing a sub-ppm detection limit. The V2O5 nanowires exhibited good stability and high gas selectivity for NO2 over other interfering gases (H2S, NH3, C2H4, and CO). The ultrathin structure of the nanowires holds promise for practical applications in developing NO2 gas sensors. The study sheds light on the superior sensitivity of the V2O5 gas sensor toward NO2 at low temperatures, emphasizing the influence of the 1D structure on the sensing mechanism.
Two simple modifications to the World Falls Guidelines algorithm improves its ability to stratify older people into low, intermediate and high fall risk groups
Authors: Hicks Cameron , Menant Jasmine , Delbaere Kim , Sturnieks Daina L , Brodaty Henry , Sachdev Perminder S , Lord Stephen R
Published: October 2024

Background

We conducted a secondary analysis of a cohort study to examine the World Falls Guidelines algorithm’s ability to stratify older people into sizable fall risk groups or whether minor modifications were necessary to achieve this.

Methods

Six hundred and ninety-three community-living people aged 70–90 years (52.4% women) were stratified into low, intermediate and high fall risk groups using the original algorithm and a modified algorithm applying broader Timed Up and Go test screening with a >10-s cut point (originally >15 s). Prospective fall rates and physical and neuropsychological performance among the three groups were compared.

Results

The original algorithm was not able to identify three sizable groups, i.e. only five participants (0.7%) were classified as intermediate risk. The modified algorithm classified 349 participants (50.3%) as low risk, 127 participants (18.3%) as intermediate risk and 217 participants (31.3%) as high risk. The sizable intermediate-risk group had physical and neuropsychological characteristics similar to the high-risk group, but a fall rate similar to the low-risk group. The high-risk group had a significantly higher rate of falls than both the low- [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.99–3.20] and intermediate-risk groups (IRR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.58–3.03).

Conclusion

A modified algorithm stratified older people into three sizable fall risk groups including an intermediate group who may be at risk of transitioning to high fall rates in the medium to long term. These simple modifications may assist in better triaging older people to appropriate and tailored fall prevention interventions.
Elevational shifts in reproductive ecology indicate the climate response of a model chasmophyte, Rainer’s bellflower (Campanula raineri)
Authors: Villa Sara , Magoga Giulia , Montagna Matteo , Pierce Simon
Published: October 2024

Background and aims

Elevation gradients provide ‘natural experiments’ for investigating plant climate change responses, advantageous for the study of protected species and life forms for which transplantation experiments are illegal or unfeasible, such as chasmophytes with perennial rhizomes pervading rock fissures. Elevational climatic differences impact mountain plant reproductive traits (pollen and seed quality, sexual vs. vegetative investment) and pollinator community composition; we investigated the reproductive ecology of a model chasmophyte, Campanula raineri Perp. (Campanulaceae), throughout its current elevational/climatic range to understand where sub-optimal conditions jeopardise survival. We hypothesised that: 1) reproductive fitness measures are positively correlated with elevation, indicative of the relationship between fitness and climate; 2) C. raineri, like other campanulas, is pollinated mainly by Hymenoptera; 3) potential pollinators shift with elevation.

Methods

We measured pollen and seed quality, seed production, the relative investment in sexual vs. vegetative structures and vegetative (Grime’s CSR) strategies at different elevations. Potential pollinators were assessed by combining molecular and morphological identification.

Key results

Whereas CSR strategies were not linked to elevation, pollen and seed quality were positively correlated, as was seed production per fruit (Hypothesis 1 is supported). The main pollinators of C. raineri were Apidae, Andrenidae, Halictidae (Hymenoptera) and Syrphidae (Diptera), probably complemented by a range of occasional pollinators and visitors (Hypothesis 2 partially supported). Potential pollinator communities showed a taxonomic shift towards Diptera with elevation (particularly Anthomyiidae and Muscidae) and away from Hymenoptera (Hypothesis 3 was supported).

Conclusions

Pollinator availability is maintained at all elevations by taxon replacement. However, reduced pollen quality and seed production at lower elevations suggest an impact of climate change on reproduction (especially <1200 m a.s.l., where seed germination was limited). Aside from guiding targeted conservation actions for C. raineri, our results highlight problems that may be common to mountain chasmophytes worldwide.
scPanel: a tool for automatic identification of sparse gene panels for generalizable patient classification using scRNA-seq datasets
Authors: Xie Yi , Yang Jianfei , Ouyang John F , Petretto Enrico
Published: October 2024

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies can generate transcriptomic profiles at a single-cell resolution in large patient cohorts, facilitating discovery of gene and cellular biomarkers for disease. Yet, when the number of biomarker genes is large, the translation to clinical applications is challenging due to prohibitive sequencing costs. Here, we introduce scPanel, a computational framework designed to bridge the gap between biomarker discovery and clinical application by identifying a sparse gene panel for patient classification from the cell population(s) most responsive to perturbations (e.g. diseases/drugs). scPanel incorporates a data-driven way to automatically determine a minimal number of informative biomarker genes. Patient-level classification is achieved by aggregating the prediction probabilities of cells associated with a patient using the area under the curve score. Application of scPanel to scleroderma, colorectal cancer, and COVID-19 datasets resulted in high patient classification accuracy using only a small number of genes (<20), automatically selected from the entire transcriptome. In the COVID-19 case study, we demonstrated cross-dataset generalizability in predicting disease state in an external patient cohort. scPanel outperforms other state-of-the-art gene selection methods for patient classification and can be used to identify parsimonious sets of reliable biomarker candidates for clinical translation.
MLSNet: a deep learning model for predicting transcription factor binding sites
Authors: Zhang Yuchuan , Wang Zhikang , Ge Fang , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhang Yiwen , Li Shanshan , Guo Yuming , Song Jiangning , Yu Dong-Jun
Published: October 2024

Accurate prediction of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) is essential for understanding gene regulation mechanisms and the etiology of diseases. Despite numerous advances in deep learning for predicting TFBSs, their performance can still be enhanced. In this study, we propose MLSNet, a novel deep learning architecture designed specifically to predict TFBSs. MLSNet innovatively integrates multisize convolutional fusion with long short-term memory (LSTM) networks to effectively capture DNA-sparse higher-order sequence features. Further, MLSNet incorporates super token attention and Bi-LSTM to systematically extract and integrate higher-order DNA shape features. Experimental results on 165 ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing) datasets indicate that MLSNet consistently outperforms several state-of-the-art algorithms in the prediction of TFBSs. Specifically, MLSNet reports average metrics: 0.8306 for ACC, 0.8992 for AUROC, and 0.9035 for AUPRC, surpassing the second-best methods by 1.82%, 1.68%, and 1.54%, respectively. This research delineates the effectiveness of combining multi-size convolutional layers with LSTM and DNA shape-based features in enhancing predictive accuracy. Moreover, this study comprehensively assesses the variability in model performance across different cell lines and transcription factors. The source code of MLSNet is available at https://github.com/minghaidea/MLSNet.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric diseases in individuals with primary hyperhidrosis
Authors: Henning Mattias A S , Barati Farnam , Jemec Gregor B E
Published: October 2024

Primary hyperhidrosis is associated with a substantial mental burden. In this study, the objective was to compare the occurrence of psychiatric diseases in individuals with and without primary hyperhidrosis by systematically reviewing the literature and conducting a meta-analysis. The PRISMA statement and the MOOSE checklist were employed. Cochrane Library, Embase and PubMed were searched. The risk of bias was determined by the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. A random effects model was employed in the meta-analysis. Fifteen studies met the eligibility criteria, encompassing 50 429 participants with hyperhidrosis and 182 464 control participants. Hyperhidrosis was associated with increased odds of anxiety (odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.0–11.8) and depression (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.4–4.0). Studies using outcome definitions for anxiety and depression and not included in the meta-analysis showed similar results. Studies reporting on other morbidities (i.e. body dysmorphic disorder, social phobia and stress) found a higher occurrence of these outcomes in the individuals with hyperhidrosis than in the control participants. Primary hyperhidrosis is associated with anxiety and depression. These results acknowledge the psychiatric burden that patients with primary hyperhidrosis experience.
Design and cohort characteristics of TRACK, a prospective study of hyperkalaemia management decision-making
Authors: Hsia Judith , Shivappa Nitin , Bakhai Ameet , Bover Jordi , Butler Javed , Ferraro Pietro Manuel , Fried Linda , Schneider Markus P , Tangri Navdeep , Winkelmayer Wolfgang C , Bishop Meredith , Chen Hungta , Sundin Anna-Karin , Bonaca Marc P
Published: October 2024

Background

Guideline-recommended hyperkalaemia management includes dietary potassium (K+) restriction, bicarbonate correction, diuretics and K+ binders with dose reduction of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors as a last resort. The extent to which these recommendations are implemented is uncertain, as real-world data on hyperkalaemia management are limited. The Tracking Treatment Pathways in Adult Patients with Hyperkalemia (TRACK) study is a multinational, prospective, longitudinal study that is being conducted to address this knowledge gap. We report the design and baseline cohort characteristics of this real-world study of hyperkalaemia management decision-making.

Methods

This study enrolled participants within 21 days of an episode of hyperkalaemia in four European countries (UK, Spain, Germany, Italy) and the USA. During the 12-month follow up, data collected will include participant and healthcare provider characteristics (specialty and practice setting), hyperkalaemia treatment objectives and strategies, rationale for management decisions and indicators of response and patient-reported perceptions of their hyperkalaemia treatment.

Results

The enrolled cohort includes 1330 participants, mean age 68 years, of whom 31% were women. At baseline, 6% reported heart failure, 55% chronic kidney disease, 29% both and 9% neither. Most participants (57%) were taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin receptor blocker or angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor at baseline. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use was lower (14%).

Conclusions

The prospective TRACK study will shed light on practitioners’ hyperkalaemia management decision-making and assess the impact of their decisions on hyperkalaemia recurrence. Understanding practitioners’ underlying thought processes will facilitate efforts to improve hyperkalaemia management.

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05408039
N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, eGFR, and progression of kidney disease in chronic kidney disease patients without heart failure
Authors: Lu Yi , Chen Junzhe , Su Licong , Lukwaro Andrew Fanuel , Zhou Shiyu , Zheng Shaoxin , Luo Yuxin , Fu Sha , Nie Sheng , Tang Ying
Published: October 2024

Background

Cardiorenal syndrome highlights the bidirectional relationship between kidney and heart dysfunction. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), which is the gold standard biomarker in heart failure (HF), may be an important biomarker for chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, NT-proBNP is negatively related with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). In this study, we investigated the association of NT-proBNP, eGFR, and progression of kidney disease in CKD patients without HF.

Methods

This multicentric retrospective cohort study recruited 23 860 CKD patients without HF, who had at least one NT-proBNP record from China Renal Data System database. Linear regression model evaluated the relationship between eGFR and NT-proBNP. Cox regression analysis assessed the association between NT-proBNP and CKD progression. Sensitivity analysis examined the robustness of the main findings.

Results

This study involved 23 860 CKD patients without HF, distributed across different CKD stages: 10 526 in stages G1-2, 4665 in G3a, 3702 in G3b, 2704 in G4, and 2263 in G5. NT-proBNP was negatively correlated with eGFR, particularly in stages 4–5 CKD. A 15-unit decrease in eGFR was associated with increases in log (NT-proBNP) levels by 1.04-fold, 1.27-fold, 1.29-fold, 1.80-fold, and 3.50-fold for stages 1–2, 3a, 3b, 4, and 5, respectively. After excluding patients who developed CKD progression within 1 year, the Cox regression analysis revealed that the relationship between NT-proBNP and CKD progression was not significant in stages 4 and 5. However, for stages 1–3, each standard deviation increase in log (NT-proBNP) was associated with a 26%, 36%, and 28% higher risk of CKD progression, with P interaction ≤.001. The hazard ratios were 1.26 (95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.18 to 1.35), 1.36 (95% CI, 1.22 to 1.51), and 1.28 (95% CI, 1.14 to 1.43) for stages 1–2, stage 3a, and stage 3b, respectively.

Conclusions

Despite its strong inverse association with eGFR, NT-proBNP was positively associated with the risk of progression of kidney disease in CKD patients with stages 1–3 without HF. Future studies should investigate the effectiveness of NT-proBNP as a predictive biomarker for the progression of kidney disease across diverse racial groups and healthcare settings.
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a novel wired transmission pH-combined photographic catheter for ambulatory gastroesophageal reflux monitoring (with videos)
Authors: Hu Xiaoyu , Tang Bofu , Zhang Yifan , Hao Jinyong , Feng Jie , Huang Xiaojun
Published: October 2024

Twenty-four-hour pH-impedance monitoring is an important diagnostic approach for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Reflux monitoring results cannot be synchronized with ambulatory motility imaging of the esophageal sphincter. We have designed a novel wired transmission pH-combined photographic catheter (WT-CPC) for the synchronous acquisition of reflux image and pH. Different patterns of reflux events were simulated to perform in a porcine gastroesophageal reflux model in vitro. The live porcine model of gastroesophageal reflux was established in three Bama pigs. Monitoring was conducted with the WT-CPC and pH-impedance catheter simultaneously. Measurements included the number and proportion of reflux events, as well as acid exposure time (AET). The detection rates of WT-CPC for distal and horizontal acid reflux events were significantly higher compared to those of pH-impedance catheters (100% vs. 14.29%, 100% vs. 57.14%, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two methods in proximal acid reflux events (P = 0.217). Regarding mixed reflux events, WT-CPC exhibited higher detection rates for distal events than pH-impedance catheter (100% vs. 42.86%, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two methods for proximal reflux events (P > 0.05). Both methods showed similar results for horizontal reflux events. A porcine gastroesophageal reflux model was successfully established and utilized for reflux monitoring. A total of 28 episodes of reflux were detected within 6.5 min. The detection rate achieved by WT-CPC for reflux events was significantly higher than that obtained by pH-impedance (100% vs. 78.57%, P = 0.023). The WT-CPC has demonstrated reflux monitoring capabilities in an isolated reflux organ model. It also showed good operability and performance in the porcine model. The WT-CPC holds promising potential to provide valuable diagnostic evidence for GERD.
The efficacy of loco-regional ropivacaine analgesia via intercostal catheters after lung resection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, superiority study
Authors: Hojski Aljaz , Krämer Monica , Gecas Paulius , Djakovic Zeljko , Tsvetkov Nikolay , Mallaev Makhmudbek , Bolliger Daniel , Lampart Andreas , Lardinois Didier
Published: October 2024

OBJECTIVES

Postoperative pain remains a burden for patients after minimally invasive anatomic lung resection. Current guidelines recommend the intraoperative placement of intercostal catheters to promote faster recovery. This trial aimed to determine the analgesic efficacy of continuous loco-regional ropivacaine application via intercostal catheter and establish this method as a possible standard of care.

METHODS

Between December 2021 and October 2023, patients were randomly assigned to receive ropivacaine 0.2% or a placebo through an intercostal catheter with a flow rate of 6–8 ml/h for 72 h after surgery. Patients were undergoing anatomic VATS lung resection under general anaesthesia for confirmed or suspected stage I lung cancer (UICC, 8th edition). The sample size was calculated to assess a difference in numerical rating scale associated with pain reduction of 1.5 points.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients were included in the ropivacaine group, whereas the placebo group comprised 18 participants. Patient characteristics and preoperative pain scores were similar in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pain scores and morphine consumption between the 2 groups. The mean numerical rating scale when coughing during the first 24 h postoperatively was 4.9 (SD: 2.2) in the ropivacaine group and 4.3 (SD: 2.4); P = 0.47 in the placebo group. We were unable to determine any effect of administered ropivacaine on the postoperative pulmonary function (FEV1, PEF).

CONCLUSIONS

Our preliminary results suggest that continuous loco-regional ropivacaine administration via surgically placed intercostal catheter has no positive effect on postoperative pain scores or morphine requirements.

CLINICAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04939545
Dissociation between liver fat content and fasting metabolic markers of selective hepatic insulin resistance in humans
Authors: Westcott Felix A , Nagarajan Shilpa R , Parry Sion A , Savic Dragana , Green Charlotte J , Marjot Thomas , Johnson Elspeth , Cornfield Thomas , Mózes Ferenc E , O’Rourke Paige , Mendall Jessica , Dearlove David , Fielding Barbara , Smith Kieran , Tomlinson Jeremy W , Hodson Leanne
Published: October 2024

Objective

Fasting hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia are characteristic of insulin resistance (IR) and rodent work has suggested this may be due to selective hepatic IR, defined by increased hepatic gluconeogenesis and de novo lipogenesis (DNL), but this has not been shown in humans.

Design

Cross-sectional study in men and women across a range of adiposity.

Methods

Medication-free participants (n = 177) were classified as normoinsulinemic (NI) or hyperinsulinemic (HI) and as having low (LF) or high (HF) liver fat content measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Fractional gluconeogenesis (frGNG) and hepatic DNL were measured using stable isotope tracer methodology following an overnight fast.

Results

Although HI and HF groups had higher fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride concentrations when compared to NI and LF groups respectively, there was no difference in frGNG. However, HF participants tended to have lower frGNG than LF participants. HI participants had higher DNL compared to NI participants but there was no difference observed between liver fat groups.

Conclusions

Taken together, we found no metabolic signature of selective hepatic IR in fasting humans. DNL may contribute to hypertriglyceridemia in individuals with HI but not those with HF. Glycogenolysis and systemic glucose clearance may have a larger contribution to fasting hyperglycemia than gluconeogenesis, especially in those with HF, and these pathways should be considered for therapeutic targeting.
The natural course of bone mineral density in transgender youth before medical treatment; a cross sectional study
Authors: van der Loos Maria Anna Theodora Catharina , Boogers Lidewij Sophia , Klink Daniel Tatting , den Heijer Martin , Wiepjes Chantal Maria , Hannema Sabine Elisabeth
Published: October 2024

Objective

Bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores decrease during puberty suppression in transgender youth. Assessment of treatment impact has been based on the assumption that without intervention, BMD Z-scores remain stable. However, the natural course of BMD in this population is unknown.

Design

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Methods

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans prior to medical intervention were included from 333 individuals assigned male at birth (AMAB) and 556 individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) aged 12–25 years. The relationship between age and BMD Z-scores of sex assigned at birth was analysed for the lumbar spine (LS), total hip (TH), femoral neck (FN), and total-body-less-head (TBLH), adjusted for height SDS, height-adjusted lean mass Z-score, and whole body percentage fat Z-score.

Results

In individuals AMAB, the BMD Z-score was negatively associated with age between 12 and 22 years: LS −0.13/year (95% confidence interval, CI −0.17; −0.10); TH −0.05/year (95% CI −0.08; −0.02); FN −0.06/year (95% CI −0.10; −0.03); and TBLH −0.12/year (95% CI −0.15; −0.09). Adjusting for height-adjusted lean mass Z-score attenuated the association at the LS and TBLH and eliminated the association at the TH and FN. BMD Z-scores and age were not associated between 22 and 25 years. In individuals AFAB, BMD Z-scores were only associated with age at the TBLH (−0.08/year, 95% CI −0.12; −0.04) between age 12 and 20 years.

Conclusion

In individuals AMAB aged 12–22 years prior to any treatment, BMD Z-scores were inversely correlated with age. This could imply that BMD increases less in individuals AMAB than in the general population, and that changes in Z-score during puberty suppression and subsequent hormone supplementation are not necessarily due to treatment, but possibly related to lifestyle factors.
Participation in formal adult education and family life—a gendered story
Authors: Pöyliö Heta , McMullin Patricia
Published: October 2024

Previous literature on adult education (AE) has focused on various aspects of social inequalities, and although many acknowledge the critical role of gender, the mechanisms influencing gender differences in participation are rarely to the fore. Specifically, women report family responsibilities as the main reason for not enrolling in AE. This article examines whether family responsibilities, measured as the age and number of children, act as motivators or barriers to formal AE participation differently among men and women with varying time and monetary resources, that is, partnership status and relative income, in two societies with high formal AE enrolment rates; Finland and Great Britain. The results from Finnish registers and Understanding Society for 1998–2019 demonstrate clearly that family responsibilities related to having young children in the household restrict women from participating in formal AE to a greater extent than men in both countries. Further, while Finnish society enables individuals who traditionally have fewer resources to attend formal AE, that is, single parents and larger families, in Britain, formal AE is mainly taken up by individuals without children or those in stable family situations. The results highlight the importance of institutions in providing equal access to further educational qualifications.
A New “Cult of the Offensive?” Elite Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Military Affairs in the United States and the People’s Republic of China
Authors: Selden Zachary
Published: October 2024

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in military affairs is largely limited to logistics, transport, reconnaissance, and other support functions at present. Yet, the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are also making significant progress in developing autonomous combat vehicles and other offensive applications of AI. The ambiguous nature and multifaceted applications of AI in military affairs could be seen as either increasing or decreasing the relative cost of offensive military action. The critical question, therefore, is not a technical determination of whether the emerging uses of AI favor the offensive or defensive force, but rather an assessment of how AI is perceived by policymakers. Similar to the World War I era cult of the offensive, ambiguous emerging technology may drive leaders to focus on the offensive advantages of that technology when expectations of conflict are rising. This paper examines the policy elite discourse surrounding the military applications of AI in both the United States and the PRC between 2014 and 2022. It finds that over this period, elite discussion of the use of AI in military affairs has shifted in both states in ways that indicate more focus on the offensive rather than defensive applications of this emerging technology. While by no means determinative, it is an indicator that perceptions of the offense–defense balance may be moving in a destabilizing direction.
The Power of a Complex Systems Perspective to Elucidate Aging
Authors: Cohen Alan A , Olde Rikkert Marcel G M
Published: October 2024

It is becoming highly accepted that aging, age-related diseases, and geriatric healthcare can move forward if reductionist research is complemented by integrative research uniting knowledge on specific aging mechanisms, multiple biomedical, social, psychological, lifestyle, and environmental factors and their interactions. In this special issue, we present exciting papers that illustrate how complexity science theory and practice can be applied to aging research and provide a better understanding and quantification of healthy aging and vulnerability to disease. Recent insights on biomarkers, clocks of aging, frailty, and resilience are covered and studied in interaction with a dynamic multiscale perspective. The editorial and closing viewpoint guide you through basic principles of gerontological complexity science and shed light on new research horizons, including innovative systems-based interventions.
Age Differences in Consulting Others During Decision Making
Authors: Wild Tess , Löckenhoff Corinna E
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Many choices are made in the context of one’s social network, but age differences in consulting others during decision making remain underexplored. This preregistered study examined age differences in the composition of decision-related social networks and associated social preferences and motivations. Based on prior findings regarding age differences in information-seeking and socioemotional preferences, we predicted that with advanced age people would consult fewer and more emotionally close social partners, consult them less frequently, rate consultations as more helpful, and prioritize social goals during decision making.

Methods

An adult lifespan sample (N = 485; Mage = 51.08; SDage = 19.63, rangeage = 18–96 years) considered hypothetical choices and reported how many and what types of people they would consult and how often they would consult them. They also identified their most important decision consultants and evaluated interactions with those individuals.

Results

As predicted, age was associated with consulting fewer people less frequently and this was not explained by having a smaller range of potential consultants in one’s network. Contrary to predictions, the proportion of close social partners in decision networks and the perceived helpfulness of consultants did not vary significantly by age. Moreover, older adults were less likely than younger adults to prioritize relationship quality over decision quality. Controlling for potential covariates did not diminish the observed age effects.

Discussion

These findings align with the prior literature on age-related decrements in pre-decisional information seeking but suggest that age-related preferences for close social partners and socioemotional goals do not extend to decision-related consultations.
The WTO as Multilateral Diffusion Hub: Institutional Learning in WTO Disputes and the Design of Preferential Trade Agreements
Authors: Stiller Kenneth T
Published: October 2024

Institutions are not created in a vacuum—but how do extant institutions influence design choices? Leveraging fragmentation in the global trade order, this paper stresses the relevance of experience and argues that the institutional influence of the World Trade Organization (WTO) extends beyond its jurisdiction through its centrality as multilateral diffusion hub: When states negotiate preferential trade agreements (PTAs), previous dispute settlement experiences in the WTO shape the design of dispute settlement mechanisms (DSMs). National bureaucracies undergo institutional learning processes when participating in multilateral trade disputes and subsequently conclude PTAs with DSMs that are similar to the institutions of the WTO, thus fostering their—decentralized—spread to the network of PTAs. The learning effect is particularly pronounced for states with low bureaucratic capacity. Employing a novel, unitary conceptualization of DSMs in terms of complainant rights shows that the results of this diffusion process generally entail increased levels of complainant rights in PTAs. Importantly, institutional learning is more than mere emulation: States also adapt institutional design to individual context by considering the prior dispute experience of their trading partners. A dual empirical strategy and interviews with PTA negotiators corroborate the learning effect and its relevance during PTA negotiations.
Quantitation of Usnic Acid from Three Usnea Species, Its Commercial Formulations Using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HPTLC–MS) and Their Metabolite Profiling Using UPLC–QTof-MSE
Authors: Tatapudi Kiran Kumar , Bandi Siva , Kotta Ramulu , Kanivebagilu Shankaranarayana Vinayaka , Ramalingam Vaikundamoorthy , Babu Katragadda Suresh
Published: October 2024

Background

The genus Usnea (Parmeliaceae; lichenized Ascomycetes) is pale grayish-green fruticose lichens, which grow as leafless mini-shrubs and comprise about 360 species. Most of the Usnea species are edible and are utilized in preparation of traditional foods as well as in medicines to combat a wide range of ailments.

Objective

This study aimed to quantify usnic acid (UA) in three Usnea spp. (Usnea ghattensis [UG], Usnea orientalis [UO], and Usnea undulata [UU]) using HPTLC–MS. Additionally, chemical profiling of acetone extracts using UPLC–QTof-MSE resulted in the identification of 16 compounds based on their MS/MS fragmentation patterns.

Methods

Hyphenated techniques, HPTLC–MS, and UPLC–QTof-MSE have been proposed to quantify UA and analyze metabolites in crude extracts qualitatively. This method allowed tentative characterization of metabolites from Usnea spp.

Results

The quantification study showed excellent linearity for UA at 0.25–1 µg/band with a correlation coefficient r2 > 0.99, and the LOD and LOQ were found to be 51.7 and 156.6 ng/band, respectively. Furthermore, UPLC–QTof-MSE analysis of crude extracts led to identification of lichen secondary metabolites through their exact molecular masses and MS/MS fragmentation studies.

Conclusion

The present study summarizes an HPTLC method for quantification of UA in three different Usnea spp. Additionally, two herbal formulations containing Usnea spp. as an ingredient, the developed method was validated as per the ICH guidelines and further UPLC–QTof-MSE analysis facilitated tentative characterization of 16 different secondary metabolites based on their MS/MS fragmentation patterns.

Highlights

A rapid HPTLC method for quantification of UA in three different Usnea spp., along with two herbal formulations, and metabolite profiling using UPLC–QTof-MSE.
The fecundity costs of building domed nests in birds
Authors: Taylor Claire J , Mainwaring Mark C , Medina Iliana
Published: October 2024

Animal nests provide a beneficial environment for offspring development and as such, contribute to fitness. Gathering and transporting materials to construct nests is energetically costly, but the life history trade-offs associated with the types of nests built are largely unknown. Who contributes to building the nest could also mediate these trade-offs, as building a nest as a couple is expected to be less costly per individual than building alone. Using a comparative analysis of 227 songbird species globally, we found a fecundity cost associated with the type of nest a species builds. Species that build domed nests produce fewer broods per year than species building cups or platforms. Dome nesting species also have larger clutch sizes than open nesting species, but only when the nest is built by a couple and not when females build nests alone. This suggests that building domed nests represents a trade-off with investment in young, especially when females are solely responsible for nest building. More broadly, our results could explain macroevolutionary patterns, such as the recent finding that females, building on their own, more often build open cups rather than domed nests.
Updated checklist with new records and molecular data for the mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Hong Kong
Authors: Han Shaolin , Miot Elliott F , Liao Yunshi , Somboon Pradya , Harbach Ralph E , Sze-To Ka Mei , Tang Lilia Tsz-Wing , Guénard Benoit , Lam Tommy Tsan-Yuk
Published: October 2024

An extensive mosquito survey was carried out in Hong Kong from September to October 2022, employing a variety of collection methods. Specimens were identified using a combination of morphology and mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcode sequences. Twenty-nine species, including three new records, i.e., Culex bicornutus (Theobald), Culex cinctellus Edwards, and Lutzia chiangmaiensis Somboon & Harbach, were collected. Phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences of Culex annulus Theobald and Culex vishnui Theobald collected in Hong Kong and elsewhere revealed that the sequences of the two nominal species are genetically very similar and are included in the same clade. Consequently, the synonymy of Cx. annulus with Cx. vishnui is reinstated. Lutzia halifaxii (Theobald) is removed from the list of species in Hong Kong and is replaced with Lutzia vorax Edwards, the identification of which is confirmed in the present study. The record of Culex spiculothorax Bram recorded in Hong Kong is replaced with the senior synonym Culex sasai Kano, Nitahara & Awaya. The occurrence of Anopheles fluviatilis James and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) is discussed. Finally, an updated checklist of the mosquitoes of Hong Kong, which now includes 76 species representing 14 genera, is provided, with notation of those species that vector pathogens of human diseases.
Feeling at home: Bildung and the clash between nostalgic and universal values: singing together in a plural world
Authors: Wiberg Merete
Published: October 2024

The article explores the tensions of belonging by focusing on the clash between nostalgic and universal values. Because of the inherent tension that they share, the concepts of Bildung and nostalgia provide an opening for understanding human belonging as ranging between nostalgic rootedness and the search for universality. Johann Gottfried Herder’s and Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig’s theories of Bildung, exemplify this clash between nostalgic and universal values. Wilhelm von Humboldt’s thinking offers a theory of Bildung that transcends nostalgic values and points to the world as a place of belonging. In this article I problematize feelings of nostalgia, such as a sense of national belonging, by demonstrating how they might turn into educational values that exclude individuals who do not share the same idea of home and sense of belonging. I employ Agnes Heller’s term ‘value- orientational categories’ to understand how feelings might transform into values. I question and discuss nostalgia’s potential to uphold diversity, given human longing for local versions of home with different languages, cultures, and customs. I then suggest that embracing nostalgia in an educational context can provide a foundation for fostering universal values such as diversity, openness, and flexibility among citizens. Barbara Cassin’s vision of the ‘world freed from belonging’ and her idea of ‘airborne roots’ contribute to this discussion.
Uncovering Amazonia: How statistics dismantled a myth
Authors: Gamerman Dani
Published: October 2024

The Amazon rainforest is not the untouched wilderness we think it is, but contains thousands of ancient and mysterious earthworks left behind by indigenous populations. Dani Gamerman describes how statisticians and statistical analysis brought numerical evidence to an interdisciplinary paper that made headlines around the world.
The effect of puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement on climacturia after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
Authors: Unal Selman , Kutluhan Musab Ali , Uzundal Halil , Soydas Turker , Okulu Emrah , Ozayar Asim , Kayigil Onder
Published: October 2024

Background

Climacturia is defined as urine leakage associated with orgasm and can negatively affect patients’ quality of life. The high prevalence of climacturia after radical prostatectomy (RP) has led to continued efforts to reduce climacturia rates. It has been shown that puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement during RP assists in the recovery of urinary continence.

Aim

To evaluate the impact of puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement during RP on post-RP climacturia.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent nerve-sparing robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP) at our institution between 2016 and 2023. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 32) that underwent nerve-sparing RALP with puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement and Group 2 (n = 62) that underwent nerve-sparing RALP alone. Patients who were not able to achieve penetration at the last follow-up visit were excluded from the study. The clinical history, parameters of prostate cancer, details of medical and surgical treatments, and follow-up data were evaluated.

Outcomes

Differences in sexual and urinary function, climacturia rates, and complications between nerve-sparing RP with and without puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement.

Results

There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of surgical complications. The mean follow-up time was 14.62 ± 3.55 months in Group 1 and 14.43 ± 4.44 months in Group 2 (P = .42). Postoperative erectile functions were similar between the groups. At the last follow-up visit, climacturia was present in 4 patients (12.5%) in Group 1 and 24 patients (38.7%) in Group 2 (P = .016). The long-term stress urinary incontinence rates were similar between the groups.

Clinical Implications

This study provides comparative results on postoperative climacturia rates between nerve-sparing RALP groups with and without puboperiurethral suspension stitch placement. These results show that puboperiurethral suspension stitch can help to prevent postoperative climacturia after RP.

Strength and Limitations

This is the first study in the literature that evaluates the effect of puboperiurethral suspension stitch on climacturia. The limitations include the single-center, retrospective design with potential selection bias, possible inaccuracies in the recorded medical data, and challenges in controlling confounding variables.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that puboperiurethral suspension stitch was a feasible option for the prevention of climacturia after RALP without an increased risk of complications.
Knee joint dysfunction in the patients immediately before arthroplasty was well reflected by locomotive syndrome, not physical frailty
Authors: Inui Kentaro , Maeda Shingo , Yamada Shuji , Mandai Koji , Minami Yoshito , Ueno Kentaro , Ohashi Hirotsugu , Ikawa Tesshu
Published: October 2024

Objectives

We assessed physical function by three different methods in patients with knee osteoarthritis just before total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and investigated the relationship with pre-operative factors.

Methods

All patients scheduled to undergo TKA were assessed for basic attributes, clinical assessment, radiography, whole-body mode dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, knee muscle strength, and frailty, sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome (LS) were evaluated.

Results

Among 204 patients (213 knees), 172 women the overall distribution in frailty was no: 14.6%, pre-frailty: 58.5%, frailty: 26.8%; in sarcopenia no: 93.3%, yes: 3.4%, severe: 3.4%; and in LS Stage 0: 0%, Stage 1: 3.3%, Stage 2: 11.4%, Stage 3: 85.3% . Eighty-seven per cent of the patients with frailty and 92% with LS Stage 3 did not suffer from sarcopenia. Statistically significant relationships were observed between sarcopenia and frailty, while there was no relationship between LS and frailty or LS and sarcopenia. Multivariate analysis of related factors with severity levels for frailty and LS revealed statistically significant correlations for frailty with gait speed, and LS with Knee Society Score and muscle strength.

Conclusion

In patients with knee osteoarthritis frailty and LS were not related to sarcopenia. Knee joint dysfunction without sarcopenia was well reflected by LS, but not by frailty.
The TRIM-NHL RNA-binding protein Brain Tumor coordinately regulates expression of the glycolytic pathway and vacuolar ATPase complex
Authors: Connacher Robert P , Roden Richard T , Huang Kai-Lieh , Korte Amanda J , Yeruva Saathvika , Dittbenner Noel , DesMarais Anna J , Weidmann Chase A , Randall Thomas A , Williams Jason , Hall Traci M Tanaka , Wagner Eric J , Goldstrohm Aaron C
Published: October 2024

The essential Drosophila RNA-binding protein Brain Tumor (Brat) represses specific genes to control embryogenesis and differentiation of stem cells. In the brain, Brat functions as a tumor suppressor that diminishes neural stem cell proliferation while promoting differentiation. Though important Brat-regulated target mRNAs have been identified in these contexts, the full impact of Brat on gene expression remains to be discovered. Here, we identify the network of Brat-regulated mRNAs by performing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) following depletion of Brat from cultured cells. We identify 158 mRNAs, with high confidence, that are repressed by Brat. De novo motif analysis identified a functionally enriched RNA motif in the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of Brat-repressed mRNAs that matches the biochemically defined Brat binding site. Integrative data analysis revealed a high-confidence list of Brat-repressed and Brat-bound mRNAs containing 3′UTR Brat binding motifs. Our RNA-seq and reporter assays show that multiple 3′UTR motifs promote the strength of Brat repression, whereas motifs in the 5′UTR are not functional. Strikingly, we find that Brat regulates expression of glycolytic enzymes and the vacuolar ATPase complex, providing new insight into its role as a tumor suppressor and the coordination of metabolism and intracellular pH.
Closing in on human methylation—the versatile family of seven-β-strand (METTL) methyltransferases
Authors: Falnes Pål Ø
Published: October 2024

Methylation is a common biochemical reaction, and a number of methyltransferase (MTase) enzymes mediate the various methylation events occurring in living cells. Almost all MTases use the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), and, in humans, the largest group of AdoMet-dependent MTases are the so-called seven-β-strand (7BS) MTases. Collectively, the 7BS MTases target a wide range of biomolecules, i.e. nucleic acids and proteins, as well as several small metabolites and signaling molecules. They play essential roles in key processes such as gene regulation, protein synthesis and metabolism, as well as neurotransmitter synthesis and clearance. A decade ago, roughly half of the human 7BS MTases had been characterized experimentally, whereas the remaining ones merely represented hypothetical enzymes predicted from bioinformatics analysis, many of which were denoted METTLs (METhylTransferase-Like). Since then, considerable progress has been made, and the function of > 80% of the human 7BS MTases has been uncovered. In this review, I provide an overview of the (estimated) 120 human 7BS MTases, grouping them according to substrate specificities and sequence similarity. I also elaborate on the challenges faced when studying these enzymes and describe recent major advances in the field.