bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Road Extraction Method from Satellite Images Using Genetic Programming
Authors: Liang Jing , Chang Yaxin , Bi Ying , Yue Caitong , Qu Boyang , Liu Mengnan
Published: May 2024

Extracting roads from satellite images is an important task in the field of computer vision with a wide range of applications. However, efficient road extraction from satellite images remains a complex challenge due to issues such as data labeling and the diversity of road features. Existing methods often struggle to balance accuracy, robustness, and interpretability. Genetic programming (GP) is based on a flexible and interpretable structure that is robust and does not require a large amount of data support. We position the road extraction problem as a binary semantic segmentation task and introduce GP algorithms. First, an approach for extracting pixel neighborhood features is proposed, and features from multiple images in the DeepGlobe road extraction dataset are extracted. Then, an advanced feature construction method based on GP is employed. Finally, these advanced features are utilized for training classifier and classification to achieve road extraction. We have validated the effectiveness of the approach on the DeepGlobe road extraction dataset. The results demonstrated that the proposed approach exhibits superior performance compared to traditional classification methods and multilayer perceptron (MLP) in terms of accuracy, generalization, and interpretability. This study provides a valuable reference for the integration of GP into the domain of road extraction from satellite images, showcasing their potential to enhance the accuracy and efficiency.
Diagenetic Products, Settings and Evolution of the Presalt Succession in the Northern Campos Basin, Brazil
Authors: Strugale Michael , Lima Bruno Eustáquio Moreira , Day Christopher , Omma Jenny , Rushton Jeremy , Olivito João Paulo Roncolatto , Bouch Jon , Robb Laurence , Roberts Nick , Cartwright Joe
Published: May 2024

Despite all the effort made towards an understanding of the sedimentary, tectonic, and diagenetic evolution of the presalt sequence and the Pre-Salt reservoirs of the North Campos Basin (East Brazil), two knowledge gaps have yet to be filled: 1) a detailed study of diagenesis in the crystalline basement and rift phases, and 2) the timing of diagenetic events that affected the presalt succession. In this study, samples from these geologic units were analysed for mineral composition and paragenetic evolution, fluid temperature and salinity, stable isotope compositions, and LA-ICP-MS derived U-Pb ages of carbonate phases. The U-Pb ages of replacive and vein-filling cements reveal three tectono-diagenetic events, named Barremian-Aptian (BADE, 125-117 Ma), Albo-Cenomanian (ACDE, 103-98 Ma), and Campanian-Maastrichtian (CMDE, 83-70 Ma). Each phase is characterised by distinct minerals, precipitation temperatures, and burial conditions. The hydrothermal qualifier, identified by the temperature contrast between fluid and host rock, was initially high during BADE, then diminished over time (through ACDE) until it achieved equilibrium with the host rocks during CMDE. Diagenetic events are not coeval with magmatism but do coincide with known regional tectonic events described in the literature and are interpreted to be the result of increasing intraplate stresses. Multidisciplinary studies that include diagenetic events constrained by geochronological data will certainly lead to more robust conceptual geologic models, and therefore, to a more reliable management of resources and strategies such as Enhance Oil Recovery (EOR), Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), and drinking water.

Supplementary material at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7103900
Gloss-driven Conditional Diffusion Models for Sign Language Production
Authors: Tang Shengeng , Xue Feng , Wu Jingjing , Wang Shuo , Hong Richang
Published: May 2024

Sign Language Production (SLP) aims to convert text or audio sentences into sign language videos corresponding to their semantics, which is challenging due to the diversity and complexity of sign languages, and cross-modal semantic mapping issues. In this work, we propose a Gloss-driven Conditional Diffusion Model (GCDM) for SLP. The core of the GCDM is a diffusion model architecture, in which the sign gloss sequence is encoded by a Transformer-based encoder and input into the diffusion model as a semantic prior condition. In the process of sign pose generation, the textual semantic priors carried in the encoded gloss features are integrated into the embedded Gaussian noise via cross-attention. Subsequently, the model converts the fused features into sign language pose sequences through T-round denoising steps. During the training process, the model uses the ground-truth labels of sign poses as the starting point, generates Gaussian noise through T rounds of noise, and then performs T rounds of denoising to approximate the real sign language gestures. The entire process is constrained by the MAE loss function to ensure that the generated sign language gestures are as close as possible to the real labels. In the inference phase, the model directly randomly samples a set of Gaussian noise, generates multiple sign language gesture sequence hypotheses under the guidance of the gloss sequence, and outputs a high-confidence sign language gesture video by averaging multiple hypotheses. Experimental results on the Phoenix2014T dataset show that the proposed GCDM method achieves competitiveness in both quantitative performance and qualitative visualization.
InteractNet: Social Interaction Recognition for Semantic-rich Videos
Authors: Lyu Yuanjie , Qin Penggang , Xu Tong , Zhu Chen , Chen Enhong
Published: May 2024

The overwhelming surge of online video platforms has raised an urgent need for social interaction recognition techniques. Compared with simple short-term actions, long-term social interactions in semantic-rich videos could reflect more complicated semantics such as character relationships or emotions, which will better support various downstream applications, e.g., story summarization and fine-grained clip retrieval. However, considering the longer duration of social interactions with severe mutual overlap, involving multiple characters, dynamic scenes, and multi-modal cues, among other factors, traditional solutions for short-term action recognition may probably fail in this task. To address these challenges, in this article, we propose a hierarchical graph-based system, named InteractNet, to recognize social interactions in a multi-modal perspective. Specifically, our approach first generates a semantic graph for each sampled frame with integrating multi-modal cues and then learns the node representations as short-term interaction patterns via an adapted GCN module. Along this line, global interaction representations are accumulated through a sub-clip identification module, effectively filtering out irrelevant information and resolving temporal overlaps between interactions. In the end, the association among simultaneous interactions will be captured and modelled by constructing a global-level character-pair graph to predict the final social interactions. Comprehensive experiments on publicly available datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach compared with state-of-the-art baseline methods.
Learning Dynamic Multimodal Network Slot Concepts from the Web for Forecasting Environmental, Social and Governance Ratings
Authors: Ang Gary , Lim Ee-Peng
Published: May 2024

Dynamic multimodal networks are networks with node attributes from different modalities where the attributes and network relationships evolve across time, i.e., both networks and multimodal attributes are dynamic; for example, dynamic relationship networks between companies that evolve across time due to changes in business strategies and alliances, which are associated with dynamic company attributes from multiple modalities such as textual online news, categorical events, and numerical financial-related data. Such information can be useful in predictive tasks involving companies. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings of companies are important for assessing the sustainability risks of companies. The process of generating ESG ratings by expert analysts is, however, laborious and time-intensive. We thus explore the use of dynamic multimodal networks extracted from the web for forecasting ESG ratings. Learning such dynamic multimodal networks from the web for forecasting ESG ratings is, however, challenging due to its heterogeneity and the low signal-to-noise ratios and non-stationary distributions of web information. Human analysts cope with such issues by learning concepts from past experience through relational thinking and scanning for such concepts when analyzing new information about a company. In this article, we propose the Dynamic Multimodal Slot Concept Attention-based Network (DynScan) model. DynScan utilizes slot attention mechanisms together with slot concept alignment and disentanglement loss functions to learn latent slot concepts from dynamic multimodal networks to improve performance on ESG rating forecasting tasks. DynScan is evaluated on forecasting tasks on six datasets, comprising three ESG ratings across two sets of companies. Our experiments show that DynScan outperforms other state-of-the-art models on these forecasting tasks. We also visualize the slot concepts learned by DynScan on five synthetic datasets and three real-world datasets and observe distinct and meaningful slot concepts being learned by DynScan across both synthetic and real-world datasets.
IT Research in Marginalized Contexts: An Evolving Landscape
Authors: Joshi K.D. , Deng Xuefei (Nancy)
Published: May 2024

Information systems (IS) scholars are gradually conducting research on socio-technical issues in marginalized contexts to uncover inequities and injustices and empower them through technology. In support of the evolving IS research landscape, a dedicated track on IT, social justice, and marginalized contexts was organized at HICSS 2024 that would allow the IS community to attract, promote, and grow research on marginalized contexts systematically and deliberately. This editorial presents a brief overview of the ten mini-tracks accepted as a part of this special HICSS 2024 track and highlights the prominent themes showcased in the 39 accepted papers. The editorial calls for IS scholars to challenge the hegemonic conduct of IS research and advance scholarship in this space by prioritizing intellectual conversations that mitigate the risks of constructing a future where technological spaces, digital applications, and machine intelligence mirror a narrow and privileged vision of society with its biases and stereotypes. The editorial concludes with a call to collectively seed a scholarly legacy in IT research within marginalized contexts at HICSS.
Under the Radar or Into the Spotlight: How Does Social Presence Affect Minorities in Virtual Groups?
Authors: Windeler Jaime , Harrison Andrew , Sundrup Rui
Published: May 2024

As society has become more reliant on information and communication technologies (ICTs), ICTs have become more adept at supporting social presence. Social presence is the extent to which a medium facilitates awareness of other people and relationships; this is generally considered desirable, but what are the limits to its enhancing effects? Paradoxically, social presence humanizes ICT-mediated interactions, which can lead to more socially conscious behaviors, but it can also trigger pre-existing social biases. We explore the potential unintended consequences of social presence for minority group members-members who are especially vulnerable to stereotyping and discriminatory behavior. Our lab study of 178 groups across three conditions revealed that minority group members were subject to more negative treatment. In turn, minority members responded more negatively when using ICTs with higher social presence. These findings have implications for minority members of virtual groups at work, school, and other social interactions.
The Limits of Empiricism: A Critique of Data-Driven Theory Development
Authors: Van Slyke Craig , Kamis Arnold
Published: May 2024

The abundance of data available to researchers has led to increasing interest in data-derived theoretical development. Although this is a valid method of deriving theoretical models, it is subject to numerous limitations and hazards that may threaten the validity and usefulness of the models. The purpose of this paper is to critique empirically driven theoretical development. Our goal is to offer a cautionary tale about the limits of derivation of theory from empirical analysis in the hopes that our analysis and critique can strengthen empirical derivation of theory. In this paper, we use the empirical derivation of the Unified Model of Information Security Policy Compliance (UMISPC) as a research case study to illustrate some of these limitations and risks. For example, we critique the opportunistic dropping of theoretical paths based on statistical results, cautioning that doing so is insufficient for forming new theory. We also report several attempts at validating UMISPC through replication, including our own, which used data from a survey of 525 employed American adults. Comparison of the replications and original model indicates a general failure to replicate substantial portions of the original paper. We discuss five specific pitfalls associated with empirically driven model development and make recommendations for future studies that use inductive, data-driven approaches to derive theoretical models.
Blood pressure responses to handgrip exercise but not apnea or mental stress are enhanced in women with a recent history of preeclampsia
Authors: Berbrier Danielle E. , Adler Tessa E. , Leone Cheryl A. , Paidas Michael J. , Stachenfeld Nina S. , Usselman Charlotte W.
Published: May 2024

Women with recent histories of preeclampsia demonstrated higher systolic blood pressures across sympathoexcitatory stressors relative to controls. Peak systolic blood pressure reactivity was exacerbated in previously preeclamptic women during small muscle-mass exercises, although not during apneic or mental stress stimuli. These findings underscore the importance of assessing blood pressure control during a variety of experimental conditions in previously preeclamptic women to elucidate mechanisms that may contribute to their elevated cardiovascular disease risk.
Elevated sympathetic-mediated vasoconstriction at rest but intact functional sympatholysis during exercise in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Boyes Natasha G. , Khan M. Rafique , Luchkanych Adam M. S. , Marshall Rory A. , Bare Idris , Haddad Tony , Abdalla Sherif , Al-Azem Ibrahim Al-Mouaiad , Morse Cameron J. , Zhai Alexander , Haddad Haissam , Marciniuk Darcy D. , Olver T. Dylan , Tomczak Corey R.
Published: May 2024

Patients with HFrEF demonstrate impaired peripheral blood flow regulation, evidenced by heightened peripheral vasoconstriction that reduces limb blood flow in response to physiological sympathoexcitation (cold pressor test). Despite evidence of exaggerated sympathetic vasoconstriction, patients with HFrEF demonstrate a normal hyperemic response to moderate-intensity handgrip exercise. Most importantly, acute, simultaneous handgrip exercise restores normal limb vasomotor control and vascular conductance during acute sympathoexcitation (cold pressor test), suggesting intact functional sympatholysis in patients with HFrEF.
Effects of acute hyperoxia on autonomic function and coronary tone in patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Hamaoka Mami , Leuenberger Urs A. , Gao Zhaohui , Aziz Faisal , Kim Danielle Jin-Kwang , Luck Jonathan Carter , Blaha Cheryl , Cauffman Aimee E. , Sinoway Lawrence I. , Cui Jian
Published: May 2024

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) showed consistently lower parasympathetic activity and blunted cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity compared with healthy individuals. Notably, hyperoxia, which normally boosts parasympathetic activity in healthy individuals, failed to induce this response in patients with PAD. These data suggest altered autonomic responses during hyperoxia in PAD.
Psychophysiological Adaptations to Exercise Training in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: AL-Mhanna Sameer Badri , Batrakoulis Alexios , Hofmeister Martin , Drenowatz Clemens , Ghazali Wan Syaheedah Wan , Badicu Georgian , Afolabi Hafeez Abiola , Gülü Mehmet , Wada Yusuf , Aldhahi Monira I. , Nikolaidis Pantelis T.
Published: May 2024

Introduction. Many COVID-19 patients display adverse symptoms, such as reduced physical ability, poor quality of life, and impaired pulmonary function. Therefore, this systematic review is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of physical exercise on various psychophysiological indicators among COVID-19 patients who may be at any stage of their illness (i.e., critically ill, hospitalized, postdischarge, and recovering). Methods. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2019 to 2021. Twenty-seven studies, which assessed a total of 1525 patients, were included and analysed. Results. Overall, data revealed significant improvements in the following parameters: physical function, dyspnoea, pulmonary function, quality of life (QOL), lower limb endurance and strength, anxiety, depression, physical activity level, muscle strength, oxygen saturation, fatigue, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), lymphocyte, leukocytes, and a fibrin degradation product (D-dimer). Conclusions. Physical training turns out to be an effective therapy that minimises the severity of COVID-19 in the intervention group compared to the standard treatment. Therefore, physical training could be incorporated into conventional treatment of COVID-19 patients. More randomized controlled studies with follow-up evaluations are required to evaluate the long-term advantages of physical training. Future research is essential to establish the optimal exercise intensity level and assess the musculoskeletal fitness of recovered COVID-19 patients. This trial is registered with CRD42021283087.
Involvement of the Bacillus SecYEG Pathway in Biosurfactant Production and Biofilm Formation
Authors: Okouakoua Frédéric Yannick , Kayath Christian Aimé , Mokemiabeka Saturnin Nicaise , Moukala David Charles Roland , Kaya-Ongoto Moïse Doria , Nguimbi Etienne
Published: May 2024

With Bacillus species, about 30% of extracellular proteins are translocated through the cytoplasmic membrane, coordinated by the Sec translocase. This system mainly consists of the cytoplasmic ATPase SecA and the membrane‐embedded SecYEG channel. The purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of the SecYEG export system on the production of industrial biomolecules, such as biosurfactants, proteases, amylases, and cellulases. Fifty‐two isolates of Bacillus species were obtained from traditional fermented foods and then characterized using molecular microbiology methods. The isolates secreted exoenzymes that included cellulases, amylases, and proteases. We present evidence that a biosurfactant‐like molecule requires the SecA ATPase and the SecYEG membrane channel for its secretion. In addition, we showed that biomolecules involved in biofilm formation required the SecYEG pathway. This work presents a novel seven‐target fragment multiplex PCR assay capable of identification at the species level of Bacillus through a unique SecDF chromosomal gene. The bacterial membrane protein SecDF allowed the discrimination of Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. sonorensis. SecA was able to interact with AprE, AmyE, and TasA. The Rose Bengal inhibitor of SecA crucially affected the interaction of AprE, AmyE, TapA, and TasA with recombinant Gst‐SecA. The Rose Bengal prevented Bacillus species from secreting and producing proteases, cellulases, amylases, and biosurfactant‐like molecules. It also inhibited the formation of biofilm cell communities. The data support, for the first time, that the SecYEG translocon mediates the secretion of a biosurfactant‐like molecule.
FIGURE 3 from Urolithin-A Promotes CD8+ T Cell–mediated Cancer Immunosurveillance via FOXO1 Activation
Authors: Ginefra Pierpaolo , Hope Helen Carrasco , Chiang Yi-Hsuan , Nutten Sophie , Blum Stephanie , Coukos George , Vannini Nicola
Published: May 2024

UroA induces FOXO1 transcriptional activity in CD8+ T cell. A, Quantification of FOXO1 target genes in CD8+ T cells culture with 5 µmol/L UroA in IL15/7 condition in vitro. Values are expressed as fold change compare with control condition. B, Analysis of FOXO1 target genes expression levels in CD8+ T cells isolated from mice fed with control or UroA-enriched food for 4 weeks. Values are expressed as fold change compare with control condition. C, FOXO1 phosphorylation in CD8+ T cells treated for 24 hours with 5 µmol/L UroA in vitro. D, FOXO1 phosphorylation in CD8+ T isolated from mice fed with control or UroA diet. E, Representative confocal images of CD8+ T cells stained with FOXO1 (green) CD8 (red), and DAPI (blue) under the indicated culture condition (scale bar, 5 µm) in vitro (UroA = 5 µmol/L). The LUT images represent FOXO1 intensity staining (left). Quantification of nuclear FOXO1 in control and UroA (5 µmol/L) treated CD8+ T cells) in vitro (right). F, Akt S473 phosphorylation in CD8+ T cells treated for 24 hours with 5 µmol/L UroA in vitro and then stimulated with CD3/CD28 antibodies for 30 minutes (Act condition). Data are mean ± SEM. Each dot represents a biological replicate. In A, sample size n = 6. In B, sample size n = 5. In C, sample size n = 8. In D, sample size n = 5. In E, control = 72, UroA = 68. In F, sample size n = 4. Data were analyzed by two-sided Student t test (*, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001). Representative results of at least two independent experiments or two pooled experiments.
Clinical Use of Super-Bioavailable Itraconazole for the Management of Dermatophytosis: Consensus Statement by Dermatologists from India via the Modified Delphi Technique
Authors: Saraswat Abir , Dogra Sunil , Shenoy Manjunath , Verma Shyam , K Seetharam , Ghate Sunil , Ganjoo Anil , Aurangabadkar Sanjeev , Tiwari Anurag , Poojary Shital , Inamdar Arun , Majid Imran , Girdhar Mukesh , Shah Bela , Varma Sachin , Ramamoorthy Ramkumar , Dhoot Dhiraj , Barkate Hanmant
Published: May 2024

Super-bioavailable itraconazole (SB ITZ) overcomes the limitations of conventional itraconazole (CITZ) such as interindividual variability and reduced bioavailability. It has been approved for systemic mycoses in Australia and Europe as 50 mg and the USA as 65 mg and in India as 50 mg, 65 mg, 100 mg, and 130 mg. However, data on the ideal dose and duration of SB ITZ treatment in managing dermatophytosis are insufficient. This consensus discusses the suitability, dosage, duration of treatment, and relevance of using SB ITZ in managing dermatophytosis in different clinical scenarios. Sixteen dermatologists (>15 years of experience in the field and ≥2 years clinical experience with SB ITZ), formed the expert panel. A modified Delphi technique was employed, and a consensus was reached if the concordance in response was >75%. A total of 26 consensus statements were developed. The preferred dose of SB ITZ is 130 mg once daily and if not tolerated, 65 mg twice daily. The preferred duration for treating naïve dermatophytosis is 4–6 weeks and that for recalcitrant dermatophytosis is 6–8 weeks. Moreover, cure rates for dermatophytosis are a little better with SB ITZ than with CITZ with a similar safety profile as of CITZ. Better patient compliance and efficacy are associated with SB ITZ than with CITZ, even in patients with comorbidities and special needs such as patients with diabetes, extensive lesions, corticosteroid abuse, adolescents, and those on multiple drugs. Expert clinicians reported that the overall clinical experience with SB ITZ was better than that with CITZ.
Corticosteroid Atrophy Plaque on the Scalp Treated with 5-Fluourouracil and Bleomycin Infusion in the MMP Technique
Authors: Gasques Luciana , de Brito Fernanda Freitas , Zobiole Raissa , Bortolini Letícia , Assumpção Vanessa Catalá Casteli , Carvalho Caio Leal
Published: May 2024

Alopecia areata (AA) is a disease with a great impact on quality of life of patients. Among several treatment modalities, intralesional injectable corticosteroid therapy is the first option, with corticosteroid-induced cutaneous atrophy as a common adverse event. We describe a case of plaque AA in the frontal region of the scalp that evolved with cutaneous atrophy induced by the application of intralesional corticosteroids but presented complete and sustained repilation after being treated with 5-Fluorouracil and Bleomycin using the technique of MMP (Microinfusion of Medicines into the Skin).
A teoria das representações sociais e a teoria das mediações: uma proposta metodológica de aproximação
Authors: Guerin Yhevelin Serrano , Felippi Ângela Cristina Trevisan , Deponti Cidonea Machado
Published: May 2024

The article sumarizes research whose purpose was to bring together the theory of social representations, from Serge Moscovici, and the theory of mediations, from Jesús Martín-Barbero, with a view to studies in the field of Communication. A theoretical and methodological discussion is presented, based on a discussion of the main references of both theories. trying to point out points of tangency that allow the approximation of the theories. It results in a diagram as a methodological protocol suggestion for future studies.
Association Between Sleep Apnea Treatment and Health Care Resource Use in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Sterling Kimberly L. , Alpert Naomi , Malik Anita S. , Pépin Jean‐Louis , Benjafield Adam V. , Malhotra Atul , Piccini Jonathan P. , Cistulli Peter A. , Nunez Carlos M. , Barrett Meredith , Armitstead Jeff
Published: May 2024

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) contributes to the generation, recurrence, and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation, and it is associated with worse outcomes. Little is known about the economic impact of OSA therapy in atrial fibrillation. This retrospective cohort study assessed the impact of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy adherence on health care resource use and costs in patients with OSA and atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results

Insurance claims data for ≥1 year before sleep testing and 2 years after device setup were linked with objective PAP therapy use data. PAP adherence was defined from an extension of the US Medicare 90‐day definition. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to create covariate‐balanced PAP adherence groups to mitigate confounding. Of 5867 patients (32% women; mean age, 62.7 years), 41% were adherent, 38% were intermediate, and 21% were nonadherent. Mean±SD number of all‐cause emergency department visits (0.61±1.21 versus 0.77±1.55 [
P
=0.023] versus 0.95±1.90 [
P
<0.001]), all‐cause hospitalizations (0.19±0.69 versus 0.24±0.72 [
P
=0.002] versus 0.34±1.16 [
P
<0.001]), and cardiac‐related hospitalizations (0.06±0.26 versus 0.09±0.41 [
P
=0.023] versus 0.10±0.44 [
P
=0.004]) were significantly lower in adherent versus intermediate and nonadherent patients, as were all‐cause inpatient costs ($2200±$8054 versus $3274±$12 065 [
P
=0.002] versus $4483±$16 499 [
P
<0.001]). All‐cause emergency department costs were significantly lower in adherent and intermediate versus nonadherent patients ($499±$1229 and $563±$1292 versus $691±$1652 [
P
<0.001 and
P
=0.002], respectively).

Conclusions

These data suggest clinical and economic benefits of PAP therapy in patients with concomitant OSA and atrial fibrillation. This supports the value of diagnosing and managing OSA and highlights the need for strategies to enhance PAP adherence in this population.
Behavior of Extracranial‐to‐Intracranial Extended Arterial Dissections of the Vertebral Artery
Authors: Park So Young , Lee Jin Soo , Kim Min , Jung Woo Sang , Choi Jin Wook , Hong Ji Man , Lee Seong‐Joon
Published: May 2024

Background

Vertebral artery dissections (VADs) may extend from the extracranial to the intracranial vasculature (e+iVAD). We evaluated how the characteristics of e+iVAD differed from those of intracranial VAD (iVAD).

Methods and Results

From 2002 to 2019, among consecutive patients with cervicocephalic dissection, those with iVAD and e+iVAD were included, and their clinical characteristics were compared. In patients with unruptured dissections, a composite clinical outcome of subsequent ischemic events, subsequent hemorrhagic stroke, or mortality was evaluated. High‐resolution magnetic resonance images were analyzed to evaluate intracranial remodeling index. Among 347 patients, 51 (14.7%) had e+iVAD and 296 (85.3%) had iVAD. The hemorrhagic presentation occurred solely in iVAD (0.0% versus 19.3%), whereas e+iVAD exhibited higher ischemic presentation (84.3% versus 27.4%;
P
<0.001). e+iVAD predominantly presented steno‐occlusive morphology (88.2% versus 27.7%) compared with dilatation patterns (11.8% versus 72.3%;
P
<0.001) of iVAD. The ischemic presentation was significantly associated with e+iVAD (iVAD as a reference; adjusted odds ratio, 3.97 [95% CI, 1.67–9.45];
P
=0.002]). Patients with unruptured VAD showed no differences in the rate of composite clinical outcome between the groups (log‐rank,
P
=0.996). e+iVAD had a lower intracranial remodeling index (1.4±0.3 versus 1.6±0.4;
P
<0.032) and a shorter distance from dural entry to the maximal dissecting segment (6.9±8.4 versus 15.7±7.4;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

e+iVAD is associated with lower rates of hemorrhages and higher rates of ischemia than iVAD at the time of admission. This may be explained by a lower intracranial remodeling index and less deep intrusion of the dissecting segment into the intracranial space.
Life's Essential 8 Cardiovascular Health Score and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in the Community
Authors: Ravichandran Sandhiya , Gajjar Priya , Walker Maura E. , Prescott Brenton , Tsao Connie W. , Jha Mawra , Rao Prashant , Miller Patricia , Larson Martin G. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Shah Ravi V. , Xanthakis Vanessa , Lewis Gregory D. , Nayor Matthew
Published: May 2024

Background

The relation of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) to lifestyle behaviors and factors linked with cardiovascular health remains unclear. We aimed to understand how the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score (and its changes over time) relate to CRF and complementary exercise measures in community‐dwelling adults.

Methods and Results

Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants underwent maximum effort cardiopulmonary exercise testing for direct quantification of peak oxygen uptake (V̇O
2
). A 100‐point LE8 score was constructed as the average across 8 factors: diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep, body mass index, lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. We related total LE8 score, score components, and change in LE8 score over 8 years with peak V̇O
2
(log‐transformed) and complementary CRF measures. In age‐ and sex‐adjusted linear models (N=1838, age 54±9 years, 54% women, LE8 score 76±12), a higher LE8 score was associated favorably with peak V̇O
2
, ventilatory efficiency, resting heart rate, and blood pressure response to exercise (all
P
<0.0001). A clinically meaningful 5‐point higher LE8 score was associated with a 6.0% greater peak V̇O
2
(≈1.4 mL/kg per minute at sample mean). All LE8 components were significantly associated with peak V̇O
2
in models adjusted for age and sex, but blood lipids, diet, and sleep health were no longer statistically significant after adjustment for all LE8 components. Over an ≈8‐year interval, a 5‐unit increase in LE8 score was associated with a 3.7% higher peak V̇O
2
(
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions

Higher LE8 score and improvement in LE8 over time was associated with greater CRF, highlighting the importance of the LE8 factors in maintaining CRF.
Increased Risk of Cardiometabolic Disease in Ideal Weight Adults With History of Overweight/Obesity in China: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Cai Zhiwei , Chen Guanlin , Zhao Wenliu , Wei Zhihao , Wang Xianxuan , Huang Zegui , Zheng Huancong , Wu Kuangyi , Liu Yang , Lan Yulong , Wu Weiqiang , Wu Shouling , Chen Youren
Published: May 2024

Background

Overweight and obesity represent critical modifiable determinants in the prevention of cardiometabolic disease (CMD). However, the long‐term impact of prior overweight/obesity on the risk of CMD in later life remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between longitudinal transition of body mass index (BMI) status and incident CMD.

Methods and Results

This prospective cohort study included 57 493 CMD‐free Chinese adults from the Kailuan Study. BMI change patterns were categorized according to the BMI measurements obtained during the 2006 and 2012 surveys. The primary end point was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the associations of transitions in BMI with overall CMD events and subtypes, with covariates selected on the basis of the directed acyclic graph. During a median follow‐up of 7.62 years, 8412 participants developed CMD. After considering potential confounders, weight gain pattern (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34 [95% CI, 1.23–1.46]), stable overweight/obesity (HR, 2.12 [95% CI, 2.00–2.24]), and past overweight/obesity (HR, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.59–1.89]) were associated with the incidence of CMD. Similar results were observed in cardiometabolic multimorbidity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, triglyceride and systolic blood pressure explained 8.05% (95% CI, 5.87–10.22) and 12.10% (95% CI, 9.19–15.02) of the association between past overweight/obesity and incident CMD, respectively.

Conclusions

A history of overweight/obesity was associated with an increased risk of CMD, even in the absence of current BMI abnormalities. These findings emphasize the necessity for future public health guidelines to include preventive interventions for CMD in individuals with past overweight/obesity.
Use of Dietary Supplements Among People With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the United States: A Population‐Based Analysis From NHANES
Authors: Assadourian Joanna N. , Peterson Eric D. , Gupta Anand , Navar Ann M.
Published: May 2024

Background

Dietary supplement use is prevalent in the general US population, but little is known regarding the driving reasons for their use among those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Methods and Results

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to March 2020 were used to identify adults with ASCVD. Supplement use was assessed by interviewers using label review, and surveys captured self‐reported reasons for use. Demographic, clinical, medication, and laboratory characteristics were compared between supplement users and nonusers. Among individuals with ASCVD in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=965; mean age, 65 years; 56.1% men; 73.7% White individuals), 73.1% reported taking ≥1 dietary supplements, most commonly multivitamins (35.4%), vitamin D (30.8%), and fish oil (19.8%). Of those taking supplements, 47.3% report taking them under the advisement of a health professional. Nearly one fifth (17.9%) reported taking at least 1 supplement for “heart health,” most commonly fish oil (11.1%), followed by CoQ10 (4.2%) and resveratrol (1.5%). Supplement users were older (68 versus 62 years;
P
=0.003), included more women (45.8% versus 37.7%;
P
=0.17), were less likely to smoke (11.0% versus 36.4%;
P
<0.001), had higher levels of education (
P
=0.005) and income (
P
<0.001), and higher use of statins (69.4% versus 55.8%;
P
=0.046).

Conclusions

Supplement use is common in people with ASCVD. Among the top 3 supplements, a substantial minority were being taken under the direction of health professionals. Supplement users often report taking supplements “for heart health,” despite a lack of randomized trial evidence for benefit in ASCVD, indicating a need for more patient and clinician education regarding health benefits of dietary supplements in ASCVD.
Moderate Aortic Valve Stenosis Is Associated With Increased Mortality Rate and Lifetime Loss: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Reconstructed Time‐to‐Event Data of 409 680 Patients
Authors: Jacquemyn Xander , Strom Jordan B. , Strange Geoff , Playford David , Stewart Simon , Kutty Shelby , Bhatt Deepak L. , Bleiziffer Sabine , Grubb Kendra J. , Pellikka Patricia A. , Clavel Marie‐Annick , Pibarot Philippe , Mentias Amgad , Serna‐Gallegos Derek , Sá Michel Pompeu , Sultan Ibrahim
Published: May 2024

Background

The mortality risk attributable to moderate aortic stenosis (AS) remains incompletely characterized and has historically been underestimated. We aim to evaluate the association between moderate AS and all‐cause death, comparing it with no/mild AS (in a general referral population and in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction).

Methods and Results

A systematic review and pooled meta‐analysis of Kaplan–Meier‐derived reconstructed time‐to‐event data of studies published by June 2023 was conducted to evaluate survival outcomes among patients with moderate AS in comparison with individuals with no/mild AS. Ten studies were included, encompassing a total of 409 680 patients (11 527 with moderate AS and 398 153 with no/mild AS). In the overall population, the 15‐year overall survival rate was 23.3% (95% CI, 19.1%–28.3%) in patients with moderate AS and 58.9% (95% CI, 58.1%–59.7%) in patients with no/mild aortic stenosis (hazard ratio [HR], 2.55 [95% CI, 2.46–2.64];
P
<0.001). In patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, the 10‐year overall survival rate was 15.5% (95% CI, 10.0%–24.0%) in patients with moderate AS and 37.3% (95% CI, 36.2%–38.5%) in patients with no/mild AS (HR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.69–2.0];
P
<0.001). In both populations (overall and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction), these differences correspond to significant lifetime loss associated with moderate AS during follow‐up (4.4 years,
P
<0.001; and 1.9 years,
P
<0.001, respectively). A consistent pattern of elevated mortality rate associated with moderate AS in sensitivity analyses of matched studies was observed.

Conclusions

Moderate AS was associated with higher risk of death and lifetime loss compared with patients with no/mild AS.
Bleeding and Thrombosis in Patients With Out‐of‐Hospital Ventricular Tachycardia/Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest Treated With Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Gutierrez Alejandra , Kalra Rajat , Chang Kevin Y. , Steiner Marie E. , Marquez Alexandra M. , Alexy Tamas , Elliott Andrea M. , Nowariak Meagan , Yannopoulos Demetris , Bartos Jason A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation improves outcomes after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. However, bleeding and thrombosis are common complications. We aimed to describe the incidence and predictors of bleeding and thrombosis and their association with in‐hospital mortality.

Methods and Results

Consecutive patients presenting with refractory ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest between December 2015 and March 2022 who met the criteria for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation at our center were included. Major bleeding was defined by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization's criteria. Adjusted analyses were done to seek out risk factors for bleeding and thrombosis and evaluate their association with mortality. Major bleeding occurred in 135 of 200 patients (67.5%), with traumatic bleeding from cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 73 (36.5%). Baseline demographics and arrest characteristics were similar between groups. In multivariable analysis, decreasing levels of fibrinogen were independently associated with bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.98 per every 10 mg/dL rise [95% CI, 0.96–0.99]). Patients who died had a higher rate of bleeds per day (0.21 versus 0.03,
P
<0.001) though bleeding was not significantly associated with in‐hospital death (aHR, 0.81 [95% CI. 0.55–1.19]). A thrombotic event occurred in 23.5% (47/200) of patients. Venous thromboembolism occurred in 11% (22/200) and arterial thrombi in 15.5% (31/200). Clinical characteristics were comparable between groups. In adjusted analyses, no risk factors for thrombosis were identified. Thrombosis was not associated with in‐hospital death (aHR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.42–1.03]).

Conclusions

Bleeding is a frequent complication of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation that is associated with decreased fibrinogen levels on admission whereas thrombosis is less common. Neither bleeding nor thrombosis was significantly associated with in‐hospital mortality.
Monocyte‐Derived Macrophages Aggravate Cardiac Dysfunction After Ischemic Stroke in Mice
Authors: Lin Hong‐Bin , Hong Pu , Yin Meng‐Yu , Yao Zhi‐Jun , Zhang Jin‐Yu , Jiang Yan‐Pin , Huang Xuan‐Xuan , Xu Shi‐Yuan , Li Feng‐Xian , Zhang Hong‐Fei
Published: May 2024

Background

Cardiac damage induced by ischemic stroke, such as arrhythmia, cardiac dysfunction, and even cardiac arrest, is referred to as cerebral‐cardiac syndrome (CCS). Cardiac macrophages are reported to be closely associated with stroke‐induced cardiac damage. However, the role of macrophage subsets in CCS is still unclear due to their heterogeneity. Sympathetic nerves play a significant role in regulating macrophages in cardiovascular disease. However, the role of macrophage subsets and sympathetic nerves in CCS is still unclear.

Methods and Results

In this study, a middle cerebral artery occlusion mouse model was used to simulate ischemic stroke. ECG and echocardiography were used to assess cardiac function. We used
Cx3cr1

GFP

Ccr2

RFP

mice and
NLRP3
‐deficient mice in combination with Smart‐seq2 RNA sequencing to confirm the role of macrophage subsets in CCS. We demonstrated that ischemic stroke‐induced cardiac damage is characterized by severe cardiac dysfunction and robust infiltration of monocyte‐derived macrophages into the heart. Subsequently, we identified that cardiac monocyte‐derived macrophages displayed a proinflammatory profile. We also observed that cardiac dysfunction was rescued in ischemic stroke mice by blocking macrophage infiltration using a CCR2 antagonist and
NLRP3
‐deficient mice. In addition, a cardiac sympathetic nerve retrograde tracer and a sympathectomy method were used to explore the relationship between sympathetic nerves and cardiac macrophages. We found that cardiac sympathetic nerves are significantly activated after ischemic stroke, which contributes to the infiltration of monocyte‐derived macrophages and subsequent cardiac dysfunction.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest a potential pathogenesis of CCS involving the cardiac sympathetic nerve–monocyte‐derived macrophage axis.
The Effect of the Symbolic Meaning of Speed on Implicit Timing
Authors: Battaglini Luca , Khodami Mohammad Ahsan , Capizzi Mariagrazia , Mioni Giovanna
Published: May 2024

It has been demonstrated that the stimulus’s features, including size, brightness, numerosity, and loudness, can affect the perception of subjective and explicit time. But, in a daily life situation, actual events presumably involve an implicit processing of time rather than an explicit processing, with some studies suggesting that the presentation of emotional stimuli before the target stimulus influences implicit timing. The present study aims to test the implicit component of temporal processing that the symbolic meaning of speed might influence. We used a time foreperiod task in which participants were first presented with a warning signal recalling the meaning of fast or slow speed, followed by the target. Our study shows significant main effects of the presented image cue and foreperiod effect. We observed faster reaction time when the target was preceded by a faster image compared to a slow image and in dependence of the factor of weight. Based on this, we conclude the symbolic meaning of speed can affect implicit timing by altering how the brain interprets temporal data.
Copper (II) Ion Detection in Food and Water Harnessing Schiff Base-Enabled Electrochemical Sensor
Authors: Mustafa Jawed , Qahtani Faez , Umar Khalid , Muhaisen Hasan M. H. , Abdullah M. M. , Mohammad Luqman
Published: May 2024

A copper (II) ion-selective sensor was generated using a processed membrane that included 4-(2-(2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazono) Methyl)Benzene-1,3-diol (L). The sensor’s efficacy was tested using a variety of plasticizers, comprising sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB), O-Nitrophenyloctyl ether (ONPOE), benzyl acetate (BA), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and dibutyl sebacate (DBS). Membrane layers comprised of L:DBS:OA:PVC in a ratio of 5:55:10:30 (w/w,%) provided optimum sensing effectiveness. The detection system performed well in an average concentration that ranged from 5.3×10−8to 1.0×10−1mol L−1, with a Nernstian slope of 29.1±0.5 mV decade-1 for Cu(II) ions. The sensor’s minimal detection limit of 2.1×10−8mol, broad pH range (3.1–8.2), quick reaction time (9 s), strong non-aqueous resistance (up to 25% v/v), and good retention time (2 months) demonstrates its value. Potentiometric selectivity coefficients revealed an exclusive exposure for Cu(II) ions under the influence of intervening ions, allowing for accurate identification of copper in a variety of materials such as food oils, tomato plant material, and river water. The proposed sensor is a promising means for accurately detecting Cu(II) ions in environmental and food specimens, with potential utilization in quality assurance and environmental surveillance.
Microstructure Evolution and Molten Salt Corrosion Resistance Dependent on Pre-Oxidation Treatment of NiAl Coatings
Authors: Xu Shi-peng , Zheng Yue-hong , Zhan Fa-qi , La Pei-qing
Published: May 2024

The chloride-infused molten salt shows the most potential as the medium for the upcoming generation of concentrated solar power system. However, the molten salt put for ward higher corrosion resistance demand on the critical components of concentrated solar power system. The application
of NiAl coating proves to be a highly efficient method for preventing corrosion. In this paper, the microstructure, adhesion, and corrosion resistance of NiAl coatings on 310S stainless steel with/without pre-oxidation treatment were studied. The coating predominantly consisted of β-NiAl
phase nanocrystals with an Al content of 41.0 at.%. Continuous α-Al2O3 oxide film was formed and no obvious cracks were observed after pre-oxidation. The adhesion strength of NiAl coating was increased by about 70% to 40.0 N through pre-oxidation. Importantly,
the corrosion results of NiAl coatings by pre-oxidation treatment in the mixed salt of NaCl/MgCl2/KCl at 1073.15 K for 10 h showed no obvious diffusion of molten salt elements into the coatings. Compared to 310S stainless steel, the pre-oxidized coating sample exhibited a significant
reduction of 50.2% in corrosion mass loss. The pre-oxidation of the NiAl coating creates an Al2O3 oxidation layer that effectively blocks corrosion, offering a new method for protecting stainless steels in concentrated solar power system plants.