bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Watch Out for the Inherent Vulnerabilities in Developing Multi-tenant Cloud-FPGA: Communication Protocols
Authors: Liu Ziyu , Luo Yukui , Zhang Yuheng , Duan Shijin , Xu Xiaolin
Published: November 2024

As FPGAs are being deployed in the cloud infrastructure for acceleration, the technology of multi-tenant FPGA has emerged as a topic of interest. This development has drawn considerable attention to its security issues. While previous research primarily focused on the security of applications, there has been limited exploration of the vulnerabilities inherent in FPGA IPs. In our work, we examine the vulnerabilities of two widely used data transmission protocols in modern FPGAs: the Advanced eXtensible Interface (AXI) and Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe). Our experiments, conducted with commercial FPGA development kits, launched fault injection attacks through the shared power distribution network (PDN). Through non-invasive electromagnetic (EM) trace measurement, we characterize the voltage fluctuation across various attack patterns. Subsequently, we simulate real-world data transfers using two crafted datasets with different statistical characteristics. The experimental results demonstrate the unique security vulnerabilities of the current AXI and PCIe protocols in the context of a multi-tenant cloud-FPGA. In response to such vulnerability, we further propose two defense strategies: InChAXI that utilizes integrity checking for AXI-based data, and FCPCIe that employs frequency scaling for PCIe-based data. The performance evaluation demonstrates that our proposed defenses can significantly reduce the fault injections on the AXI-based data transmission by 705 times with small overheads – 0.5% in hardware footprint and 7.9% in latency, respectively. On the other hand, FCPCIe effectively prevents the fault injection attack during the PCIe-based data transmission by reducing the user clock frequency, while incurring a 10.13% overhead on data throughput.
SOHUPDS+: An Efficient One-phase Algorithm for Mining High Utility Patterns over a Data Stream
Authors: Jaysawal Bijay Prasad , Huang Jen-Wei
Published: November 2024

Existing algorithms for mining high utility patterns over a data stream are two-phase algorithms that are not scalable due to the large number of candidates generation in the first phase, particularly when the minimum utility threshold is low. Moreover, in the second phase, the algorithm needs to scan the database again to find out actual utility for candidates. In this article, we propose one-phase algorithm SOHUPDS

\(+\)

to mine high utility itemsets in the current sliding window of the data stream with respect to absolute or relative minimum utility threshold. To facilitate SOHUPDS

\(+\)

, we propose a data structure

IUDataListSW

\(+\)

, which stores and maintains utility and upper-bound values of the items in the current sliding window when sliding window advances. In addition, we propose a transaction merging strategy, called
BitmapTransactionMerging
, which saves execution time for utility and upper-bound values computations in denser datasets. Moreover, we propose update strategies to utilize mined high utility patterns from the previous sliding window to update high utility patterns in the current sliding window. The results of experiments illustrate that SOHUPDS

\(+\)

is more efficient than the state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of execution time as well as memory usage in most of the experiments on various datasets.
Biomedical Information Retrieval with Positive-Unlabeled Learning and Knowledge Graphs
Authors: Wang Yuqi , Chen Qiuyi , Zhang Haiyang , Wang Wei , Wang Qiufeng , Pan Yushan , Xie Liangru , Huang Kaizhu , Nguyen Anh
Published: November 2024

The rapid growth of biomedical publications has presented significant challenges in the field of information retrieval. Most existing work focuses on document retrieval given explicit queries. However, in real applications such as curated biomedical database maintenance, explicit queries are missing. In this paper, we propose a two-step model for biomedical information retrieval in the case that only a small set of example documents is available without explicit queries. Initially, we extract keywords from the observed documents using large pre-trained language models and biomedical knowledge graphs. These keywords are then enriched with domain-specific entities. Information retrieval techniques can subsequently use the collected entities to rank the documents. Following this, we introduce an iterative Positive-Unlabeled learning method to classify all unlabeled documents. Experiments conducted on the PubMed dataset demonstrate that the proposed technique outperforms the state-of-the-art positive-unlabeled learning methods. The results underscore the effectiveness of integrating large language models and biomedical knowledge graphs in improving zero-shot information retrieval performance in the biomedical domain.
Elevating Citizen Engagement in the Process of Territorial Development through Digitisation
Authors: Alisharipov Aibek , Kussainov Khalel , Yesmagambetov Daulet , Arynova Zulfiya
Published: November 2024

The purpose of the study is to examine the digitisation of the state system involving local executive bodies to identify effective strategies for engaging citizens in territorial development decision-making. The following methods were applied in the study: hermeneutic, statistical, structural-functional, and comparative methods. During the study, the main problems associated with the implementation of digital technologies in the territorial development system involving the country's citizens were examined, such as technological barriers, issues of confidentiality and data security, and uneven distribution of resources. This allowed formulating recommendations for problem resolution, namely, ensuring access to education, developing digital literacy among the population, devising effective measures to protect data, and guaranteeing the confidentiality of personal information. The paper also explores the prospects and threats to the economies of regions in the process of transitioning to a digital economy. Special attention is given to studying the indicators of the current state of digitisation in Kazakhstan, considering data from annual international ratings. The obtained research results can be used in the development and implementation of digital technologies in the territory management system at the international-regional level for the benefit of citizens.
An Unobtrusive and Lightweight Ear-worn System for Continuous Epileptic Seizure Detection
Authors: Aziz Abdul , Pham Nhat , Vora Neel , Reynolds Cody , Lehnen Jaime , Venkatesh Pooja , Yao Zhuoran , Harvey Jay , Vu Tam , Ding Kan , Nguyen Phuc
Published: November 2024

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases globally (around 50M people globally). Fortunately, up to 70% of people with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated, and a reliable technique to monitor the onset of seizures could improve the quality of life of patients who are constantly facing the fear of random seizure attacks. The current gold standard, video-EEG (v-EEG), involves attaching over 20 electrodes to the scalp, is costly, requires hospitalization, trained professionals, and is uncomfortable for patients. To address this gap, we developed
EarSD
, a lightweight and unobtrusive ear-worn system to detect seizure onsets by measuring physiological signals behind the ears. This system can be integrated into earphones, headphones, or hearing aids, providing a convenient solution for continuous monitoring.
EarSD
is an integrated custom-built
sensing
-
computing
-
communication
ear-worn platform to capture seizure signals, remove the noises caused by motion artifacts and environmental impacts, and stream the collected data wirelessly to the computer/mobile phone nearby.
EarSD
’s ML algorithm, running on a server, identifies seizure-associated signatures and detects onset events. We evaluated the proposed system in both in-lab and in-hospital experiments at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center with epileptic seizure patients, confirming its usability and practicality.
The Effect of Domain Terms on Password Security
Authors: Bao Yubing , Zeng Jianping , Yang Jirui , Yang Ruining , Lu Zhihui
Published: November 2024

The predominant authentication method still relies on usernames and passwords. To enhance memorability, domain terms may have been opted to include as part of passwords. However, there is little analysis of the extent to which such practice affects password security, so there is a lack of guidance on how users use domain terms on websites with different domain characteristics. To address the problem, we propose a novel approach to analyze the security effect of using domain terms in passwords. The methodology primarily consists of three stages. First, we utilize Web crawlers to harvest domain vocabularies, subsequently leveraging the TextRank algorithm to rank their importance. Second, we propose an algorithm for constructing a simulated domain-specific password dataset by replacing password elements with domain terms. Third, password guessing experiments are done on the dataset using PCFG (Probabilistic Context-Free Grammar) and the Markov model to evaluate the impact of domain terms on password security. The experimental results indicate that, for systems without clear domain, 20% domain terms replacement in the test set can reduce the cracking rate by up to 5.45%. In contrast, for domain-specific systems, 20% domain terms replacement in the training set can increase the cracking rate by 6.45%. These findings provide practical guidance on the application of domain knowledge in password creation for different types of systems. In summary, this study offers a novel perspective for exploring the security implications of passwords influenced by specific domains.
SPIRIT: Scalable and Persistent In-Memory Indices for Real-Time Search
Authors: Akram Shoaib , Hasnat Adnan
Published: November 2024

Today, real-time search over big microblogging data requires low indexing and query latency. Online services, therefore, prefer to host inverted indices in memory. Unfortunately, as datasets grow, indices grow proportionally, and with limited DRAM scaling, the main memory faces high pressure. Also, indices must be persisted on disks as building them is computationally intensive. Consequently, it becomes necessary to frequently move on-heap index segments to storage, slowing down indexing. Reading storage-resident index segments requires filesystem calls and disk accesses during query evaluation, leading to high and unpredictable tail latency.

This work exploits hybrid DRAM and scalable non-volatile memory (NVM) to offer dynamically growing and instantly searchable (i.e., real-time) persistent indices in on-heap memory. We implement SPIRIT, a real-time text inversion engine over hybrid memory. SPIRIT exploits the byte-addressability of hybrid memory to enable direct access to the index on a pre-allocated heap, eliminating expensive block storage accesses and filesystem calls during live operation. It uses an in-memory segment descriptor table to offer: ① instant segment availability to query evaluators upon fresh ingestion, ② low-overhead segment movement across memory tiers transparent to query evaluators, and ③ decoupled segment movement into NVM from their visibility to query evaluators, enabling different policies for mitigating NVM latency. SPIRIT accelerates compaction with zero-copy merging. It supports volatile, graceful shutdown, and crash-consistent indexing modes. The latter two modes offer instant recovery using persistent pointers.

SPIRIT with hybrid memory and strong crash consistency guarantees exhibits many orders of magnitude better tail response times and query throughout than the state-of-the-art Lucene search engine. Compared against a highly optimized non-real-time evaluation of Lucene with liberal DRAM size, on average, across six query workloads, SPIRIT still delivers 2.5 × better (real-time) query throughput. Our work applies to other services that will benefit from direct on-heap access to large persistent indices.
ShieldCXL: A Practical Obliviousness Support with Sealed CXL Memory
Authors: Choi Kwanghoon , Kim Igjae , Lee Sunho , Huh Jaehyuk
Published: November 2024

The CXL (Compute Express Link) technology is an emerging memory interface with high-level commands. Recent studies applied the CXL memory expanding technique to mitigate the capacity limitation of the conventional DDRx memory. Unlike the prior studies to use the CXL memory as the capacity expander, this study proposes to use the CXL-based memory as a secure main memory device, while removing the conventional memory. In the conventional DDRx memory, to provide confidentiality, integrity, replay protection, and obliviousness, costly mechanisms such as counter-based integrity trees and location shuffling by ORAM (Oblivious RAM) are used. Such mechanisms incur significant performance degradation in the current DDR-based memory systems, and their costs increase as the capacity of the memory increases. To mitigate the performance degradation, the prior work proposed an obfuscated channel for a secure memory module enclosing its controller in the package. Based on the approach, we propose a secure CXL-only memory architecture called
ShieldCXL
. It uses the channel encryption and integrity protection mechanism of the CXL interface to provide a practical ORAM while supporting confidentiality, integrity, and replay protection from physical attacks and rowhammers. To protect the PCIe-connected memory expanding board, this study proposes to use the standard physical sealing technique to detect physical intrusion. To mitigate the increased latency with the sealed CXL memory module, the study further optimizes performance by adopting an in-package DRAM cache. In addition, this study investigates destination obfuscation when a CXL switch is used to route among multiple hosts and memory devices. The evaluation shows that
ShieldCXL
provides 9.16x performance improvements over the prior ORAM technique.
Shaping Capillary Solids From Statics to Dynamics
Authors: Tamim S.I. , Bostwick J.B.
Published: November 2024

The shape of a soft solid is largely determined by the balance between elastic and surface energies with capillarity becoming important at length scales smaller than the elastocapillary length, which approaches the millimeter scale for the softest hydrogels, leading to many new and surprising phenomena. This review is focused on describing recent experimental and theoretical progress on the deformations of soft solids due to capillarity in two-phase systems for both statics and dynamics. Relative to rigid solids, surface tension can lead to the rounding of sharp corners, wrinkling and creasing, and general morphological shape-change of the static equilibrium configuration, beyond a critical elastocapillary number. With regard to dynamics, both surface tension and viscoelasticity affect wave number selection in a number of dynamic pattern formation phenomena in soft solids, such as elastocapillary-gravity waves, Rayleigh–Taylor instability, Plateau–Rayleigh instability, Faraday waves, and drop oscillations, all of which have direct analogs with classical hydrodynamic instabilities helping to interpret the relevant physics.
Experimental and Numerical Study of CFRP Laminate Strengthened Concrete Beams Under Hygrothermal Environment
Authors: Alsuhaibani Eyad , Yazdani Nur , Beneberu Eyosias
Published: November 2024

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates are widely used to strengthen and retrofit deteriorated concrete structures, yet their long‐term performance and durability under varied environmental conditions remain critical areas of investigation. This study comprehensively examined the behavior of small concrete beams externally bonded with CFRP laminates under three distinct hygrothermal regimes: immersion in water at 23, 45, and 60°C for up to 112 days. The experimental program encompassed direct tension pull‐off testing of the CFRP–concrete assembly and four‐point bending tests on the beams. Pull‐off tests revealed complex failure modes, with bonding epoxy failure (43%) and concrete substrate cohesion failure (39%) being dominant. Notably, pull‐off strength exhibited nonmonotonic trends across all environments, suggesting that environmental degradation is not solely time‐dependent. Flexural capacity increased by 20%, 49%, and 11% for room temperature (RT), moderate temperature (MT), and high temperature (HT) conditions, respectively, after 112 days, highlighting the synergistic effect of CFRP strengthening and ongoing concrete curing. A calibrated three‐dimensional finite element model, developed using Abaqus, accurately replicated the experimental results and facilitated parametric studies on factors influencing CFRP‐strengthened beam performance. This included concrete compressive strength, number of CFRP layers, laminate thickness, and FRP type. The study elucidates the complex interplay between environmental exposure, material properties, and structural performance, contributing valuable insights for enhancing durability predictions and design guidelines for CFRP‐strengthened concrete structures in diverse climatic conditions.
PHGDH Induction by MAPK Is Essential for Melanoma Formation and Creates an Actionable Metabolic Vulnerability
Authors: Jasani Neel , Xu Xiaonan , Posorske Benjamin , Kim Yumi , Wang Kaizhen , Vera Olga , Tsai Kenneth Y. , DeNicola Gina M. , Karreth Florian A.
Published: November 2024

Overexpression of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the serine synthesis pathway, promotes melanomagenesis, melanoma cell proliferation, and survival of metastases in serine-low environments such as the brain. Here, we found that PHGDH is universally increased in melanoma cells and required for melanomagenesis. Although PHGDH amplification explained PHGDH overexpression in a subset of melanomas, oncogenic BRAFV600E also promoted PHGDH transcription through mTORC1-mediated translation of ATF4. Importantly, depletion of PHGDH in genetic mouse melanoma models blocked tumor formation. In addition to BRAFV600E-mediated upregulation, PHGDH was further induced by exogenous serine restriction. Surprisingly, BRAFV600E inhibition diminished serine restriction–mediated PHGDH expression by preventing ATF4 induction. Consequently, melanoma cells could be specifically starved of serine by combining BRAFV600E inhibition with exogenous serine restriction, which promoted cell death in vitro and attenuated melanoma growth in vivo. In summary, this study identified that PHGDH is essential for melanomagenesis and regulated by BRAFV600E, revealing a targetable vulnerability in BRAFV600E-mutant melanoma.

Significance: BRAFV600E promotes the expression of the serine synthesis enzyme PHGDH, which is required for melanoma formation, and can be targeted to sensitize melanoma to dietary serine restriction, providing a melanoma cell–specific treatment strategy.
Table S1 from Prognostic Utility of Breast Cancer Index to Stratify Distant Recurrence Risk in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Authors: Nunes Raquel , Sella Tal , Treuner Kai , Atkinson Jennifer M. , Wong Jenna , Zhang Yi , Exman Pedro , Dabbs David , Richardson Andrea L. , Schnabel Catherine A. , Sgroi Dennis C. , Oesterreich Steffi , Cimino-Mathews Ashley , Metzger Otto
Published: November 2024

Clinicopathological characteristics by BCI risk groups.
Supplementary Table S3 from Phase I Study of 2- or 3-Week Dosing of Telisotuzumab Vedotin, an Antibody–Drug Conjugate Targeting c-Met, Monotherapy in Patients with Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Authors: Camidge D. Ross , Morgensztern Daniel , Heist Rebecca S. , Barve Minal , Vokes Everett , Goldman Jonathan W. , Hong David S. , Bauer Todd M. , Strickler John H. , Angevin Eric , Motwani Monica , Parikh Apurvasena , Sun Zhaowen , Bach Bruce Allen , Wu Jun , Komarnitsky Philip B. , Kelly Karen
Published: November 2024

Supplementary Table S3 shows teliso-V exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety analyses
Supplementary Methods from Phase I Study of 2- or 3-Week Dosing of Telisotuzumab Vedotin, an Antibody–Drug Conjugate Targeting c-Met, Monotherapy in Patients with Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Authors: Camidge D. Ross , Morgensztern Daniel , Heist Rebecca S. , Barve Minal , Vokes Everett , Goldman Jonathan W. , Hong David S. , Bauer Todd M. , Strickler John H. , Angevin Eric , Motwani Monica , Parikh Apurvasena , Sun Zhaowen , Bach Bruce Allen , Wu Jun , Komarnitsky Philip B. , Kelly Karen
Published: November 2024

Supplementary Methods includes study design, antitumor activity, and exploratory biomarkers
Supplementary Figure 5 from A Phase I Study of LSZ102, an Oral Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader, with or without Ribociclib or Alpelisib, in Patients with Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Jhaveri Komal , Juric Dejan , Yap Yoon-Sim , Cresta Sara , Layman Rachel M. , Duhoux Francois P. , Terret Catherine , Takahashi Shunji , Huober Jens , Kundamal Nicole , Sheng Qing , Balbin Alejandro , Ji Yan , He Wei , Crystal Adam , De Vita Serena , Curigliano Giuseppe
Published: November 2024

Supplementary figure 5 shows baseline versus end-of-treatment tumor mutation status among those who achieved a defined clinical benefit on treatment.
Supplementary Figure 2 from A Phase I Study of LSZ102, an Oral Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader, with or without Ribociclib or Alpelisib, in Patients with Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Jhaveri Komal , Juric Dejan , Yap Yoon-Sim , Cresta Sara , Layman Rachel M. , Duhoux Francois P. , Terret Catherine , Takahashi Shunji , Huober Jens , Kundamal Nicole , Sheng Qing , Balbin Alejandro , Ji Yan , He Wei , Crystal Adam , De Vita Serena , Curigliano Giuseppe
Published: November 2024

Supplementary figure 2 shows on-treatment estrogen receptor H-score changes from baseline in the combination treatment arms.
Supplementary Figure 1 from A Phase I Study of LSZ102, an Oral Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader, with or without Ribociclib or Alpelisib, in Patients with Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Jhaveri Komal , Juric Dejan , Yap Yoon-Sim , Cresta Sara , Layman Rachel M. , Duhoux Francois P. , Terret Catherine , Takahashi Shunji , Huober Jens , Kundamal Nicole , Sheng Qing , Balbin Alejandro , Ji Yan , He Wei , Crystal Adam , De Vita Serena , Curigliano Giuseppe
Published: November 2024

Supplementary figure 1 shows LSZ102 dose proportionality analyses for fasted, once-daily administration
Preclinical Characterization of XB002, an Anti–Tissue Factor Antibody–Drug Conjugate for the Treatment of Solid Tumors
Authors: Kantak Seema , Faggioni Raffaella , Cai Allen G. , Bhatti Maryam M. , Li Jing , Vainshtein Inna , Cheng Jackie , Mendelsohn Brian A. , Gaudreault Jacques , Migone Thi-Sau , Theunissen Jan-Willem
Published: November 2024

Tissue factor (TF) is overexpressed in various cancers and is typically associated with poor clinical outcomes. XB002 is an anti-TF antibody–drug conjugate designed to selectively deliver a cytotoxic payload to TF-expressing tumors while minimizing TF-related adverse events, particularly bleeding. The conjugate consists of a zovodotin linker–payload attached to a mAb (clone 25A3) that binds TF with high affinity (KD = 0.86 nmol/L). In vitro coagulation assays confirmed that 25A3 does not interfere with the clotting cascade; even at a concentration of 100 nmol/L, it did not affect the activation of coagulation factor X or thrombin generation. XB002 demonstrated efficient internalization in TF-expressing cancer cell lines, exhibiting potent cytotoxicity at subnanomolar concentrations. In the HPAF-II xenograft model, a regimen of XB002 (1.5 mg/kg, i.v.) administered once weekly for two weeks achieved complete tumor regression, with no detectable tumor growth up to five weeks after the second dose. In murine patient-derived xenograft models, a single dose of XB002 (10 mg/kg, i.v.) inhibited tumor growth across multiple cancer models, including bladder, cervical, gastric, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and non–small cell lung cancers. Remarkably, complete tumor regression was observed in the cervical cancer and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models within 30 days of treatment. In nonhuman primate studies, XB002 demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetics with exposure in the desired therapeutic range and no signs of bleeding or neutropenia. Collectively, these data highlight XB002’s broad-spectrum antitumor activity and strongly support its further clinical development.
The Surge in Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Rejection in Nigeria
Authors: Otorkpa Oche Joseph , Onifade Adefunmilola Adebola , Otorkpa Chinenye Oche
Published: November 2024

In October 2023, Nigeria integrated the single-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into its routine immunization program, aiming to protect 7.7 million girls aged 9 to 14 years. This milestone in the fight against HPV-related cancers, especially cervical cancer, faces significant challenges due to high vaccine rejection rates driven by misinformation and cultural barriers. Despite the vaccine’s proven safety and efficacy, uptake remains low. This communication highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive public health education campaign to address these barriers. Proposed strategies include leveraging digital health technologies, integrating HPV education into school curricula, training community health workers, engaging religious and cultural leaders, and launching media campaigns featuring personal narratives. Implementing these evidence-based interventions is crucial for dispelling myths, misconceptions, and skepticism surrounding HPV vaccines. This will enhance acceptance and uptake, ultimately reducing cervical cancer mortality in Nigeria.
Longitudinal Changes in Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Vascularity Index in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Vidal-Oliver Lourdes , Spissinger Sabrina , Herzig-de Almeida Elisa , Garzone Davide , Finger Robert P.
Published: November 2024

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the rate of choroidal thinning and Choroidal Vascularity Index (CVI) changes over time in eyes with different stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and control eyes. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal study of 105 eyes with different stages of AMD: non-advanced (n = 46), exudative (n = 28), central complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) (n = 5) and healthy eyes (n = 26). We evaluated choroidal thickness (CT) and CVI at baseline and during 2–4 years of follow-up. After adjustment for age and sex, we estimated the rate of change per year of CT and CVI in each group. We also performed logistic regression to analyze the relationship between baseline CT and CVI with AMD progression. Results: The mean age of the included patients was 77.1 years with a mean follow-up of 3.36 years. Healthy eyes had higher baseline CT and CVI values compared to eyes with AMD. Exudative AMD showed a significant annual decrease in subfoveal CT (−5.1% per year vs. −3.5% in controls) and in the temporal and nasal sectors (−5.3% and −6.3%). CVI decreased during follow-up in all study groups, most in eyes with central cRORA (−1.09% per year). Conclusion: CVI and CT values are reduced in eyes with AMD compared to healthy eyes. Eyes with exudative AMD have the highest annual rate of choroidal thinning, while CVI decreases most in eyes with central cRORA. CT and CVI may aid in a further stratification of AMD progression risk.
Added Value in Low-Risk Pregnancies of Longitudinal Changes in Uterine Doppler and Circulating Angiogenic Factors during the Third Trimester in Predicting Term Preeclampsia
Authors: Roubalova Lucie , Kroutilova Vladimira , Lopez-G. Tinajero Maria Fernanda , Martinez-Egea Judit , Pumarola Claudia , Figueras Francesc , Lubusky Marek
Published: November 2024

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between longitudinal changes in the uterine Doppler velocimetry and the maternal profile of angiogenic factors in the third trimester and to assess their ability to predict term preeclampsia (PE). Methods: A cohort of low-risk pregnant women was scheduled for a uterine Doppler evaluation and measurement of the circulating levels of angiogenic factors at ∼30 and ∼36 weeks. The performance of both parameters and their change over time in predicting term PE was evaluated. Results: A total of 1,191 women were analyzed, of which 28 (2.4%) women developed term PE. At ∼30 weeks, a model including the sFlt-1/PlGF (fms-like tyrosine kinase-1/placental growth factor) ratio and the uterine Doppler explained 16.2% of the uncertainty of developing term PE, while at ∼36 weeks, the same variables explained 25.2% [p < 0.001]. The longitudinal changes of both predictors had an R2 of 26.8%, which was not different from that of the ∼36 weeks evaluation [p = 0.45]. The area under the curve (AUC) of the ∼36 weeks ratio was significantly higher than at ∼30 weeks (0.86 [0.77–0.94] vs. 0.81 [0.73–0.9]; p = 0.043). The AUC of the longitudinal change of the ratio (0.85 [0.77–0.94]) did not differ from that of at ∼36 weeks (p = 0.82). At ∼36 weeks, for a 10% of false positives, the ratio had a detection rate of 71.4%. Conclusion: A cross-sectional measurement of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio outperforms uterine Doppler in predicting term PE. The combination of both markers does not improve such prediction, nor the evaluation of the longitudinal changes between weeks.
Endoplasmic Reticular Stress and Pathogenesis of Experimental Colitis: Mechanism of Action of 5-Amino Salicylic Acid
Authors: Baydoun Zahraa A. , Rao Muddanna , Khan Islam
Published: November 2024

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel diseases which are characterized by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathway are commonly treated with 5-amino salicylic acid (5-ASA). The objective of this study was to investigate the role of 5-amino salicylic acid in the UPR-signaling pathway in experimental colitis. Materials and Methods: Colitis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intrarectal instillation of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. Animals received 5-amino salicylic acid (100 mg/kg body weight) 2 h before the induction of colitis and repeated daily until day 7. The animals were sacrificed on day 7 and tissues were collected for analysis. Results: The expression of protein kinase R (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), a mediator of UPR signaling increased significantly (p < 0.05), while inositol-requiring enzyme type-1 (IRE1) and the CCAAT/enhancer-binding homologous protein (CHOP) remained unaltered in the inflamed colon. The expression of glucose-regulated protein-78, activator of transcription factor-4, and phosphorylated-eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2αP) increased (p < 0.05) in the inflamed colon. However, the levels of eIF2α protein and mRNA expression remained unchanged. Myeloperoxidase activity, colon weight, and infiltration of inflammatory cells increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the submucosa whereas the body weight decreased. These changes were significantly inhibited by 5-amino salicylate treatment. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of 5-amino salicylic acid are mediated through the inhibition of the PERK signaling pathway.
Impact of Nutritional Therapy during Intensive Care Unit Admission on Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Suganuma Shinya , Nakamura Kensuke , Kato Hideaki , Hemmi Muneaki , Kawabata Keiichiro , Hosozawa Mariko , Muto Yoko , Hori Miyuki , Iba Arisa , Asahi Tomohiro , Kawauchi Akira , Fujitani Shigeki , Hatakeyama Junji , Oshima Taku , Ota Kohei , Kamijo Hiroshi , Iso Hiroyasu
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Nutritional therapy is an important component of intensive care. We investigated the associations of nutritional therapy in the acute phase of severe COVID-19 with the long-term outcomes of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and post-COVID-19 conditions. Methods: A questionnaire on the health status after COVID-19 was sent to patients 1 year after infection and PICS was evaluated. Total energy and protein intakes during the first week after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) were calculated. The primary endpoint was a decrease in quality of life (QOL) defined by EuroQol5-dimensions 5-level (EQ5D5L) <0.8. A multivariable regression analysis was used to examine. Results: A total of 220 ICU patients were included in this study. Median total energy and protein intakes were 65.1 kcal/kg/week and 3.3 g/kg/week, respectively. Total energy and protein intakes were associated with EQ5D5L scores (energy: unit odds ratio 0.98 [0.97–0.99], p value <0.01; protein: unit odds ratio 0.72 [0.59–0.87], p value <0.01). Insufficient total energy and protein intakes were associated with malaise, arthralgia, myalgia, palpitations, sleep disturbance, and muscle weakness. Conclusions: Poor nutrition during the first week after ICU admission was associated with a decreased QOL 1 year after. These nutrition shortages were also associated with an increased risk of developing PICS, post-COVID-19 conditions, which may contribute to decreased QOL.
First-In-Human Rapid Removal of Circulating Tumor Cells in Solid Metastatic Neoplasia by Microbind Affinity Blood Filter
Authors: Ilic Sanja , Premuzic Vedran
Published: November 2024

Introduction: We conducted a first-in-human trial evaluating safety and the potential for combined pathogen and circulating tumor cell (CTC) removal in patients with solid metastatic cancers. Methods: The Seraph procedure was performed at a hemodialysis clinic on 10 consecutive patients with metastatic cancer whose liquid biopsy was positive for the epithelial cell adhesion molecule. All the patients exerted positive bacterial or fungal isolates. Results: We have demonstrated the ability of Seraph100® Filter to remove both pathogens and CTCs, with median reduction of 71% within 120 min, from patient blood. Conclusion: High-yield CTC clearance could potentially benefit patients in diagnostic and personalized treatment of cancer to be elucidated in further research.
Analysis of Retinal and Choroidal Microvasculature in Systemic Sclerosis Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lohrasbi Fatemeh , Karimi Elaheh , Gouravani Mahdi , fooladi Sarabi Shahnaz , Mafi Amirreza , Beikmarzehei Alireza , Sanjari Moghaddam Hossein , Parsaei Mohammadamin , Tabatabaei Seyed Mehdi , Arevalo J. Fernando
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an emerging technique to investigate retinal and choroidal microvascular alterations in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the features of retinal and choroidal microvasculature using OCTA among SSc patients. Methods: The methodology of the study was based on PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched systematically on November 25, 2023, for relevant studies utilizing OCTA as the main diagnostic tool to assess the retinal and choroidal microvasculature in SSc patients versus healthy controls. Random-effect or fixed model meta-analysis was used based on the heterogeneity of studies. Results: Eleven observational comparative studies, including 366 patients with SSc and 350 healthy controls, conducted between 2020 and 2023, were included in this review. Meta-analysis findings revealed a significant decrease in vessel densities in both the superficial and deep capillary plexuses among SSc patients compared to controls. However, there were no significant differences observed in the foveal avascular zone area and choriocapillaris flow area between SSc patients and controls. Moreover, central macular thickness (CMT) consistently exhibited a decrease in SSc patients, while retinal nerve fiber layer thickness showed no significant differences. Although radial peripapillary capillary vessel density, subfoveal choroidal thickness, and cup/disk ratio yielded mixed results, with some studies indicating significant changes in the SSc group, meta-analysis could not be performed due to variations in the OCTA machines used across the included studies. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrates retinal and choroidal microvascular abnormalities in SSc using OCTA. Longitudinal studies are needed to understand how these abnormalities evolve over time in patients with SSc and whether these abnormalities correlate with the clinical features of SSc.
La Fiesta de La Caporalía entre los Navinos (Andes centrales): síntesis cosmológica ypersonas relacionales
Authors: Gutiérrez-Suárez Gustavo
Published: November 2024

Recientes trabajos dedicados a la producción de la persona entre los Quechua han puesto de relieve la práctica del chamanismo. Este artículo examina la Fiesta de La Caporalía, una celebración ritual de los Navinos del alto Huaura (Andes centrales de Perú). En ella, los Caporales danzan vistiendo variaciones de prendas sacerdotales católicas, acto en el cual puede reconocerse una práctica chamánica significativa en la ontología relacional de la persona navina. Siguiendo las contribuciones teóricas de Strathern, la persona navina puede ser pensada como un compuesto de relaciones con alteridades humanas y distintas-a-las-humanas propiciadas por la washka, un operador nativo de socialidad. El artículo reflexiona sobre los modos en que La Caporalía celebra tales relaciones.
Association of Homelessness and Unstable Housing With Cardiovascular Care Utilization Among Veterans
Authors: Sokoloff Lara J. , Wu Jingyi , Eberly Lauren A. , Nathan Ashwin S. , Julien Howard M. , Kobayashi Taisei J. , Damrauer Scott M. , Groeneveld Peter W. , Tsai Jack , Khatana Sameed Ahmed M.
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:

Veterans are disproportionately more likely to experience homelessness and unstable housing (HUH) compared with the general population. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Veterans experiencing HUH. We aimed to understand whether HUH status among Veterans with preexisting cardiovascular disease was associated with disparities in cardiovascular care access and utilization.

METHODS:

Retrospective study of all Veterans with preexisting cardiovascular disease between 2017 and 2019 using Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and Homeless registry data. Primary outcomes were annual outpatient visits for cardiovascular disease management and visits with cardiovascular disease–related specialists. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular disease–related procedures and emergency department visits and hospitalizations. HUH status was determined based on response to a screener, diagnostic codes, or use of homelessness services, and outcomes were assessed in the first year HUH status was determined. After applying inverse probability of treatment weighting, negative binomial and logistic regression models were fit to estimate the association between experiencing HUH and the outcomes of interest.

RESULTS:

Among 1 357 973 Veterans (mean age, 71.6 [SD=10.6] years; 2.5% female) with preexisting cardiovascular disease, 56 093 were identified as experiencing HUH during the study period. Veterans experiencing HUH had fewer outpatient visits for cardiovascular disease management or with cardiovascular disease–related specialists (4.3% [95% CI, 2.5%–6.1%] and 14.1% [95% CI, 12.5%–15.8%], respectively) compared with housed Veterans. HUH status was associated with lower rates of receiving certain procedures including coronary artery bypass graft, lower extremity revascularization, and carotid artery stenosis interventions and higher rates of all-cause and cardiovascular emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

CONCLUSIONS:

Veterans with chronic cardiovascular conditions experiencing HUH had lower rates of outpatient visits for cardiovascular disease management and higher rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Given the disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease in this population, interventions to improve access to cardiovascular care are needed.
Introduction
Authors: Lierman Ash
Published: November 2024

The introduction describes the purpose of the book: to investigate and recommend ways that higher education institutions can best serve the needs of neurodivergent undergraduate students and those with invisible disabilities. The introduction also outlines the book’s structure, guiding principles, and authorial positionality.
6. Intersectional Considerations
Authors: Lierman Ash
Published: November 2024

This chapter broadens its scope to include some important intersections of neurodivergent and disabled identities with other marginalized identities, including those of race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The impact of trauma and how it ties into all of these identities is also considered.
Burn Period: A Use-Inspired Metric to Track Wildfire Risk across Arizona and New Mexico in the Southwest United States
Authors: Crimmins Michael A. , Maxwell Charles , Ferguson Daniel B. , Frisvold George B.
Published: November 2024

Numerous tools and indices exist for wildland fire managers to anticipate and track changes in wildfire risk driven by variability in weather and climate conditions at hourly to seasonal scales. However, in working closely with Southwest U.S. managers, we learned of a simple meteorological metric being informally used, but not widely accessible in existing tools or information products, to gauge short-term changes in wildfire risk. This metric, termed “Burn Period” (BP), is the local count of hours per day with relative humidity values equal to or less than 20%. Our collaboration led to the development of an experimental tool called the “Burn Period Tracker” to ease access and promote the use of BP values for planning and response. This study is a climatological analysis of BP values at 124 fire weather stations across Arizona and New Mexico for the period 2000–22 to aid in interpretation and understanding of this use-inspired metric. BP values reflect the strong seasonality in temperature and moisture deficit–driven wildfire risk across the Southwest United States, with risk climbing through the arid spring season, peaking in June, and then falling rapidly with the onset of the summer monsoon in July. Regression analyses show that short-term variability in BP values is driven by variability in low-level atmospheric moisture in all months with strongest relationships during the summer after the onset of the monsoon. This study highlights the utility of BP as a short-term wildfire planning tool as well as an example of collaborative weather and climate services development.
Widening of Wind Stress Anomalies Amplifies ENSO in a Warming Climate
Authors: Stuivenvolt-Allen Jacob , Fedorov Alexey V. , Fu Minmin , Heede Ulla
Published: November 2024

Climate change simulations generally indicate the strengthening of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) sea surface temperature (SST) variability through the twenty-first century, yet a robust physical mechanism explaining this change across different models is still lacking, and the projections for ENSO amplitude exhibit a large spread. Most commonly, changes in the background state of the tropical Pacific are invoked to explain these changes of ENSO. Here, we show that changes in the structure of wind stress anomalies associated with ENSO are potentially as important as these background state changes. Specifically, changes in the magnitude, meridional width, and zonal structure of wind stress anomalies can explain approximately 53% of the intermodel variance in the projected change of ENSO magnitude through the twenty-first century as well as 43% in ENSO periodicity changes. Among these changes in the wind structure, the meridional widening of wind anomalies plays the most important role. To demonstrate that these changes are indeed critical, we develop a hybrid model of ENSO based on the Community Earth System Model, version 2, which incorporates a dynamical ocean coupled to a simplified statistical atmosphere within the tropical Pacific. In the absence of external forcing and corresponding mean-state changes, the imposed changes in wind stress anomalies in this hybrid model result in an increase of ENSO amplitudes of nearly 10% along the equator. Our results are also theoretically supported by a recharge-oscillator model that incorporates the meridional wind structure. Thus, changes in the structure of wind stress anomalies, together with changes in the mean state, likely play a critical role in the projected strengthening of ENSO.
A predictive model of computed tomography and clinical features of EGFR gene mutation in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yao Youjian , Zhang Nengde , Lu Caiwei , Liu Lianhua , Fu Yu , Gui Mei
Published: November 2024

Purpose: This study aims to develop a predictive model for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in lung adenocarcinoma by integrating computed tomography (CT) imaging features with clinical characteristics. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using electronic medical records from 194 patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma between January 2016 and December 2020, with approval from the institutional review board. Features were selected using LASSO regression, and predictive models were built using logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest methods. Individual models were created for clinical features, CT imaging features, and a combined model to predict EGFR mutations. Results: The training set revealed that alcohol consumption, intrapulmonary metastasis, and pleural effusion were statistically significant in distinguishing between wild-type and mutation groups (p < 0.05). In the testing set, hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy showed statistical significance (p < 0.05). The combined model outperformed the individual clinical and CT imaging feature models. In the testing set, the logistic regression model achieved the highest AUC of 0.827, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.714, 0.712, and 0.712, respectively. Nomogram analysis identified lobulation as an important feature, with a predicted probability of up to 0.9. The decision curve analysis showed that the CT imaging feature model provided a higher net benefit compared to both the clinical feature model and the combined model. Conclusion: In summary, while the combined model outperformed the individual feature models in the testing set, the CT imaging feature model demonstrated the greatest clinical net benefit. Lobulation was identified as an important predictor of EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma.
Cross-Sectional Associations Between Expectancies for Cannabis use and Pain in an Emerging Adult Sample
Authors: Shayya Ashley D. , Williams Callon M. , Zale Emily L.
Published: November 2024

Pain and cannabis use are highly prevalent among emerging adults but research regarding how pain is associated with cannabis-related expectancies is limited. Emerging adults who reported past three-month cannabis use ( N = 173) were recruited through an online sampling platform. Participants completed the Graded Chronic Pain Scale, Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test – Revised, and Marijuana Effect Expectancy Questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions indicated that pain intensity and disability were associated with hazardous cannabis use and expectancies for global negative effects ( ps < .001). Sex did not moderate any of these relationships ( ps > .14). Findings suggest that emerging adults who experience pain report greater hazardous cannabis use and may expect more negative effects of cannabis use. Researchers and clinicians should consider assessing pain in the context of cannabis studies and interventions.