bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resolving the intergeneric phylogeny of the large carrion beetles (Staphylinidae: Silphinae: Silphini)
Authors: Mahlerová Karolina , Jakubec Pavel , Krak Karol , Růžička Jan
Published: September 2024

The worldwide distributed subfamily of rove beetles Silphinae contains two well‐established tribes, based on both morphological and molecular data. The relationships within the tribe Nicrophorini have been mostly resolved; however, the tribe Silphini still lacks a robust phylogeny. Thus, here we resolved the phylogeny of the tribe based on 42 species of the 114 known species, using five molecular markers. Heterotemna tenuicornis Brullé clustered as sister to Silpha tristis Illiger, making the subgenus Silpha Linnaeus paraphyletic. Consequently, Heterotemna Wollaston is considered a junior subjective synonym of Silpha Linnaeus; requiring the following combinations: Silpha (Silpha) britoi (García & Pérez), comb. nov., Silpha (Silpha) figurata Brullé, comb. rest., and Silpha (Silpha) tenuicornis Brullé, comb. rest. Our estimate of the phylogeny agrees with current generic limits except it revealed that the genus Aclypea Reitter arose from within the genus Silpha, thus making the latter paraphyletic. Some ambiguity remains regarding the confidence of this finding; therefore, we refrain from synonymizing Aclypea until further study. Furthermore, it includes biogeographical information for each genus, which estimates the history of distributions of the Silphini across the Australian, Neotropical, and Oriental regions.
Air pollution and firms' export product quality: Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Bo , He Zhenyu , Tang Yuwei
Published: September 2024

This study provides causal estimates of the effect of air pollution on firms' export product quality, based on China's experience. Using thermal inversions as an instrument, a 1% increase in PM2.5 is associated with a 0.25% decrease in export product quality. A series of tests indicates the robustness of our main result. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the negative impact of air pollution on export product quality is only significant among regions with high levels of air pollution. In addition, we find that air pollution also reduces firms' export sales, share and probability. Our study provides original evidence for the relationship between air pollution and firms' export product quality, offering a unique perspective for countries to enhance export competitiveness.
Validation of the Sysmex XN‐V hematology analyzer for feline specimens
Authors: Guerlin Maud , Granat Fanny , Grebert Margot , Braun Jean‐Pierre , Geffré Anne , Bourgès‐Abella Nathalie , Trumel Catherine
Published: September 2024

Background

The Sysmex XN‐V is derived from the new Sysmex XN series of human hematology analyzers. The main changes from the previously validated XT‐2000iV analyzer include an optic‐fluorescent analysis for platelets and a nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) count.

Objective

We aimed to validate the Sysmex XN‐V for feline blood following the American College for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and International Council for Standardization in Hematology recommendations.

Methods

Feline EDTA blood specimens were analyzed on the Sysmex XN‐V to evaluate repeatability, linearity, comparison with the XT‐2000iV analyzer and manual methods, stability, and to verify the previously established Sysmex XT‐2000iV RIs.

Results

Repeatability was excellent for most variables. Visually determined linearity was excellent or good for most variables except eosinophils and platelet variables. The correlation between the XN‐V and XT‐2000iV analyzers was good (≥0.82) for all variables except reticulocyte indices. Correlations between the Sysmex XN‐V and manual differential counts were good to excellent for most variables, acceptable for neutrophils, and fair for monocytes and NRBC. The previously established Sysmex XT‐2000iV RIs can be used to interpret results from the Sysmex XN‐V analyzer for most variables except red cell distribution width and reticulocyte variables. The RI for platelet variables could not be evaluated because of platelet clumps. Changes in the Sysmex XN‐V measurements after storage at 4 and 24°C were similar to those described for the Sysmex XT‐2000iV analyzer.

Conclusions

The performance of the Sysmex XN‐V analyzer was good and compared favorably with the Sysmex XT‐2000iV analyzer.
Complete Dynamics From Ignition to Stabilization of a Lean Hydrogen Flame With Thickened Flame Model
Authors: Amerighi M. , Senatori G. , Yahou T. , Schuller T. , Dawson J. R. , Andreini A.
Published: September 2024

In recent years, attention has been paid to hydrogen thanks to its carbon-free nature and its interesting characteristics as an energy vector. Despite the large number of numerical analyses regarding hydrocarbon combustion in all the steady and unsteady processes, few papers that cover all those aspects are available in the literature for hydrogen flames. Therefore, a numerical methodology to explore the complete ignition sequence from the spark release to the flame stabilization is validated on a single-sector hydrogen burner. In this context, a preliminary direct numerical simulation (DNS) investigation of laminar spherical expanding flames is performed using different diffusive transport models to isolate their impact. The present work, carried out within the European project HESTIA, investigates the atmospheric test rig installed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology operating with a lean, perfectly premixed, hydrogen–air flame stabilized on a conical bluff body. Four simulations are performed adopting the thickened flame model with an energy deposition (ED) strategy to assess the impact of preferential and thermal diffusion, as well as grid resolution, on flame dynamics. Three-dimensional (3D) flame structure visualization coupled with detailed particle image velocimetry (PIV)/OH-planar laser induced fluorescence (OH-PLIF) measurements allows the investigation of the key mechanisms involved during the ignition. The dynamic response of the flame through axial fluctuations once the ignition transient is concluded is reconstructed by the numerical strategy employed. Although the overall behavior is almost unchanged by including or not thermal diffusion effects, their local impact on the flame is evident leading to a better agreement with experimental data.
Editors' note
Authors: Barton Peter , Obermayer August
Published: September 2024

The notes sets out the approach to transcribing, translating and annotating the German language correspondence of Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky and her the diaries of her mother, Charlotte Angermann, which are held by the Hocken Collections, Dunedin, New Zealand. These texts were written in Old German handwriting and deal with the experiences of Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky in Madrid, Spain during the Spanish Civil War, as well as those of her mother in Dresden, Germany.
Introduction
Authors: Barton Peter
Published: September 2024

The introduction provides context for the correspondence of Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky and the journal entries of her mother, Charlotte Angermann. These autobiographical texts deal with the experiences of Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky and her husband, the German-Jewish physician Franz Bielschowsky, during the Spanish Civil War in Madrid, and those of her mother in Dresden, Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Marianne travelled to Madrid in late 1935 to take up a position at the Institute of Medical Research, led by Professor Carlos Jiménez Díaz, at the University of Madrid. She had been preceded by her future husband, Franz, who began collaborating with Jiménez Díaz in late 1933 after he had been dismissed from his post at Freiburg University. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, Marianne and Franz worked at Military Hospital No. 6 at Chamartín de la Rosa in Madrid. At the end of the Spanish conflict they managed to get entry visas for the United Kingdom where they held research positions at Sheffield University under Professor H. Green. Marianne's mother, Charlotte, a pensioner, spent the Second World War in Dresden  with her husband, Konrad. Her journal entries record the everyday travails of life on the home front in Nazi Germany. She records what she hears from her friends and family in Germany who had been subjected to the Allies' Area Bombing Campaign and she writes of her own experiences of the bombing of Dresden in February 1945. The Soviet occupation of Dresden in 1945 and early 1946 forms another strand in her entries.
Briefe einer Antifaschistin: 1944
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: September 2024

Diese Eintragungen zeichnen das tägliche Leben während der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus auf, wie es Charlotte Angermann, Einwohnerin von Dresden, während des Zweiten Weltkrieges erlebte. Angermann beschreibt Bombenangriffe auf andere deutsche Städte, den Mangel an Lebensnotwendigem, der von der allgemeinen Bevölkerung erlitten wurde und den Tod von Freunden und Familienmitgliedern. Diese kurzen Texte erscheinen in Form einer direkten Anrede an ihre Tochter, Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky, die, zusammen mit ihrem Ehemann Franz Bielschowsky, während des Spanischen Bürgerkrieges in einem Militärlazarett in Madrid gearbeitet hatte. Als 1939 die republikanische Sache verloren war, floh sie mit ihrem deutschen Ehemann Dr. Franz Bielschowsky nach Großbritannien, wo beide an der Universität Sheffield im Labor von Prof. H. N. Green eine Anstellung als Forschungsassistenten fanden.
The text records day to day life under National Socialism as it was experienced by Charlotte Angermann, a resident of Dresden during the Second World War. Angermann writes of bombing raids on other German cities, the shortages faced by the general population and the deaths of friends and family members. The diary entries are constructed as an address to her daughter, Marianne Angermann-Bielschowsky, who was at the time in Great Britain where worked as a research under Professor Green at the University of Sheffield.
Letters of an antifascist: 1936
Authors: Barton Peter
Published: September 2024

The text is comprised of letters written in 1936 by Marianne Angermann in Madrid to her mother, Charlotte, in Dresden. They record Marianne's experiences in the opening months of the Spanish Civil War when she worked first at Madrid University (Institute of Medical Research) and, later, at Military Hospital No. 6, Madrid-Chamartín.
The evolutionary history of wild and domestic brown rats (
Rattus norvegicus
)
Authors: Munshi-South Jason , Garcia Joseph A. , Orton David , Phifer-Rixey Megan
Published: September 2024

The brown rat (
Rattus norvegicus
) occupies nearly every terrestrial habitat with a human presence and is one of our most important model organisms. Despite this prevalence, gaps remain in understanding the evolution of brown rat commensalism, their global dispersal, and mechanisms underlying contemporary adaptations to diverse environments. In this Review, we explore recent advances in the evolutionary history of brown rats and discuss key challenges, including finding and accurately dating historical specimens, disentangling histories of multiple domestication events, and synthesizing functional variation in wild rat populations with the development of laboratory strains. Advances in zooarchaeology and population genomics will usher in a new golden age of research on the evolutionary biology of brown rats, with positive feedbacks on their use as biomedical models.
MAYEXis an old long noncoding RNA recruited for X chromosome dosage compensation in a reptile
Authors: Tenorio Mariela , Cruz-Ruiz Samantha , Encarnación-Guevara Sergio , Hernández Magdalena , Corona-Gomez Jose Antonio , Sheccid-Santiago Fania , Serwatowska Joanna , López-Perdomo Sinai , Flores-Aguirre Cynthia D. , Arenas-Moreno Diego M. , Ossiboff Robert J. , Méndez-de-la-Cruz Fausto , Fernandez-Valverde Selene L. , Zurita Mario , Oktaba Katarzyna , Cortez Diego
Published: September 2024

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential regulatory elements of sex chromosomes that act to equalize gene expression levels between males and females.XIST,RSX, androX2regulate X chromosomes in placental mammals, marsupials, andDrosophila, respectively. Because the green anole (Anolis carolinensis) shows complete dosage compensation of its X chromosome, we tested whether a lncRNA was involved. We found an ancient lncRNA,MAYEX, that gained male-specific expression more than 89 million years ago.MAYEXevolved a notable association with the acetylated histone 4 lysine 16 (H4K16ac) epigenetic mark and the ability to loop its locus to the totality of the X chromosome to increase expression levels.MAYEXis the first lncRNA in reptiles linked to a dosage compensation mechanism that balances the expression of sex chromosomes.
The prion principle and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Walker Lary C. , Jucker Mathias
Published: September 2024

Similarities to molecular mechanisms underlying prion diseases may help to refine Alzheimer’s disease therapies
KRAS takes the road to destruction
Authors: Cox Adrienne D. , Der Channing J.
Published: September 2024

A single small molecule degrades numerous KRAS variants involved in cancer
John I. Brauman (1937–2024)
Authors: Zare Richard N.
Published: September 2024

Groundbreaking physical organic chemist
In Science Journals
Authors: Simonti Corinne , Yeston Jake S. , Fogg Christiana N. , Smith Jesse , Malo Courtney , Jiang Di , Osborne Ian S. , Ross Sarah H. , Funk Michael A. , Stajic Jelena , Smith Keith T. , Kelly Priscilla N. , Baek Amy E.
Published: September 2024

Highlights from the
Science
family of journals
Epstein-Barr virus replication within differentiated epithelia requires pRb sequestration of activator E2F transcription factors
Authors: Schaal Danielle L. , Amucheazi Akajiugo A. , Jones Sarah C. , Nkadi Ebubechukwu H. , Scott Rona S.
Published: September 2024

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) co-infections with human papillomavirus (HPV) have been observed in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Modeling EBV/HPV co-infection in organotypic epithelial raft cultures revealed that HPV16 E7 inhibited EBV productive replication through the facilitated degradation of the retinoblastoma protein pRb/p105. To further understand how pRb is required for EBV productive replication, we generated CRISPR-Cas9 pRb knockout (KO) normal oral keratinocytes (NOKs) in the context of wild-type and mutant K120E p53. EBV replication was examined in organotypic rafts as a physiological correlate for epithelial differentiation. In pRb KO rafts, EBV DNA copy number was statistically decreased compared to vector controls, regardless of p53 context. Loss of pRb did not affect EBV binding or internalization of calcium-treated NOKs or early infection of rafts. Rather, the block in EBV replication correlated with impaired immediate early gene expression. An EBV infection time course in rafts with mutant p53 demonstrated that pRb-positive basal cells were initially infected with delayed replication occurring in differentiated layers. Loss of pRb showed increased S-phase progression makers and elevated activator E2F activity in raft tissues. Complementation with a panel of pRb/E2F binding mutants showed that wild type or pRb∆685 mutant capable of E2F binding reduced S-phase marker gene expression, rescued EBV DNA replication, and restored BZLF1 expression in pRb KO rafts. However, pRb KO complemented with pRb661W mutant, unable to bind E2Fs, failed to rescue EBV replication in raft culture. These findings suggest that EBV productive replication in differentiated epithelium requires pRb inhibition of activator E2Fs to restrict S-phase progression.

IMPORTANCE

A subset of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is co-positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Potential oncogenic viral interactions revealed that HPV16 E7 inhibited productive EBV replication within the differentiated epithelium. As E7 mediates the degradation of pRb, we aimed to establish how pRb is involved in EBV replication. In the context of differentiated epithelium using organotypic raft culture, we evaluated how the loss of pRb affects EBV lytic replication to better comprehend EBV contributions to carcinogenesis. In this study, ablation of pRb interfered with EBV replication at the level of immediate early gene expression. Loss of pRb increased activator E2Fs and associated S-phase gene expression throughout the differentiated epithelium. Complementation studies showed that wild type and pRb mutant capable of binding to E2F rescued EBV replication, while pRb mutant lacking E2F binding did not. Altogether, these studies support that in differentiated tissues, HPV16 E7-mediated degradation of pRb inhibits EBV replication through unregulated E2F activity.
DisseminatedMycobacterium chelonaeinfection in kidney transplant patients
Authors: Yaseen Mustafa Muwafaq , Spencer Sebastian , Bhandari Sunil
Published: September 2024

Mycobacterium chelonae(M. chelonae) is a member of the rapidly growing non-tuberous mycobacteria and can cause disseminated tissue infection, particularly, in the limbs. We reviewed medical records of two kidney transplant patients. We describe their background disease and transplantation details, with the use of immunosuppressive medication. We also discuss the presentation ofM. chelonaeinfection and treatment. Both patients received deceased brain-dead donor kidney transplants for end-stage kidney disease. Both developed cutaneous manifestations ofM. chelonae, progressing to disseminated infections. Case 1 was on low-dose prednisolone (2 mg) and tacrolimus, whereas, case 2 received varying doses of prednisolone (5–40 mg) and sirolimus. Antibiotics advised by infectious disease specialists were initiated within a month of skin lesion appearance. Effective treatment involved a combination of antibiotics such as clarithromycin, azithromycin, linezolid and tigecycline. These cases underline the efficacy of clarithromycin and azithromycin as long-term antibiotic treatment, with linezolid and tigecycline for management of acute dissemination.
Retaining doctors in emergency medicine: an ethnographic study of emergency departments in England
Authors: Darbyshire Daniel , Brewster Liz , Isba Rachel , Body Richard , Goodwin Dawn
Published: September 2024

Objectives

To gain a deep understanding of factors driving retention in emergency medicine. To understand in detail the day-to-day lived experience of emergency medicine doctors, to identify and explore factors influencing retention, to situate these descriptions within the current educational and health policy contexts and to advance the debate and make policy and practice recommendations.

Design

Ethnography and semistructured interviews.

Setting

Two purposively sampled emergency departments in England, with additional interview participants recruited via social media and relevant stakeholder organisations.

Participants

41 interview participants comprising 21 emergency physicians across 2 sites, 10 former emergency physicians and 10 stakeholders, with 132 hours of observation over 11 weeks in one emergency department in England.

Results

Three key themes were developed as relevant to the day-to-day lived experience of work in the emergency department, presenting challenges to retention and opportunities for change. First, emergency physicians needed to develop workarounds to mitigate the sensory and material challenges of working in a difficult environment.

Second, education influences retention through valuing, fostering competence and entrustment and supporting interdependence. These were primarily observable in the workplace through senior staff prioritising the education of more junior staff.

Third, community was important for retention. Linked to education through communities of practice, it was built by brief interpersonal interactions between emergency department workers.

Situating these descriptions in current policy contexts identified less than full-time working, portfolio careers and mentorship as retention strategies. Self-rostering and annualisation facilitated these retention strategies.

Conclusions

The emergency department represents a difficult environment with many challenges, yet by focusing on how doctors navigate these difficulties, we can see the way in which retention occurs in everyday practices, and that valuing staff is critical for retention.
Potential impact of alcohol calorie labelling on the attitudes and drinking behaviour of hazardous and low-risk drinkers in England: a national survey
Authors: Steptoe Andrew , Sheen Florence , Conway Rana , Llewellyn Clare , Brown Jamie
Published: September 2024

Objectives

We investigated the hypothetical impact of mandatory alcohol calorie labelling, comparing non-drinkers, low-risk and hazardous drinkers in terms of attitudes, knowledge about calorie content and hypothetical behaviour changes should labelling be introduced.

Design

Cross-sectional national telephone survey.

Setting

Community-dwelling adults in England between November 2022 and January 2023.

Participants

Data were collected from 4683 adults >18 years, of whom 24.7% were non-drinkers; 77.6% of alcohol drinkers were categorised as low-risk and 22.4% as hazardous drinkers according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test questionnaire.

Primary outcome measures

Attitudes to alcohol calorie labelling in shops and supermarkets and in hospitality venues, knowledge of the calorie content of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, cider and spirits) and changes in drinking practices if calorie labelling was introduced.

Results

Comparisons were made between non-drinkers, low-risk drinkers and hazardous drinkers, with analyses adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and education. Attitudes to calorie labelling were generally positive, but were less favourable among alcohol drinkers than non-drinkers. Hazardous drinkers were more accurate in their estimations of the calorie content of wine, cider and spirits than non-drinkers (p<0.0001). Overall, 46.4% of drinkers indicated that they would change their drinking patterns if calorie labelling was introduced, and this response was more common among hazardous than low-risk drinkers (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.199 to 1.699), adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and education. Compared with low-risk drinkers, hazardous drinkers stated that they would be more likely to drink fewer alcoholic beverages, to drink alcohol less often, to choose lower calorie drinks and to do more exercise (adjusted OR 1.27, 1.009 to 1.606).

Conclusions

A sizeable proportion of hazardous drinkers indicated that they would change their consumption practices if mandatory calorie labelling was introduced. Promoting more positive attitudes to calorie labelling might lead to stronger intentions to reduce consumption. Mandatory calorie labelling of alcoholic beverages may make a modest contribution to energy intake and the maintenance of health weight, particularly among heavier drinkers.
Value sensitive design and the artificial placenta
Authors: Romanis Elizabeth Chloe , Segers Seppe , de Jong Ben D
Published: September 2024

Artificial placenta technologies (also termed ‘artificial wombs’) for use in place of conventional neonatal intensive care are increasingly closer to first-in-human use. There is growing ethical interest in partial ectogestation (the use of an artificial placenta to continue gestation of an underdeveloped human entity extra uterum), however, there has been little reflection on the ethical issues in the design of the technology. While some have noted the importance of such reflection, and others have noted that a ‘value sensitive design’ approach should be preferred, they have not elaborated on what this means. In this article, we consider what a value sensitive design approach to artificial placenta design might encompass. We believe that applying this framework to the topic at hand raises theoretical and substantive ethical questions that merit further elucidation. Highlighting that there is a careful need to separate preferences from values and that our intervention should be considered only a starting point, we explore some of the values that could be used to make ethical design choices about the artificial placenta: efficacy, compassion and accessibility.
Higher intracranial positioning of an 8 Fr guide catheter improves efficacy of aspiration thrombectomy in large vessel occlusion stroke
Authors: Goldman Daryl , Reddi Preethi , Al-Kawaz Mais , Yaeger Kurt A , Hardigan Trevor , Mehta Amol , Scaggiante Jacopo , Tomalty Robert Dana , Gulotta Paul , Fennell Vernard , Vidal Gabriel A , Poongkunran Mugilan , Milburn James M , Majidi Shahram
Published: September 2024

Background

Higher positioning of a large bore guide catheter during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is hypothesized to potentially improve thrombectomy success.

Objective

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracranial guide catheter placement during EVT using a multicenter database.

Methods

We reviewed data on consecutive patients undergoing EVT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) at three comprehensive stroke centers between October 2019 and December 2022. Participants were allocated to one of two cohorts: intracranial (n=141)—guide catheter tip positioned in the petrous carotid or further distal; and control (n=285)—guide catheter tip below the petrous carotid. Primary outcome was excellent reperfusion (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia (TICI) 2c or better), first pass effect (TICI 2c or better after one pass), and arterial access to final reperfusion time. The unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the

means, medians and proportions of the two groups, respectively. P values & lt;0.05 were considered statistically significant two cohorts.

Results

A total of 426 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with guide catheter location in the petrous segment or further distal had a significantly higher first-pass effect (111/284, 39.1% vs 37/141, 26.2%, P=0.009). There was no significant difference in final excellent recanalization rates between groups (202/285, 70.9% vs 92/141, 65.2%, P=0.266). Furthermore, intracranial positioning of the guide catheter was associated with significantly shorter time to final recanalization (median 21.0 (13.0–38.0) min vs 30.0 (17.0–48.0) min, P<0.001).

Conclusion

Positioning a large bore guide catheter in the petrous segment or further distal resulted in a significantly higher rate of first pass effect, faster procedural times, and equivalent final excellent reperfusion rates compared with more proximal guide catheter placement for patients with anterior circulation LVO.
Radiomic profiling of high-risk aneurysms with blebs: an exploratory study
Authors: Dier Carlos , Sanchez Sebastian , Sagues Elena , Gudino Andres , Jaramillo Rodrigo , Wendt Linder , Samaniego Edgar A
Published: September 2024

Background

Blebs significantly increase rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms. Radiomic analysis offers a robust characterization of the aneurysm wall. However, the unique radiomic profile of various compartments, including blebs, remains unexplored. Likewise, the correlation between these imaging markers and fluid/mechanical metrics is yet to be investigated. To address this, we analyzed the radiomic features (RFs) of bleb-containing aneurysms and their relationship with wall tension and shear stress metrics, aiming to enhance risk assessment.

Methods

Aneurysms were imaged using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A T1 and a T1 after contrast (T1+Gd) sequences were acquired. 3D models of aneurysm bodies and blebs were generated, and RFs were extracted. Aneurysms with and without blebs were matched based on location and size for analysis. Univariate regression models and Spearman’s correlations were used to establish associations between bleb-dependent RFs and mechanical/fluid dynamics metrics.

Results

Eighteen aneurysms with blebs were identified. Fifty-five RFs were significantly different between blebs and body within the same aneurysms. Of these RFs, 9% (5/55) were first-order, and 91% (50/55) were second-order features. After aneurysms with and without blebs were matched for location and size, five RFs 5% (5/93) were significantly different. Forty-one out of the 55 RFs different between bleb and body sac of the primary aneurysm were moderately and strongly correlated with mechanical and fluid dynamics metrics.

Conclusion

Aneurysm blebs exhibit distinct radiomic profiles compared with the main body of the aneurysm sac. The variability in bleb wall characteristics may arise from differing mechanical stresses and localized hemodynamics. Leveraging radiomic profiling could help identify regions with a heightened risk of rupture.
Integrated ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic induction techniques for characterizing boreal podzolic soil in western Newfoundland
Authors: Pathirana Sashini , Lambot Sébastien , Krishnapillai Manokararajah , Smeaton Christina , Cheema Mumtaz , Galagedara Lakshman
Published: September 2024

Geophysical methods like ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic induction (EMI) offer non-destructive, high-resolution alternatives for soil sampling. This study aims to understand subsurface stratifications in boreal podzolic soil employing an integrated GPR–EMI technique and soil sampling. The GPR and EMI confirmed each technique's findings. They provided insights into the spatial variability of electrical conductivity, textural changes, and stratification (detected mainly by GPR reflections) in the soil profile. The assessed soil properties revealed the existence of two contrasting layers within 0–0.60 m depth. The study highlights the potential of using integrated GPR–EMI to identify subsurface stratification in boreal podzolic soil.
On the search for the two poles of the $$\Xi (1820)$$ in the $$\psi (3686) \rightarrow \bar{\Xi }^+ \bar{K}^0 \Sigma ^{*-}(\pi ^- \Lambda )$$ decay
Authors: Duan Man-Yu , Song Jing , Liang Wei-Hong , Oset E.
Published: September 2024

We propose the reaction $$\psi (3686) \rightarrow \bar{\Xi }^+ \bar{K}^0 \Sigma ^{*-}$$

ψ

(
3686
)

→

Ξ

¯

+

K

¯

0

Σ

∗
-

, with the $$\Sigma ^{*-}$$

Σ

∗
-

decaying to $$\pi ^- \Lambda $$

π
-

Λ

in order to show evidence for the existence of two $$\Xi (1820)$$

Ξ
(
1820
)

states, one around 1824 MeV and narrow, and another one around 1875 MeV and wide. The phase space for $$\bar{K}^0 \Sigma ^{*-}$$

K

¯

0

Σ

∗
-

production reduces the effect of the lower mass resonance, magnifying the effect of the higher mass resonance that shows clearly over the phase space. The estimated rate of the production is bigger than the one of the $$\psi (3686) \rightarrow \bar{\Xi }^+ K^- \Lambda $$

ψ

(
3686
)

→

Ξ

¯

+

K
-

Λ

reaction, where a clear peak for $$\Xi (1820)$$

Ξ
(
1820
)

was observed by the BESIII collaboration, what makes the Beijing facility ideal to carry out the reaction proposed.
Impact of thermal conductivity of a Williamson’s nanofluid flow due to a stretching sheet
Authors: Kalpana G. , Duraihem Faisal Z. , Nagarathnamma H.
Published: September 2024

This paper intends to build a mathematical model of a two-dimensional Williamson nanofluid flow due to the stretching of a sheet linearly. The flow geometry is influenced by the magnetic field that is applied externally to the system. The induced magnetic field is infinitesimal and hence neglected. However, the flow structure is incorporated with the Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects as it alter the physics of the flow. The equations that model the flow comprise the highly nonlinear coupled simultaneous system. Thus, a numerical technique namely finite difference accompanied with the Thomas algorithm is adopted to approach the flow system. The motion, temperature, and concentration of the Williamson nanofluid flow are studied for the different flow controlling parameters. The co-efficient of skin-friction, heat, and mass transfer rates is also computed. The streamlines, isotherms, and iso-concentration are plotted to picturise the flow phenomena in the complete domain. The study reveals that the temperature of the flow raises with the Brownian motion of the nanoparticles and the trend is opposite with the concentration. The strength of the streamlines, isotherms, and the concentration contour is identified to be high for the least magnitude of Weissenberg number. The Brownian motion raises the heat transfer rate and slows down the mass transfer rate.
FRACTAL-BASED MODELING OF RAIL ROUGHNESS
Authors: BABICI LAURA MARIANA , ROMEU JORDI , TUDOR ANDREI
Published: September 2024

This paper uses fractal modeling techniques to effectively depict the roughness characteristics of the rails examined in this study by means of both the structure function and the Weierstrass–Mandelbrot function to capture the intricate nature of the rail roughness. Experimental analysis of the roughness of the railway rails from Faurei Railway Testing Center (RTC Faurei) in Romania proves that the roughness height exhibits distinct mathematical fractal characteristics. The study evaluated and compared 41 classical statistical parameters derived from roughness measurements with simulated fractal parameters. The classical roughness parameters, including the Autocorrelation function, Amplitude Density Function, as well as Bearing Area Curves, and rail acoustic roughness, were determined from a profile obtained using the Weierstrass function and compared to the measured ones, revealing a noticeable congruence between the generated charts. The research findings indicate a strong convergence between experimental measurements and simulated profiles, with most parameters falling within a 10% relative error range. This aspect highlights the approach of fractal potent in assessing rail roughness behavior. Consequently, the simulated parameters could potentially analyze rail roughness quality to maintain and track grinding and mitigate the rolling noise.
A FRACTAL PORE-SCALE MODEL OF STRESS-DEPENDENT THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY IN A RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION TREE-LIKE MICROFRACTURE NETWORK
Authors: WANG RUIRUI , YANG SHANSHAN , ZHENG QIAN
Published: September 2024

Stress is an important external element influencing effective thermal conductivity (ETC). However, previous theoretical investigations of stress-dependent effective thermal conductivity have used a simplified parallel plate model, overlooking the complex structure of rock fracture networks. Therefore, this paper establishes a new fractal model for the stress-dependent ETC of a rectangular cross-section tree-like microfracture network. The model derives a constitutive equation between the stress-dependent ETC and the microscopic geometry structural parameters of the microfracture network. The model’s validity is confirmed by the error of less than 0.291% between the theoretical predictions and the experimental data. The influence of geometry structural parameters of the microfracture network (length ratio, width ratio, height ratio, angle, total number of branches and ratios of soft part, hard part, etc.) on the ETC under the low-stress state has been analyzed. It was discovered that the soft part of the rock microfracture network has the most impact on ETC. The fractal pore-scale model clarifies heat transfer mechanism in rock microfracture network under effective stress, with each parameter physically defined and independent of empirical constants.
A Systematic Review on Graph Neural Network-based Methods for Stock Market Forecasting
Authors: Patel Manali , Jariwala Krupa , Chattopadhyay Chiranjoy
Published: September 2024

Financial technology (FinTech) is a field that uses artificial intelligence to automate financial services. One area of FinTech is stock analysis, which aims to predict future stock prices to develop investment strategies that maximize profits. Traditional methods of stock market prediction, such as time series analysis and machine learning, struggle to handle the non-linear, chaotic, and sudden changes in stock data and may not consider the interdependence between stocks. Recently, graph neural networks (GNNs) have been used in stock market forecasting to improve prediction accuracy by incorporating the interconnectedness of the market. GNNs can process non-Euclidean data in the form of a knowledge graph. However, financial knowledge graphs can have dynamic and complex interactions, which can be challenging for graph modeling technologies. This work presents a systematic review of graph-based approaches for stock market forecasting. This review covers different types of stock analysis tasks (classification, regression, and stock recommendation), a generalized framework for solving these tasks, and a review of various features, datasets, graph models, and evaluation metrics used in the stock market. The results of various studies are analyzed, and future directions for research are highlighted.
Multi-Behavior Recommendation with Personalized Directed Acyclic Behavior Graphs
Authors: Zhu Xi , Lin Fake , Zhao Ziwei , Xu Tong , Zhao Xiangyu , Yin Zikai , Li Xueying , Chen Enhong
Published: September 2024

A well-developed recommendation system can not only leverage multi-typed interactions (such as
page view
,
add-to-cart
, and
purchase
) to better identify user preferences but also demonstrate high performance, low complexity, and strong interpretability. However, many existing solutions for multi-behavior recommendation fall short of intuitive modeling of real-world scenarios, leading to overly complex models with massive parameters and cumbersome components. In particular, they share two critical limitations: (1) Some pioneering models are built upon the strict assumption of cascade effects across behaviors, which contradicts multifarious behavior paths in practical applications. (2) Existing approaches fail to explicitly capture the unique idiosyncrasies of users and even neglect the inherent nature of items involved in the multi-behavior interactions. To this end, we propose a novel Directed Acyclic Graph Convolutional Network (DA-GCN) for the multi-behavior recommendation task. Specifically, we pinpoint the partial order relations within the monotonic behavior chain and extend it to personalized directed acyclic behavior graphs to exploit behavior dependencies. Then, a GCN-based directed edge encoder is employed to distill rich collaborative signals embodied by each directed edge. In light of the information flows over the directed acyclic structure, we propose an attentive aggregation module to gather messages from all potential antecedent behaviors, representing distinct perspectives to understand the terminated behavior. Thus, we obtain comprehensive representations for the follow-up behavior through learnable distributions over its preceding behaviors, explicitly reflecting personalized interactive patterns of users and underlying properties of items simultaneously. Finally, we design a customized multi-task learning objective for flexible joint optimization. Extensive experiments on public benchmarking datasets fully demonstrate the superiority of DA-GCN with significant performance improvement and computational efficiency over a wide range of state-of-the-art methods. Our code is available at
https://github.com/xizhu1022/DA-GCN
.
A Systematic Review of Fast, Scalable, and Efficient Hardware Implementations of Elliptic Curve Cryptography for Blockchain
Authors: Ifrim Rares , Loghin Dumitrel , Popescu Decebal
Published: September 2024

Blockchain technology entered the enterprise domain under the name of permissioned blockchains and hybrid or verifiable database systems, as they provide a distributed solution that allows multiple distrusting parties to share common information. One drawback of these systems is the overhead added by the cryptographic functions which impacts the throughput in terms of transactions per second and increases the latency of transaction processing. Many of the cryptographic functions and protocols used in blockchains are based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). Unfortunately, ECC operations such as modulo inverse or scalar point multiplication have considerable latency which causes the slowdown of the entire system. In such situations, reconfigurable computing architectures, such as FPGAs, can be used to offload these tasks to overcome the performance loss. This survey analyzes the current state-of-the-art designs and implementations of ECC from a hardware perspective. We use a PRISMA-based approach to filter recent publications and to reduce their number from over 16,000 to only 43 highly relevant designs. In the end, we show that very few designs are able to fulfill all three properties of high performance, scalability, and efficiency.
Effect of Hydrogen Pressure on The Mass Transfer Characteristics of Hydrogen-Bromine Flow Battery Electrodes
Authors: Ochoa Fajardo D. A. , Mul G. , Lammertink R. G. H.
Published: September 2024

The mass transfer characteristics of porous carbon electrodes in the liquid side of a hydrogen bromine redox flow battery (H2-Br2 RFB) were investigated under compressive deformation caused by operation at elevated hydrogen pressure. Here, flow cell measurements of permeability and micro-particle image velocimetry (μPIV), alongside electrochemical measurements of capacitance and battery discharge were used to characterize changes in the liquid side electrode compression, in-plane liquid flow, accessible surface area, polarization, and mass transfer scaling brought by hydrogen pressure. We studied two electrode types with different structures, carbon paper and carbon cloth, in untreated well as heat-treated forms in the pressure range 0–8 bar H2. It was found that pressure-induced compression of the liquid side electrode increases the accessible area of untreated electrodes, with little effect on heat-treated electrodes, but decreases the electrochemical performance of the battery in all cases by increasing the ohmic resistance of the cell and decreasing the mass transfer coefficient of the porous electrode. Overall, heat treatment is shown to affect the rigidity, saturation behavior, and generalized mass transfer of paper electrodes but not of cloth electrodes. Our findings will guide the selection of electrode materials and operation parameters for the H2-Br2 RFB.
Optimum Coordination of Multi‐Band Power System Stabilizers and STATCOM Using the Modified Particle Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Ahmadi Kamarposhti Mehrdad , Shokouhandeh Hassan , Sedighi Mohsen , Fallah Mohsen , Colak Ilhami , Barhoumi El Manaa
Published: September 2024

In this paper, to improve the small signal stability of the power system, the optimal coordination of multi‐band power system stabilizers (MB‐PSSs) and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) has been done. The study is conducted on a standard four machines and two areas power system. To create coordination, a modified version of the particle swarm algorithm as well as the integral time absolute error (ITAE) criterion are proposed. To evaluate the proposed stability method in different operating conditions and in the form of two scenarios, a three‐phase fault with a duration of 200 ms has been applied in the communication line between the two areas. After the simulation, the values of overshoot, undershoot, settling time, and ITAE criteria for the proposed stability method have been calculated and their values have been compared with the results of power system stabilizer (PSS) and MB‐PSS stabilization methods. The results indicate that the proposed combined method of MB‐PSS and STATCOM performed better than the other two methods in improving the dynamic stability of the power system and has the lowest value of the criteria. The values of ITAE for the PSS, MB‐PSS stabilization methods and the proposed MB‐PSS and STATCOM combined method in the first scenario are equal to 0.002354, 0.0.001496, and 0.001242 p.u. and in the second scenario it is equal to 0.0.007418, 0.004015, and 0.003435 p.u., respectively.
Supplementary Figure 6 from The Proteogenomics of Prostate Cancer Radioresistance
Authors: Haas Roni , Frame Gavin , Khan Shahbaz , Neilsen Beth K. , Hong Boon Hao , Yeo Celestia P.X. , Yamaguchi Takafumi N. , Ong Enya H.W. , Zhao Wenyan , Carlin Benjamin , Yeo Eugenia L.L. , Tan Kah Min , Bugh Yuan Zhe , Zhu Chenghao , Hugh-White Rupert , Livingstone Julie , Poon Dennis J.J. , Chu Pek Lim , Patel Yash , Tao Shu , Ignatchenko Vladimir , Kurganovs Natalie J. , Higgins Geoff S. , Downes Michelle R. , Loblaw Andrew , Vesprini Danny , Kishan Amar U. , Chua Melvin L.K. , Kislinger Thomas , Boutros Paul C. , Liu Stanley K.
Published: September 2024

Validation of the association of POLQ with prostate cancer aggressiveness
Table S2 from Exosomal Thomsen–Friedenreich Glycoantigen: A New Liquid Biopsy Biomarker for Lung and Breast Cancer Diagnoses
Authors: Hsu Chang-Chieh , Su Yafei , Rittenhouse-Olson Kate , Attwood Kristopher M. , Mojica Wilfrido , Reid Mary E. , Dy Grace K. , Wu Yun
Published: September 2024

Supplementary Table S2. Characteristics of Breast Cancer Patients and Controls.
Figure S3 from Exosomal Thomsen–Friedenreich Glycoantigen: A New Liquid Biopsy Biomarker for Lung and Breast Cancer Diagnoses
Authors: Hsu Chang-Chieh , Su Yafei , Rittenhouse-Olson Kate , Attwood Kristopher M. , Mojica Wilfrido , Reid Mary E. , Dy Grace K. , Wu Yun
Published: September 2024

Supplementary Figure S3. Sensing performance of SPR assay in detecting exosomal TF-Ag-α. Exosomes from A549 NSCLC cells (a) and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (b) were spiked in the serum of a normal control at concentrations of 0 to 10^11 exosomes/mL. The expression of exosomal TF-Ag-α was measured using the SPR assay. For A549 cell-derived exosomes, the LOD was 5×10^9 exosomes/mL and the linear range was from 5×10^9 to 10^11 exosomes/mL. For MDA-MB-231 cell-derived exosomes, the LOD was 10^9 exosomes/mL and the linear range was from 10^9 to 10^11 exosomes/mL.
Serum IgG4-Negative Focal Autoimmune Pancreatitis Type 1 That Was Difficult to Diagnose Preoperatively Even with Frequent Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration and Fine-Needle Biopsy: A Surgical Case Report
Authors: Mizukami Shoichiro , Imai Koji , Takahata Hiroki , Takahashi Hiroyuki , Shimada Shingo , Kamikokura Yuki , Kawabata Hidemasa , Tanino Mishie , Mizukami Yusuke , Yokoo Hideki
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Focal autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) without elevated serum IgG4 levels presents a diagnostic challenge compared to pancreatic tumors, often leading to surgical intervention. Case Presentation: We report a case of serum IgG4-negative focal AIP type 1 in a 52-year-old male. Despite repeated endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and fine-needle biopsy (FNB), preoperative diagnosis was elusive. Initially, a 30-mm hypoechoic mass in the pancreatic head was detected by ultrasonography, with dynamic computed tomography revealing well-defined borders and homogeneous delayed enhancement. Serum IgG4 levels were within the normal range (115 mg/dL). Two EUS-FNAs and one EUS-FNB failed to provide a definitive diagnosis, leading to suspicion of a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm and subsequent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Postoperative histopathology confirmed focal AIP type 1 with IgG4-positive plasma cells. After 38 months, there is no recurrence, and serum IgG4 levels remain normal. Conclusion: Diagnosis of focal AIP, particularly when serum IgG4 is negative, warrants consideration despite its difficulty. Imaging findings, such as a well-defined mass with homogeneous delayed enhancement, should prompt evaluation for characteristic features like capsule-like rim, pancreatic duct penetration, and biliary tract wall thickening.