bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reports From the Frontier: Understanding Complex Correlations in Lithium Superionic Conductors
Authors: Jun KyuJung , Cushing Scott
Published: June 2024

This feature is intended to let ECS award-winning students and post-docs write primary author perspectives on their field, their work, and where they believe things are going. This month we highlight the work of KyuJung Jun, the 2023 Battery Division Student Award Winner.
Tech Highlights
Authors: Pile Donald , Liu Zenghe , Schindelholz Mara , McNulty David , Karuppaiah Chock , Liu Chao (Gilbert)
Published: June 2024

A collection of technology highlights pulled from recent papers published in ECS journals.
Communication—Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Dependent Power Characteristics of Lithium Carbon Fluorides Primary Batteries
Authors: Liu Wen , Wan Bingxin , Ma Sen , Ma Shangde , Li Yong , Guo Rui , Pei Haijuan , Xie Jingying
Published: June 2024

The quick and non-destructive capacity and power characteristic measurement techniques for lithium/carbon fluorides (Li/CF
x
) primary batteries are necessary to select the most equal batteries for the assembly process of a battery pack. Here, 117 new Li/CF
x
pouch cells are characterized to yield a broad set of data, focusing on analyzing and evaluating the correlation between power characteristic, electrochemical impedance, and resistance. The research results suggest the feasibility of implementing correlation-based capacity and power characteristic quick tests, which can be utilized in Li/CF
x
batteries with the same active CF
x
materials, chemistry, manufacturer, and size.
The role of polyamine metabolism in cellular function and physiology
Authors: Schibalski Ryan S. , Shulha Anastasia S. , Tsao Betty P. , Palygin Oleg , Ilatovskaya Daria V.
Published: June 2024

Polyamines are molecules with multiple amino groups that are essential for cellular function. The major polyamines are putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and cadaverine. Polyamines are important for posttranscriptional regulation, autophagy, programmed cell death, proliferation, redox homeostasis, and ion channel function. Their levels are tightly controlled. High levels of polyamines are associated with proliferative pathologies such as cancer, whereas low polyamine levels are observed in aging, and elevated polyamine turnover enhances oxidative stress. Polyamine metabolism is implicated in several pathophysiological processes in the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Currently, manipulating polyamine levels is under investigation as a potential preventive treatment for several pathologies, including aging, ischemia/reperfusion injury, pulmonary hypertension, and cancer. Although polyamines have been implicated in many intracellular mechanisms, our understanding of these processes remains incomplete and is a topic of ongoing investigation. Here, we discuss the regulation and cellular functions of polyamines, their role in physiology and pathology, and emphasize the current gaps in knowledge and potential future research directions.
Valine administration in the hypothalamus alters the brain and plasma metabolome in rainbow trout
Authors: Comesaña Sara , Antomagesh Femilarani , Soengas José L. , Blanco Ayelén M. , Vijayan Mathilakath M.
Published: June 2024

Valine causes hyperphagia in fish when it is centrally administered; however, the exact mechanisms are far from clear. We tested how intracerebroventricular injection of valine in rainbow trout affected the brain and plasma metabolome. The metabolite changes in response to valine were more evident in the rest of the brain compared with the hypothalamus. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that central valine administration affects peripheral metabolism in rainbow trout.
Computational modeling of the synergistic role of GCN2 and the HPA axis in regulating the integrated stress response in the central circadian timing system
Authors: Li Yannuo , Lu Lingjun , Levy Jordan L. , Anthony Tracy G. , Androulakis Ioannis P.
Published: June 2024

This study is the first theoretical work to investigate the complex interaction between integrated stress response (ISR) sensing and central circadian rhythm regulation, encompassing the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The findings carry implications for the development of dietary or pharmacological interventions aimed at facilitating recovery from stressful events, such as jetlag. Moreover, they provide promising prospects for potential therapeutic interventions that target circadian rhythm disruption and various stress-related disorders.
STA‐HAR: A Spatiotemporal Attention‐Based Framework for Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Khaliluzzaman Md. , Furquan Md. , Zaman Khan Mohammod Sazid , Hoque Md. Jiabul
Published: June 2024

Human activity recognition (HAR) has gained significant attention in computer vision and human‐computer interaction. This paper investigates the difficulties encountered in human activity recognition (HAR), precisely differentiating between various activities by extracting spatial and temporal features from sequential data. Traditional machine learning approaches necessitate manual feature extraction, hindering their effectiveness. For temporal features, RNNs have been widely used for HAR; however, they need help processing long sequences, leading to information bottlenecks. This work introduces a framework that effectively integrates spatial and temporal features by utilizing a series of layers that incorporate a self‐attention mechanism to overcome these problems. Here, spatial characteristics are derived using 1D convolutions coupled with pooling layers to capture essential spatial information. After that, GRUs are used to make it possible to effectively represent the temporal dynamics that are inherent in sequential data. Furthermore, the utilization of an attention mechanism serves the purpose of dynamically selecting the significant segments within the sequence, thereby improving the model’s comprehension of context and enhancing the efficacy of deep neural networks (DNNs) in the domain of human activity recognition (HAR). Three different optimizers, namely, Adam, SGD, and RMSprop, were employed to train the model. Each optimizer was tested with three distinct learning rates of 0.1, 0.001, and 0.0001. Experiments on the UCI‐HAR dataset have shown that the model works well, with an impressive 97% accuracy rate when using the Adam optimizer with a learning rate of 0.001.
The Relationship between Built Environment Characteristics and Metro Stations Pedestrian Catchment Areas
Authors: Chen Dong , Kun Yang , Chun Guo
Published: June 2024

The study of pedestrian catchment areas for metro stations serves as the foundation for addressing issues such as‐passenger flow forecasting, land use planning around stations, and transportation link facility planning. This study aims to investigate how various factors related to pedestrians, the environment, and the characteristics of metro stations affect the areas where pedestrians are attracted to. The goal is to gain insights into design strategies and policy interventions that can enhance the appeal of metro stations. The present study considers the metro stations in the Chengdu area as the primary research objects. A framework for examining the connection between the built environment and the pedestrian catchment area of a subway station through the use of a hybrid gradient decision tree approach has been used. The study examines the pedestrian catchment areas of these stations and confirms the presence of a nonlinear relationship between pedestrian catchment areas and variables at these stations. There exists a negative correlation, within specific thresholds, between the number of companies, bus stops, and road network density with the catchment area of passengers. Concurrently, there is a positive correlation between the distances to the city center and the catchment area. Furthermore, this framework, which accounts for spatial heterogeneity, showed significant goodness‐of‐fit and predictive capability, aspects that were overlooked in earlier research. As a result, these research findings can serve as a key foundation for advancing the theoretical framework and statistical proof to facilitate land planning and development near metro stations, predicting passenger flow, and designing essential connecting amenities in the vicinity of such facilities.
The Use of Bromeliads as Biomonitors of Air Quality: A Global Review
Authors: Benítez Ángel , Montaño Luis , Abas Azlan , Cabrera Omar , Torracchi-Carrasco Esteban
Published: June 2024

Air pollution is a global problem in urban and rural areas, mainly related to vehicular traffic and industrial activities. Bromeliads have been widely used globally for active and passive air quality monitoring. However, a systematic review to facilitate the access and analysis of this information is yet to be made available. The objective of this work was to systematically review the use of bromeliads in biomonitoring of the air quality from articles published between 1990 and 2023 to analyze the progress and impact of the research related to the type of monitoring, species used, pollutants measured, and sampling protocols. The search was carried out in global (Scopus, ISI Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and MDPI) and regional (SciELO and Redalyc) databases with a total of 60 scientific articles, where the neotropical region with 31 articles and the Nearctic region with 11 articles were the most influential regions. In addition, more than 90% of the research has been published in high‐impact journals (quartile 1). Passive monitoring registered 25 articles compared to active monitoring with 23, with 23 species of the family Bromeliaceae, predominantly the genus Tillandsia. Tillandsia usneoides was the most common species used in active monitoring, while Tillandsia recurvata was used for passive monitoring. The measurement of heavy metals was the preferred technique (93% of the studies) for air quality monitoring, where Zn, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Mn and the nonessential elements K, Ca, and Na were the most measured. Results obtained by different research groups cannot be compared directly because different methodologies have been used, highlighting the importance of standardized techniques for future work. Thus, as a contribution in this direction, we propose a protocol to facilitate or standardize the selection of the proper methodology for developing air quality monitoring using bromeliads.
Dietary Supplementation with Omega‐3 PUFAs Modulates Gut Microbiota and Protects the Intestinal Barrier in Senescence‐Accelerated Mice
Authors: Qiu Jun , Qi Shuo , Ding Chengming , Jiang Haiping , Chen Guodong , Lv Xin
Published: June 2024

Intestinal mucosal barrier aging is a major cause of the occurrence and development of many chronic diseases in older adults and is closely associated with gut microbiota. However, it remains unclear whether exogenous supplementation with omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω‐3 PUFAs) can ameliorate aging‐induced intestinal mucosal barrier damage by regulating the gut microbiota. This study was conducted to explore the roles of ω‐3 PUFAs and gut microbiota in the process of maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier. Senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were used to establish a geriatric animal model and given reasonable doses of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplemented diets for six months to validate the effect of ω‐3 PUFAs. Differences in the composition and function of gut microbiota were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This study revealed that aging SAMP8 mice showed increased intestinal permeability and gut microbiota disorder. Long‐term supplementation with ω‐3 PUFAs reduced intestinal mucosal permeability (P < 0.05), regulated gut microbiota, strengthened the microecological interactions, and enhanced enrichment of metabolic pathways producing short‐chain fatty acids (P < 0.05), ultimately ameliorating intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ω‐3 PUFAs could maintain the aging intestinal mucosal barrier by regulating the relative abundance of eight key characteristic microbial strains to increase the concentration of DHA and EPA in the plasma and colon tissue and reduced intestinal permeability of SAMP8 mice. ω‐3 PUFAs can significantly ameliorate intestinal mucosal barrier function in senescence‐accelerated mice, and this effect is mediated by the gut microbiota. The findings of our study provide a scientific basis for the rational intake of ω‐3 PUFAs in older adults to maintain intestinal mucosal barrier function.
The NF‐κB Inhibitor Curcumin Blocks Sepsis‐Induced Muscle Proteolysis
Authors: Poylin Vitaliy , Fareed Moin U. , O′Neal Patrick , Alamdari Nima , Reilly Natasha , Menconi Michael , Hasselgren Per-Olof
Published: June 2024

We tested the hypothesis that treatment of rats with curcumin prevents sepsis‐induced muscle protein degradation. In addition, we determined the influence of curcumin on different proteolytic pathways that are activated in septic muscle (i.e., ubiquitin‐proteasome‐, calpain‐, and cathepsin L‐dependent proteolysis) and examined the role of NF‐κB and p38/MAP kinase inactivation in curcumin‐induced inhibition of muscle protein breakdown. Rats were made septic by cecal ligation and puncture or were sham‐operated. Groups of rats were treated with three intraperitoneal doses (600 mg/kg) of curcumin or corresponding volumes of solvent. Protein breakdown rates were measured as release of tyrosine from incubated extensor digitorum longus muscles. Treatment with curcumin prevented sepsis‐induced increase in muscle protein breakdown. Surprisingly, the upregulated expression of the ubiquitin ligases atrogin‐1 and MuRF1 was not influenced by curcumin. When muscles from septic rats were treated with curcumin in vitro, proteasome‐, calpain‐, and cathepsin L‐dependent protein breakdown rates were reduced, and nuclear NF‐κB/p65 expression and activity as well as levels of phosphorylated (activated) p38 were decreased. Results suggest that sepsis‐induced muscle proteolysis can be blocked by curcumin and that this effect may, at least in part, be caused by inhibited NF‐κB and p38 activities. The results also suggest that there is not an absolute correlation between changes in muscle protein breakdown rates and changes in atrogin‐1 and MuRF1 expression during treatment of muscle wasting.
A Multimodal Drug–Diet–Immunotherapy Combination Restrains Melanoma Progression and Metastasis
Authors: Oatman Nicole , Gawali Mruniya V. , Congrove Sunny , Cáceres Román , Sukumaran Abitha , Gupta Nishtha , Murugesan Narmadha , Arora Priyanka , Subramanian Srividhya , Choi Kwangmin , Abdel-Malek Zalfa , Reisz Julie A. , Stephenson Daniel , Amaravadi Ravi , Desai Pankaj , D’Alessandro Angelo , Komurov Kakajan , Dasgupta Biplab
Published: June 2024

The genetic landscape of cancer cells can lead to specific metabolic dependencies for tumor growth. Dietary interventions represent an attractive strategy to restrict the availability of key nutrients to tumors. In this study, we identified that growth of a subset of melanoma was severely restricted by a rationally designed combination therapy of a stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) inhibitor with an isocaloric low-oleic acid diet. Despite its importance in oncogenesis, SCD underwent monoallelic codeletion along with PTEN on chromosome 10q in approximately 47.5% of melanoma, and the other SCD allele was methylated, resulting in very low-SCD expression. Although this SCD-deficient subset was refractory to SCD inhibitors, the subset of PTEN wild-type melanoma that retained SCD was sensitive. As dietary oleic acid could potentially blunt the effect of SCD inhibitors, a low oleic acid custom diet was combined with an SCD inhibitor. The combination reduced monounsaturated fatty acids and increased saturated fatty acids, inducing robust apoptosis and growth suppression and inhibiting lung metastasis with minimal toxicity in preclinical mouse models of PTEN wild-type melanoma. When combined with anti-PD1 immunotherapy, the SCD inhibitor improved T-cell functionality and further constrained melanoma growth in mice. Collectively, these results suggest that optimizing SCD inhibitors with diets low in oleic acid may offer a viable and efficacious therapeutic approach for improving melanoma treatment.

Significance: Blockade of endogenous production of fatty acids essential for melanoma combined with restriction of dietary intake blocks tumor growth and enhances response to immunotherapy, providing a rational drug–diet treatment regimen for melanoma.
Single-Stranded DNA Gap Accumulation Is a Functional Biomarker for USP1 Inhibitor Sensitivity
Authors: da Costa Alexandre A. , Somuncu Ozge , Ravindranathan Ramya , Mukkavalli Sirisha , Martignetti David B. , Nguyen Huy , Jiao Yuqing , Lamarre Benjamin P. , Sadatrezaei Golbahar , Moreau Lisa , Liu Joyce , Iyer Divya R. , Lazaro Jean-Bernard , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , Parmar Kalindi , D’Andrea Alan D.
Published: June 2024

Recent studies suggest that PARP and POLQ inhibitors confer synthetic lethality in BRCA1-deficient tumors by accumulation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps at replication forks. Loss of USP1, a deubiquitinating enzyme, is also synthetically lethal with BRCA1 deficiency, and USP1 inhibitors are now undergoing clinical development for these cancers. Herein, we show that USP1 inhibitors also promote the accumulation of ssDNA gaps during replication in BRCA1-deficient cells, and this phenotype correlates with drug sensitivity. USP1 inhibition increased monoubiquitinated proliferating cell nuclear antigen at replication forks, mediated by the ubiquitin ligase RAD18, and knockdown of RAD18 caused USP1 inhibitor resistance and suppression of ssDNA gaps. USP1 inhibition overcame PARP inhibitor resistance in a BRCA1-mutated xenograft model and induced ssDNA gaps. Furthermore, USP1 inhibition was synergistic with PARP and POLQ inhibition in BRCA1-mutant cells, with enhanced ssDNA gap accumulation. Finally, in patient-derived ovarian tumor organoids, sensitivity to USP1 inhibition alone or in combination correlated with the accumulation of ssDNA gaps. Assessment of ssDNA gaps in ovarian tumor organoids represents a rapid approach for predicting response to USP1 inhibition in ongoing clinical trials.

Significance: USP1 inhibitors kill BRCA1-deficient cells and cause ssDNA gap accumulation, supporting the potential of using ssDNA gap detection as a functional biomarker for clinical trials on USP1 inhibitors.
An Evaluation of Novel Oncology Approvals with a PMR/C for Assessing Data in Racial and Ethnic Populations Underrepresented in Premarket Clinical Trials
Authors: Collins Grace , Andrews Hillary S. , McKelvey Brittany , Rice Carrigan , Allen Jeff D. , Stewart Mark D.
Published: June 2024

Clinical trials supporting oncology drug approvals frequently underrepresent diverse racial and ethnic populations. Recent policies have focused on ensuring premarket clinical trials are more inclusive and representative of racial and ethnic diversity in the general U.S. population or intended patient population; however, recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on postmarketing approaches to collecting data in underrepresented populations demonstrates that, in certain circumstances, postmarketing requirements and/or commitments (PMR/Cs) may be issued to conduct more representative studies if there are remaining questions about safety or efficacy. This analysis demonstrates that prior to 2020, no drugs had PMR/Cs to further characterize use in a more representative population, and in the last 3 years, more than half of novel oncology approvals have had such a PMR/C (21/40, 53%). In addition, this analysis helps to identify characteristics, such as single-arm pivotal trial design, U.S. enrollment, and results of safety subgroup analyses based on race and ethnicity, that may contribute to decisions to issue a PMR/C to conduct a study that is more representative of the racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. or intended patient population. These results can inform efforts to improve premarket clinical trials to ensure they are representative and able to characterize use in any patient who may need the drug.
Intermittent MEK Inhibition with GITR Costimulation Rescues T-cell Function for Increased Efficacy with CTLA-4 Blockade in Solid Tumor Models
Authors: Dong Lauren , Choi Hyejin , Budhu Sadna , Schulze Isabell , Verma Svena , Mangarin Levi M. , Estrada Nevarro Valeria , Mehanna Nezar , Khan Jonathan F. , Venkatesh Divya , Thach Daniel , Rosen Neal , Wolchok Jedd D. , Merghoub Taha
Published: June 2024

MEK inhibitors (MEKi) have shown limited success as a treatment for MAPK/ERK pathway–dependent cancers due to various resistance mechanisms tumor cells can employ. CH5126766 (CKI27) is an inhibitor that binds to MEK and prevents release of RAF, reducing the relief of negative feedback commonly observed with other MEKis. We observed that CKI27 increased MHC expression in tumor cells and improved T cell–mediated killing. Yet, CKI27 also decreased T-cell proliferation, activation, and cytolytic activity by inhibiting the MAPK/ERK pathway that is activated downstream of T-cell receptor signaling. Therefore, we aimed to balance the positive and negative immunomodulatory effects of MEKis for optimal combination with immunotherapy. Intermittent administration of CKI27 allowed T cells to partially recover and costimulation via GITR and OX-40 agonist antibodies completely alleviated inhibition of function. In Kras mutant lung and colon tumor mouse models, intermittent CKI27 and anti-GITR significantly decreased tumor growth and prolonged survival when further combined with CTLA-4 immune checkpoint blockade. Moreover, this triple combination increased CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell proliferation, activation, and effector/memory subsets in the tumor-draining lymph nodes and tumors and led to intratumoral regulatory T-cell destabilization. These data, collectively, will allow for more informed decisions when optimizing combination regimens by overcoming resistance, reducing toxicity, and generating long-term immune responses.
Supplementary Figure 2 from Role of Gut Microbiome in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Urothelial Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Prospective Cohort Evaluation
Authors: Bukavina Laura , Ginwala Rashida , Eltoukhi Mohamed , Sindhani Mohit , Prunty Megan , Geynisman Daniel M. , Ghatalia Pooja , Valentine Henkel , Calaway Adam , Correa Andres F. , Brown Jason R. , Mishra Kirtishri , Plimack Elizabeth R. , Kutikov Alexander , Ghannoum Mahmoud , Elshaer Mohammed , Retuerto Mauricio , Ponsky Lee , Uzzo Robert G. , Abbosh Philip H.
Published: June 2024

Supplementary Figure 2: Patient Recruitment Flow Chart Flowchart illustrating the step-by-step recruitment process of bladder cancer patients, detailing inclusion and exclusion criteria and subsequent enrollment stages
Generation, Transcriptomic States, and Clinical Relevance of CX3CR1+ CD8 T Cells in Melanoma
Authors: Ishigaki Hirohito , Yamauchi Takayoshi , Long Mark D. , Hoki Toshifumi , Yamamoto Yuta , Oba Takaaki , Ito Fumito
Published: June 2024

Recent progress in single-cell profiling technologies has revealed significant phenotypic and transcriptional heterogeneity in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. However, the transition between the different states of intratumoral antigen-specific CD8+ T cells remains elusive. Here, we sought to examine the generation, transcriptomic states, and the clinical relevance of melanoma-infiltrating CD8+ T cells expressing a chemokine receptor and T-cell differentiation marker, CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1). Analysis of single-cell datasets revealed distinct human melanoma-infiltrating CD8+ T-cell clusters expressing genes associated with effector T-cell function but with distinguishing expression of CX3CR1 or PDCD1. No obvious impact of CX3CR1 expression in melanoma on the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy was observed while increased pretreatment and on-treatment frequency of a CD8+ T-cell cluster expressing high levels of exhaustion markers was associated with poor response to the treatment. Adoptively transferred antigen-specific CX3CR1− CD8+ T cells differentiated into the CX3CR1+ subset in mice treated with FTY720, which inhibits lymphocyte egress from secondary lymphoid tissues, suggesting the intratumoral generation of CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells rather than their trafficking from secondary lymphoid organs. Furthermore, analysis of adoptively transferred antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, in which the Cx3cr1 gene was replaced with a marker gene confirmed that CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells could directly differentiate from the intratumoral CX3CR1− subset. These findings highlight that tumor antigen–specific CX3CR1− CD8+ T cells can fully differentiate outside the secondary lymphoid organs and generate CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment, which are distinct from CD8+ T cells that express markers of exhaustion.

Significance:

Intratumoral T cells are composed of heterogeneous subpopulations with various phenotypic and transcriptional states. This study illustrates the intratumoral generation of antigen-specific CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells that exhibit distinct transcriptomic signatures and clinical relevance from CD8+ T cells expressing markers of exhaustion.
Sudden Hearing Loss before, during, and after the Pandemic: Investigating COVID-19 Illness and Vaccine-Related Symptoms
Authors: Thompson Elaine C. , Altartoor Khaled , Vivas Esther X.
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Accumulating reports suggest an increase in sudden sensorineural hearing loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination periods. However, clear evidence is lacking. The goal of this study was to determine if sudden sensorineural hearing loss is associated with COVID-19 illness or its vaccine. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 50 randomly selected patients from three, 6-month time periods: “pre-pandemic,” “early pandemic,” and “late pandemic.” Group comparisons were performed for demographics, comorbid conditions, audiologic history, audiometric data, speech reception thresholds, and word recognition. Results: One hundred 50 patients were included in this study. A mean difference was observed in that the relative percentage of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) cases increased over time, corresponding to a relative decrease in conductive hearing loss cases. However, this change was not explained by proportional changes in sudden SNHL. Patients in the early pandemic time period were more likely to report tinnitus. Otherwise, the patient groups did not differ on demographic variables, hearing health history, hearing loss presentation, pure tone averages, speech reception thresholds, or word recognition performance. Conclusions: Proportion of patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss did not change over time from the pre-pandemic period to the early or late pandemic phases. Despite a randomized sample, these findings do not support the hypothesis that COVID-19 illness or vaccine is associated with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Impact of Income-to-Poverty Ratio on Long-Term Mortality of Persons with Chronic Liver Disease in the USA, 1999–2018
Authors: Nguyen Brian Thanh , Nguyen Vy Hoang , Le Michael , Henry Linda , Cheung Ramsey , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Chronic liver disease (CLD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Understanding health disparities can inform appropriate interventions. We aimed to study mortality outcomes of those with CLD by the income level (income-to-poverty ratio <5 as lower income and ≥5 as higher income). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data of adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2018. CLD included viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Results: We analyzed 59,204 adults: 47,224 without CLD and 11,980 with CLD. The CLD group was older, more likely male, racial/ethnic minority groups or foreign-born, and had lower educational and income levels (p < 0.001). Most (80.02%) CLD participants did not have college degrees and had lower income (79.18%). Among CLD participants, similar differences were observed between lower and higher income groups. Lower income participants with CLD had significantly higher 10-year cumulative mortality compared to higher income CLD participants (15.26 vs. 8.00%, p < 0.001), with consistent findings in viral hepatitis and NAFLD subgroups (p < 0.001) but not ALD (p = 0.71). Adjusting for age, sex, race, birthplace, lower income CLD participants were 2.01 (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.79–2.26) times more likely to die overall and in viral hepatitis (HR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.31–3.24) and NAFLD subgroups (HR: 2.32; 95% CI: 1.69–3.18) but not ALD (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.55–2.51). Conclusion: Lower income, foreign-born, and racial/ethnic minority groups were disproportionately represented among those with CLD, with lower income and CLD individuals having double the mortality risk compared to their higher income counterparts. Interventions should be culturally appropriate and address socioeconomic barriers.
Segregación y prejuicio educativo, los nuevos inmigrantes en las escuelas de Chile
Authors: Castillo Dante , Régnier Jean Claude , Vega Muñoz Alejandro
Published: June 2024

Desde la década de 1990, ha habido un aumento en el flujo de inmigración intrarregional en Latinoamérica, siendo el contexto educativo parte de esta realidad. Dada la relevancia e impacto en el desarrollo académico y la integración que los prejuicios y actitudes negativos pueden generar en un estudiante inmigrante, este artículo se presenta como una alternativa para responder la pregunta sobre las condiciones de inclusión / exclusión de niños inmigrantes en el sistema educativo chileno. Se aborda el marco de representaciones sociales y escolares, asociadas con la inmigración y la permanencia en el sistema escolar formal, a fin de determinar las características que deben tener las escuelas, o un modelo educativo ajustado a las necesidades de esta población. Logrando comprender los procesos migratorios estudiantiles, tanto en términos de adaptación como de inclusión, desde una mirada más cercana al mundo escolar. Analizando las experiencias sociales de los estudiantes inmigrantes y su entorno familiar e identificando múltiples factores que explican la inclusión o la segregación escolar. Para finalmente, dar cuenta de condiciones y consecuencias de la permanencia de los migrantes en un estado de precariedad, afectan la construcción de un sentido de pertenencia y autorreconocimiento en la sociedad.
Pensamiento crítico y sociedad: apuntes desde la práctica educativa
Authors: Segura Gutiérrez José Miguel , Torres Heraldi F. , Torres Ladino Sonia
Published: June 2024

El presente texto, intenta servir como mecanismo de catarsis ante la incertidumbre que trae el tiempo actual para los ámbitos personal y laboral de los sujetos. De ahí, que la reflexión se apoye en una revisión bibliográfica interdisciplinar sobre el pensamiento crítico; como elemento constitutivo de la educación, con miras a dar cuenta, del consenso invisible, tácito y productivo, en que se mueve la vida en estos tiempos. Un escenario, en donde el materialismo y la hiperautonomía han favorecido la fragilización del sujeto, como producto de la exaltación del individualismo y la acumulación material, que hace la sociedad de consumo, incluso impactando en su proceso de aprendizaje y formación ciudadana y profesional. Y cuyo efecto más devastador está en la activación de un modelo de gestión de base instrumental en el sujeto -de medios, no de fines-, que termina por evidenciar lo efímero y controlado en que se haya nuestra existencia.
Resolving Hermotimus’ Paradox: Reading Lucian’s Hermotimus in Light of Plato’s Republic
Authors: Sharpe Matthew
Published: June 2024

Lucian’s Hermotimus, despite its first appearances of being a merely skeptical, even sophistical discrediting of philosophy, is better read as a powerful protreptic defense of the endeavor, whose key ancient intertext is Plato's Republic. To make this case, the paper involves three parts.  In part i, we examine the metaphilosophical framing of the Hermotimus’s exchange between the eponymous hero, aged about 60 (§48) and Lucian’s favored interlocutor, Lycinus.  We show that Lucian accepts that philosophy is intended to be an elevated way of life cultivating wisdom and virtue, at the same time as he is concerned at how readily this pursuit can devolve into a hybristic, sectarian endeavor, in which pupils identify uncritically with instructors who do not match their words with their deeds.  In part ii., we address the central elenchus and the action of the Hermotimus, the patient work by Lycinus to undermine Hermotimus’ dogmatic self-conceit, by refuting the different solutions he offers to the paradox involved in his having chosen a particular philosophical orientation, Stoicism, as a novice without philosophical training.  Part iii. excavates the positive vision of philosophy that the action of the dialogue shows, highlighting the five key places in Hermotimus wherein Lycinus offers us entirely unironic visions of what philosophy at it best could be, in contrast to what it has become in Hermotimus or his teachers: or, as Lycinus heralds it, a kind of Ariadne’s thread out of the maze of Hermotimus’ paradox (§68).
Conservá-las em museus quando de interesse scientifico: a coleção de remanescentes humanos na trajetória do Museu Técnico Científico do Instituto Oscar Freire (MTCIOF)
Authors: Closs Jose Guilherme Veras
Published: June 2024

This article draws on historical literature on forensic medicine, the musealization of human remains, and institutional documentation to elucidate the role of the Scientific Technical Museum of the Oscar Freire Institute as a pedagogical resource in shaping the medical-legal specialty in São Paulo during the 20th century. By tracing the institutional trajectory of the museum alongside the history of Forensic Medicine at the institute, it prompts reflection on the ethical implications of housing human remains in museum collections. To effectively preserve, recover, research and display this collection, a comprehensive understanding of its material culture is crucial. The article underscores the ethical imperative of crafting a museum narrative capable of sensitively addressing themes while ensuring the dignity of the people represented by these remnants. Historical context and conservation efforts are therefore essential components of this endeavor. Ultimately, by developing historically informed biographies of musealized human remains, we can strive to safeguard both their material integrity and their dignity.
A produção científica do Instituto Oscar Freire e a formalização técnica da Medicina Legal em São Paulo: teses, textos, agentes (1923-1938)
Authors: Machado João Denardi
Published: June 2024

Este artigo opera a leitura histórica de textos científicos das décadas de 1920 e 1930 para entender o processo de formalização técnica da Medicina Legal em São Paulo a partir da produção acadêmica do Instituto Oscar Freire (IOF) da Faculdade de Medicina e Cirurgia de São Paulo (FMC-SP). Evocam-se quatro teses de doutoramento produzidas no IOF, de modo a abranger diferentes setores da Medicina Legal e compreender parâmetros formais, conceituais e bibliográficos que atravessaram a produção científica da cátedra entre 1923 e 1938. A análise demonstra como a genealogia de textos científicos do IOF fundamentou uma seara de ferramentas, objetivos e conceitos particulares ao campo de atuação do médico-legista, consolidado ao fim da década de 1930. Os padrões de investigação e exposição chancelados academicamente no IOF catalisaram o fim da volatilidade da Medicina Legal como ciência em construção e fixaram seu status de ciência pronta em São Paulo, segundo um modelo eclético e pragmático no interior do campo médico.
Unraveling the Mechanisms of Valvular Heart Disease to Identify Medical Therapy Targets: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Small Aeron M. , Yutzey Katherine E. , Binstadt Bryce A. , Voigts Key Kaitlin , Bouatia-Naji Nabila , Milan David , Aikawa Elena , Otto Catherine M. , St. Hilaire Cynthia ,   on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine; Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; and Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing
Published: June 2024

Valvular heart disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and has no effective medical therapy. Severe disease is managed with valve replacement procedures, which entail high health care–related costs and postprocedural morbidity and mortality. Robust ongoing research programs have elucidated many important molecular pathways contributing to primary valvular heart disease. However, there remain several key challenges inherent in translating research on valvular heart disease to viable molecular targets that can progress through the clinical trials pathway and effectively prevent or modify the course of these common conditions. In this scientific statement, we review the basic cellular structures of the human heart valves and discuss how these structures change in primary valvular heart disease. We focus on the most common primary valvular heart diseases, including calcific aortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valves, mitral valve prolapse, and rheumatic heart disease, and outline the fundamental molecular discoveries contributing to each. We further outline potential therapeutic molecular targets for primary valvular heart disease and discuss key knowledge gaps that might serve as future research priorities.
Relationship Between Sarcopenia and Intensive Blood Pressure Control Efficacy and Safety: A Secondary Analysis of SPRINT
Authors: Mirzai Saeid , Persits Ian , Kazibwe Richard , Gabani Mohanad , Seals Austin , Singleton Matthew J. , Rikhi Rishi , Chevli Parag A. , Carbone Salvatore , Tang W.H. Wilson , Yeboah Joseph , Williamson Jeff D. , Kitzman Dalane W. , Herrington David M. , Shapiro Michael D.
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND:

Sarcopenia and hypertension are independently associated with worse cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and survival. While individuals with sarcopenia may benefit from intensive blood pressure (BP) control, the increased vulnerability of this population raises concerns for potential harm. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and safety outcomes with intensive (target <120 mm Hg) versus standard (<140 mm Hg) systolic BP targets in older hypertensive adults with sarcopenia compared with nonsarcopenic counterparts in the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial).

METHODS:

Sarcopenia was defined using surrogates of the lowest sex-stratified median of the sarcopenia index (serum creatinine/cystatin C×100) for muscle wasting and gait speed ≤0.8 m/s for muscle weakness. Outcomes included CVD events, all-cause mortality, and serious adverse events.

RESULTS:

Of 2571 SPRINT participants with sarcopenia index and gait speed data available (aged ≥75 years), 502 (19.5%) met the criteria for sarcopenia, which was associated with higher risks of CVD events (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.15–1.94];
P
=0.003) and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.09–1.94];
P
=0.010). In participants with sarcopenia, intensive (versus standard) BP control nearly halved the risk of CVD events (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.36–0.88];
P
=0.012) without increasing serious adverse events. Similar risk reduction was seen for all-cause mortality in participants with sarcopenia (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.41–1.08];
P
=0.102), but the effect was only significant in those without chronic kidney disease.

CONCLUSIONS:

Older hypertensive adults with sarcopenia randomized to intensive BP control experienced a lower risk of CVD without increased adverse events compared with standard BP control.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01206062.
A Comparison of Denoising Approaches for Spoken Word Production Related Artefacts in Continuous Multiband fMRI Data
Authors: Volfart Angelique , McMahon Katie L. , de Zubicaray Greig I.
Published: June 2024

It is well-established from fMRI experiments employing gradient echo echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences that overt speech production introduces signal artefacts compromising accurate detection of task-related responses. Both design and post-processing (denoising) techniques have been proposed and implemented over the years to mitigate the various noise sources. Recently, fMRI studies of speech production have begun to adopt multiband EPI sequences that offer better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and temporal resolution allowing adequate sampling of physiological noise sources (e.g., respiration, cardiovascular effects) and reduced scanner acoustic noise. However, these new sequences may also introduce additional noise sources. In this study, we demonstrate the impact of applying several noise-estimation and removal approaches to continuous multiband fMRI data acquired during a naming-to-definition task, including rigid body motion regression and outlier censoring, principal component analysis for removal of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/edge-related noise components, and global fMRI signal regression (using two different approaches) compared to a baseline of realignment and unwarping alone. Our results show the strongest and most spatially extensive sources of physiological noise are the global signal fluctuations arising from respiration and muscle action and CSF/edge-related noise components, with residual rigid body motion contributing relatively little variance. Interestingly, denoising approaches tended to reduce and enhance task-related BOLD signal increases and decreases, respectively. Global signal regression using a voxel-wise linear model of the global signal estimated from unmasked data resulted in dramatic improvements in temporal SNR. Overall, these findings show the benefits of combining continuous multiband EPI sequences and denoising approaches to investigate the neurobiology of speech production.
Mid-Infrared Dispersion Spectroscopy as a Tool for Monitoring Time-Resolved Chemical Reactions on the Examples of Enzyme Kinetics and Mutarotation of Sugars
Authors: Dabrowska Alicja , Schwaighofer Andreas , Lendl Bernhard
Published: June 2024

Ongoing technological advancements in the field of mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy continuously yield novel sensing modalities, offering capabilities beyond traditional techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). One such advancement is MIR dispersion spectroscopy, utilizing a tunable quantum cascade laser and Mach–Zehnder interferometer for liquid-phase analysis. Our study assesses the performance of a custom MIR dispersion spectrometer at its current development stage, benchmarks its performance against FT-IR, and validates its potential for time-resolved chemical reaction monitoring. Unlike conventional methods of IR spectroscopy measuring molecular absorptions using intensity attenuation, our method detects refractive index changes (phase shifts) down to a level of 6.1 × 10–7 refractive index units (RIU). This results in 1.5 times better sensitivity with a sevenfold increase in analytical path length, yielding heightened robustness for the analysis of liquids compared to FT-IR. As a case study, we monitor the catalytic activity of invertase with sucrose, observing the formation of resultant monosaccharides and their progression toward thermodynamic equilibrium. Anomalous refractive index spectra of reaction mixtures, with substrate concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 25 g/L, are recorded, and analyzed at various temperatures, yielding Michaelis–Menten kinetics findings comparable to the literature. Additionally, the first-time application of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy on the recorded dynamic dispersion spectra correctly identifies the mutarotation of reaction products (glucose and fructose). The results demonstrate high precision and sensitivity in investigating complex time-dependent chemical reactions via broadband refractive index changes.
Characterization of Near Infrared-Dye Colored Fabrics Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Kaur Rajbir , Chaudhry Muhammad Mudassir Arif , Findlay Catherine , Nadimi Mohammad , Rahman Mashiur , Paliwal Jitendra
Published: June 2024

Near-infrared (NIR) dyes have a unique ability to interact favorably with light in the NIR region, which is particularly interesting where stealth and camouflage are paramount, such as in military uniforms. Characterization of cotton fabric dyed with NIR-absorbing dyes using visible–NIR (Vis-NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging was done. The aim of the study was to discern spectral changes caused by variations in dye concentration and dyeing temperature as these parameters directly influence color- and crocking-fastness of fabrics impacting the camouflage effect. The fabric was dyed at three concentrations (2.5, 5, and 10%) and two dyeing temperatures (55 °C and 85 °C) and principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were performed on the spectra to discriminate the fabrics based on dye concentrations. The PCA models successfully segregated the fabrics based on the dye concentration and dyeing temperature, while PLS-DA models demonstrated classification accuracies between 75 and 100% in the Vis-NIR range. Spectra in the SWIR region could not be used to detect the differences in the concentrations of the NIR dyes. This finding is promising, as it aligns with the objective of creating NIR-dyed camouflage fabrics that remain indistinguishable under varying dye concentrations. These results open possibilities for further exploration in enhancing the stealth capabilities of textiles in military applications.
Rheo-Optical Near-Infrared (NIR) Characterization of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Using Two-Trace Two-Dimensional (2T2D) Correlation Analysis
Authors: Kageyuki Ikuo , Furukawa Tsuyoshi , Kishimoto Hiroyuki , Shinzawa Hideyuki
Published: June 2024

A rheo-optical characterization technique based on the combination of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and tensile testing was applied for the first time to an actual rubber sample based on styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) including silica filler. When SBR samples were subjected to mechanical deformation, changes in the NIR spectral features were readily captured. Two-trace two-dimensional (2T2D) correlation analysis was then applied to the sets of NIR spectra to clearly reveal the subtle but pertinent difference between the NIR spectral features of the initial and deformed SBR. The initial deformation of the sample induces greater deformation of the soft butadiene groups than of the hard styrene groups. The inclusion of the silica filler and a coupling agent (CA) essentially develops firm links between the silica and butadiene using the CA to restrict the displacement of the butadiene during the tensile deformation of the system. The development of such linkage requires even more mechanical force to deform the SBR, which, in turn, improves Young's modulus of the rubber system. Asynchronous correlation spectra of SBR with no silica filler revealed that, during the deformation of the SBR, the butadiene groups were initially deformed, and this feature was then replaced by the predominant deformation of the hard styrene groups. On the other hand, this correlation feature became somewhat unclear when a similar analysis was applied to the SBR sample with silica filler, revealing subtle differences in interaction between individual comonomer functional groups distributed randomly along the copolymer chain and CA.