bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fucoidan-coated coils improve healing in a rabbit elastase aneurysm model
Authors: Szatmáry Zoltán , Bardet Sylvia M , Mounier Jérémy , Janot Kevin , Cortese Jonathan , Perrin Marie Laure , Couquet Cladue , Deniau Guy , Hauquier Fanny , Migneret Rodolphe , Guenin Erwann , Maire Murielle , Michel Jean-Baptist , Forestier Géraud , Le Flahec Aurélien , Leger-Bretou Claire , Mounayer Charbel , Chaubet Frederic , Rouchaud Aymeric
Published: July 2023

Background

Recanalization of coiled aneurysms remains unresolved. To limit aneurysm recanalization after embolization with coils, we propose an innovative approach to optimize aneurysm healing using fucoidan-coated coils.

Objective

To evaluate the short-term efficacy and long-term safety of the new coil system with conventional angiography, histology, and multiphoton microscopy for follow-up of fibrosis and neointima formation.

Methods

We conducted a feasibility study on rabbit elastase-induced aneurysms. Embolization was carried out with bare platinum coils, fucoidan-coated coils, or dextran-coated coils. Aneurysms were controlled after 1 month by digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Aneurysm samples were collected and processed for histological analysis. Aneurysm healing and fibrosis were measured by quantifying collagen according to the histological healing score by combining standard light microscopy and multiphoton imaging. We divided 27 rabbits into three groups: bare platinum group, fucoidan group, and dextran group as controls.

Results

Angiographic grading showed a trend toward less recanalization in the fucoidan group, although there were no significant differences among the three groups (P=0.21). Histological healing was significantly different according to the presence of more collagen in the neck area of aneurysms in the fucoidan group versus the bare platinum group (P=0.011), but not in the dextran group. Histological index was significantly better at the aneurysm neck in the fucoidan group than in the bare platinum group (P=0.004). Collagen organization index was also significantly better in the fucoidan group than in the bare platinum group (P=0.007).

Conclusion

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of treatment with fucoidan-coated coils to improve aneurysm healing. The results in this rabbit in vivo model showed that fucoidan-coated coils have the potential to improve healing following endovascular treatment.
Osteoarthritis in the UK Armed Forces: a review of its impact, treatment and future research
Authors: O'Sullivan Oliver , Behan F P , Coppack R J , Stocks J , Kluzek S , Valdes A M , Bennett A N
Published: July 2023

Within the UK Armed Forces, musculoskeletal injuries account for over half of all medical downgrades and discharges. Data from other Armed Forces show that osteoarthritis (OA), more common in military personnel, is likely to contribute to this, both in its primary form and following injury (post-traumatic OA, PTOA), which typically presents in the third or fourth decade. OA is not a progressive ‘wear and tear’ disease, as previously thought, but a heterogenous condition with multiple aetiologies and modulators, including joint damage, abnormal morphology, altered biomechanics, genetics, low-grade inflammation and dysregulated metabolism. Currently, clinical diagnosis, based on symptomatic or radiological criteria, is followed by supportive measures, including education, exercise, analgesia, potentially surgical intervention, with a particular focus on exercise rehabilitation within the UK military. Developments in OA have led to a new paradigm of organ failure, with an emphasis on early diagnosis and risk stratification, prevention strategies (primary, secondary and tertiary) and improved aetiological classification using genotypes and phenotypes to guide management, with the introduction of biological markers (biomarkers) potentially having a role in all these areas. In the UK Armed Forces, there are multiple research studies focused on OA risk factors, epidemiology, biomarkers and effectiveness of different interventions. This review aims to highlight OA, especially PTOA, as an important diagnosis to consider in serving personnel, outline current and future management options, and detail current research trends within the Defence Medical Services.
Durable multimodal and holistic response for physiologic closed-loop spinal cord stimulation supported by objective evidence from the EVOKE double-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kapural Leonardo , Mekhail Nagy A , Costandi Shrif , Gilmore Christopher , Pope Jason E , Li Sean , Hunter Corey W , Poree Lawrence , Staats Peter S , Taylor Rod S , Eldabe Sam , Kallewaard Jan Willem , Thomson Simon , Petersen Erika A , Sayed Dawood , Deer Timothy R , Antony Ajay , Budwany Ryan , Leitner Angela , Soliday Nicole , Duarte Rui V , Levy Robert M
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Chronic pain patients may experience impairments in multiple health-related domains. The design and interpretation of clinical trials of chronic pain interventions, however, remains primarily focused on treatment effects on pain intensity. This study investigates a novel, multidimensional holistic treatment response to evoked compound action potential-controlled closed-loop versus open-loop spinal cord stimulation as well as the degree of neural activation that produced that treatment response.

Methods

Outcome data for pain intensity, physical function, health-related quality of life, sleep quality and emotional function were derived from individual patient level data from the EVOKE multicenter, participant, investigator, and outcome assessor-blinded, parallel-arm randomized controlled trial with 24 month follow-up. Evaluation of holistic treatment response considered whether the baseline score was worse than normative values and whether minimal clinical important differences were reached in each of the domains that were impaired at baseline. A cumulative responder score was calculated to reflect the total minimal clinical important differences accumulated across all domains. Objective neurophysiological data, including spinal cord activation were measured.

Results

Patients were randomized to closed-loop (n=67) or open-loop (n=67). A greater proportion of patients with closed-loop spinal cord stimulation (49.3% vs 26.9%) were holistic responders at 24-month follow-up, with at least one minimal clinical important difference in all impaired domains (absolute risk difference: 22.4%, 95% CI 6.4% to 38.4%, p=0.012). The cumulative responder score was significantly greater for closed-loop patients at all time points and resulted in the achievement of more than three additional minimal clinical important differences at 24-month follow-up (mean difference 3.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.5, p=0.002). Neural activation was three times more accurate in closed-loop spinal cord stimulation (p<0.001 at all time points).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that closed-loop spinal cord stimulation can provide sustained clinically meaningful improvements in multiple domains and provide holistic improvement in the long-term for patients with chronic refractory pain.

Trial registration number

NCT02924129.
Unmet care needs of patients with advanced cancer and their relatives: multicentre observational study
Authors: Driessen Helen P A , Busschbach Jan J V , van der Rijt Carin C D , Elfrink Erna J , Raijmakers Natasja J H , van Roij Janneke , Rietjens Judith , Kranenburg Leonieke W
Published: July 2023

Objectives

The care needs of patients with advanced cancer and their relatives change throughout the disease trajectory. This study focused on the care-related problems and needs of patients with advanced cancer and their relatives. This was done from the perspective of centres for information and support.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used data from the eQuiPe study: an observational cohort study in which 40 Dutch hospitals participated. All adult patients with a diagnosis of a metastasised tumour and their relatives were eligible. Measures included information on the patients’ and relatives’ care problems and needs, assessed by the short version of the Problems and Needs in Palliative Care questionnaire. Socioeconomic demographics were also collected.

Results

1103 patients with advanced cancer and 831 relatives were included. Both patients (M=60.3, SD=29.0) and relatives (M=59.2, SD=26.6) experienced most problems in the domain of ‘psychological issues’. Both patients (M=14.0, SD=24.2) and relatives (M=17.7, SD=25.7) most frequently reported unmet needs within this domain. The most often reported unmet need by patients was ‘worrying about the future of my loved ones’ (22.0%); for relatives this was ‘fear for physical suffering of the patient’ (32.8%). There was no clear relationship between socioeconomic demographics and the experienced unmet needs.

Conclusions

The most often mentioned unmet needs consisted of fears and worries, followed by a broad range of topics within multiple domains. Centres for information and support may play a role in reducing the unmet needs of (potential) visitors as these centres provide support on a broad range of topics.
Growth of matter perturbations in some parametrization of dark energy models
Authors: Pooya N. Nazari
Published: July 2023

In this work, we investigate the growth of matter perturbations in some known parameterizations of dark energy (DE) models i.e, CPL, JBP, BA, and a new parameterization of DE introduced in this study. We examine the growth of perturbations in the linear region by assuming the possibility of perturbations in DE. Then, we follow an overall likelihood analysis to put the same constraints on models using background and growth rate data, and we conclude that the reviewed DE parameterizations are compatible with the observational data at both background and perturbation levels. Furthermore, we find that DE parameterizations are comparable with each other, and with the $$ \Lambda $$
Λ
CDM model. In particular, we obtain the following significant results: (i) the growth rate of matter perturbations in the homogeneous DE case is smaller than its value in the clustered case for CPL and BA models, while it is the opposite for JBP and the new model. (ii) The growth rate of matter perturbations related to the CPL and BA models have very similar behavior for both homogeneous and clustered DE cases at all redshift z. This is also true for JBP and the new model. (iii) We show that the growth rate of matter perturbations relevant to the models is lower than its value in the $$\Lambda $$
Λ
CDM model at low redshifts, and at high redshifts, the difference between them is insignificant. Finally, using AIC and BIC analysis, we conclude that the selection of a model that has better compatible with the observational data depends on the background and perturbation data.
Searches for new physics with boosted top quarks in the MadAnalysis 5 and Rivet frameworks
Authors: Araz Jack Y. , Buckley Andy , Fuks Benjamin
Published: July 2023

High-momentum top quarks are a natural physical system in collider experiments for testing models of new physics, and jet substructure methods are key both to exploiting their largest decay mode and to assuaging resolution difficulties as the boosted system becomes increasingly collimated in the detector. To be used in new-physics interpretation studies, it is crucial that related methods get implemented in analysis frameworks allowing for the reinterpretation of the results of the LHC such as MadAnalysis 5 and Rivet. We describe the implementation of the HEPTopTagger algorithm in these two frameworks, and we exemplify the usage of the resulting functionalities to explore the sensitivity of boosted top reconstruction performance to new physics contributions from the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. The results of this study lead to important conclusions about the implicit assumption of Standard-Model-like top quark decays in associated collider analyses, and for the prospects to constrain the Standard Model Effective Field Theory via kinematic observables built from boosted semi-leptonic $$t\bar{t}$$

t

t

¯

events selected using HEPTopTagger.
Physical interference of magnetic dipole for retardation type nanofluid with bioconvection phenomenon
Authors: Aljaloud Amjad Salamah M
Published: July 2023

The bioconvection aspect for the rate type nanomaterial under dynamic of induced magnetic force has been numerically worked out. The Oldroyd-B nonlinear model is incorporated to inspect the interesting rheological dynamic of rate type classifications. Following nonlinear models, the relaxation and retardation features are observed. The numerical proposed data is fundamentally achieved via the shooting method. After developing the dimensionless problem expressions, the shooting numerical algorithm is followed for the computations. The physical onset of parameters is graphically listed with interesting applications. It is observed that a more strong induced magnetic field profile has been observed due to the presence of bio-convective Lewis number and Rayleigh number. An enriched profile of thermal phenomenon due to Grashof number is observed. The composed reflected outcomes present importance in thermal management systems, extrusion systems, plasma physics, chemical processes, nuclear systems, extrusion mechanism, biofuels, etc.
Response of two-band systems to single-mode quantized field with momentum
Authors: Han Xue , Qiu De-Xiu , Xue K. , Yi X. X.
Published: July 2023

As a new quantum state, topological insulators have become the focus of condensed matter and material science. The open system research of topological insulators has aroused the interest of many researchers. In this paper, we study the response of topological insulators to a single-mode quantized field with momentum. We solve the ground state of the system after the addition of a single-mode light field with adjustable photon momentum. To be specific, the analytical solution of Hall conductance has an additional correction compared with the closed system, and the Hall conductance can no longer be expressed by the weighted sum of the Chern numbers. Furthermore, the topological properties are analyzed and discussed through the results of an instance with their illustration. The system still has a topological phase transition and the critical point of the topological phase is robust to the single-mode quantized field.
For a More Transparent Governance of Open Source
Authors: Izquierdo Javier Luis Cánovas , Cabot Jordi
Published: July 2023

Seeking the best governance models for FOSS projects.
A Manifold View of Connectivity in the Private Backbone Networks of Hyperscalers
Authors: Salamatian Loqman , Anderson Scott , Mathews Joshua , Barford Paul , Willinger Walter , Crovella Mark
Published: July 2023

As hyperscalers such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon play an increasingly important role in today's Internet, they are also capable of manipulating probe packets that traverse their privately owned and operated backbones. As a result, standard traceroute-based measurement techniques are no longer a reliable means for assessing network connectivity in these global-scale cloud provider infrastructures. In response to these developments, we present a new empirical approach for elucidating connectivity in these private backbone networks. Our approach relies on using only "lightweight" (i.e., simple, easily interpretable, and readily available) measurements, but requires applying "heavyweight" mathematical techniques for analyzing these measurements. In particular, we describe a new method that uses network latency measurements and relies on concepts from Riemannian geometry (i.e., Ricci curvature) to assess the characteristics of the connectivity fabric of a given network infrastructure. We complement this method with a visualization tool that generates a novel manifold view of a network's delay space. We demonstrate our approach by utilizing latency measurements from available vantage points and virtual machines running in datacenters of three large cloud providers to study different aspects of connectivity in their private backbones and show how our generated manifold views enable us to expose and visualize critical aspects of this connectivity.
DeepCPR: Deep Path Reasoning Using Sequence of User-Preferred Attributes for Conversational Recommendation
Authors: Liu Huiting , Zhang Yu , Li Peipei , Qian Cheng , Zhao Peng , Wu Xindong
Published: July 2023

Conversational recommender systems (CRS) have garnered significant attention in academia and industry because of their ability to capture user preferences via system questions and user responses. Typically, in a CRS, reinforcement learning (RL) is utilized to determine the optimal timing for requesting attribute information or suggesting items. However, existing methods consider user-preferred attributes independently and ignore that attributes may be of different importance to the same user, in the attribute and item selection phases, which limits the accuracy and interpretability of CRS. Inspired by this, we propose deep conversational path reasoning (DeepCPR), which involves constructing a reasoning path on a graph with a series of user-favored attributes. It utilizes the attention mechanism to thoroughly examine the connections between these attributes and provide improved explanations for which attributes to inquire about or which items to recommend. In DeepCPR, two deep-learning-based modules are proposed to realize attribute and item selection. In the first module, the sequence of attributes confirmed by the user in conversation is encoded with a gated graph neural network to obtain the user’s long-term preference using a self-attention mechanism for the selection of candidate attributes. In the second module, a self-attention approach with more appropriate strategies is developed to dynamically select candidate items. In addition, to achieve fine-grained user preference modeling, a recurrent neural network is employed to aggregate the sequence of attributes that interact with the users. Numerous experimental evaluations conducted on four real CRS datasets show that the proposed method significantly outperforms existing advanced methods in terms of conversational recommendations.
Mechanisms Underlying the Formation and Evolution of Vertebrate Color Patterns
Authors: Kratochwil Claudius F. , Mallarino Ricardo
Published: July 2023

Vertebrates exhibit a wide range of color patterns, which play critical roles in mediating intra- and interspecific communication. Because of their diversity and visual accessibility, color patterns offer a unique and fascinating window into the processes underlying biological organization. In this review, we focus on describing many of the general principles governing the formation and evolution of color patterns in different vertebrate groups. We characterize the types of patterns, review the molecular and developmental mechanisms by which they originate, and discuss their role in constraining or facilitating evolutionary change. Lastly, we outline outstanding questions in the field and discuss different approaches that can be used to address them. Overall, we provide a unifying conceptual framework among vertebrate systems that may guide research into naturally evolved mechanisms underlying color pattern formation and evolution.
The Global Turbidity Current Pump and Its Implications for Organic Carbon Cycling
Authors: Talling Peter J. , Hage Sophie , Baker Megan L. , Bianchi Thomas S. , Hilton Robert G. , Maier Katherine L.
Published: July 2023

Submarine turbidity currents form the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, raising the question of their role in global carbon cycles. It was previously inferred that terrestrial organic carbon was primarily incinerated on shelves and that most turbidity current systems are presently inactive. Turbidity currents were thus not considered in global carbon cycles, and the burial efficiency of global terrestrial organic carbon was considered low to moderate (∼10–44%). However, recent work has shown that burial of terrestrial organic carbon by turbidity currents is highly efficient (>60–100%) in a range of settings and that flows occur more frequently than once thought, although they were far more active at sea-level lowstands. This leads to revised global estimates for mass flux (∼62–90 Mt C/year) and burial efficiency (∼31–45%) of terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediments. Greatly increased burial fluxes during sea-level lowstands are also likely underestimated; thus, organic carbon cycling by turbidity currents could play a role in long-term changes in atmospheric CO2 and climate.
Hypoosmosis alters hepatocyte mitochondrial morphology and induces selective release of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1
Authors: Li Pei , Kuo Ning , Patel Rajesh , Omary M. Bishr
Published: July 2023

Exposure of isolated mouse livers, primary cultured hepatocytes, or mice to hypoosmosis/hyponatremia conditions induces significant mitochondrial shape alterations accompanied by preferential release of the mitochondrial matrix protein CPS1, a urea cycle enzyme. In contrast, the intermembrane space protein, cytochrome c, and two other matrix proteins, including the urea cycle enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase, remain preferentially retained in mitochondria. Therefore, hepatocyte CPS1 manifests unique mitochondrial stress response compartmentalization and is a sensitive sensor of mitochondrial hypoosmotic/hyponatremic injury.
Numerical Simulation of the Collision Breakage Process between the Agglomerate and Hammer in a Hammer Crusher Using DEM
Authors: Hong Sokgun , Han Un Chol , Kim Gum Chol , Ri Kwang Myong , Ri Song
Published: July 2023

This paper focuses on simulating the collision breakage process between the agglomerate and hammer in a hammer crusher by the discrete element method (DEM) as the interaction between particles. This enables us to consider the energy change in the collision breakage process of the hammer. The agglomerate model is built by using the EDEM 2.7 software according to the principle of closest packing in crystallography, while the hammer model is modeled into an assembly of different sizes of spherical particles to make the collision breakage process between the agglomerate and hammer as the one of interrelation of particles. With these models, we mainly investigated collision force, collision impulse, energy breaking agglomerate, and the relationship between the specific breakage energy and agglomerate damage ratio. The collision force is represented as Gaussian function, the collision impulse is represented by the function of the mass ratio of agglomerate to hammer and the product of agglomerate mass and collision velocity, and the relationship between the specific breakage energy and agglomerate damage ratio is represented by exponential function. Finally, it can be seen from this study that, when crushing the agglomerate by hammer impact, it is necessary to increase the specific breakage energy by 1.75 times in order to increase the agglomerate damage ratio from 85% to 90% but 2.13 times in order to increase 95%. The proposed method can be used for the further development and design of the various types of crusher.
A Maximum Entropy Model of the Distribution of Dengue Serotype in Mexico
Authors: Annan Esther , Lubinda Jailos , Treviño Jesús , Messer William , Fonseca Dina , Wang Penghua , Pilz Jurgen , Lintner Benjamin , Angulo-Molina Aracely , Gallego-Hernández Ana L. , Haque Ubydul
Published: July 2023

Pathogen strain diversity is an important driver of the trajectory of epidemics. The role of bioclimatic factors on the spatial distribution of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes has, however, not been previously studied. Hence, we developed municipality-scale environmental suitability maps for the four dengue virus serotypes using maximum entropy modeling. We fit climatic variables to municipality presence records from 2012 to 2020 in Mexico. Bioclimatic variables were explored for their environmental suitability to different DENV serotypes, and the different distributions were visualized using three cutoff probabilities representing 90%, 95%, and 99% sensitivity. Municipality-level results were then mapped in ArcGIS. The overall accuracy for the predictive models was 0.69, 0.68, 0.75, and 0.72 for DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4, respectively. Important predictors of all DENV serotypes were the growing degree days for December, January, and February, which are an indicator of higher temperatures and the precipitation of the wettest month. The minimum temperature of the coldest month between −5°C and 20°C was found to be suitable for DENV-1 and DENV-2 serotypes. Respectively, above 700–900 mm of rainfall, the suitability for DENV-1 and DENV-2 begins to decline, while higher humidity still favors DENV-3 and DENV-4. The sensitivity concerning the suitability map was developed for Mexico. DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 serotypes will be found more commonly in the municipalities classified as suitable based on their respective sensitivity of 91%, 90%, 89%, and 85% in Mexico. As the microclimates continue to change, specific bioclimatic indices may be used to monitor potential changes in DENV serotype distribution. The suitability for DENV-1 and DENV-2 is expected to increase in areas with lower minimum temperature ranges, while DENV-3 and DENV-4 will likely increase in areas that experience higher humidity. Ongoing surveillance of municipalities with predicted suitability of 89% and 85% should be expanded to account for the accurate DENV serotype prevalence and association between bioclimatic parameters.
Preparation of Biodegradable Reduced Graphene Oxide/Agar Composites by In Situ Reduction of Graphene Oxide
Authors: Belay Mezigebu
Published: July 2023

Plastics are ubiquitous in our daily life. However, the use of petrochemical-based plastic as packaging materials causes the depletion of non-renewable resources, thereby leading to an increase in oil prices and economic crises. Moreover, these petrochemical plastics raise the issue of environmental pollution due to their non-biodegradability. Owing to this, there is a need to develop an alternative biodegradable and eco-friendly packing material. Agar, which is extracted from seaweeds, is one of the abundantly available polymers. However, moderate tensile strength and thermal stability restrict its application. As a step forward, agar/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites were prepared by in situ reduction of GO in the polymer matrix. The tensile strength of the composite was found to increase by 55% at 2% RGO loading. The electrical conductivity and thermal properties of the composite were also improved. The presence of conductivity suggested that apart from packaging, agar/RGO composites can also have potential applications as capacitor plates creating a supercapacitor and as electric field-induced wound healing material.
A Novel Metaheuristic Jellyfish Optimization Algorithm for Parameter Extraction of Solar Module
Authors: Yadav Dilip , Singh Nidhi , Bhadoria Vikas Singh , Giri Nimay Chandra , Cherukuri Murthy
Published: July 2023

Accurate parameter identification plays an integral role in the modeling of an optimized solar module which in turn helps in the error-free prediction of its output. Five important parameters: the photoelectric current (Iph), ideality factor(α), saturation current (Io), series resistance (Rs), and shunt resistance (Rsh) are required for the accurate modeling of the PV cells/modules and need to be extracted as these parameters are not provided by the manufacturer in the datasheet. This paper proposes a new metaheuristic jellyfish optimization (JFO) algorithm for the parameter extraction of a solar module. The JFO algorithm achieves the optimal solution without being trapped in local solutions in less time. The parameter extraction using the JFO algorithm is done on two different solar modules i.e., Soltech-1STH-215P and PWP-201. The results are compared in terms of extracted parameters (Iph, α, Io, Rs, and Rsh) with the well-known optimization techniques like PSO, GA, and others available in the literature and with the manufacturer I–V and P–V characteristics. The proposed technique I–V and P–V characteristics are validated at different environmental conditions and are found to be similar to that of PSO and GA. It is also observed that the extracted parameters obtained using JFO are comparable with the other twenty-two techniques, and the proposed technique is one of the highly efficient techniques that can be utilized for parameter extraction of PV modules and to predict solar cell characteristics for all commercial modules without setting up any experimental measurements. MATLAB/simulation software is used for implementation and performance validation.
A Geomechanical Model Test on the Construction Stability and Overload Failure Process of an X-Type Cross Cavern Group
Authors: Liu Chuancheng , Sun Xikui , Zhang Xiufeng , Zhang Qiangyong , Chen Yang
Published: July 2023

The geological environment of the surrounding rock in deep underground engineering will become more and more complex, along with the excavation depth continuously increasing. Under these conditions of high temperatures, high seepage, high geostress, and strong excavation disturbance, the surrounding rock during underground engineering can experience obvious nonlinear deformation failure. In order to guarantee the construction, excavation, and operational safety of deep underground engineering, we have to comprehensively study the failure characteristics and deformation characteristics of the surrounding rocks of the cavern. To reveal the interaction between structures and the characteristics of overloading-induced damage and safety factor, a geomechanical model test of an X-type cross cavern group was carried out during the excavation process and overloading process. The engineering background is the URL of HLW for the geological disposal in Beishan. This is the first time that this type of geomechanical model test is being carried out. The law of displacement and stress change during the process of excavation and the law of deformation and the failure of surrounding rock in the process of overload are obtained. The test results show that the stress and displacement changes at the intersection of the caverns are most significant after excavation. The excavation’s impact range is approximately 1.5 to 2 times the tunnel diameter. Under these test conditions, the safety coefficient of the crack initiation is 2.1, the safety coefficient of the local destruction is 2.5, and the safety coefficient of the general demolition is 2.9. These test results provide technical support for the design and construction of an URL for the deep buried geological disposal of HLW and have important practical significance.
The Predictions of Noncollinear Equilibria Positions in ER3BP with Yukawa-Like Corrections
Authors: Anitha E. Baby , Asmamaw Tenaw Tilahun , Idrisi M. Javed
Published: July 2023

The existence and stability of noncollinear equilibrium points in the elliptic restricted three-body problem under the consideration of Yukawa correction to Newtonian potential are studied in this paper. The effects of various parameters (μ, ê, α, and λ) on the noncollinear equilibrium points are discussed briefly, and it is found that only ordinate of noncollinear equilibria E4,5 is affected by Yukawa correction while abscissa is affected by only mass parameter μ. The noncollinear equilibria was found linearly stable for a critical mass parameter μc. A critical point λ = ½ is also obtained for the critical mass parameter μc, and at this point, the critical mass parameter μc has maximum or minimum values according to α < 0 or α > 0, respectively.
MAOA uVNTR Polymorphism Influence on Older Adults Diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus/Systemic Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Moura Alves Seixas Gabriel , de Souza Freitas Renata , Ferreira Fratelli Caroline , de Souza Silva Calliandra Maria , Ramos de Lima Luciano , Morato Stival Marina , Schwerz Funghetto Silvana , Rodrigues da Silva Izabel Cristina
Published: July 2023

Background. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is involved in several biological processes associated with well-being and mental health, and alterations in its function might directly impact various mental disorders. Some mental disorders concomitantly occur in individuals with clinical characteristics, such as substance abuse and diabetes. Objective. To analyze the functional MAOA uVNTR polymorphism genotype frequency in an older adult population with diabetes mellitus/arterial hypertension and associate this frequency with clinical characteristics impacting daily life. Methodology. Older adults diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, or both (DM/SAH) were selected and had their MAOA gene genotyped for uVNTR polymorphism. The revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a questionnaire were also applied to determine their mental health and clinical characteristics. Results. The allelic variants detected among the participants were the 2R, 3R, 4R, and 3R/4R heterozygous genotypes. Genotypes solely containing the 3R allele had patients who marked yes for smoking and alcoholism, and only those with the 3R genotypes (female 3R/3R homozygote or male 3R

∗

hemizygote) were significant. Although not statistically significant, only 3R and 3R/4R genotypes presented cases of severe depression per the revised BDI interpretations. Conclusion. The MAOA uVNTR polymorphism’s low-activity 3R allele presence in an older adult population diagnosed with DM/SAH may represent a risk for developing substance use (alcohol and smoking) dependence.
Hyper Coupled Map Lattices for Hiding Multiple Images
Authors: Smidtaite Rasa , Ragulskiene Jurate , Bikulciene Liepa , Ragulskis Minvydas
Published: July 2023

The concept of a hyper coupled map lattice (CML) is presented in this paper. The complexity of the lattice is increased not by adding another spatial dimension of the lattice but by replacing scalar nodal variables by multidimensional square matrices of iterative variables. The proposed scheme exploits the nonlinear effects of the spatiotemporal divergence induced by nilpotent nodal matrices to generate separate secret images at different discrete moments of time during the evolution of the CML. The time variable plays the primary role in the decoding stage of the scheme. The carrying capacity of the proposed scheme is

n
−
1

different dichotomous digital images, where

n

is the dimension of the nilpotent nodal matrices. Computational experiments are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
Aerobic Exercise versus Electronic Cigarette in Vascular Aging Process: First Histological Insight
Authors: Damay Vito A. , Setiawan  , Lesmana Ronny , Akbar Muhammad Rizki , Lukito Antonia Anna , Tarawan Vita M. , Martha Januar W. , Nugroho J. , Sugiharto Sony
Published: July 2023

Smoking is related to vascular aging. However, the hazardous effect of e-cigarette is often debatable, with limited studies available. In contrast, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is well known to decrease aortic stiffness. We provide novel research to determine the effect of e-cigarette and aerobic moderate-intensity exercise on the aortic structure of Wistar rats. A total of 26 male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) 8 weeks aged, 200-250 g b.w., were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely, K0 (normal rats), K1 (rats were given moderate-intensity aerobic exercise by animal treadmill 20 m/30 min), K2 (rats were given e-cigarette with 6 mg nicotine, 40% propylene glycol, and 60% vegetable glycerine 30 min for 5 days/week), and K3 (rats were given e-cigarette and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise). After exposure for 6 weeks, all animals were sacrificed to isolate the aorta for histopathological analysis with hematoxylin-eosin stain to evaluate the elastic fiber layer and intimal-medial thickness. The Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining was done for quantification elastic lamina fragmentation. Our study found that the e-cigarette group had the highest elastic lamina fragmentation among groups (

8.14
±
2.85

). The exercise only group showed the lowest elastic lamina fragmentation (

2.50
±
1.87

). Fragmentation in the e-cigarette and exercise group was higher than in the exercise only group (

5.83
±
0.753

vs.

2.50
±
1.87

,

p
=
0.002

). There is a significant difference of NO serum between four groups. The result of post hoc analysis using LSD showed that there is a significant difference of NO serum between K0 and K2, K0 and K3, K1 and K2, and K1 and K3. Therefore, our research demonstrated that the most injury of aorta elastic lamina was in the group that was exposed to e-cigarette that leads to vascular aging while exercise is not yet proven to reverse this effect.
Data from De novo and histologically transformed small cell lung cancer is sensitive to lurbinectedin treatment through the modulation of EMT and NOTCH signaling pathways.
Authors: Chakraborty Subhamoy , Coleman Charles , Manoj Parvathy , Demircioglu Deniz , Shah Nisargbhai , de Stanchina Elisa , Rudin Charles M. , Hasson Dan , Sen Triparna
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Purpose: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a high-grade neuroendocrine tumor with dismal prognosis and limited treatment options. Lurbinectedin, conditionally approved as a second-line treatment for metastatic SCLC, drives clinical responses in about 35% of patients and the overall survival of those who benefit from it remains very low (~9.3 months). This highlights the need to develop improved mechanistic insight and predictive biomarkers of response. Experimental Design: We used human and PDX-derived SCLC cell lines to evaluate the effect of lurbinectedin in vitro. We also demonstrate the anti-tumor effect of lurbinectedin in multiple de novo and transformed SCLC PDX models. Changes in gene and protein expression pre- and post-lurbinectedin treatment was assessed by RNA sequencing and western blot analysis. Results: Lurbinectedin markedly reduced cell viability in majority of SCLC models with the best response on POU2F3-driven SCLC cells. We further demonstrate that lurbinectedin, either as a single agent or in combination with osimertinib, causes an appreciable anti-tumor response in multiple models of EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with histologic transformation to SCLC. Transcriptomic analysis identified induction of apoptosis, repression of EMT, modulation of PI3K/AKT, NOTCH signaling associated with lurbinectedin response in de novo and transformed SCLC models. Conclusion: Our study provides a mechanistic insight into lurbinectedin response in SCLC and the first demonstration that lurbinectedin is a potential therapeutic target after SCLC transformation.
Auditory and Vestibular Findings in Brazilian Adults Affected by COVID-19: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Arruda de Souza Alcarás Patrícia , Alves Corazza Maria Cristina , Vianna Larissa , Miranda de Araujo Cristiano , Alves Corazza Luíza , Zeigelboim Bianca Simone , Moreira de Lacerda Adriana Bender
Published: July 2023

Introduction: The aim of the study was to describe auditory and vestibular findings in Brazilian adults after COVID-19 in a municipality from the outskirts of the São Paulo state. Methods: This was a transversal and exploratory study comprising sixteen participants infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, confirmed through RT-PCR detection, aged 20 to 55 years. Subjects underwent anamnesis, vestibular and auditory testing. Fisher’s exact test was used to evaluate medication use, chemical and physical exposure, and occupational risk and McNemar test was used to compare auditory and vestibular symptoms pre- and post-COVID-19. Results: Most patients were women (75%) and had been exposed to the virus over 90 days before testing (50%). 18.8% used hydroxychloroquine, 68.8% used ivermectin, and 87.5% used azithromycin to treat COVID-19. Auditory complaints were reported by 31.2% and vestibular by 18.7%. There was no statistical difference before and after the disease. Other reported symptomatology was hair loss, pain, fatigue, memory loss, difficulty to concentrate, and headache. Auditory findings were relevant in contralateral acoustic reflex, in the distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, and in the brainstem auditory evoked potential, characterizing a neurosensorial compromise. 43.74% of patients had altered vectonystagmography. When comparing both ears, no statistical relevance was found; however, when results were crossed with medication use and exposures, there was statistical relevance in the amplitude of the V wave for medications and absolute latency of the V wave to exposure to physical agents. Discussion/Conclusion: This study demonstrated auditory and vestibular findings of neurosensorial nature, considering hearing and of a peripheral vestibulopathy. As it is a study of transversal nature, it is not possible to extend results to general population; yet it may be a finding to future studies.
Risk of Adult Hypertension in Offspring From Pregnancies Complicated by Hypertension: Population-Based Estimates
Authors: Dines Virginia A. , Kattah Andrea G. , Weaver Amy L. , Vaughan Lisa E. , Chamberlain Alanna M. , Bielinski Suzette J. , Mielke Michelle M. , Garovic Vesna D.
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have been associated with an increased risk of chronic hypertension for both mothers and offspring. We sought to quantify the incidence of chronic hypertension in offspring from HDP-affected pregnancies in a large, population-based cohort study. Furthermore, we evaluate the association of HDP exposure in utero and maternal chronic hypertension in offspring.

METHODS:

We performed a population-based cohort study of 8755 individuals born during 1976 to 1982 to 7544 women who all resided in the same community at the time of delivery. HDP were identified using a previously validated algorithm. Diagnosis of chronic hypertension in mothers and their offspring was determined using diagnostic codes. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association between HDP and chronic hypertension.

RESULTS:

HDP exposure (hazard ratio, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.18–1.90]) and maternal chronic hypertension (hazard ratio, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.48–2.02]) were both associated with a significant increased risk for chronic hypertension in offspring. Both risk factors remained significantly associated with increased risk of hypertension in offspring when included together in a multivariate model. Having both exposures was associated with a 2.4-fold increase in the risk of hypertension in offspring, suggesting a synergistic additive interaction.

CONCLUSIONS:

HDP exposure in gestation and maternal hypertension are both independently associated with an increased risk of chronic hypertension in offspring. Our results suggest that HDP exposure in utero, in addition to maternal chronic hypertension, may lead to a greater risk for the development of hypertension in offspring.
Clinical Outcomes and Predictors of Long‐Term Survival in Patients With and Without Previously Known Extracardiac Sarcoidosis Using Machine Learning: A Swedish Multicenter Study
Authors: Bobbio Emanuele , Eldhagen Per , Polte Christian L. , Hjalmarsson Clara , Karason Kristjan , Rawshani Araz , Darlington Pernilla , Kullberg Susanna , Sörensson Peder , Bergh Niklas , Bollano Entela
Published: July 2023

Background

Cardiac involvement can be an initial manifestation in sarcoidosis. However, little is known about the association between various clinical phenotypes of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) and outcomes. We aimed to analyze the relation of different clinical manifestations with outcomes of CS and to investigate the relative importance of clinical features influencing overall survival.

Methods and Results

A retrospective cohort of 141 patients with CS enrolled at 2 Swedish university hospitals was studied. Presentation, imaging studies, and outcomes of de novo CS and previously known extracardiac sarcoidosis were compared. Survival free of primary composite outcome (ventricular arrhythmias, heart transplantation, or death) was assessed. Machine learning algorithm was used to study the relative importance of clinical features in predicting outcome. Sixty‐two patients with de novo CS and 79 with previously known extracardiac sarcoidosis were included. De novo CS showed more advanced New York Heart Association class (
P
=0.02), higher circulating levels of NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) (
P
<0.001), and troponins (
P
<0.001), as well as a higher prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction (
P
<0.001). During a median (interquartile range) follow‐up of 61 (44–77) months, event‐free survival was shorter in patients with de novo CS (
P
<0.001). The top 5 features predicting worse event‐free survival in order of importance were as follows: impaired tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, de novo CS, reduced right ventricular ejection fraction, absence of β‐blockers, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction.

Conclusions

Patients with de novo CS displayed more severe disease and worse outcomes compared with patients with previously known extracardiac sarcoidosis. Using machine learning, right ventricular dysfunction and de novo CS stand out as strong overall predictors of impaired survival.
Causes and Predictors of 30‐Day Readmission in Patients With COVID‐19 and ST‐Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the United States: A Nationwide Readmission Database Analysis
Authors: Patel Kunal N. , Majmundar Monil , Khawaja Tasveer , Doshi Rajkumar , Kaur Avleen , Mehta Harsh , Gupta Kamal
Published: July 2023

Background

Rates, causes, and predictors of readmission in patients with ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during COVID‐19 pandemic are unknown.

Methods and Results

All hospitalizations for STEMI were selected from the US Nationwide Readmissions Database 2020 and were stratified by the presence of COVID‐19. Primary outcome was 30‐day readmission. Multivariable hierarchical generalized logistic regression analysis was performed to compare 30‐day readmission between patients with STEMI with and without COVID‐19 and to identify the predictors of 30‐day readmissions in patients with STEMI and COVID‐19. The rate of 30‐day all‐cause readmission was 11.4% in patients with STEMI who had COVID‐19 and 10.6% in those without COVID‐19, with the adjusted odds ratio (OR) not being significantly different between the two groups (OR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.73–1.07],
P
=0.200). Of all 30‐day readmissions in patients with STEMI and COVID‐19, 41% were for cardiac causes. Among the cardiac causes, 56% were secondary to acute coronary syndrome, while among the noncardiac causes, infections were the most prevalent. Among the causes of 30‐day readmissions, infectious causes were significantly higher for patients with STEMI who had COVID‐19 compared with those without COVID‐19 (29.9% versus 11.3%,
P
=0.001). In a multivariable model, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, low median household income, and length of stay ≥5 days were found to be associated with an increased risk of 30‐day readmission.

Conclusions

Post‐STEMI, 30‐day readmission rates were similar between patients with and without COVID‐19. Cardiac causes were the most common causes for 30‐day readmissions, and infections were the most prevalent noncardiac causes.