bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Being family via WeChat: Children's interpretation of long‐distance family relationships
Authors: Han Xiaoying
Published: October 2024

This study explores how left‐behind children in rural China maintain long‐distance family relationships through WeChat, highlighting the significant role of social media during family separation. It underscores the importance of considering children's voices in understanding family relationships in the digital age. Drawing on online workshops and interviews with 41 participants, the research examines how Chinese left‐behind children use WeChat to facilitate parental engagement and manage their emotions. It also investigates the challenges children face in online communication and their perspectives on grandparental involvement. This article argues that children's agency is situated within structural conditions shaped by a confluence of factors, including technological affordances, unique familial contexts, and socio‐economic inequalities. This situatedness fosters creativity, compromises, and adaptations in ‘being family’ at a distance.
Identifying modifiable factors associated with neuroimaging markers of brain health
Authors: Huang Liang‐Yu , Fu Yan , Zhang Yi , Hu He‐Ying , Ma Ling‐Zhi , Ge Yi‐Jun , Zhao Yong‐Li , Zhang Ya‐Ru , Chen Shi‐Dong , Feng Jian‐Feng , Cheng Wei , Tan Lan , Yu Jin‐Tai
Published: October 2024

Aims

Brain structural alterations begin long before the presentation of brain disorders; therefore, we aimed to systematically investigate a wide range of influencing factors on neuroimaging markers of brain health.

Methods

Utilizing data from 30,651 participants from the UK Biobank, we explored associations between 218 modifiable factors and neuroimaging markers of brain health. We conducted an exposome‐wide association study using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) technique. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were further employed to estimate potential nonlinear correlations. Weighted standardized scores for neuroimaging markers were computed based on the estimates for individual factors. Finally, stratum‐specific analyses were performed to examine differences in factors affecting brain health at different ages.

Results

The identified factors related to neuroimaging markers of brain health fell into six domains, including systematic diseases, lifestyle factors, personality traits, social support, anthropometric indicators, and biochemical markers. The explained variance percentage of neuroimaging markers by weighted standardized scores ranged from 0.5% to 7%. Notably, associations between systematic diseases and neuroimaging markers were stronger in older individuals than in younger ones.

Conclusion

This study identified a series of factors related to neuroimaging markers of brain health. Targeting the identified factors might help in formulating effective strategies for maintaining brain health.
Identifying climate‐smart tropical Key Biodiversity Areas for protection in response to widespread temperature novelty
Authors: Trew Brittany T. , Lees Alexander C. , Edwards David P. , Early Regan , Maclean Ilya M. D.
Published: October 2024

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are a cornerstone of 21st‐century area‐based conservation targets. In tropical KBAs, biodiversity is potentially at high risk from climate change, because most species reside within or beneath the canopy, where small increases in temperature can lead to novel climate regimes. We quantify novelty in temperature regimes by modeling hourly temperatures below the forest canopy across tropical KBAs between 1990 and 2019. We find that up to 60% of KBAs with tropical forests have recently transitioned to novel temperature regimes. Nevertheless, 40% of KBAs are providing refuge from novelty, 65% of which are not protected. By conducting the first pan‐tropical analyses of changes in below‐canopy temperature conditions in KBAs, we identify KBAs that are acting as climate refugia and should be considered for expansion of the conservation network in response to the post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework target to conserve 30% of land area by 2030.
Clinical Management in NSCLC Patients With EGFR Mutation After Osimertinib Progression With Unknown Resistance Mechanisms
Authors: Liao Xin , He Tingting , Wan Xiong , Liu Pian , Li Jing , He Yong , Wang Yubo
Published: October 2024

Background

Osimertinib is approved as a standard treatment for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation by FDA. However, the mechanisms of resistance for nearly half of patients after osimertinib progression are still unknown, and the optimal therapies for these patients are still controversial. In this retrospective study, we compared efficacy and safety between immunotherapy + chemotherapy, chemotherapy alone, and osimertinib + bevacizumab in NSCLC patients after osimertinib progression with unknown resistance mechanisms.

Methods

Advanced NSCLC patients with unknown resistance mechanisms after osimertinib progression were retrospectively reviewed and divided into immunotherapy + chemotherapy, chemotherapy alone, and osimertinib + bevacizumab treatment groups according to the treatment they received after osimertinib progression. Clinicopathological features, objective response rate (ORR), progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between groups.

Results

A total of 121 patients were enrolled in this study, 22 in the immunotherapy + chemotherapy group, 72 in the chemotherapy group, and 27 in the osimertinib + bevacizumab group. The ORR was much higher in the immunotherapy + chemotherapy group compared with chemotherapy or osimertinib + bevacizumab group (55.56% vs. 14.81% vs. 0% in patients after progression on 1st line osimertinib treatment; 30.77% vs. 6.67% vs. 13.33% in patients after progression on 2nd/3rd line osimertinib treatment). Median PFS was also significantly longer in the immunotherapy + chemotherapy group compared with other groups (8.2 months vs. 4.0 months vs. 6.0 months in all patients, p = 0.0066). The median OS did not reach remarkable difference among groups, although osimertinib + bevacizumab group had a numerically longer median OS (37.0 months vs. 37.0 months vs. 47.6 months in all patients, p = 0.6357). Compared with immunotherapy + chemotherapy and chemotherapy, treatment‐related adverse events (AEs) of osimertinib + bevacizumab were milder, especially in AEs related to gastrointestinal and bone marrow suppression.

Conclusion

Our study provides clinical evidence that NSCLC patients after osimertinib progression with unknown resistance mechanisms may benefit from immunotherapy + chemotherapy, with higher ORR and longer PFS compared with osimertinib + bevacizumab or chemotherapy groups. Osimertinib + bevacizumab treatment was also an optional option for patients because OS was numerically longer and safer in this group.
Multidecadal underwater surveys reveal declines in marine turtles
Authors: Saltzman Julia , Hearn Alex R. , Fuentes Mariana M. P. B. , Steiner Todd , Arauz Randall , Macdonald Catherine , Heidemeyer Maike , White Easton R.
Published: October 2024

Marine turtles are a group of imperiled marine megafauna particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors. Most long‐term studies of marine turtles are based on nesting surveys which focus on numbers of eggs, hatchlings, and nesting females. However, we know less about long‐term abundance trends of immature and adult turtles in the marine environment. To address this data gap, we examined records from 35,000 underwater visual census (UVC) dives (1993–2019) and short‐term in‐water turtle survey data (2009–2014) at Cocos Island, Costa Rica. During UVCs, trained divemasters from UnderSea Hunter recorded observations of two species of marine turtles—green Chelonia mydas and hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata. Our short‐term in‐water surveys revealed that most turtles at Cocos are greens, but both immature and mature greens occur at Cocos. We analyzed long‐term UVC data using a hierarchical modeling approach and we modeled a 26% decrease in the relative abundance of turtles observed on dives each year. Our model also revealed potential interactions between tiger sharks and turtles, finding that for each additional tiger shark present during a dive, the predicted relative abundance of turtles decreased by 43%. Lastly, our model suggested the influence of environmental variation on marine turtle relative abundance; a 1°C increase in sea surface temperature (SST) decreased the predicted relative abundance of turtles by 7%. Our results suggest that marine turtles are sensitive to long‐term environmental and oceanographic changes, and potentially avoid certain areas to reduce exposure to tiger sharks. Given our study area is already protected, there needs to be more focus on protecting adult turtles during their movements across the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Our work also highlights the importance of long‐term underwater surveys to monitor adult turtles.
Seeing the Big‐ to Fine‐Grained Picture: Exploring the Baseline Status of Mammal Occupancy Across Myanmar Using Scale‐Optimised Modelling
Authors: Kyaw Pyae Phyoe , Cushman Samuel A. , Kaszta Żaneta , Burnham Dawn , Zaw Than , Naing Hla , Htun Saw , Moe Kyaw , Tun Aung Ye , Myo Okka , Aung Zarni , Myo Khin Myo , Aung Htet Arkar , Po Saw Htoo Tha , Po Saw Ehkhu , Tun Saw William L. , Nay Saw Hay , Macdonald David W.
Published: October 2024

Aim

Myanmar, an Indo‐Burmese biodiversity hotspot, lacks baseline data on species occurrence and distribution. This hinders biodiversity monitoring and optimisation of conservation and development plans. We aim to document baseline mammal occupancy, interactions with environmental factors and scale‐dependent responses.

Location

Hkakaborazi National Park, Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park, Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range, Say Taung and Myinmoletkhat Key Biodiversity Areas distributed across Myanmar.

Methods

Camera trap data throughout Myanmar were used to analyse species occupancy. We conducted a multiscale hierarchical spatial modelling process, using local and pooled data across Myanmar. We also optimised spatial scale across five scales and six predictors, using univariate occupancy models. We then selected scale‐optimised variables for multivariate modelling, repeating this process for each species across local, regional and national datasets.

Results

The study identified 47 terrestrial species and observed strong scale‐dependent nonstationarity in occupancy estimates. Relationships with environmental variables differed among species and were highly scale dependent. Importantly, occupancy estimates produced by pooling data across sites were greatly different from any of the estimates for the individual sites, suggesting that high heterogeneity in occurrence and abundance across sites among species requires local or nested occupancy estimates to account for spatial heterogeneity and variation.

Main Conclusions

Future conservation efforts should focus on Northern Myanmar if range‐restricted and rare species are to be protected, while focus should still be given to common species which serve as potential indicators of overall community structure. The nonstationarity of occupancy results from different datasets underscores the potential for misleading interpretations from aggregated data in nonstationary ecological systems. Metareplicated analyses of local, geographically and ecologically proximal regional datasets provide an important view of spatial variation in occupancy patterns guiding conservation design and improving understanding of the drivers of biodiversity patterns and change across large regions, such as Southeast Asia.
Lifelong impacts of puberty timing on human plasma metabolic profiles: A metabolome‐wide Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Li Zengjun , Li Xuechao , Fang Si , Liu Dong , Li Fei , Zhu Cairong , Zhao Jian
Published: October 2024

Aim

The aim was to investigate the causal relationship between puberty timing and plasma metabolites, accounting for birth weight, childhood and adulthood adiposity.

Materials and Methods

The meta‐analysis of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) for puberty timing was extracted from the ReproGen Consortium, involving 329 345 women of European ancestry. Summary data for 174 plasma metabolites were retrieved from a recently conducted cross‐platform GWAS that involved a meta‐analysis of three cohort studies (i.e. the Fenland, European Prospective Investigation into Cancer‐Norfolk and INTERVAL studies) and three publicly available studies and included up to 86 507 participants. We conducted a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to infer the causal relationship of puberty timing on 174 plasma metabolites, complemented by a two‐step and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis to assess direct and indirect effects. Additionally, summary‐level data from the UK Biobank were used for our replication analysis.

Results

The results of the two‐sample MR provide moderate evidence supporting a causal relationship between puberty timing and 23 of 174 plasma metabolites (i.e. 7 acylcarnitines, 8 amino acids, 2 biogenic amines and 6 lysophosphatidylcholines). Even after single‐nucleotide polymorphisms associated with birth weight and childhood adiposity were excluded, causal effects persisted for 16 metabolites (i.e. 8 acylcarnitines, 4 amino acids, 2 biogenic amines and 2 lysophosphatidylcholines). The two‐step MR analysis provided evidence that the relationship between puberty timing and plasma metabolites was mediated by adulthood adiposity. Additionally, moderate evidence emerged for an independent causal effect of puberty timing on 10 metabolites through an MVMR analysis (i.e. 5 acylcarnitines, 2 amino acids, 1 biogenic amine, 1 lysophosphatidylcholine and 1 phosphatidylcholine). Furthermore, the replication analysis suggested the robustness of our results.

Conclusions

In summary, our study provides compelling evidence that puberty timing has a causal influence on certain plasma metabolites, although this influence is largely mediated by adulthood adiposity.
In vivo mapping of postprandial hepatic glucose metabolism using dynamic magnetic resonance spectroscopy combined with stable isotope flux analysis in Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass adults and non‐operated controls: A case–control study
Authors: Poli Simone , Lange Naomi F. , Brunasso Alessandro , Buser Angeline , Ballabani Edona , Melmer Andreas , Schiavon Michele , Tappy Luc , Herzig David , Dalla Man Chiara , Kreis Roland , Bally Lia
Published: October 2024

Aims

Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery alters postprandial glucose profiles, causing post‐bariatric hypoglycaemia (PBH) in some individuals. Due to the liver's central role in glucose homeostasis, hepatic glucose handling might differ in RYGB‐operated patients with PBH compared to non‐operated healthy controls (HC).

Materials and Methods

We enrolled RYGB‐operated adults with PBH and HCs (n = 10 each). Participants ingested 60 g of [6,6′‐2H2]‐glucose (d‐glucose) after an overnight fast. Deuterium metabolic imaging (DMI) with interleaved 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed before and until 150 min post‐d‐glucose intake, with frequent blood sampling to quantify glucose enrichment and gluco‐regulatory hormones until 180 min. Glucose fluxes were assessed by mathematical modelling. Outcome trajectories were described using generalized additive models.

Results

In RYGB subjects, the hepatic d‐glucose signal increased early, followed by a decrease, whereas HCs exhibited a gradual increase and consecutive stabilization. Postprandial hepatic glycogen accumulation and the suppression of endogenous glucose production were lower in RYGB patients than in HCs, despite higher insulin exposure, indicating lower hepatic insulin sensitivity. The systemic rate of ingested d‐glucose was faster in RYGB, leading to a higher, earlier plasma glucose peak and increased insulin secretion. Postprandial glucose disposal increased in RYGB patients, without between‐group differences in peripheral insulin sensitivity.

Conclusions

Exploiting DMI with stable isotope flux analysis, we observed distinct postprandial hepatic glucose trajectories and parameters of glucose–insulin homeostasis in RYGB patients with PBH versus HCs. Despite altered postprandial glucose kinetics and higher insulin exposure, there was no evidence of impaired hepatic glucose uptake or output predisposing to PBH in RYGB patients.
Interspecific competition leads to more long‐winged morphs in two sympatric cricket species
Authors: Fujii Takehisa , Reddy Gadi V. P. , Kuriwada Takashi
Published: October 2024

Coexistence mechanisms for species competing for the same resource include resource partitioning, neutrality, microhabitat preference and trade‐off between competitive and dispersal abilities.

We explored the coexistence mechanism of two species of trigonidiid crickets (Dianemobius nigrofasciatus (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae) and Polionemobius taprobanensis (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae)) that share the same habitat. Dianemobius nigrofasciatus is more common in areas where the ground surface is somewhat open, while P. taprobanensis is more common in more densely vegetated environments. The effects of micro‐environmental differences, similarities in competitive ability and investment in dispersal ability under interspecific competitive conditions on the coexistence of these species were examined using laboratory experiments.

Both P. taprobanensis and D. nigrofasciatus performed better in vegetated environments. Although the adult emergence of D. nigrofasciatus were delayed by the presence of P. taprobanensis, the emergence rate of P. taprobanensis was not significantly affected by D. nigrofasciatus. The presence of P. taprobanensis caused a higher frequency of a long‐winged morph (macropterous) of D. nigrofasciatus.

The results suggest that D. nigrofasciatus is inferior to P. taprobanensis in interspecific competition, and it, therefore, disperses (as macropterous adults) at greater rates in the presence of P. taprobanensis. Furthermore, it may be that D. nigrofasciatus has been forced to change its preferred microhabitat from vegetative habitats, which are inherently more suitable, to more open environments due to competition. These above mechanisms are thought to allow the two species to coexist in the same habitat.
Quantifying convergence and consistency
Authors: Matiasz Nicholas J. , Wood Justin , Silva Alcino J.
Published: October 2024

The reproducibility crisis highlights several unresolved issues in science, including the need to develop measures that gauge both the consistency and convergence of data sets. While existing meta‐analytic methods quantify the consistency of evidence, they do not quantify its convergence: the extent to which different types of empirical methods have provided evidence to support a hypothesis. To address this gap in meta‐analysis, we and colleagues developed a summary metric—the cumulative evidence index (CEI)—which uses Bayesian statistics to quantify the degree of both consistency and convergence of evidence regarding causal hypotheses between two phenomena. Here, we outline the CEI's underlying model, which quantifies the extent to which studies of four types—positive intervention, negative intervention, positive non‐intervention and negative non‐intervention—lend credence to any of three types of causal relations: excitatory, inhibitory or no‐connection. Along with p‐values and other measures, the CEI can provide a more holistic perspective on a set of evidence by quantitatively expressing epistemic principles that scientists regularly employ qualitatively. The CEI can thus address the reproducibility crisis by formally demonstrating how convergent evidence across multiple study types can yield progress toward scientific consensus, even when an individual type of study fails to yield reproducible results.
Sartre's Exclusion Claim: Perception and Imagination as Radically Distinct Consciousnesses
Authors: Mitchell Jonathan
Published: October 2024

In The Imaginary Jean‐Paul Sartre makes what will strike many as an implausibly strong claim, namely that perception and imagination are incompatible kinds of experience ‐ I call this the exclusion claim. This paper offers a reconstruction of Sartre's exclusion claim. First, it frames the claim in terms of cross‐modal attention distribution, such that it is not possible to simultaneously attend to what one is imagining and what one is perceiving. However, this leaves it open that a subject can simultaneously imagine and perceive on the condition that either the perceived or imagined objects are not attended to. While this is a philosophically plausible position it fails to do justice to Sartre's intended position, which suggests a more radical exclusion between perception and imagination. In light of this section 3 develops a supplementary argument to remove one of the possible configurations of attention that the ban on divided attention leaves in place by arguing that the objects of imagining must be attended to, which follows from Sartre's characterisation of imagination as spontaneous. The resulting exclusion is as follows: attentive perception excludes imagination (and vice versa), given that the latter is necessarily attentive, but attentive imagination can co‐occur with non‐attentive or background perception (in this sense the exclusion is asymmetric in a way that Sartre fails to recognise). In concluding I detail how from this exclusion we get an important consequence – which Sartre wants the exclusion claim to have – namely that it rules out an imagination‐based solution to the problem of perceptual presence.
Video head impulse gain is impaired in myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2
Authors: Calic Zeljka , Peric Stojan , Vujnic Milorad , Bjelica Bogdan , Bozovic Ivo , Rakocevic‐Stojanovic Vidosava , Bradshaw Andrew , Colebatch James G. , Welgampola Miriam S.
Published: October 2024

Background and Purpose

This study was undertaken to examine vestibulo‐ocular reflex (VOR) characteristics in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) using video head impulse testing (vHIT).

Methods

VOR gain, refixation saccade prevalence, first saccade amplitude, onset latency, peak velocity, and duration were compared in DM1, DM2, age‐matched normal controls, and patients with peripheral and central vestibulopathies.

Results

Fifty percent of DM1 and 37.5% of DM2 patients demonstrated reduced VOR gain. Refixation saccade prevalence for horizontal canal (HC) and posterior canal (PC) was significantly higher in DM1 (101 ± 42%, 82 ± 47%) and DM2 (70 ± 45%, 61 ± 38%) compared to controls (40 ± 28% and 43 ± 33%, p < 0.05). The first saccade amplitudes and peak velocities were higher in HC and PC planes in DM1 and DM2 compared to controls (p < 0.05). HC slow phase eye velocity profiles in DM1 showed delayed peaks. The asymmetry ratio, which represents the percentage difference between the first and second halves of the slow phase eye velocity response, was therefore negative (−22.5 ± 17%, −2.3 ± 16%, and − 4.7 ± 8% in DM1, DM2, and controls). HC VOR gains were lower and gain asymmetry ratio was larger and negative in patients with DM1 with moderate to severe ptosis and a history of imbalance and falls compared to the remaining DM1 patients (p < 0.05). In peripheral vestibulopathies, saccade amplitude was larger, peak velocity was higher, and onset latency was shorter (p < 0.05) than in DM1. In central vestibulopathy (posterior circulation strokes), saccade peak velocity was higher, but amplitude and onset latency were not significantly different from DM1.

Conclusions

VOR impairment is common in DM1 and DM2. In DM1, refixation saccade characteristics are closer to central than peripheral vestibulopathies. Delayed peaks in the vHIT eye velocity profile observed in patients with DM1 may reflect extraocular muscle weakness. VOR impairment and VOR asymmetry in DM1 are associated with imbalance and falls.
Amyloid deposition in adults with drug‐resistant temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Fonseca Elena , Lallana Sofía , Ortega Gemma , Cano Amanda , Sarria‐Estrada Silvana , Pareto Deborah , Quintana Manuel , Lorenzo‐Bosquet Carles , López‐Maza Samuel , Gifreu Ariadna , Campos‐Fernández Daniel , Abraira Laura , Santamarina Estevo , Orellana Adelina , Montrreal Laura , Puerta Raquel , Aguilera Núria , Ramis Maribel , de Rojas Itziar , Ruiz Agustín , Tárraga Lluis , Rovira Àlex , Marquié Marta , Boada Mercè , Toledo Manuel
Published: October 2024

Objective

Pathological amyloid‐β (Aβ) accumulation and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins have been described in resected temporal lobe specimens of epilepsy patients. We aimed to determine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ1‐42 and p181‐tau levels and cerebral Aβ deposits on positron emission tomography (Aβ PET) and correlate these findings with cognitive performance in adults with drug‐resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, we enrolled individuals with drug‐resistant TLE who were 25–55 years old. Each participant underwent 18F‐flutemetamol PET, determination of CSF Aβ1‐42, p181‐tau, and total tau, and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. We evaluated normalized standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) for different brain regions on Aβ PET.

Results

Thirty patients (mean age = 41.9 ± SD 8.1 years, 57% men) were included. The median disease duration was 9.5 (interquartile range = 4–24) years. Twenty‐six patients (87%) had a clinically significant cognitive impairment on neuropsychological evaluation, 18 (69%) of the amnesic type. On Aβ PET, high uptake was observed in both mesial temporal regions (ipsilateral: SUVR z‐score = .90, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .60–1.20; contralateral: SUVR z‐score = .92, 95% CI = .57–1.27; p < .001), which was higher when compared to SUVR z‐scores in all the remaining regions (p < .001) and in the ipsilateral anterior cingulate (SUVR z‐score = .27, 95% CI = .04–.49, p = .020). No significant deposition was observed in other regions. Seven patients (23%) had low Aβ1‐42 levels, and two (7%) had elevated p181‐tau levels in CSF. Higher p181‐tau levels correlated with poorer verbal fluency (R = −.427, p = .044).

Significance

Our findings reveal a considerable Aβ deposition in mesial temporal regions and ipsilateral anterior cingulate among adults with drug‐resistant TLE. Additionally, abnormal CSF Aβ1‐42 levels were observed in a significant proportion of patients, and p181‐tau levels were associated with verbal fluency. These results suggest that markers of neuronal damage can be observed in adults with TLE, warranting further investigation.
Racial/ethnic differences in the association of incident stroke with late onset epilepsy: The Northern Manhattan Study
Authors: Choi Hyunmi , Thacker Evan L. , Liu Minghua , Strobino Kevin , Misiewicz Sylwia , Rundek Tatjana , Elkind Mitchell S. V. , Gutierrez Jose D.
Published: October 2024

Objective

Little is known about the incidence of late onset epilepsy (LOE) across different racial/ethnic groups in the USA, particularly in the Hispanic population. Stroke, a strong predictor of LOE, is more common in non‐Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) and Hispanics than in non‐Hispanic Whites (NHWs). We assessed the incidence of LOE across racial/ethnic groups and examined whether the associations of stroke with LOE risk differ by race/ethnicity.

Methods

The Northern Manhattan Study is a population‐based longitudinal study of older adults enrolled between 1993 and 2001. Participants free of history of stroke or epilepsy at baseline (n = 3419) were followed prospectively for incidence of LOE. We estimated LOE incidence per 1000 person‐years in each racial/ethnic group. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the association of race/ethnicity with LOE and multiplicative interactions of race/ethnicity with incident stroke in relation to LOE, adjusting for demographics and comorbid diagnoses.

Results

During 51 176 person‐years of follow‐up, 183 individuals developed LOE. Incidence of LOE was significantly higher in NHBs (6.2 per 1000 person‐years) than in NHWs (3.3 per 1000 person‐years, p = .004). There was no significant difference in LOE incidence between NHWs (3.3 per 1000 person‐years) and Hispanics (2.6 per 1000 person‐years, p = .875). However, following incident stroke, the risk of LOE differed across racial/ethnic groups. Incident stroke was associated with 2.55 times the risk of LOE among NHWs (95% confidence interval [CI] = .88–7.35), 8.53 times the risk of LOE among Hispanics (95% CI = 5.36–13.57, p = .04 for stronger association than that in NHWs), and 6.46 times the risk of LOE among NHBs (95% CI = 3.79–11.01, p = .12 for stronger association than that in NHWs).

Significance

We found a stronger association of incident stroke with LOE risk in Hispanics and NHBs than in NHWs, offering some insight into the racial/ethnic disparities of LOE incidence.
Filling the Holes on 3D Heritage Object Surface Based on Automatic Segmentation Algorithm
Authors: Van Nguyen Sinh , Le Son Thanh , Tran Minh Khai , Le Sach Thanh
Published: October 2024

Reconstructing and processing 3D objects are activities in the research field of computer graphics, image processing and computer vision. The 3D objects are processed based on geometric modelling (a branch of applied mathematics and computational geometry) or machine learning algorithms based on image processing. The computation of geometrical objects includes processing the curves and surfaces, subdivision, simplification, meshing, holes filling or reconstructing the 3D surface's objects on both point cloud data and triangular mesh. While the machine learning methods are developed using deep learning models. With the support of 3D laser scan devices and LiDAR techniques, the obtained dataset is close to the original shape of the real objects. Besides, photography and its application based on modern techniques in recent years help us collect data and process the 3D models more precisely. This article proposes a new method for filling holes on the 3D object's surface based on automatic segmentation. Instead of filling the hole directly as the existing methods, we now subdivide the hole before filling it. The hole is first determined and segmented automatically based on the computation of its local curvature. It is then filled on each part of the hole to match its local curvature shape. The method can work on both 3D point cloud surfaces and triangular mesh surfaces. Compared to the state‐of‐the‐art (SOTA) methods, our proposed method obtained higher accuracy of the reconstructed 3D objects.
A Hybrid Framework for Characterizing and Benchmarking Fatigue S‐N Curves in Aluminum Alloys by Integrating Empirical and Data‐Driven Approaches
Authors: Esmaeili Hamed , Avateffazeli Maryam , Haghshenas Meysam , Rizvi Reza
Published: October 2024

The complicated and stochastic nature, coupled with uncertainties and data scatter, poses challenges in developing a general fatigue model. This study introduces a hybrid framework that integrates an empirical model with data‐driven approaches, aiming to address data scarcity and streamline the fatigue characterization of aluminum alloys. It was found that support vector regression (SVR) and neural network (NN) exhibit superior performance, with SVR achieving a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.13 (cycles to failure in log scale) for training and 0.14 for testing, and NN reaching an MAE of 0.15 for training and 0.16 for testing data. The employment of leave‐one‐group‐out‐cross‐validation (LOGOCV) ensured the generalizability of the models, with the effectiveness confirmed by the actual‐predicted life plot. The results demonstrated that almost 98% of predicted data fell within the life factor of ±1. This methodology reduces the requirement for experimentation and provides the prospect of automating fatigue design and characterization.
Combining Effective Plastic Strain and Surface Roughness for Predicting Future Propagation Path of Microstructure‐ Sensitive Crack (MSC) in Polycrystalline Nickel
Authors: Valiollahi Arash , Huang Haiying
Published: October 2024

This work introduces a damage index (DI) that combines the effective plastic strain and surface roughness changes to predict the future propagation path of a microstructure‐sensitive crack (MSC) in a polycrystalline nickel fatigue sample. The surface topography of a fatigue sample was measured at short fatigue intervals, from which both the effective plastic strain and surface roughness changes were calculated using digital image correlation (DIC). Three DIs based on the effective plastic strain, surface roughness changes, and their combinations were studied using two criteria, that is, the highest intensity and the confidence threshold. Comparing the crack path predicted by these DIs with the actual crack path acquired at later fatigue cycles, we demonstrated that the combined DI is more accurate and has less uncertainty in predicting the future crack path.
Patient‐reported data on the severity of Von Willebrand disease
Authors: van Kwawegen Calvin B. , Fijnvandraat Karin , Kruip Marieke J. H. A. , de Meris Joke , Schols Saskia E. M. , Meijer Karina , van der Bom Johanna G. , Cnossen Marjon H. , van Galen Karin P. M. , Atiq Ferdows , Eikenboom Jeroen , Leebeek Frank W. G. ,   the WiN study group
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The severity of Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is currently based on laboratory phenotype. However, little is known about the severity of the patient's experience with the disease. The most recent VWD guidelines highlight the need for patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) in VWD.

Aim

The study aimed to investigate the patient‐perspective on VWD severity and to identify key factors that determine the severity of disease experienced by patients.

Materials and methods

Patients participated in a nationwide cross‐sectional study on VWD in the Netherlands (WiN‐study). Patients filled in a questionnaire containing questions on the experienced severity of VWD (4‐point scale), bleeding score (BS) and quality of life (QoL).

Results

We included 736 patients, median age of 41.0 years (IQR 23.0–55.0) and 59.5% were women. A total of 443 had type 1, 269 type 2 and 24 type 3 VWD. Self‐reported severity of VWD was categorized as severe (n = 52), moderate (n = 171), mild (n = 393) or negligible (n = 120). Classification by historically lowest FVIII:C levels < 0.20 IU/mL as a proxy for severe VWD aligned with patient‐reported severity classification with a 72% accuracy. Type 3 VWD (OR = 4.02, 95%CI: 1.72–9.45), higher BS (OR = 1.09, 95%CI: 1.06–1.11), female sex (OR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.01–1.83), haemostatic treatment in the year preceding study inclusion (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.10–2.13) and historically lowest VWF:Act levels (OR = 0.26, 95%CI: 0.07–1.00) were independent determinants of patient‐reported severity.

Conclusion

This study shows that patient‐reported data provide novel insights into the determinants of experienced disease severity. Our findings highlight the need for studies on PROs with validated questionnaires to assess the burden of VWD.
Optimal transplant strategy of pediatric liver transplantation for fibropolycystic liver disease: Multicenter retrospective study in Japan
Authors: Uchida Hajime , Inui Ayano , Okamoto Tatsuya , Yasui Toshihiro , Honda Masaki , Mizuta Koichi , Bessho Kazuhiko , Okajima Hideaki , Ueno Takehisa , Matsuura Toshiharu , Okada Noriki , Sakamoto Seisuke , Kasahara Mureo
Published: October 2024

Aim

To assess the preoperative disease characteristics and indications for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), complications, patient survival, and prognosis after LDLT for fibropolycystic liver disease (FLD) in children.

Methods

We undertook a cross‐sectional survey of patients who underwent LDLT for FLD between January 2002 and December 2020.

Results

A total of 35 patients (22 male and 13 female individuals) with FLD were included in this study, of whom 19 (54.3%) had isolated congenital hepatic fibrosis and 16 (45.6%) had Caroli syndrome. Refractory gastrointestinal bleeding was the most frequent symptom related to the indication for LDLT, being found in 48.6% of our patients, followed by uncontrollable cholangitis and ascites. The median age at the time of LDLT was 8.1 years old. Of the 27 patients presenting with renal involvement, 13 patients required kidney transplantation (KT). Overall, the renal function after LDLT decreased regardless of renal involvement; however, patients with renal involvement had a significantly lower estimated glomerular filtration rate than those without renal involvement throughout the course of this study (p < 0.01). The 5‐year overall patient survival rate was 97.1%. Two patients died with a median follow‐up of 8.9 years after LDLT; one died due to sepsis 2 weeks after simultaneous liver–kidney transplantation and the other committed suicide 10 years after LDLT.

Conclusion

The prognosis of the pediatric patients who underwent LDLT for FLD was excellent. However, an individualized treatment approach based on the status of the renal function and liver disease is important, as a certain proportion of patients require KT.
Closing the gap between biology and classification in splenic B‐cell lymphomas
Authors: Blombery Piers , de Jong Daphne , Ferry Judith A , Hsi Eric D , Ondrejka Sarah L , Seymour John F , Zamò Alberto , Tzankov Alexandar
Published: October 2024

The mature splenic B‐cell lymphomas are an enigmatic group of lymphoid neoplasms that have long caused significant difficulty for the practicing pathologist due to overlapping diagnostic features among entities and the decreasing availability of splenic tissue for assessment. While some entities have highly characteristic and specific clinicopathological features (e.g. hairy cell leukaemia), others are substantially more difficult to recognise (e.g. splenic diffuse red pulp lymphoma). At the same time, classification systems have been evolving, resulting in multiple changes to the boundaries among these entities and even the existence of some entities in their own right. Moreover, unbiased multi‐omic interrogation (whole genome/transcriptome sequencing, methylome) of the splenic B‐cell lymphomas over the past decade has given us significant insights into the underling biology of these neoplasms. We present a clinicopathological perspective on the historical, current and future state of the diagnosis and classification of splenic B‐cell lymphomas integrating multi‐omic data and highlighting areas of focus for the field in order to continue to strive to improve patient outcomes through accurate diagnosis.
A high‐entropy (Er0.25Y0.25Ho0.25Yb0.25)2Si2O7 ceramic with good thermal properties and water‐vapor corrosion resistance
Authors: Zhao Bingqing , Xie Wei , Wang Hailong , Zhu Jinpeng , Li Mingliang , Cai Bei
Published: October 2024

A high‐entropy rare‐earth disilicate (Er0.25Y0.25Ho0.25Yb0.25)2Si2O7 (hereinafter referred to as (EYHY)2Si2O7) ceramic was synthesized by a heat treatment process combined with spark plasma sintering. According to the experimental results, (EYHY)2Si2O7 presents good phase stability and low thermal conductivity ([1.48–2.35] W∙m−1∙K−1) from room temperature to 1200°C. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is (3.89–5.32) × 10−6 K−1 from 200 to 1400°C, similar to SiC‐based materials ([4.5–5.5] × 10−6 K−1). Due to the multiple doping effects, (EYHY)2Si2O7 exhibits outstanding corrosion resistance performance in water‐vapor corrosion tests. Its weight loss is 1.79 mg/cm2 after corrosion at 1600°C for 30 h in the presence of 50% H2O‐50% O2, which is lower than the corresponding four single components Re2Si2O7 (Er2Si2O7, Y2Si2O7, Ho2Si2O7, and Yb2Si2O7) under the same conditions. Therefore, high‐entropy (EYHY)2Si2O7 ceramics are regarded as potential environmental barrier coatings materials for SiC ceramic matrix composites.
Static and dynamic open loop control of selective laser flash sintering conducted with direct current electric fields
Authors: Khanan David , Beaman Joseph J. , Kovar Desiderio
Published: October 2024

Selective laser flash sintering utilizes a scanning laser as a heat source to locally initiate flash sintering in the regions scanned by the laser. A key challenge towards utilizing this process for additive manufacturing (AM) is the induced electrical current that arises during flash sintering. With traditional scan patterns conducted with static electric fields, electrical and thermal runaway and associated thermal shock cracking occur. In this study, several open‐loop control strategies with static and dynamic applied electric fields were utilized to control peak currents. These strategies were shown to be effective in reducing peak currents to below 1.0 µA and reducing the severity of, but not completely eliminating cracking. Alternative strategies are suggested that could lead to complete elimination of cracks.
Characterization of hot‐pressed ZrC–TiC composites
Authors: Dizaj Amin Yousefi , Kakroudi Mahdi Ghassemi , Rezvani Mohammad
Published: October 2024

Synthesis and consolidation of (Zr,Ti)C were investigated in the present work. ZrC–TiC powder mixture was synthesized at 1650°C for 90 min by the carbothermal method. The prepared powder mixture was hot‐pressed at 1800 C for 60 min under a pressure of 40Mpa and then heat‐treated at 2100 C for 60 min. There were ZrC‐rich and TiC‐rich phases together with zirconium oxide phases in powder mixture and hot‐pressed samples, while there were no oxide phases in the heat‐treated sample and only ZrC‐rich and TiC‐rich phases were present in the sample. The FESEM image of the fracture surface of the samples shows that the porosity of the samples decreases with increasing temperature. Relative density, microhardness, and flexural strength increased from 93.8% to 98.6%, from 15.26 to 21.41 GPa, and from 185.02 to 220.69 MPa, respectively, with increasing temperatures from 1800 C to 2100 C. In contrast to these properties, the fracture toughness of the samples was reduced from 3.71 to 3.47 MPa·m1/2. The investigation of oxidation behavior also showed that oxidation is influenced by oxygen diffusion and exhibits nonlinear behavior as a function of time. With increasing oxidation temperature of hot‐pressed and heat‐treated samples from 600 to 1000°C, parabolic oxidation rate constants (kp) increased from .267 to 11.793 and from .367 to 10.993, respectively.
Paste extrusion‐based 3D printing of fiber‐reinforced ultra high‐temperature ceramics
Authors: Zaman Saqlain , Munoz Joseph , Molina Laura , Hassan Md Sahid , Mahmud Md Shahjahan , Dantzler Joshua Z. R. , Lopez Alexis , Austen Dominic H. , Shafirovich Evgeny , Nabil Shadman T , Medina Francisco , Ku Nicholas , Vargas‐Gonzalez Lionel , Lin Yirong
Published: October 2024

Ultra–high‐temperature ceramics (UHTCs) are valued for their extremely high melting temperatures and resistance to active oxidation. However, their low fracture strengths and the difficulties in shaping them into complex geometries hamper their widespread application. This study aims to fabricate zirconium diboride–silicon carbide (ZrB2‐SiC) composites reinforced with aligned SiC fibers by formulating suspensions containing a preceramic polymer, ZrB2, and SiC fibers. This study assessed the influence of fiber alignment on electrical and thermal conductivities, as well as on mechanical strength. The results revealed a significant enhancement in thermal conductivity, particularly when the fibers were aligned, effectively doubling it compared with the non‐aligned parts. Additionally, increasing the fiber content significantly improved the fracture strength, with composites containing 22.5 vol% fibers reaching fracture strengths over 57 MPa. However, the final values did not meet the theoretical expectations because the porosity in pyrolyzed parts exceeded 10%. Furthermore, the study demonstrated a 10‐fold increase in electrical conductivity with fiber alignment compared to that for non‐aligned composites. These results highlight the capability of paste extrusion‐based additive manufacturing in tailoring ultra–high‐temperature ceramic matrix composites (UHTCMCs) with aligned fibers, realizing their suitability for aerospace applications.
Microstructure and ion‐exchange properties of transparent glass–ceramics containing Mg2SiO4 crystals
Authors: Geng Kangkang , Guo Yunlan , Liu Chao
Published: October 2024

Transparent glass–ceramics (GCs) with excellent mechanical properties is a growing demand in the field of optoelectronic devices. In this work, Mg2SiO4 nanocrystals embedded transparent GCs were prepared using the melt‐quenching method. The effects of the TiO2 content on the structural and crystallization properties of glass were examined, and the influence of Mg2SiO4 crystallization on the depth of layer (DOL) for K–Na ion‐exchange was also investigated. The introduction of TiO2 was advantageous for the enhanced bulk crystallization of Mg2SiO4 nanocrystals within the glass matrix. With an increase in the TiO2 content, the size of Mg2SiO4 nanocrystals decreased, leading to an improvement in the transmittance of the GCs. Crystallization of Mg2SiO4 nanocrystals promoted the increase in Vickers hardness and ion‐exchange DOL obviously, and the Vickers hardness can further be improved by ion‐exchange. Ion‐exchange resulted in the transformation of NaAlSiO4 into KAlSiO4. Results reported here are valuable for the design and preparation of GCs with excellent mechanical and ion‐exchange properties.
Low‐dose estrogen release from silastic capsule enhanced flap wound healing in an animal model
Authors: Wang Yi‐Wen , Chen Chun‐Ting , Chou Kai‐Chieh , Huang Shih‐Ming , Ou Kuang‐Ling
Published: October 2024

Background

Deep and extensive wounds usually cannot be closed directly by suturing or skin grafting. Flap transplantation is typically used to reconstruct large wounds clinically. The flap survival is based on a stable blood perfusion. It is established that estrogen promotes wound healing and angiogenesis, and regulates the inflammatory response, leading to enhanced flap survival after transplantation. However, estrogen concentrations administered in previous studies were significantly higher than physiological levels, potentially causing systemic side effects. Estrogen‐sustained‐release silastic capsules can maintain blood serum estrogen closer to physiological levels. This study aimed to investigate whether administering estrogen at a lower concentration, closer to physiological levels, could still enhance flap survival.

Materials and Methods

This study was performed in a random skin flap model in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Sustained‐release estrogen silastic capsules were implanted into OVX mice to determine the functional role of estrogen in wound healing after flap transplantation. Flap blood perfusion was analysed using a colour laser Doppler scanner. Immunohistochemical staining of CD31, hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF‐1α), alpha–smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), cleaved caspase 3 and apoptotic terminal dUTP nick end‐labelling stain was used to investigate flap angiogenesis, tissue hypoxia, wound healing and cell death in the flap tissue, respectively.

Results

We observed that administering estrogen at a lower concentration enhanced superficial blood perfusion while reducing the flap's ischemic area and tissue necrosis. HIF‐1α expression was significantly decreased in the dermis layer but not in the fascia, whereas cleaved caspase 3 levels decreased in the fascia but remained unchanged in the dermis. Additionally, there was no significant difference in CD31and α‐SMA expression between the groups.

Conclusion

In summary, the study showed that an estrogen silastic capsule maintained physiological estrogen levels and improved superficial perfusion, thereby reducing dermal hypoxia, and cell death in a mouse random pattern skin flap model. Although no significant promotion of angiogenesis was observed, the study suggests that appropriate estrogen supplements could enhance flap wound recovery.