bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thyroid Hormone Clearance in the Paraventricular Nucleus of Male Mice Regulates Lean Mass and Physical Activity
Authors: Wu Zhaofei , Hernandez Arturo
Published: September 2024

Introduction: The actions of thyroid hormones (THs) in the central nervous system are relevant to food intake and energy expenditure. TH receptors exhibit high expression in brain areas modulating energy balance, including the arcuate, paraventricular (PVN), supraoptic, and ventromedial (VMH) hypothalamic nuclei. Methods: To examine the role of THs in the regulation of energy balance via action in specific hypothalamic nuclei of the adult mouse, we performed experiments of conditional inactivation of DIO3, the enzyme responsible for the clearance of THs, in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), and VMH and PVN hypothalamic nuclei. We accomplished DIO3 genetic inactivation via stereotaxic injection of the AAV-cre vector into adult mice homozygous for a “floxed” Dio3 allele. Results: Dio3 inactivation in the LH and VMH of males or females did not result in significant changes in body weight 8 weeks after injection. However, inactivation of Dio3 in the PVN resulted in increased body weight (both fat mass and lean mass) and locomotor activity, and decreased hypothalamic Mc4r expression in male, but not female mice. However, PNV-specific Dio3 KO did not cause hyperphagia. Conclusion: These results suggest local TH action influences MC4R signaling and possibly other PVN-associated circuitries, with consequences for body composition and energy balance endpoints, but not for orexigenic pathways. They also support a regulatory role for PVN Dio3 in the central regulation of energy homeostasis in adult life.
ПОРІВНЯЛЬНИЙ АНАЛІЗ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ТА ПОЛЬСЬКОГО ФАРМАЦЕВТИЧНИХ РИНКІВ ПРОТИГРИБКОВИХ ЛІКАРСЬКИХ ЗАСОБІВ ДЛЯ СИСТЕМНОГО ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ
Authors: Semenchuk Yu. M. , Parashchyn Zh. D. , Lobur I. P. , Stadnytska N. Ye.
Published: September 2024

Мета роботи. Провести дослідження асортименту протигрибкових лікарських засобів (ЛЗ) для системного застосування (код анатомо-терапевтично-хімічної (АТХ) класифікації J02А) в Україні й проаналізувати відповідність українського фармацевтичного ринку європейським ринкам на прикладі Польщі.
Матеріали і методи. У роботі використані офіційні джерела інформації, дані з яких було опрацьовано та систематизовано з використанням статистичного, логічного і графічного методів.
Результати й обговорення. У результаті порівняльного аналізу українського і польського фармацевтичних ринків встановлено, що найбільш чисельною у групі J02А «Протигрибкові препарати системної дії» є підгрупа J02АС01 50,85 % і 33,33 % відповідно, в якій активним фармацевтичним інредієнтом є флуконазол. Найбільш поширеною лікарською формою в Україні є капсули (43,22 %), а у Польщі – порошки для інфузій (36,88 %). Досліджено, що лікарські засоби групи J02А є монопрепаратами. Фармацевтичний ринок протигрибкових лікарських засобів системної дії у Польщі становить майже рівну кількість ЛЗ власного виробництва і закордонних виробників, український – більш імпортозалежний. Лідером імпорту протигрибкових ЛЗ системної дії в Україну є Індія, тоді як у Польщі частка лікарських засобів із країн-імпортерів більш рівномірна. Незважаючи на невелику кількість вітчизняних ЛЗ групи J02А (24,58 %), їх виготовляють на 13 українських фармацевтичних підприємствах.
Висновки. Результати аналізу українського та польського фармацевтичних ринків протигрибкових ЛЗ системної дії показали достатнє забезпечення ЛЗ групи J02А для проведення раціональної фармакотерапії грибкових захворювань. Українські фармацевтичні компанії виробляють тільки окремі підгрупи ЛЗ групи J02А (J02AС01, J02AС02, J02AС03, J02AС04). Незважаючи на певну імпортозалежність та незначну відмінність в асортименті, український фармацевтичний ринок забезпечений протигрибковими ЛЗ системної дії аналогічно польському, що свідчить про відповідність його європейським фармацевтичним ринкам. Важливим аспектом є подальший розвиток внутрішнього виробництва та стратегії стимулювання вітчизняних фармацевтичних компаній для зменшення імпортозалежності українського фармацевтичного ринку.
Poesia em movimento: uma história do solo da Ginástica Artística para mulheres
Authors: Oliveira Maurício Santos , Souza Anna Stella Silva de , Costa Vítor Ricci , Nunomura Myrian
Published: September 2024

In Women's Artistic Gymnastics, the floor exercise apparatus highlights beauty, expression and choreography. On this apparatus, gymnasts recite poems through movements and are able to tell stories with their bodies. However, women gymnasts faced some struggles to be incorporated in Gymnastics. In this conjuncture, the floor exercise event underwent many changes from its emergence in gymnastics for men to the incorporation of women in Artistic Gymnastics. Thus, this article seeks to gain better understand about the development of floor exercise event though historical research. We identified that the skills that make up the floor exercises today were present in Ancient Egypt and in medieval troupes. However, it was in the European gymnastic movement that the genesis of contemporary floor exercises occurred. Initially, the role of women was to be spectators of men’s Artistic Gymnastics, and their participation in Artistic Gymnastics sports universe was achieved through small steps in the XX century. Despite advances over the years, female gymnasts were limited by the femininity considered essential for life in society and by the defense that only sports with aesthetic plasticity would be more recommended for this public. However, we argued that the female gymnasts dictated the (new) direction of this sport, through creativity and incorporation of gymnastic acrobatic skills. Later, these elements became trends and have changed the ways of thinking the sport.
Dysregulated Mitochondrial Calcium Causes Spiral Artery Remodeling Failure in Preeclampsia
Authors: Lu Xiyuan , Wang Yifan , Geng Na , Zou Zhiguo , Feng Xueqing , Wang Yuehong , Xu Zhice , Zhang Ning , Pu Jun
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Calcium deficiency in women is strongly linked to an increased risk of developing preeclampsia. Mitochondrial calcium ([Ca
2+
]
m
) homeostasis is essential to regulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. However, the role of [Ca
2+
]
m
in preeclampsia development remains largely unknown.

METHODS:

To investigate this, human spiral arteries obtained from normotensive and preeclamptic women were collected for vascular function, RNA sequencing, and VSMC studies. N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester–induced preeclampsia animal experiments were established to investigate the effects of intervening in [Ca
2+
]
m
to improve the outcome for preeclamptic mothers or their infants.

RESULTS:

Our initial findings revealed compromised vessel function in spiral arteries derived from patients with preeclampsia, as evidenced by diminished vasoconstriction and vasodilation responses to angiotensin II and sodium nitroprusside, respectively. Moreover, the spiral artery VSMCs from patients with preeclampsia exhibited phenotypic transformation and proliferation associated with the disrupted regulatory mechanisms of [Ca
2+
]
m
uptake. Subsequent in vitro experiments employing gain- and loss-of-function approaches demonstrated that the mitochondrial Na
+
/Ca
2+
exchanger played a role in promoting phenotypic switching and impaired mitochondrial functions in VSMCs. Furthermore, mtNCLX (mitochondrial Na
+
/Ca
2+
exchanger) inhibitor CGP37157 significantly improved VSMC phenotypic changes and restored mitochondrial function in both patients with preeclampsia–derived VSMCs and the preeclampsia rat model.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study provides comprehensive evidence supporting the disrupted regulatory mechanisms of [Ca
2+
]
m
uptake in VSMCs of spiral arteries of patients with preeclampsia and further elucidates its correlation with VSMC phenotypic switching and defective spiral artery remodeling. The findings suggest that targeting mtNCLX holds promise as a novel therapeutic approach for managing preeclampsia.
Serum Soluble Corin and Long‐Term Clinical Outcomes After Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Wang Aili , Zhai Yujia , Zhang Jin , Che Bizhong , Zheng Xiaowei , Peng Yanbo , Xu Tan , He Jiang , Zhang Yonghong , Zhong Chongke
Published: September 2024

Background

Corin plays important roles in the regulation of blood volume and pressure and cardiac function by activating natriuretic peptide pathway, exerting multiple cardioprotective effects. But the impacts of soluble corin on clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke are unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations between serum soluble corin and long‐term clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke.

Methods and Results

We measured the concentrations of serum soluble corin in 3162 participants (2010 men and 1152 women) from the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke. The clinical outcomes were recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, all‐cause mortality, and unfavorable functional outcome within 24 months after stroke. Risk reclassification for study clinical outcomes of models with soluble corin were evaluated. Serum soluble corin was inversely associated with recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, and unfavorable functional outcome after ischemic stroke. After adjusting for multiple covariates, each additional SD of log‐corin was associated with a 21% (95% CI, 11–30), 16% (95% CI, 6–26), and 12% (95% CI, 3–21) decreased risk for recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, and unfavorable functional outcome, respectively. Furthermore, the addition of soluble corin to the basic model with conventional risk factors significantly improved risk discrimination for recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, and the composite outcome of all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular events, as shown by C‐statistics (all
P
<0.05).

Conclusions

Serum soluble corin was associated with decreased risks of long‐term clinical outcomes, and may be a promising prognostic biomarker for risk stratification in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Atrial Fibrillation Status and Physical Rehabilitation in Older Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: An Analysis From the REHAB‐HF Trial
Authors: Corsi Douglas R. , Dikdan Sean , Upadhyay Naman , Chen Haiying , Kitzman Dalane W. , Mentz Robert , Whellan David J. , Frisch Daniel R.
Published: September 2024

Background

The REHAB‐HF (Rehabilitation Therapy in Older Acute Heart Failure Patients) trial demonstrated that a transitional, tailored, progressive rehabilitation intervention improved physical function, 6‐minute walk distance, frailty, quality‐of‐life, and depression in older patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure. This analysis assessed the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on intervention benefits.

Methods and Results

Of 349 enrolled patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (mean age 72.7±8.1 years), 176 (50.4%) had AF. Participants were randomly assigned to 12‐week rehabilitation intervention or attention control. The primary outcome was Short Physical Performance Battery score at 3 months. Participants with AF were older (74.4±8.3 versus 70.8±7.5,
P
<0.0001) and had higher prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (58.5% versus 47.4%,
P
=0.037). Patients with and without AF had similar improvement in Short Physical Performance Battery score (mean difference between rehabilitation intervention and attention control, 1.5 [95% CI, 0.6–2.3] versus 1.5 [95% CI, 0.7–2.3];
P
<0.001). Those with AF had significant improvement in 6‐minute walk distance (all
P
<0.05) and each of the Short Physical Performance Battery domains: balance, 4‐meter walk, and chair rise. Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score significantly improved in patients with AF (
P
<0.05) but not those without AF (
P
>0.05). Interaction
P
values for 3‐month outcomes by AF status were not significant (
P
>0.1). No significant differences were observed in deaths, all‐cause rehospitalizations, or heart failure hospitalizations at 6 months.

Conclusions

In older, hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure, the presence of AF did not significantly affect the benefit of the rehabilitation intervention on physical function and quality of life. The intervention appears safe and effective regardless of AF status.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique Identifier: NCT02196038.
Well‐Being and Cardiovascular Health: Insights From the UK Biobank Study
Authors: Zhong Jinghui , Zhang Pan , Dong Yiran , Xu Yingjie , Huang Hongmei , Ye Ruidong , Liu Xinfeng , Sun Wen
Published: September 2024

Background

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading global health concern. Emerging evidence suggests a potential protective role of well‐being in reducing CVD risk.

Methods and Results

We conducted a cohort analysis using the UK Biobank data set, encompassing 121 317 participants. We assessed the well‐being of participants using a well‐being index derived from baseline questionnaires. Well‐being categories were derived by latent class analysis using general happiness and satisfaction with family, friendships, health, and finance situations. The relationship between well‐being and 4 major CVDs was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models and Mendelian randomization. The study also examined the impacts of well‐being on lifestyle factors and inflammatory markers, and its mediating role in the well‐being–CVD relationship. Higher well‐being was associated with a significantly reduced risk of various CVDs. Latent class analysis identified 4 distinct well‐being groups (low, variable, moderate‐to‐high, and high satisfaction), with higher satisfaction levels generally associated with lower risk of CVDs. Mendelian randomization suggested potential causal relationships between well‐being and reduced risk of CVDs. Participants with greater well‐being demonstrated healthier behaviors and lower levels of inflammatory markers. Mediation analysis indicated that lifestyle and inflammatory markers partially mediated the relationship between well‐being and CVDs.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a robust inverse association between well‐being and the risks of CVDs, suggesting that enhancing well‐being may be a viable strategy for CVD prevention. The role of lifestyle factors and inflammation as a mediator provides insight into possible biological pathways linking psychological states and cardiovascular health.
Ramipril After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients Without Reduced Ejection Fraction: The RASTAVI Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Amat‐Santos Ignacio J. , López‐Otero Diego , Nombela‐Franco Luis , Peral‐Disdier Vicente , Gutiérrez‐Ibañes Enrique , Jiménez‐Diaz Victor , Muñoz‐Garcia Antonio , Del Valle Raquel , Regueiro Ander , Ibáñez Borja , Romaguera Rafael , Cuellas Ramón Carlos , García Bruno , Sánchez Pedro L. , Gómez‐Herrero Javier , Gonzalez‐Juanatey Jose R. , Tirado‐Conte Gabriela , Fernández‐Avilés Francisco , Raposeiras Sergio , Revilla‐Orodea Ana , López‐Diaz Javier , Gómez Itziar , Carrasco‐Moraleja Manuel , San Román J. A.
Published: September 2024

Background

Patients with aortic stenosis may continue to have an increased risk of heart failure, arrhythmias, and death after successful transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Renin‐angiotensin system inhibitors may be beneficial in this setting. We aimed to explore whether ramipril improves the outcomes of patients with aortic stenosis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Methods and Results

PROBE (Prospective Randomized Open, Blinded Endpoint) was a multicenter trial comparing ramipril with standard care (control) following successful transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction >40%. The primary end point was the composite of cardiac mortality, heart failure readmission, and stroke at 1‐year follow‐up. Secondary end points included left ventricular remodeling and fibrosis. A total of 186 patients with median age 83 years (range 79–86), 58.1% women, and EuroSCORE‐II 3.75% (range 3.08–4.97) were randomized to receive either ramipril (n=94) or standard treatment (n=92). There were no significant baseline, procedural, or in‐hospital differences. The primary end point occurred in 10.6% in the ramipril group versus 12% in the control group (
P
=0.776), with no differences in cardiac mortality (ramipril 1.1% versus control group 2.2%,
P
=0.619) but lower rate of heart failure readmissions in the ramipril group (3.2% versus 10.9%,
P
=0.040). Cardiac magnetic resonance analysis demonstrated better remodeling in the ramipril compared with the control group, with greater reduction in end‐systolic and end‐diastolic left ventricular volumes, but nonsignificant differences were found in the percentage of myocardial fibrosis.

Conclusions

Ramipril administration after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with preserved left ventricular function did not meet the primary end point but was associated with a reduction in heart failure re‐admissions at 1‐year follow‐up.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique Identifier: NCT03201185.
Context-dependent neural preparation for information relevance vs. probability
Authors: Peñalver José M.G. , González-García Carlos , Palenciano Ana F. , López-García David , Ruz María
Published: September 2024

Preparation is a top-down phenomenon known to improve performance across different situations. In light of recent electrophysiological findings that suggest that anticipatory neural preactivations linked to preparation are context-specific and do not generalize across domains, in the current study we used fMRI to investigate the brain regions involved in these differential patterns. We applied multivariate decoding to data obtained in a paradigm where, in different blocks, cues provided information about the relevance or probability of incoming target stimuli. Results showed that the anticipated stimulus category was preactivated in both conditions, mostly in different brain regions within the ventral visual cortex and with differential overlap with actual target perception. Crucially, there was scarce cross-classification across attention and expectation contexts except on a patch of the fusiform gyrus, indicating mostly differential neural coding of anticipated contents in relevance and probability scenarios. Finally, a model-based fMRI-EEG fusion showed that these regions differentially code for specific conditions during preparation, as well as specifically preparing for category anticipation in a ramping-up manner. Overall, our results stress the specificity of anticipatory neural processing depending on its informative role while highlighting a key hub of commonality in the fusiform gyrus.
Interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence: Lessons from COVID-19
Authors: Abbonato Diletta , Bianchini Stefano , Gargiulo Floriana , Venturini Tommaso
Published: September 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for advancing science, fostering innovation, and solving global challenges. Recent years have seen a push for teamwork between experts from different fields and AI specialists, but the outcomes of these collaborations have yet to be studied. We focus on approximately 15,000 papers at the intersection of AI and COVID-19—arguably one of the major challenges of recent decades—and show that interdisciplinary collaborations between medical professionals and AI specialists have largely resulted in publications with low visibility and impact. Our findings suggest that impactful research depends less on the overall interdisciplinary of author teams and more on the diversity of knowledge they actually harness in their research. We conclude that team composition significantly influences the successful integration of new computational technologies into science and that obstacles still exist to effective interdisciplinary collaborations in the realm of AI.
We need to rethink the way we identify diamond open access journals in quantitative science studies
Authors: Simard Marc-André , Butler Leigh-Ann , Alperin Juan Pablo , Haustein Stefanie
Published: September 2024

With the announcement of several new diamond open access (OA) related initiatives and the creation of the Global Summit on Diamond Open Access, diamond OA is now at the forefront of the OA movement. However, while working on our recent Quantitative Science Studies publication and data sets, we noticed that temporarily waiving article processing charges (APCs) was a commonly used strategy by big publishers for some of their journals. In the absence of an index of diamond journals, most studies have operationalized the identification of diamond journals as a subset of gold journals that do not charge an APC. While this is a pragmatic approach, we fear that it could undermine the value of the research in understanding what we believe is more commonly understood by diamond OA. This letter discusses the need for bibliometric research to apply more nuance in how it operationalizes diamond OA beyond the absence of APCs. We call on the publishing sector to be more transparent in the costs of publishing. Ultimately, we argue that transparency and a long-term commitment to no-APC publishing are necessary for diamond OA to succeed, and that the research community needs to apply this standard when seeking to understand the model.
Three new small-flowered Magnolia species (Magnolia sect. Magnolia, Magnoliaceae) from Guatemala
Authors: ARCHILA FREDY , NAVAS ERICK TRIBOUILLIER , ALVARADO OTTO , PÉREZ ÁLVARO J. , SHALISKO VIACHESLAV , MENDOZA SANDY , VÁZQUEZ-GARCÍA J. ANTONIO
Published: September 2024

Three new endemic species of Magnolia from Guatemalan cloud forest are described and illustrated: Magnolia emilceana from Baja Verapaz Department, M. harnpariphana from Baja and Alta Verapaz Departments and M. juliana from Alta Verapaz Department. Additionally, relationships with other species are discussed, and preliminary conservation status is assigned for each species. A dichotomous key is provided for the species of Magnolia sect. Magnolia from Guatemala.
Addition to the genus Harmajaea (Agaricales, Pseudoclitocybaceae): a new and a known species from China
Authors: QI YUE , YU XIAO-DAN , HOU JIAN-XUAN , GUO HONG-BO , YANG RUI-HENG , XU AI-GUO
Published: September 2024

A new species, Harmajaea xizangense, discovered in Tibet, China, is illustrated and described based on morphological and molecular data. Morphologically, H. xizangense is mainly characterized by its small pileus, relatively larger and longer spores, and unique geographical distribution. Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on nucleotide sequences of four molecular loci: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU), the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2), and the translation elongation factor (TEF1-α). The results indicated that the specimens belonged to the genus Harmajaea, occupying an isolated position in the phylogenetic trees. Furthermore, three collections of H. harperi are introduced for the first time from Liaoning Province of China. This study provides full descriptions, color illustrations, and phylogenetic trees of the two Harmajaea species.
1. Introduction
Authors: Isaksson Bo
Published: September 2024

In the introduction, the aim of the book is presented: to understand the consecutive tenses in a modern linguistic and comparative Semitic setting. Here, the methodology that is utilised to achieve this aim is formulated: diachronic typology, a comparative Semitic approach, the concept of clause linking, Bybee’s construction theory, and a corpus-based approach. The chapter ends with a section discussing previous research.
4. The Imperfective Long Yiqṭol(u) in CBH
Authors: Isaksson Bo
Published: September 2024

Chapter 4 establishes the independent status of the long yiqṭol as an imperfective formation in Classical Hebrew, which is a common innovation in Central Semitic. Many of the earlier imperfective functions of the long yiqṭol have been taken over by the active participle (qoṭel) in Classical Hebrew, in a process of renewal of the expression for the progressive and imperfective aspect. The prototypical imperfective meanings of the long yiqṭol, such as the progressive and past circumstantial, are retained in relatively rare cases. In contrast to the archaic stage, the long yiqṭol in Classical Hebrew can no longer form discourse continuity clauses (type wa-Verb), a function taken over by wa-qaṭal. The long yiqṭol is strictly clause-internal, which facilitates its distinction from the usually clause-initial jussive short yiqṭol.
Comparing Airborne and Along-Sidewall Ground-Based Measurements to Retrieve Thermal and PM10 Concentration Profiles in Two Alpine Valleys
Authors: Gerosa Giacomo A. , Finco Angelo , Giovannini Lorenzo , Zardi Dino , Marzuoli Riccardo
Published: September 2024

The paper aims at investigating the effectiveness of estimating vertical profiles of air temperature and PM10 concentrations in Alpine valleys through ground stations positioned at different altitudes on one valley sidewall (i.e., pseudovertical profiles). Two case studies in the Italian Alps are investigated: Chiese Valley in Trentino Province and Camonica Valley in the Lombardy region. Vertical profiles of temperature and PM10 concentrations were derived from airborne measurements at the center of the two valleys by means of low-cost sensors installed on a drone during summer 2019 and a tethered balloon during winter 2020. At the same time, five stations, equipped with the same kind of low-cost sensors, simultaneously monitored the same variables on one mountain slope. Comparisons between pseudoprofiles and airborne soundings revealed that ground stations well approximated temperature and PM10 soundings during the night and early morning, while temperatures along the slopes were higher than in the center of the valley during daytime, due to solar radiative heating, with larger differences in summer than in winter. On the contrary, some episodes with PM10 concentrations slightly higher in the valley center than on the slope were recorded, due to transport events and upslope winds. Nonetheless, the pseudoprofiles based on slope ground measurements faithfully reproduced the vertical gradients of both air temperature and PM10 if compared to those assessed from the soundings performed at the center of the two valleys. Results show that pseudovertical profiles can be a reliable and inexpensive method for continuous monitoring of vertical air temperature and PM10 distribution in mountain valleys.

Significance Statement

The purpose of this study is to understand whether ground-based measurements of air temperature and particulate matter on mountain slopes can be used as suitable surrogates of vertical atmospheric soundings with tethered balloons or drones in mountain environment. This is important because balloon and drone soundings are expensive and regulative constrained. The knowledge of the vertical distribution of air temperature is crucial to predict the distribution of air pollutants in valleys, namely, the particulate matter emitted by wood burning. Our results showed that ground-based measurements on mountain slopes made with low-cost sensors can satisfactorily reproduce vertical gradients of air temperature and distribution of particulate matter in a reliable and inexpensive way.
Shedding Light on the Devastating Floods in June 1897 in Romania: Early Instrumental Observations and Synoptic Analysis
Authors: Ionita M. , Nagavciuc V.
Published: September 2024

Information about past floods and historical precipitation records is fundamental to the management of water resources, but observational records usually cover only the last 100–150 years. Using several different data sources, such as newly digitized meteorological data from several stations in the southeastern part of Romania, from historical newspapers of that time, and daily reanalysis of large-scale data, here we provide a detailed analysis of the atmospheric circulation conditions associated with a devastating flood event which took place in June 1897. The floods in June 1897 were one of the most devastating natural disasters in Romania’s history, and they were caused by heavy rainfall that started at the beginning of May and continued for several weeks, resulting in widespread flooding, especially in the eastern part of the country. The most affected areas were the cities of Braila and Galati, located on the main course of the Danube River, where the floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including homes, bridges, and roads, and disrupted transportation and communication networks. The heavy rainfall events occurring in June 1897 and the associated flood peak were triggered by intrusions of high potential vorticity (PV) anomalies toward the southeastern part of Europe, persistent and pivotal cutoff lows over the analyzed region, and increased water vapor transport over the southeastern part of Romania. We argue that digitizing and analyzing old meteorological records enables researchers to better understand Earth’s climate system and make more accurate predictions about future climate change.
An Update for Predicting Left-Moving Supercell Motion
Authors: Bunkers Matthew J. , Van Den Broeke Matthew S. , Allen John T.
Published: September 2024

A sample of 889 left-moving (LM) supercells of varying rotational strength across the United States was examined to determine if improvements could be made in predicting their motion using an existing hodograph-based technique. This technique was previously applied to a sample of only 30 LM supercells, and it was assumed that the same off-hodograph deviation from the mean wind for right-moving (RM) supercells was appropriate for LM supercells. However, our larger sample herein reveals the average deviation for LM supercells is less than the assumed 7.5 m s−1 based on a subset of 207 observed proximity soundings. At the same time, the 0–6-km mean-wind layer is still optimal for the advective component of storm motion (consistent with that for RM supercells). Applying the same methods to a subset of 678 model-derived Rapid Update Cycle/Rapid Refresh (RUC/RAP) proximity soundings generally confirms these results, but with slightly smaller deviations. These findings support decreasing the deviation parameter to 5.0 m s−1 for predicting LM supercell motion (at least for the United States). The sample of LM supercells additionally was subdivided based on strength and duration and then reevaluated using the observed proximity soundings. The predicted motion of moderate-strength mesoanticyclones had the least error, whereas the strong category had the largest errors by about 1 m s−1. Similarly, mesoanticyclones lasting 60–120 min had the least error in predicted motion. These two findings also are consistent with the results when using the RUC/RAP proximity soundings.

Significance Statement

Supercell thunderstorms produce the most devastating severe convective weather and have the greatest impact on life and property. Accurate supercell motion forecasts can be leveraged to improve messaging to the public in an effort to reduce these impacts (forecasting tools such as storm-relative helicity also can be improved). Supercells are either right moving or left moving (LM) based on how they move with respect to the mean atmospheric winds and vertical wind shear, and there is comparatively little research on LM supercell motion. Herein, we improve upon a technique to predict the motion of LM supercells and offer a simple adjustment for forecasting algorithms.
Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy (2D-COS) Tracking of the Formation of Selected Transition Metal Compounds Cu(II) and Cd(II) with Cinchonine and Their Impact on Model Components of Erythrocytes
Authors: Chajdaś Zofia , Kucharska Martyna , Wesełucha-Birczyńska Aleksandra
Published: September 2024

Cinchonine is a quinoline alkaloid known for its antimalarial properties. Due to the advantages of using compounds of metal ions with alkaloids, a copper(II) compound with cinchonine was synthesized, and, for comparative purposes, a cadmium(II) compound with cinchonine. During the synthesis, the emerging interactions between the metal ion and cinchonine were studied. After crystallization, it was examined how the obtained compounds would interact with the model blood component, hematoporphyrin IX. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) were used in the study. In the case of monitoring the synthesis, the best method turned out to be UV–Vis spectroscopy, combined with the possibility of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS), which enabled the identification of peaks characteristic of the interactions of the cinchonine quinoline ring with metal ions. In turn, the obtained Raman spectra showed shifts of individual bands and changes in their intensity, and 2D-COS showed the sequence of formation of individual interactions, which confirmed the formation of cinchonine compounds with metals. ATR FT-IR also allowed us to compare the spectra of the substrates used in the synthesis with the crystallized compounds and thus confirm the formation of the expected compounds. Bands characteristic of π–π-stacking interactions between the quinoline ring and the tetrapyrrole ring of hematoporphyrin IX were also observed. Observed interaction with a model blood component may be important when designing drugs for antimalarial therapy.
Patient Autonomy in Medical Education: Navigating Ethical Challenges in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Lu Hui , Alhaskawi Ahmad , Dong Yanzhao , Zou Xiaodi , Zhou Haiying , Ezzi Sohaib Hasan Abdullah , Kota Vishnu Goutham , Hasan Abdulla Hasan Abdulla Mohamed , Abdalbary Sahar Ahmed
Published: September 2024

The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the medical domain signifies a transformative era in healthcare, with promises of improved diagnostics, treatment, and patient outcomes. However, this rapid technological progress brings a concomitant surge in ethical challenges permeating medical education. This paper explores the crucial role of medical educators in adapting to these changes, ensuring that ethical education remains a central and adaptable component of medical curricula. Medical educators must evolve alongside AI’s advancements, becoming stewards of ethical consciousness in an era where algorithms and data-driven decision-making play pivotal roles in patient care. The traditional paradigm of medical education, rooted in foundational ethical principles, must adapt to incorporate the complex ethical considerations introduced by AI. This pedagogical approach fosters dynamic engagement, cultivating a profound ethical awareness among students. It empowers them to critically assess the ethical implications of AI applications in healthcare, including issues related to data privacy, informed consent, algorithmic biases, and technology-mediated patient care. Moreover, the interdisciplinary nature of AI’s ethical challenges necessitates collaboration with fields such as computer science, data ethics, law, and social sciences to provide a holistic understanding of the ethical landscape.
Motion primitives and sample-based trajectory planning for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft
Authors: Fu Qianyi , Li Jun , Zhao Wenjie
Published: September 2024

Navigating fixed-wing unmanned aircraft presents significant challenges, primarily stemming from the intricate dynamics involved and the demand for rapid planning. In this paper, we introduce an efficient approach that concurrently addresses nonlinear control and trajectory planning challenges. To tackle the control problem, we introduce a computationally efficient motion primitive that effectively maps feasible targets to control inputs. As for trajectory planning, we propose an enhanced, rapidly exploring, random tree algorithm capable of generating high-quality trajectories with minimal exploration. Our primary motivation is to seamlessly integrate the introduced motion primitive with a sample-based trajectory-planning technique, providing a comprehensive solution to the intricate challenges posed by nonlinear control and trajectory planning for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. Experimental results showcase our approach’s superiority, delivering enhanced control precision, faster planning speeds, and improved planning quality.
Bruno Latour and Religion: A Strange Parishioner
Authors: Hennion Antoine
Published: September 2024

Without shouting it from the rooftops, Latour never hid the fact that he was a Catholic. Taking advantage of their friendly closeness, Antoine Hennion takes the liberty of proposing various readings of the way in which this curious parishioner lived his faith, each more or less compatible with the others, and with no need to decide between them.
With and after the Inquiry: How Do We Pragmatically Move from the Moderns to the Contemporaries?
Authors: Stengers Isabelle
Published: September 2024

In Down to Earth, Bruno Latour addresses all inhabitants of the Earth as contemporary, all sharing a same present which he names ‘the new climatic regime’. It does not mean that Latour endorses a new type of coloniality, erasing differences in the name of the emergency. ‘Becoming Terrestrials’ is not a call for unity in order to ‘save the Earth’. It does however put into question the ‘charitable fiction’ Latour proposed in what he considered his opus magnus, the Inquiry into Modes of Existence. This paper will address the concern Latour expressed at the end of his life: has his Inquiry a future in the new climatic regime? Will the values Moderns both instaured and mistreated still matter for the ex-Moderns? This induces a reading of the Inquiry attentive to both its strategy and its partis pris, that confronts them with the radical orientation changes that mark Down to Earth. This results in a speculation about some of the rewritings Bruno Latour might have considered, had life granted him the time.
Ventography and the spatial politics of wind
Authors: Groupp Emilia
Published: September 2024

This article explores the co-production of wind energy resources and UK maritime territories in the North Sea. It shows how endeavors to map wind for energy are shaped by specific spatial imaginations, which are in turn making it possible for the UK to advance sovereign claims over volumetric spaces offshore. This follows a long history of efforts to study and map wind movements alongside significant chapters of colonialism, imperialism, and territorial dispossession. The practices involved in the transformation of atmospheric circulations into territorial claims center on what I call ventography: the systematic study and cartographic representation of wind in relation to political boundaries, a project which is shaped by, and subsequently enrolled in, territorialization, sovereign performances, and border regimes. In this vein, the intangible nature of wind, often thought to be beyond the grasp of spatial politics, is being transformed into a resource that is coming to play a role in the production and reconfiguration of space in altogether new ways. Through a focus on the UK’s attempts to transmute wind power into territorial power, this article traces how ventography is reshaping the scales and configurations of contemporary political geographies.
Awareness, knowledge, and attitude towards artificial intelligence: Perspective of medical students in Ghana
Authors: Ankamah Samuel , Gyesi Kwesi , Amponsah Vivian
Published: September 2024

The adoption of emerging technologies among university students has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. AI-assisted technologies are gradually permeating medical education and practice to improve healthcare delivery and reduce resource waste. This study aimed to investigate the awareness, use, and perception of AI among medical students in Emmanuel Quaye Archampong Library at the University of Ghana. Using a survey research design, data were collected from medical students at the University of Ghana Medical School. Structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents online using Google Forms. With a total of 1366 respondents, Krejcie and Morgan's published table was employed to select the study sample size of 302 medical students. Forty-eight (39.0%) medical students agreed that the use of AI-assisted technologies was voluntary without being coerced to use them. More than half of the respondents (50.4%) reported being moderately aware of AI-assisted technologies and adequately understanding the concept of AI. Grammarly and ChatGPT were predominantly used in medical studies, despite the lack of opportunities for training on AI-assisted technologies. It is recommended that regular training and guidance be provided to students to appropriately use AI-assisted technologies in research and learning.
Fostering Dialogic Reading Through Older Siblings in Immigrant Latino Families: A Pilot Study
Authors: Garcia-Salas Miguel , Wood Carla
Published: September 2024

To promote children’s language development through designs that consider familial contexts, the authors explored the effectiveness of a dialogic reading intervention customized for older siblings in immigrant Latino families. The dialogic reading intervention, developed with components of training, modeling, and coaching, systematically supported older siblings’ dialogic reading use while reading with their younger siblings. Using the CROWD mnemonic, older siblings were taught to use a range of dialogic reading prompts, thereby nurturing diverse forms of engagement during shared interactive book reading (SIBR) sessions. Moreover, older siblings were taught the PEER mnemonic to enhance their ability to respond to their younger siblings’ input in manners conducive to promoting the latter’s language development. Effects of the intervention program on three older siblings’ (1) prompting and (2) responsiveness during SIBR were assessed using a multiple-baseline across participants design. Results indicate that two out of three older siblings increased prompt frequency and demonstrated improved responsiveness after receiving coaching and modeling support. Challenges faced by one older sibling are discussed, potentially attributed to individual language and literacy difficulties. Results tentatively indicate that older siblings have the capacity to acquire and apply dialogic reading skills if given appropriate instruction and support. These results illuminate opportunities to enhance SIBR techniques among siblings, underscoring the significant role older siblings in immigrant Latino families can play in providing enriched language input during SIBR.
Establishment and validation of a nomogram model containing a triglyceride-glucose index and neutrophil-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio for predicting major adverse cardiac events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Xu Zhi-Chao , Pang La-Mei , Chen Min , Hu Guang-Quan
Published: September 2024

Objective

To analyze the predictive value of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and neutrophil-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (NHR) for in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and to establish an associated nomogram model.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we collected data from consecutive STEMI patients who underwent PCI from October 2019 to June 2023 at the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, as training and validation sets. Stepwise regression and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to screen independent risk factors, and a nomogram model was constructed and evaluated for its predictive efficacy.

Results

The TyG index, NHR, urea, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, and left ventricular ejection fraction were independent risk factors for in-hospital MACE after PCI, and were used to construct the nomogram model. The C-index of the training and validation sets were 0.799 and 0.753, respectively, suggesting that the model discriminated well. Calibration and clinical decision curves also demonstrated that the nomogram model had good predictive power.

Conclusion

In STEMI patients, increased TyG index and NHR were closely related to the occurrence of in-hospital MACE after PCI. Our constructed nomogram model has some value for predicting the occurrence of in-hospital MACE in STEMI patients.
Study on the reaction mechanism of multi-source metallurgical dust for zinc extraction and iron enrichment
Authors: Yang Ruolan , Kang Yue , Zhou Jiarun , Zheng Lijia , Liu Chao , Zhang Yuzhu , Wang Feng , Zhou Jun
Published: September 2024

Multi-source metallurgical dust can realize the purpose of zinc extraction and iron enrichment by high-temperature reduction. In this paper, based on the zinc extraction and iron enrichment from multi-source metallurgical dust in rotary kiln process, thermodynamic calculations and reduction kinetic experiments were carried out to clarify the thermodynamic conditions and kinetic limiting factors of the reduction of Fe-Zn-C-O system of metallurgical dust, and to obtain the suitable parameters of reduction temperature and reaction time, etc. The results showed that Fe mainly existed in the form of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 in metallurgical dust. Zn mainly existed in the form of ZnO and ZnFe2O4, with a small amount existed in ZnS. The starting temperatures of the reduction of ZnO, ZnFe2O4, ZnS with C were 951.09 °C, 581.55 °C and 1862.44 °C, respectively. Combined with the temperature of the smelting condition of rotary kiln, it was known that the presence of ZnS was the key factor leading to the limitation of zinc removal rate. ZnO and ZnFe2O4 showed higher reduction difficulty compared to iron oxides, so the metallization rate of rotary kiln slag could be improved by controlling the smelting atmosphere. The weight loss rate, metallization rate and dezincification rate of multi-source metallurgical dust showed an increasing trend with the change of temperature and time, and the more desirable effect of weight loss rate, metallization rate and dezincification rate were 46.7%, 87.1%, and 92.5% under laboratory conditions at reduction temperature 1100 °C and reaction time 50 min.
Exploring the Relationship Between COVID-19 Transmission and Population Mobility over Time
Authors: Bhowmik Tanmoy , Eluru Naveen
Published: September 2024

This study explores the dynamic relationship between COVID-19 transmission and transportation mobility, with an emphasis on understanding the time-varying bidirectional interplay across the different phases of the pandemic. To gain insight into this relationship, we analyzed county-level data on transmission and mobility patterns from the United States over a 74-week period using a comprehensive list of factors including: temporal factors, socio-demographics, health indicators, health care infrastructure attributes, and spatial factors. For our analysis, we proposed a simultaneous econometric model system that explicitly accounts for the bidirectional relationship between COVID-19 transmission and mobility patterns while also accounting for the influence of common unobserved factors on the two variables. The model results strongly support our hypothesis that COVID-19 transmission and mobility patterns are interconnected. Further, our findings show distinct phases of the bidirectional relationship influenced by behavior changes, vaccine availability, and the emergence of new variants. Additionally, we conducted a validation exercise on a hold-out sample to assess the robustness of our model. The results confirm the superiority of the simultaneous model system with enhanced interpretability and prediction capability. By analyzing data from several weeks for the COVID-19 pandemic, our study provides valuable insights into the evolving dynamics and potential strategies for future pandemics.