bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Assessment Prediction for Long Term Settlement using Monte Carlo Simulation for Open Dumping Area
Authors: Mohd Pauzi Nur Irfah , Kel Win Thang
Published: October 2023

Currently, there are many abandoned open dumping areas that were left without any proper mitigation measures. Deformation properties of geo-materials are considered as the necessary information to perform sound and precise stability analysis both in overall or partial aspects. In the case landfill engineering, since Municipal Solid Waste, MSW, are the main material shaping the body of these constructions, having a proper background of the compressibility and stiffness of these materials to execute the stability analyses in design procedure is necessary. Open dumping area has a potential hazard such as the settlement of the dumping sites, the release of hazardous gas and pollution of the groundwater to the environment. The objective of this paper is to determine the risk assessment at the open dumping area after they has been closed using Monte Carlo Simulation method. The risk assessment exercise is conducted at the Kuala Lumpur dumping area. The rapid urbanisation of Kuala Lumpur coupled with increase in population lead to increase in waste generation. It leads to more dumping/landfill area in Kuala Lumpur. The first stage of this study involves the assessment of the dumping area and samples collections. It followed by measurement of settlement of dumping area using oedometer. The risk of the settlement is predicted using Monte Carlo simulation method. Monte Carlo simulation calculates the risk and the long-term settlement. The model simulation result shows that risk level of the Kuala Lumpur open dumping area ranges between Level III to Level IV i.e. between medium risk to high risk.
Microsurgical Treatment of Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms: An Analysis of 74 Consecutive Cases. Approach Side Choice and Outcome Considerations
Authors: Pinheiro Leon Cleres Penido , Junior Mario Wolak , Salgado Joao Lucas , Neto Francisco L. de A. Moura , Filho Pedro Tadao Hamamoto , Zanini Marco Antonio , Fernandes Adriano Yacubian
Published: October 2023

Introduction Anterior communicating artery aneurysms (ACoAAs) are intracranial aneurysms whose treatment is still considered a challenging task.

Materials and Methods Altogether, 74 patients were included in this study. The variables included age, sex, comorbidities, incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), the Fisher, Hunt-Hess, and WFNS scores, approach side, length of hospital stay, and mortality. We also investigate A1/A2 dimensions, association with approach side choice and the influence of surgeon's experience on the outcome.

Results There were 61 patients (82.2%) admitted with SAH and 13 were treated for unruptured aneurysms. The A1 and A2 branches were larger ipsilaterally to the selected approach side (p < 0,001). No deaths occurred in the unruptured aneurysm group. In the SAH group, mortality was strongly correlated with the Hunt-Hess score (p < 0.001), Fisher grade (p < 0.001), and WFNS score (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in mortality between the right-side and the left-side approaches (p = 0.253). A significant survival difference was identified on the group operated by the senior surgeon versus the non-senior group (p = 0.048).

Discussion and Conclusion A1 dominance was identified as a factor associated to the approach side for SAH cases at our center. Understanding the factors involved in brain aneurysm surgery remains a relevant and underexplored subject. Further studies involving larger case series and multicenter collaborations are necessary to elucidate these factors and to determine the external validity of our findings.
‘Is it okay to have a child?’: figuring subjectivities and reproductive decisions in response to climate change
Authors: Meynell Leola , Morgan Mandy , van Ommen Clifford
Published: October 2023

In this article, we engage feminist theorisations of figurations as “performative images that can be inhabited” (Haraway 1997/2018) to trace some of the figures which are animating stories about climate change and reproduction in Global North contexts. We focus our reading on a handful of texts which circulate around the question of ‘Is it okay to have a child, given our climate conditions and futures?’ Throughout, we consider the relationship between figurations and our subjective becomings in response to environmental devastations. We critique and resist the hegemonic figuring of ‘the human subject’ as rational and unitary (Braidotti 2014), as this figure naturalises the Western social power relations of advanced capitalism, population control and human exceptionalism. Seeking multiplicity, we look for figures and subjective openings which enable us to become response-able to the pain of ecological worlds dying around us (Haraway 2016), including from our disciplinary location of psychology.
Localization of PPM1H phosphatase tunes Parkinson’s disease-linked LRRK2 kinase-mediated Rab GTPase phosphorylation and ciliogenesis
Authors: Yeshaw Wondwossen M. , Adhikari Ayan , Chiang Claire Y. , Dhekne Herschel S. , Wawro Paulina S. , Pfeffer Suzanne R.
Published: October 2023

PPM1H phosphatase reverses Parkinson’s disease-associated, Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2-mediated Rab GTPase phosphorylation. We show here that PPM1H relies on an N-terminal amphipathic helix for Golgi localization. The amphipathic helix enables PPM1H to bind to liposomes in vitro, and small, highly curved liposomes stimulate PPM1H activity. We artificially anchored PPM1H to the Golgi, mitochondria, or mother centriole. Our data show that regulation of Rab10 GTPase phosphorylation requires PPM1H access to Rab10 at or near the mother centriole. Moreover, poor colocalization of Rab12 explains in part why it is a poor substrate for PPM1H in cells but not in vitro. These data support a model in which localization drives PPM1H substrate selection and centriolar PPM1H is critical for regulation of Rab GTPase-regulated ciliogenesis. Moreover, Golgi localized PPM1H may maintain active Rab GTPases on the Golgi to carry out their nonciliogenesis-related functions in membrane trafficking.
Methodological insights for the study of communication in health
Authors: Thompson Teresa L. , Beach Wayne A.
Published: October 2023

The study of communication as it relates to health and healthcare delivery has historically come from two key directions: research on provider-patient interaction and research on public health campaigns. This chapter will address the first of those areas as well as some other aspects of interpersonal health communication, as those are most relevant to the heart of the present volume. The present chapter will overview the significant directions that have been evident in health communication research and theory over the course of the last several decades. In addition to providing historical context for such work, important examples of research methods and relevant theory will be discussed.
On managing dyadic sequences in triadic clinician-patient-interpreter interaction
Authors: Gavioli Laura , Baraldi Claudio
Published: October 2023

“Dyadic” monolingual sequences involving the mediator and one participant alone seem crucial in medical interaction, but may hinder talk that is in fact triadic. For this reason, dyadic talk has raised debate in dialogue interpreting literature. In this contribution, we look at dyadic sequences in two data-sets, one with interpreting taking place on a regular basis, the other in which interpreting is rarely provided and the mediators less experienced. The data show that while dyadic sequences occur in both settings, their handling appears effective in the former and highly non-effective in the latter. Our analysis highlights reasons for (non-) effectiveness and allows for suggestions to both mediators and clinicians to improve their management of such a complex talk practice.
The pediatrician’s normalizing practice in well-child visits
Authors: Ranzani Federica
Published: October 2023

Drawing on a corpus of 23 video-recorded well-child visits and adopting a conversation analysis-informed approach, this chapter illustrates how pediatricians accomplish a no-problem assessment of infants’ physical growth by implementing a “normalizing practice”. It consists of pediatricians a) formulating the numerical values for length, weight, and head circumference in terms of statistical normality which is “talked into being” by referring to the relevant growth percentile, and b) in the subsequent translation of the statistically-formatted assessment into lay language. The analysis highlights the pragmatic and epistemic work of the normalizing practice: reassuring parents and ratifying medical knowledge as the most authoritative voice. I argue that pediatricians and parents construct a shared understanding of unproblematic infant growth by cooperatively constituting statistics as the ultimate trustworthy representation of “normality”.
Establishing common ground to achieve therapeutic goals
Authors: Allan Keith
Published: October 2023

Healthcare professionals can normally assume that their patients are rational people and approach verbal interaction with the patient as they would with any fellow human being. Common ground is context shared between S (speaker, writer, signer) and H (audience) where S utters U (utterance), evoking context C1 (the ‘world and time spoken of’) so as to bring about in C3 (the ‘situation of interpretation’ from H’s point of view) H’s understanding U in terms of the relevant beliefs that S holds or purports to hold uttering U, i.e. speaking of C1 in C2 (the ‘world and time spoken in’ or situation of utterance from S’s point of view).
Extinction time in growth models subject to binomial catastrophes
*
Authors: Duque F , Junior V V , Machado F P , Roldán-Correa A
Published: October 2023

Populations are often subject to catastrophes that lead to significant reductions in the number of individuals. Many stochastic growth models have been considered to explain such dynamics. Among the reported results, it has been considered whether dispersion strategies, at times of catastrophes, increase the survival probability of the population. In this paper, we contrast dispersion strategies by comparing the mean extinction times of a population under conditions of near-certain extinction. Specifically, we consider populations subject to binomial catastrophes, where the population size is reduced according to a binomial law when a catastrophe occurs. Our findings delineate the optimal strategy (dispersion or non-dispersion) based on variations in model parameter values.
An ultra-light helium cooled pixel detector for the Mu3e experiment
Authors: Rudzki Thomas Theodor , Augustin Heiko , Immig David Maximilian , Kolb Ruben , Mandok Lukas ,   the Mu3e collaboration
Published: October 2023

The Mu3e experiment searches for the lepton flavour violating decay μ
+ → e
+
e
-
e
+ with a target sensitivity of 1 event in 1016 decays.
To achieve this goal, the experiment must minimize the material budget.
The pixel detector uses High-Voltage Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (HV-MAPS) which are thinned down to 50 μm.
Combined with gaseous helium as low density coolant, this results in only X/X
0 ≈ 0.1% per tracking layer.
Both helium cooling and HV-MAPS are a novelty for particle physics experiments.
Here, the work on successfully cooling a pixel tracker using gaseous helium, and performance data of the final HV-MAPS used by Mu3e, the MuPix11, is presented.
The thermal studies focus on the two inner tracking layers, the Mu3e vertex detector, and the first operation of a functional thin pixel detector cooled with gaseous helium.
Miniature turbo compressors are found to be sufficient to cool thin silicon pixel detectors at heat densities of up to 350 mW/cm2.
The presented results demonstrate the feasibility of using HV-MAPS combined with gaseous helium as a coolant for an ultra-thin pixel detector exploring new frontiers in lepton flavor.
Response of preosteoblasts on micromachined Ti-6Al-4V surface to microstructure dimension
Authors: Chen Zhaojie , Yang Linfeng , Xie Jin , Zhu Xicong
Published: October 2023

The cell incubation depends on the cultured surface, but various machining methods produce different surface topographies, but it has not been clear how it is related to the topographic feature until now. Hence, the machined Ti-6Al-4V surface is characterized for preosteoblasts incubation via different mechanical fabrication. The relationship between surface topography created by various machining methods and cell incubation behaviour was explored. The objective is to control the surface preosteoblasts growth in machining of biological titanium alloy. According to the cell growth kinetic, the cell incubation behaviour was first proposed and modelled in relation to microstructural dimension and culture duration. Then, the topological cultured microstructure surface was fabricated via mechanical fabrication. Finally, the cell initial adhesion and incubation behaviour on microstructured surface was investigated. It is shown that the surface undulation on machined microstructure is conducive to controlling the direction and distribution of cell incubation from cell growth kinetic model. The cell culture can be controlled on the peak with a small undulation, while it is concentred on the sidewall with a high aspect ratio. Increasing the aspect ratio extends cell growth, while low aspect ratio promotes initial cell adhesion and growth rate. Within the optimal cultured duration, the microstructured surface is more favourable for cell survival, and the cell growth keep positive beyond critical aspect ratio. As a result, the cell adhesion ability is topologically controlled to 5.4 times higher and the growth rate can be improved by 101.7% on milled microgrooved surface. It may be applied to the rapid production of biomedical Ti-6Al-4V implant.
Satellite-based solar-induced fluorescence tracks seasonal and elevational patterns of photosynthesis in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains
Authors: Kunik Lewis , Bowling David R , Raczka Brett , Frankenberg Christian , Köhler Philipp , Cheng Rui , Smith Kenneth R , Goulden Michael , Jung Martin , Lin John C
Published: October 2023

Robust carbon monitoring systems are needed for land managers to assess and mitigate the changing effects of ecosystem stress on western United States forests, where most aboveground carbon is stored in mountainous areas. Atmospheric carbon uptake via gross primary productivity (GPP) is an important indicator of ecosystem function and is particularly relevant to carbon monitoring systems. However, limited ground-based observations in remote areas with complex topography represent a significant challenge for tracking regional-scale GPP. Satellite observations can help bridge these monitoring gaps, but the accuracy of remote sensing methods for inferring GPP is still limited in montane evergreen needleleaf biomes, where (a) photosynthetic activity is largely decoupled from canopy structure and chlorophyll content, and (b) strong heterogeneity in phenology and atmospheric conditions is difficult to resolve in space and time. Using monthly solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) sampled at ∼4 km from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), we show that high-resolution satellite-observed SIF followed ecological expectations of seasonal and elevational patterns of GPP across a 3000 m elevation gradient in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. After accounting for the effects of high reflected radiance in TROPOMI SIF due to snow cover, the seasonal and elevational patterns of SIF were well correlated with GPP estimates from a machine-learning model (FLUXCOM) and a land surface model (CLM5.0-SP), outperforming other spectral vegetation indices. Differences in the seasonality of TROPOMI SIF and GPP estimates were likely attributed to misrepresentation of moisture limitation and winter photosynthetic activity in FLUXCOM and CLM5.0 respectively, as indicated by discrepancies with GPP derived from eddy covariance observations in the southern Sierra Nevada. These results suggest that satellite-observed SIF can serve as a useful diagnostic and constraint to improve upon estimates of GPP toward multiscale carbon monitoring systems in montane, evergreen conifer biomes at regional scales.
Local minimizers of the distances to the majorization flows
Authors: Benac María José , Massey Pedro , Rios Noelia , Ruiz Mariano
Published: October 2023

Let

D

(
d
)

denote the convex set of density matrices of size d and let

ρ
,
σ
∈

D

(
d
)

be such that

ρ

̸

≺
σ

. Consider the majorization flows

L

(
σ
)
=
{
μ
∈

D

(
d
)
 
:
 
μ
≺
σ
}

and

U

(
ρ
)
=
{
ν
∈

D

(
d
)
 
:
 
ρ
≺
ν
}

, where

≺

stands for the majorization pre-order relation. We endow

L

(
σ
)

and

U

(
ρ
)

with the metric induced by the spectral norm. Let

N
(
⋅
)

be a strictly convex unitarily invariant norm and let

μ
0

∈
 

L

(
σ
)

and

ν
0

∈

U

(
ρ
)

be local minimizers of the distance functions

Φ
N

(
μ
)
=
N
(
ρ
−
μ
)

, for

μ
∈

L

(
σ
)

and

Ψ
N

(
ν
)
=
N
(
σ
−
ν
)

, for

ν
∈

U

(
ρ
)

. In this work we show that, for every unitarily invariant norm

N
˜

(
⋅
)

we have that

N
˜

ρ
−

μ
0

⩽

N
˜

ρ
−
μ

,
μ
∈

L

σ

and 

N
˜

σ
−

ν
0

⩽

N
˜

σ
−
ν

,
 
ν
∈

U

ρ

.

That is,

μ

0 and ν
0 are global minimizers of the distances to the corresponding majorization flows, with respect to every unitarily invariant norm. We describe the (unique) spectral structure (eigenvalues) of

μ

0 and ν
0 in terms of a simple finite step algorithm; we also describe the geometrical structure (eigenvectors) of

μ

0 and ν
0 in terms of the geometrical structure of

σ

and ρ, respectively. We include a discussion of the physical and computational implications of our results. We also compare our results to some recent related results in the context of quantum information theory.
Crucial roles of structural, morphological, and optical properties in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanorods
Authors: Sugianto Sugianto , Astuti Budi , Ngurah Made DP , Rahayu Endah F , Widayatno Wahyu Bambang , Yudasari Nurfina , Aryanto Didik
Published: October 2023

ZnO nanorods with different structural, morphological, and optical properties were fabricated using hydrothermal process by controlling hydrothermal reaction temperature. It has been presented that the structural, morphological and optical properties of the nanorods are strongly influenced by the hydrothermal reaction temperature. XRD results show that ZnO nanorods have a polycrystalline structure with hexagonal wurtzite. Increasing hydrothermal reaction temperature up to 100 °C stimulates the vertically standing growth along the c-axis orientation on the substrate as shown in FESEM images. The growth is followed by the decrease of the transmittance and energy band-gap of the ZnO nanorods. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorod was evaluated using the percentage degradation of Coomassie® Brilliant blue and Indigo carmine dyes as a function of irradiation time. The photodegradation efficiency of ZnO nanorods synthesized with hydrothermal reaction temperatures at 80, 90 and 100 °C for decolorization of Coomassie® Brilliant blue was 71%, 75% and 81%, respectively, while for Indigo carmine was 50%, 53% and 66%, respectively. The variations of efficiency values indicate that the structural, morphological, and optical properties of ZnO nanorods play an important role in photocatalytic activity.
Filter and Wrapper Stacking Ensemble (FWSE): a robust approach for reliable biomarker discovery in high-dimensional omics data
Authors: Budhraja Sugam , Doborjeh Maryam , Singh Balkaran , Tan Samuel , Doborjeh Zohreh , Lai Edmund , Merkin Alexander , Lee Jimmy , Goh Wilson , Kasabov Nikola
Published: October 2023

Selecting informative features, such as accurate biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment, is an essential task in the field of bioinformatics. Medical data often contain thousands of features and identifying potential biomarkers is challenging due to small number of samples in the data, method dependence and non-reproducibility. This paper proposes a novel ensemble feature selection method, named Filter and Wrapper Stacking Ensemble (FWSE), to identify reproducible biomarkers from high-dimensional omics data. In FWSE, filter feature selection methods are run on numerous subsets of the data to eliminate irrelevant features, and then wrapper feature selection methods are applied to rank the top features. The method was validated on four high-dimensional medical datasets related to mental illnesses and cancer. The results indicate that the features selected by FWSE are stable and statistically more significant than the ones obtained by existing methods while also demonstrating biological relevance. Furthermore, FWSE is a generic method, applicable to various high-dimensional datasets in the fields of machine intelligence and bioinformatics.
Learning about simulated adversaries from human defenders using interactive cyber-defense games
Authors: Prebot Baptiste , Du Yinuo , Gonzalez Cleotilde
Published: October 2023

Given the increase in cybercrime, cybersecurity analysts (i.e. defenders) are in high demand. Defenders must monitor an organization’s network to evaluate threats and potential breaches into the network. Adversary simulation is commonly used to test defenders’ performance against known threats to organizations. However, it is unclear how effective this training process is in preparing defenders for this highly demanding job. In this paper, we demonstrate how to use adversarial algorithms to investigate defenders’ learning using interactive cyber-defense games. We created an Interactive Defense Game (IDG) that represents a cyber-defense scenario, which requires monitoring of incoming network alerts and allows a defender to analyze, remove, and restore services based on the events observed in a network. The participants in our study faced one of two types of simulated adversaries. A Beeline adversary is a fast, targeted, and informed attacker; and a Meander adversary is a slow attacker that wanders the network until it finds the right target to exploit. Our results suggest that although human defenders have more difficulty to stop the Beeline adversary initially, they were able to learn to stop this adversary by taking advantage of their attack strategy. Participants who played against the Beeline adversary learned to anticipate the adversary’s actions and took more proactive actions, while decreasing their reactive actions. These findings have implications for understanding how to help cybersecurity analysts speed up their training.
Interatrial block as a first clinical presentation of atrial cardiomyopathy related to a novel LMNA variant: a case report
Authors: Iavarone Michele , Covino Simona , Petillo Roberta , Russo Vincenzo
Published: October 2023

Background

Interatrial block (IAB) is a conduction delay in Bachmann’s bundle with a well-described association with structural heart disease, supraventricular arrhythmias, and cardiovascular events.

Case summary

We report the case of an asymptomatic 35-year-old man in whom the presence of IAB at electrocardiogram led to a comprehensive evaluation including speckle-tracking echocardiography, 24 h Holter monitoring, and genetic testing. Speckle-tracking echocardiography demonstrated a decrease in the longitudinal strain of interventricular septum, a typical feature of LMNA-related cardiomyopathy, and decreased indices of left atrial deformation. A diagnosis of cardiac laminopathy related to the frame shift variant c.1367 (p.Asn456Thrfs*24) of the LMNA gene was made. A dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation was performed for the high risk of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Discussion

This case demonstrates that IAB could be a rare presentation of a life-threatening laminopathy. Strain echocardiography is an essential tool to evaluate the deposition of fibrosis tissue in subclinical cardiomyopathies. Our report describes a novel variant of LMNA gene associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death.
Long-term surgical outcomes of congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis: a systematic review, meta-analysis and microsimulation study
Authors: Meccanici Frederike , Notenboom Maximiliaan L , Meijssen Jade , Smit Vernon , van de Woestijne Pieter C , van den Bosch Annemien E , Helbing Willem A , Bogers Ad J J C , Takkenberg Johanna J M , Roos-Hesselink Jolien W
Published: October 2023

OBJECTIVES

Congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) is a rare form of congenital outflow tract obstruction and long-term outcomes are scarcely reported. This study aims to provide an overview of outcomes after surgical repair for congenital SVAS.

METHODS

A systematic review of published literature was conducted, including observational studies reporting long-term clinical outcome (>2 years) after SVAS repair in children or adults considering >20 patients. Early risks, late event rates and time-to-event data were pooled and entered into a microsimulation model to estimate 30-year outcomes. Life expectancy was compared to the age-, sex- and origin-matched general population.

RESULTS

Twenty-three publications were included, encompassing a total of 1472 patients (13 125 patient-years; pooled mean follow-up: 9.0 (6.2) years; median follow-up: 6.3 years). Pooled mean age at surgical repair was 4.7 (5.8) years and the most commonly used surgical technique was the single-patch repair (43.6%). Pooled early mortality was 4.2% (95% confidence interval: 3.2–5.5%) and late mortality was 0.61% (95% CI: 0.45–0.83) per patient-year. Based on microsimulation, over a 30-year time horizon, it was estimated that an average patient with SVAS repair (mean age: 4.7 years) had an observed life expectancy that was 90.7% (95% credible interval: 90.0–91.6%) of expected life expectancy in the matched general population. The microsimulation-based 30-year risk of myocardial infarction was 8.1% (95% credible interval: 7.3–9.9%) and reintervention 31.3% (95% credible interval: 29.6–33.4%), of which 27.2% (95% credible interval: 25.8–29.1) due to repair dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

After surgical repair for SVAS, 30-year survival is lower than the matched-general-population survival and the lifetime risk of reintervention is considerable. Therefore, lifelong monitoring of the cardiovascular system and in particular residual stenosis and coronary obstruction is recommended.
Robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for mediastinal tumours in children: a single-centre retrospective study of 149 patients
Authors: Zeng Qi , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Na , Yu Jie , Yan Dong , Xu Changqi , Liu Dingyi , Zhang Qian , Zhang Xu
Published: October 2023

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this retrospective study was to summarize our experience in performing robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for mediastinal tumours in children to investigate its safety and feasibility.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved 149 patients with mediastinal tumours who were hospitalized in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, and underwent RATS for tumour resection from March 2021 to November 2022. Information on patient age, weight, tumour size, surgical incision selection, operative time, intraoperative bleeding, intraoperative complications, length of hospital stay, rate of conversion to thoracotomy and follow-up conditions were summarized.

RESULTS

All 149 surgeries were successfully completed with no cases of mortality. There were 77 male and 72 female patients, with a mean age of 5.9 years (range: 6 months–16 years, 8 months) and a mean weight of 23.6 kg (8.0–72.0 kg). The mean maximum tumour diameter was 5.5 cm (2.0–12.0 cm), the mean operative time was 106.7 min (25.0–260.0 min), the mean intraoperative bleeding volume was 11.3 ml (1.0–400.0 ml) and the mean hospital stay was 7.2 days (4.0–14.0 days). All patients recovered well with no cases of tumour recurrence or mortality during the postoperative follow-up period (3–23 months).

CONCLUSIONS

RATS is safe and feasible to apply in children with mediastinal tumours who are >6 months of age and weigh more than 8 kg in terms of short-term outcomes, but longer-term follow-up is needed to fully evaluate the benefits. For cases that are associated with greater surgical difficulty and risk, a comprehensive surgical plan should be fully prepared in advance of surgery.
Phenotypic and genomic changes during Turnip mosaic virus adaptation to Arabidopsis thaliana mutants lacking epigenetic regulatory factors
Authors: Ambrós Silvia , Olmo-Uceda María J , Corrêa Régis L , Elena Santiago F
Published: October 2023

In this study, we investigated how an emerging RNA virus evolves, interacts, and adapts to populations of a novel host species with defects in epigenetically controlled plant defense mechanisms. Mutations in epigenetic regulatory pathways would exert different effects on defense-response genes but also induce large-scale alterations in cellular physiology and homeostasis. To test whether these effects condition the emergence and subsequent adaptation of a viral pathogen, we have evolved five independent lineages of a naive turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) strain in a set of Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes carrying mutations that influence important elements of two main epigenetic pathways and compare the results with those obtained for viral lineages evolved in wild-type plants. All evolved lineages showed adaptation to the lack of epigenetically regulated responses through significant increases in infectivity, virulence, and viral load although the magnitude of the improvements strongly depended on the plant genotype. In early passages, these traits evolved more rapidly, but the rate of evolution flattened out in later ones. Viral load was positively correlated with different measures of virulence, though the strength of the associations changed from the ancestral to the evolved viruses. High-throughput sequencing was used to evaluate the viral diversity of each lineage, as well as characterizing the nature of fixed mutations, evolutionary convergences, and potential targets of TuMV adaptation. Within each lineage, we observed a net increase in genome-wide genetic diversity, with some instances where nonsynonymous alleles experienced a transient rise in abundance before being displaced by the ancestral allele. In agreement with previous studies, viral VPg protein has been shown as a key player in the adaptation process, even though no obvious association between fixed alleles and host genotype was found.
Evolutionary diversity of the control of the azole response by Tra1 across yeast species
Authors: Librais Gabriela Marsiglio Nunes , Jiang Yuwei , Razzaq Iqra , Brandl Christopher J , Shapiro Rebecca S , Lajoie Patrick
Published: October 2023

Tra1 is an essential coactivator protein of the yeast SAGA and NuA4 acetyltransferase complexes that regulate gene expression through multiple mechanisms including the acetylation of histone proteins. Tra1 is a pseudokinase of the PIKK family characterized by a C-terminal PI3K domain with no known kinase activity. However, mutations of specific arginine residues to glutamine in the PI3K domains (an allele termed tra1Q3) result in reduced growth and increased sensitivity to multiple stresses. In the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the tra1Q3 allele reduces pathogenicity and increases sensitivity to the echinocandin antifungal drug caspofungin, which disrupts the fungal cell wall. Here, we found that compromised Tra1 function, in contrast to what is seen with caspofungin, increases tolerance to the azole class of antifungal drugs, which inhibits ergosterol synthesis. In C. albicans, tra1Q3 increases the expression of genes linked to azole resistance, such as ERG11 and CDR1. CDR1 encodes a multidrug ABC transporter associated with efflux of multiple xenobiotics, including azoles. Consequently, cells carrying tra1Q3 show reduced intracellular accumulation of fluconazole. In contrast, a tra1Q3 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain displayed opposite phenotypes: decreased tolerance to azole, decreased expression of the efflux pump PDR5, and increased intracellular accumulation of fluconazole. Therefore, our data provide evidence that Tra1 differentially regulates the antifungal response across yeast species.
Bibliometric evaluation of Journal of Analytical Toxicology as a scholarly publication according to the Web-of-Science citation database
Authors: Jones Alan Wayne
Published: October 2023

Soon approaching its 50th anniversary, Journal of Analytical Toxicology (JAT) is an international scholarly publication specializing in analytical and forensic aspects of toxicology. Science Citation Index (SCI) and Journal Citation Reports (JCR), both of which are part of the Web-of-Science (WOS) database, were used to make a bibliometric evaluation of JAT articles. Between 1977 (volume 1) and 2023 (volume 47), a total of  n = 4,785 items were published in JAT; the top-ten most highly cited articles and the most prolific authors were identified. Changes in the journal impact factor (JIF) were studied between 1997 and 2022, and this metric varied from a low of 1.24 (2006) to a high of 3.36 (2020).The most recent JIF (2022) dropped to 2.5 and the corresponding 5 year JIF was 2.6. JAT’s most highly cited article (590 cites) was a working group (SWGTOX) report dealing with standard practices for the validation of analytical methods in forensic toxicology laboratories. JAT published 62 articles each of which were cited over 100 times and the H-index for JAT was 89. The most prolific author of JAT articles was credited with 119 items, the first in 1980 (volume 4) and the latest in 2023 (volume 47). JAT articles were cited 4,537 times in 2022 by all journals in the JCR database, although 520 of these were self-citations (11.5%). Bibliometric methods are increasingly used to evaluate the published work of individual scientists, university departments, entire universities and whole countries. Highly cited articles are considered more influential and authoritative compared with papers that are seldom or never cited.
The antennular setation and sternal morphology of parastacid crayfishes, with a comparison across Astacidea (Decapoda)
Authors: Kawai Tadashi , Patoka Jiří
Published: October 2023

The crustacean infraorder Astacidea is represented by two freshwater (Astacoidea and Parastacoidea) and two marine superfamilies (Enoplometopoidea and Nephropoidea). The antennule setation and sternal morphology were examined in specimens of 1) Parastacoidea: Cherax destructor, C. quadricarinatus, and C. tenuimanus from the Australian mainland; Astacopsis franklinii from Tasmania; C. gherardii, C. monticola, C. peknyi, and C. snowden from New Guinea; Paranephrops planifrons from New Zealand; Parastacus brasiliensis from Brazil; P. pugnax from Chile; and Astacoides madagascarensis from Madagascar; 2) Astacoidea: Pacifastacus leniusculus from Japan (where it is non-native); Procambarus clarkii and P. virginalis from the aquarium trade; and Cambaroides dauricus, C. schrenckii, C. similis, and C. wladiwostockiensis from Russia; 3) Enoplometopoidea: Enoplometopus chacei from Japan; E. debelius and E. occidentalis from the aquarium trade; and 4) Nephropoidea: Homarus americanus from the USA fish market; Metanephrops neptunus from Taiwan; and Metanephrops japonicus, Nephropsis stewari, and Thaumastocheles japonicus from Japan. Antennular setation and sternal morphology were identified as key taxonomic characters to distinguish between the four Astacid superfamilies (Astacoidea, Parastacoidea, Enoplometopoidea, and Nephropoidea). The two new key characters are described and illustrated in detail.
Conjunctive degrees and cylinders
Authors: Chitaia Irakli , Omanadze Roland , Sorbi Andrea
Published: October 2023

In this article, we define and study the notion of a $(c,c_{1})$-cylinder, which turns out to be very useful instrument for investigating the relationships between conjunctive reducibility ($c$-reducibility) and its injective version $c_{1}$-reducibility. Using this notion, we prove the following results: (i) Neither hypersimple sets nor hemimaximal sets can be $(c,c_{1})$-cylinders; (ii) The $c$-degree of a noncomputable c.e. set contains either only one or infinitely many noncomputable $c_{1}$-degrees; (iii) the $c$-degree of either a hemimaximal set or a hypersimple set contains infinitely many noncomputable $c_{1}$-degrees.
Impact of clinical target volume margin reduction in glioblastoma patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation
Authors: Di Perri Dario , Hofstede David , Hartgerink Dianne , Terhaag Karin , Houben Ruud , Postma Alida A , Hoeben Ann , Anten Monique , Ackermans Linda , Compter Inge , Eekers Daniëlle B P
Published: October 2023

Background

Glioblastoma (GBM) is widely treated using large radiotherapy margins, resulting in substantial irradiation of the surrounding cerebral structures. In this context, the question arises whether these margins could be safely reduced. In 2018, clinical target volume (CTV) expansion was reduced in our institution from 20 to 15 mm around the gross target volume (GTV) (ie, the contrast-enhancing tumor/cavity). We sought to retrospectively analyze the impact of this reduction.

Methods

All adult patients with GBM treated between January 2015 and December 2020 with concurrent chemoradiation (60Gy/2Gy or 59.4Gy/1.8Gy) were analyzed. Patients treated using a 20 (CTV20, n = 57) or 15 mm (CTV15, n = 56) CTV margin were compared for target volumes, dose parameters to the surrounding organs, pattern of recurrence, and survival outcome.

Results

Mean GTV was similar in both groups (ie, CTV20: 39.7cm3; CTV15: 37.8cm3; P = .71). Mean CTV and PTV were reduced from 238.9cm3 to 176.7cm3 (P = .001) and from 292.6cm3 to 217.0cm3 (P < .001), for CTV20 and CTV15, respectively. As a result, average brain mean dose (Dmean) was reduced from 25.2Gy to 21.0Gy (P = .002). Significantly lower values were also observed for left hippocampus Dmean, brainstem D0.03cc, cochleas Dmean, and pituitary Dmean. Pattern of recurrence was similar, as well as patient outcome, ie, median progression-free survival was 8.0 and 7.0 months (P = .80), and median overall survival was 11.0 and 14.0 months (P = .61) for CTV20 and CTV15, respectively.

Conclusions

In GBM patients treated with chemoradiation, reducing the CTV margin from 20 to 15 mm appears to be safe and offers the potential for less treatment toxicity.
The association between different sleep health dimensions and sex, age, education, circadian preference, and chronic insomnia: a representative population-based study
Authors: Bjorvatn Bjørn , Waage Siri , Pallesen Ståle , Buysse Daniel J , Saxvig Ingvild W
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The aims were to explore multidimensional sleep health and the different dimensions of sleep health in the adult Norwegian population in relation to sex, age, education, circadian preference, and chronic insomnia.

Methods

A representative sample of 1028 Norwegians, aged 18 + years completed a cross-sectional web-based survey. Sleep health was measured with the multidimensional RU_SATED scale, which assesses the dimensions of regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, and duration. Insomnia was assessed with the Bergen Insomnia Scale. Data were analyzed with chi-square tests, t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, and regression analyses, as appropriate. Response rate was 33.5%.

Results

Sleep health was better in males, with increasing age, and with higher educational level, and was poorer in participants with evening preference and chronic insomnia, compared to their respective counterparts. When investigating the different sleep health dimensions, males scored better than females on satisfaction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.51 to 0.93), timing (aOR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49 to 0.88), and efficiency (aOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.89). Older age was associated with better scores on regularity and satisfaction, whereas young age was associated with better scores on alertness and duration. High educational level was associated with better scores on alertness, timing, and duration. Evening types scored worse than morning types on regularity (aOR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.18 to 0.41), satisfaction (aOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.26 to 0.53), and timing (aOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.26 to 0.51). Participants with chronic insomnia scored worse than participants without insomnia on all six sleep health dimensions.

Conclusions

Sleep health differed significantly in relation to sex, age, education, circadian preference, and chronic insomnia. However, specific group differences were not equally evident in all sleep health dimensions.
Defining spatiotemporal gene modules in liver regeneration using Analytical Dynamic Visual Spatial Omics Representation (ADViSOR)
Authors: Singh-Varma Anya , Shah Ashti M. , Liu Silvia , Zamora Ruben , Monga Satdarshan P. , Vodovotz Yoram
Published: October 2023

Background:

The liver is the only organ with the ability to regenerate following surgical or toxicant insults, and partial hepatectomy serves as an experimental model of liver regeneration (LR). Dynamic changes in gene expression occur from the periportal to pericentral regions of the liver following partial hepatectomy; thus, spatial transcriptomics, combined with a novel computational pipeline (ADViSOR [Analytic Dynamic Visual Spatial Omics Representation]), was employed to gain insights into the spatiotemporal molecular underpinnings of LR.

Methods:

ADViSOR, comprising Time-Interval Principal Component Analysis and sliding dynamic hypergraphs, was applied to spatial transcriptomics data on 100 genes assayed serially through LR, including key components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway at critical timepoints after partial hepatectomy.

Results:

This computational pipeline identified key functional modules demonstrating cell signaling and cell-cell interactions, inferring shared regulatory mechanisms. Specifically, ADViSOR analysis suggested that macrophage-mediated inflammation is a critical component of early LR and confirmed prior studies showing that Ccnd1, a hepatocyte proliferative gene, is regulated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These findings were subsequently validated through protein localization, which provided further confirmation and novel insights into the spatiotemporal changes in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during LR.

Conclusions:

Thus, ADViSOR may yield novel insights in other complex, spatiotemporal contexts.
TEG-based transfusion protocol is associated with decreased blood product use without increased risk of hemoperitoneum
Authors: Bromfield Brittany , Tellez Roberto , Hughes Dempsey L. , Brown Rebecca , Andrzejewski Margaret , Bawa Aditi , Lin Fei-Pi , Tublin Mitchell , Triulzi Darrell , Ganoza Armando , Duarte-Rojo Andres
Published: October 2023

Background:

Thromboelastography (TEG) informs the need for blood product transfusions to prevent procedural bleeding complications in patients with cirrhosis. We aimed to evaluate the impact of using a TEG-based transfusion protocol on blood product utilization before paracentesis and the post-paracentesis hemoperitoneum (PPH) incidence.

Methods:

We conducted an ambispective analysis of patients with cirrhosis who underwent paracentesis from 2017 to 2021. In May 2019, we enacted a TEG-based transfusion protocol to guide pre-paracentesis blood product use. Patients with platelets < 20,000 or international normalized ratio ≥ 4 underwent TEG and received blood products if r value > 10 min or MA <30 mm. Patients were divided into pre-TEG and post-TEG protocol cohorts based on the date of paracentesis. Pre-paracentesis blood product transfusions in the form of platelets, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitates were recorded. PPH was defined as a decrease in hemoglobin of ≥1 g and the presence of blood on diagnostic imaging and/or the need for therapeutic intervention.

Results:

A total of 483 patients underwent 1281 paracenteses. The main etiologies of cirrhosis were alcohol (43%) and NASH (25%), and the mean MELD-sodium was 22±6. Pre-TEG and post-TEG protocol cohort sizes were similar: 253 patients and 607 paracenteses versus 230 patients and 674 paracenteses. After TEG-protocol implementation, blood product transfusions decreased significantly (228 vs. 49 products, p<0.001) with associated cost savings. One patient in each cohort developed PPH.

Conclusion:

Implementation of a pre-paracentesis TEG-based transfusion protocol for patients with cirrhosis successfully resulted in decreased blood product use with no associated increase in incidence of PPH.
Neuropeptide Y gene polymorphisms and chronic kidney disease progression
Authors: Spoto Belinda , Mallamaci Francesca , Politi Cristina , Parlongo Rosa Maria Teresa , Leonardis Daniela , Capasso Giovambattista , Tripepi Giovanni , Zoccali Carmine
Published: October 2023

Background:

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neurotransmitter expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, which is involved in regulating a multitude of physiological processes ranging from arterial pressure, energy balance, the immune response and inflammation and renal electrolyte transport. In a cohort of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, we recently showed that high plasma NPY levels predict renal disease progression independently of hypertension and other risk factors but the causal nature of this association remains unproven.

Methods:

In the same cohort of the previous study, we tested the relationship of NPY gene variability, as assessed by five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that explained the whole gene variability, with the incidence rate of a predefined combined renal endpoint (dialysis/transplantation/estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction >30%) over a median follow up of 36 months (inter-quartile range 35–37 months) in 735 ethnically homogeneous patients with stage 2–5 CKD.

Results:

Two variants [rs16131 (recessive model for the T risk allele: TT, n = 563; CT + CC, n = 172) and rs16140 (dominant model for the G risk allele: GG + CG, n = 413; CC, n = 322)] were coherently associated with the incidence rate of renal events [hazard ratio (HR) ranging from 1.39 to 1.57, P ≤ 0.015] and this was also true when the two SNPs were jointly introduced into the same Cox model (P ≤ 0.043). The analysis of the biological interaction showed a significant synergism between the NPY rs16131 and rs16140 variants. Indeed, patients harboring NPY rs16131 TT and NPY rs16140 GG + CG risk genotypes had a much higher HR of renal events [HR: 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.16–2.79, P = 0.009] than that expected in the absence of biological interaction under both the additive and multiplicative models and the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) was 25% and 38% on crude and adjusted analyses, respectively.

Conclusion:

This study, based on the Mendelian randomization approach and using NPY gene variants as instrumental variables to test the link between NPY and CKD progression, is in line with findings indicating that high plasma NPY levels predict an increased risk for renal events and lend support to the hypothesis that NPY is causally involved in renal disease progression.