bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perioperative and mid-term outcomes of mitral valve surgery with and without concomitant surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Pregaldini Fabio , Çelik Mevlüt , Mosbahi Selim , Barmettler Stefania , Praz Fabien , Reineke David , Siepe Matthias , Pingpoh Clarence
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVES

We retrospectively analysed perioperative and mid-term outcomes for patients undergoing mitral valve surgery with and without atrial fibrillation.

METHODS

Patients who underwent mitral valve surgery between January 2018 and February 2023 were included and categorized into 3 groups: ‘No AF’ (no documented atrial fibrillation), ‘AF no SA’ (atrial fibrillation without surgical ablation) and ‘AF and SA’ (atrial fibrillation with concomitant surgical ablation). Groups were compared for perioperative and mid-term outcomes, including mortality, stroke, bleeding and pacemaker implantation. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Of the 400 patients included, preoperative atrial fibrillation was present in 43%. Mean follow-up was 1.8 (standard deviation: 1.1) years. The patients who underwent surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation exhibited similar overall outcomes compared to patients without preoperative atrial fibrillation. Patients with untreated atrial fibrillation showed higher mortality (‘No AF’: 2.2% versus ‘AF no SA’: 8.3% versus ‘AF and SA’: 3.2%; P-value 0.027) and increased postoperative pacemaker implantation rates (‘No AF’: 5.7% versus ‘AF no SA’: 15.6% versus ‘AF and SA’: 7.9%, P-value: 0.011). In a composite analysis of adverse events (Mortality, Bleeding, Stroke), the highest incidence was observed in patients with untreated atrial fibrillation, while patients with treated atrial fibrillation had similar outcomes as those without preoperative documented atrial fibrillation (‘No AF’: 9.6% versus ‘AF no SA’: 20.2% versus ‘AF and SA’ 3: 9.5%, P-value: 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant surgical ablation should be considered in mitral valve surgery for atrial fibrillation, as it leads to similar mid-term outcomes compared to patients without preoperative documented atrial fibrillation.
Comparative analysis of gene regulatory networks identifies conserved regulators in seed plants
Authors: Wulf Donat , Bräutigam Andrea
Published: August 2024

Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) based on transcription factors (TFs) control development and environmental responses. In this study, GRNs were inferred computationally using random forest decision tree-based regression. Networks were constructed for the grasses barley, maize, wheat, brachypodium, sorghum and rice. When compared with Arabidopsis thaliana and alga networks, they show substantial conservation. The degree of conservation depends on phylogenetic closeness. The processes are conserved between all species include basic cellular functions while the processes conserved only in the grasses are annotated with more specific gene ontology terms. In the three species with a carbon concentration mechanism, photorespiration is partially dissociated from photosynthetic regulation. In contrast, in the C4 species, the regulation of C4 genes is associated with photosynthetic regulation. The comparative analyses reveal conserved TFs that control photosynthesis in seed plants but not in the alga. The analyses resulted in a pipeline for the general transfer of information between the small dicot A. thaliana and the commercially relevant grasses.
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to iron(III) reduction catalyzed by a lithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing iron(II) oxidizing enrichment culture
Authors: Zhang Hong-Bin , Wang He-Fei , Liu Jia-Bo , Bi Zhen , Jin Ruo-Fei , Tian Tian
Published: August 2024

The last two decades have seen nitrogen/iron-transforming bacteria at the forefront of new biogeochemical discoveries, such as anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to ferric iron reduction (feammox) and lithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing ferrous iron-oxidation (NRFeOx). These emerging findings continue to expand our knowledge of the nitrogen/iron cycle in nature and also highlight the need to re-understand the functional traits of the microorganisms involved. Here, as a proof-of-principle, we report compelling evidence for the capability of an NRFeOx enrichment culture to catalyze the feammox process. Our results demonstrate that the NRFeOx culture predominantly oxidizes NH4+ to nitrogen gas, by reducing both chelated nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-Fe(III) and poorly soluble Fe(III)-bearing minerals (γ-FeOOH) at pH 4.0 and 8.0, respectively. In the NRFeOx culture, Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria of Rhodanobacter and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria of unclassified_Acidobacteriota coexisted. Their relative abundances were dynamically regulated by the supplemented iron sources. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the NRFeOx culture contained a complete set of denitrifying genes along with hao genes for ammonium oxidation. Additionally, numerous genes encoding extracellular electron transport-associated proteins or their homologs were identified, which facilitated the reduction of extracellular iron by this culture. More broadly, this work lightens the unexplored potential of specific microbial groups in driving nitrogen transformation through multiple pathways and highlights the essential role of microbial iron metabolism in the integral biogeochemical nitrogen cycle.
Climate Refugees in India: Seeking Security between Disaster Diplomacy and Strategic Ambiguity
Authors: Bollempalli Manasa
Published: August 2024

Among the 100 million refugees and displaced persons in 2022, the category of “climate refugees” has become more salient, yet countries still do not know how to handle it. Two aspects of climate refugees also remain understudied; how climate refugees are perceived, since they are viewed through the dual lenses of climate risks and migratory flows and how these perceptions impact policies. Climate refugees are thus doubly impacted by the spill-over effect of securitization processes in the fields of climate change and immigration. This paper analyzes how climate- and migration-security legislation in a resource-constrained nation conceptualizes climate refugees, and how their diverse conceptual categories spill over into policymaking and create a mutually beneficial and humanitarian approach for host and migrant populations. This paper uses India as a case study based on its historical practice of refugee protection despite significant resource constraints, high risk of inbound climate refugees, participation in key global agreements, and domestic discourse over climate and immigration securitization. Using policy analysis and expert interviews, this study demonstrates that India successfully exemplifies a broadly humanitarian climate mobility regime in the South Asian region through relocations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, and ad hoc legal protection. Despite crucial structural limitations, India illustrates a democratic global south template implicitly recognizing migrants’ vulnerability to climate change and attempts to minimize risk, with potential for replication in other developing and developed nations. This normative policy framework, notwithstanding its limitations, presents an alternative to the threat-centric and unsustainable securitization of climate migration practiced in the Global North.
Smart Buildings, Tech Innovation, Career Inspiration
Authors: Powell Grant
Published: August 2024

Grant Powell MBCS recently spoke to Joanna Bako, Digital Consultant at Arup about tech innovation in the smart buildings environment and why inspiring others is key.
How to Integrate AI Successfully
Authors: Cooper Martin
Published: August 2024

Sulabh Soral, Chief AI Officer for Deloitte's UK arm, tells Martin Cooper MBCS about the steps that can help businesses transform AI from an idea into a technology that delivers value across an enterprise.
Post Office Scandal: Understanding Computer Evidence
Authors: De Silva Sam
Published: August 2024

The legal assumption that computer evidence is always right was one of the many reasons why over 700 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted. Dr Sam De Silva CITP FBCS explains how the law works, why it may have been drafted this way, and how it needs changing.
Neurodiversity and Cyber Security Awareness Training
Authors: Cooper Martin
Published: August 2024

Not everybody thinks the same way, Jemma Davis tells Martin Cooper MBCS. Learning this lesson, she says, might help organisations unlock their employees' full potential as an army of truly engaged cyber security defenders.
Biliary pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis of continuous infusion meropenem/vaborbactam in a case series of orthotopic liver transplant recipients
Authors: Gatti Milo , Rinaldi Matteo , Laici Cristiana , Ambretti Simone , Siniscalchi Antonio , Viale Pierluigi , Pea Federico
Published: August 2024

Objective

To analyse the biliary pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of continuous infusion (CI) meropenem-vaborbactam (MEM-VBM) in a case series of orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients being treated for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) related biliary tract infections (BTIs) or as preemptive therapy of KPC-Kp rectal colonization.

Methods

Critical OLT recipients receiving CI MEM-VBM (2 g/2 g q8h over 8 h) because of KPC-Kp related BTIs or as preemptive therapy of KPC-Kp rectal colonization, having Kehr’s tube positioned and undergoing simultaneous therapeutic drug monitoring of MEM and VBM in plasma and bile were retrospectively assessed. Bile-to-plasma ratio of free steady-state concentrations (fCss) of MEM and VBM was used for assessing biliary penetration. Optimal joint MEM-VBM PK/PD target attainment was defined as MEM fCss/MIC ratio >4 coupled with VBM free area under time–concentration curve (fAUC)/threshold concentration (CT) ratio >24.

Results

Overall, four critical OLT recipients were included. Median bile-to-plasma ratio was 0.32 for MEM (range 0.21–0.79) and 0.40 for VBM (range 0.20–0.77). Biliary MEM-VBM joint PK/PD target attainment was optimal in 3/4 OLT recipients and quasi-optimal in the other one.

Conclusions

The 1:1 proportion between MEM and VBM concentrations was maintained unchanged in the bile, allowing us to assume that the efficacy of MEM-VBM may be appropriate even in the treatment of BTIs. CI administration was an effective strategy for attaining aggressive biliary joint PK/PD targets against pathogens with an MIC up to 2 mg/L.
Isolation and characterization of enterococci from poultry reveals high incidence of Enterococcus thailandicus in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Wigmore Sarah M , Greenhill Andrew R , Bean David C
Published: August 2024

Aims

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis. Roughly two-thirds of all antibiotics used are in production animals, which have the potential to impact the development of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens of humans. There is little visibility on the extent of antibiotic resistance in the Australian food chain. This study sought to establish the incidence of antibiotic resistance among enterococci from poultry in Victoria.

Methods and results

In 2016, poultry from a Victorian processing facility were swabbed immediately post-slaughter and cultured for Enterococcus species. All isolates recovered were speciated and tested for antibiotic susceptibility to 12 antibiotics following the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. A total of 6 farms and 207 birds were sampled and from these 285 isolates of Enterococcus were recovered. Eight different enterococcal species were identified as follows: E. faecalis (n = 122; 43%), E. faecium (n = 92; 32%), E. durans (n = 35; 12%), E. thailandicus (n = 23; 8%), E. hirae (n = 10; 3%), and a single each of E. avium, E. gallinarum, and E. mundtii. Reduced susceptibility to older classes of antibiotics was common, in particular: erythromycin (73%), rifampin (49%), nitrofurantoin (40%), and ciprofloxacin (39%). Two vancomycin-intermediate isolates were recovered, but no resistance was detected to either linezolid or gentamicin.

Conclusions

The relatively high numbers of a recently described species, E. thailandicus, suggest this species might be well adapted to colonize poultry. The incidence of antibiotic resistance is lower in isolates from poultry than in human medicine in Australia. These results suggest that poultry may serve as a reservoir for older antibiotic resistance genes but is not driving the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in human bacterial pathogens. This is supported by the absence of resistance to linezolid and gentamicin.
Utilizing active learning strategies in machine-assisted annotation for clinical named entity recognition: a comprehensive analysis considering annotation costs and target effectiveness
Authors: Liu Jiaxing , Wong Zoie S Y
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Active learning (AL) has rarely integrated diversity-based and uncertainty-based strategies into a dynamic sampling framework for clinical named entity recognition (NER). Machine-assisted annotation is becoming popular for creating gold-standard labels. This study investigated the effectiveness of dynamic AL strategies under simulated machine-assisted annotation scenarios for clinical NER.

Materials and Methods

We proposed 3 new AL strategies: a diversity-based strategy (CLUSTER) based on Sentence-BERT and 2 dynamic strategies (CLC and CNBSE) capable of switching from diversity-based to uncertainty-based strategies. Using BioClinicalBERT as the foundational NER model, we conducted simulation experiments on 3 medication-related clinical NER datasets independently: i2b2 2009, n2c2 2018 (Track 2), and MADE 1.0. We compared the proposed strategies with uncertainty-based (LC and NBSE) and passive-learning (RANDOM) strategies. Performance was primarily measured by the number of edits made by the annotators to achieve a desired target effectiveness evaluated on independent test sets.

Results

When aiming for 98% overall target effectiveness, on average, CLUSTER required the fewest edits. When aiming for 99% overall target effectiveness, CNBSE required 20.4% fewer edits than NBSE did. CLUSTER and RANDOM could not achieve such a high target under the pool-based simulation experiment. For high-difficulty entities, CNBSE required 22.5% fewer edits than NBSE to achieve 99% target effectiveness, whereas neither CLUSTER nor RANDOM achieved 93% target effectiveness.

Discussion and Conclusion

When the target effectiveness was set high, the proposed dynamic strategy CNBSE exhibited both strong learning capabilities and low annotation costs in machine-assisted annotation. CLUSTER required the fewest edits when the target effectiveness was set low.
Sex-based disparities with cost-related medication adherence issues in patients with hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure
Authors: Agapito Ivann , Hoang Tu , Sayer Michael , Naqvi Ali , Patel Pranav M , Ozaki Aya F
Published: August 2024

Importance and Objective

Identifying sources of sex-based disparities is the first step in improving clinical outcomes for female patients. Using All of Us data, we examined the association of biological sex with cost-related medication adherence (CRMA) issues in patients with cardiovascular comorbidities.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective data collection identified the following patients: 18 and older, completing personal medical history surveys, having hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD), or heart failure (HF) with medication use history consistent with these diagnoses. Implementing univariable and adjusted logistic regression, we assessed the influence of biological sex on 7 different patient-reported CRMA outcomes within HTN, IHD, and HF patients.

Results

Our study created cohorts of HTN (n = 3891), IHD (n = 5373), and HF (n = 2151) patients having CRMA outcomes data. Within each cohort, females were significantly more likely to report various cost-related medication issues: being unable to afford medications (HTN hazards ratio [HR]: 1.68, confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-2.13; IHD HR: 2.33, CI: 1.72-3.16; HF HR: 1.82, CI: 1.22-2.71), skipping doses (HTN HR: 1.76, CI: 1.30-2.39; IHD HR: 2.37, CI: 1.69-3.64; HF HR: 3.15, CI: 1.87-5.31), taking less medication (HTN HR: 1.86, CI: 1.37-2.45; IHD HR: 2.22, CI: 1.53-3.22; HF HR: 2.99, CI: 1.78-5.02), delaying filling prescriptions (HTN HR: 1.83, CI: 1.43-2.39; IHD HR: 2.02, CI: 1.48-2.77; HF HR: 2.99, CI: 1.79-5.03), and asking for lower cost medications (HTN HR: 1.41, CI: 1.16-1.72; IHD HR: 1.75, CI: 1.37-2.22; HF HR: 1.61, CI: 1.14-2.27).

Discussion and Conclusion

Our results clearly demonstrate CRMA issues disproportionately affect female patients with cardiovascular comorbidities, which may contribute to the larger sex-based disparities in cardiovascular care. These findings call for targeted interventions and strategies to address these disparities and ensure equitable access to cardiovascular medications and care for all patients.
Fluorofentanyl and novel synthetic opioids in accidental overdose deaths
Authors: Yu Jihau , Diekhans Katie , Tsang Anson , Rodda Luke N
Published: August 2024

One of the quickest-growing subclasses of novel psychoactive substances is novel synthetic opioids (NSOs), which are categorized as fentanyl analogs (fentalogs) or nonfentanyl opioids that bind to the mu-opioid receptor. Increased detections of NSOs have been observed in the USA. However, limited information on their prevalence outside of the East Coast is available. This study details the prevalence of NSOs, specifically fluorofentanyl, in the biological and drug paraphernalia specimens of accidental overdose deaths in San Francisco in 2022. A recently developed and validated liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was utilized for the analysis of >250 NSOs. Out of the 649 accidental overdose deaths in 2022, 617 cases were available for blood analysis, with at least 1 NSO detected in 48 cases (7.8%). Fentalogs were detected in all 48 cases, with fluorofentanyl being detected in 40 cases. In postmortem femoral blood, estimated concentrations of fluorofentanyl ranged from 0.1 to 8.9 ng/mL, and 0.05 to 85 ng/mL in urine. Polysubstance use with NSO was seen with fentanyl (89.6%), methamphetamine (70.8%), cocaine (33.3%), and heroin (18.8%). NSOs, mainly fluorofentanyl, were observed in matched drug paraphernalia. This report documents the migration of fluorofentanyl to the West Coast, specifically California.
Prophylactic Antibiotics Are Unnecessary for Routine CO2 Laser Burn Scar Treatment
Authors: Zilinskas Kasparas , Mittal Rohit , Hollowed Kathleen , Kahn Steven A
Published: August 2024

CO2 ablative fractional laser (CO2 AFL) therapy is a safe and effective procedure when used in the treatment of hypertrophic scars for burn patients. It has a high patient satisfaction rate and a minimal side effect profile, typically consisting of postoperative pain, irritation, surgical site inflammation, and, in rare cases, infection. Although prophylactic antibiotics have historically been recommended, there is a paucity of literature on the topic and recent studies indicate that they may be unnecessary in routine cases. In this retrospective, single-center descriptive study, 230 cases in patients with hypertrophic burn scars treated with CO2 AFL therapy were compared. 28 cases were with the use of prophylactic antibiotics and 201 cases were without the use of prophylactic antibiotics. We found that there was no significant association between the use of antibiotics and the prevention of topical skin infection in cases treated with CO2 AFL therapy (P = 1). Therefore, we conclude that the omission of prophylactic antibiotics is not associated with an increased risk of infection and recommend that prophylactic antibiotics should not be indicated in the setting of routine CO2 AFL therapy for patients with hypertrophic burn scars.
Fractional numerical analysis of γ-Al2O3 nanofluid flows with effective Prandtl number for enhanced heat transfer
Authors: Khan Mumtaz , Lu Dianchen , Rasool Ghulam , Deebani Wejdan , Shaaban Shaaban M
Published: August 2024

Nanoparticles have gained recognition for significantly improving convective heat transfer efficiency near boundary layer flows. The characteristics of both momentum and thermal boundary layers are significantly influenced by the Prandtl number, which holds a crucial role. In this vein, the current study conducted a detailed computational analysis of the mixed convection flow of $\gamma$Al$_2$O$_3$-H$_2$O and $\gamma$Al$_2$O$_3$-C$_2$H$_6$O$_2$ nanofluids over a stretching surface. This research integrates an effective Prandtl number, utilizing viscosity and thermal conductivity models based on empirical findings. Additionally, a unique double-fractional constitutive model is debuted to accurately evaluate the effective Prandtl number’s function in the boundary layer. The equations were solved using a numerical technique that combined the finite-difference method with the L$_1$ algorithm. This investigation presents numerical findings related to the velocity, temperature distributions, wall shear stress coefficient, and heat transfer coefficient, contrasting scenarios with and without the effective Prandtl number. The research shows that integrating nanoparticles into the base fluids reduces the temperature of the nanofluid with an effective Prandtl number while enhancing the heat transfer rate irrespective of its presence. Nonetheless, the introduction of a fractional parameter reduced the heat transfer efficiency within the system. Notably, the $\gamma$Al$_2$O$_3$-C$_2$H$_6$O$_2$ nanofluid demonstrates superior heat transfer enhancement capabilities compared to its $\gamma$Al$_2$O$_3$-H$_2$O counterpart but also exacerbates the drag coefficient more significantly. Many practical applications of this study include electronics cooling, industrial process heat exchangers, and rotating and stationary gas turbines in power plants, and efficient heat exchangers in aircraft.
Editors’ Introduction
Authors: Ashraph Sareta , Chaikel Danya , Gavshon Daniela , Sutherland Kirsty
Published: August 2024

Civil society has long been a key actor in the pursuit of accountability. Moreover, civil society has often helped define what accountability is and how to achieve it. This symposium looks at various contributions made by civil society organizations to the international justice landscape. First, as pioneers in establishing international tribunals or justice mechanisms and intervening in cases before them, and secondly, through contributing to emerging alternative processes. These processes include vetting, sanctions, cases focused on civil liability of alleged perpetrators, and the establishment of People’s Tribunals. These avenues are proving to be innovative ways to fulfil many important goals of accountability, in the face of a slower-moving criminal justice system. This symposium offers diverse perspectives on civil society contributions to today’s expanding accountability efforts — provided by those working in them — as an opportunity to consider the current, and arguably shifting, justice infrastructure.
NCI workshop on ctDNA in cancer treatment and clinical care
Authors: Sorg Brian S , Byun Jung S , Westbrook V Anne , Tricoli James V , Doroshow James H , Harris Lyndsay N
Published: August 2024

Detection of cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from solid tumors is a fast-evolving field with significant potential for improving patient treatment outcomes. The spectrum of applications for ctDNA assays is broad and includes very diverse intended uses that will require different strategies to demonstrate utility. On September 14-15, 2023, the National Cancer Institute held an in-person workshop in Rockville, MD titled “ctDNA in Cancer Treatment and Clinical Care.” The goal of the workshop was to examine what is currently known and what needs to be determined for various ctDNA liquid biopsy use cases related to treatment and management of patients with solid tumors and to explore how the community can best assess the value of ctDNA assays and technology. Additionally, new approaches were presented that may show promise in the future. The information exchanged in this workshop will provide the community with a better understanding of this field and its potential to affect and benefit decision-making in the treatment of patients with solid tumors.
The persistence of toxic online messages influences perceptions of harm and attributions of blame
Authors: Monge Charles K , Matthews Nicholas L , DeAndrea David C
Published: August 2024

Researchers often use attribution theory to understand how people make sense of messages. Unlike the ephemeral actions typically investigated using attribution frameworks, messages can persist. Our study observed how persistence influences the harmfulness of messages and how people levy blame upon harmful posters and those ostensibly obligated and capable of intervening. Grounded in the path model of blame, a randomized experiment (N = 520) tested whether persistence cues in an online environment (low vs high message persistence) influenced appraisals of the harmfulness of online toxicity (i.e., sexism on Reddit), inferences of mental states for relevant agents (e.g., awareness, capacity), attributions of blame, and motives to respond. Results indicated that greater persistence increased perceived harmfulness and motivated individuals to place greater blame upon inactive/ineffective moderators who were capable of intervening.
The nuts and bolts of recombination in the generation of SARS-CoV-2 variants; from XA to XBB
Authors: Karim Bardia , Barary Mohammad , Fereydouni Zahra , Sanjari Elaheh , Hosseinzadeh Rezvan , Salehi-Vaziri Mostafa , Maleki Ali
Published: August 2024

Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), new variants with enhanced transmissibility and pathogenicity have surfaced. The World Health Organization has designated five such variants—Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529)—as variants of concern. Each variant exhibits distinct characteristics, with many displaying a combination of point mutations and insertions/deletions (indels). These genetic alterations, including mutations, recombinations, and rearrangements, contribute to the emergence of new strains that may exhibit modified phenotypes. However, identifying recombinant forms can be challenging due to their resemblance to other lineages. It is critical to monitor the evolution of new recombinant variants, particularly in light of the potential for vaccine-resistant strains and their accelerated propagation. Recombination has played a pivotal role in the development of certain SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as XA, XD, XF, XE, and XBB, among others. This report delves into the significance of recombination in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially Omicron sublineages, underscoring the necessity for continuous surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 genome to identify newly emerged recombinant variants.
Avicenna’s logics with sentence-type terms: 1. Wholly muttaṣil syllogisms
Authors: Hodges Wilfrid
Published: August 2024

We study an early and neglected logical work of Avicenna from around the years AD 990–1000, known as Short Epitome in Logic. In this work Avicenna introduces a new form of hypothetical logic, based on the categorical syllogisms of Aristotle but with terms that are sentences rather than nouns. His reading of the sentences of this logic anticipates the ‘adverbs of quantification’ of David Lewis, and the design of the new logic is close to that of George Boole’s ‘theory of Secondary Propositions’.
Inverse Modeling of Heterogeneous Structures in Electron Probe Microanalysis
Authors: Richter Silvia , Achuda Gaurav , Pinard Philippe T , Claus Tamme , Torrilhon Manuel
Published: August 2024

Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is a powerful tool for chemical characterization of materials on a microscopic scale. However, EPMA has the drawback that its information volume has a spatial extent of some 100 nm to a few µm. With the introduction of new electron sources, i.e., Schottky Thermal Field and Cold Field Emitter, where the electron beam is focused down to a few nm, measurements can be nowadays performed on the sub-micrometer scale. The goal of the work is to reveal the chemical composition of structures smaller than the excitation volume. New strategies are presented where the acquisition is performed at different positions on the sample and as a scan across a fine structure by using one or more single beam energies. Besides the well-known Monte-Carlo simulation, a deterministic model is also used. The deterministic model is based on moment equations of the Boltzmann equation. Inverse modeling is presented for several case studies. Due to the highly complex nonlinearity of the inverse model, an ill-posed and well-posed problem is shown as well. Finally, the method is extended to reconstruct 2D structures, i.e., rectangular shaped particles, with heterogeneous composition on lateral and depth scale.
Breaking Barriers to Exercise
Authors: Otto Michael W. , Smits Jasper A. J.
Published: August 2024

This chapter tackles the challenges of keeping up with an exercise program. It introduces the concept of motivation as well as strategies to enhance motivation for regular exercise. Information is provided on strategies for setting up an exercise schedule to fit one’s lifestyle. The chapter suggests using music or audiobooks to enhance the exercise experience to make exercise time feel more special and enjoyable. It presents how to plan an exercise program by considering factors such as clothes, route, heart rate, partners, and support systems.
Initiating Your Exercise Program
Authors: Otto Michael W. , Smits Jasper A. J.
Published: August 2024

This chapter provides an overview of how to initiate an exercise program. It discusses how to determine the duration and intensity of exercise that would best suit a person’s specific lifestyle. The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+) provides screening items for health conditions that warn against starting exercise without a physician’s approval. The chapter also presents the guidelines created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding a full dose of health-giving aerobic exercise. It also covers some of the barriers to exercise, and how to overcome them, before considering how exercise logs can be helpful to keep efforts, strategies, and achievements clear.
Redshift constrain of BL Lac PKS 1424+240
Authors: Sahu Sarira , Páez-Sánchez D I , Medina-Carrillo B , Pacheco-Aké R de J , Sánchez-Colón G , Rajpoot Subhash
Published: August 2024

In the period between 2009 and 2015, several very high-energy (VHE $> 100$ GeV) gamma-ray flaring events from the BL Lac object PKS 1424+240 were observed by the Cerenkov telescopes VERITAS and MAGIC. It had uncertain redshift (z) and using spectroscopical measurement, Paiano et al. (2017) found it to be $z=0.604$. Using four different extragalactic background light (EBL) models and the photohadronic model, nine independently observed VHE gamma-ray spectra of PKS 1424+240 are analysed and a global $\chi ^2$ fit is performed on all observations to estimate the best-fitting value for the redshift for each EBL model. Confidence levels (CL) intervals for the redshift are also estimated using all the EBL models. This method is tested by comparing our analysis with the observed value. It is shown that the photohadronic scenario provides an excellent description of all the observed spectra. It is found that the EBL model of Dominguez et al. (2011) is the one that provides the most restrictive limits on the redshift of PKS 1424+240, but in our analysis, $z=0.604$ lies within the $3\sigma$ CL interval of the EBL model of Saldana-Lopez et al. (2021).
ExoMol line lists – LX. Molecular line list for the ammonia isotopologue 15NH3
Authors: Yurchenko Sergei N , Bowesman Charles A , Brady Ryan P , Guest Elizabeth R , Kefala Kyriaki , Mitev Georgi B , Owens Alec , Perri Armando N , Pezzella Marco , Smola Oleksiy , Sokolov Andrei , Zhang Jingxin , Tennyson Jonathan
Published: August 2024

A theoretical line list for $^{15}$NH$_3$ CoYuTe-15 is presented based on the empirical potential energy and ab initio dipole moments surfaces developed and used for the production of the ExoMol line list CoYuTe for $^{14}$NH$_3$. The ro-vibrational energy levels and wavefunctions are computed using the variational program trove. The line list ranges up to 10 000 cm$^{-1}$ ($\lambda \ge 1$ μm) and contains 929 795 249 transitions between 1 269 961 states with $J\le 30$. The line list should be applicable for temperatures up to $\sim$1000 K. To improve the accuracy of the line positions, a set of experimentally derived energy levels of $^{15}$NH$_3$ is produced using the marvel (Measured Active Rotation Vibration Energy Level) procedure. To this end, 37 experimental sources of the line positions of $^{15}$NH$_3$ available in the literature are collected, combined, and systematized to produce a self-consistent spectroscopic network of 21 095 $^{15}$NH$_3$ transitions covering 40 vibrational bands ranging up to 6818 cm$^{-1}$ and resulting in 2777 energy term values. These marvel energies are then used to replace the theoretical values in the CoYuTe-15 line list and also complemented by pseudo-marvel energies obtained by an isotopologue extrapolation using the previously reported marvel energies of the $^{14}$NH$_3$ parent isotopologue of ammonia. A list of 53 856 high-resolution transitions between marvel states and theoretical intensities is provided in the HITRAN format. Comparison with the recent experimental spectra of $^{15}$NH$_3$ illustrate the potential of the line list for detections and as an efficient assistant in spectroscopic assignments. The line list is available from www.exomol.com.
Coexistence of anti-KS and anti-TIF1-γ antibodies in clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis presenting with rapid progression of interstitial lung disease
Authors: Ota Yuichiro , Ohisa Toshiki , Ishii Akira , Sugiyama Mai , Kondo Yasushi , Nishikawa Ayumi , Sasaki Noriko , Yamada Chiho , Sato Shinji
Published: August 2024

Polymyositis/dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy manifesting mainly as symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and/or typical cutaneous features due to autoimmune mechanisms. Clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) is a subset of DM that exhibits only the typical cutaneous features without any clinical muscle symptoms. Several autoantibodies have been found specifically in patients with polymyositis/DM, including CADM patients. The anti-KS antibody is one of a group of anti-aminoacyl transfer RNA antibodies that are mainly associated with fever, Raynaud’s phenomenon, polyarthritis, and interstitial lung disease (ILD), whereas anti-TIF1-γ antibody is frequently found in DM patients with malignancy. Here, we report a CADM patient having both anti-KS antibody and anti-TIF1-γ antibody. This patient developed an acute exacerbation of ILD and was successfully treated with high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy together with immunosuppressive agents. Although earlier experience had indicated that the seminal characteristic of anti-KS-positive ILD was slowly developing disease onset with little or no progression over the clinical course, the present patient suffered rapidly progressive disease.
A case of vesiculobullous dermatomyositis with anti-NXP-2 antibody without malignancy
Authors: Naito Ryota , Hiwa Ryosuke , Inaba Ryuta , Murakami Kosaku , Kitoh Akihiko , Kaku Yo , Murata Teruasa , Ichimura Yuki , Okiyama Naoko , Nishino Ichizo , Shirakashi Mirei , Onizawa Hideo , Tsuji Hideaki , Kitagori Koji , Akizuki Shuji , Nakashima Ran , Onishi Akira , Tanaka Masao , Yoshifuji Hajime , Morinobu Akio
Published: August 2024

Vesiculobullous dermatomyositis (VD) is a rare manifestation of dermatomyositis (DM) and has been suggested to be associated with malignancy. Although the myositis-specific autoantibodies are associated with distinct clinical presentations of DM, those associated with VD remain unclear. Here, we present the case of a 54-year-old man with VD who tested positive for antinuclear matrix protein 2 (NXP-2) antibodies, one of the DM-specific autoantibodies. Serological and histopathological findings did not support autoimmune blistering disease. Physical and histological findings suggested that the severe oedema in combination with the interface dermatitis of DM contributed to blister formation. Although a systemic examination was performed, no evidence of malignancy was found. Following initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, the patient showed significant improvement in both skin lesions and myositis. This case represents the first report of anti-NXP-2-positive VD without malignancy or autoimmune blistering disease. Subcutaneous oedema, a characteristic feature of anti-NXP-2-positive DM, could be related to the formation of VD.
LRPPRC and SLIRP synergize to maintain sufficient and orderly mammalian mitochondrial translation
Authors: Rubalcava-Gracia Diana , Bubb Kristina , Levander Fredrik , Burr Stephen P , August Amelie V , Chinnery Patrick F , Koolmeister Camilla , Larsson Nils-Göran
Published: August 2024

In mammals, the leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat protein (LRPPRC) and the stem-loop interacting RNA-binding protein (SLIRP) form a complex in the mitochondrial matrix that is required throughout the life cycle of most mitochondrial mRNAs. Although pathogenic mutations in the LRPPRC and SLIRP genes cause devastating human mitochondrial diseases, the in vivo function of the corresponding proteins is incompletely understood. We show here that loss of SLIRP in mice causes a decrease of complex I levels whereas other OXPHOS complexes are unaffected. We generated knock-in mice to study the in vivo interdependency of SLIRP and LRPPRC by mutating specific amino acids necessary for protein complex formation. When protein complex formation is disrupted, LRPPRC is partially degraded and SLIRP disappears. Livers from Lrpprc knock-in mice had impaired mitochondrial translation except for a marked increase in the synthesis of ATP8. Furthermore, the introduction of a heteroplasmic pathogenic mtDNA mutation (m.C5024T of the tRNAAla gene) into Slirp knockout mice causes an additive effect on mitochondrial translation leading to embryonic lethality and reduced growth of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. To summarize, we report that the LRPPRC/SLIRP protein complex is critical for maintaining normal complex I levels and that it also coordinates mitochondrial translation in a tissue-specific manner.
Nicotine Toxicity From Repeat Use of Nicotine Pouches
Authors: Kent Jessica T , Mok Garrick , Austin Emily
Published: August 2024

Background

Nicotine pouches have emerged as a novel way to administer concentrated nicotine and come as a white powder in flavored, microfiber pouches placed between the cheek and gums to dissolve without requiring spitting. While marketed as a safe alternative to smoking, nicotine pouches have the potential for toxic exposure to users.

Case Presentation

We present a case of a 21-year-old male with acute nicotine toxicity through repeated administration of nicotine pouches. Over the course of 12 hours, he consumed 15 extra-strength nicotine pouches (10.9 mg per pouch) as a study tool to prepare for the next-day exams. He presented to the emergency department with bizarre behavior requiring admission for persistent confusion and nausea which resolved after 24 hours.

Conclusions

This case represents the first case of acute nicotine toxicity secondary to nicotine pouch use. These pouches are emerging as a novel way to use nicotine and present a serious risk of inadvertent overdose and harm.

Implications

Nicotine pouches are emerging as a novel way to use nicotine, and second to e-cigarettes, are the most frequently used nicotine product among youth. These pouches, which lack clear warning labels, are promoted among social media forums and present a serious risk of inadvertent overdose and harm, especially among young adults. Healthcare professionals should be aware of this risk, especially from acute, repeated exposures, and should ensure the public is cautioned appropriately.
Corporate debt, repayment and maturity structure, and monetary policy transmission
Authors: Karasoy Can Hatice Gökçe
Published: August 2024

This article develops a stylized New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model and explores the function of the repayment and maturity structure of corporate debt in the monetary policy transmission mechanism. The results demonstrate that following an unanticipated policy tightening, long-term floating-rate debt exacerbates the credit channel, causing a greater decline in investment and output due to the increased debt burden relative to long-term fixed rate debt. In response to the downward trajectory of the output, the central bank pursues a lower interest rate path, thereby inflation remains at a relatively elevated level. Thus, the monetary authority is less effective in stabilizing inflation in economies with long-term floating rates compared to those with fixed rates. Prolonging the maturity of floating-rate debt aggravates these effects and renders firms even more susceptible to adverse shocks.
Coupled oscillations orchestrate selective information transmission in visual cortex
Authors: Khamechian Mohammad Bagher , Daliri Mohammad Reza , Treue Stefan , Esghaei Moein
Published: August 2024

Performing visually guided behavior involves flexible routing of sensory information towards associative areas. We hypothesize that in visual cortical areas, this routing is shaped by a gating influence of the local neuronal population on the activity of the same population's single neurons. We analyzed beta frequencies (representing local population activity), high-gamma frequencies (representative of the activity of local clusters of neurons), and the firing of single neurons in the medial temporal (MT) area of behaving rhesus monkeys. Our results show an influence of beta activity on single neurons, predictive of behavioral performance. Similarly, the temporal dependence of high-gamma on beta predicts behavioral performance. These demonstrate a unidirectional influence of network-level neural dynamics on single-neuron activity, preferentially routing relevant information. This demonstration of a local top-down influence unveils a previously unexplored perspective onto a core feature of cortical information processing: the selective transmission of sensory information to downstream areas based on behavioral relevance.
Spatial scales of COVID-19 transmission in Mexico
Authors: Klein Brennan , Hartle Harrison , Shrestha Munik , Zenteno Ana Cecilia , Barros Sierra Cordera David , Nicolás-Carlock José R , Bento Ana I , Althouse Benjamin M , Gutierrez Bernardo , Escalera-Zamudio Marina , Reyes-Sandoval Arturo , Pybus Oliver G , Vespignani Alessandro , Díaz-Quiñonez José Alberto , Scarpino Samuel V , Kraemer Moritz U G
Published: August 2024

During outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, internationally connected cities often experience large and early outbreaks, while rural regions follow after some delay. This hierarchical structure of disease spread is influenced primarily by the multiscale structure of human mobility. However, during the COVID-19 epidemic, public health responses typically did not take into consideration the explicit spatial structure of human mobility when designing nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). NPIs were applied primarily at national or regional scales. Here, we use weekly anonymized and aggregated human mobility data and spatially highly resolved data on COVID-19 cases at the municipality level in Mexico to investigate how behavioral changes in response to the pandemic have altered the spatial scales of transmission and interventions during its first wave (March–June 2020). We find that the epidemic dynamics in Mexico were initially driven by exports of COVID-19 cases from Mexico State and Mexico City, where early outbreaks occurred. The mobility network shifted after the implementation of interventions in late March 2020, and the mobility network communities became more disjointed while epidemics in these communities became increasingly synchronized. Our results provide dynamic insights into how to use network science and epidemiological modeling to inform the spatial scale at which interventions are most impactful in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and infectious diseases in general.
Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of the type IX secretion system's response regulator: Structural and functional insights
Authors: Saran Anshu , Kim Hey-Min , Manning Ireland , Hancock Mark A , Schmitz Claus , Madej Mariusz , Potempa Jan , Sola Maria , Trempe Jean-François , Zhu Yongtao , Davey Mary Ellen , Zeytuni Natalie
Published: August 2024

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a nanomachinery utilized by bacterial pathogens to facilitate infection. The system is regulated by a signaling cascade serving as its activation switch. A pivotal member in this cascade, the response regulator protein PorX, represents a promising drug target to prevent the secretion of virulence factors. Here, we provide a comprehensive characterization of PorX both in vitro and in vivo. First, our structural studies revealed PorX harbors a unique enzymatic effector domain, which, surprisingly, shares structural similarities with the alkaline phosphatase superfamily, involved in nucleotide and lipid signaling pathways. Importantly, such pathways have not been associated with the T9SS until now. Enzymatic characterization of PorX's effector domain revealed a zinc-dependent phosphodiesterase activity, with active site dimensions suitable to accommodate a large substrate. Unlike typical response regulators that dimerize via their receiver domain upon phosphorylation, we found that zinc can also induce conformational changes and promote PorX's dimerization via an unexpected interface. These findings suggest that PorX can serve as a cellular zinc sensor, broadening our understanding of its regulatory mechanisms. Despite the strict conservation of PorX in T9SS-utilizing bacteria, we demonstrate that PorX is essential for virulence factors secretion in Porphyromonas gingivalis and affects metabolic enzymes secretion in the nonpathogenic Flavobacterium johnsoniae, but not for the secretion of gliding adhesins. Overall, this study advances our structural and functional understanding of PorX, highlighting its potential as a druggable target for intervention strategies aimed at disrupting the T9SS and mitigating virulence in pathogenic species.