bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Appendiceal intussusception due to endometriosis presenting as acute right lower quadrant pain
Authors: O. El Sadaney Ahmed , Sandhu Ariel D , Parvinian Ahmad , Nehra Avinash , Suman Garima
Published: September 2024

Appendiceal intussusception is a rare condition characterized by the telescoping or invagination of a portion or the entire appendix into the caecum or within the appendix itself. Diagnosing appendiceal intussusception can be challenging due to its rarity, non-specific symptoms, and lack of awareness among physicians. We present a case report of appendiceal intussusception caused by endometriosis presenting with recurrent abdominal pain in a young female that was initially missed on CT scan and laparoscopy and eventually diagnosed on CT enterography.
Sexual impairment in patients with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Misery Laurent , Seneschal Julien , Corgibet Florence , Halioua Bruno , Sampogna Francesca , Merhand Stéphanie , Skayem Charbel , Hayoun Yaron Ben , Taieb Charles , Staumont-Sallé Delphine , Ezzedine Khaled , Richard Marie-Aleth
Published: September 2024

Adults with atopic dermatitis (AD) frequently experience considerable sexual health issues, affecting their overall quality of life. Our study, involving a representative sample of the French population, highlights the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with AD, particularly among younger individuals, those with severe disease and those experiencing stress and fatigue. These findings underscore the need to address sexual health as part of the comprehensive management of AD.
iTBS reveals the roles of domain-general cognitive control and language-specific brain regions during word formation rule learning
Authors: Ren Lanlan , Lv Mengjie , Wang Xiyuan , Schwieter John W , Liu Huanhuan
Published: September 2024

Repeated exposure to word forms and meanings improves lexical knowledge acquisition. However, the roles of domain-general and language-specific brain regions during this process remain unclear. To investigate this, we applied intermittent theta burst stimulation over the domain-general (group left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and domain-specific (Group L IFG) brain regions, with a control group receiving sham intermittent theta burst stimulation. Intermittent theta burst stimulation effects were subsequently assessed in functional magnetic resonance imaging using an artificial word learning task which consisted of 3 learning phases. A generalized psychophysiological interaction analysis explored the whole brain functional connectivity, while dynamic causal modeling estimated causal interactions in specific brain regions modulated by intermittent theta burst stimulation during repeated exposure. Compared to sham stimulation, active intermittent theta burst stimulation improved word learning performance and reduced activation of the left insula in learning phase 2. Active intermittent theta burst stimulation over the domain-general region increased whole–brain functional connectivity and modulated effective connectivity between brain regions during repeated exposure. This effect was not observed when active intermittent theta burst stimulation was applied to the language-specific region. These findings suggest that the domain-general region plays a crucial role in word formation rule learning, with intermittent theta burst stimulation enhancing whole-brain connectivity and facilitating efficient information exchange between key brain regions during new word learning.
Alpha oscillations during visual selective attention are aberrant in youth and adults with cerebral palsy
Authors: Hoffman Rashelle M , Trevarrow Michael P , Lew Brandon J , Wilson Tony W , Kurz Max J
Published: September 2024

Our understanding of the neurobiology underlying cognitive dysfunction in persons with cerebral palsy is very limited, especially in the neurocognitive domain of visual selective attention. This investigation utilized magnetoencephalography and an Eriksen arrow-based flanker task to quantify the dynamics underlying selective attention in a cohort of youth and adults with cerebral palsy (n = 31; age range = 9 to 47 yr) and neurotypical controls (n = 38; age range = 11 to 49 yr). The magnetoencephalography data were transformed into the time-frequency domain to identify neural oscillatory responses and imaged using a beamforming approach. The behavioral results indicated that all participants exhibited a flanker effect (greater response time for the incongruent compared to congruent condition) and that individuals with cerebral palsy were slower and less accurate during task performance. We computed interference maps to focus on the attentional component and found aberrant alpha (8 to 14 Hz) oscillations in the right primary visual cortices in the group with cerebral palsy. Alpha and theta (4 to 7 Hz) oscillations were also seen in the left and right insula, and these oscillations varied with age across all participants. Overall, persons with cerebral palsy exhibit deficiencies in the cortical dynamics serving visual selective attention, but these aberrations do not appear to be uniquely affected by age.
Missing missions or partial missions? Translating circular economy directionality into place-based transformative action
Authors: Clifton Nick , De Laurentis Carla , Beverley Katie , Walpole Gary
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates how top-down policy direction setting is interpreted and implemented within horizontal networks of practice. This is an under-investigated issue, yet vital for delivering ultimately transformative outcomes. It seeks to unpack how actionable directionality can influence progress and introduces the idea of nascent or partial missions. Options for identifying and nurturing these missions to expand in scale and scope are then discussed. Utilising Wales as an illustrative case study, we draw upon a unique dataset of circular economy (CE)-related interventions, networks and participants. Finally, the paper outlines implications for policy-making and proposes avenues for future research.
Chronic kidney disease–associated pruritus: a comparison of instruments and associations with patient-reported outcomes using an electronic patient-reported outcome survey in Europe
Authors: Guedes Murilo , Tu Charlotte , Sukul Nidhi , Asgari Elham , Guebre-Egziabher Fitsum , Ruessmann Despina , Schaufler Thilo , Rayner Hugh , Jadoul Michel , Labriola Laura , Pecoits-Filho Roberto , Pisoni Ronald L , Karaboyas Angelo
Published: September 2024

Background

The associations between self-reported chronic kidney disease–associated pruritus (CKD-aP) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been reported using various instruments to assess itch. Data collection via multiple CKD-aP instruments allows the evaluation of different domains and measurements of CKD-aP burden and may help tailor data capture for future research or clinical care.

Methods

An electronic PRO (ePRO) survey was distributed to European hemodialysis (HD) patients enrolled in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) in 2021–23. The DOPPS is an international cohort study that aims to investigate practice patterns and outcomes in HD patients. The ePRO survey included multiple CKD-aP instruments: Average Itch and Worst Itching Intensity Numerical Rating Scales (AI-NRS, WI-NRS) and a Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL)-36 single question. Linear and logistic regression were used to estimate adjusted associations between CKD-aP instruments and various PROs.

Results

This analysis included 769 patients who completed the WI-NRS from HD facilities in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The correlation between WI-NRS and the KDQOL-36 itch question was 0.88 overall and 0.46 among patients at least somewhat bothered by itch. Mean WI-NRS scores stratified by response to the KDQOL-36 itch question were 8.1, 6.4, 4.1 and 3.1 for extremely, very much, moderately and somewhat bothered, respectively. Patients with worse WI-NRS scores reported worse sleep quality, greater fatigue, more depressive symptoms, and lower mental and physical quality of life; these associations were similar to those observed for the KDQOL-36 itch question.

Conclusion

Correlation between CKD-aP instruments was high overall, but moderate among the subgroup of patients bothered by itch; differences can be partially attributed to the recall period for the KDQOL-36 (4 weeks) vs the AI- and WI-NRS (24 h). The consistent associations of these instruments with poor outcomes underscores the importance to identify and effectively treat HD patients suffering from pruritus.
Wi-Crack: a smartphone keystroke recognition system based on multi-dimensional information
Authors: Peng Min , Fu Xianxin , Ge Benling , Wang Lusheng
Published: September 2024

With the popularity of mobile payment, password protection has become more and more important. Channel state information (CSI) has recently been used to crack passwords in public WiFi environments. The feasibility of password cracking lies in the fact that different keystrokes lead to different finger movement directions and distances, resulting in unique interference to WiFi signal transmission. The unique interference can be recorded by CSI and used for keystroke inference. In this paper, we propose Wi-Crack, a keystroke recognition system for numerical keypad input on smartphones. Two computers equipped with commercial off-the-shelf WiFi NIC comprise the system, with one serving as the transmitter and the other as the receiver. Previous keystroke recognition systems only used the amplitude of CSI for keystroke recognition. Different from them, Wi-Crack combines the amplitude, phase, amplitude difference and phase difference of CSI for keystroke recognition. The use of multi-dimensional information has enabled Wi-Crack to improve keystroke recognition. Experimental results show that Wi-Crack improves the accuracy of keystroke segmentation to consistently above 90%. It also improves the keystroke recognition accuracy on DTW-KNN, SVM, 1D-CNN, and LSTM with over 90% in the best case.
Maturation of field-collected female Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus (Coleoptera: Elateridae) over their swarming period
Authors: van Herk Willem G , Vernon Robert S , McGowan Aimee , Driver Esther , Schrack Amanda , Davie Nicole
Published: September 2024

Larvae of two species of click beetle, Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus, are important pests of vegetable and field crops in both Europe and North America. Both species have been long and extensively studied, but to date little is known regarding the maturation and egg development of female beetles relative to their swarming periods. This knowledge is important for developing wireworm management tactics that target female beetles, as these would ideally eliminate the beetles before they oviposit. This paper is an attempt to address this knowledge gap. We dissected 2,450 female A. obscurus and 477 female A. lineatus collected in southwestern British Columbia in 2015–2020, and describe how their abdominal lipid content and number of mature eggs change during their swarming period. Based on the presence of mature and immature eggs, active ovarioles, and lipid content, we propose 6 consecutive beetle maturity stages. Beetles collected early in the season have high lipid content and no eggs. Over time, immature, then mature eggs appear and the lipid content decreases dramatically. Ovarioles are generally active throughout the swarming period, even when lipids are no longer present, suggesting that for these species egg laying may continue until the end of the season, and that fecundity depends both on a beetle’s original lipid content at emergence, and subsequent diet.
Disparities in the access to atrial fibrillation ablation in Denmark: who gets ablated, who neglected?
Authors: Zörner Christopher R , Tønnesen Jacob , Riis-Vestergaard Lise Da , Middelfart Charlotte , Hein Regitze , Rasmussen Peter Vibe , Ruwald Martin H , Gislason Gunnar , Hansen Morten Lock
Published: September 2024

Aims

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with reduced quality of life that can lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure. Ablation is a safe and effective treatment for AF but is not offered equally to all patients. The aim of this study is to identify demographic groups more or less likely to undergo AF ablation.

Methods and results

All patients with newly diagnosed AF between 2010 and 2018 were identified in the Danish nationwide registries. The association between gender, age, level of education and attachment to the job market, and the likelihood of receiving AF ablation was investigated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis. Cumulative incidence was calculated using the Aalen–Johansen estimator. A total of 176 248 patients were included. Men were more likely to receive ablation than women (7% vs. 3%). Patients aged 25–44 and 45–64 were most likely to receive ablation, while only 0.7% of patients aged 80 or above received ablation. The rate of ablation significantly decreased with decreasing level of education. Full-time employed patients were most likely to receive ablation, followed by self-employed, unemployed, on sick leave, undergoing education, and early retired patients. Retired patients were the least likely to receive ablation (3%).

Conclusion

This study found that women, older patients, patients with lower levels of education, and patients on social benefits are less likely to receive AF ablation. These findings suggest that there are significant social and economic disparities in AF ablation treatment in Denmark.
COVID-19 Impacts on Physical Activity Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Memory Problems: The Moderating Role of Walkable Neighborhood Destinations
Authors: Chen Xi , Lee Chanam , Ory Marcia G , Lee Sungmin , Towne Samuel D , Zhu Xuemei
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives

The number of people with memory problems who desire or are forced to age in place has been growing rapidly. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought significant challenges to the ability of those with memory problems to stay active and age in place. This study investigated the roles of neighborhood environments in helping community-dwelling people with memory problems maintain physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Design and Methods

We used retrospective online survey data from 75 caregivers who responded on behalf of their care recipients with memory problems living in Texas communities. We used difference-in-difference (DID) estimations based on zero-inflated negative binomial regression models to examine the changes in recreational walking and moderate-to-strenuous exercise before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether such changes vary by diversity of walkable neighborhood destinations.

Results

In the total sample, there was a significant reduction in both recreational walking (Δ change = −45.16 min/week, p < .001) and exercise (Δ change = −36.28 min/week, p = .03) after the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic’s impact on exercise varied by diversity of neighborhood destinations (DID = 0.81, p = .03). Those living in neighborhoods with diverse walkable destinations experienced less decline in physical activity compared to those living in areas with limited destinations.

Discussion and Implications

These findings suggest that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity among people with memory problems may be partially explained by neighborhood land-use characteristics. Destination-rich, mixed-use neighborhood environments can help people with memory problems stay active even during pandemics such as COVID-19 in the United States and potentially elsewhere.
Decoupled joint inversion with variable splitting: example scheme for magnetotelluric, seismic and gravity data
Authors: Molodtsov Dmitry , Kiyan Duygu , Bean Christopher J
Published: September 2024

We present a general framework for multiphysics joint inversion of any number of geophysical data sets. Its main feature is the use of the variable splitting approach: an auxiliary multiparameter model space is introduced in which minimization of the coupling and stabilizing functionals is carried out. The use of rediscretization and interpolation to map between this auxiliary space and the model spaces allows the coupled models to have completely different parametrizations. Joint inversion is decoupled into the individual inversion and the coupling-regularization subproblems, each of which can be solved by a different optimization algorithm. For each subproblem, the linking term controlling the distance between the model and the corresponding auxiliary variable takes the form of a quadratic regularization with a reference model. As a result, any existing inversion code supporting such regularization can be integrated without modifications into the developed framework. As a concrete example scheme, we consider an application of the framework to 3-D joint inversion of magnetotelluric, seismic refraction and gravity data. We discuss different coupling functionals, mainly those corresponding to the more universal structural constraints: joint total variation, joint minimum support, cross-gradient, one-way cross-gradient and their combinations for a general multimodel case. The use of coupling based on explicit ‘petrophysical’ relationship between the properties is also considered. Performance of the developed framework is studied on three synthetic cases: a time-lapse joint inversion of full-tensor gravity gradiometry and seismic data, a joint inversion of magnetotelluric, seismic and gravity data and a joint inversion for electrical resistivity tomography and audio-magnetotellurics.
A low-cost dpMIG-seq method for elucidating complex inheritance in polysomic crops: a case study in tetraploid blueberry
Authors: Nagasaka Kyoka , Nishimura Kazusa , Motoki Ko , Yamagata Keigo , Nishiyama Soichiro , Yamane Hisayo , Tao Ryutaro , Nakano Ryohei , Nakazaki Tetsuya
Published: September 2024

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) library construction often requires high-quality DNA extraction, precise adjustment of DNA concentration, and restriction enzyme digestion to reduce genome complexity, which results in increased time and cost in sample preparation and processing. To address these challenges, a PCR-based method for rapid NGS library preparation, named dpMIG-seq, has been developed and proven effective for high-throughput genotyping. However, the application of dpMIG-seq has been limited to diploid and polyploid species with disomic inheritance. In this study, we obtained genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for tetraploid blueberry to evaluate genotyping and downstream analysis outcomes. Comparison of genotyping qualities inferred across samples with different DNA concentrations and multiple bioinformatics approaches revealed high accuracy and reproducibility of dpMIG-seq-based genotyping, with Pearson's correlation coefficients between replicates in the range of 0.91 to 0.98. Furthermore, we demonstrated that dpMIG-seq enables accurate genotyping of samples with low DNA concentrations. Subsequently, we applied dpMIG-seq to a tetraploid F1 population to examine the inheritance probability of parental alleles. Pairing configuration analysis supported the random meiotic pairing of homologous chromosomes on a genome-wide level. On the other hand, preferential pairing was observed on chr-11, suggesting that there may be an exception to the random pairing. Genotypic data suggested quadrivalent formation within the population, although the frequency of quadrivalent formation varied by chromosome and cultivar. Collectively, the results confirmed applicability of dpMIG-seq for allele dosage genotyping and are expected to catalyze the adoption of this cost-effective and rapid genotyping technology in polyploid studies.
Australia’s Ambivalence Again Around Investor-State Arbitration: Comparisons with Europe and Implications for Asia
Authors: Nottage Luke
Published: September 2024

In late 2022 Australia’s new Labor government declared that it would no longer agree to investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) in future international investment agreements (IIAs). Section I reviews its previous anti-ISDS stance (governing with the Greens over 2011 to 2013) inspired by more articulated policy rationales but also the first claim against Australia, over tobacco plain packaging legislation. Then followed the centre-right coalition government’s return to including ISDS on a case-by-case assessment (2014–21) drawing partly on different arguments and evidence. Section II suggests that a new factor behind the latest policy shift comprises a second set of significant ISDS arbitration claims against Australia, from the Singaporean subsidiary of an Australian mining magnate and right-wing political leader. Section III draws parallels with the European Union (EU), whose developed economy member States reacted to inbound ISDS claims by replacing traditional ISDS from 2015 with an ‘investment court’ hybrid process, then influencing multilateral ISDS reform negotiations. Intra-EU ISDS claims are also being precluded by the Court of Justice of the EU, but in the context of European law and institutions providing an alternative pathway for European investors to hold other member States to account. Section IV considers the implications of Australia’s anti-ISDS stance for ongoing and potential IIA (re)negotiations with the EU and Asian States, including the feasibility of moving towards an EU-style investment court approach in Asia-Pacific IIAs. Section V concludes by linking these developments to ongoing debates about reforms to ISDS—locally, regionally and globally—as well as about incomplete investment IIAs.
Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Campus: An Exercise in Problem-Based Learning for a Sustainable University
Authors: Chasek Pamela S
Published: September 2024

Colleges and universities have a key role to play in teaching students about and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs can be an essential tool in curriculum development while providing a structure for how universities can think about their mission and their place in society. One way to learn about the 2030 Agenda and develop a better understanding of the challenges in implementing the SDGs is to use problem-based and collaborative learning to enable students to develop projects to address selected goals and targets on campus. The use of problem-based learning uses the SDGs to educate students about sustainable development, enhance students’ problem-solving skills, and prepare students for the challenges they will face in the workplace. This article describes three different iterations of an SDG project undertaken in undergraduate environmental studies classes in 2016, 2018, and 2021. After reviewing the pedagogy of collaborative and problem-based learning, this article describes the steps in this semester-long project, the outcomes, and lessons learned for future problem-based learning projects.
Forum: Youth as Boundary Actors in International Studies
Authors: Orsini Amandine , Kang Yi hyun , Ampomah Emmanuel , Cooper Adam , Gómez-Mera Laura , Gran Brian , Holzscheiter Anna , Salva Roberto S , Vergonjeanne Anaëlle
Published: September 2024

Youth represent a great part of humanity and have always been active and intriguing political actors, yet youth remain sidelined in international studies. Issues of social identity perception and its consequences have been embraced by post-positivist approaches in international studies. Yet, while race, gender, and class challenges are shaking the discipline, age is a key research gap. To fill this gap, the conceptual departure of this forum is to study youth, taking 16–30/35 as an age range, as “boundary actors” in international politics. We assembled contributions that address this conceptual departure on topics, including health, conflict, climate change, and indigenous people’s rights, across all world regions with specific focuses on Africa and Asia. Overall, the forum demonstrates that youth are able to move the boundaries: (i) of norms in international politics by asking for a more inclusive implementation of human rights and/or environmental justice; (ii) of procedures by suggesting to broaden decision-making; (iii) of international activism by combining social media and protests as new strategies. Taken together, the contributions show that youth have and are a world-building project, not just a world-confirming project.
Getting Inside the Mind of Leaders and Advisers: A Data Collection Strategy for Historical Case Studies in IR
Authors: He Wendy , Vennesson Pascal
Published: September 2024

In the last few decades, a new wave of behavioral research has become prominent in international relations (IR) and led to a welcome expansion of laboratory experiments as well as stimulating dialogues with neurosciences, biology, and genetics. Simultaneously, the study of leaders and their advisers has made a significant comeback. However, in the qualitative study of real-world foreign policy decisions, little progress has been made to provide IR researchers with a strategy to collect data on the mental processes of leaders and advisers. In this paper, we introduce the critical decision method (CDM) and adapt it to historical case studies research in IR. We show how the CDM makes the data collection on cognition more systematic and replicable by providing an 11-item checklist to guide observations on how the human mind works in crisis situations. We argue that this data collection strategy helps bring together insights that shed new light on President Truman’s decision to intervene in the Korean War. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that fast foreign policy decisions tend to be flawed, Truman’s quick decision was well adapted to the circumstances.
A machine-learning prediction model to identify risk of firearm injury using electronic health records data
Authors: Zhou Hui , Nau Claudia , Xie Fagen , Contreras Richard , Ling Grant Deborah , Negriff Sonya , Sidell Margo , Koebnick Corinna , Hechter Rulin
Published: September 2024

Importance

Firearm injuries constitute a public health crisis. At the healthcare encounter level, they are, however, rare events.

Objective

To develop a predictive model to identify healthcare encounters of adult patients at increased risk of firearm injury to target screening and prevention efforts.

Materials and Methods

Electronic health records data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) were used to identify healthcare encounters of patients with fatal and non-fatal firearm injuries, as well as healthcare visits of a sample of matched controls during 2010-2018. More than 170 predictors, including diagnoses, healthcare utilization, and neighborhood characteristics were identified. Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and a split sample design were used to train and test a model that predicted risk of firearm injury within the next 3 years at the encounter level.

Results

A total of 3879 firearm injuries were identified among 5 288 529 KPSC adult members. Prevalence at the healthcare encounter level was 0.01%. The 15 most important predictors included demographics, healthcare utilization, and neighborhood-level socio-economic factors. The sensitivity and specificity of the final model were 0.83 and 0.56, respectively. A very high-risk group (top 1% of predicted risk) yielded a positive predictive value of 0.14% and sensitivity of 13%. This high-risk group potentially reduces screening burden by a factor of 11.7, compared to universal screening. Results for alternative probability cutoffs are presented.

Discussion

Our model can support more targeted screening in healthcare settings, resulting in improved efficiency of firearm injury risk assessment and prevention efforts.
The Role of Predeployment Retraction in Biopsy Marker Migration During Stereotactic Breast Biopsies: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Eltoum Noon , Zamora Kathryn , Murray Adrian , West John , Willis Joseph , Chieh Angela , Li Yufeng , Li Mei , Park Jeong Mi , Woodard Stefanie
Published: September 2024

Objective

Inaccurate breast biopsy marker placement and marker migration during stereotactic biopsy procedures compromise their reliability for lesion localization and precise surgical excision. This trial evaluated the impact of 5-mm predeployment retraction of the marker introducer on marker migration, investigating other potential factors that influence the outcome.

Methods

This parallel, randomized controlled trial enrolled women aged ≥18 years undergoing stereotactic breast biopsy at a single institution from May 2020 through August 2022. The study was approved by the institutional review board at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Patients were randomized to intervention (5-mm introducer retraction before marker deployment) or control (standard marker placement) by drawing a labeled paper. The primary outcome was the distance of marker migration on immediate postprocedure mammogram.

Results

Of 251 patients enrolled, 223 were analyzed; 104 received the intervention, and 119 received control. Mean (SD) marker migration was 12.1 (14.9) mm in the intervention group vs 9.8 (14.9) mm, with differences between groups estimated at 2.3 mm (SE = 1.9, P = .2312) (d = 0.16; 95% CI, 1.5-6.0). Effects of age, breast density, thickness, and biopsy approach showed no statistical significance. In exploratory models, central lesions exhibited 5.7 mm less migration than proximal lesions (95% CI, 0.7-10.6; P = .025), and each body mass index (BMI) unit increase was associated with 0.3 mm greater migration (95% CI, 0-0.6; P = .044).

Conclusion

Retracting the marker introducer 5 mm before deployment did not reduce migration. Higher BMI and certain lesion locations were all associated with marker migration, highlighting the need to investigate biomechanical factors and techniques to optimize breast marker placement.

Clinical Trials Registration: NCT04398537
Patient- vs Technologist-Controlled Mammography Compression: A Prospective Comparative Study of Patient Discomfort and Breast Compression Thickness
Authors: Gaudette Joshua , Kilaru Sai , Davenport Alexis , Hanumolu Sushil , Pinkney David , Mandava Sabala , Williams Amy , Tang Xiaoqin (Amy)
Published: September 2024

Objective

We assess whether mammographic patient-assisted compression (PAC) has an impact on breast compression thickness and patient discomfort compared with technologist-assisted compression (TAC).

Methods

A total of 382 female patients between ages 40 and 90 years undergoing screening mammography from February 2020 to June 2021 were recruited via informational pamphlet to participate in this IRB-approved study. Patients without prior baseline mammograms were excluded. The participating patients were randomly assigned to the PAC or TAC study group. Pre- and postmammogram surveys assessed expected pain and experienced pain, respectively, using a 100-mm visual analogue scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Breast compression thickness values from the most recent mammogram were compared with the patient’s recent prior mammogram.

Results

Between the 2 groups, there was no significant difference between the expected level of pain prior to the mammogram (P = .97). While both study groups reported a lower level of experienced pain than was expected, the difference was greater for the PAC group (P <.0001). Additionally, the PAC group reported significantly lower experienced pain during mammography compared with the TAC group (P = .014). The correlation of trait/state anxiety scores with pre- and postmammogram pain scores was weak among the groups. Lastly, the mean breast compression thickness values for standard screening mammographic views showed no significant difference in the PAC group when compared with the patient’s prior mammogram.

Conclusion

Involving patients in compression reduces their pain independent of the patient’s state anxiety during mammography while having no effect on breast compression thickness. Implementing PAC could improve the mammography experience.
Spatial sorting caused by downstream dispersal: implication for morphological evolution in isolated populations of fat minnow inhabiting small streams flowing through terraced rice paddies
Authors: Yamada Hiroyuki
Published: September 2024

The evolutionary forces arising from differential dispersal are known as “spatial sorting,” distinguishing them from natural selection arising from differential survival or differential reproductive success. Spatial sorting is often considered to be transient because it is offset by the return of dispersers in many cases. However, in riverine systems, spatial sorting by downstream dispersal can be cumulative in habitats upstream of migration barriers such as weirs or falls, which can block the return of the dispersers. Terraced rice paddies are often found on steep mountain slopes in Japan and often incorporate small streams with numerous migration barriers. This study investigated the morphological features of fat minnow, Rhynchocypris oxycephala jouyi (Cyprinidae), inhabiting above-barrier habitats of the small streams flowing through flood-prone terraced rice paddies and examined their function via a mark–recapture experiment. Although this study did not reveal a consistent pattern across all local populations, some above-barrier populations were characterized by individuals with a thinner caudal peduncle, thinner body, and longer ventral caudal fin lobes than those in neighbouring mainstream populations. A mark–recapture experiment during minor flooding showed that a thinner caudal peduncle and deeper body helped fat minnow avoid downstream dispersal and ascend a small step, and suggested that a longer ventral caudal fin lobe was important for ascending. These results suggest that the caudal morphologies of some above-barrier populations avoid or reduce the risk of downstream dispersal, supporting the idea that spatial sorting shapes functional traits, enhancing the spatial persistence of individuals in upstream habitats.
Failure of a mass trapping method against the striped cucumber beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in organic cucurbit fields
Authors: Tinslay Jessee , Fournier Marc , Couture Isabelle , Lafontaine Pierre , Lefevbre Maxime , Lucas Éric
Published: September 2024

The striped cucumber beetle (SCB) Acalymma vittatum (F.) is one of the most important pests in North American cucurbit crops. While conventional chemical control methods are usually effective in controlling SCB populations, few alternative control methods are available for organic cucurbit crops. The goal of the present study was to evaluate an optimized mass trapping system using yellow traps baited with a floral-based semiochemical. More specifically, the objectives were to determine if the trapping method could (i) significantly reduce SCB populations and (ii) maintain these populations below the economic threshold throughout the growth season within organic cucurbit crops. The method did not reduce nor maintain the SCB populations below the economic threshold of one SCB per plant. Possible hypotheses explaining the diverging results are discussed.
Understanding risk factors for endometrial cancer in young women
Authors: Peeri Noah Charles , Bertrand Kimberly A , Na Renhua , De Vivo Immaculata , Setiawan Veronica Wendy , Seshan Venkatraman E , Alemany Laia , Chen Yu , Clarke Megan A , Clendenen Tess , Cook Linda S , Costas Laura , Dal Maso Luigino , Freudenheim Jo L , Friedenreich Christine M , Gierach Gretchen L , Goodman Marc T , La Vecchia Carlo , Levi Fabio , Lopez-Querol Marta , Lu Lingeng , Moysich Kirsten B , Mutter George , Naduparambil Jeffin , Negri Eva , O’Connell Kelli , O’Mara Tracy , Palmer Julie R , Parazzini Fabio , Penney Kathryn Lee , Petruzella Stacey , Reynolds Peggy , Ricceri Fulvio , Risch Harvey , Rohan Thomas E , Sacerdote Carlotta , Sandin Sven , Shu Xiao-Ou , Stolzenberg-Solomon Rachael Z , Webb Penelope M , Wentzensen Nicolas , Wilkens Lynne R , Xu Wanghong , Yu Herbert , Zeleniuch-Jacquotte Anne , Zheng Wei , Guo Xingyi , Lipworth Loren , Du Mengmeng
Published: September 2024

Background

The American Cancer Society recommends physicians inform average-risk women about endometrial cancer risk on reaching menopause, but new diagnoses are rising fastest in women aged younger than 50 years. Educating these younger women about endometrial cancer risks requires knowledge of risk factors. However, endometrial cancer in young women is rare and challenging to study in single study populations.

Methods

We included 13 846 incident endometrial cancer patients (1639 aged younger than 50 years) and 30 569 matched control individuals from the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium. We used generalized linear models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 6 risk factors and endometrial cancer risk. We created a risk score to evaluate the combined associations and population attributable fractions for these factors.

Results

In younger and older women, we observed positive associations with body mass index and diabetes and inverse associations with age at menarche, oral contraceptive use, and parity. Current smoking was associated with reduced risk only in women aged 50 years and older (Phet < .01). Body mass index was the strongest risk factor (OR≥35 vs<25 kg/m2 = 5.57, 95% CI = 4.33 to 7.16, for ages younger than 50 years; OR≥35 vs<25 kg/m2 = 4.68, 95% CI = 4.30 to 5.09, for ages 50 years and older; Phet = .14). Possessing at least 4 risk factors was associated with approximately ninefold increased risk in women aged younger than 50 years and approximately fourfold increased risk in women aged 50 years and older (Phet < .01). Together, 59.1% of endometrial cancer in women aged younger than 50 years and 55.6% in women aged 50 years and older were attributable to these factors.

Conclusions

Our data confirm younger and older women share common endometrial cancer risk factors. Early educational efforts centered on these factors may help mitigate the rising endometrial cancer burden in young women.
AMPA receptors in Alzheimer disease: Pathological changes and potential therapeutic targets
Authors: Ning Luying , Shen Rongjing , Xie Bingqing , Jiang Yong , Geng Xiaoqi , Dong Wei
Published: September 2024

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that affects synapses and leads to progressive cognitive decline. The role of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors in the pathogenesis of AD is well-established as they contribute to excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration in the pathological process of extrasynaptic glutamate concentration. However, the therapeutic potential of the NMDA receptor antagonist memantine in rescuing synaptic damage is limited. Research indicates that α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors also play a significant role in AD. Abnormal transcription, expression, and localization of AMPA receptors lead to synaptic dysfunction and damage, contributing to early cognitive impairment in AD patients. Understanding the impact of AMPA receptors on AD pathogenesis and exploring the potential for the development of AMPA receptor-targeting drugs are crucial. This review aims to consolidate recent research findings on AMPA receptors in AD, elucidate the current state of AMPA receptor research and lay the foundation for future basic research and drug development.
A novel approach for repair of right sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia and hepatopulmonary fusion
Authors: Cain-Trivette Caitlin J , Robinson Newell Bryce , Kadenhe-Chiweshe Angela , Steigman Shaun , Spigland Nitsana A
Published: September 2024

Right sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) associated with hepatopulmonary fusion (HPF) is a rare congenital anomaly in which the herniated liver is fused with lung parenchyma. We discuss the case of an infant with right-sided CDH and HPF found on index operation for repair of right-sided CDH. Due to the high incidence of vascular anomalies associated with HPF the decision was made to close the patient and get further imaging to characterize the HPF before returning to the operating room for definitive repair. We describe a novel and successful operative approach where the liver was left entirely fused to the lung and the liver was partially brought down from the chest and was plicated to the diaphragm form a seal between the parietal and pleural cavities to repair the CDH.
Introduction: Origins and Objectives of the DSA
Authors: Wilman Folkert , Kalėda Saulius Lukas , Loewenthal Paul-John
Published: September 2024

This introductory chapter discusses the adoption of the e-Commerce Directive and the Digital Services Act (DSA). It explains how internet usage has gone from something akin to a hobby to a fundamental and indispensable part of life. The rise of the modern internet has brought about a change in the perceived role of the legal order concerning online activities. Thus, the DSA primarily aims to ensure a safe, predictable, and trusted online environment while also addressing the dissemination of illegal content and its subsequent societal risks. The chapter then provides an overview of the digital regulations prior to the establishment of the DSA, before considering the scope, objectives, and structure of the DSA.
Final Provisions
Authors: Wilman Folkert , Kalėda Saulius Lukas , Loewenthal Paul-John
Published: September 2024

This chapter examines the final provisions of the Digital Services Act (DSA). In correlation with the legislative practice of the EU legislator, Articles 89 to 93 of the DSA govern its application in time and lay down provisions that mend other EU acts. Moreover, the provisions establish the amendments to the e-Commerce Directive and the Consumer Representative Actions Directive. The chapter also considers several articles of the DSA providing measures for future reviews and establishing the conditions for its entry into force and application in time. It clarifies that issues of application of law in time are primarily considered in the light of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Black Radicalism after the Haitian Revolution: Langston Hughes’s Emperor of Haiti
Authors: Weeber Susan Cooke
Published: September 2024

By most measures of literary and theatrical success, Langston Hughes’s Emperor of Haiti (1936) was a resounding failure. This article reads that failure as evidence of the play’s attempt to dramatize the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath as both historical and futural, radical and tragic—a vision that would account for both revolutionary upheaval and post-revolutionary disillusionment. The structure of the play—its refusal to dramatize the revolution itself or the declaration of independence; its jump in time from pre-revolutionary anticipation to post-revolutionary governance; and the multiple conversations and debates about freedom and slavery—forces the audience to shift its perceptions and remain open to multiple conflicting interpretations and visions at once. This strategy, perhaps only possible through drama, gets close to portraying the “previously unthinkable”: the Haitian Revolution as both rupture and repetition, both tied to its colonial past and gesturing toward an anticolonial future. Through Hughes’s dramatic work, we can see the unique potential for literature to help us sift through the past for glimpses of the future—to look to the revolutionary visions and Black radicalisms of the past with a mixture of optimism and pessimism so that we might mine them for glimpses of this anti-colonial future.
Non-thermal radio emission from massive protostars in the SARAO MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey
Authors: Obonyo W O , Hoare M G , Lumsden S L , Thompson M A , Chibueze J O , Cotton W D , Rigby A , Leto P , Trigilio C , Williams G M
Published: September 2024

We present an investigation of the L-band emission from known massive young stellar objects in the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory MeerKAT Galactic Plane Survey to search for non-thermal radio emitters in the sample. A total of 398 massive protostars, identified from the Red MSX Source survey, are located within the survey region. Among these, 162 fields that host the protostars are isolated from nearby bright H ii regions, allowing for the study of any ionized jets present. Seventy-one of these fields have jets with five-sigma detections or higher, corresponding to a detection rate of 44 per cent. The MeerKAT fluxes of the detections, together with the upper limits of the non-detections and any other fluxes from previous observations, were used to estimate the spectral indices of the jets, and to search for the presence of non-thermal radiation. In cases where a source manifests as single in a given observation but is resolved into multiple components in observations of higher resolutions, the sum of the fluxes of the resolved components was used in estimating the indices. Any effects from missing flux in higher resolution observations were incorporated into the index uncertainties. The spectral indices of the sample show that at least 50 per cent of the jets emit non-thermal radiation. Additionally, the spectral energy distribution of some of the sources, as well as their radio luminosities exhibit evidence of non-thermal emission, especially in extended sources.
The X-ray polarization of the jet in the Vela PWN
Authors: Liu Kuan , Xie Fei , Liang En-Wei
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we studied the X-ray polarization of the jet in the Vela Pulsar Wind Nebula. After the background subtraction, we found a high degree of polarization in the helical jet region, close to the upper limit allowed by the synchrotron radiation mechanism. This result indicates the magnetic field is highly ordered, even though the jet’s morphology is curved and varies rapidly, which suggests that the magnetic collimation process for the jet does not introduce significant turbulence. The polarization angle is perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the nebula, consistent with the results from the magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations. This finding sheds light on the underlying mechanisms related to the dynamics and evolution of the jet structures.
The masses, structure, and lifetimes of cold clouds in a high-resolution simulation of a low-metallicity starburst
Authors: Fotopoulou Constantina M , Naab Thorsten , Lahén Natalia , Cernetic Miha , Rathjen Tim-Eric , Steinwandel Ulrich P , Hislop Jessica M , Walch Stefanie , Johansson Peter H
Published: September 2024

We present an analysis of the cold gas phase in a low-metallicity starburst generated in a high-resolution hydrodynamical simulation of a gas-rich dwarf galaxy merger as part of the griffin project. The simulations resolve (4 M$_\odot$ gas phase mass resolution, $\sim$0.1 pc spatial resolution) the multiphase interstellar medium with a non-equilibrium chemical heating/cooling network at temperatures below 10$^4$ K. Massive stars are sampled individually and interact with the interstellar medium (ISM) through the formation of H ii regions and supernova explosions. In the extended starburst phase, the ISM is dominated by cold ($T_\mathrm{gas} < 300$ K) filamentary clouds with self-similar internal structures. The clouds have masses of $10^{2.6}$–$10^{5.6}$ M$_\odot$ with a power-law mass function, $\mathrm{ d}N/\mathrm{ d}M \propto M^\alpha$ with $\alpha = -1.78 (\,\pm \,0.08)$. They also follow the Larson relations, in good agreement with observations. We trace the lifecycle of the cold clouds and find that they follow an exponential lifetime distribution and an e-folding time of $\sim$3.5 Myr. Clouds with peak masses below $10^4$ M$_\odot$ follow a power-law relation with their average lifetime $\tau _\mathrm{life} \propto M^{0.3}_\mathrm{max}$ which flattens out for higher cloud masses at $< 10$ Myr. A similar relation exists between cloud size at peak mass and lifetime. This simulation of the evolution of a realistic galactic cold cloud population supports the rapid formation and disruption of star-forming clouds by stellar radiation and supernovae on a time-scale less than 10 Myr.