bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of different antibiotic treatment versus surgical treatment for acute appendicitis: A network meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Xianhuan , Zheng Xiaokang , Jin Hongfeng , Li Aiming , Zhang Hao , Zhang Dehua
Published: November 2024

Objective

This systematic review and network meta‐analysis compared various antibiotic treatments with surgical treatment for acute appendicitis.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Wanfang databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the prespecified inclusion criteria up to July 2023. The interventions included various antibiotics and surgery. The outcomes measured were initial treatment success, treatment success at 1‐year follow‐up, and treatment‐related complications. Meta‐analysis was conducted using R software with the gemtc package. Surfaces under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) were used to rank the interventions.

Results

Thirteen RCTs involving nine treatments (cefotaxime [CTX] + tinidazole [TNZ], CTX + metronidazole [MTZ], ampicillin [AMP] + gentamicin [GEN] + MTZ, amoxicillin/clavulanate [AMC] + GEN, meropenem [MEM] + MTZ, AMC, ertapenem [ETP] + MTZ, ETP, and surgery) were included in this network meta‐analysis. In head‐to‐head comparisons, no statistically significant difference was found between any two interventions for initial treatment success (p > 0.05). The SUCRA indicated that surgery ranked first (SUCRA, 66.5%) for initial treatment success. Surgery was associated with an increased treatment success rate at 1‐year follow‐up compared to AMC (OR = 0.01, 95% CrI = 0.00–0.14, p < 0.05), MEM + MTZ (OR = 0.06, 95% CrI = 0.00–0.42, p < 0.05), and AMP + GEN + MTZ (OR = 0.02, 95% CrI = 0.00–0.23, p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between any two interventions regarding complications (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our network meta‐analysis suggests that surgery ranks highest for initial treatment success and treatment success at 1‐year follow‐up. However, surgery may increase the complication rate.
The genomic landscape of papillary thyroid carcinoma on next‐generation sequencing in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy
Authors: Poongkodi Karunakaran , Periyasamy Sumathi , Gurunathan Raj Ashok , Krishnasamy Vijayakumar , Jayakumar Deepak , Subburaman Ramesh , Jayaraman Sujatha , Prabhudas Sudheesh K.
Published: November 2024

Background

Thyroidectomy is increasingly performed for suspected malignancy. This cohort study aimed to identify genetic markers associated with malignancy and determine the molecular landscape of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) through next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy.

Patients and Methods

Among 116 surgical candidates, 103 patients (age = 42.9 ± 13.7 years; Male: Female = 14:89) with benign or malignant thyroid nodules were eligible. Live thyroid tissue samples harvested intraoperatively with adequate DNA and RNA yield were subjected to NGS on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform for genomic and transcriptomic analysis, respectively.

Results

Histopathology comprised 20 malignant (19.4%) and 83 benign (80.6%) cases, including 16 PTC (15.5%) cases. On NGS, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NTRK1 at NC_000001.11:156879016 on chromosome 1 and ALK at NC_000002.12:29717663 on chromosome 2 were frequent in malignant lesions (p < 0.05). A SNP in ALK at NC_000002.12:29193706 was consistently a homozygous alternate allele across the cohort. DNA‐sequencing of PTC lesions identified recurrent somatic mutations in BRAF (100%), ALK (56.3%), RET (18.8%), PIK3CA (12.5%), NTRK1 (12.5%), NTRK2 (87.5%), NTRK3 (12.5%), NRAS (6.3%), and PTCH1 (31.3%) genes. RNA sequencing revealed novel fusion genes, including MKRN1‐BRAF, RN7SL1‐CDH1, IRF2BPL‐MED12, MED12‐IRF2BPL, CPM‐MDM2, and AC005895.3‐PDGFRB. In receiver operative characteristics analysis, the AUCs of ALK mutation predicting recurrence and metastases were 0.818 and 0.783.

Conclusion

This Indian study identified novel somatic mutations and fusion genes in PTC, revealing a distinct genomic landscape with implications in precision diagnostics and personalized therapies. NGS with intraoperative live sampling shows promise in prognostication and therapeutic optimization of advanced/metastatic PTC cases.

Trial Registration No

CTRI/2020/09/027607 dt 04/09/2020; REF/2020/08/036119.
Localisation without supersymmetry: towards exact results from Dirac structures in 3D N = 0 gauge theory
Authors: Arvanitakis Alex S. , Kanakaris Dimitri
Published: November 2024

Abstract

We show, by introducing purely auxiliary gluinos and scalars, that the quantum path integral for a class of 3D interacting non-supersymmetric gauge theories localises. The theories in this class all admit a ‘Manin gauge theory’ formulation, that we introduce; it is obtained by enhancing the gauge algebra of the theory to a Dirac structure inside a Manin pair. This machinery allows us to do localisation computations for every theory in this class at once, including for 3D Yang-Mills theory, and for its Third Way deformation; the latter calculation casts the Third Way path integral into an almost 1-loop exact form.
Direct CKM determination from W decays at future lepton colliders
Authors: Marzocca David , Szewc Manuel , Tammaro Michele
Published: November 2024

Abstract

We project the reach of future lepton colliders for measuring CKM elements from direct observations of W decays. We focus our attention to |Vcs| and |Vcb| determinations, using FCC-ee as case study. We employ state-of-the-art jet flavor taggers to obtain the projected sensitivity, and scan over tagger performances to show their effect. We conclude that future lepton collider can sizeably improve the sensitivity on |Vcs| and |Vcb|, albeit the achievable reach will strongly depend on the level of systematic uncertainties on tagger parameters.
On the electron self-energy to three loops in QED
Authors: Duhr Claude , Gasparotto Federico , Nega Christoph , Tancredi Lorenzo , Weinzierl Stefan
Published: November 2024

Abstract

We compute the electron self-energy in Quantum Electrodynamics to three loops in terms of iterated integrals over kernels of elliptic type. We make use of the differential equations method, augmented by an ϵ-factorized basis, which allows us to gain full control over the differential forms appearing in the iterated integrals to all orders in the dimensional regulator. We obtain compact analytic expressions, for which we provide generalized series expansion representations that allow us to evaluate the result numerically for all values of the electron momentum squared. As a by-product, we also obtain ϵ-resummed results for the self-energy in the on-shell limit p2 = m2, which we use to recompute the known three-loop renormalization constants in the on-shell scheme.
Krylov complexity of fermion chain in double-scaled SYK and power spectrum perspective
Authors: Anegawa Takanori , Watanabe Ryota
Published: November 2024

Abstract

We investigate Krylov complexity of the fermion chain operator which consists of multiple Majorana fermions in the double-scaled SYK (DSSYK) model with finite temperature. Using the fact that Krylov complexity is computable from two-point functions, the analysis is performed in the limit where the two-point function becomes simple and we compare the results with those of other previous studies. We confirm the exponential growth of Krylov complexity in the very low temperature regime. In general, Krylov complexity grows at most linearly at very late times in any system with a bounded energy spectrum. Therefore, we have to focus on the initial growth to see differences in the behaviors of systems or operators. Since the DSSYK model is such a bounded system, its chaotic nature can be expected to appear as the initial exponential growth of the Krylov complexity. In particular, the time at which the initial exponential growth of Krylov complexity terminates is independent of the number of degrees of freedom. More generally, and not limited to the DSSYK model, we systematically and specifically study the Lanczos coefficients and Krylov complexity using a toy power spectrum and deepen our understanding of those initial behaviors. In particular, we confirm that the overall sech-like behavior of the power spectrum shows the initial linear growth of the Lanczos coefficient, even when the energy spectrum is bounded.
New models of SU(6) grand gauge-Higgs unification
Authors: Maru Nobuhito , Nago Ryujiro
Published: November 2024

Abstract

A five dimensional SU(6) grand gauge-Higgs unification compactified on S1/Z2 is discussed. We propose new sets of the SU(6) representations where the quarks and leptons in one generation are embedded and there is no extra massless exotic fermions absent in the Standard Model. The correct electroweak symmetry breaking pattern can be realized by introducing some adjoint fermions. We also analyze whether a viable Higgs mass can be obtained.
Log-Concavity with Respect to the Number of Orbits for Infinite Tuples of Commuting Permutations
Authors: Abdesselam Abdelmalek
Published: November 2024

Let A(p, n, k) be the number of p-tuples of commuting permutations of n elements whose permutation action results in exactly k orbits or connected components. We formulate the conjecture that, for every fixed p and n, the A(p, n, k) form a log-concave sequence with respect to k. For $$p=1$$

p
=
1

this is a well-known property of unsigned Stirling numbers of the first kind. As the $$p=2$$

p
=
2

case, our conjecture includes a previous one by Heim and Neuhauser, which strengthens a unimodality conjecture for the Nekrasov–Okounkov hook length polynomials. In this article, we prove the $$p=\infty $$

p
=
∞

case of our conjecture. We start from an expression for the A(p, n, k),  which follows from an identity by Bryan and Fulman, obtained in the their study of orbifold higher equivariant Euler characteristics. We then derive the $$p\rightarrow \infty $$

p
→
∞

asymptotics. The last step essentially amounts to the log-concavity in k of a generalized Turán number, namely, the maximum product of k positive integers whose sum is n.
Frequency and clinical characteristics of children and young people with type 2 diabetes at diagnosis from five world regions between 2012 and 2021: data from the SWEET Registry
Authors: Gesuita Rosaria , Eckert Alexander J. , Besançon Stéphane , Crimmins Nancy A. , Cavallo Fred , Kim Jaehyun , Jefferies Craig , Gevers Evelien F. , Vamvakis Anastasios , Shah Sejal , Amed Shazhan , Cherubini Valentino ,   on behalf of the SWEET study group
Published: November 2024

Aims/hypothesis

The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is increasing in young people worldwide. This study evaluated the frequency and clinical characteristics of young people presenting with type 2 diabetes from the multinational SWEET e.V Registry 2012–2021, including the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This is a longitudinal observational study based on the SWEET Registry, which collects demographic and clinical data on children and adolescents with diabetes from centres worldwide, with the diagnosis and classification of diabetes provided locally by each centre according to International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes definitions. By July 2022, the SWEET Registry included 96,931 individuals from 130 centres with a total of 1,154,555 visits. Data were analysed by region: Europe (EU), Australia and New Zealand (AU/NZ), South America (SA), North America (NA) and Asia/Middle East and Africa (AS/AF). Trends in proportions for the two-year periods, calculated as cases with type 2 diabetes diagnoses over all cases with diabetes diagnoses, were estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for age at onset and sex.

Results

Overall, there were 2819 of 58,170 new cases (4.8%) with type 2 diabetes: 614 in EU, 293 in AU/NZ, 79 in SA, 1211 in NA and 622 in AS/AF. The proportion of type 2 diabetes increased from 3.2% to 6.0% from 2012/2013 to 2020/2021, a relative rate of increase of 9% per two-year period (95% CI 5.9, 12.3; p<0.001). In the two-year period of the COVID-19 pandemic, type 2 diabetes continued to follow the observed trend, with a proportion of 6.0% in 2020–2021 compared with 5.4% in 2018–2019. High variability in the proportion of type 2 diabetes was observed across regions, with the lowest values observed in EU and the highest in NA. A significant increase in the proportion of type 2 diabetes was observed in EU, AU/NZ and NA. The median HbA1c was not uniform and was highest in AS/AF (85 mmol/mol [9.9%]; IQR 55–111 [7.2–12.3%]) and lowest in EU (63 mmol/mol [7.9%]; IQR 48–99 [6.5–11.2%]), and the difference between EU and NA (median value 73 mmol/mol [8.8%]; IQR 50–105 [6.7–11.8%]) was statistically significant (p=0.047). There was also a difference in BMI SD score by region: the lowest median BMI SD score was 2.2 (IQR 1.4–2.7) in AS/AF and the highest was 3.1 (IQR 2.5–3.6) in AU/NZ.

Conclusions/interpretation

The multinational SWEET data from the years 2012 to 2021 inclusive support recent findings of a worldwide increase in type 2 diabetes in young people, albeit with regional differences. This increase highlights the need for ongoing preventive measures and available advanced treatment modalities worldwide.

Graphical Abstract
Establishment of a human 3D in vitro liver-bone model as a potential system for drug toxicity screening
Authors: Chen Guanqiao , Xin Yuxuan , Hammour Mohammad Majd , Braun Bianca , Ehnert Sabrina , Springer Fabian , Vosough Massoud , Menger Maximilian M. , Kumar Ashok , Nüssler Andreas K. , Aspera-Werz Romina H.
Published: November 2024

Drug toxicity is an important cause of chronic liver damage, which in the long term can lead to impaired bone homeostasis through an imbalance in the liver-bone axis. For instance, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., diclofenac), which are commonly used to control pain during orthopaedic interventions, are known to reduce bone quality and are the most prevalent causes of drug-induced liver damage. Therefore, we used human cell lines to produce a stable, reproducible, and reliable in vitro liver-bone co-culture model, which mimics the impaired bone homeostasis seen after diclofenac intake in vivo. To provide the best cell culture conditions for the two systems, we tested the effects of supplements contained in liver and bone cell culture medium on liver and bone cell lines, respectively. Additionally, different ratios of culture medium combinations on bone cell scaffolds and liver spheroids’ viability and function were also analysed. Then, liver spheroids and bone scaffolds were daily exposed to 3–6 µM diclofenac alone or in co-culture to compare and evaluate its effect on the liver and bone system. Our results demonstrated that a 50:50 liver:bone medium combination maintains the function of liver spheroids and bone scaffolds for up to 21 days. Osteoclast-like cell activity was significantly upregulated after chronic exposure to diclofenac only in bone scaffolds co-cultured with liver spheroids. Consequently, the mineral content and stiffness of bone scaffolds treated with diclofenac in co-culture with liver spheroids were significantly reduced. Interestingly, our results show that the increase in osteoclastic activity in the system is not related to the main product of diclofenac metabolism. However, osteoclast activation correlated with the increase in oxidative stress and inflammation associated with chronic diclofenac exposure. In summary, we established a long-term stable liver-bone system that represents the interaction between the two organs, meanwhile, it is also an outstanding model for studying the toxicity of drugs on bone homeostasis.
Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis for Wigner-Type Matrices
Authors: Erdős László , Riabov Volodymyr
Published: November 2024

We prove the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis for general Wigner-type matrices in the bulk of the self-consistent spectrum, with optimal control on the fluctuations for obs ervables of arbitrary rank. As the main technical ingredient, we prove rank-uniform optimal local laws for one and two resolvents of a Wigner-type matrix with regular observables. Our results hold under very general conditions on the variance profile, even allowing many vanishing entries, demonstrating that Eigenstate Thermalization occurs robustly across a diverse class of random matrix ensembles, for which the underlying quantum system has a non-trivial spatial structure.
On the Local Existence of Solutions to the Fluid–Structure Interaction Problem with a Free Interface
Authors: Kukavica Igor , Li Linfeng , Tuffaha Amjad
Published: November 2024

We address a system of equations modeling an incompressible fluid interacting with an elastic body. We prove the local existence when the initial velocity belongs to the space $$H^{1.5+\epsilon }$$

H

1.5
+
ϵ

and the initial structure velocity is in $$H^{1+\epsilon }$$

H

1
+
ϵ

, where $$\epsilon \in (0, 1/20)$$

ϵ
∈
(
0
,
1
/
20
)

.
Repeatability of quantitative MR fingerprinting for T1 and T2 measurements of metastatic bone in prostate cancer patients
Authors: Rata Mihaela , Orton Matthew R. , Tunariu Nina , Curcean Andra , Hughes Julie , Scurr Erica , Blackledge Matthew , d’Arcy James , Jiang Yun , Gulani Vikas , Koh Dow-Mu
Published: November 2024

Objectives

MR fingerprinting (MRF) has the potential to quantify treatment response. This study evaluated the repeatability of MRF-derived T1 and T2 relaxation times in bone metastasis, bone, and muscle in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Materials and methods

This prospective single-centre study included same-day repeated MRF acquisitions from 20 patients (August 2019–October 2020). Phantom and human data were acquired on a 1.5-T MR scanner using a research MRF sequence outputting T1 and T2 maps. Regions of interest (ROIs) across three tissue types (bone metastasis, bone, muscle) were drawn on two separate acquisitions. Repeatability of T1 and T2 was assessed using Bland-Altman plots, together with repeatability (r) and intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficients. Mean T1 and T2 were reported per tissue type.

Results

Twenty patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mean age, 70 years ± 8 (standard deviation)) were evaluated and bone metastasis (n = 44), normal-appearing bone (n = 14), and muscle (n = 20) ROIs were delineated. Relative repeatability of T1 measurements was 6.9% (bone metastasis), 32.6% (bone), 5.8% (muscle) and 21.8%, 32.2%, 16.1% for T2 measurements. The ICC of T1 was 0.97 (bone metastasis), 0.94 (bone), 0.96 (muscle); ICC of T2 was 0.94 (bone metastasis), 0.94 (bone), 0.91 (muscle). T1 values in bone metastasis were higher than in bone (p < 0.001). T2 values showed no difference between bone metastasis and bone (p = 0.5), but could separate active versus treated metastasis (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

MRF allows repeatable T1 and T2 measurements in bone metastasis, bone, and muscle in patients with primary prostate cancer. Such measurements may help quantify the treatment response of bone metastasis.

Key Points

QuestionMR fingerprinting has the potential to characterise bone metastasis and its response to treatment.

FindingsRepeatability of MRF-basedT1measurements in bone metastasis and muscle was better than forT2.

Clinical relevanceMR fingerprinting allows repeatableT1andT2quantitative measurements in bone metastasis, bone, and muscle in patients with primary prostate cancer, which makes it potentially applicable for disease characterisation and assessment of treatment response.
The Bounds of Rigid Sphere Design
Authors: Kamio Yuhi
Published: November 2024

We give some necessary conditions for the existence of rigid sphere designs. In particular, we settle the conjecture proposed by Bannai (J Fac Sci Univ Tokyo Sect IA Math 34(3), 485-489, 1987). Given fixed positive integers t and d, we show that there exist only finitely many rigid t-designs on $$S^d$$

S
d

, up to orthogonal transformations.
Testing ADAS/ADS – from critical scenarios to automated testing oracles
Authors: Klampfl Lorenz , Klück Florian , Nica Mihai , Tao Jianbo , Wotawa Franz
Published: November 2024

Automated and autonomous driving systems are increasingly integrated into modern vehicles to support the vision of safe, efficient, and comfortable transportation. Given the complexity of these systems, thorough testing and close monitoring of their behavior is inevitable to prevent hazardous situations and unexpected behaviors. This paper presents different approaches for testing ADAS/ADS, focusing on generating critical scenarios for virtual validation and monitoring approaches applied during operation. Specifically, we provide a comprehensive overview of our previous work on combinatorial and search-based testing methodologies, highlighting their application in generating robust test suites. Additionally, we summarize our work on intelligent monitoring approaches to detect operational issues. Our findings emphasize the necessity of advanced testing solutions and continuous monitoring to identify and mitigate potential failures, demonstrating their applicability in enhancing the safety and trustworthiness of ADAS/AD.
Amyloid-beta antibody treatment in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Stögmann Elisabeth , Schmidt Reinhold
Published: November 2024

Amyloid-beta (Aβ) antibody treatment has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), targeting the accumulation of Aβ plaques, which are a hallmark of the disease. This review provides an update on recent clinical trial data, highlighting the efficacy and safety of various antibodies targeting Aβ. Recent trials have demonstrated that certain Aβ antibodies can reduce amyloid plaques and slow cognitive decline in patients with early AD. Key findings from trials of drugs are discussed, including their mechanisms of action, dosing regimens, and observed side effects. The potential for Aβ antibody therapy to be integrated into routine clinical practice is also explored. While Aβ antibody therapy represents a significant advancement in AD treatment, ongoing research is needed to optimize their use and understand their long-term impact. This review underscores the importance of personalized medicine in AD and the need for continued innovation in therapeutic strategies.
Prevalence of self-reported symptoms of diabetic autonomic dysfunction in the North Denmark Region: a population-based survey
Authors: Bitsch Poulsen Maria , Wegeberg Anne-Marie , Røikjer Johan , Nikontovic Amar , Vestergaard Peter , Brock Christina
Published: November 2024

Aims

Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is a severe complication of diabetes, estimated to affect up to 44% in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 73% in type 2 diabetes (T2D) based on clinical studies. Currently, the assessment of diabetic autonomic neuropathy is not implemented in Denmark’s clinical guidelines, complicating the estimation of the true prevalence. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence of self-reported symptoms of autonomic dysfunction in people living with diabetes in the North Denmark Region using the Composite Autonomic Symptoms Score (COMPASS)-31 questionnaire.

Methods

In 2022, all adults with T1D or T2D in the North Denmark Region (n = 29,155) were identified using The National Health Insurance Service Registry and invited to an online survey including the Danish version of COMPASS-31. The prevalence and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) for symptomatic autonomic dysfunction were determined using a cut-off value of 16.

Results

In total, 7,377 completed COMPASS-31, of which 82.4% reported having T2D and 13.7% T1D. The prevalence of symptomatic autonomic dysfunction was 36.8% (95% CI: 34–40) after a median of 26 years with diabetes for T1D and 44.2% (95% CI: 43–45) after a median of 10 years for T2D. Pupillary and orthostatic intolerance were the most frequent moderate to severe symptoms, respectively (38.4% and 24.0% in T1D and 32.8% and 26.3% in T2D).

Conclusion

Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction are very common in individuals with diabetes living in the North Denmark Region, emphasizing the unmet need for regular testing to increase awareness and allow for adequate management, ultimately reducing the morbidity of diabetes.
Hydrogeologische Systemanalyse zur Erstellung von Grundwassergleichenplänen für Braunschweig
Authors: Langmann Tobias , Wenzlaff Konstantin , Schöniger Hans Matthias
Published: November 2024

Der bewirtschaftete Grundwasserleiter unter der niedersächsischen Großstadt Braunschweig ist Teil eines komplexen Hydrogeosystems. Seine Komplexität ergibt sich durch eine geologisch-topografisch bedingte Fokussierung der Grundwasserströmung in mehreren Rinnen und einen lokalen stockwerksähnlichen Charakter bei gleichzeitiger hydraulischer Wechselwirkung des Grundwassers mit den größeren Oberflächengewässern. Ein hochaufgelöster Grundwassergleichenplan für das Stadtgebiet lag bisher nicht vor. Die Autoren zeigen den Weg ausgehend von umfangreichen, vielfach analog vorliegenden Messwertaufzeichnungen und weiteren Grundlagendaten und hin zu den ersten großflächigen Grundwassergleichenplänen für das Stadtgebiet Braunschweigs. Neue Erkenntnisse zu den hydrogeologischen Verhältnissen aus einer geologischen 3D-Strukturmodellierung bzgl. der Grundwasserleiterarchitektur und zur Anbindung der Oberflächengewässer werden vorgestellt. Die Annahme eines lokal stockwerksähnlichen Charakters des Grundwasserleiters kann anhand der Interpretation der hydraulischen Begebenheiten widerlegt werden. Die Grundwassergleichenpläne dienen zusammen mit den neuen Erkenntnissen zur regionalen Hydrogeologie als grundlegendes digitales Kartenwerk. Als Träger der Information relevanter Strömungsrandbedingungen bilden sie die Voraussetzung für Grundwasserströmungsmodellierungen zur Abschätzung von Grundwassernutzungspotenzialen als Beitrag für die städtische Wasserversorgung der Zukunft.
Characterizing practice-dependent motor learning after a stroke
Authors: Antonioni Annibale , Cellini Nicola , Baroni Andrea , Fregna Giulia , Lamberti Nicola , Koch Giacomo , Manfredini Fabio , Straudi Sofia
Published: November 2024

Background

After stroke, patients must learn to use residual motor function correctly. Consistently, motor learning is crucial in stroke motor recovery. We assessed motor performance, practice-dependent on-line motor learning, and factors potentially affecting them in stroke patients.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional observational study. Twenty-six patients with first brain stroke leading to upper limb motor deficit in the subacute or chronic timeframe were enrolled. They performed a Finger Tapping Task (FTT) with both the affected and unaffected limbs. We assessed how patients learn to perform motor tasks despite the motor deficit and the differences in performance between the unaffected and affected limbs. Furthermore, by randomizing the order, we evaluated the possible inter-limb transfer of motor learning (i.e. transfer of a motor skill learned in one limb to the opposite one). Moreover, sleep, attention, anxiety, and depression were assessed through specific tests and questionnaires.

Results

Improved FTT accuracy and completed sequences for the affected limb were observed, even if lower than for the unaffected one. Furthermore, when patients initially performed the FTT with the unaffected limb, they showed higher accuracy in subsequent task completion with the affected limb than subjects who started with the affected limb. Only anxiety and attentional abilities showed significant correlations with motor performance.

Conclusions

This work provides relevant insights into motor learning in stroke. Practice-dependent on-line motor learning is preserved in stroke survivors, and an inter-limb transfer effect can be observed. Attentional abilities and anxiety can affect learning after stroke, even if the effect of other factors cannot be excluded.
Collective attention overload in a global manufacturing company: a case study
Authors: Barros Victor , Ramos Isabel
Published: November 2024

The rapid evolution of information technology (IT) platforms has enabled the collection of vast volumes of data for decision support. These technologies have facilitated an increase in information sharing and collaboration, promising to accelerate problem-solving and foster innovation. However, despite the advancements in this sophisticated and evolving technological landscape, scholars have raised concerns that the collective attention of organizations may be compromised primarily due to the overwhelming volume of information that employees are exposed to daily. Given the limited nature of human attention, this excessive information can impair decision-making and restrict an organization’s capacity to achieve performance enhancements. To understand the IT impact on collective attention, we conducted a case study in a multinational organization in the engineering and electronics sector. Our participants described how an IT platform designed to encourage information sharing and collaboration affected collective mindfulness of opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Despite an innovation culture and careful implementation, the IT platform induced a level of information sharing and collaboration that overwhelmed collective attention, leading to employees failing to achieve the anticipated performance improvements. Our findings caution organizations about how emerging technologies may induce attention overload, undermine collective attention, and detract from collective mindfulness of business opportunities. Our research findings confront the prevalent assumption that an abundance of high-quality information invariably leads to enhanced organizational performance. The article concludes by proposing a research agenda aimed at defining guidelines for the adoption of collaborative IT platforms that prevent overloading collective attention.
Combining the pieces: identifying key determinants of export diversification in Africa amidst model uncertainty
Authors: Vogel Tim
Published: November 2024

Export diversification can be a driver of economic growth. Policies to diversify exports attempt to defy an existing comparative advantage in low-value-added goods to promote transformation. Many structural, general policy, and trade-related variables have been identified as important drivers of diversification. This article reviews the literature on the determinants of export diversification and applies Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to empirically tackle model uncertainty stemming from many possible determinants. It assesses the relevance and impact of up to 46 drivers of export diversification for up to 47 African countries and 123 trading partners from 1995 to 2018. It finds that African countries’ structural features are especially influential in determining export diversification, a potential explanation for Africa’s more concentrated export baskets compared to other world regions. Furthermore, trade policies, like tariffs and regional integration, are critical in promoting export diversification. These findings underscore the AfCFTA’s potential to foster export diversification across African economies. A diverse set of non-trade-related policy variables also significantly affect export diversification. Factors such as institutions, education, service sector, resource rents, financial development, FDI and exchange rate stability are relevant determinants in different settings. Moreover, the analysis shows that whom you trade with is also important for diversification, and that context-specific differences, such as specific regional integration contexts or type of commodity-dependence, matter. The results suggest that the goals to diversify exports at the extensive margin for structural change and the intensive margin to tackle volatility, seem often not achievable via the same policies.
British economic strategy and regional institutions in Asia, 2016–2024
Authors: Summers Tim , Li Chen , Miao Chunzi
Published: November 2024

This paper examines the British approach to Asia and its regional institutions from the Brexit vote in 2016 to the British general election of July 2024. The paper analyses official government statements and debates among political elites about Britain’s foreign policy posture in the region, from the broad ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ and the Belt and Road Initiative to engagement with specific regional institutions such as ASEAN, BRI, AIIB, CPTPP and bilateral trade and investment agreements. It argues that approaches to regional institutions in and across Asia are driven by a combination of a dominant policy view that there is a need to engage with Asia which is becoming economically and strategically more important in a changing world, alongside a desire to decentre China in British strategic approaches to the region (partly in response to US-China strategic rivalry). However, given China’s centrality to regional economic growth in Asia, this approach creates contradictions which are rarely addressed in British policy debates. This paper will contribute not only to understanding British foreign policy, but also shed light on the evolving “new regionalism” and power dynamics across the Indo/Asia–Pacific, and how actors external to the region view and engage with the development of regional institutions in Asia.
An unnatural disaster—the 2021–2024 landslide at Nordic Waste, Denmark
Authors: Svennevig Kristian , Keiding Marie , Jackson Samuel Paul , Noël François
Published: November 2024

The 2021–2024 Nordic Waste Landslide, located near the village of Ølst in East Jutland, Denmark, was a significant geohazard event, occurring within a former clay pit that had been repurposed as a landfill for polluted soil. This study provides a first analysis of the landslide’s development, characteristics, and causative factors. The slow-to-moderate-moving landslide gained public attention in December 2023 when it protruded beyond the landfill area, threatening to reach Ølst and dispense pollutants to large downstream watercourses. We analyzed the landslide’s evolution and causative factors utilizing aerial imagery, digital elevation models (DEMs), satellite data, and field observation. The landslide’s evolution can be categorized into two distinct phases driven by two modes of soil deposition. In Phase 1, spanning 2021 to spring 2023, the landslide developed due to gradual vertical soil aggradation on the gently sloping surface of the former clay pit. In Phase 2, from spring 2023 to January 2024, the landslide developed rapidly due to substantial soil dumping on the western slope of the clay pit, forming two earthflows that moved east, forcing acceleration in most of the Phase 1 landslide. The Phase 2 landslide encompassed approximately 1.2 million cubic meters of soil, accounting for over half of the total soil deposited at Nordic Waste between 2015 and 2023. After the practice of dumping soil at the edge of the clay pit ended the landslide slowed down, eventually stopping by late January 2024. This was while the water table was at a record high and still increasing, pointing to soil deposition, and not elevated water table, as the main preconditioning factor. Runout modelling indicated the landslide was best replicated using a Voellmy friction angle of atan(μ) = 2.9°. However, even in a worst-case modelling scenario, assuming an unrealistically low atan(μ) of 1.7°, the landslide did not reach inhabited areas in Ølst. From a landslide point of view, our findings emphasize the need for land-use planning and regulatory frameworks of landfills to take slope instability into account. Furthermore, they highlight the need for increased public awareness, and for educating decision-makers and oversight authorities into the risks associated with landslides.
Outcomes, efficacy and risk factors of 27-Gauge vitrectomy for diabetic tractional retinal detachment in Japanese patients
Authors: Nishigushi Risa , Usui-Ouchi Ayumi , Sakanishi Yoshihito , Tamaki Kazunori , Mashimo Keitaro , Ito Rei , Sakuma Toshiro , Ebihara Nobuyuki , Nakao Shintaro
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Diabetic retinopathy leads to vision-threatening complications, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy and tractional retinal detachment (TRD) and is a major global health concern. Despite advancements in vitrectomy techniques, challenges exist in managing postoperative complications and long-term visual acuity. This study aimed to evaluate postoperative outcomes of 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (27 g PPV) for diabetic TRD and identify associated risk factors.

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Methods

This study included 94 eyes of 74 patients who underwent 27 g PPV for diabetic TRD between July 2017 and September 2022 at Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Japan. Patient demographics, preoperative characteristics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were examined. Statistical analyses were performed to identify factors influencing postoperative visual acuity.

Results

Mean follow-up duration was 23.1 ± 14.6 months. Postoperatively, visual acuity (LogMAR) improved significantly from 1.34 ± 0.82 to 0.65 ± 0.79 (P < 0.0001). Postoperative complications included persistent vitreous hemorrhage (15%) and neovascular glaucoma (4%). Final retinal reattachment rate was 97%. Preoperatively, macular detachment (P < 0.0001) and Grade IV TRD (P < 0.0001) severity were significantly associated with poor final best corrected visual acuity (P < 0.0001). Preoperative macular detachment (P < 0.0001), Grade IV TRD (P < 0.0001), intraoperative iatrogenic breaks (P = 0.031), and postoperative neovascular glaucoma (P < 0.0001) were identified as significant predictors of poor postoperative visual outcomes through multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

This study highlights the efficacy of 27 g PPV in improving visual acuity in patients with diabetic TRD. Despite favorable outcomes, attention to preoperative risk factors and meticulous surgical techniques remain crucial for optimizing long-term visual prognosis in these patients.
Ability and knowledge: from epistemic transition systems to labelled stit models
Authors: Kuncová Alexandra , Broersen Jan , Duijf Hein , Ramírez Abarca Aldo Iván
Published: November 2024

It is possible to know that one can guarantee a certain result and yet not know how to guarantee it. In such cases one has the ability to guarantee something in a causal sense, but not in an epistemic sense. In this paper we focus on two formalisms used to model both conceptions of ability: one formalism based on epistemic transition systems and the other on labelled stit models. We show a strong correspondence between the two formalisms by providing mappings from the former to the latter for both the languages and the structures. Moreover, we demonstrate that our extension of labelled stit logic is more expressive than the logic of epistemic transition systems.
Epicardial Adipocytes in Cardiac Pathology and Healing
Authors: La Vy , Nair Vishnu , Sunny Sini , Benharash Peyman , Thankam Finosh G.
Published: November 2024

Implications of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) have garnered recent attention. Located between the myocardium and visceral pericardium, EAT possesses unique morphological and physiological contiguity to the heart. The transcriptome and secretome of EAT differ from that of other fat stores in the body. Physiologically, EAT protects the adjacent myocardium through its brown-fat-like thermogenic function and rapid fatty acid oxidation. However, EAT releases pro-inflammatory mediators acting on the myocardium and coronary vessels, thus contributing to the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Furthermore, EAT-derived mesenchymal stromal cells indicate promising regenerative capabilities that offer novel opportunities in cell-based cardiac regeneration. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding and unraveling of EAT mechanisms implicated in regulating cardiac function and regeneration under pathological conditions. A holistic understanding of the multifaceted nature of EAT is essential to the future development of pharmacological and therapeutic interventions for the management of CVD.
Covid-19 vaccination and menstrual bleeding disturbances among women of fertile age: a Norwegian registry study
Authors: Magnus Maria C. , Caspersen Ida H. , Wensaas Knut-Arne , Eide Helena N. , Örtqvist Anne K. , Oakley Laura , Magnus Per , Håberg Siri E.
Published: November 2024

This study evaluated the relationship between Covid-19 vaccination and menstrual bleeding disturbances using a large national registry linkage including 666,467 women between 20 and 40 years of age residing in Norway on January 1st, 2019. Information on vaccination—BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 — was obtained from the Norwegian vaccination registry. Diagnoses of menstrual disturbances (absent/scanty, excessive, irregular/frequent menstruation, and intermenstrual bleeding) was obtained from the general practitioner database. We examined new-onset menstrual bleeding disturbances using a Cox regression comparing vaccinated to unvaccinated women, where women contributed follow-up time as unvaccinated until the day of vaccination. In addition, we conducted a self-controlled case-series analysis, and a sensitivity analysis excluding all those who remained unvaccinated throughout the pandemic, to evaluate the role of unmeasured confounding. We observed an increased risk of several menstrual bleeding disturbances after vaccination against Covid-19, ranging from an adjusted HR (aHR) of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.33) for intermenstrual bleeding to 1.29 (95% CI: 1.23, 1.36) for irregular/frequent menstrual periods. However, estimates were fully attenuated when excluding women who remained unvaccinated at the end of follow-up (aHRs between 0.97 and 1.08). No differences were identified according to vaccine dose or type. Our self-controlled case series analysis confirmed no increased risk after a first dose of vaccination, though there was a slightly increased risk of menstrual bleeding disturbances from 61 days after vaccination with dose 2. In conclusion, the modestly increased risk of menstrual bleeding disturbances after Covid-19 vaccination appeared to reflect a role of unmeasured confounding by women who never received Covid-19 vaccinations, as associations did not remain when risk after vaccination were compared to risk before vaccination among ever vaccinated women.
Harnessing genetic diversity in Sudanese sorghum wild relatives for stay-green drought tolerance via microsatellite (SSR) marker assessment
Authors: Ahmed Alaa , Abdalla Aisha Abdalhady Ahmed , Elsafy Mohammed , Ezzeldin Alaa , Rahmatov Mahbubjon , Abdelhalim Tilal
Published: November 2024

Sudan is the birthplace of sorghum, and vast genetic diversity exists among its wild relatives. To assess the genetic potential of Sudan wild sorghum accessions, we used 41 stay-green-specific microsatellite (SSR) markers to analyze the genetic variability and population structure of 256 accessions. Overall, 17 SSR markers were polymorphic, with 55 alleles on average 3.3 per locus. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.49 to 0.57, with an overall mean of 0.53, indicating the potential of these markers for capturing the genetic construction of wild sorghum. Linkage disequilibrium analysis identified the two most informative markers, Xcup05 and Xtxp212. Accordingly, the Nei gene diversity of the populations varied from 0.032 to 0.127, with an overall mean of 0.083. Molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) demonstrated that 99% and 1% of the genetic variations were within and among populations (Fst = 0.066; P 0.001), respectively. However, gene flow (Nm) values varied from 0.058 in populations 1 and 2 to 1.018 in populations 2 and 3. Neighbor-joining trees identified from 21 Sudanese wild sorghum accessions clustered closely to the universally drought-tolerant landrace B35. Structural analysis generated the highest Delta K value (58.2) at K = 2, revealing two distinct subpopulations. While this work provides valuable information about the potential of sorghum wild relatives from Sudan as sources for stay-green drought tolerance, further research should be directed toward identifying the exact mechanisms and genes underlying this stay-green trait using advanced molecular omics techniques. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential role of Sudanese sorghum accessions as reservoirs of ready-to-use stay-green genes for the design of climate-resilient sorghum cultivars in drought-prone areas of Sudan and beyond. However, these wild relatives would require extensive pre-breeding and validation efforts before their genes can be effectively incorporated into elite cultivars.
Quasi-particle Propagation Across Semiconductor–Mott Insulator Interfaces
Authors: Verlage Jan , Queisser Friedemann , Szpak Nikodem , König Jürgen , Kratzer Peter , Schützhold Ralf
Published: November 2024

As a prototypical example for a heterostructure combining a weakly and a strongly interacting quantum many-body system, we study the interface between a semiconductor and a Mott insulator. Via the hierarchy of correlations, we derive and match the propagating or evanescent (quasi) particle solutions on both sides and assume that the interactions among the electrons in the semiconducting regions can be absorbed by an effective potential. While the propagation is described by a band-like dispersion in both the weakly and the strongly interacting case, the inverse decay length across the interface follows a different dependence on the band gap in the Mott insulator and the semiconductor. As one consequence, tunnelling through a Mott insulating layer behaves quite differently from a semiconducting (or band insulating) layer. For example, we find a strong suppression of tunnelling for energies in the middle between the upper and lower Hubbard band of the Mott insulator.
Atom probe tomography of deuterium-charged optimised ZIRLO
Authors: Huang Siyu , Tegg Levi , Aminorroaya Yamini Sima , McCarroll Ingrid E. , Burr Patrick A. , Cairney Julie M.
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the morphology and composition of hydrides in Optimized ZIRLO following electrochemical deuterium charging. Both ZrO and ZrDx phases were formed upon charging. The interfaces between these phases are investigated by using atom probe tomography aided by cryogenic sample transfer. The Ga and Sn have formed a “net”-like structure at the original atom probe specimen surface, which is assumed to be associated with the boundaries between individual hydride laths/needles, as it thought to have formed as these species were excluded from the hydrides. Calculation of the D/Zr ratio throughout the sample allows for identification of the ZrDx phases, revealing the specimen consists of a complex arrangement of different hydride phases. In some areas there is small excess of D in the hydride, i.e. ZrD2+y. This result is interpreted as deuterium which was “frozen” as it was passing through the hydride during electrochemical charging. The observed microstructural changes and interfacial phenomena contribute valuable insights that may prove useful for improving the performance and safety of Zr alloys.