bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel anti-virulence compounds disrupt exotoxin expression in MRSA
Authors: Balogh Halie , Anthony Amaiya K. , Stempel Robin , Vossen Lauren , Federico Victoria A. , Valenzano Gabriel Z. , Blackledge Meghan S. , Miller Heather B.
Published: October 2024

Hemolysins are lytic exotoxins expressed in most strains of
S. aureus
, but hemolytic activity varies between strains. We have previously reported several novel anti-virulence compounds that disrupt the
S. aureus
transcriptome, including hemolysin gene expression. This report delves further into our two lead compounds, loratadine and a structurally related brominated carbazole, and their effects on hemolysin production in methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA). To gain understanding into how these compounds affect hemolysis, we analyzed these exotoxins at the DNA, RNA, and protein level after
in vitro
treatment. While lysis of red blood cells varied between strains, DNA sequence variation did not account for it. We hypothesized that our compounds would modulate gene expression of multiple hemolysins in two hospital-acquired strains of MRSA, both with staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
(SCC
mec
) type II. RNA-seq analysis of differential gene expression in untreated and compound-treated cultures revealed hundreds of differentially expressed genes, with a significant enrichment in genes involved in hemolysis. The brominated carbazole and loratadine both displayed the ability to reduce hemolysis in strain 43300 but displayed differential activity in strain USA100. These results corroborate gene expression studies as well as western blots of alpha hemolysin. Together, this work suggests that small molecules may alter exotoxin production in MRSA but that the directionality and/or magnitude of the difference are likely strain dependent.

IMPORTANCE

Methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) is a deadly human pathogen. In addition to evading antibiotics, these bacteria produce a wide range of toxins that negatively affect the host. Our work aims to identify and characterize novel compounds that can decrease the pathogenic effects of MRSA. Two lead compounds investigated in this study triggered changes in the production of multiple toxins. These changes were specific to the strain of MRSA investigated. Specifically, this work sheds light on novel compounds that decrease MRSA’s ability to lyse host red blood cells. Importantly, it also highlights the importance of examining strain-specific differences in response to therapeutic interventions that could ultimately affect clinical outcomes.
New insights on gravity flow dynamics during submarine canyon flushing events
Authors: Ribó Marta , Mountjoy Joshu J. , Mitchell Neil , Watson Sally J. , Hoffmann Jasper J.L. , Woelz Susi
Published: October 2024

Millions of tons of material are flushed through submarine canyons during infrequent high-magnitude events, transporting coastal sediment to the deep ocean. However, observations related to individual canyon flushing events are challenging due to the destructive nature and infrequency of flushing events. The impacts of one of the largest gravity flows in the past decade were documented in Kaikōura Canyon, Aotearoa–New Zealand, where >1 km3 of sediment was mobilized by the 2016 CE Kaikōura earthquake (Mw 7.8). We present new high-resolution (<1 m) multibeam data collected with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) along the Kaikōura Canyon axis, together with side-scan sonar and seafloor video imagery. These data sets reveal a wide range of erosional and depositional features that were not previously identified. Eroded bedrock and deep erosional structures are found in the upper canyon, including linear grooves, and rockfall debris (>5-m-diameter boulders). This erosional area transitions downcanyon to coarse-grained depositional bedforms, including cyclic steps and gravel waves (average wavelengths of 250 m and wave heights of ~20 m), covering the mid- and lower canyon. Our observations provide high-resolution field-based evidence of (1) flow transformation, from a debris flow to a high-density turbidity current; and (2) variations of flow dynamics within turbidity currents both across- and downcanyon, during an infrequent, high-energy canyon flushing event. This research offers new insights into the processes that create and shape nearshore bedrock-incising submarine canyons.
Natural history of otitis media with effusion without hearing loss in children under 12 years: a systematic review
Authors: Paing Aye , Elliff-O’Shea Laura , Holland Brown Tamsin , Arnold Stephanie , Day John , Royds Jennifer , Kennedy Veronica
Published: October 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the natural history of otitis media with effusion (OME) without hearing loss in children under 12 years.

Methods

We performed a systematic search in Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, INAHTA database, CENTRAL, CDSR, Epistemonikos and PsycINFO to identify observational single group studies and comparative studies with untreated control arms published in English up to June 2022, reporting natural history of OME without hearing loss. The JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) checklist and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology were used to assess risk of bias and overall quality of evidence, respectively.

Results

Nineteen studies with samples ranging from 16 to 816 children met the inclusion criteria. The quality of evidence ranged from low to very low. Resolution of current episode of OME without hearing loss was 10–66% by 1 month, 3–93% by 3 months, 10–98% by 6 months, 20–92% by 9 months and 78–99% by 12 months, depending on populations and how resolution was defined across studies. Resolution of OME (defined as change from type B to non-B tympanogram) was only 10% by 6 months in Aboriginal infants. Recurrence of OME was 7% by 3 months, 8–18% by 6 months, 10–28% by 9 months and 8–35% by 12 months.

Conclusions

There was a trend towards greater resolution of OME without hearing loss and recurrence of OME over longer follow-up periods; however, they did not seem to follow a linear pattern, potentially due to differences in populations and definitions of resolution across studies.
An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict
Authors: Alkhalil Munzer , Ekzayez Abdulkarim , Meagher Kristen , Alaref Maher , Turkmani Rim , Abbara Aula , Al Zoubi Zedoun , El Achi Nassim , Patel Preeti
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Aid harmonisation is a key component of donor efforts to make aid more effective by improving coordination and simplifying and sharing information to avoid duplication. This study evaluates the harmonisation of health and humanitarian aid in Syria during acute humanitarian and health crises from 2011 to 2019.

Methods

Data on humanitarian and health aid for Syria between 2011 and 2019 was collected from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Creditor Reporting System to assess the harmonisation of aid. The data was linked to four key indicators of the conflict: the number of internally displaced persons; the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance; the number or frequency of internal movements (displacements) by individuals; and the decline in Syria’s population between 2011 and 2019. This was compared with data from highly fragile states and developing countries. Four focus group discussions, four key informants’ interviews and three consultations with humanitarian practitioners were also conducted.

Results

The findings suggest that overall aid harmonisation did not occur and importantly did not correlate with increased humanitarian needs. During the first 5 years, humanitarian and health pooled funds (which endorse aid harmonisation) in Syria were nearly entirely absent, far less than those in developing countries and highly fragile states. However, from 2016 to 2019, a visible surge in humanitarian pooled funds indicated an increase in the harmonisation of donors’ efforts largely influenced by adopting the Whole of Syria approach in 2015 as a positive result of the cross-border United Nation (UN) Security Council resolution in 2014.

Conclusion

Harmonisation of aid within the Syrian crisis was found to have little correlation with the crisis parameters and population needs, instead aligning more with donor policies. Assessing fragmentation solely at the donor level is also insufficient. Aid effectiveness should be assessed with the inclusion of community engagement and aid beneficiary perspectives. Harmonisation mechanisms must be disentangled from international politics to improve aid effectiveness. In Syria, this study calls for finding and supporting alternative humanitarian coordination and funding mechanisms that are not dependent on the persistent limitations of the UN Security Council.
Inpatient and postdischarge mortality among children with anaemia and malaria parasitaemia in Kenya: a cohort study
Authors: Ngari Moses , Mwangome Martha , Ouma Nelson , Nyaguara Amek , Mturi Neema , Obiero Christina , Kamau Alice , Walson Judd L , Iversen Per O , Maitland Kathryn , Snow Robert W , Berkley James
Published: October 2024

Background

Anaemia and malaria are leading causes of paediatric hospitalisation and inpatient mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is limited empirical data on survival following hospital discharge. We aimed to estimate independent effects of anaemia and malaria parasitaemia on inpatient and 1 year postdischarge mortality among Kenyan children.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study among children admitted to Kilifi County Hospital (KCH) from 2010 to 2019 and followed-up for 1 year postdischarge in Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System (KHDSS). The main exposures were anaemia and malaria parasitaemia at the time of hospital admission while inpatient and 1 year postdischarge mortality were the outcomes.

Results

We included 9431 admissions among 7578 children (43% girls), median (IQR) age 19 (9.9‒23) months. 2069 (22%), 3893 (41%) and 1140 (12%) admissions had mild, moderate and severe anaemia, whereas 366 (3.9%), 779 (8.3%) and 224 (2.4%) had low, medium and high malaria parasitaemia, respectively. Overall, there were 381 (4.0%) inpatient deaths: 317/381 (83%) and 47/381 (12%) among children with any level of anaemia and malaria parasitaemia, respectively. Moderate and severe, but not mild anaemia, were positively associated with inpatient death. Low and high level parasitaemia were positively associated with inpatient mortality, while medium level parasitaemia was negatively associated. There were 228 (3.1%) postdischarge deaths: 32.8 (95% CI 28.8‒37.3) deaths/1000 child-years. 180/228 (79%) deaths occurred within 6 months after index discharge and 99/228 (43%) occurred in the community. Overall, 180/228 (79%) and 10/228 (4.4%) postdischarge deaths occurred among children with any level of anaemia and malaria parasitaemia, respectively. Severe anaemia was positively associated with postdischarge mortality (adjusted HR 1.94 (95% CI 1.11‒3.40)), while medium level parasitaemia was negatively associated.

Conclusion

Interventions to create awareness of postdischarge risks, improve uptake of existing interventions and improved discharge processes targeting high-risk groups such as children admitted with severe anaemia, need to be prioritised.
Piloting a patient navigation programme for individuals living with dementia, their care partners and members of the care team: protocol for a mixed-methods evaluation
Authors: Doucet Shelley , MacNeill Lillian , Jarrett Pam , Faig Karla , Luke Alison
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Internationally, the number of individuals living with dementia continues to rise. Individuals living with dementia, their care partners and their care team face many barriers and challenges to accessing dementia care resources and supports. One solution to address the multifaceted care needs of this population is patient navigation (PN).

Methods and analysis

This protocol describes the implementation and evaluation plan for a pilot PN programme in New Brunswick (NB) Canada for individuals living with dementia, their care partners and care providers. This project will include two components: (1) an in-person PN programme called Navigating Dementia NB/ Naviguer la démence NB and (2) two virtual peer-to-peer navigational support groups. The PN programme will be codesigned with stakeholders including researchers, patient partners, clinicians and health system managers. Patient navigators will be housed at six primary care sites across the province and the services will be offered in English and French. We will conduct a mixed-methods evaluation to explore the characteristics and experiences of participants who enrol in the PN programme and the navigational support groups, as well as the facilitators and barriers to implementation. Data collection will include navigation charts, Facebook analytics, as well as postintervention surveys, semistructured interviews and focus groups. All participants will provide written informed consent to take part in the intervention and have their data collected for research and evaluation purposes. Demographic data will be analysed using frequency and central tendency measures, while qualitative data from interviews and focus groups will undergo thematic analysis. Content analysis will be used to analyse posts published to the Facebook groups. The evaluation will assess the programme’s effectiveness in the short and medium terms, evaluating its ability to achieve the intended outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the research ethics boards at the University of New Brunswick, Université de Moncton, Horizon Health Network and Vitalité Health Network. Knowledge translation activities (eg, presentations at local, national and international conferences; publications for open-access journals; reports and lay summaries) will be undertaken to share the findings from this pilot project with diverse stakeholders, such as decision-makers, health system managers, clinicians and the general public.
Is disinformation more likely to spread? A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of emerging infectious diseases on China’s short video platform
Authors: Xu Yongbin , Wen Sanmei , Zhang Liwen , Su Jing
Published: October 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to develop a model for the dissemination of information on emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) by identifying the specific features of mpox (monkeypox)-related short video content that encourages public sharing.

Design

This was an exploratory analysis of the dissemination of information on short video platform.

Main outcome measures

Focusing on Douyin (TikTok in mainland China), this study collected data from the top 500 most popular short videos using ‘monkeypox’ as the keyword from 1 May 2022 to 31 October 2022. Under the guidance of the health belief model, the videos were coded using two sets of conditional variables: information type variables and information content variables. The information type variables distinguish between fact-checking information and disinformation. Regarding information content variables, this study integrated the features of audiovisual media with the needs of the Chinese public, introducing efficacy information. The study then used fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyse the correlation and consistency between the video contents and the level of public sharing, which was the outcome variable. Subsequently, a Poisson regression model was estimated to verify their significance on video-sharing volume.

Results

The results showed that there were three configurations of short video content related to mpox which could trigger a high level of sharing among the general public. It was found that the number of fact-checked cases in the most widely disseminated short videos of mpox was 21.8:1 compared with the number of disinformation cases. Therefore, it can be concluded that fact-checked information was more likely to spread than disinformation in the case of an outbreak of EIDs on China’s short video platforms. Based on the analysis of the three configurations, we also found that they separately formed three paths of the short video communication model, and each path had a more significant variable playing a central role. We named each pathway after the core variable: authoritative source path, personal efficacy path and disinformation path.

Conclusions

This study developed a model for information dissemination of EIDs and found that fact-checked content was more likely to spread on Chinese short video platforms instead of disinformation. It also explored public demand for guidance on EIDs precautions.
New cancer medicines in Europe 2010–2020: comparison of medicines with or without extensions of indications
Authors: Ruuskanen Anna-Maria , Kurko Terhi , Sarnola Kati , Klintrup Katariina , Koskinen Hanna
Published: October 2024

Introduction

During the last decade, extensions of therapeutic indications have been one of the most common methods to extend the lifecycle of a medical product in the post-authorisation phase and to increase the use and sales of medicines. The aim of this study was to gain understanding of the lifecycle of cancer medicines and especially the role and level of evidence extensions in comparison to first indications.

Materials and methods

We identified all new outpatient cancer medicines approved by the European Medicines Agency between 2010 and 2020 and the extensions to their indications. We compared general study design characteristics from the European public assessment reports using critical appraisal tools and clinical added value assessments.

Results

We identified altogether 55 new outpatient cancer medicines, 31 of which had one or more extension(s) of indication and 24 had no extension of indication. In total, there were 57 extensions. The most common extension of indication was a change in the treatment line (35%). Compared with first indications, the overall quality of studies supporting extensions was better in terms of study designs. The proportion of medicines providing CAV was higher in extensions compared with first indication of medicines with and without extensions.

Conclusions

Based on different assessments and perspectives, we found that extensions of indications are a very common and important part of extending the lifecycle of outpatient cancer medicines in Europe. Our findings also suggest that the clinical value of cancer medicines increases with extensions.
The changing nature of worry about COVID-19 among the English public: a secondary analysis of 73 national, cross-sectional surveys, January 2020 to April 2022
Authors: Rubin G James , Smith Louise E , Amlôt Richard , Fear Nicola T , Potts Henry WW , Michie Susan
Published: October 2024

Objectives

To investigate worry about COVID-19 during the pandemic, and whether worry was associated with phase of the pandemic, COVID-19 death and incidence rates, Government interventions (including lockdown and advertising), age, being clinically at-risk, ethnicity, thinking that the Government had put the right measures in place, perceived risk of COVID-19 to self and the UK, and perceived severity of COVID-19.

Design

Secondary analysis of a series of cross-sectional surveys.

Setting

73 online surveys conducted for the English Department of Health and Social Care between 28 January 2020 and 13 April 2022.

Participants

Participants were people aged 16 years and over living in the UK (approximately 2000 per wave).

Primary outcome measures

Our primary outcome was self-reported worry about COVID-19.

Results

Rates of being ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ worried changed over time. Worry increased as infection rates increased and fell during lockdowns, but the association became less obvious over time. Respondents aged 60 years and over were less likely to be worried after the launch of the vaccination campaign, while those who were clinically at-risk or from a minoritised ethnic community were more likely to be worried. Higher worry was associated with higher perceived risk, and higher perceived severity of COVID-19. There was no evidence for an association with agreeing that the Government was putting the right measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The launch of graphic Government advertising campaigns about COVID-19 had no noticeable effect on levels of public worry.

Conclusions

In future infectious disease outbreaks, spikes in worry may attenuate over time, although some sections of society may experience higher anxiety than others.
In-utero transfer, survival-focused care and survival to 28-days at 22-24 weeks’ gestation pre- and post- implementation of an extreme prematurity management guideline in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Gordon Hannah G , Shub Alexis , Stewart Michael J , Kane Stefan C , Cheong Jeanie LY , Roberts Calum T , Holberton James , Boland Rosemarie A
Published: October 2024

Background

Care for infants born at 22–24 weeks’ gestation varies globally, with an increasing willingness to provide survival-focused (‘active’) care for infants born at 22 weeks’ gestation in recent years. This study aims to report changes in care for infants born at 22–24 weeks before and after the introduction of a statewide guideline for extreme prematurity (EP).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including all live births at 22–24 weeks in tertiary perinatal centres from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2022 in Victoria, Australia. Medical records were reviewed to obtain antenatal history and perinatal outcomes. Data on in utero referral and transfer to tertiary perinatal centres were sourced from the statewide perinatal emergency retrieval service (Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval, PIPER) database. Changes in PIPER referrals and transfers, survival-focused care and survival at 28 days preguideline and postguideline were assessed using logistic regression.

Results

Following the guideline, at 22 weeks’ gestation, there was an increase in referrals to PIPER and a 3.31 (95% CI 1.84 to 5.95) higher likelihood of in utero transfer to tertiary centres.

Following the guideline, infants had a 6.67 (95% CI 1.40 to 31.72) higher likelihood of receiving survival-focused care at 22 weeks, and a 5.57 (95% CI 1.22 to 25.44) higher likelihood at 23 weeks. All 24-week live births received survival-focused care at birth. The 28-day survival for infants who received survival-focused care was unchanged preguideline and postguideline.

Conclusion

Following the publication of the EP guideline in Victoria, in utero referrals and transfers at 22 weeks’ gestation have increased, as has survival-focused management of inborn live births at 22–24 weeks.
Microenvironmental alkalization promotes the therapeutic effects of MSLN-CAR-T cells
Authors: Wu Min , Mao Ling , Zhai Xuejia , Liu Jie , Wang Junhan , Li Langhong , Duan Jiangjie , Wang Jun , Lin Shuang , Li Jianjun , Yu Shicang
Published: October 2024

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by high invasion, prone metastasis, frequent recurrence and poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the curative effects of current clinical therapies, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, are still limited in patients with TNBC. In this study, we showed that the heterogeneous expression at the protein level and subcellular location of mesothelin (MSLN), a potential target for chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy in TNBC, which is caused by acidification of the tumor microenvironment, may be the main obstacle to therapeutic efficacy. Alkalization culture or sodium bicarbonate administration significantly promoted the membrane expression of MSLN and enhanced the killing efficiency of MSLN-CAR-T cells bothin vitroandin vivo, and the same results were also obtained in other cancers with high MSLN expression, such as pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Moreover, mechanistic exploration revealed that the attenuation of autophagy-lysosome function caused by microenvironmental alkalization inhibited the degradation of MSLN. Hence, alkalization of the microenvironment improves the consistency and high expression of the target antigen MSLN and constitutes a routine method for treating diverse solid cancersviaMSLN-CAR-T cells.
Removal of errant coils using the Tigertriever-13
Authors: Islam Shah , Itzakzonhayosh Ze'ev , Chung Emily , Falzon Andrew , Andrade Hugo , Mosimann Pascal
Published: October 2024

Coil migration poses a significant intraprocedural risk during coil embolization in interventional neuroradiology procedures. In this technical video we describe the technique of removal of errand coils using the low profile Tigertriever-13 device.1 Traditional methods of errant coil retrieval rely on the use of stent retrievers;2 however, these devices are usually too large to fit through smaller inner diameter 0.013–0.0165 inch coiling catheters, thus requiring upsizing materials in emergency situations.3 We demonstrate the technique of coil retrieval using this low-profile device ex-vivo in silicone flow models, then its application in vivo as a ‘bail-out’ technique during acute embolization of a ruptured peri-callosal aneurysm which required retrieval of errant coils (video 1).

Video 1

Errant coil retrieval using the Tigertriever device
Risk stratification by renal function and NYHA class in patients with hypotension initiated on sacubitril/valsartan: a retrospective cohort study from 17 centres in Japan
Authors: Kanaoka Koshiro , Nasu Takahito , Kikuchi Atsushi , Ijichi Takeshi , Shibata Tatsuhiro , Kida Keisuke , Kagiyama Nobuyuki , Fujimoto Wataru , Ishii Syunsuke , Iwanaga Yoshitaka , Miyamoto Yoshihiro , Matsumoto Shingo
Published: October 2024

Background

Patients with heart failure exhibiting low systolic blood pressure (SBP) have a poor prognosis. Sacubitril/valsartan reduces cardiovascular events; however, its use in patients with low SBP has not been fully examined. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the association between baseline SBP and adverse events (AEs) in patients starting sacubitril/valsartan therapy using data from a real-world registry in Japan.

Methods

We analysed data from a multicentre retrospective study, including patients who initiated sacubitril/valsartan between August 2020 and August 2021. The patients were categorised into five groups based on their baseline SBP (<100, 100–109, 110–119, 120–129 and ≥130 mm Hg). The composite of AEs occurring within 3 months according to baseline SBP and the patient characteristics associated with AEs in a baseline SBP <110 mm Hg were analysed.

Results

Among the 964 patients newly prescribed sacubitril/valsartan, the median (IQR) age was 73 (61–80) years, and 388 (40.2%) patients had a baseline SBP <110 mm Hg. AEs occurred in 24% (n=232) of patients. The adjusted ORs for all AEs were 1.91 (95% CI (CI) 1.13–3.23; p=0.02) for the SBP <100 mm Hg group and 3.33 (95% CI 1.98 to 5.59; p<0.001) for the SBP 100–109 mm Hg group, compared with the SBP 110–119 mm Hg group. In patients with a baseline SBP <110 mm Hg, factors associated with an increased risk of AEs included a higher New York Heart Association class (II, III or IV) and a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Conclusions

Caution is needed when initiating sacubitril/valsartan in patients with lower baseline SBP. The severity of heart failure and kidney function may be useful for risk stratification in these high-risk patients.
Gravitational lensing around a dual-charged stringy black hole in plasma background
Authors: Kala Shubham , Nandan Hemwati , Abebe Amare , Roy Saswati
Published: October 2024

One of the strongest tools to verify the predictions of general relativity (GR) has been the gravitational lensing around various compact objects. Using a dual charged stringy black hole produced from dilaton-Maxwell gravity, we investigate the impact of the plasma parameter on gravitational lensing and black hole shadow in this study. Detailed investigations are performed to mark the impact of the homogeneous and non-homogeneous plasma environment on the electric and magnetic charge parameters of stringy black hole. In order to compare the results, we have also considered the vacuum scenario of the dual charged stringy black hole. Our results show that the effect of homogeneous plasma environment is much stronger in comparison to vacuum for the case of electrically charged stringy black hole. However, in the case of magnetically charged stringy black hole, the deflection angle gets decreased in presence of the homogeneous plasma medium. It has been observed that the radius of the shadow increases in a non-homogeneous plasma environment for electrically charged stringy black hole, whereas it decreases for magnetically charged stringy black hole in presence of the same plasma environment. This study aims to investigate how different plasma environments influence these fascinating astrophysical phenomena.
POLICIES TO FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED INDUSTRIAL FIRMS IN EAST ASIA
Authors: WANG HONGLIN
Published: October 2024

Environmental sustainability is becoming crucial for development, especially in countries grappling with global warming and climate change. This study examines environmental sustainability in small and medium-sized industrial firms across seven East Asian countries from 2000 to 2021. Using the Continuously Updated Fully Modified (CUP-FM) approach, the analysis reveals a significant relationship between state-provided loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increased CO2 emissions, underscoring how financial support impacts environmental outcomes. Governance quality plays a key role, with better governance linked to lower emissions, highlighting its importance in fostering sustainability. Unexpectedly, a negative correlation between inflation and CO2 emissions suggests that inflation might encourage SMEs to adopt more energy-efficient practices. Additionally, higher employment and poverty levels are associated with increased CO2 emissions, reflecting the difficulties SMEs face in balancing economic growth with environmental impact. Based on these results, East Asian countries are advised to enforce stricter regulations, improve access to green financing, enhance governance and encourage collaboration to advance SME sustainability.
ENTROPY OF FINANCIAL STRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON STABILITY OF RENMINBI
Authors: ZHAO YANG , CHEN JIAN
Published: October 2024

This paper proposes a method to analyze whether financial stress influences the stability of the renminbi. Our study derives a measure of entropy using the correlation matrix of the five financial stress components of the financial market. Based on the time-varying parametric VAR model with stochastic volatility under the stochastic model specification search (SMSS-TVP-VAR-SV model), we examine the dynamic impacts of domestic and external factors on the stability of renminbi. The findings show that low values for the entropy of financial stress lead to a marginal impact on the stability of the renminbi.
Pulmonary Emphysema Disease Classification Model Using Deep Structured Techniques
Authors: Linginani Indira , Muddana Akkalakshmi
Published: October 2024

Emphysema is normally employed in the sense of morphology, and thus, imaging the modalities has a significant part in detecting the disorder. Most importantly, the High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) is a trustworthy component for illustrating the emphysema pathology. Hence, the pulmonary emphysema diagnosis at the starting stage is very important and can secure the life of a human. When there is a failure in the technique, there is a possibility of the death that displays the importance of effective diagnosis. The endotracheal intubation’s delay is prevented by implementing distinct mechanisms that result in various requirements. The presented work develops a deep learning-aided pulmonary emphysema disease classification model that is implemented to defeat the above difficulties. At first, the images are accumulated from a standard dataset. Then, the collected images are provided to the phase of segmentation. Here, the newly developed Adaptive Trans-Residual Dense UNet (ATRDUNet) is employed to perform the segmentation process. Also, the recommended ATRDUNet model helps to locate the disease in the appropriate location. Moreover, the performance of the segmentation process is enriched to fine-tune the parameter using the Fitness Revised Position of Wild Horse Optimizer (FRP-WHO). While optimizing the parameters effectively, it tends to handle the complex issues to strengthen the model accurately. The segmented results from the ATRDUNet are passed to Vision Transformer-based Residual DenseNet with LSTM layer (ViTrans-RDLSTM) for getting the final classified outcome. To this end, the analysis of the suggested model is correlated to find the effectiveness of the recommended model. However, these results are examined with the help of standard performance measures. Also, the experimentation is carried out using the standard “Automatic emphysema detection using weakly labeled HRCT lung images” dataset to attain better outcomes in the developed model. The findings of the recommended approach show 95% in terms of accuracy. Also, the statistical analysis of the developed model shows 23.9%, 12.3%, 15.2%, and 13.0% better performance than BWO, CO, HBA, and WHO in terms of mean analysis to show enriched performance.
STCO: Enhancing Training Efficiency via Structured Sparse Tensor Compilation Optimization
Authors: Huang Shiyuan , liu fangxin , Li Tian , Wang Zongwu , Yang Ning , Li Haomin , Jiang Li
Published: October 2024

Network sparsification serves as an effective technique to accelerate Deep Neural Network (DNN) inference. However, existing sparsification techniques often rely on structured sparsity, which yields limited benefits. This is primarily due to the significant memory and computational overhead introduced by numerous sparse storage formats during address generation and gradient updates. Additionally, many of these solutions are tailored solely for the inference phase, neglecting the crucial training phase.

In this article, we introduce STCO, a novel Sparse Tensor Compilation Optimization technique that significantly enhances training efficiency through structured sparse tensor compilation. Central to STCO is the Tensorization-aware Index Entity (TIE) format, which effectively represents structured sparse tensors by eliminating redundant indices and minimizing storage overhead. The TIE format plays a pivotal role in the Address-carry flow (AC flow) pass, which optimizes the data layout at the computational graph level. This pass leverages the TIE format to enhance the efficiency of tensor representations, enabling more compact and efficient sparse tensor storage. Meanwhile, a shape inference pass utilizes the AC flow to derive optimized tensor shapes, further refining the performance of sparse tensor operations. Moreover, the Address-Carry TIE Flow dynamically tracks nonzero addresses, extending the benefits of sparse optimization to both forward and backward propagation. This seamless integration into the training pipeline enables a smooth transition to sparse tensor compilation without significant modifications to existing codebases. To further boost training performance, we implement an operator-level AC flow optimization pass tailored for structured sparse tensors. This pass generates efficient addresses, ensuring minimal computational overhead during sparse tensor operations. The flexibility of STCO allows it to be efficiently integrated into various frameworks or compilers, providing a robust solution for enhancing training efficiency with structured sparse tensors. Experiments demonstrated that STCO achieved impressive speedups of 3.64×, 5.43×, 4.89×, and 3.91× when compared to state-of-the-art sparse formats on VGG16, ResNet-18, MobileNetV1, and MobileNetV2, respectively. These findings underscore the efficiency and superiority of our proposed approach in leveraging unstructured sparsity for DNN inference acceleration.
Learnable Transform-Assisted Tensor Decomposition for Spatio-Irregular Multidimensional Data Recovery
Authors: Zhang Hao , Huang Ting-Zhu , Zhao Xi-Le , Zhang Shuqin , Xie Jin-Yu , Jiang Tai-Xiang , Ng Michael K.
Published: October 2024

Tensor decompositions have been successfully applied to multidimensional data recovery. However, classical tensor decompositions are not suitable for emerging spatio-irregular multidimensional data (i.e., spatio-irregular tensor), whose spatial domain is non-rectangular, e.g., spatial transcriptomics data from bioinformatics and semantic units from computer vision. By using preprocessing (e.g., zero-padding or element-wise 0-1 weighting), the spatio-irregular tensor can be converted to a spatio-regular tensor and then classical tensor decompositions can be applied, but this strategy inevitably introduces bias information, leading to artifacts. How to design a tensor-based method suitable for emerging spatio-irregular tensors is an imperative challenge. To address this challenge, we propose a learnable transform-assisted tensor singular value decomposition (LTA-TSVD) for spatio-irregular tensor recovery, which allows us to leverage the intrinsic structure behind the spatio-irregular tensor. Specifically, we design a learnable transform to project the original spatio-irregular tensor into its latent spatio-regular tensor, and then the latent low-rank structure is captured by classical TSVD on the resulting regular tensor. Empowered by LTA-TSVD, we develop spatio-irregular low-rank tensor completion (SIR-LRTC) and spatio-irregular tensor robust principal component analysis (SIR-TRPCA) models for the spatio-irregular tensor imputation and denoising respectively, and we design corresponding solving algorithms with theoretical convergence. Extensive experiments including the spatial transcriptomics data imputation and hyperspectral image denoising show SIR-LRTC and SIR-TRPCA are superior performance to competing approaches and benefit downstream applications.
Resonating Between Past and Present: Long-Term History for the Island of New Guinea
Authors: Denham Tim , Muke John
Published: October 2024

The archaeology of the island of New Guinea is ancient and surprising, yet it is highly fragmentary in space and time. Consequently, archaeology provides only local and fleeting glimpses of social life in the distant past. In this review, we consider several key themes, such as initial colonization at least 55,000 years ago, the emergence of agriculture by at least 7,000–6,400 years ago, and social diversification in the last few thousand years. We build our discussions around robust archaeological records that convey a coherent impression of what people were doing in the past. We also highlight the ways in which archaeology can be repurposed to address contemporary issues, including social and environmental problems, and flag how a distinctive New Guinean archaeology could be rooted in a vegecultural conception of social life and time.
Influence of Light‐Curing Time and Increment Thickness on the Properties of Bulk Fill Composite Resins With Distinct Application Systems
Authors: Torres Carlos Rocha Gomes , Prado Taiana Paola , Ávila Daniele Mara da Silva , Pucci Cesar Rogério , Borges Alessandra Bühler
Published: October 2024

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of light‐curing time and increment thickness on the microhardness and degree of conversion (DC) of bulk fill composite resins with different application systems. Translucency parameter (TP) was also measured. Specimens of resin composites were prepared in a circular matrix using a single increment with different thicknesses (2, 4, and 6 mm) and light‐cured with distinct times (10, 20, and 40 s). The materials tested (n = 5 pergroup) were Filtek One (FO) bulk fill, Tetric N‐Ceram (TC) bulk fill, SonicFill 3 (SF), VisCalor (VC) bulk. After 24 h, Knoop microhardness (KN) was measured, and the bottom/top ratio (B/Tratio) was calculated. The DC was measured using Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The TP was assessed in additional specimens with 1 mm thick (n = 5). The data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s tests (5%). Significant differences were observed for all factors, for both B/Tratio and DC (p  < 0.05). The higher increment thickness and the lower curing times resulted in lower B/Tratio and DC means. The VC and TC resins exhibited the overall higher B/Tratio, and the highest TP. SF presented the lowest values of B/Tratio and DC, with compromised polymerization at 6 mm depth. TP (means ± SD) were FO (12.85 ± 1.0)1, SF (15.62 ± 0.73)2, TC (20.32 ± 0.49)3, and VC (20.53 ± 0.73)3. We concluded that the greater the thickness of the increment, the lower the DC. Higher light curing times resulted on increased DC of the tested composites. The higher translucent materials VC and TC showed the greater B/Tratio; and FO resin exhibited the higher DC values.
Pollution Mitigation in Vermicelli Wastewater: Integrated Fenton and Aerobic Sludge Treatment for Water Quality Improvement
Authors: Nguyen Phuoc Bao Niem , Pham Van Toan , Viet Le Hoang , Kumar Pankaj , Meraj Gowhar
Published: October 2024

Vermicelli production generates wastewater that is rich in organic and nutrient pollutants, which poses significant environmental challenges. Conventional biological treatments, either alone or in combination with other methods, often fail to achieve high efficiency and operational stability. This study explored the potential of the Fenton process, followed by aerobic activated sludge treatment, to enhance the biodegradability and mineralization of organic substances in vermicelli wastewater. Orientation experiments were performed to examine the effects of operating variables such as pH, reaction time, settling time, and ratio H2O2/Fe2+ on COD removal in order to select the optimal conditions for operating the model in a batch of 20 L, that is, pH = 3, reaction time of 90 min, settling time of 90 min, and ratio of H2O2/Fe2+ used 3 : 1 (4.5 : 1.5 g/L). The removal efficiencies of COD, BOD5, TN, TP, and SS reached 75.83%, 67.26%, 28.24%, 26.63%, and 91.9%, respectively. The BOD5/COD increased from 0.52 to 0.63, facilitating aerobic activated sludge, which had batch conditions of 15 L with pH of 6.5–8.5, DO ≥3 mg/L, additional nutrients with a dose of 12 mg/L, retention time of 14 h, and settling time of 2 h. As a result, the removal rate of those parameters climbed quite notably, except in SS (95.6%, 96.0%, 84.6%, 84.1%, and 83.6%), and their concentration parameters remained within the allowance levels of the National Technical Regulation in Vietnam before being discharged into the environment. However, the efficiency of treatment in the aerobic activated sludge stage for removing COD and BOD5 was not as high as anticipated (83% and 87.33%, respectively) owing to the influence of the high TDS concentration. Thus, additional research is required to address this challenge. The integrated treatment system combining the Fenton process with aerobic activated sludge demonstrated significant potential for the effective reduction of organic and nutrient pollutants in vermicelli wastewater, thereby achieving compliance with regulatory standards. However, the observed limitations in COD and BOD5 removal efficiency, likely due to elevated TDS levels, indicate the need for further investigation and optimization to enhance the overall treatment performance.
Dyschloremia and Renal Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients With Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Thanekar Saurabh M. , Shanbhag Vishal , Prabhu Attur Ravindra , Nagaraju Shankar Prasad , Rangaswamy Dharshan , Shenoy Srinivas Vinayak , Bhojaraja Mohan Varadarayanahalli , Rao Indu Ramachandra
Published: October 2024

Introduction: Chloride is the most abundant extracellular anion; however, abnormalities of serum chloride (dyschloremia) are often overlooked. This study aimed to study the association of dyschloremia with AKI and major adverse kidney events at Day 30 (MAKE30) in critically ill patients with sepsis.

Materials and Methods: This prospective single‐center cohort study included adult patients with sepsis admitted in a tertiary care hospital in India. Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease, requiring dialysis at admission, or with hospital stay of less than 72 h were excluded. Hyperchloremia and hypochloremia were defined as chloride levels of > 110 mEq/L and < 95 mEq/L, respectively. The primary outcome measure was MAKE30—a composite of death, need for dialysis, or sustained loss of kidney function at Day 30.

Results: In a cohort of 400 patients with a mean age of 60 (±15) years, AKI was seen in 301 (75.2%) and MAKE30 in 171 (42.8%). Hyperchloremia and hypochloremia were seen in 19.3% (n = 77) and 32.3% (n = 129), respectively, in the first 72 h of ICU stay. Hypochloremia, but not hyperchloremia, was independently associated with both MAKE30 (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.13–5.79; p = 0.024) and new‐onset or worsening AKI (OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.17–5.41; p = 0.019). There was no association between hyperchloremia and either MAKE30 (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.43–2.69; p = 0.882) or new‐onset/worsening AKI (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.38–2.09; p = 0.781).

Conclusion: Hypochloremia, but not hyperchloremia, was associated with MAKE30 in this cohort of critically ill patients with sepsis.

Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry identifier: CTRI//2022/02/040519
Soluble CD146 Cooperates with VEGFa to Generate an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in CD146-Positive Tumors: Interest of a Combined Antibody-Based Therapy
Authors: Joshkon Ahmad , Traboulsi Wael , Terme Magali , Bachelier Richard , Fayyad-Kazan Hussein , Dignat-George Françoise , Foucault-Bertaud Alexandrine , Leroyer Aurelie S. , Bardin Nathalie , Blot-Chabaud Marcel
Published: October 2024

Tumor development necessitates immune escape through different mechanisms. To counteract these effects, the development of therapies targeting immune checkpoints (ICP) has generated interest as they have produced lasting objective responses in patients with advanced metastatic tumors. However, many tumors do not respond to inhibitors of ICPs, necessitating to further study the underlying mechanisms of exhaustion. VEGFa, a proangiogenic molecule secreted by tumors, was described to participate to tumor immune exhaustion by increasing ICPs, justifying in part the use of an anti-VEGFa mAb, bevacizumab, in patients. However, recent studies from our group have demonstrated that tumors can escape anti-VEGFa therapy through the secretion of soluble CD146 (sCD146). In this study, we show that both VEGFa and sCD146 cooperate to create an immunosuppressive microenvironment by increasing the expression of ICPs. In addition, sCD146 favors protumoral M2-type macrophages and induces the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. An anti-sCD146 mAb reverses these effects and displays additive effects with the anti-VEGFa antibody to eliminate tumors in a syngeneic murine model grafted with melanoma cells. Combining bevacizumab with mucizumab could thus be of major therapeutic interest to prevent immune escape in malignant melanoma and other CD146-positive tumors.