bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of veteran suicide risk with state-level firearm ownership rates and firearm laws in the USA
Authors: Morral Andrew R. , Schell Terry L. , Scherling Adam
Published: September 2024

Background

Veterans have higher suicide rates than matched non-veterans, with firearm suicides being especially prevalent among veterans. We examined whether state firearm laws and state firearm ownership rates are important risk factors for suicide among veterans.

Methods

US veteran’s and demographically matched non-veteran’s suicide rates, 2002–2019, are modelled at the state level as a function of veteran status, lethal means, state firearm law restrictiveness, household firearm ownership rates and other covariates.

Results

Marginal effects on expected suicide rates per 100 000 population were contrasted by setting household firearm ownership to its 75th versus 25th percentile values of 52.3% and 35.3%. Ownership was positively associated with suicide rates for both veterans (4.35; 95% credible interval (CrI): 1.90, 7.14) and matched non-veterans (3.31; 95% CrI: 1.11, 5.77). This association was due to ownership’s strong positive association with firearms suicide, despite a weak negative association with non-firearm suicide. An IQR difference in firearm laws corresponding to three additional restrictive laws was negatively associated with suicide rates for both veterans (−2.49; 95% CrI: −4.64 to –0.21) and matched non-veterans (−3.19; 95% CrI: −5.22 to –1.16). Again, these differences were primarily due to associations with firearm suicide rates. Few differences between veterans and matched non-veterans were found in the associations of state firearm characteristics with suicide rates.

Discussion

Veterans’ and matched non-veterans’ suicide risk, and specifically their firearm suicide risk, was strongly associated with state firearm characteristics.

Conclusions

These results suggest that changes to state firearm policies might be an effective primary prevention strategy for reducing suicide rates among veterans and non-veterans.
Spectral eigenfunction decomposition of a Fokker–Planck operator for relativistic heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Rizzi A. , Wolschin G.
Published: September 2024

A spectral solution method is proposed to solve a previously developed non-equilibrium statistical model describing partial thermalization of produced charged hadrons in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, thus improving the accuracy of the numerical solution. The particle’s phase-space trajectories are treated as a drift-diffusion stochastic process, leading to a Fokker–Planck equation (FPE) for the single-particle probability distribution function. The drift and diffusion coefficients are derived from the expected asymptotic states via appropriate fluctuation–dissipation relations, and the resulting FPE is then solved numerically using a spectral eigenfunction decomposition. The calculated time-dependent particle distributions are compared to Pb–Pb data from the ATLAS and ALICE collaborations at the Large Hadron Collider.
DFT investigation on effectiveness of Beryllium-doped and defective graphene for anode material in lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Goyal Varsha , Sharma Krishna Swaroop
Published: September 2024

Lithium-ion batteries employing graphite as the anode material are now widely used in powering electronic gadgets like, mobile phones, laptops, electronic watches and calculators and also to provide required power to run engine of electric vehicles. However, storage capacity, open circuit voltage, energy density and battery life are the major considerations on which researchers are trying different alternatives to achieve better performance of the battery. In this research, Beryllium-doped and defective graphenes have been investigated by employing the ab initio DFT method. It has been found that graphene with a defect and Be–doped graphene with defects can serve as an efficient materials for anode in Li-ion batteries.
Mathematical analysis for flow of hybrid nanofluid over a vertical stretchable surface: Assisting and opposing flows
Authors: Ullah Basharat , Islam Muhammad Mudassir , Khan Umar , Mohsin Bandar Bin
Published: September 2024

Research Problem: The importance of improving the temperature properties of commonly used fluids in industrial processes is being addressed in this research. Nanofluids, which are composed of extremely small particles dispersed in common liquids such as water or petrol, are the main subject of this area of study. Using a vertically stretchable surface subjected to thermal radiation, the study examines the heat transfer behavior and efficiency of nanofluids.

Methodology: Nanofluids that convey heat are studied by applying the fundamental rules of fluid physics to the variables that control their motion. To measure the amount of energy transferred, a nanofluid model is used. Similarity transformations are used to convert the system’s differential equations into ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The subsequent set of nonlinear ODEs is solved using numerical methods. Utilizing graphical analysis, patterns of velocity and temperature may be seen, and their responses to changes in other parameters can be investigated.

Implications: This research has important implications for our knowledge of how nanofluids act in heat transfer applications, especially when exposed to thermal radiation and working with vertically stretchy surfaces. The effects of flow direction and thermal conductivity on distributions of velocity and temperature were elucidated, among other important results. More effective heating and cooling systems may be possible as a result of these findings, which have consequences for improving heat transfer processes in industrial environments.

Future Work: To better understand how nanofluids behave in heat transfer applications, future studies might investigate more complicated situations and boundary circumstances. It may be possible to optimize nanofluid formulations by studying the impact of various nanoparticle kinds and concentrations on heat transfer efficiency. Research could be more applicable to real-world industrial processes if the numerical results were experimentally validated.
Navigating Patients’ Intentions in Smart Health: Insights from Novel Factors
Authors: Abushakra Ahmad , Nikbin Davoud , Anaya Luay
Published: September 2024

This research aims to evaluate the extent to which a specific set of factors affect patients’ intention to adopt and use smart health applications. These factors, derived from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), include technology anxiety (TA), perceived reliability (PR), inertia (Int) and privacy concern (PC). Data were collected from 259 participants via a cross-sectional survey. The researchers employed the partial least squares (PLS) method for data analysis using SmartPLS, a statistical tool based on structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings indicate that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, Int and PR significantly influence patients’ intentions to adopt smart health services. However, no significant relationships were found between effort expectancy, social influence, PC, TA and the intention to adopt smart health services. This study contributes to the literature by integrating additional factors (TA, PR, Int and PC) into the UTAUT framework. Limitations of the study include the cross-sectional design, which may not capture changes over time, and the reliance on self-reported data, which may be subject to biases. Future research should consider longitudinal studies to examine the evolving nature of technology adoption and explore additional contextual factors that might influence patient intentions. This research provides practical insights for healthcare practitioners aiming to enhance the adoption of smart health applications.
GREEN SYNERGY: UNLEASHING CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, DYNAMIC CAPABILITY, AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM FIRMS
Authors: AGYAPONG AHMED , KLYTON AARON VAN , AIDOO SUZIE OWIREDUA , OSABUTEY ELLIS
Published: September 2024

The critical role of green creativity in small firms’ financial and environmental performance has attracted scholarly interest in recent times. Prior studies have reported inconsistent findings on this relationship, prompting the need for further investigations. This study investigates the effect of green creativity on performance through green innovation at different levels of green dynamic capability. This study collected data on 246 small firms in a developing nation, Ghana. Adopting structural equation modelling (SEM) in LISREL 8.8 to test our hypothesized relationships, this study reveals that green creativity significantly affects both financial and environmental performance. We further find that green innovation does not significantly mediate the relationship between green creativity and performance (environmental and financial). Additionally, this study reports that at high levels of green dynamic capability, the positive relationship between green creativity and environmental performance through green innovation is strengthened.
Bringing Carbon Awareness to Multi-Cloud Application Delivery
Authors: Maji Diptyaroop , Pfaff Ben , R Vipin P , Sreenivasan Rajagopal , Firoiu Victor , Iyer Sreeram , Josephson Colleen , Pan Zhelong , Sitaraman Ramesh K.
Published: September 2024

Data centers consume roughly 1--2% of the world's electricity, with the majority of it attributed to compute, making the computing industry a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions. Resources in data centers typically focus on providing high performance and availability, but the question of sustainability in managing these distributed resources often goes unnoticed over these other metrics. This problem will only exacerbate as the data center computing demand continues to increase.

In this paper
1
, we address the sustainability aspect of load balancing in VMware's Avi Global Server Load Balancer (GSLB). Our GSLB deployment spans data centers across geographies and clouds and relies on geographical proximity to shift client application requests to the closest data center. In this work, we enhance the GSLB service to additionally consider the realtime carbon intensity at each data center as a factor in making a load-balancing choice. Our carbon-aware prototype shows an average of 21% and a maximum of 51% reduction in carbon emissions while operating with an acceptable latency.
Carbon-Aware Memory Placement
Authors: Köhler Sven , Herzog Benedict , Herzog Henriette , Vögele Manuel , Wenzel Lukas , Polze Andreas , Hönig Timo
Published: September 2024

The carbon footprint of software activities is determined by embodied and operational emissions of hardware resources. This paper presents cMemento, a concept that enables operating systems to make carbon-aware memory placement decisions.

Main memory has become heterogeneous in today's computer systems. In addition to traditional (and volatile) main memory (e.g. DRAM), novel memory technologies with persistent properties are often also available (e.g. PRAM, FRAM, MRAM). Complementary, there are a large number of new memory interfaces (e.g. high-bandwidth, graphics, and low-power memory) that have to be additionally taken into account by the operating system when allocating memory. The availability of new memory technologies and interfaces enables systems with improved energy efficiency. At the same time, the new memory interfaces have revealed serious flaws in the current state-of-the-art memory abstractions in operating systems. Hence, moving away from the homogeneous perspective of memory resources is a crucial step towards significantly reducing the energy consumption and, ultimately, the carbon footprint of today's computer systems.

With cMemento, we propose an approach that combines information on characteristics of (i) active workloads and (ii) available memory resources with a carbon model. cMemento transforms the combined information into memory placement decisions at operating system level. The placement decisions that are made result in improved operating conditions (i.e. better energy efficiency and lower carbon footprint) for the available memory resources.
Towards Application Centric Carbon Emission Management
Authors: Kannan Sudarsun , Kremer Ulrich
Published: September 2024

Carbon emissions are due to application execution on a target system (operational emissions) and the production, transportation, and disposal of the system itself (embodied emissions). This paper investigates the impacts of different resource configurations in terms of available DRAM memory on the overall carbon emission of individual application executions. We first propose an application-centric carbon footprint model that considers DRAM and CPU. We then study the model using a widely-used key-value store (RocksDB) and Graph500 applications. The results for RocksDB indicate that the minimal emission configuration is application dependent and can lead to significant emission reductions compared to application-oblivious configurations that use higher DRAM capacity without improving performance. For some applications, small performance degradation may lead to substantial additional emission reductions.
On the Promise and Pitfalls of Optimizing Embodied Carbon
Authors: Bashir Noman , Irwin David , Shenoy Prashant
Published: September 2024

To halt further climate change, computing, along with the rest of society, must reduce, and eventually eliminate, its carbon emissions. Recently, many researchers have focused on estimating and optimizing computing's
embodied carbon
, e.g., from manufacturing, transporting, and disposing/recycling computing infrastructure, in addition to its
operational carbon
, e.g., from executing computations, primarily because the former is seemingly larger than the latter but has received less research attention. Focusing attention on embodied carbon is important because it can incentivize i) operators to increase their infrastructure's efficiency and lifetime and ii) upstream suppliers to reduce their own operational carbon, which represents downstream companies' embodied carbon. Yet, as we discuss, focusing attention on embodied carbon may also introduce harmful incentives, e.g., by overstating real carbon reductions and complicating the incentives for directly optimizing operational carbon. This position paper's purpose is to mitigate these issues by highlighting both the promise and potential pitfalls of optimizing embodied carbon
1
.
Evolving Approaches for Pharmacological Therapy of Obesity
Authors: Chao Ariana M. , Taylor Simeon , Moore Molly , Amaro Anastassia , Wadden Thomas A.
Published: September 2024

Obesity is a global health concern. Progress in understanding the physiology of obesity and weight reduction has provided new drug targets. Development and testing of new antiobesity medications (AOMs) has the potential to quickly expand options for treatment. In this review, we briefly summarize the physiology of obesity and weight reduction, as well as medications currently approved for weight management. We highlight the increasing use of incretin and nutrient-stimulated hormone-based therapies. We conclude with an overview of AOMs progressing through the pipeline and discuss their implications for the rapidly evolving field of obesity management.
Pharmacogenetic Panel Testing: A Review of Current Practice and Potential for Clinical Implementation
Authors: Mosch R. , van der Lee M. , Guchelaar H.J. , Swen J.J.
Published: September 2024

Pharmacogenetics (PGx) aims to optimize drug treatment outcomes by using a patient's genetic profile for individualized drug and dose selection. Currently, reactive and pretherapeutic single-gene PGx tests are increasingly applied in clinical practice in several countries and institutions. With over 95% of the population carrying at least one actionable PGx variant, and with drugs impacted by these genetic variants being in common use, pretherapeutic or preemptive PGx panel testing appears to be an attractive option for better-informed drug prescribing. Here, we discuss the current state of PGx panel testing and explore the potential for clinical implementation. We conclude that available evidence supports the implementation of pretherapeutic PGx panel testing for drugs covered in the PGx guidelines, yet identification of specific patient populations that benefit most and cost-effectiveness data are necessary to support large-scale implementation.
Operando Stack Pressure Measurement of LFP/Graphite and LMFP/Graphite Cells to aid in State of Charge Prediction
Authors: Leslie Kate , Garayt Matthew D. L. , Butler Emily J. , Metzger Michael , Dahn J. R.
Published: September 2024

One of the biggest issues facing electric vehicles with LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries is state of charge management. Over much of the state of charge window, the voltage of both LFP and LiMnxFe1-xPO4 (LMFP) batteries does not vary. Therefore, state of charge management for LFP batteries relies on coulomb counting, which requires frequent charging to 100% to remain accurate. We propose to use the signal from pressure sensors placed between prismatic cells in battery modules to help determine the state of charge of LFP and LMFP batteries. Using LFP and LMFP pouch cells to demonstrate this principle, the pressure vs time profiles of cells constrained in fixed volumes reveal distinct and repeatable profiles, which can be used to determine the state of charge in combination with voltage monitoring. Additionally, a simulated LFP battery pack was constructed and the pressure vs time profile was monitored in the presence of compliant material under low initial force loadings to demonstrate how this could work in an EV battery.
Short-Circuit Detection in Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Machine Learning: Analysis and Comparison with Physics-Based Method
Authors: Patil Shubham Sambhaji , Bharathraj Sagar , Lee Myeong-Jae , Adiga Shashishekar P. , Mayya K. Subramanya
Published: September 2024

Early detection of short circuits in battery-powered systems is critical in preventing potential catastrophic failures. However, nascent short-circuit signatures are extremely weak and challenging to detect using existing algorithms without compromising on prediction accuracy. Traditional physics-based approaches rely on hand-crafted models to establish relationships between battery operating parameters and short resistance, which limits their ability to capture all relevant details, resulting in sub-optimal accuracies. In this study, we present a machine learning-based approach that leverages rest period voltage data to detect short circuits. Our method employs a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier/estimator that extracts temporal dynamic features relevant to the short circuit prediction problem from both the long and short tails of the rest period voltage profile. The approach is validated using commercial battery data, generated at different conditions including temperatures, and short circuits of varying severities; with prediction accuracies greater than 90% even for soft shorts of 500Ω. The key performance parameters of the 1D CNN model are compared against a physics-based short detection approach, demonstrating its superior performance and cost-effectiveness. Overall, our work represents a significant advancement in the field of short circuit detection in battery-powered systems, offering improved accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
Corrosion of Copper, Cupronickel, Nickel Aluminium Bronze and Super-Duplex Stainless Steel Rotating Cylinder Electrodes in Seawater under Turbulent Flow Conditions
Authors: Walsh F. C. , Barker B. D. , Stokes K. R. , Kear G.
Published: September 2024

The corrosion of uncoated metals in a marine environment restricts the choice of suitable engineering metals and alloys. Anodic dissolution of metal and cathodic reduction of oxygen are important processes and formation of a surface oxide film can affect both electrode reactions. Charge transfer and mass transfer data can provide information on corrosion rate and mechanism. Several metals and alloys having a history of use in marine engineering are considered, including copper, two copper alloys (cupronickel and nickel aluminium bronze) plus a more recent addition to strong, corrosion resistant alloys (a super duplex stainless steel). The rotating cylinder electrode offers the benefits of a controlled, turbulent flow of electrolyte, facilitating controlled mass transfer in a compact cell geometry which is well-suited to bench-top operation. These features are illustrated using a variety of electrochemical techniques, including open-circuit potential vs time monitoring, linear sweep voltammetry, rotation speed step- or potential step current transients and linear polarisation resistance measurements. Seawater taken from Langstone Harbour, Hampshire, UK, was filtered, air-saturated, pH 8.0 and maintained at 25 °C. Dimensionless group correlations and graphical plots (using an analogous approach to the Koutecky-Levich equation for an RDE) enabled contributions of charge transfer-, mixed- and mass transfer- controlled data to be appreciated, allowing the Tafel slopes of electrode reactions, the diffusion coefficient of dissolved oxygen, the mass transfer coefficient for oxygen reduction and the mean corrosion rate to be estimated.
Widening the Operational Temperature Range of Lithium Batteries Using Flame-Retardant Sulfone-Based Highly Concentrated Electrolytes
Authors: Ugata Yosuke , Wada Gakuto , Miyazaki Shuhei , Dokko Kaoru
Published: September 2024

High-concentration Li salt/sulfone solutions have attracted attention as promising liquid electrolytes for Li batteries owing to their high oxidative stability, nonflammability, and high Li+ ion transference number (t
Li+). Herein, we report the temperature-dependent electrolyte properties of a sulfone-based ternary mixture composed of LiN(SO2F)2, sulfolane, and dimethyl sulfone, which enables Li batteries to operate in a wide temperature range. At −20 °C, the rate capability of a Li/LiCoO2 cell with the sulfone-based electrolyte was comparable to that with a conventional carbonate-based electrolyte, even though the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte was significantly lower in the former case (0.11 versus 2.92 mS cm−1). This is because the former electrolyte has a higher t
Li+ value, effectively suppressing the concentration overpotential during cell charging and discharging. Moreover, the vapor pressure was much lower for the sulfone-based electrolyte than for the carbonate-based one, and the Li/LiCoO2 cell with the former electrolyte was successfully operated at 60 °C. This study provides insights into the characteristics of high-concentration electrolytes that affect the temperature dependence of Li battery performance.
Influence of Conductive Additives and Binder on the Impedance of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes: Effect of an Inhomogeneous Distribution
Authors: Prasad Mrudula , Hein Simon , Danner Timo , Prifling Benedikt , Scurtu Rares , Hoffmann Alice , Hilger André , Osenberg Markus , Manke Ingo , Wohlfahrt-Mehrens Margret , Schmidt Volker , Latz Arnulf
Published: September 2024

The conductive additive and binder domain (CBD) is an essential component of lithium-ion battery electrodes. It enhances the electrical connectivity and mechanical stability within the solid electrode matrix. Migration of the binder during electrode drying can lead to an inhomogeneous distribution of the CBD, impeding transport of lithium ions into the electrodes, and diminishing the electronic pathways between solid particles and the current collector. This is especially prominent in thick electrodes at high drying rates. Therefore, we investigate the effect of a non-uniform CBD distribution on the electrochemical performance of NMC622 electrodes via microstructure-resolved three-dimensional (3D) simulations on virtual electrodes, based on tomographic image data, and compare them with experimental results. The valuable information derived by combining microstructure-resolved models with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements on symmetric cells under blocking electrolyte conditions is used to characterize the lithium-ion transport in the electrode pore space, including the contributions of the CBD. The effect of this inhomogeneity on electrode performance is then gauged via galvanostatic discharge simulations under changing discharge currents and for varying electrode densities. Through our work, we demonstrate the significance of the CBD distribution and enable predictive simulations for future battery design.
Research on the Load Characteristics of Squeezed Film Gas Bearings
Authors: Du Yuanying , Xu Feiqin , Lan Jianying , Quan Hui
Published: September 2024

In this paper, a gas microbody is proposed to address the issues related to the limited load‐carrying capacity of squeezed film gas bearings, complex mechanical structures, large overall dimensions, high manufacturing costs, and complicated installation. Initially, the gas continuity equation of squeezed film was established for modal analysis, without regard to the gas inertial force and the gas volume force which are all far less than the gas viscous force. Then the load‐carrying characteristics of squeezed film gas bearing were studied and analyzed with the fluid‐structure coupling method. The load‐carrying capacity of the squeezed film gas bearing is determined by factors such as bearing amplitude, rotor‐axial clearance, and rotor‐axial tile contact area. In conclusion, the load‐carrying capacity can be enhanced by increasing the amplitude value, reducing the clearance, and increasing the contact area. Among them, when adjusting the amplitude and clearance to improve the bearing’s load‐carrying capacity, the stability of bearing operation should be considered. When the clearance is too small, the pressure distribution of the air film will be uneven, and when the contact area is too large, the development of the air film in all directions will be asymmetrical.
The First Record of an Aggressive Form of Ocular Tumour Enhanced by Marek’s Disease Virus Infection in Layer Flock in Al‐Najaf, Iraq
Authors: Al-Zebeeby Aoula , Abbas Ali Hadi , Alsaegh Haider Abas , Alaraji Furkan Sabbar
Published: September 2024

Marek’s disease (MD) is a highly infectious poultry illness with a tendency to form tumours in peripheral nerves and internal organs of affected birds. Tumours accompany MD, mostly caused by oncogenic Gallid alpha herpesvirus 2 (MD Herpes virus serotype I). Studies on avian tumours associated with MD infection are limited in Iraq. In the presented study, the positive samples of ocular tumour were 168 out of 282 MD positive samples, which accomplished in farm suffered from an unexpectedly high mortality rate. We investigated a rapidly developed tumour mass that was observed in an MD‐vaccinated layer flock that showed obvious clinical signs of MD, accompanied by forming a small lump in one eye at age 21 weeks, which developed to a big lump at week 28 of age, leading to death. The diagnosis MD infection was confirmed by a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of a specific region of the target gene meq of the causative agent, followed by Sanger sequencing and BLASTn search of the sequence against the NCBI nucleic acid database, resulted in Gallid alpha herpes virus 2 strain, and according to the phylogenetic analysis, the sequence from this study was uniquely clustered in its own branch in the tree. Histopathological examination of the ocular tumour core revealed aggregation of neoplastic cells and haemorrhage that replaced the normal eye tissue, as well as early tumour formation in internal organs such as the lung and liver. In addition, abnormal lesions are susceptible to tumours in the gizzard and spleen. To our knowledge, this is the first record of an aggressive MD virus infection‐mediated ocular tumour in a layer flock in Al‐Najaf province, Iraq.
Pregnancy Following Metabolic–Bariatric Surgery in a Woman With Potential Premature Ovarian Failure: A Case Report
Authors: Moradi Raheleh , Kashanian Maryam , Mokhber Somayeh , Pazouki Abdolreza
Published: September 2024

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is associated with decreased ovulation in the precursor stage which leads to ovarian failure in the end stage. Metabolic–bariatric surgery (MBS) can improve women’s reproductive status, including the release of sex hormones, ovulation, and fertilization. Here, we report a spontaneous pregnancy following MBS despite potential ovarian insufficiency. A 38‐year‐old woman with severe obesity underwent three cycles of assisted reproduction that were not successful. Oligomenorrhea ≥ 4 months, laboratory indices, and previous poor ovarian response approved the diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve and could be considered as the precursor stage of POI. Then a gastric bypass was applied, and a spontaneous pregnancy occurred in the 22nd month after surgery, with 45.80% reduction in body mass index. MBS in women with obesity and idiopathic ovarian insufficiency may increase the chance of spontaneous ovulation and successful pregnancy.
Body Composition Changes Impact Islet β‐Cell Function in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Lin Yuxi , Zhang Yongze , Shen Ximei , Weng Zhiyan , Huang Lingning , Zhao Fengying , Yan Sunjie
Published: September 2024

Background: Identifying β‐cells dysregulation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is crucial. Weight fluctuations are frequently observed during diabetes treatment. However, the relationship between body composition changes and islet β‐cell function in individuals with T2DM remains insufficiently investigated.

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study encompassed a cohort of 775 T2DM patients, who underwent body composition measuring using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and followed up for a median of 2.29 years. Key metrics included body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), trunk fat mass index (TFMI), muscle mass index (MMI), appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), muscle/fat mass ratio (M/F), and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass/trunk fat mass ratio (A/T) were then categorized and grouped. Insulin, C‐peptide, and glucose levels were assessed concurrently following a glucose load. β‐cell function included insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index (MI)), and insulin secretion evaluated by HOMA‐β and C‐peptidogenic index (CGI).

Results: Although no significant changes in BMI were observed, patients with T2DM at readmission exhibited higher FMI, TFMI, and ASMI, as well as elevated levels of HOMA‐IR, MI, and CGI compared to baseline measurements. And lower MI, higher levels of CGI, and HOMA‐IR were observed in BMI increased group. Univariate correlation analysis revealed a negative association between changes in BMI (ΔBMI) and ΔMI, while positive associations were observed in both ΔHOMA‐IR and ΔCGI. Among body composition indexes, ΔFMI exhibited the strongest correlation with ΔHOMA‐IR (r = 0.255, p < 0.001), and ΔASMI was positively associated with ΔMI and ΔCGI (r = 0.131 and 0.194, respectively). Moreover, increased levels of BMI and FMI were associated with a greater risk of progressive insulin resistance compared to the decreased, whereas the trend was converse in ASMI and A/T.

Conclusions: Increased FMI may partially contribute to the deterioration of insulin resistance, while increased ASMI is associated with improved insulin sensitivity and secretion. Maintaining an appropriate BMI and muscle/fat ratio is conductive to prevent the progression of insulin resistance in patients with T2DM.
The Potential of Defatted Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Meal as an Alternative Protein Source for Juvenile Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
Authors: Yao Wenxiang , Zhang Chunyan , Zhang Sai , Hua Guoan , Zhao Sitong , Shuang Huiyang , Sun Ningyang , Sun Yijun , Poolsawat Lumpan , Wang Jianguo , Wang Quan
Published: September 2024

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of replacing dietary fish meal (FM) with defatted yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal (DYM) on growth performance, intestinal health, serum immune, and antioxidant indexes of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Four hundred juvenile Chinese mitten crabs (4.94 ± 0.08 g) were randomly distributed into five groups in quadruplicate (20 crabs per tank), and each group was fed with diets that replaced FM with DYM at 0% (CON, containing 200 g/kg FM), 25% (DYM25), 50% (DYM50), 75% (DYM75), and 100% (DYM100) for 8 weeks, respectively. The results showed that the growth, serum immune and antioxidant indexes, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histology, and microbiota composition of DYM25, DYM50, and DYM75 groups all reached the similar level as the CON group. While when 100% fishmeal was replaced, significantly decreased the final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG), serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lysozyme (LZM), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC), and total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) activities, hepatopancreas protease activity, mid‐intestine folds height and number (P < 0.05), significantly increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the abundance of intestinal harmful bacteria Shewanella (P < 0.05). Overall, these results suggest that 75% dietary FM (150 g/kg) can be effectively replaced by DYM without negative impact on the growth performance, intestinal health, serum immune, and antioxidant indexes of juvenile E. sinensis.
Enhancing Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation with Electromyography‐Monitored Virtual Reality–Based Games
Authors: Ibrahim Zunaidi , Cahyadi Basri Noor , Aziz Azlan , Shamil Ahmad
Published: September 2024

Stroke is a significant global health concern, ranking among the top causes of death and disability. Timely poststroke recovery hinges on structured upper limb rehabilitation within the first 24–48 hr. Although virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation is promising, its accessibility is complex and cost‐limited, especially in less developed regions. In this study, we developed and assessed nonimmersive VR rehabilitation games using the Kinect Xbox One and UNITY game engine, targeting upper limb movement sequences vital for poststroke recovery. The developed games involved simple to progressively challenging movements, engaging the deltoid, biceps, and triceps muscles and aligning with poststroke rehabilitation criteria. We used peak‐to‐peak electromyography signal detection with a 20% threshold and three distinct feature extractions to represent muscle contractions during gameplay. Our cosine similarity analysis revealed the efficacy of games in meeting movement sequence criteria, benefiting mostly the shoulder motor and deltoid muscles (93% improvement) with more moderate improvements in the biceps (73%) and triceps (47%). Our results suggest that these games could contribute to upper limb stroke rehabilitation, particularly that of the deltoid muscle. This study highlights the potential of VR‐based rehabilitation games in poststroke upper limb recovery, emphasizing muscle engagement, target distances, and rehabilitation criteria in game design. Although healthy participants were involved here, future research involving poststroke patients and the exploration of more immersive, multiplanar movements hold the potential for a more comprehensive rehabilitation experience. Our study contributes to advancing the common knowledge related to VR‐based stroke rehabilitation, focusing on upper limb movement sequences with implications for therapeutic engagement and recovery.
Pregerminative Treatments to Improve Germination of Plant Species with Forage Potential in Conditions of the Colombian Amazonian Foothills
Authors: Narváez-Herrera Juan Pablo , Angulo-Arizala Joaquín , Barragán-Hernández Wilson , Mahecha-Ledesma Liliana
Published: September 2024

The research aimed to evaluate the germination of seeds of four forage species present in the Colombian Amazonian foothills, the speed of germination and the selection indices of Erythrina poeppigiana (EP), Guazuma ulmifolia (GU), Clitoria fairchildiana (CF), and Piptocoma discolor (PD) under nursery conditions, through a randomized complete block design with five repetitions and three pregerminative treatments, T0 (control): immersion in water for 24 h, T1: 24 h in water followed by 3 minutes in water at 80°C, and T2: 24 h in a solution of 600 mg/L of gibberellic acid (GA3) followed by 1 minute in water at 80°C. Additionally, GU seeds underwent mechanical scarification. In total, 750 seeds per species were used, resulting in 3,000 seeds in the experiment. An analysis of variance and a Tukey’s mean comparison test were performed for the variable proportion of germinated seeds, germination speed, and selection indices among treatments. Germination curves were analyzed using two growth models: logistic and Gompertz. The results of these models were evaluated based on Akaike (AIC), Bayesian (BIC), and R2 statistical criteria, with the Gompertz model selected for its better fit and biological interpretation of the data. The T2 treatment in EP recorded the highest germination with 88.8 ± 1.36% different (p < 0.05) from the results obtained in T1 79.6 ± 1.22% and the control 61.6 ± 0.94%, the previous treatments in CF had no effect, the control in this species was the best with 68.8 ± 2.94% as in the GU seeds, T1 presented a germination of 78.8 ± 6.21% equal to T2 73.6 ± 5.80% and different (p < 0.05) to the control 25.2 ± 2.01% highlighting the positive effect of manual scarification. PD seeds began germination after 25 days of experimentation, suggesting that this species requires a more extended experimental period. Under Amazonian foothill conditions, EP and GU seeds respond well to 24‐hour hydration and the addition of 600 mg of GA3; however, this dose may be excessive for PD and CF seeds.
History of Infertility and Risk of Endometrial Cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative
Authors: Harris Holly R. , Saboda Kathylynn , Thomson Cynthia A. , Saquib Nazmus , Shadyab Aladdin H. , Schnatz Peter F. , Robles-Morales Rogelio , Qi Lihong , Roe Denise J. , Farland Leslie V.
Published: September 2024

Background:

Several studies have suggested an association between infertility and risk of endometrial cancer. However, most studies have evaluated this relationship in premenopausal people, yet the mean age of endometrial cancer is 60 years, after the average age of menopause.

Methods:

Our study included Women’s Health Initiative participants who self-reported whether they had a history of infertility. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between infertility and incident endometrial cancer. Given that all infertility diagnoses occurred prior to study enrollment, we conducted secondary analyses using logistic regression examining prevalent endometrial cancer cases diagnosed before study baseline.

Results:

Approximately 18% of participants reported a history of infertility. No statistically significant association was observed between infertility and risk of incident endometrial cancer overall [incident cases = 1,622; HR = 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.99–1.26]. Although point estimates suggested an increase in risk of endometrial cancer among women with body mass index (BMI) ≥25 (HR = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.99–1.33), none of the associations were statistically significant. There was an association between history of infertility and prevalent endometrial cancer cases (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.06–1.34), with the strongest association for infertility diagnosis due to endometriosis (OR 2.42; 95% CI = 1.83–3.19).

Conclusions:

In a population of postmenopausal participants, we observed a modest, but not statistically significant, association between overall infertility and incident endometrial cancer, with the suggestion of a higher risk among those with a BMI ≥ 25.

Impact:

Our findings highlight, as observed in previous studies, that risk factors for endometrial cancer may vary by BMI.
Identification of Immune-Related Genes as Potential Biomarkers in Early Septic Shock
Authors: Liu Beibei , Fan Yonghua , Zhang Xianjing , Li Huaqing , Gao Fei , Shang Wenli , Hu Juntao , Tang Zhanhong
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Septic shock, a severe manifestation of infection-induced systemic immune response, poses a critical threat resulting in life-threatening multi-organ failure. Early diagnosis and intervention are imperative due to the potential for irreversible organ damage. However, specific and sensitive detection tools for the diagnosis of septic shock are still lacking. Methods: Gene expression files of early septic shock were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. CIBERSORT analysis was used to evaluate immune cell infiltration. Genes related to immunity and disease progression were identified using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), followed by enrichment analysis. CytoHubba was then employed to identify hub genes, and their relationships with immune cells were explored through correlation analysis. Blood samples from healthy controls and patients with early septic shock were collected to validate the expression of hub genes, and an external dataset was used to validate their diagnostic efficacy. Results: Twelve immune cells showed significant infiltration differences in early septic shock compared to control, such as neutrophils, M0 macrophages, and natural killer cells. The identified immune and disease-related genes were mainly enriched in immune, cell signaling, and metabolism pathways. In addition, six hub genes were identified (PECAM1, F11R, ITGAL, ICAM3, HK3, and MCEMP1), all significantly associated with M0 macrophages and exhibiting an area under curve of over 0.7. These genes exhibited abnormal expression in patients with early septic shock. External datasets and real-time qPCR validation supported the robustness of these findings. Conclusion: Six immune-related hub genes may be potential biomarkers for early septic shock.
Fabry Disease with Genetic Variants of Unknown Significance and Concomitant Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy
Authors: Zhou Huan , Wang Siqing , Chen Yilin , Yang Dandan , Tang Yi , Tan Jiaxing , Qin Wei
Published: September 2024

Introduction: The diagnosis of Fabry disease (FD) with genetic variants of unknown significance (VUSs) is relatively difficult. We explored patients with novel VUS variants and concomitant immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) to improve the understanding of VUS. Methods: The study retrospectively investigated patients with genetically confirmed FD. Probands with VUS were selected from the database of FD patients who underwent genetic analysis. Demographic, clinicopathological, and laboratory data from probands and family members were collected and analyzed. Results: Fourteen probands and their family members were included in the study. The probands were divided into group 1 (patients with VUS, n = 5) and group 2 (patients with pathologic/likely pathologic variants, n = 9). The group 1 included 2 missense mutations and 1 deletion mutation, while the group 2 included 6 missense mutations and 2 deletion mutations. There were no significant differences in gender, age, serum creatinine, eGFR, and proteinuria between the two groups. IgA deposition with myeloid bodies was found in all VUS patients. The cardiac involvement in group 2 was more severe than that in group 1. Seven families performed the pedigree analysis, and after the comprehensive evaluation, two GLA variants (c.479C>A, p.Ala160Asp; c.1032-1058 del, p.Ser345_Met353del) were upgraded from VUS to the likely pathogenic. Conclusion: The clinical manifestations of FD are heterogeneous. FD often coexists with nephrotic disorders, such as IgAN and MCD. Comprehensive evaluation, especially tissue-specific biopsy, is necessary for patients with GLA-VUSs. Two GLA variants (c.479C>A, p.Ala160Asp; c.1032-1058 del, p.Ser345_Met353del) were upgraded from VUS to the likely pathogenic after the comprehensive evaluation.
Water-Soluble Vitamins Stability by Robust Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Luo Wei , Wang Danchen , Tang Yueming , Cheng Qian , Ma Xiaoli , Yu Songlin , Qiu Ling
Published: September 2024

Introduction: The measurement of water-soluble vitamins is essential to diagnose and monitor various vitamin deficiencies. Establishing stability limits for these vitamins is crucial to ensure accurate laboratory testing. This study aimed to assess the stability of commonly measured water-soluble vitamins under different storage conditions to improve the accuracy of water-soluble vitamins measurement. Methods: The stability of thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxic acid and pyridoxal, biotin, 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid (5-MTHF), and ascorbic acid was measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We investigated some pre-analytical factors: the effect of different storage temperatures and times variation between serum and plasma samples, and the impact of ice bath on the sample before centrifugation. We evaluated stability based on differences from the baseline. Results: Thiamine, pyridoxal, and ascorbic acid in serum exhibited instability at room temperature and 2–8°C. Riboflavin and 5-MTHF in serum were only stable for up to 48 and 72 h at 2–8°C. However, when stored at −20°C, all water-soluble vitamins remained stable for up to 72 h, whereas at −80°C, stability was maintained for up to 7 days. All vitamins in whole blood, except nicotinamide, were stable for up to 2–4 h when stored in an ice bath. Conclusions: Water-soluble vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxal, and ascorbic acid, are unstable at room temperature and 2–8°C. All vitamins were stable for up to 7 days and stored at −80°C. The ice bath improved the stability of whole blood samples before centrifugation. Thus, laboratories should ensure appropriate storage conditions to maintain pre-analytical quality for vitamin measurements.
Recepção crítica e audiência em Som e fúria: questões sobre teatro, streaming e televisão
Authors: Fernandes Marcelo de Lima , Magalhães Luiz Antonio Mousinho
Published: September 2024

Som & fúria é uma minissérie brasileira produzida pela O2 Filmes, com coprodução do Núcleo Guel Arraes da Rede Globo de Televisão. Exibida entre 7 e 24 de julho de 2009, a minissérie foi adaptada por Fernando Meirelles, a partir da série canadense Slings and arrows, e só recentemente chegou às plataformas digitais, via Globoplay. O objetivo principal do presente artigo é compreender a discrepância entre a recepção crítica favorável da obra e a baixa receptividade do público durante sua veiculação na TV aberta, considerando o contexto de exibição da minissérie, enquanto procura atualizar alguns pontos do fenômeno para o estágio atual do consumo televisivo – sobretudo com o espraiamento do streaming/on demand e respectiva segmentação da audiência.