bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of heat transfer processes in shell and tube phase change heat exchangers for recovering industrial waste heat
Authors: Ma Guangzeng , Zhang Jing , Wang Jian
Published: December 2024

This article combines phase change energy storage technology with shell and tube heat storage and exchange devices to establish a three-dimensional numerical model of the shell and tube phase change heat storage and exchange device. The hexahedral structured grid division is used to make the simulation results more accurate. Combined with the computational fluid dynamics software Fluent and the related principles of phase change heat transfer, the effects of different heat transfer fluid temperatures and flow rates on the phase change process of phase change materials and the fluid outlet temperature in the phase change heat exchanger were numerically simulated. The results show that under the set parameters, when the inlet water temperature increases from 70 °C to 90 °C, the time required for the outlet temperature to increase from 20 °C to 60 °C is shortened by 23%, while when the temperature is constant, the inlet temperature of heat transfer fluid is shortened by 69%. Analysis shows that the influence of the inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid on the heat storage and release of phase change materials is significantly greater than the inlet flow rate.
Supercapacitor-based pulse generator with waveform adjustment capability for small animal transcranial magnetic stimulation
Authors: Raju Soniya , Kularatna Nihal , Wilson Marcus , Steyn-Ross D Alistair
Published: December 2024

In transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), pulsed magnetic fields are applied to the brain, typically requiring high-power stimulators with high voltages and low series impedance. TMS pulse generators for small animal coils, are underexplored, with limited dedicated circuits and simulation models. Here, we present a new design for a high-power TMS pulse generator for small animals, utilizing a pre-charged supercapacitor that is sufficient to produce repeated pulses for TMS applications without the need for recharging. This approach eliminates the need for expensive high-voltage components and a high-voltage power supply. In this paper, we detail the design approach and basic block diagrams of a supercapacitor (SC) based TMS pulse generator, along with its experimental results. The findings indicate that the new circuit enables a complete test using just a single charge of an SC module. The proposed circuit functions as a versatile pulse-shaping device, where the MOSFET is treated as a dynamically varying resistor element rather than a traditional switch; allowing pulse parameter variations. We analyze a novel circuit for generating and controlling TMS pulses in small animal coils, and demonstrate its effectiveness through experimental results.
Comparative dosimetric analysis of single versus multiple isocenter stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver metastasis
Authors: Jayadevan P M , Sudesh  , Shine N S , Nithin K , Dhanya
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the impact of selecting a single isocenter (SIC) or multiple isocenter (MIC) technique in Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for multiple liver targets on the dose distribution and delivery efficiency. In this retrospective study, the treatment plans for 26 patients with 2–5 liver lesions were analysed. Each patient treatment plan was created using single and multiple isocenters with 6 MV photon beams, for maximum Planning Target Volume (PTV) coverage while minimising doses to normal liver tissue. The dosimetric parameters compared include PTV coverage (V95%, V98%, V100%), normal liver volume receiving less than 15Gy, mean liver dose, and maximum dose to nearby critical organs. Additionally, the total number of Monitor Units (MU), beam ON time, and gamma analysis were evaluated to assess delivery efficiency. A paired t-test was used to compare various parameters between single and multiple isocenter approaches. MIC demonstrated comparable PTV coverage with a 5.4% lower mean liver dose (p < 0.01) and spared an additional 4.5% of normal liver volume, which is significant. However, this approach resulted in 1.5 times increase in both total MU (p < 0.001) and beam ON time (p < 0.001) compared to the single isocenter plans. No significant differences were observed for the maximum dose to other critical organs or in gamma analysis. MIC provided lower mean liver dose and superior sparing of normal liver which might be critical for patients with compromised liver volume. However, this results in higher MU and longer beam-ON time.
Fast, low-loss, all-optical phase modulation in warm rubidium vapour
Authors: Davis William O C , Burdekin Paul , Wasawo Tabijah , Thomas Sarah E , Mosley Peter J , Nunn Joshua , McGarry Cameron
Published: December 2024

Low-loss high-speed switches are an integral component of future photonic quantum technologies, with applications in state generation, multiplexing, and the implementation of quantum gates. Phase modulation is one method of achieving this switching; however, existing optical phase modulators offer either high bandwidth or low loss—not both. We demonstrate fast (100 MHz bandwidth), low-loss (

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transition in 87Rb vapour. The all-optical nature of the scheme circumvents restrictions of electronic phase modulators, where bandwidth and repetition rate can be limited by the requirement to rapidly modulate high voltages. We discuss routes to enhance both performance and scalability for application to a range of quantum and classical technologies.
Time-reversed biphoton source of the double-Λ spontaneous four-wave mixing process
Authors: Huang Wei-Kai , Kim Bongjune , Shih Teng-Jen , Hsu Chia-Yu , Tu Pei-Yu , Lin Tse-Yu , Chen Yong-Fan , Chuu Chih-Sung , Yu Ite A
Published: December 2024

Utilizing the double-Λ spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) process, the biphoton source generates narrow-linewidth pairs of signal and probe photons. In a medium, the signal photon propagates at nearly the speed of light in a vacuum, while the probe photon propagates as slow light. Typically, signal photons arrive at the detector first and are used as the heralding photons in conventional biphoton sources. In this work, we propose using probe photons as the heralding photons to enhance the heralding probability, an approach that has been overlooked previously. We also investigate a time-reversed double-Λ SFWM biphoton source using heated atomic vapor. Compared with the conventional biphoton source under the same experimental conditions, the time-reversed one exhibits a time-reversed temporal profile with a similar full-width-at-half-maximum linewidth of 3.4 MHz, increased the heralding efficiency by a factor of 5.3, and enhanced the detection rate by 1.3 times. With the time-reversed source, we achieved a heralding probability of 82±6% and a generation rate of (1.8 ± 0.2)× 106 pairs/s, referring to biphotons collected within polarization-maintained single-mode optical fibers. Furthermore, the time-reversed temporal profile is more suitable for quantum memory. Simulation results show that, at an optical depth of 150 (or 50), the storage efficiency of a quantum memory using the time-reversed source can reach 91% (or 81%), compared with 81% (or 67%) using the conventional source. This study demonstrates the significance of using the slow-light photon in biphoton pairs as the heralding photon for quantum operations. We have achieved a biphoton source with high heralding probability, high generation rate, and narrow linewidth in a room-temperature or hot medium.
Dynamic selectout and voting-based federated learning for enhanced medical image analysis
Authors: Iqbal Saeed , Qureshi Adnan N , Alhussein Musaed , Aurangzeb Khursheed , Mahmood Atif , Razalli Bin Azzuhri Saaidal
Published: December 2024

Federated learning (FL) is a promising technique for training machine learning models on distributed, privacy-aware datasets. Nevertheless, FL faces difficulties with agent/client participation, model performance, and the heterogeneous nature of networked data sources when it comes to distributed healthcare systems. When these agents work together in the system, it is imperative to tackle the complexities of distributed deep learning. We suggest a novel approach that uses a voting mechanism and dynamic SelectOut inside the FL framework to address these problems. Local medical imaging datasets frequently show diversity in distribution and data imbalances. In certain situations, traditional FL techniques like FedProx and federated averaging, which depend on data size to weight contributions, might not be the optimal choice. In order to improve parameter aggregation and client selection unpredictability and increase the model’s adaptability to imbalanced and heterogeneous datasets, our proposed FedVoteNet model introduces SelectOut techniques based on voting methodology. Based on how much their local performance has improved from the last communication cycle, we arbitrarily remove clients. Additionally eliminated are clients whose model weights when combined with the global model adversely affect its performance. Our method is further enhanced by the inclusion of a voting mechanism. At the conclusion of each communication cycle, clients that improve both their local performance and their contribution to the global model are awarded higher voting values. This encourages more significant and effective contributions from clients by providing incentives for them to actively increase the diversity of their training data. We assess our approach on a dataset of medical images, including magnetic resonance imaging scans, and find that the FL model performs noticeably better (F1 Score = 0.968, Sensitivity = 0.977, Specificity = 0.945, and AUC = 0.950). The voting system and the dynamic SelectOut algorithms improve the convergence of the FL model and successfully handle the difficulties presented by uneven and heterogeneous datasets. To sum up, our proposed approach uses voting and dynamic SelectOut techniques to improve FL performance on a variety of uneven, distributed, and varied datasets. This strategy has a lot of potential to improve FL across a range of applications, especially those that prioritize data privacy, diversity, and performance.
Climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems
Authors: Guild Ryan , Wang Xiuquan , Quijón Pedro A
Published: December 2024

As the planet undergoes unprecedented climate changes, coastal ecosystems stand at the frontline of ocean-land interactions and environmental changes. This overview explores the various climate-related challenges transforming coastal ecosystems and their responses to these pressures. Key climate-related stressors—including warming, sea level rise, ocean acidification, changes to freshwater availability, and shifts in circulation and disturbance patterns—pose significant threats to both the structure and function of these ecosystems. These stressors impact every level of biological organization, with modern responses manifesting as ecosystem degradation and shifts toward simpler, less biodiverse states—trends likely to intensify with ongoing emissions. Compounded by local human disturbances, these stressors risk overwhelming the adaptive capacity of coastal ecosystems, restructuring coastal food webs, and compromising the essential ecosystem services that currently underpin productivity, storm protection, and water quality in coastal zones. Future trajectories of change in coastal ecosystems will largely depend on the extent of future greenhouse gas emissions and human activities in and around coastal zones. However, critical knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding the interactions among stressors and the nature of ecological tipping points. Addressing these gaps through further research will be necessary to improve projections of future impacts and support the conservation and resilience of these valuable ecosystems.
Browsers and the Web
Authors: Panchekha Pavel , Harrelson Chris
Published: December 2024

I—this is Chris speaking—have known the web1 for all of my adult life. The web for me is something of a technological companion, and I’ve never been far from it in my studies or my work. Perhaps it’s been the same for you. And using the web means using a browser. I hope, as you read this book, that you fall in love with web browsers, just like I did.
Keeping Data Private
Authors: Panchekha Pavel , Harrelson Chris
Published: December 2024

Our browser has grown up and now runs (small) web applications. With one final step—user identity via cookies—it will be able to run all sorts of personalized online services. But capability demands responsibility: our browser must now secure cookies against adversaries interested in stealing them. Luckily, browsers have sophisticated systems for controlling access to cookies and preventing their misuse.
Scheduling Tasks and Threads
Authors: Panchekha Pavel , Harrelson Chris
Published: December 2024

Modern browsers must handle user input, request remote files, run various callbacks, and ultimately render to the screen, all while staying fast and responsive. That requires a unified task abstraction to keep track of the browser’s pending work. Moreover, browser work must be split across multiple CPU threads, with different threads running tasks in parallel to maximize responsiveness.
Supporting Embedded Content
Authors: Panchekha Pavel , Harrelson Chris
Published: December 2024

While our browser can render complex styles, visual effects, and animations, all of those apply basically just to text. Yet web pages contain a variety of non-text embedded content, from images to other web pages. Support for embedded content has powerful implications for browser architecture, performance, security, and open information access, and has played a key role throughout the web’s history.
What Wasn’t Covered
Authors: Panchekha Pavel , Harrelson Chris
Published: December 2024

The last 16 chapters have, I hope, given you a solid understanding of all of the major components of a web browser, from the network requests it makes to the way it stores your data safely. With such a vast topic I had to leave a few things out. Here’s my list of the most important things not covered by this book, in no particular order.
Association of early-life factors with biological age acceleration and the mediating effect of social environment risks in middle-aged and older adults
Authors: Liu Xiaojing , Jin Ming , Yang Zeping , Zhang Ziyi , Huang Ninghao , Huang Tao , Li Nan
Published: December 2024

Background

Adverse early-life events influence the health with ageing throughout the life course. However, the effects of combined early-life risks on ageing acceleration in adults and the roles of social environment risks remain unknown.

Objective

To investigate associations of maternal smoking, breastfeeding and birth weight with accelerated biological age (BA), and to explore genetic-predicted effect and mediating effect of social environment risks.

Design

Population-based prospective cohort.

Setting

UK Biobank.

Subjects

151 773 participants.

Methods

We used Klemera–Doubal BA (KDM-BA), PhenoAge and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as BA biomarkers. Associations of early-life risk factors and score with BA acceleration were estimated using linear regression models. Genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated based on genetic variations for maternal smoking and birth weight. Polysocial risk scores (PsRS) for each BA were calculated by summing the number of dichotomised social environment factors significantly associated with each of the three BA biomarkers.

Results

Maternal smoking, non-breastfeeding and low birth weight were individually associated with BA acceleration. The early-life risk score was significantly associated with accelerated KDM-BA and PhenoAge and shorter LTL. The effects of GRS on accelerated BA were in the same direction. The BA-specific PsRS mediated the accelerated KDM-BA and PhenoAge and shorter LTL by 8.37%, 22.34% and 7.90%, respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated a dose-dependent association of combined early-life risks with accelerated BA in middle-aged and older adults, partially mediated by social environment risks. The findings highlight the importance of early identification and surveillance of high-risk individuals for ageing acceleration during adulthood.
Occupational health of drilling waste workers as related to microbial exposure and waste treatment methods
Authors: Eriksen Elke , Daae Hanne Line , Afanou Anani Komlavi , Madsen Anne Mette , Graff Pål
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Exposure to microorganisms is a known contributor to occupational disease. This study assessed drilling waste workers’ health status and investigated the potential of inhalable bioaerosols to elicit an immune response in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

Venous blood and self-reported health data were collected from 56 and 73 Norwegian drilling waste workers, respectively. Immunological effects were assessed as Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation potential of personal air samples in vitro and biomarker expression in workers’ plasma samples in vivo. Parameters, such as BMI, sex, and smoking habits, were considered along with factors such as purification technology of drilling waste when biomarker expression was interpreted. Symptom prevalence among exposed workers was compared to an unexposed control group.

Results

Personal air samples activated TLR signalling in vitro in 90% of all cases. The activation potential correlated significantly with work exposure to microbial agents and total dust. Significant differences in biomarker expression and symptom prevalence were identified between purification technologies and exposure groups. Drilling waste workers had significantly increased OR of skin irritation and respiratory symptoms compared to the control group.

Conclusions

Exposure to microorganisms during the treatment of offshore drilling waste is an occupational health concern.
The Moderating Role of Online Awareness in the Association between Strategy Use and Performance Accuracy on a Test of Functional Cognition in Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury
Authors: Salazar-Frías Daniel , Funes María Jesús , Szot Ana Clara , Laffarga Lucía , Navarro-Egido Alba , Rodríguez-Bailón María
Published: December 2024

Objective

Deficits in online self-awareness (SA) are common after acquired brain injury (ABI), leading to safety concerns and impacting daily activities and rehabilitation outcomes. Early identification is recommended as a critical first step in cognitive rehabilitation following ABI. The aim of this observational study was to examine differences in online SA and strategy use between individuals with ABI and healthy controls. It also investigated whether online SA moderates the relationship between strategy use and performance accuracy on a test designed to assess cognitive-functional deficits.

Method

80 individuals with ABI and 76 controls completed the Spanish Weekly Calendar Planning Activity-10. Measures of online SA included strategy use and self-recognized errors assessed during task. An after-task interview assessed individuals’ self-evaluation of task difficulty and accuracy of performance.

Results

Individuals with ABI performed worse than controls on most measures of online SA. They were less likely to self-recognize errors and use self-monitoring strategies. They also tended to overestimate their performance and showed greater discrepancy between self-rated and actual performance. Moderation analyses show that better performance was significantly associated with greater strategy use among ABI individuals who were aware of their performance.

Conclusions

Online SA appears to moderate the use of cognitive strategies during functional cognitive performance after ABI. Therefore, it is important to include assessments of online SA and strategy use for individuals with ABI. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of focusing on SA and self-generated strategies as key goals of cognitive rehabilitation aimed at improving daily functioning after ABI.
CapHLA: a comprehensive tool to predict peptide presentation and binding to HLA class I and class II
Authors: Chang Yunjian , Wu Ligang
Published: December 2024

Human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) and class II (HLA-II) proteins play an essential role in epitope binding and presentation to initiate an immune response. Accurate prediction of peptide-HLA (pHLA) binding and presentation is critical for developing effective immunotherapies. However, current tools can predict antigens exclusively for pHLA-I or pHLA-II, but not both; have constraints on peptide length; and commonly show unsatisfactory predictive accuracy. Here, we developed a convolution and attention-based model, CapHLA, trained with eluted ligand and binding affinity mass spectrometry data, to predict peptide presentation probability (PB) and binding affinities (BA) for HLA-I and HLA-II. In comparison with 11 other methods, CapHLA consistently showed improved performance in predicting pHLA BA and PB, particularly in HLA-II and non-classical peptide length datasets. Using CapHLA PB and BA predictions in combination with antigen expression level (EP) from transcriptomic data, we developed a neoantigen quality model for predicting immunotherapy response. In analyses of clinical response among 276 cancer patients given immunotherapy and overall survival in 7228 cancer patients, our neoantigen quality model outperformed other genetics-based models in predicting response to checkpoint inhibitors and patient prognosis. This study provides a versatile neoantigen screening tool, illustrating the prognostic value of neoantigen quality.
Sympatry, syntopy, and species age: disentangling drivers of signal evolution in a large radiation of passerine birds (Meliphagides)
Authors: Leroy Hélène , Harmáčková Lenka , Friedman Nicholas R , Remeš Vladimír
Published: December 2024

The evolution of signalling traits is crucial in species diversification, because they can become effective barriers to interspecific hybridization. Among various selection pressures acting on signal evolution, species interactions can reinforce signal divergence via reproductive character displacement, especially during secondary sympatry. Although previous evidence suggests that sympatry promotes signal divergence, methods using large-scale geographical range overlap fail to capture local co-occurrence (syntopy), an essential prerequisite of species interactions. In this study, we used 116 sympatric species pairs of Meliphagides, a large radiation of Australasian passerines, to test simultaneously the effects of node age, range sympatry, and, for the first time, local syntopy on colour and song divergence. Signal divergence increased with node age (although not consistently). However, we did not find conclusive evidence that sympatry was driving signal evolution, probably owing to a necessary exclusion of allopatric pairs from our analyses. Furthermore, we did not demonstrate any significant effect of syntopy on signal evolution. This could suggest that reinforcement of signal divergence in sympatry (and syntopy) is not as common as previously thought, with neutral trait drift potentially being a more dominant driver. Alternatively, constraints on signal evolution might prevent trait divergence.
Salivary oxytocin and amygdalar alterations in functional neurological disorders
Authors: Weber Samantha , Stoffel Natascha , Ansede-Bermejo Juan , Cruz Raquel , Del Real Bolt Álvaro , Bruckmaier Rupert , Carracedo Ángel , Aybek Selma
Published: December 2024

Individuals diagnosed with functional neurological disorder experience abnormal movement, gait, sensory processing or functional seizures, for which research into the pathophysiology identified psychosocial contributing factors as well as promising biomarkers. Recent pilot studies suggested that (epi-)genetic variants may act as vulnerability factors, for example, on the oxytocin pathway. This study set out to explore endogenous oxytocin hormone levels in saliva in a cohort of 59 functional neurological disorder patients and 65 healthy controls comparable in sex and age. First, we examined the association between salivary oxytocin levels with the genetic allelic variant (rs53576) of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), its epigenetic changes indicated by methylation rates, and clinical variables—including childhood trauma. Second, due to previously reported effects of oxytocin changing the volume and functional connectivity of the amygdala, as well as the known involvement of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of functional neurological disorders, we further looked at both structural and functional imaging of the amygdala. While patients did not significantly differ from healthy control in their peripheral oxytocin levels, there was a specific interaction of OXTR methylation and peripheral oxytocin dependent on group: higher methylation rates correlated with higher salivary oxytocin in patients only, while this was not the case in healthy control [F(1109) = 8.92, P = 0.003, d = 0.541]. Moreover, patients with the AA-genotype (minor allele) of the rs53576 genetic variant of the OXTR gene presented with higher OXTR methylation levels [F(2106) = 10.25, P < 0.0001, d = 0.58]. Lastly, amygdalar connectivity to the hippocampus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the inferior parietal cortex and the inferior temporal cortex as well as smaller amygdalar volume were correlated to peripheral oxytocin levels in patients only [F(2,38) = 5.36, P  = 0.025,  d = 0.431], but not in healthy control. No significant interactions with childhood trauma were identified. Our study revealed a significant interplay between peripheral oxytocin and OXTR methylation in patients only, potentially influenced by genotype. One could hypothesize that higher peripheral oxytocin denotes a compensatory mechanisms for the increased methylation of the OXTR, which might affect amygdalar functional connectivity. These findings help to further understand underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, considering oxytocin’s involvement in functional patients and could offer a potential site of treatment for future studies.
State-of-the-Art Review: Diagnosis and Management of Spinal Implant Infections
Authors: Tai Don Bambino Geno , Patel Robin , Lovecchio Francis , Kwee Thomas , Wouthuyzen-Bakker Marjan
Published: December 2024

Spinal implant infections are a serious complications of instrumented spinal fusion surgeries, carrying high morbidity and complex management challenges. Early postoperative infections may manifest with wound-healing issues, back pain, and fevers. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging modality, but can be limited by metal artifacts. For cases with stable implants, surgical debridement with implant retention combined with at least 12 weeks of antibiotics is currently considered appropriate treatment. Staphylococcal infections are ideally treated with biofilm-active antibiotics. Suppressive antibiotic therapy can be considered when surgical debridement has been delayed or is incomplete, and for those who are poor surgical candidates for another surgery. Chronic infections may present insidiously with implant failure or pseudarthrosis; implant removal or revision is generally pursued. As current guidance is heavily based on the periprosthetic joint infection literature and low-level studies on spinal implant infections, further research on optimizing diagnostic and treatment approaches is needed.
Physiological response of longfin smelt to changing temperatures and turbidities
Authors: Pasparakis Christina , Biefel Felix , De Castro Francine , Wampler Alexandra , Cocherell Dennis E , Carson Evan W , Hung Tien-Chieh , Connon Richard E , Fangue Nann A , Todgham Anne E
Published: December 2024

Coastal estuaries globally, including the San Francisco Estuary (SFE), are experiencing significant degradation, often resulting in fisheries collapses. The SFE has undergone profound modifications due to population growth, industrialization, urbanization and increasing water exports for human use. These changes have significantly altered the aquatic ecosystem, favouring invasive species and becoming less hospitable to native species such as the longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys). With longfin smelt abundance declining to <1% of historical numbers, there is a pressing need for laboratory-based experiments aimed at investigating the effects of varying environmental conditions on their stress response and physiology. This study explored the impact of temperature (11 and 14°C) and turbidity maintained with algae (1, 4 and 11 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)) on the physiological condition of juvenile longfin smelt. Fish were sampled after 2 and 4 weeks in experimental conditions and analysed for whole-body cortisol, glucose, lactate and protein. Condition factor was calculated using length and weight measurements. Critical thermal maximum trials were conducted to assess how prior rearing conditions affected upper thermal tolerance. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in fish held in low-turbidity conditions, whilst glucose levels were significantly greater at lower temperatures and higher turbidities. Protein-to-mass ratios were significantly greater in higher turbidity conditions, with a significant interaction between temperature and turbidity further influencing these ratios. Moreover, 14°C led to diminished condition factors but increased upper thermal tolerances (26.3 ± 0.05 vs 24.6 ± 0.18) compared to longfin smelt at 11°C, highlighting a potential trade-off between the induction of defense mechanisms and subsequent reductions in energy and growth. Data suggest that cooler temperatures (11°C) and elevated turbidities (11 NTU) can benefit juvenile longfin smelt by reducing stress and enhancing growth and energy. These findings hold significant implications for informing and optimizing future endeavours in the culturing and conservation of this species.
Variation in the community composition of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in neighboring deserts within Joshua Tree National Park
Authors: Chu Hannah H , Murillo Amy C
Published: December 2024

Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR) in southern California offers a unique opportunity to explore insect biodiversity across 2 distinct desert ecosystems: the lower-elevation Sonoran Desert and the higher-elevation Mojave Desert. In these harsh environments, many blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) serve as important decomposers, feeding on animal waste and decomposing tissue. Some blow fly species, notably non-native species, are associated with human activity, which underscores the need to study their communities in JOTR, where annual visitation has reached 3 million. This study investigated the community composition of blow flies across the park and assessed the impact of visitor activity on blow fly communities in JOTR. Sampling from 2021 to 2023 using traps baited with squid carcasses revealed higher blow fly diversity in the Mojave Desert relative to the Sonoran Desert, in contrast to previous insect and vegetation surveys within the park. Across the park, blow fly community composition (i.e., β-diversity) differed by season. Blow fly abundance, richness, and diversity were similar between low- and high-visitor activity sites. However, more non-native species were collected in areas of low visitor activity, suggesting regular waste removal practices in high-visitation sites might limit their ability to complete development as secondary colonizers. This study is the first to characterize blow fly communities in Joshua Tree National Park. These findings demonstrate that blow fly communities reflect previously established park boundaries and underscore the importance of waste management practices in reducing the spread of non-native species throughout the park.
Three-dimensional movement and distribution of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) in stored wheat at different temperatures and at different times
Authors: Boopathy Harshini , Bharathi Vimala S K , Jayas Digvir S , Jian Fuji
Published: December 2024

Understanding the movement and distribution patterns of insects is crucial for developing effective stored grain management protocols. This research investigates 3-dimensional movement and distribution of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) separately at different temperatures (5, 10, 20, and 30°C) and for different movement periods (1, 2, 3, and 24 h) in stored wheat with a uniform moisture content of 14.5% (wet basis). The experiments were conducted in a wooden container with internal dimensions of 0.7 × 0.7 × 0.7 m. The wheat was filled into 343 mesh cubes (referred to as cubes), each measuring 0.1 × 0.1 × 0.1 m, arranged in 7 layers after being loaded into the container. One hundred insects were introduced into the center cube (the center of the container) at the start of each experiment. After the desired movement period, the cubes were removed in less than 45 min from the wooden container. The wheat in each cube was wrapped in labeled plastic bags, sieved, and the insects were recovered and counted. Results indicated that both species exhibited movement speeds > 7.2 m/d in vertical and horizontal directions at higher temperatures (20 and 30°C). At lower temperatures (5 and 10°C), their vertical speed was higher than their horizontal speed. Tribolium castaneum ceased movement at 5°C, whereas ~13% of C. ferrugineus adults continued to move at this temperature. The drift effect and geotaxis influenced the movement and distribution of both species in the vertical direction, while their horizontal movement followed a diffusion pattern.
A systematic review of associations between the environment, DNA methylation, and cognition
Authors: Glover Sophie , Illyuk Jacob , Hill Claire , McGuinness Bernadette , McKnight Amy Jayne , Hunter Ruth F
Published: December 2024

The increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases poses a significant public health challenge, prompting a growing focus on addressing modifiable risk factors of disease (e.g. physical inactivity, mental illness, and air pollution). The environment is a significant contributor of risk factors which are known to impact the brain and contribute to disease risk (e.g. air pollution, noise pollution, green and blue spaces). Epigenetics can offer insights into how various environmental exposures impact the body to contribute to cognitive outcomes. In this systematic review, we examined studies which have associated an environmental exposure to a type of epigenetic modification, DNA methylation, and a cognitive outcome. We searched four databases with keywords “environmental exposures,” “epigenetics,” and “cognition.” We yielded 6886 studies that we screened by title/abstract followed by full text. We included 14 studies which focused on four categories of environmental exposure: air pollution (n = 3), proximity to roads (n = 1), heavy metals (n = 6), and pesticides (n = 4). Overall, n = 10/14 studies provided evidence that DNA methylation is statistically significant in the association between the environment and a cognitive outcome. Furthermore, we identified that n = 5/14 studies performed a type of biological pathway analysis to determine the presence of biological pathways between their environmental exposure and cognitive outcome. Our findings underscore the need for methodological improvements and considerations in future studies, including investigation of other environmental exposures considering tissue-specificity of methylation profiles and stratifying analysis by sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic determinants of disease. This review demonstrates that further investigation is warranted, the findings of which may be of use in the development of preventative measures and risk management strategies for neurodegenerative disease.
The crucial role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in diagnosing pulmonary valve endocarditis in patients after transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation: a case report
Authors: Rottiers Kaat , Rosseel Liesbeth
Published: December 2024

Background

Patients after transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) are at increased risk for infective prosthetic valve endocarditis. Diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) following TPVI is particularly difficult due to impaired visualization of the transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) with echocardiography [Delgado V, Ajmone Marsan N, de Waha S, Bonaros N, Brida M, Burri H, et al. 2023 ESC guidelines for the management of endocarditis. Eur Heart J 2023;44:3948–4042]. The aim of this case report is to describe the significant role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in diagnosing IE post-TPVI.

Case summary

A 22-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with fever and chest pain. Relevant past medical history included a left ventricular outflow membrane resection at infancy, a Ross procedure at the age of 4 with post-operative pacemaker implantation and Melody™ TPVI at the age of 16 because of pulmonary valve stenosis. Blood tests showed elevated inflammatory markers. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure of 53 mmHg. After 2 days, blood cultures appeared positive for Streptococcus species. Subsequently, transoesophageal echocardiography showed an elevated TPV peak gradient (25 mmHg). No clear valvular nor pacemaker lead vegetations were identified but could not be ruled out as inspection of the TPV was difficult. However, 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated heightened metabolism at the TPV, which confirmed the diagnosis of TPV IE. Intravenous antibiotic treatment was administered, which led to clinical improvement and normalization of the inflammatory markers.

Discussion

Transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography often fail to provide adequate assessment, making 18F-FDG PET/CT crucial for diagnosing TPV IE in this case. Important to notice is the possibility of false-negative and false-positive diagnoses and the radiation exposure, particularly in this young population.
Image reconstruction impacts haemodynamic parameters derived from 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging with compressed sensing
Authors: Sjöberg Pia , Lala Tania , Wittgren Johan , Jin Ning , Hedström Erik , Töger Johannes
Published: December 2024

Aims

4D blood flow measurements by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can be used to simplify blood flow assessment. Compressed sensing (CS) can provide better flow measurements than conventional parallel imaging (PI), but clinical validation is needed. This study aimed to validate stroke volume (SV) measurements by 4D-CS in healthy volunteers and patients while also investigating the influence of the CS image reconstruction parameter λ on haemodynamic parameters.

Methods and results

Healthy participants (n = 9; 20–62 years) underwent CMR with 2D, 4D-CS, and 4D-PI flow. Patients (n = 30, 17 with congenital heart defect; 2–75 years) had 4D-CS added to their clinical examination. Impact of λ was assessed by reconstructing 4D-CS data for six different λ values. In healthy volunteers, 4D-CS and 4D-PI SV differed by 0.4 ± 6.5 mL [0.6 ± 9.1%; intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.98], and 4D-CS and 2D flow by 0.9 ± 7.0 mL (0.9 ± 10.6%; ICC 0.98). In patients, 4D-CS and 2D flow differed by −1.3 ± 6.0 mL (−7.2 ± 20%; ICC 0.97). SV was not dependent on λ in patients (P = 0.75) but an increase in λ by 0.001 led to increased differences between 4D-CS and 4D-PI of −0.4% (P = 0.0021) in healthy participants. There were significant differences for ventricular kinetic energy (systole: P < 0.0001; diastole: P < 0.0001) and haemodynamic forces (systole: P < 0.0001; diastole: P < 0.0001), where error increased with increasing λ values in both healthy participants and patients.

Conclusion

4D flow CMR with CS can be used clinically to assess SV in paediatric and adult patients. Ventricular kinetic energy and haemodynamic forces are however sensitive to the change in reconstruction parameter λ, and it is therefore important to validate advanced blood flow measurements before comparing data between scanners and centres.
Cardiorespiratory fitness in COPD and HF from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise: a National Database
Authors: Boulet Jacinthe , Myers Jonathan , Christle Jeffrey W , Arena Ross , Kaminsky Leonard , Nozza Anna , Abella Joshua , White Michel
Published: December 2024

Aims

To better characterize functional consequences of the presence of COPD on cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with HF.

Methods and results

Patients with any clinical indication for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were included in the international FRIEND registry. Diagnosis of COPD was confirmed by a ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) < 0.70. HF was diagnosed in the presence of symptoms and signs of HF. A total of 10 957 patients were divided into four groups: patients without HF or COPD (n = 8963), patients with HF (n = 852) or COPD (n = 991) alone, and patients with both HF and COPD (n = 151). Maximal workload was the lowest in patients with both HF and COPD [78.09 (95% CI: 72.92, 83.64 watts)], and all pairwise comparisons with adjusted P < 0.05 between groups were statistically significant. Patients with both HF and COPD yielded the lowest PETCO2 values [31.80 (95% CI: 31.00, 32.60)] mmHg and exhibited a higher VE/VCO2 slope compared with HF (36.73 (95% CI: 35.78, 37.68) vs. 33.91 (95% CI: 33.50, 34.33 units, P  < 0.0001). Peak VO2 was the lowest with concomitant HF and COPD 19.93 (95% CI: 18.60, 21.27) mL/kg/min and was significantly different compared with all other groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients referred for CPET with COPD and concomitant HF exhibit a profound impairment in CRF compared with patients with COPD or HF alone. Early identification of pulmonary obstruction in patients with HF by more frequent usage of pulmonary function testing may contribute to providing better treatment for both COPD and HF in these high-risk individuals.
Posterior cricoid plate drill enlargement in idiopathic subglottic stenosis
Authors: Trabalza Marinucci Beatrice , Menna Cecilia , Messa Fabiana , Piccioni Giorgia , Argento Giacomo , Tiracorrendo Matteo , Ciccone Anna Maria , Siciliani Alessandra , Maurizi Giulio , D’Andrilli Antonio , Andreetti Claudio , Rendina Erino Angelo , Ibrahim Mohsen
Published: December 2024

OBJECTIVES

Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (ISS) is an airway stricture between larynx and trachea, within 1 cm from the vocal cords. Resection–reconstruction present technical issues because of the need to resect the anterior portion of the cricoid cartilage, but not the posterior plate beyond which the recurrent laryngeal nerves access the vocal cords. The main surgical challenge consists of the minute airway calibre short below the cords, ensuing after the resection. We propose drill posterior cricoid plate moulding to obtain antero-posterior and lateral amplification of the laryngo-tracheal anastomosis.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent laryngo-tracheal resection with drill enlargement between January 2023 and June 2024. Laryngo-tracheal resection was performed according to Pearson’s technique. At this point, airway calibre is gauged by endotracheal tubes of increasing size. To enlarge the air space, the inner surface of the posterior plate was moulded by drill. Breathing, complications, voice and swallowing function were recorded.

RESULTS

Our study includes 23 consecutive patients with ISS. No mortality was described. Fifteen patients (65.2%) described voice alteration and 7 (30.4%) experienced transient swallowing impairment. The mean operative time was 94.56 (±28.72) min. All patients breathed well at discharge. Overall early success rate was excellent (no sequelae) in 7 (30.4%) patients, and good (grade A: voice/breathing changes not influencing the quality of life; grade B: abnormal voice and shortness of breath, not hindering normal activities) in 15 (65.2%). At the mean follow-up of 10.5 ± 5.5 months, definitive success was achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study describing this technique. The results of our early experience with drill moulding of the posterior cricoid plate are promising. It is an innovative, simple, safe, and effective method for subglottic airway enlargement in ISS, resulting in low post-operative complications, and in good to excellent results.
Market experience and agricultural technology adoption: the role of risk aversion and locus of control
Authors: Nigus Halefom Yigzaw , Mohnen Pierre , Nillesen Eleonora
Published: December 2024

This study examines the relationship between market experience and the adoption of risky but profitable agricultural technologies and explores the role of demand-side barriers. Using survey and incentivized experimental data, we find that market experience is significantly associated with increased adoption of improved agricultural technologies. Furthermore, we find that market experience is linked to reduced risk aversion and a stronger internal locus of control, which, in turn, are associated with higher technology adoption. Our findings imply that policies aimed at increasing farmers’ investment in improved agricultural technologies benefit not only from providing access to these technologies but also from addressing psychological barriers.
What does infrared thermography tell us about the evolutionary potential of heat tolerance in endotherms?
Authors: Monge Otto , Caro Samuel P , Charmantier Anne
Published: December 2024

Anthropogenic climate change affects wild animal populations through increasing average temperatures and more frequent extreme climatic events. Endotherms have evolved the capacity to regulate their body temperature but little is still known about how they can physiologically adapt to the pace of global warming. Adaptive responses would require that heat-tolerance mechanisms, such as the capacity to withstand high body temperatures and regulate evaporative water loss, exhibit sufficient heritable genetic variation for selection to act upon. Unfortunately, the quantitative genetics of these traits in endotherms remains poorly understood. In a recent study using infrared thermography (IRT) on semi-captive ostriches, Svensson et al., (Heritable variation in thermal profiles is associated with reproductive success in the world’s largest bird. Evolution Letters, 8(2), 200–211.) sought to address this knowledge gap by measuring relative heat exchange from the head and neck and assessing the link between among-individual variation in heat dissipation and reproductive fitness. We discuss how IRT serves as a valuable tool for non-invasive data collecting, highlighting its potential for field studies of the evolutionary potential of thermal tolerance. Nevertheless, interpreting IRT data is not as straightforward as it may seem and thus must be conducted carefully. For instance, body parts from which surface temperatures are measured need to be unequivocally identified as sources of dry heat exchange in order to inform on thermoregulation—something lacking in the mentioned study. Furthermore, there is still no conclusive evidence that surface temperatures reflect core body temperatures in endotherms. Critical underlying mechanisms of the heat response, such as evaporative cooling, must also be considered. Assumptions stemming from uncertain proxies of thermoregulation can obscure our understanding of the endothermic adaptation of heat-tolerance traits to rapid global warming. These considerations emphasize that, while IRT can be a valuable tool for developing quantitative genetic approaches to estimate the evolutionary potential of heat tolerance in endotherms—particularly for species most vulnerable to warming, its application warrants careful planning.