bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling Radiation Belt Dynamics Using a Positivity‐Preserving Finite Volume Method on General Meshes
Authors: Peng Peng , Tao Xin , Peng Zong , Jiang Yan , Gao Zhiming , Yang Di , Albert Jay M. , Chan Anthony A.
Published: September 2024

Standard finite volume or finite difference methods may produce unphysical negative solutions of phase space density when applied to radiation belt diffusion equation with cross diffusion terms. In this work, we apply a recently proposed positivity‐preserving finite volume (PPFV) method to a 2D diffusion problem of radiation belt electrons with both structured and unstructured meshes. Our test using a model problem shows that the new method does not produce unphysical negative solutions with both types of meshes even with strong cross‐diffusion terms. By applying the method to the 2D pitch angle and energy diffusion problem, we demonstrate that the method achieves positivity of solutions without requiring excessive number of grid points and shows good agreement with previous results obtained using a layer method. The ability of preserving positivity of the solution with unstructured meshes allows the method to handle complex boundary configurations. Our results suggest that the new PPFV method could be useful in modeling radiation belt diffusion processes or in building a physics‐based forecast model.
Bioinspired adaptable multiplanar mechano-vibrotactile haptic system
Authors: Abad Sara-Adela , Herzig Nicolas , Raitt Duncan , Koltzenburg Martin , Wurdemann Helge
Published: September 2024

Several gaps persist in haptic device development due to the multifaceted nature of the sense of touch. Existing gaps include challenges enhancing touch feedback fidelity, providing diverse haptic sensations, and ensuring wearability for delivering tactile stimuli to the fingertips. Here, we introduce the Bioinspired Adaptable Multiplanar Haptic system, offering mechanotactile/steady and vibrotactile pulse stimuli with adjustable intensity (up to 298.1 mN) and frequencies (up to 130 Hz). This system can deliver simultaneous stimuli across multiple fingertip areas. The paper includes a full characterisation of our system. As the device can play an important role in further understanding human touch, we performed human stimuli sensitivity and differentiation experiments to evaluate the capability of delivering mechano-vibrotactile, variable intensity, simultaneous, multiplanar and operator agnostic stimuli. Our system promises to accelerate the development of touch perception devices, providing painless, operator-independent data crucial for researching and diagnosing touch-related disorders.
Phalloidin and DNase I-bound F-actin pointed end structures reveal principles of filament stabilization and disassembly
Authors: Boiero Sanders Micaela , Oosterheert Wout , Hofnagel Oliver , Bieling Peter , Raunser Stefan
Published: September 2024

Actin filament turnover involves subunits binding to and dissociating from the filament ends, with the pointed end being the primary site of filament disassembly. Several molecules modulate filament turnover, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we present three cryo-EM structures of the F-actin pointed end in the presence and absence of phalloidin or DNase I. The two terminal subunits at the undecorated pointed end adopt a twisted conformation. Phalloidin can still bind and bridge these subunits, inducing a conformational shift to a flattened, F-actin-like state. This explains how phalloidin prevents depolymerization at the pointed end. Interestingly, two DNase I molecules simultaneously bind to the phalloidin-stabilized pointed end. In the absence of phalloidin, DNase I binding would disrupt the terminal actin subunit packing, resulting in filament disassembly. Our findings uncover molecular principles of pointed end regulation and provide structural insights into the kinetic asymmetry between the actin filament ends.
Fixational eye movements enhance the precision of visual information transmitted by the primate retina
Authors: Wu Eric G. , Brackbill Nora , Rhoades Colleen , Kling Alexandra , Gogliettino Alex R. , Shah Nishal P. , Sher Alexander , Litke Alan M. , Simoncelli Eero P. , Chichilnisky E. J.
Published: September 2024

Fixational eye movements alter the number and timing of spikes transmitted from the retina to the brain, but whether these changes enhance or degrade the retinal signal is unclear. To quantify this, we developed a Bayesian method for reconstructing natural images from the recorded spikes of hundreds of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the macaque retina (male), combining a likelihood model for RGC light responses with the natural image prior implicitly embedded in an artificial neural network optimized for denoising. The method matched or surpassed the performance of previous reconstruction algorithms, and provides an interpretable framework for characterizing the retinal signal. Reconstructions were improved with artificial stimulus jitter that emulated fixational eye movements, even when the eye movement trajectory was assumed to be unknown and had to be inferred from retinal spikes. Reconstructions were degraded by small artificial perturbations of spike times, revealing more precise temporal encoding than suggested by previous studies. Finally, reconstructions were substantially degraded when derived from a model that ignored cell-to-cell interactions, indicating the importance of stimulus-evoked correlations. Thus, fixational eye movements enhance the precision of the retinal representation.
Cleaner fish with mirror self-recognition capacity precisely realize their body size based on their mental image
Authors: Kobayashi Taiga , Kohda Masanori , Awata Satoshi , Bshary Redouan , Sogawa Shumpei
Published: September 2024

Animals exhibiting mirror self-recognition (MSR) are considered self-aware; however, studies on their level of self-awareness remain inconclusive. Recent research has indicated the potential for cleaner fish (Labroides dimidiatus) to possess a sophisticated level of private self-awareness. However, as this study revealed only an aspect of private self-awareness, further investigation into other elements is essential to substantiate this hypothesis. Here, we show that cleaner fish, having attained MSR, construct a mental image of their bodies by investigating their ability to recall body size. A size-based hierarchy governs the outcomes of their confrontations. The mirror-naïve fish behaved aggressively when presented with photographs of two unfamiliar conspecifics that were 10% larger and 10% smaller than their body sizes. After passing the MSR test, they refrained from aggression toward the larger photographs but still behaved aggressively toward the smaller ones without re-examining their mirror images. These findings suggest that cleaner fish accurately recognize their body size based on mental images of their bodies formed through MSR. Additionally, mirror-experienced fish frequently revisited the mirror when presented with an intimidating larger photograph, implying the potential use of mirrors for assessing body size. Our study established cleaner fish as the first non-human animal to be demonstrated to possess private self-awareness.
A pharmacovigilance study on clinical factors of active vitamin D3 analog-related acute kidney injury using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database
Authors: Kawai Yuki , Uneda Kazushi , Miyata Satoshi , Kunii Ayana , Nagayama Shohei , Baba Kenji , Iwamoto Tamio
Published: September 2024

Acute kidney injury (AKI) due to vitamin D therapy for osteoporosis is encountered in clinical practice, but epidemiological studies are scarce. We aimed to determine the association between AKI and vitamin D therapy and to identify risk factors for AKI using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. We used reporting odds ratios (RORs) to detect signals and evaluate risk factors using multiple logistic regression analysis. Among 298,891 reports from April 2004 to September 2023, 1071 implicated active vitamin D3 analogs as suspect drugs for adverse events. There was a significant association between AKI and active vitamin D3 analogs (ROR [95% confidence interval {CI}], eldecalcitol: 16.75 [14.23–19.72], P < 0.001; alfacalcidol: 5.29 [4.07–6.87], P < 0.001; calcitriol: 4.46 [1.88–10.59], P < 0.001). The median duration of administration before AKI onset was 15.4 weeks. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between AKI and age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.47 [1.04–2.07]; P = 0.028), weight < 50 kg (1.55 [1.12–2.13]; P = 0.007), hypertension (1.90 [1.42–2.54]; P < 0.001), and concomitant use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (1.58 [1.10–2.25], P = 0.012) and magnesium oxide (1.96 [1.38–2.78]; P < 0.001). Our results suggest that active vitamin D3 analogs are associated with AKI development. Physicians prescribing these medications to patients with risk factors should consider the possibility of AKI, especially during the first 6 months.
Preparation and characterization of new solid electrolytes Na3−xZn1−xAl1+xS4
Authors: Otono Tomoya , Ben Yahia Hamdi , Hotehama Chie , Motohashi Kota , Sakuda Atsushi , Hayashi Akitoshi
Published: September 2024

New sulfide solid electrolyte materials, Na3−xZn1−xAl1+xS4 (x ≤ 0.2) were prepared via a self flux synthesis route. Na2.9Zn0.9Al1.1S4 exhibited the highest ionic conductivity of 4.5 × 10−6 S cm−1 at 25 °C.
A catalytic amplification platform based on Fe2O3 nanoparticles decorated graphene nanocomposites for highly sensitive detection of rutin
Authors: Chen Zhuzhen , Zhang Tingting , Zhang Xue , Cheng Wangxing , Chen Linwei , Lu Nannan
Published: September 2024

Fe2O3 nanoparticles decorated graphene nanocomposites prepared by one-pot pyrolysis exhibit high performance for the detection of rutin.
Click catalysis and DNA conjugation using a nanoscale DNA/silver cluster pair
Authors: Setzler Caleb J. , Petty Jeffrey T.
Published: September 2024

Silver cluster–DNA conjugates catalyze alkyne–azide cycloadditions. The catalytic activity of the cluster is regulated by the DNA host.
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation analysis of the conductance drift in Multilevel HfO2-based RRAM devices
Authors: Maldonado D. , Baroni A. , Aldana S. , Dorai Swamy Reddy K. , Pechmann S. , Wenger C. , Roldán J. B. , Pérez E.
Published: September 2024

The drift characteristics of valence change memory (VCM) devices have been analyzed through both experimental analysis and 3D kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations.
Correction Factor Evaluation and Between-System Comparison of Behavioral Threshold Predictions From Auditory Brainstem Response Measures in Infants
Authors: Bagatto Marlene , El-Naji Rana , Purcell David , Easwar Vijayalakshmi , Pigeon Marie , Witte Jill , Malandrino April , Brown Christine , Burton Alison , Tonus Kristen , Wheeler Kristen , Campbell Bill , Scollie Susan
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds are corrected to estimate behavioral thresholds in infants. Corrections were validated, and a comparison of behavioral threshold estimates between systems was conducted to inform equipment transition and protocols in Ontario, Canada.

Method:

In Study 1, a retrospective file review was conducted. ABR threshold estimates from 84 infants with hearing loss were compared to behavioral thresholds to validate the accuracy of the ABR corrections applied in the Ontario Infant Hearing Program since 2016. Study 2 examined the precision of two different ABR systems to estimate thresholds in 37 adult and 105 infant ears.

Results:

Corrected ABR thresholds predicted behavioral thresholds in infants to within 1.77 dB (range of mean values across frequency: 1.18–2.26 dB) on average. The average differences decreased across frequency to 0.6 dB (range: 0.14 to −1.23) when ear canal acoustics were accounted for. The average between-system difference in ABR threshold estimates was 2.40 dB (range: 1.18–2.26).

Conclusions:

ABR correction factors used in Ontario's Infant Hearing Program provide accurate predictions of behavioral thresholds in infants with hearing loss. When calibration and collection parameters are similar between different ABR systems, threshold estimates are comparable and no further adjustment to correction factors was required.
Dual knowledge‐guided two‐stage model for precise small organ segmentation in abdominal CT images
Authors: Liu Tao , Zhang Xukun , Yang Zhongwei , Han Minghao , Kuang Haopeng , Ma Shuwei , Wang Le , Wang Xiaoying , Zhang Lihua
Published: September 2024

Multi‐organ segmentation from abdominal CT scans is crucial for various medical examinations and diagnoses. Despite the remarkable achievements of existing deep‐learning‐based methods, accurately segmenting small organs remains challenging due to their small size and low contrast. This article introduces a novel knowledge‐guided cascaded framework that utilizes two types of knowledge—image intrinsic (anatomy) and clinical expertise (radiology)—to improve the segmentation accuracy of small abdominal organs. Specifically, based on the anatomical similarities in abdominal CT scans, the approach employs entropy‐based registration techniques to map high‐quality segmentation results onto inaccurate results from the first stage, thereby guiding precise localization of small organs. Additionally, inspired by the practice of annotating images from multiple perspectives by radiologists, novel Multi‐View Fusion Convolution (MVFC) operator is developed, which can extract and adaptively fuse features from various directions of CT images to refine segmentation of small organs effectively. Simultaneously, the MVFC operator offers a seamless alternative to conventional convolutions within diverse model architectures. Extensive experiments on the Abdominal Multi‐Organ Segmentation (AMOS) dataset demonstrate the superiority of the method, setting a new benchmark in the segmentation of small organs.
A novel wideband slot loaded microstrip patch antenna through reallocation of TM1,0, modified TM0,2 and TM1,2 modes
Authors: Moradi Ardekani Mohammad Hadi , Pashangeh Shima
Published: September 2024

This paper presents a novel wideband microstrip patch antenna (MPA) characterised by a straightforward structure and operational efficacy across four resonances. The antenna consists of a truncated square patch, a coplanar capacitive feed and a slot on the patch. The square radiating patch is strategically truncated at its four corners to perturb the electric field distribution characteristic of the TM0,2 mode, thereby facilitating the generation of a unidirectional far‐field pattern. Extensive analysis has elucidated the mechanism through which corner truncation diminishes the electric field peak associated with the TM0,2 mode at the centre, resulting in the transformation of the dual‐beam pattern into a distinct single beam pattern. In addition, unlike conventional approaches that require additional components such as shorting pins, this approach reallocates three radiative modes—specifically TM1,0, TM0,2, and TM1,2—resulting in a simplified structure. Finally, a coplanar capacitive feed and a slot are employed to boost the input impedance frequency bandwidth and generate the fourth resonance, respectively. Therefore, four adjacent resonances are simultaneously excited by this method and a wide frequency bandwidth of approximately 80% with stable unidirectional radiation pattern and same polarisation are fulfilled. A prototype of the antenna is fabricated and measured to validate the design procedure.
A low‐profile tri‐band shared‐aperture antenna for Sub‐6G wide‐beam and millimetre‐wave high‐gain applications
Authors: Wang Chuang , Cao Wenquan , Zhu Yangkun , Tong Yixin
Published: September 2024

To achieve multi‐function integration and independent performance regulation of microwave and millimetre‐wave (mm‐Wave) shared‐aperture antennas, a design method based on embedded structure fusion is proposed. In the Sub‐6G band, a high‐order mode annular‐ring patch antenna is designed. To transform the non‐broadside characteristics, the current distribution of TM31 and TM12 modes is reconstructed by slotting in the centre of the patch. Additionally, the electric field distribution is modified by loading shorting pins to achieve beam broadening. In the 5G mm‐Wave band, a four‐element high‐gain substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) slotted cavity backed antenna array with low‐sidelobe characteristics is obtained using the element interleaving technique. The SIW slotted cavity backed antenna array is integrated into the central area of the annular‐ring patch to achieve aperture‐sharing fusion. Experimental results demonstrate that the antenna operates in the Sub‐6G dual‐band of 2.1–2.2 GHz and 5.2–5.4 GHz, respectively. Furthermore, the widest half‐power beamwidth measured in these two bands is 126° and 140°. In the mm‐Wave band, the operating bandwidth is 26.5–29.5 GHz, with a gain of up to 18.8 dBi. Notably, the performance of different bands does not impact the other, and the measured isolation exceeds 40 dB. Furthermore, the antenna profile is only 0.008 λ0. Therefore, an ultra‐low‐profile microwave and mm‐Wave shared‐aperture antenna with multi‐function integration and independent performance control is realised, which has great potential for application in 5G intelligent connected vehicle communications.
Feasibility of Measuring the Behavioral and Electrophysiological Masking-Level Difference with Nonsense-Syllable Stimuli
Authors: Dillard Lauren K. , Wilson Emily M. , Park So Eun , Fowler Cynthia G.
Published: September 2024

Abstract Background The masking-level difference (MLD) can be measured via voluntary behavioral responses (voluntary behavioral MLD [vMLD]) and/or via electrophysiological cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs; electrophysiological MLD [eMLD]). It may be
possible to enhance the ecologic validity of the MLD by using nonsense-syllable speech stimuli. Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of measuring both the vMLD and eMLD with speech stimuli. The study also investigates whether certain nonsense-syllable
stimuli (/α/, /dα/, /di/, /tα/, /wα/) may be more useful than others in measuring both the vMLD and eMLD. Research Design This is a descriptive feasibility pilot study. Study Sample Seventeen young adults (age range 19‐26 years;
15 women) with hearing thresholds of 0.25‐8.0 kHz ≤ 25 dB HL, bilaterally, were recruited. Data Collection and Analysis Behavioral and electrophysiological MLDs were measured with similar methods. The MLD was defined as SoNo ‐ SπNo thresholds.
Stimuli were natural-sounding nonsense syllables (/α/, /dα/, /di/, /tα/, /wα/), which were presented in 65 dB HL continuous speech-weighted noise. The eMLD was measured with the CAEP P2. Group means, standard deviations, and distributions were presented. The
feasibility of using nonsense syllables was evaluated by considering whether measurable vMLDs and eMLDs were produced. Useful nonsense syllables produced vMLDs and eMLDs with (1) comparatively large mean magnitudes, (2) few negligible MLDs, and (3) distributions with adequate spread and few
extreme values. Results The stimuli /α/ (6.0 [1.9]) and /wα/ (7.5 [1.3]) produced vMLDs with the highest average magnitudes, with no vMLDs of 0 dB and with adequate spread. The stimulus /α/ produced eMLDs with the highest average magnitude (9.6 [2.8]),
no eMLDs of 0 dB and adequate spread, whereas the stimulus /wα/ produced eMLDs with an adequate magnitude (6.9 [3.9]), no MLDs of 0 dB, but with a right-skewed distribution and an extreme value. The other stimuli produced vMLDs with low mean magnitudes and several vMLDs
of 0 dB. Conclusion These pilot data support the feasibility of using nonsense syllables to record vMLDs and eMLDs. The stimulus /α/ appeared most useful for both behavioral and electrophysiological modalities. Differences in MLDs across modalities may be attributed
to low-level audibility of some high-frequency components of the stimuli.
Hepatitis C elimination: amplifying the role of primary care nurses in Australia
Authors: Richmond Jacqueline A. , Hassall Melinda , Wallace Jack
Published: September 2024

Background Australia’s commitment to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030 is underpinned by the mobilisation of the primary care sector. Primary care nurses are well placed to contribute to achieving elimination given their unique access to people with/at risk of hepatitis C and their person-centred approach to care delivery. This study examines the enablers to primary care nurse involvement in elimination efforts. Methods Primary care nurses involved in the care of people with/at risk of hepatitis C were recruited through two national nursing organisations. Participants provided verbal consent to participate in an electronically recorded, semi-structured interview. Interview data were transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed using a thematic analysis. Results Sixteen interviews were conducted with nurses working in general practice, community health, alcohol and other drug services, and custodial settings, with the findings framed using a social-ecological model. The study identified individual attributes, such as empathy and advocacy for clients deemed ‘too hard for everyone else’. Interpersonal enablers included participants’ ability to effectively communicate with clients and colleagues, and using trusted professional relationships to improve client access to care. Public policy that addressed community factors, including stigma and confidentiality, were seen as supportive. Conclusions This study identified the critical and varied role primary care nurses play in hepatitis C elimination. Effective scale up of hepatitis C care involves recognising the pivotal role of primary care nurses, which will help to create an enabling environment that supports nurses to work to their full scope of practice and enhance their contribution to the elimination response.
Earthquake and the Invention of America
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

This book explores the role of earthquakes in shaping the deep timeframes and multi-hemispheric geographies of American literary history. Spanning the ancient world to the futuristic continents of speculative fiction, the earthquake stories assembled here together reveal the emergence of a broadly Western cultural syndrome that became an acute national fantasy: elsewhere catastrophe, an unspoken but widely prevalent sense that catastrophe is somehow “un-American.” Catastrophe must be elsewhere because it affirms the rightness of “here” where conquest, according to the syndrome’s logic, did not happen and is not occurring. The psychic investment in elsewhere catastrophe coalesced slowly, across centuries; varieties of it can be found in various European traditions of the modern. Yet in its most striking modes and resonances, elsewhere catastrophe proves fundamental to the invention of US-America—which is why earthquake, as the exemplary elsewhere catastrophe, is the disaster that must always happen far away or be forgotten. The book’s eight chapters and epilogue range from Plato to the Puritans, from El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Voltaire to Herman Melville and N. K. Jemisin, examining along the way the seismic imaginings of Edgar Allan Poe, James Fenimore Cooper, Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson, and José Martí, among other writers. At the core of the book’s inquiries are the earthquakes, historical and imagined, that act as both a recurrent eruptive force and a provocation for disparate modes of critical engagement with the long and catastrophic history of the Americas.
Elsewhere Catastrophe
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

This chapter outlines the theoretical basis for elsewhere catastrophe by moving backwards from the US South and the context of the Civil War to Plato and the earthquake philosophy of the Republic and the Timaeus and Critias. Plato’s earthquakes, also occasions for slave revolts, offer an ancient lens on the seismic imaginings of Western imperial modernity. The ancient southerly plantations of the Mediterranean empire became the so-called classical West, eliding the role of non-Europe in creating great traditions of knowledge. The discovery of the Americas, which Columbus hailed as the Indies, was also a search for a new kind of South and for peoples who could be enslaved. Over the next centuries, during the European race for overseas empire, an Iberian South and the Black Legend emerged as alibis for the predations of colonialism, for the violence of enslavement, dispossession, and extraction. The deep past of these various Souths re-emerges with special clarity after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.
Predatory Optimism
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

This chapter draws on eighteenth-century writings about the Lisbon earthquake to explore how imperial modernity required the southernizing of catastrophe. The chapter examines the writings of Alexander Pope, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Gottfried Leibniz, and Voltaire, arguing that this new southernizing of catastrophe helped to hide in plain sight the catastrophic nature of western Europe’s own imperial violence while also giving rise to a philosophical and emotional sensibility: predatory optimism. The corollary of predatory optimism is theodicy, which describes Leibniz’s systematic philosophical approach to the ancient problems of suffering and evil. Candide is a philosophical response to the Lisbon earthquake that insists on linking that European catastrophe indelibly to colonial South America. The chapter turns finally to the earliest writings about the great Lima–Callao earthquake of 1746 to explore the convergence of racial capitalism and disaster capitalism in the aftermath of colonial Peru’s seismic catastrophe.
Pachacuti
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

This chapter reads two Andean-born writers—the Quechua historian Guaman Poma de Ayala and the contemporaneous historian and son of a royal Inca woman and Spanish conquistador, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega—who figure colonial reality as a swallowing up by the earth and deploy earthquake as a mode of interpretation that continually pushes against colonial knowledge. Garcilaso’s considerable influence on eighteenth-century European writers suggests how other cosmologies and modes of knowledge production impinged on the trajectory of catastrophic rationality, inviting us to reconsider the directionality and implications of Enlightenment. The earthquake history assembled in the chapter unfolds across languages, continents, and genres, including the new formation of the English novel, and it suggests a deep connection, material as much as it is imaginative, between the rending of the earth and the conditions of possibility for decolonial unsettlement.
Earthquake Amnesia
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

This chapter argues that the literary history of the nineteenth-century US depends upon and also produces a profound sense of seismic amnesia, the literal forgetting of historical earthquakes after their occurrence. The exemplary instance of this forgetting occurs after the massive New Madrid earthquakes that struck early in the nineteenth century (1811–1812), shook people as far away as the White House in Washington, DC, and signaled—for the multitribal confederacy led by Tecumseh—a spatio-temporal revolution in which the earth’s rebalancing would require the end of settler culture. Works explored in the chapter include Olaudah Equiano’s Interesting Narrative, supplemented by the author in the wake of separate earthquakes; Edgar Allan Poe’s Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, which offers a meditation on the southernization of catastrophe across US, hemispheric, and global registers; and James Fenimore Cooper’s The Crater, the great, forgotten seismic novel of US literary history.
Epilogue
Authors: Brickhouse Anna
Published: September 2024

The Epilogue turns to the Broken Earth trilogy of N. K. Jemisin, who postulates a chilling future in which the trembling world is both philosophical and geological. The trilogy enumerates the features of a future world, “The Stillness,” defined by the environmental consequences of elsewhere catastrophe. If earthquake is a daily feature of this future existence, it is also central to a racial logic that organizes and manages human life throughout the entire planet. The trilogy demands that elsewhere catastrophe be recognized in all its hereness, that readers see the horrifying forms of racial extraction that allow The Stillness to live as though its name could ever be true. Her trilogy also offers the components of a practice for the future, a way of gathering up the losses not merely to rehearse them but also to assemble a new field of possibilities: an earthquake philosophy of how to live in a world where catastrophe is here and now.
Digital pathology and multimodal learning on oncology data
Authors: Waqas Asim , Naveed Javeria , Shahnawaz Warda , Asghar Shoaib , Bui Marilyn M , Rasool Ghulam
Published: September 2024

Cancer presents a complex tapestry of biological, clinical, and molecular characteristics that collectively influence its diagnosis, progression, and treatment. This review article delves into the recent advancements in integrating multimodal oncology data, a pivotal aspect in the evolving field of digital pathology (DP). The complexity and heterogeneity of cancer, characterized by its multimodal nature, present significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Traditional methods of oncology data analysis often fall short of capturing the comprehensive landscape of cancer’s multifaceted characteristics. The advent of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning has marked a new era in multimodal learning. These technologies have revolutionized how oncologists and researchers understand and approach cancer, allowing for a more nuanced and detailed analysis. In this review article, we attempt to examine and present how DP enriches its methods and analysis with other data modalities, including clinical, radiological, and molecular information. We present opportunities and challenges of multimodal learning in oncology, highlighting the synergistic potential of combining various data types for improving cancer care with a focus on DP. Continuous innovation in multimodal data integration will be instrumental in transforming cancer diagnosis, treatment planning, prognosis, and post-treatment surveillance.
Transformer-based approach for symptom recognition and multilingual linking
Authors: Vassileva Sylvia , Grazhdanski Georgi , Koychev Ivan , Boytcheva Svetla
Published: September 2024

This paper presents a transformer-based approach for symptom Named Entity Recognition (NER) in Spanish clinical texts and multilingual entity linking on the SympTEMIST dataset. For Spanish NER, we fine tune a RoBERTa-based token-level classifier with Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory and conditional random field layers on an augmented train set, achieving an F1 score of 0.73. Entity linking is performed via a hybrid approach with dictionaries, generating candidates from a knowledge base containing Unified Medical Language System aliases using the cross-lingual SapBERT and reranking the top candidates using GPT-3.5. The entity linking approach shows consistent results for multiple languages of 0.73 accuracy on the SympTEMIST multilingual dataset and also achieves an accuracy of 0.6123 on the Spanish entity linking task surpassing the current top score for this subtask.

Database URL: https://github.com/svassileva/symptemist-multilingual-linking
Estimating common whelk (Buccinum undatum) abundance using baited remote underwater video (BRUV)
Authors: Garratt Matthew J , Bloor Isobel S M , Coleman Matthew T , Colvin Charlotte N , Hiddink Jan Geert , Hold Natalie , Phillips Emily , Ward Sophie L , Jenkins Stuart R
Published: September 2024

Baited static gear fisheries targeting benthic invertebrates have expanded at a global scale. While improvements have been made in the monitoring and management of these fisheries, reliable survey methods for stock assessments of many key species are lacking. In this study we examine the viability of a baited remote underwater video (BRUV) system for obtaining abundance indices for a data-limited stock (common whelk, Buccinum undatum), and compare this method to catch per unit effort (CPUE) from commercial fishing. BRUVs capable of collecting 15 hours of timelapse footage were deployed on pot strings in two distinct whelk fishing sites, with replication over a spring-neap tidal cycle. Three potential BRUV metrics—the maximum (MaxN) and mean (MeanN) abundance and time of first arrival (T1)—were calculated for each deployment, and significant linear relationships were identified between MaxN, MeanN, and CPUE across sites. Temporal variability in BRUV indices driven by tidal dynamics was minimal, although results suggest high current speeds may reduce abundance estimates, and a potential method for predicting density on the seabed using arrival rates is also demonstrated. BRUVs are a valuable tool in developing stock assessment surveys for static gear fisheries.
Bromelain-Based Enzymatic Debridement Versus Standard of Care in Deep Burn Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: De Freitas Lucas R , Udoma-Udofa Ofonime Chantal , Reginato Pedro Henrique , Mitsui Henrique Costa , Provinciatto Henrique , Torres Fabricio Carvalho
Published: September 2024

Deep burn injuries necessitate effective debridement to promote healing and reduce complications. Traditional surgical debridement is the standard of care; however, it can lead to significant tissue loss, excessive bleeding and delayed healing. Bromelain-based enzymatic debridement offers a potential less invasive alternative that aims to selectively remove necrotic tissue while preserving viable ones. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis comprehensively compares bromelain debridement versus standard care in the management of partial and full thickness burns. Cochrane Library, Embase, and Medline were searched until May 30, 2024 for studies comparing bromelain debridement versus standard care. R version 4.4.0 was used to pooled risk ratio and mean difference in a random-effects model. We included 7 studies, comprising 484 participants, of whom 238 (49%) were treated with enzymatic debridement. Bromelain significantly reduced time to eschar removal (MD −7.60 days 95% CI [−9.76, −5.44]; I2 = 70%) in comparison with standard care. Additionally, bromelain group presented a significant reduction in the risk of surgical excision (RR 0.17; 95% CI [0.06, 0.47]; I2 = 79%) and need for autografts (RR 0.40; 95% CI [0.18, 0.93]; I2 = 76%) in comparison with standard group. No differences were found in behalf of time to wound closure (MD −7.64 days; 95% CI [−18.46]–[3.18]; I2 = 86%), nor in Modified Vancouver Scar Scale (MD −0.36 points; 95% CI [−0.96]–[0.23]; I2 = 0%). Bromelain-based enzymatic debridement may accelerate eschar removal and reduce the need for surgical excision and autografts, without adversely affecting wound closure time or long-term scar quality.
Cryoanalgesia for Reducing Unconscious Patients’ Pain During Arterial Puncture
Authors: Hegazy Sara Elsayed , Mansour Hend Elsayed , Hare Alexandra , Kandeel Nahed Attia
Published: September 2024

Arterial puncture is a painful procedure performed to assess patients’ respiratory status. Pain is a stressful situation for unconscious patients as they cannot communicate their feeling verbally. To control patients’ pain and prevent the adverse effects of painkillers, nonpharmacological pain management strategies have been solicited. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cryoanalgesia on unconscious patients’ pain during arterial puncture. We adopted a quasi-experimental one-group research design. A sample of 86 unconscious patients in a surgical intensive care unit were recruited in this study. The intervention was applying an ice pack over the puncture site for 5 minutes before the arterial puncture procedure. Pain was assessed for 2 times; before and after application of cryoanalgesia. A statistically significant difference in participants’ pain scores between pre-tests and post-tests was noted. For the intubated ventilated participants, the mean pain score before and after applying cryoanalgesia was 5.26 versus 4.00 (P ≤ .05). For the non-intubated or intubated non-ventilated participants, the mean pain score was 6.66 versus 4.63 (P ≤ .05). Cryoanalgesia is a feasible and effective method incorporate during arterial puncture along with standard procedure elements to achieve maximum pain reduction for unconscious patients during arterial punctures.
Analysis of Nurses’ Perceptions of Handover Practices
Authors: Alharbi Hanan F. , Sayed Sahar A.A. , Abdelhafez Karima H. , Mekkawy Mimi M. , Farrag Rania A.E. , Mohamed Sherif A.A. , Mahran Ghada S.K.
Published: September 2024

This article reports a comparative prospective study aimed to explore and compare nurses’ perceptions of bedside clinical handover in 3 different settings (emergency unit, ICU, and medical ward). Results revealed that the participant nurses’ perceptions varied significantly for different aspects of the handover process. Our data demonstrate department-specific variations in perceptions related to the adequacy, organization, relevance, availability of charts, use of charts for review, ease of following the information, and timeliness of the information.
Observational cohort study on safety and efficacy of robotic thyroidectomy with super-meticulous capsular dissection versus open surgery for thyroid cancer: postoperative dynamic risk assessment of radioactive iodine therapy
Authors: Qin Xiangquan , Zhang Yufan , Luo Jia , Zeng Lingjuan , Liu Xia , Zhang Ting , Ren Lin , Fan Linjun , Huang Dingde
Published: September 2024

Objective:

To assess the efficacy and safety of robotic thyroidectomy (RT) with super-meticulous capsular dissection (SMCD) versus open thyroidectomy (OT), the authors used a dynamic risk assessment system incorporating 131I-WBS along with radioactive iodine (RAI) efficacy evaluation.

Background:

Currently, the therapeutic efficacy of robotic surgery remains controversial. The 131I whole-body scan (131I-WBS) dynamic risk assessment system can detect small residual thyroid tissues and lesions, which may be used as indicators for the surgical efficacy of RT or OT thyroidectomy in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study included 2349 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy followed by RAI therapy in our department between August 2017 and June 2023. Propensity score matching was performed at a ratio of 1:3 based on surgical type and mean follow-up duration to minimize selection bias after excluding those lost to follow-up. The primary outcome was surgical completeness, assessed using a dynamic risk system incorporating 131I-WBS along with RAI efficacy evaluation.

Results:

There was no significant difference in the number of metastatic lymph nodes removed between the two groups (P=0.45). The incidence rate of parathyroid gland transplantation was 395 (68.7%) in the OT group and 8 (3.8%) in the RT group (P<0.001). There were no differences in the thyroidectomy completeness based on the 3 h iodine uptake rate and 99mTcO4
− thyroid imaging between the two groups. The dynamic risk assessment with and without 131I-WBS showed significant differences (P<0.001). The postoperative and post-RAI dynamic risk scores, evaluated at the time of RAI and 6 months after RAI, did not differ significantly between the two groups (P>0.05). The rates of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism were higher in the OT group than in the RT group (P<0.05). The local recurrence rates showed no significant difference between the groups.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that RT with SMCD can achieve outcomes equivalent to those of traditional open surgery when integrating the 131I-WBS dynamic evaluation system and the therapeutic effects of RAI. Additionally, robot surgery demonstrated a notable advantage in protecting parathyroid function.
Patient needs in women of childbearing age with psoriasis: retrospective analysis from the German PsoBest registry
Authors: da Silva Burger Neuza , Augustin Matthias , Westphal Lukas , Kühl Laura , Stephan Brigitte , Sommer Rachel
Published: September 2024

Background:

Women of childbearing age (WoCBA) with psoriasis face additional burden related to contraindications of systemic treatments during pregnancy/lactation and to the physical and psychosocial impact of psoriasis on their intimate/sexual relationships.

Objective:

Within a people-centered health care model, this study aimed to identify specific patient needs and their correlates in WoCBA (18–45 years), in comparison to same-age men and women above 45 years.

Methods:

Baseline data from the German PsoBest registry, including patients with moderate/severe plaque-type psoriasis with the indication for systemic therapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Psoriasis severity was assessed with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and patient-reported outcomes included EuroQoL Visual Analogue Scale, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and Patient Needs Questionnaire.

Results:

The participants were 2308 WoCBA, 3634 men between 18 and 45 years of age, and 3401 women older than 45 years. In comparison to both control groups, WoCBA reported more DLQI impairments and higher needs to reduce social impairments (eg, “to be able to lead a normal working life”; “to be less burdened in your partnership”; “to be able to have a normal sex life”). These patient needs were associated with having psoriasis arthritis, previous systemic therapy, worse general health, and more DLQI impairments.

Limitations:

Retrospective analysis of an established dataset limited the examination of specific developmental, sexual, and reproductive variables.

Conclusion:

The specific needs of WoCBA with psoriasis were particularly related to the work context/financial stability and intimate relationships, which are crucial aspects in family planning. These results claim for a sex/age-sensitive approach in the psoriasis health care, by considering these needs as qualifiers in the clinical decision for systemic treatment.
Risk Factors and a Prediction Model for Pain Recurrence After Pancreatic Stent Removal in Painful Chronic Pancreatitis
Authors: Takikawa Tetsuya , Kume Kiyoshi , Tanaka Yu , Kikuta Kazuhiro , Ogata Yohei , Hatta Waku , Hamada Shin , Miura Shin , Matsumoto Ryotaro , Sano Takanori , Sasaki Akira , Hayashi Hidehiro , Sakano Misako , Manaka Tomoo , Masamune Atsushi
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Endoscopic pancreatic stenting (EPS) is an effective treatment for painful chronic pancreatitis. However, little is known about the factors that cause pain recurrence after stent removal, and there are no clear criteria for stent removal. We aimed to develop a prediction model for pain recurrence by identifying its risk factors.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 95 patients who underwent EPS for pain for the first time using a single plastic stent between January 2007 and July 2022 at our institute. Univariate and multivariate stepwise Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the risk factors for pain recurrence, and a prediction model was developed based on the identified factors.

Results

Of the 95 enrolled patients, 89 (93.7%) achieved pain relief and 73 (76.8%) did stent removal. Among 69 patients with a follow-up period ≥6 months after stent removal, 29 (42.0%) had pain recurrence during the median follow-up of 59 months. Serum lipase level (P = 0.034) and pancreatic parenchymal thickness (P = 0.022) on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging were identified as independent risk factors for pain recurrence. The prediction model based on the identified factors had good discrimination ability, with a concordance index of 0.74, and could stratify pain recurrence rates.

Conclusions

We identified the risk factors and developed a new prediction model for pain recurrence following stent removal. This model might be useful for decision making in pancreatic stent management, such as deciding whether to remove a stent, continue EPS, or convert to surgery.
Bilateral visual loss as the initial presentation of chronic myeloid leukemia: a case report
Authors: Saadeldine Salah Marwan , Alammouri Yara Mohammad
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is the most common leukemia in adults. It can present with a wide variable range of symptoms and signs related to the phase of the disease. Ophthalmic manifestations as the first presentation of CML are unique, although they can occur during any stage of the disease. Ocular lesions in CML patients may be asymptomatic, so all patients should undergo an eye evaluation at the initial diagnosis.

Case presentation:

The authors report a case of a 17-year-old Syrian male who initially presented with progressive loss of vision, fatigue, and abdominal pain. Clinical examination showed bilateral retinal aneurysm hemorrhage, jaundice, and splenomegaly. Bone marrow biopsy results were consistent with the diagnosis of CML returning to AML. The patient was treated with intensive chemotherapy and then prepared for hematopoietic transplantation.

Discussion:

CML can present with variable symptoms and signs, but the ophthalmic manifestations are uncommon. Ophthalmic problems occur either from infiltration of neoplastic cells or from secondary causes, like thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, hyperviscosity syndrome, or leukoembolization. In the literature, only some case reports presented eye involvement in CML as the first manifestation.

Conclusion:

Although this is a rare presentation of CML, we believe that it should be taken into consideration when managing these situations to obtain the right diagnosis and better treatment results. Collaboration between hematologists and ophthalmologists is necessary in deciding the treatment. Acute myeloid leukemia needs immediate medical attention and different treatment from CML.