bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Constraints on Mergers with SZ, Hydrodynamical simulations, Optical, and X-ray (ICM-SHOX)
Authors: Silich E.M. , Bellomi E. , Sayers J. , ZuHone J. , Chadayammuri U. , Golwala S. , Hughes D. , Montaña A. , Mroczkowski T. , Nagai D. , Sánchez D. , Stanford S.A. , Wilson G. , Zemcov M. , Zitrin A.
Published: March 2024

Galaxy cluster mergers are representative of a wide range of physics, making them an excellent probe of the properties of dark matter and the ionized plasma of the intracluster medium. To date, most studies have focused on mergers occurring in the plane of the sky, where morphological features can be readily identified. To allow study of mergers with arbitrary orientation, we have assembled multi-probe data for the eight-cluster ICM-SHOX sample sensitive to both morphology and line of sight velocity. The first ICM-SHOX paper [1] provided an overview of our methodology applied to one member of the sample, MACS J0018.5+1626, in order to constrain its merger geometry. That work resulted in an exciting new discovery of a velocity space decoupling of its gas and dark matter distributions. In this work, we describe the availability and quality of multi-probe data for the full ICM-SHOX galaxy cluster sample. These datasets will form the observational basis of an upcoming full ICM-SHOX galaxy cluster sample analysis.
Robotisch-assistierte Mikrochirurgie ̶ Ein neuer Innovationsschub für
die rekonstruktive Mikrochirurgie?
Authors: Giunta Riccardo
Published: March 2024

Liebe Leserinnen und Leser,

ich freue mich Ihnen im vorliegenden Heft einen Schwerpunkt zum „Hot Topic“ der
robotisch-assistierten Mikrochirurgie und dem gegenwärtigen Stand der Wissenschaft
präsentieren zu können. Die auf diesem Feld aktivsten Arbeitsgruppen aus dem
deutschsprachigen Raum und auch aus Europa haben ihre Erfahrungen in
unterschiedlichen Körperregionen zusammengefasst. Insgesamt vier Originalarbeiten
und zwei Fallberichte fassen die derzeitigen Chancen dieser neuesten technischen
Innovation zusammen.
ViaCogScreen: ein zeitökonomisches, valides und wiederholbares
Screeningverfahren zum Leistungsmonitoring älterer Menschen
Authors: Schneider Matthias , Potthoff Anna-Laura , Pannicke Lars , von Arnim Christine A. F. , Jessen Frank , Helmstaedter Christoph
Published: March 2024

Angesichts des demografischen Wandels in Deutschland mit einer alternden
Gesellschaft ist eine kognitive Leistungsbewertung speziell des älteren Menschen
von großer Bedeutung. Der von uns entwickelte Viacogscreen ist ein
computergeführtes, webbasiertes Hirnleistungsscreening für das höhere
Erwachsenenalter, das nicht nur den Gütekriterien eines Messinstrumentes
entspricht, sondern zudem ökonomisch und wiederholbar ist. Der Test erfasst
ineinander verschachtelt Wortlistenlernen mit verzögertem freiem Abruf und
Rekognition, semantische Wortauswahl und Flüssigkeit, phonematische
Wortflüssigkeit und invertierte Zahlenspanne, sowie inzidentelles Gedächtnis,
woraus sich insgesamt 17 Leistungsparameter ergeben, die eine rasche
Orientierung (ungefähre Testdauer: 10-12 Minuten) hinsichtlich der kognitiven
Leistungsfähigkeit eines Probanden/einer Probandin geben. Abgebildet werden
dabei drei Leistungsbereiche: Exekutivfunktionen, episodisches und semantisches
Gedächtnis. Der Test wurde an 200 gesunden Proband*innen in 6 verschiedenen
Altersgruppen (Bereich: 50-85 Jahre) normiert. Für die erste klinische
Validierung des Tests waren in Bonn und Ulm gemeinsam im Kontext von
Gedächtnisambulanzen 33 Patienten mit MCI (engl. mild cognitive impairment) und
42 Patienten mit VAD (Verdacht auf Alzheimer) mit dem Test erfasst worden. Als
Kontrollgruppe dienten 42 Gesunde etwa gleichen Alters. Bezüglich des kognitiven
Testverfahrens zeigten alle drei Gruppen jeweils voneinander signifikant
abweichende Ergebnisse bezüglich des Gesamtscores (ANOVA F=73,9, p<0,001),
der Exekutivfunktionen (F=27,6 p<0,001) und des semantischen Gedächtnisses
(F=54,4 p<0,001). In Bezug auf das episodische Gedächtnis unterschieden sich
beide klinische Gruppen signifikant von der Kontrollgruppe, nicht aber
voneinander (F=48,7, p<0,001). Der Viacogscreen lieferte also bei seiner
ersten Validierung im Bereich zweier Gedächtnisambulanzen hinsichtlich der
Differenzierung VAD sehr gute und hinsichtlich MCI gute Ergebnisse. Neben dem
Einsatz in Bezug auf neurodegenerative Erkrankungen bietet sich der Viacogscreen
auch für andere neurologische Erkrankungen sowie neuroonkologische
Erkrankungsbilder an, sowie aufgrund der Möglichkeit der elektronischen
Datensammlung für den Einsatz im Rahmen von größeren Studien.
TfOH-Catalyzed Facile Access for One-Pot Synthesis of β-Acylamino Ketones by Avoiding the Usage of Acetyl Chloride
Authors: Kharat Sachin D. , Rupnavar Prasad B. , Rupanawar Bapurao D. , Shinde Mahadev P. , Pakhare Keshav S. , Khan Ayesha A.
Published: March 2024

We have developed a TfOH-catalyzed, highly efficient protocol for the synthesis of biologically active β-acylamino ketones from aldehyde, ketone, and nitrile by avoiding the use of acetyl chloride. The reaction proceeds through a sequential aldol reaction followed by a nucleophilic attack of nitrile and hydrolysis of nitrile in one pot. The attractive features of this tandem process are mild reaction conditions, high atom economy, broad substrate scope with 51–87% yield, gram-scale reaction, and ease of operation.
Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting Mortality in Neonates with Intestinal Atresia
Authors: Öztaş Tülin , Dursun Ahmet
Published: March 2024

Objective Congenital intestinal atresia is one of the most common surgical pathologies in the neonatal period. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of preoperative neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and postoperative NLR in predicting early mortality in neonates with intestinal atresia.

Methods The data of 38 newborns with intestinal atresia operated on in our hospital between January 2016 and March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' gestational age, gender, birth weight, other congenital anomalies, operative findings, length of hospital stay, sepsis, and mortality rates were recorded. NLR was calculated by analyzing preoperative and postoperative day 1 complete blood tests.

Results Of the patients included in the study, 60.5% were male and 39.5% were female. The median birth weight was 2,468 g (600–3,800 g), and the median gestational age was 36 weeks (28–40 weeks). Gender, number of areas of atresia in the gut, and development of sepsis were not associated with mortality. Mortality was observed at a lower rate in duodenal atresia when compared with the other types of atresia (p < 0.05). The mortality was higher in patients with prematurity, low birth weight, long duration of mechanical ventilation, and severe congenital anomalies (p < 0.05). Preoperative lymphocyte and neutrophil counts were not found to be predictive of mortality. The mortality rate increased as the postoperative lymphocyte count decreased and as the neutrophil count increased (p < 0.05). The preoperative and postoperative NLR was not useful in predicting mortality, the development of sepsis, or the need for reoperation.

Conclusion It is possible to predict early mortality in newborns with intestinal atresia who underwent surgery with neutrophil and lymphocyte counts on the first day after surgery. However, early NLR is not useful in predicting prognosis after surgery in newborns.
Natural History and Endoscopic Management of Pancreaticopleural Fistula: A Tertiary Care Center Experience
Authors: Das Pritam , Kumar Rakesh S. , Mujawdiya Swapnil , Thakur Dhruv , Wodeyar Nagnath , Balankhe Kartik , Saraswat Vivek Anand , Pande Gaurav , Mohindra Samir
Published: March 2024

Background Pancreaticopleural fistula (PPF) is a rare complication associated with pancreatitis, caused by disruption of the pancreatic duct, either directly or through rupture of a peripancreatic fluid collection, resulting in leakage of pancreatic juice into the pleural space. It commonly presents as massive, relapsing pleural effusions, often on the left side with high amylase content. Nonspecific chest symptoms often predominate, making it a diagnostic challenge. There is a lack of clarity regarding the management of this rare entity.

Objectives This study aimed to review the typical presentations, pathophysiology, and current role of endoscopic therapy in patients with PPF.

Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of the results of endoscopic treatment of patients with symptomatic PPF due to pancreatitis was done.

Results Ten patients with pancreatitis (6 males; mean age 33.6 ± 15.4 years: 6 chronic, 4 acute) with symptomatic PPF were analyzed. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed in all, with pancreatic sphincterotomy and stenting of the main pancreatic duct (passive transpapillary drainage). Technical and clinical success was achieved in 7/10(70%) and 10/10(100%) patients, respectively. Though the leak was bridged in three patients, pancreatic sphincterotomy and downstream stenting (when bridging was not possible) were successful in closing PPF. One (10%) patient needed surgery for gastric outlet obstruction. The mean duration of endotherapy was 12.1 ± 9.4 months and the time taken for leak closure was 15.3 ± 10.4 weeks. Long-term success of endoscopic treatment (median follow-up period of 48.9 ± 28.7 months) was achieved in all patients.

Conclusions Endoscopic treatment (passive trans-papillary drainage) is a safe and effective procedure for managing postinflammatory PPFs, and should be attempted in cases of failure of medical treatment.
Pleural Diseases in Connective Tissue Diseases
Authors: Guo Hui , Iqbal Beenish , Rahman Najib M.
Published: March 2024

Connective tissue diseases (CTD) are heterogeneous, immune-mediated inflammatory disorders often presenting with multiorgan involvement. With the advent of high-resolution computed tomography, CTD-related pleuritis—pleural thickening and effusion—is now increasingly recognized early in the disease trajectory. The natural history of CTD-related pleural effusions varies from spontaneous resolution to progressive fibrothorax with ventilatory impairment. Treatment of the underlying CTD is necessary to manage the pleural disease. Depending on the degree of symptom burden and physiological insult, specific treatment of pleural disease can include monitoring, repeated aspirations, systemic anti-inflammatory medication, and surgical decortication.
Epilepsy Care in Latin America and the Caribbean: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities
Authors: Rubinos Clio , San-Juan Daniel , Alva-Diaz Carlos , Burneo Jorge , Fernandez Andres , Mayor-Romero Luis Carlos , Vidaurre Jorge , Rios-Pohl Loreto , Bruzzone Maria Jose
Published: March 2024

The burden of epilepsy in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region causes a profound regional impact on the health care system and significantly contributes to the global epilepsy burden. As in many other resource-limited settings worldwide, health care professionals and patients with epilepsy in LAC countries face profound challenges due to a combination of factors, including high disease prevalence, stigmatization of epilepsy, disparities in access to care, limited resources, substantial treatment gaps, insufficient training opportunities for health care providers, and a diverse patient population with varying needs. This article presents an overview of the epidemiology of epilepsy and discusses the principal obstacles to epilepsy care and key contributors to the epilepsy diagnosis and treatment gap in the LAC region. We conclude by highlighting various initiatives across different LAC countries to improve epilepsy care in marginalized communities, listing strategies to mitigate treatment gaps and facilitate better health care access for patients with epilepsy by enhancing the epilepsy workforce.
The Role of Myeloid Cells in Thromboinflammatory Disease
Authors: Noone David , Preston Roger J.S. , Rehill Aisling M.
Published: March 2024

Inflammation contributes to the development of thrombosis, but the mechanistic basis for this association remains poorly understood. Innate immune responses and coagulation pathways are activated in parallel following infection or injury, and represent an important host defense mechanism to limit pathogen spread in the bloodstream. However, dysregulated proinflammatory activity is implicated in the progression of venous thromboembolism and arterial thrombosis. In this review, we focus on the role of myeloid cells in propagating thromboinflammation in acute inflammatory conditions, such as sepsis and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and chronic inflammatory conditions, such as obesity, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Myeloid cells are considered key drivers of thromboinflammation via upregulated tissue factor activity, formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), contact pathway activation, and aberrant coagulation factor–mediated protease-activated receptor (PAR) signaling. We discuss how strategies to target the intersection between myeloid cell–mediated inflammation and activation of blood coagulation represent an exciting new approach to combat immunothrombosis. Specifically, repurposed anti-inflammatory drugs, immunometabolic regulators, and NETosis inhibitors present opportunities that have the potential to dampen immunothrombotic activity without interfering with hemostasis. Such therapies could have far-reaching benefits for patient care across many thromboinflammatory conditions.
The Use of Rhinomanometry in Mouth Breathing: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Castellanos Merly Fernanda Illera , Silva Hilton Justino da , Moura Silvio Ricardo Couto de , Fontes Luciana de Barros Correia , Lima Niedje Siqueira de , Bezerra Thiago Freire Pinto , Cunha Daniele Andrade da
Published: March 2024

Introduction Mouth breathing generates imbalances in the musculature, in craniofacial morphofunctionality, and in the stomatognathic system. Therefore, it is essential to make a diagnosis of mouth breathing through the quantitative assessment of nasal permeability, which can be performed through rhinomanometry.

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of rhinomanometry in the diagnosis of mouth breathing in pediatric patients through a systematic review of the literature.

Data synthesis The guiding question was: “Is the use of rhinomanometry as an assessment tool effective in the diagnosis of mouth breathing in pediatric patients?”. We conducted a search on the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), PubMed/Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Web of Science, and Science Direct. The Health Sciences Descriptors (Descritores em Ciências da Saúde, DECS, in Portuguese) and Medical Subjects Headings (MESH) were combined with the Boolean operator AND in the search strategy: rhinomanometry AND mouth breathing AND diagnosis AND nasal pressure AND nasal airflow AND nasal resistance. Observational cohort and cross-sectional studies that addressed the effectiveness of rhinomanometry in the diagnosis of mouth breathing were included. The reviewers independently extracted the information and scored the review quality based on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and the grading of evidence levels according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Of the 1,536 articles identified, only 3 were selected for the present review after the application of the eligibility criteria.

Conclusion There is great concern regarding the assessment of nasal function. There was a lack of standardization of rhinomanometry to test the effectiveness of nasal resistance as an aid in the diagnosis of breathing mode.
A Forgotten Cause of Dyspepsia
Authors: Sharma Brij , Bodh Vishal , Bhateja Anshul
Published: March 2024

A 63-year-old female patient presented with complaints of epigastric pain for 2 months associated with postprandial fullness and early satiety. She gave history of open cholecystectomy 2 years back at a peripheral hospital. Her general physical and systemic examinations were within normal limits. Her routine investigations including hemogram, liver and renal biochemistries, and ultrasound abdomen were normal. She had received multiple courses of oral proton pump inhibitors, prokinetics, antacids, and antispasmodics but had no relief. In view of her persistent complaint and age more than 60 years, her esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was planned. Her EGD revealed deeply embedded large gauze piece in the posterior wall of the first part of duodenum. Her contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed mottled appearance in first part of duodenum, which is nonmobile in subsequent images suggestive of gossypiboma. A final diagnosis of gossypiboma with partial migration of gauge into duodenal lumen was made. Endoscopic removal was not attempted in view of possible risk of perforation and patient shifted to the department of surgery for further management.
Can we project well-being? Towards integral well-being projections in climate models and beyond
Authors: Liu Kedi , Wang Ranran , Schrijver Inge , Hoekstra Rutger
Published: March 2024

Scientists have proposed many “Beyond-GDP” indicators to replace the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in order to quantify genuine societal development. While GDP is regularly projected, research on future trajectories of Beyond-GDP indicators is lacking, failing to meet policymakers’ needs. Focusing on the Human Development Index (HDI), this paper attempts to calculate one of the first global well-being projections for 161 countries by 2100 using the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), the socioeconomic inputs underlying global climate change scenarios. The results indicate a potential global well-being improvement from medium to very high level, depending on the SSPs, with most countries reaching high human development under SSPs 1&5. While serving as an initial step in well-being projection, the results highlight a crucial gap in existing climate change models which are used by the IPCC—they inadequately account for the feedback effects of climate change on well-being. This oversight results in counterintuitive or potentially misleading well-being projections. Therefore, we propose steps to improve this situation. By synthesizing climate change feedback effects on HDI determinants, this assessment delves into their implications for well-being and further underscores the necessity for interdisciplinary collaborations among well-being researchers, climate scientists and policy modelers to achieve sound integral well-being projections.
Nondestructive, quantitative viability analysis of 3D tissue cultures using machine learning image segmentation
Authors: Trettner Kylie J. , Hsieh Jeremy , Xiao Weikun , Lee Jerry S. H. , Armani Andrea M.
Published: March 2024

Ascertaining the collective viability of cells in different cell culture conditions has typically relied on averaging colorimetric indicators and is often reported out in simple binary readouts. Recent research has combined viability assessment techniques with image-based deep-learning models to automate the characterization of cellular properties. However, further development of viability measurements to assess the continuity of possible cellular states and responses to perturbation across cell culture conditions is needed. In this work, we demonstrate an image processing algorithm for quantifying features associated with cellular viability in 3D cultures without the need for assay-based indicators. We show that our algorithm performs similarly to a pair of human experts in whole-well images over a range of days and culture matrix compositions. To demonstrate potential utility, we perform a longitudinal study investigating the impact of a known therapeutic on pancreatic cancer spheroids. Using images taken with a high content imaging system, the algorithm successfully tracks viability at the individual spheroid and whole-well level. The method we propose reduces analysis time by 97% in comparison with the experts. Because the method is independent of the microscope or imaging system used, this approach lays the foundation for accelerating progress in and for improving the robustness and reproducibility of 3D culture analysis across biological and clinical research.
A review of bubble collapse near particles
Authors: Yu Jiaxin , Luo Jinxin , Li Yiming , Zhang Yuning
Published: March 2024

Bubble–particle interactions are of great importance in cavitation bubble dynamics, especially in the case of silt-laden flow. In this paper, a review of the physical mechanisms involved in bubble collapse near particles is presented, with an emphasis on the jet and shock wave phenomenon. First of all, the collapse of a bubble occurring close to a flat wall is introduced to provide a basis for understanding cavitation behavior near boundaries. Then, with the aim of revealing the physical processes that occur during bubble collapse near particles, this is followed by a detailed discussion, with plentiful examples, of the collapse process (the inception, growth, collapse, rebound, and final disappearance of the bubble) and the formation and behavior of jets (the inception jet, counter jet, and double jets) and shock waves (incident, reflected, jet-induced, and jet-split shock waves).
The contributions of Rupert Best to the modern concept of the nature of viruses
Authors: Geering Andrew D. W.
Published: March 2024

Rupert Jethro Best (1903–91), working alone at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute in Adelaide between 1934 and 1937, was among the first to purify tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and to propose that it was a complex macromolecule containing protein and another reactive group that was responsible for infectivity of the virus. However, his research was completely overshadowed by that of Wendell Stanley and the duo of Frederick Bawden and Norman (aka Bill) Pirie, working in the United States of America and Great Britain, respectively, to the point where Best is not even mentioned in modern histories of TMV. Many factors have contributed to this lack of recognition for Best. Professor James Prescott, a soil scientist and Best’s supervisor at the Waite Institute, failed to appreciate the significance of his research, leading to critical delays in publication that prevented him from claiming precedence for purifying TMV. When Best’s research was eventually published, it was in Australian journals that were not broadly distributed, resulting in minimal international exposure for his research. The plant virology community within which he worked in Australia was very small and entirely focused on plant disease control, and not concerned with fundamental questions about the composition of viruses. Communication with similarly interested scientists in the Northern Hemisphere was hindered by the great distances involved. In this paper, pioneering research done by Best on TMV is reviewed, and placed in context with that undertaken by Stanley and by Bawden and Pirie, who are best remembered for purifying TMV and characterising its physicochemical properties.
Searching for the Highest Energy of Pulsation and Critical Luminosity of Swift J0243.6+6124 Observed by Insight-HXMT
Authors: Zhao Qing-Xia , Hou Xian , Ge Ming-Yu , Zhang Shuang-Nan , Xiao Yun-Xiang , Tuo You-Li , Yang Zi-Xu , Kong Ling-Da , Qu Jin-Lu , Zhang Shu , Wang Jian-Cheng
Published: March 2024

Owing to the broad energy coverage of Insight-HXMT in the hard X-ray band, we detected the highest energy of pulsation exceeding 200 keV around the 2017–2018 outburst peak of the first Galactic pulsating ultraluminous X-ray source (PULX) Swift J0243.6+6124, which is the highest energy detected from PULXs to date. We also obtained the highest energy of pulsation of every exposure during the outburst in 2017–2018, and found the highest energy is roughly positively correlated with luminosity. Using our newly developed method, we identified the critical luminosity being 4 × 1038 erg s−1 when the main peaks of the low and high energy pulse profiles became aligned, which separates the fan-beam dominated and pencil-beam dominated accretion regimes. Above the critical luminosity, the phase of the main peak shifted gradually from 0.5 to 0.8 until the outburst peak in all energy bands is reached, which is in agreement with the phase shift found previously at low energies. Our result is consistent with what is derived from spectral analysis.
Advancing preclinical drug evaluation through automated 3D imaging for high-throughput screening with kidney organoids
Authors: Oishi Haruka , Tabibzadeh Nahid , Morizane Ryuji
Published: March 2024

High-throughput drug screening is crucial for advancing healthcare through drug discovery. However, a significant limitation arises from available in vitro models using conventional 2D cell culture, which lack the proper phenotypes and architectures observed in three-dimensional (3D) tissues. Recent advancements in stem cell biology have facilitated the generation of organoids—3D tissue constructs that mimic human organs in vitro. Kidney organoids, derived from human pluripotent stem cells, represent a significant breakthrough in disease representation. They encompass major kidney cell types organized within distinct nephron segments, surrounded by stroma and endothelial cells. This tissue allows for the assessment of structural alterations such as nephron loss, a characteristic of chronic kidney disease. Despite these advantages, the complexity of 3D structures has hindered the use of organoids for large-scale drug screening, and the drug screening pipelines utilizing these complex in vitro models remain to be established for high-throughput screening. In this study, we address the technical limitations of kidney organoids through fully automated 3D imaging, aided by a machine-learning approach for automatic profiling of nephron segment-specific epithelial morphometry. Kidney organoids were exposed to the nephrotoxic agent cisplatin to model severe acute kidney injury. An U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library was tested for therapeutic and nephrotoxicity screening. The fully automated pipeline of 3D image acquisition and analysis identified nephrotoxic or therapeutic drugs during cisplatin chemotherapy. The nephrotoxic potential of these drugs aligned with previous in vivo and human reports. Additionally, Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in hematological malignancies, was identified as a potential preventive therapy for cisplatin-induced kidney injury. Our proof-of-concept report demonstrates that the automated screening process, using 3D morphometric assays with kidney organoids, enables high-throughput screening for nephrotoxicity and therapeutic assessment in 3D tissue constructs.
Effect of matrix material property on the composite tibia fracture plate: a biomechanical study
Authors: Roy Drupad , Das Manik Chandra , Dhason Raja , Roy Sandipan , Datta Shubhabrata
Published: March 2024

For the purpose of fixing tibia fractures, composite bone plates are suggested. Metal plates cause stress shielding, lessen the compression force at the fracture site, and have an impact on the healing process because they are significantly more rigid than bone. To prevent excessive shear strain and consequent instability at the fracture site, it is imperative to reduce stiffness in the axial direction without lowering stiffness in the transverse direction. Only a carefully crafted fiber reinforced composite with anisotropic properties will suffice to accomplish this. The purpose of the current study is to examine the impact of axial and shear movements at the fracture site on the fixing of metal and composite bone plates. After modeling the tibia with a 1 mm fracture gap, titanium plates, carbon/epoxy, carbon/PEEK, and carbon/UHMWPE composite bone plates were used to fix it. There are 6 holes on each of the 103 mm long plates. To determine the stresses and axial movement in the fracture site, anatomical 3D Finite Element (FE) models of the tibia with composite bone plates are built. The simulations that were run for various composite plate layouts and types give suggestions for selecting the best composite bone plate. Although the matrix material causes some variations in behaviors, most of the plates perform as well as or even better than metal plates. Thus, the appropriate composite combinations are recommended for a given fracture structure.
Using convolutional neural networks for stereological characterization of 3D hetero-aggregates based on synthetic STEM data
Authors: Fuchs Lukas , Kirstein Tom , Mahr Christoph , Furat Orkun , Baric Valentin , Rosenauer Andreas , Mädler Lutz , Schmidt Volker
Published: March 2024

The 3D nano/microstructure of materials can significantly influence their macroscopic properties. In order to enable a better understanding of such structure-property relationships, 3D microscopy techniques can be deployed, which are however often expensive in both time and costs. Often 2D imaging techniques are more accessible, yet they have the disadvantage that the 3D nano/microstructure of materials cannot be directly retrieved from such measurements. The motivation of this work is to overcome the issues of characterizing 3D structures from 2D measurements for hetero-aggregate materials. For this purpose, a method is presented that relies on machine learning combined with methods of spatial stochastic modeling for characterizing the 3D nano/microstructure of materials from 2D data. More precisely, a stochastic model is utilized for the generation of synthetic training data. This kind of training data has the advantage that time-consuming experiments for the synthesis of differently structured materials followed by their 3D imaging can be avoided. More precisely, a parametric stochastic 3D model is presented, from which a wide spectrum of virtual hetero-aggregates can be generated. Additionally, the virtual structures are passed to a physics-based simulation tool in order to generate virtual scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images. The preset parameters of the 3D model together with the simulated STEM images serve as a database for the training of convolutional neural networks, which can be used to determine the parameters of the underlying 3D model and, consequently, to predict 3D structures of hetero-aggregates from 2D STEM images. Furthermore, an error analysis is performed with respect to structural descriptors, e.g. the hetero-coordination number. The proposed method is applied to image data of TiO2-WO3 hetero-aggregates, which are highly relevant in photocatalysis processes. However, the proposed method can be transferred to other types of aggregates and to different 2D microscopy techniques. Consequently, the method is relevant for industrial or laboratory setups in which product quality is to be quantified by means of inexpensive 2D image acquisition.
Prediction of mild cognitive impairment using EEG signal and BiLSTM network
Authors: Alahmadi Tahani Jaser , Rahman Atta Ur , Alhababi Zaid Ali , Ali Sania , Alkahtani Hend Khalid
Published: March 2024

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a cognitive disease that primarily affects elderly persons. Patients with MCI have impairments in one or more cognitive areas, such as memory, attention, language, and problem-solving. The risk of Alzheimer’s disease development is 10 times higher among individuals who meet the MCI diagnosis than in those who do not have such a diagnosis. Identifying the primary neurophysiological variations between those who are suffering from cognitive impairment and those who are ageing normally may provide helpful techniques to assess the effectiveness of therapies. Event-related Potentials (ERPs) are utilized to investigate the processing of sensory, cognitive, and motor information in the brain. ERPs enable excellent temporal resolution of underlying brain activity. ERP data is complex due to the temporal variation that occurs in the time domain. It is actually a type of electroencephalography (EEG) signal that is time-locked to a specific event or behavior. To remove artifacts from the data, this work utilizes Independent component analysis, finite impulse response filter, and fast Fourier transformation as preprocessing techniques. The bidirectional long short-term memory network is utilized to retain the spatial relationships between the ERP data while learning changes in temporal information for a long time. This network performed well both in modeling and information extraction from the signals. To validate the model performance, the proposed framework is tested on two benchmark datasets. The proposed framework achieved a state-of-the-art accuracy of 96.03% on the SJTU Emotion EEG Dataset dataset and 97.31% on the Chung–Ang University Hospital EEG dataset for the classification tasks.
Rapid multiple protein sequence search by parallel and heterogeneous computation
Authors: Li Jiefu , Wang Ziyuan , Fan Xuwei , Yao Ruijie , Zhang Guoqing , Fan Rui , Wang Zefeng
Published: March 2024

Motivation

Protein sequence database search and multiple sequence alignment generation is a fundamental task in many bioinformatics analyses. As the data volume of sequences continues to grow rapidly, there is an increasing need for efficient and scalable multiple sequence query algorithms for super-large databases without expensive time and computational costs.

Results

We introduce Chorus, a novel protein sequence query system that leverages parallel model and heterogeneous computation architecture to enable users to query thousands of protein sequences concurrently against large protein databases on a desktop workstation. Chorus achieves over 100× speedup over BLASTP without sacrificing sensitivity. We demonstrate the utility of Chorus through a case study of analyzing a ∼1.5-TB large-scale metagenomic datasets for novel CRISPR-Cas protein discovery within 30 min.

Availability and implementation

Chorus is open-source and its code repository is available at https://github.com/Bio-Acc/Chorus.
Clustering single-cell multi-omics data via graph regularized multi-view ensemble learning
Authors: Chen Fuqun , Zou Guanhua , Wu Yongxian , Ou-Yang Le
Published: March 2024

Motivation

Single-cell clustering plays a crucial role in distinguishing between cell types, facilitating the analysis of cell heterogeneity mechanisms. While many existing clustering methods rely solely on gene expression data obtained from single-cell RNA sequencing techniques to identify cell clusters, the information contained in mono-omic data is often limited, leading to suboptimal clustering performance. The emergence of single-cell multi-omics sequencing technologies enables the integration of multiple omics data for identifying cell clusters, but how to integrate different omics data effectively remains challenging. In addition, designing a clustering method that performs well across various types of multi-omics data poses a persistent challenge due to the data’s inherent characteristics.

Results

In this paper, we propose a graph-regularized multi-view ensemble clustering (GRMEC-SC) model for single-cell clustering. Our proposed approach can adaptively integrate multiple omics data and leverage insights from multiple base clustering results. We extensively evaluate our method on five multi-omics datasets through a series of rigorous experiments. The results of these experiments demonstrate that our GRMEC-SC model achieves competitive performance across diverse multi-omics datasets with varying characteristics.

Availability and implementation

Implementation of GRMEC-SC, along with examples, can be found on the GitHub repository: https://github.com/polarisChen/GRMEC-SC.
Insertional effect following electrode implantation: an underreported but important phenomenon
Authors: Hamani Clement , Davidson Benjamin , Lipsman Nir , Abrahao Agessandro , Nestor Sean M , Rabin Jennifer S , Giacobbe Peter , Pagano Rosana L , Campos Ana Carolina P
Published: March 2024

Deep brain stimulation has revolutionized the treatment of movement disorders and is gaining momentum in the treatment of several other neuropsychiatric disorders. In almost all applications of this therapy, the insertion of electrodes into the target has been shown to induce some degree of clinical improvement prior to stimulation onset. Disregarding this phenomenon, commonly referred to as ‘insertional effect’, can lead to biased results in clinical trials, as patients receiving sham stimulation may still experience some degree of symptom amelioration. Similar to the clinical scenario, an improvement in behavioural performance following electrode implantation has also been reported in preclinical models. From a neurohistopathologic perspective, the insertion of electrodes into the brain causes an initial trauma and inflammatory response, the activation of astrocytes, a focal release of gliotransmitters, the hyperexcitability of neurons in the vicinity of the implants, as well as neuroplastic and circuitry changes at a distance from the target. Taken together, it would appear that electrode insertion is not an inert process, but rather triggers a cascade of biological processes, and, as such, should be considered alongside the active delivery of stimulation as an active part of the deep brain stimulation therapy.
Age-dependent effects of metformin on human oligodendrocyte lineage cell ensheathment capacity
Authors: Mohammadnia Abdulshakour , Cui Qiao-Ling , Weng Chao , Yaqubi Moein , Fernandes Milton G F , Hall Jeffery A , Dudley Roy , Srour Myriam , Kennedy Timothy E , Stratton Jo Anne , Antel Jack P
Published: March 2024

Metformin restores the myelination potential of aged rat A2B5+ oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and may enhance recovery in children with post-radiation brain injury. Human late progenitor cells (O4+A2B5+) have a superior capacity to ensheath nanofibres compared to mature oligodendrocytes, with cells from paediatric sources exceeding adults. In this study, we assessed the effects of metformin on ensheathment capacity of human adult and paediatric progenitors and mature oligodendrocytes and related differences to transcriptional changes. A2B5+ progenitors and mature cells, derived from surgical tissues by immune-magnetic separation, were assessed for ensheathment capacity in nanofibre plates over 2 weeks. Metformin (10 µM every other day) was added to selected cultures. RNA was extracted from treated and control cultures after 2 days. For all ages, ensheathment by progenitors exceeded mature oligodendrocytes. Metformin enhanced ensheathment by adult donor cells but reduced ensheathment by paediatric cells. Metformin marginally increased cell death in paediatric progenitors. Metformin-induced changes in gene expression are distinct for each cell type. Adult progenitors showed up-regulation of pathways involved in the process of outgrowth and promoting lipid biosynthesis. Paediatric progenitors showed a relatively greater proportion of down- versus up-regulated pathways, these involved cell morphology, development and synaptic transmission. Metformin-induced AMP-activated protein kinase activation in all cell types; AMP-activated protein kinase inhibitor BML-275 reduced functional metformin effects only with adult cells. Our results indicate age and differentiation stage-related differences in human oligodendroglia lineage cells in response to metformin. Clinical trials for demyelinating conditions will indicate how these differences translate in vivo.
The “aroma of citrus” as transnational queer digital culture: Girls’ Love webtoons in contemporary China
Authors: Zhao Jamie J
Published: March 2024

This commentary focuses on a rising transnational queer Chinese digital culture—Girls’ Love (GL) webtoons. I consider this queer women-focused entertainment as an epitome of the queer convergence of transnational flows, women’s cultures, and digital platform technologies in today’s Asia. My discussion sheds light on its multilayered queer-transnational characteristics, as well as the controversies surrounding its transcultural mediation of queer women. Rather than simplifying it as an anti-heterocentric Chinese convergence culture in an age of globalization and digitization, I highlight GL webtoons’ role in stimulating various voices concerning women during transnational encounters of gender and sexual knowledge.
Association of deprivation and its individual domains on outcomes in people with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Al-Chalabi Saif , Parkinson Eleanor , Chinnadurai Rajkumar , Kalra Philip A , Sinha Smeeta
Published: March 2024

Background

Due to the high correlation of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with other comorbidities, the sole effect of CKD on deprived people is not clear. In addition, there is a paucity of evidence in the literature linking isolated domains of deprivation to outcomes. This study aimed to examine whether deprivation was associated with adverse outcomes in patients with CKD, independent of cardiometabolic morbidities. Individual domains of deprivation were also evaluated.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD (ND-CKD) in the Salford Kidney Study to investigate the association of deprivation with outcomes. The English Indices of Deprivation was used for the comparative analysis of the five quintiles of deprivation. Two propensity score methods were used to attenuate the confounding effect of cardiometabolic morbidities between the least and the most deprived groups.

Results

People living in the least deprived areas (n = 319) had a lower risk of combined outcomes (all-cause mortality and renal replacement therapy) when compared with the most deprived group (n = 813) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.98]. The negative association of deprivation remained after matching but with mixed statistical significance when using different propensity methods (HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.70–1.03 for propensity score matching and HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.61–0.98 for inverse probability weighting). The association of combined outcomes varied across component index of multiple deprivation domains with wide CIs. However, areas with lower scores for education, income and employment were significantly associated with a higher risk.

Conclusions

This study has identified that in people with ND-CKD, unemployment, poor educational attainment and lower household income were associated with poor outcomes. The association of deprivation with adverse outcomes persists despite adjustment for cardiometabolic morbidities.
Non-surgical interventions to control bleeding from arteriovenous fistulas and grafts inside and outside the hemodialysis unit: a scoping review
Authors: Milosevic Elizabeth , Forster Adam , Moist Louise , Rehman Faisal , Thomson Benjamin
Published: March 2024

Background

Prolonged bleeding from arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) and arteriovenous grafts (AVG) associates with worse outcomes; Within the hemodialysis unit these outcomes include anemia and quality of life disruptions, and outside the hemodialysis unit includes fatal hemorrhage. However, various guidelines for AVF/AVG bleeding management inside and outside the hemodialysis unit lack consensus.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted of four databases, from inception to 17 February 2024. The study population was hemodialysis patients experiencing bleeding from AVF or AVG. Studies that assessed non-operative management were included.

Results

Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most (14/16) addressed post-cannulation bleeding from AVF/AVG within the dialysis unit. Compared with standard dressings, hemostatic dressings (chitosan-, cellulose- or thrombin-based) decreased post-cannulation bleeding time at arterial and venous site 35.7%–84.0% (P < .05) and 38.5%–78.7% (P < .05), respectively. Use of chitosan-based dressings decreased percentage of patients bleeding 4-min post-cannulation by 16.3%–39.2%. One pilot observational study demonstrated no access thromboses or infections with short-term use of a compression device within the hemodialysis unit. However, the role of compression devices and tourniquets within the dialysis unit remains unclear, despite widespread use. Long-term AVF/AVG survival was not reported in any study. Limited research confirms that devices are effective in prevention of catastrophic out-of-hospital bleeding. It remains uncertain if device availability enhances patient confidence in managing out-of-hospital bleeding. This may impact patient choices around dialysis modality, access and transplant, but this remains uncertain.

Conclusions

In hemodialysis patents with bleeding from AVF/AVG, several alternative dressings or devices decrease post-cannulation bleeding time within the hemodialysis unit. Existing research has not established criteria on when it might be appropriate to use specialized dressings. There is very limited research on methods to control bleeding from AVF/AVG outside the hemodialysis unit. More data are required before evidence-based guidelines can be made. Recommendations for future research are provided.
Heterogeneity of coronary vascular function and myocardial oxygenation in women with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease
Authors: Hillier Elizabeth , Elharram Malik , White James A , Anderson Todd , Luu Judy , Labib Dina , Alhussein Muhammad , Friedrich Matthias G , Pilote Louise
Published: March 2024

Aims

Women with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) have a heightened risk for cardiovascular events, and the pathophysiology for ischaemic symptoms may be related to alterations in microvascular structure and function. We examined the use of breathing-enhanced oxygenation-sensitive cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (OS-CMR) using vasoactive breathing manoeuvres to assess myocardial oxygenation in women with ANOCA.

Methods and results

We recruited women (aged 40–65 years) from two sites in Canada who presented to healthcare with persistent retrosternal chest pain and found to have ANOCA, or without a history of cardiovascular disease. All participants were scanned using a clinical 3T MRI scanner, and OS-CMR images were acquired over a breath hold following paced hyperventilation to measure global and regional measurements of heterogeneity. Fifty-four women with ANOCA (age: 55 ± 6.2 years) and 48 healthy controls (age: 51.2 ± 4.8 years) were recruited. There was no significant difference in volume, function, mass, or global myocardial oxygenation between the two groups [mean %Δ in signal intensity (SI): 4.9 (±7.3) vs. 4.5 (±10.1), P = 0.82]. Women with ANOCA had higher regional variations in myocardial oxygenation in circumferential [median %Δ in SI: 5.1 (2.0–7.6) vs. 2.2 (1.4–3.5), P = 0.0004] and longitudinal directions [median %Δ in SI: 11.4 (5.4–16.7) vs. 6.0 (3.0–7.0), P = 0.001], which remained present in a multivariate model.

Conclusion

Heterogeneous myocardial oxygenation may explain ischaemic symptoms without any associated epicardial obstructive coronary artery disease. Regional variations in myocardial oxygenation on OS-CMR could serve as an important diagnostic marker for microvascular dysfunction in women with ANOCA.