bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of low blood pressure on prognosis of acute heart failure
Authors: Kim Hyun-Jin , Jo Sang-Ho
Published: July 2024

Low blood pressure (BP) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). We investigated the influence of initial BP on the prognosis of HF patients at admission, and prescribing patterns of HF medications, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and beta-blockers (BB). Data were sourced from a multicentre cohort of patients admitted for acute HF. Patients were grouped into heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF mildly reduced/preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF/HFpEF) groups. Initial systolic and diastolic BPs were categorized into specific ranges. Among 2778 patients, those with HFrEF were prescribed ACEi, ARB, or BB at discharge, regardless of their initial BP. However, medication use in HFmrEF/HFpEF patients tended to decrease as BP decreased. Lower initial BP in HFrEF patients correlated with an increased incidence of all-cause death and composite clinical events, including HF readmission or all-cause death. However, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were observed in HFmrEF/HFpEF patients according to BP. Initial systolic (< 120 mmHg) and diastolic (< 80 mmHg) BPs were independently associated with a 1.81-fold (odds ratio [OR] 1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.349–2.417, p < 0.001) and 2.24-fold (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.645–3.053, p < 0.001) increased risk of long-term mortality in HFrEF patients, respectively. In conclusion, low initial BP in HFrEF patients correlated with adverse clinical outcomes, and BP < 120/80 mmHg independently increased mortality. However, this relationship was not observed in HFmrEF/HFpEF patients.
Random survival forest for predicting the combined effects of multiple physiological risk factors on all-cause mortality
Authors: Zhao Bu , Nguyen Vy Kim , Xu Ming , Colacino Justin A. , Jolliet Olivier
Published: July 2024

Understanding the combined effects of risk factors on all-cause mortality is crucial for implementing effective risk stratification and designing targeted interventions, but such combined effects are understudied. We aim to use survival-tree based machine learning models as more flexible nonparametric techniques to examine the combined effects of multiple physiological risk factors on mortality. More specifically, we (1) study the combined effects between multiple physiological factors and all-cause mortality, (2) identify the five most influential factors and visualize their combined influence on all-cause mortality, and (3) compare the mortality cut-offs with the current clinical thresholds. Data from the 1999–2014 NHANES Survey were linked to National Death Index data with follow-up through 2015 for 17,790 adults. We observed that the five most influential factors affecting mortality are the tobacco smoking biomarker cotinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), plasma glucose, sex, and white blood cell count. Specifically, high mortality risk is associated with being male, active smoking, low GFR, elevated plasma glucose levels, and high white blood cell count. The identified mortality-based cutoffs for these factors are mostly consistent with relevant studies and current clinical thresholds. This approach enabled us to identify important cutoffs and provide enhanced risk prediction as an important basis to inform clinical practice and develop new strategies for precision medicine.
Artificial intelligence detects awareness of functional relation with the environment in 3 month old babies
Authors: Khodadadzadeh Massoud , Sloan Aliza T. , Jones Nancy Aaron , Coyle Damien , Kelso J. A. Scott
Published: July 2024

A recent experiment probed how purposeful action emerges in early life by manipulating infants’ functional connection to an object in the environment (i.e., tethering an infant’s foot to a colorful mobile). Vicon motion capture data from multiple infant joints were used here to create Histograms of Joint Displacements (HJDs) to generate pose-based descriptors for 3D infant spatial trajectories. Using HJDs as inputs, machine and deep learning systems were tasked with classifying the experimental state from which snippets of movement data were sampled. The architectures tested included k-Nearest Neighbour (kNN), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Fully connected network (FCNet), 1D-Convolutional Neural Network (1D-Conv), 1D-Capsule Network (1D-CapsNet), 2D-Conv and 2D-CapsNet. Sliding window scenarios were used for temporal analysis to search for topological changes in infant movement related to functional context. kNN and LDA achieved higher classification accuracy with single joint features, while deep learning approaches, particularly 2D-CapsNet, achieved higher accuracy on full-body features. For each AI architecture tested, measures of foot activity displayed the most distinct and coherent pattern alterations across different experimental stages (reflected in the highest classification accuracy rate), indicating that interaction with the world impacts the infant behaviour most at the site of organism~world connection.
Utilizing triethylenetetramine-functionalized MIP-206 for highly efficient removal of Pb(II) from wastewater
Authors: Shilani Bizhan , Mehdipour Reza , Mousazadeh Behnam , Noruzi Yasin , Hosseini Seyednooroldin , Al-Saedi Hasan N. , Mohealdeen Sura Mohammad
Published: July 2024

The global concern over heavy metal pollution necessitates urgent measures to safeguard human health and the environment. This study focuses on employing triethylenetetramine (TETA)-functionalized MIP-206-OH (TMIP-206) as an effective adsorbent for removing Pb(II) from wastewater. TMIP-206 was synthesized via a hydrothermal method followed by functionalization with TETA. Kinetic studies demonstrate that lead removal on TMIP-206 conforms to the pseudo-second-order model, indicating an efficient removal process. Experimental results reveal that TMIP-206 aligns with the Langmuir isotherm, exhibiting a maximum removal capacity of 267.15 mg/g for lead ions. The sorption efficiency of TMIP-206 for Pb ions remains stable across six cycles, with a reduction of less than 15%. Optimal adsorption performance is observed at a pH of 6. These findings underscore the potential of TMIP-206 as an alternative for adsorbing Pb(II) from aqueous environments, addressing the global challenge of heavy metal pollution. Future research should explore the scalability and long-term stability of TMIP-206-based adsorbents to enhance their practical applicability in diverse environmental contexts and contribute to broader strategies for mitigating heavy metal contamination.
Development and validation of a nomogram for breast cancer-related lymphedema
Authors: Jiang Qihua , Hu Hai , Liao Jing , Li Zhi-hua , Tan Juntao
Published: July 2024

To establish and validate a predictive model for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) among Chinese patients to facilitate individualized risk assessment. We retrospectively analyzed data from breast cancer patients treated at a major single-center breast hospital in China. From 2020 to 2022, we identified risk factors for BCRL through logistic regression and developed and validated a nomogram using R software (version 4.1.2). Model validation was achieved through the application of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), a calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA), with further evaluated by internal validation. Among 1485 patients analyzed, 360 developed lymphedema (24.2%). The nomogram incorporated body mass index, operative time, lymph node count, axillary dissection level, surgical site infection, and radiotherapy as predictors. The AUCs for training (N = 1038) and validation (N = 447) cohorts were 0.779 and 0.724, respectively, indicating good discriminative ability. Calibration and decision curve analysis confirmed the model’s clinical utility. Our nomogram provides an accurate tool for predicting BCRL risk, with potential to enhance personalized management in breast cancer survivors. Further prospective validation across multiple centers is warranted.
Probiotic evaluation, adherence capability and safety assessment of Lactococcus lactis strain isolated from an important herb “Murraya koenigii”
Authors: Shivani Tholla Madana , Sathiavelu Mythili
Published: July 2024

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from medicinal herb Murraya koenigii, commonly known as curry leaf, which promotes the growth and maintenance of gut microbiota, were studied for their probiotic potential. The key objective of this research was to isolate and evaluate probiotic characteristics, test adherence capabilities, and confirm their safety. Lactococcus lactis (MKL8), isolated from Murraya koenigii, was subjected to in vitro analysis to assess its resistance to the gastric environment, ability to adhere Caco-2 cells, anti-microbial activity, hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, and safety profiling through MTT assay and hemolytic. MKL8 exhibited growth at 0.5% phenol concentrations (> 80%) and was able to survive in conditions with high bile concentrations (> 79%) and a relatively low pH (72%-91%). It shows high tolerance to high osmotic conditions (> 73%) and simulated gastric juice (> 72%). Additionally, MKL8 demonstrated strong hydrophobicity (85%), auto-aggregation (87.3%-91.7%), and adherence to Caco-2 cells. Moreover, it had an inhibitory effect against pathogens too. By performing the hemolytic and MTT assays, the non-toxicity of MKL8 isolate was examined, and it exhibited no harmful characteristics. Considering MKL8's resistance to gastrointestinal tract conditions, high surface hydrophobicity, non-toxicity, and ability to inhibit the tested pathogens, it can be concluded that MKL8 demonstrated promising probiotic properties and has potential for use in the food industry.
Modulation of the Meisenheimer complex metabolism of nitro-benzothiazinones by targeted C-6 substitution
Authors: Keiff François , Bernal Freddy A. , Joch Melanie , Jacques dit Lapierre Thibault J. W. , Li Yan , Liebing Phil , Dahse Hans-Martin , Vilotijevic Ivan , Kloss Florian
Published: July 2024

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a major public health concern, demanding new antibiotics with innovative therapeutic principles due to the emergence of resistant strains. Benzothiazinones (BTZs) have been developed to address this problem. However, an unprecedented in vivo biotransformation of BTZs to hydride-Meisenheimer complexes has recently been discovered. Herein, we present a study of the influence of electron-withdrawing groups on the propensity of HMC formation in whole cells for a series of C-6-substituted BTZs obtained through reductive fluorocarbonylation as a late-stage functionalization key step. Gibbs free energy of reaction and Mulliken charges and Fukui indices on C-5 at quantum mechanics level were found as good indicators of in vitro HMC formation propensity. These results provide a first blueprint for the evaluation of HMC formation in drug development and set the stage for rational pharmacokinetic optimization of BTZs and similar drug candidates.
Hourly step recommendations to achieve daily goals for working and older adults
Authors: Ang Gregory , Tan Chuen Seng , Lim Nicole , Tan Jeremy , Müller-Riemenschneider Falk , Cook Alex R. , Chen Cynthia
Published: July 2024

Background

The widespread use of physical activity trackers enables the collection of high-resolution health data, such as hourly step counts, to evaluate health promotion programmes. We aim to investigate how participants meet their daily step goals.

Methods

We used 24-h steps data from the National Steps ChallengeTM Season 3, wherein participants were rewarded with vouchers when achieving specified goals of 5000, 7500, and 10,000 steps per day. We extracted data from 3075 participants’ including a total of 52,346 participant-days. We modelled the hourly step counts using a two-part model, in which the distribution for step counts was allowed to depend on the sum of step counts up to the previous hour and participant demographics.

Results

Participants have a mean age of 44.2 years (standard deviation = 13.9), and 40.4% are males. We show that on weekdays, the hourly mean step counts among participants aged 60 and above are higher than participants aged 30 to 59 from the start of the day till 6 p.m. We also find that participants who accumulate at least 7000 steps by 7 p.m. are associated with higher success of achieving 10,000 steps.

Conclusions

We provide recommendations on the hourly targets to achieve daily goals, based on different participants’ characteristics. Future studies could experimentally test if prompts and nudges at the recommended times of day could promote reaching step goals.
Increased anti-correlation between the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network following Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT): analysis of a double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial
Authors: Gajawelli Niharika , Geoly Andrew D. , Batail Jean-Marie , Xiao Xiaoqian , Maron-Katz Adi , Cole Eleanor , Azeez Azeezat , Kratter Ian H. , Saggar Manish , Williams Nolan R.
Published: July 2024

SNT is a high-dose accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) protocol coupled with functional-connectivity-guided targeting that is an efficacious and rapid-acting therapy for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). We used resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data from a double-blinded sham-controlled randomized controlled trial1 to reveal the neural correlates of SNT-based symptom improvement. Neurobehavioral data were acquired at baseline, post-treatment, and 1-month follow-up. Our primary analytic objective was to investigate changes in seed-based functional connectivity (FC) following SNT and hypothesized that FC changes between the treatment target and the sgACC, DMN, and CEN would ensue following active SNT but not sham. We also investigated the durability of post-treatment observed FC changes at a 1-month follow-up. Study participants included transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-naive adults with a primary diagnosis of moderate-to-severe TRD. Fifty-four participants were screened, 32 were randomized, and 29 received active or sham SNT. An additional 5 participants were excluded due to imaging artifacts, resulting in 12 participants per group (Sham: 5F; SNT: 5F). Although we did not observe any significant group × time effects on the FC between the individualized stimulation target (L-DLPFC) and the CEN or sgACC, we report an increased magnitude of negative FC between the target site and the DMN post-treatment in the active as compared to sham SNT group. This change in FC was sustained at the 1-month follow-up. Further, the degree of change in FC was correlated with improvements in depressive symptoms. Our results provide initial evidence for the putative changes in the functional organization of the brain post-SNT.
Flow-electricity coupling fields enhance microfluidic platforms for efficient exosome isolation
Authors: Hu Tao , Han Wenhu , Zhou Yuxuan , Tu Weilong , Li Xiao , Ni Zhonghua
Published: July 2024

A flow-electricity dual field enhanced the separation and purity of microfluidic platforms, without affecting the structure and activity of exosomes.
Microwave-assisted fabrication of nanostructured borate bioactive glass and its bioactivity
Authors: Dhinasekaran Durgalakshmi , Jagannathan Mohanraj , Rajendran Ajay Rakkesh , Purushothaman Bargavi
Published: July 2024

Microwave-assisted fabrication of nanostructured borate bioactive glass represents an innovative approach in biomedical applications, particularly for tissue engineering.
Mechanistic insights into facilitating reductive elimination from Ni(ii) species
Authors: Qiao Bolin , Lin Fa-You , Fu Dongmin , Li Shi-Jun , Zhang Tao , Lan Yu
Published: July 2024

The possible modes have been summarized to disclose the reductive elimination from Ni(ii) species.
Prediction of the 3D conformation of a small peptide vaccine targeting Aβ42 oligomers
Authors: Guan Yvning , Mei Jinfei , Gao Xvzhi , Wang Chuanbo , Jia Mengke , Ahmad Sajjad , Muhammad Fahad Nouman , Ai Hongqi
Published: July 2024

Theoretical schemes for vaccine prediction and practical application in predicting the 3D conformation of a small peptide vaccine targeting Aβ42 oligomers.
Single-molecule electrochemical imaging of ‘split waves’ in the electrocatalytic (EC′) mechanism
Authors: Zhao Wandong , Lu Jin
Published: July 2024

Imaging the single molecule electrocatalytic (EC′) process and correlating it with the conventional ensemble EC′ mechanism.
Electrochemical nucleation and growth kinetics: insights from single particle scanning electrochemical cell microscopy studies
Authors: Osoro Kenneth , Rahman Sinthia , Hill Caleb M.
Published: July 2024

We present scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) studies of Ag nucleation and growth on carbon and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes.
Galaxy populations and redshift dependence of the correlation between infrared and radio luminosity
Authors: De Zotti G. , Bonato M. , Giulietti M. , Massardi M. , Negrello M. , Algera H. S. B. , Delhaize J.
Published: July 2024

We argue that the difference in infrared-to-radio luminosity ratio between local and high-redshift star-forming galaxies reflects the alternative physical conditions –including magnetic field configurations– of the dominant population of star-forming galaxies in different redshift ranges. We define three galactic types, based on our reference model, with reference to ages of stellar populations. “Normal” late-type galaxies dominate the star formation in the nearby Universe; “starburst” galaxies take over at higher redshifts, up toz ∼ 1.5; while “protospheroidal” galaxies dominate at high redshift. A reanalysis of data from the COSMOS field combined with literature results shows that, for each population, the data are consistent with an almost redshift-independent mean value of the parameterqIR, which quantifies the infrared–radio correlation. However, we find a hint of an upturn of the meanqIRatz ≳ 3.5 consistent with the predicted dimming of synchrotron emission due to cooling of relativistic electrons by inverse Compton scattering off the cosmic microwave background. The typical stellar masses increase from normal, to starburst, and to protospheroidal galaxies, accounting for the reported dependence of the meanqIRon stellar mass. Higher values ofqIRfound for high-zstrongly lensed dusty galaxies selected at 500 μm might be explained by differential magnification.
Asteroid follow-up and precovery problem: Partial banana mapping solution
Authors: Vavilov D. E. , Hestroffer D.
Published: July 2024

Context. Precovery of asteroids, that is, finding older observations of already discovered asteroids, allows us to refine our knowledge of their orbits, glean information about close encounters and the probability of collisions with Earth, and to determine some dynamical and physical properties, such as the Yarkovsky acceleration. Existing approaches generally look for an observation next to the predicted position from the nominal orbit, and often do not take into account the whole uncertainty distribution of coordinates.

Aims. We aim to develop a computationally fast technique for predicting the possible spherical coordinates of near-Earth asteroids in order to find observations in existing catalogs or archived observations (plates, CCDs, etc.).

Methods. We modified the partial banana mapping method, and used it to estimate impact probabilities of asteroids with the Earth. For a near-Earth asteroid, a Gaussian law for the equinoctial orbital elements well approximates the uncertainty region of the object at the epoch of the observation. We sample virtual asteroids on the main line of the curved uncertainty region at the epoch of observation, project all of them with their small uncertainty vicinity onto the celestial sphere, and evaluate the brightness of the asteroids. We also estimate the probability of finding the asteroids on the image, and the length of the uncertainty region (which shows the quality of the orbit) in order to establish a priority list among the images. The higher the probability and the poorer the quality of the orbit, the more interesting it is to find the object for further improvement of its orbit and to refined its impact probability computation.

Results. We demonstrate the applicability of the developed method. We tested it on the case of precovery observations of asteroid (506074) Svarog (provisional designation 2015 UM67 ) as if it had recently been discovered, meaning the orbit is obtained with only 3 months of observations. In this case, we estimated a probability of precovery of about 10%, predicted the possible positions, and actually found the object close to the constructed uncertainty region. The nominal position is outside of the image’s field of view, meaning that conventional methods would fail. The uncertainty region is curved and asymmetric, which shows that using only the covariance matrix of celestial coordinates for the nominal orbit would poorly approximate the actual uncertainty region in the place of the sky, preventing the asteroid from being found.

Conclusions. The developed method selects interesting images and guides us in our search for asteroids on them, even if the position predicted for the nominal orbit is out of the image window.
Instruments measuring motivation to learn Arabic as a second language: evidence of validity and reliability
Authors: Alshammari Alya , Shaalan Danya , Al-onazi Badriyya
Published: July 2024

As studies of second language (L2) learning and motivation typically focus on English as a foreign language (EFL), L2 motivation for Arabic has been less studied. Instruments measuring two sources of L2 Arabic motivation, identity-related motivation, and motivation arising from the L2 learning environment (L2LE), were developed and piloted among L2 Arabic learners. Pilot study results showed strong motivation due to Islamic identity and desire for cultural exposure, but also revealed speaking anxiety in the L2LE. In this study, the objectives were to determine: a) What evidence exists for or against the validity of the subscale measurements from these instruments? and b) how this evidence can be used to explain what appear to be contradictions in the pilot study results. In this mixed-methods study, instruments were administered twice to learners at an L2 Arabic learning institute in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and a sample was interviewed. Quantitative analysis showed evidence of instrument reliability, and analysis of interview data revealed several findings. First, consistent with pilot data, we found that learners, who were all Muslim, were motivated to learn L2 Arabic as part of desiring cultural and social exposure in KSA and to become closer to Islam. Interview data revealed that these learners aimed to adopt the customs and lifestyle of those in KSA as part of becoming closer to Islam, some of which they did through social interaction. Second, L2 Arabic learning of Classical Arabic (CA) at the institute was impeded by the learners’ lack of knowledge of the conversational Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) dialect, which made practical communication with those in KSA difficult. Recommendations are made for instrument improvement, as well as a strategy to incorporate some MSA instruction into the CA curriculum.
Faking the war: fake posts on Turkish social media during the Russia–Ukraine war
Authors: Uluşan Oshan , Özejder İbrahim
Published: July 2024

This study aims to analyze the fake posts circulated on Turkish social media during the Russia–Ukraine war. With advancing technology, social media platforms have a profound impact on the way we perceive and interpret events and make us question the accuracy of information generated about international events such as wars. While the Russia–Ukraine war constitutes an important turning point in international relations, the reflection of these events on social media is also seen in fake posts. In this context, the main purpose of this study is to identify the common themes of fake social media posts and to reveal the general context of these posts on social media. In addition, the study aims to analyze the fake content circulating on Turkish social media and to reveal the emerging polarized discourses through the identified themes. The research revolves around five main themes that feed polarization: war reporting, ideological misrepresentation, humor, hate speech, and conspiracy theories. The findings show that fake content is particularly concentrated around ideological polarization and antagonisms. It was also found that misinformation and decontextualized humor blurred the true context of the war and that fake content combined with hate speech and conspiracy theories distorted the context of the war.
Textbook English
Authors: Le Foll Elen
Published: July 2024

This book provides a systematic, empirical account of the language typically presented in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks, based on a large corpus of EFL textbooks used in secondary schools. A modified version of the Multi-Dimensional Analysis (MDA) framework serves to examine linguistic variation both within textbooks and compared to corpora representing ‘real-life’ English as used outside the EFL classroom. The results highlight the characteristics of Textbook English that define it as a distinct variety of English. In light of the study's pedagogical implications, this book proposes a range of corpus-based approaches to improve the naturalness of textbook texts. It also contributes to advancing quantitative corpus linguistics methodology: its detailed online supplements aim for methodological transparency and reproducibility in line with the principles of Open Science. This book will be of interest to linguistics and language education students and researchers, as well as EFL teachers, textbook authors and editors, and those involved in curriculum development and teacher training.
First results of turbulence investigation on Globus-M2 using radial correlation Doppler reflectometry
Authors: PONOMARENKO A. , YASHIN A. , GUSEV V. , KISELEV E. , KURSKIEV G. , MINAEV V. , PETROV Y. , SAKHAROV N. , SHCHEGOLEV P. , TKACHENKO E. , ZHILTSOV N.
Published: July 2024

The first results of investigation of the turbulence structure using Doppler backscattering (DBS) on the Globus-M2 tokamak are presented. A one-channel DBS system with a variable probing frequency within the 18–26 GHz range was installed to investigate the edge plasma at normalized minor radii

0.9–1.1. Radial correlation Doppler reflectometry was used to study the changes in turbulence eddies after the LH transition. Correlation analysis was applied to the phase derivative of complex in-phase and quadrature (IQ) signals of the DBS diagnostic as it contains information about the poloidal plasma rotation velocity. In L-mode, the radial correlation length L

r
is estimated to be 3 cm and after transition to H-mode reduces to approximately 2 cm. Gyrokinetic modelling in a linear local approximation using code GENE indicates that the instability with positive growth rate at the normalized minor radius

0.75 in L-mode and H-mode on Globus-M2 was the ion temperature gradient (ITG) mode.
Mid-Century Romance
Authors: Connor John T
Published: July 2024

Mid-Century Romance chronicles a revival of the historical novel at the intersection of British late modernism and international communist culture. It frames this mid-century renovation of the genre as a response to a national turn in world politics, and this turn as a function of realignment in the imperial and literary world-systems. Confronted with the turbulence of mid-century history, writers embraced the historical novel to float narratives of national becoming and to locate their readers in the pattern of social change. Many were mindful of the genre’s romantic-era history: they saw themselves following in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott and his heirs in other countries, and they drew on the same rescued remains of primitive poetry and popular antiquities that romanticism first used to construct its versions of national identity, of national culture and tradition. The study shows how the impulse to salvage traces of ancestral culture and to press them to new purpose links the mid-century historical novel to the rise of two of the most important post-war critical and creative projects: history from below and magical realism. It argues for the period-centrality of the mid-century national-historical novel and situates its cast of British writers—the modernists Hope Mirrlees and Virginia Woolf, the communists Sylvia Townsend Warner and Jack Lindsay, the oddball modernist and onetime fellow traveller John Cowper Powys, and many others in less detail—in a comparative, transnational perspective.
Modernism, Socialist Culture, and the Mid-Century National Turn
Authors: Connor John T
Published: July 2024

This introduction attributes the revival of the historical novel in the middle decades of the twentieth century to a national turn in world politics, drawing on world-systems analysis to explain the appeal of the nation at a time of hegemonic transition in the global economy and in the world republic of letters. In the context of European imperial decline, emerging US ascendancy, and Soviet claims to a new kind of socialist modernity, writers turned to the historical novel to plot narratives of national becoming. The uncertainty of the present informed their efforts to conjure the past and project the futures they preferred. Rather than a radical new beginning, the mid-century historical novel embraced its romantic-era heritage, the precedent of Sir Walter Scott and the post-Enlightenment romance revival. Framing the revival of the national-historical novel in Britain in comparative perspective and tracing its decline in the context of the cultural Cold War, the introduction concludes with a review of the chapters to follow.
Hope Mirrlees and Virginia Woolf in the ‘footprints of Sir Walter Scott’
Authors: Connor John T
Published: July 2024

This chapter pairs Virginia Woolf and Hope Mirrlees to centre the historical novel in an account of British modernism’s national turn. It tells this story across three fictions: Mirrlees’ historical novel Madeleine (1919) and historical fantasy Lud-in-the-Mist (1926), and Woolf’s mock-biography Orlando (1928). Madeleine and Orlando it reads as critical archaeologies of the alienated modern subject, allegories of the bourgeois cultural revolution and its lasting social cost. But in Lud, Orlando, and Woolf’s late-career essays and fiction, national culture affords a remedy. Both writers call on popular antiquities, vernacular speechways, demotic and primitive literature to re-enchant their figure of England and project a vision of recovered religious identity (for Mirrlees) and palatable democracy (for Woolf). In doing so, both writers acknowledge a debt to Sir Walter Scott and to the eighteenth-century romance revival. This chapter argues for the role of romantic-era forms and discourses of the nation in mediating the shift from ‘high’ to ‘late’ modernism.
Migrations of the Communist Historical Novel
Authors: Connor John T
Published: July 2024

This chapter tracks the rise of the historical novel in Hitler’s Germany, and in the literature, forged in response, of the communist anti-fascist movement. It explains how the promotion of Bolshevik nationalism inside the Soviet Union and of the Popular Front among national sections of the Communist International established the ideological framework for a fiction that would celebrate national traditions of popular struggle and contest fascist claims to narrate the same. From Bahia, Brazil, to Bihar in Eastern India, communist-aligned writers rallied to the call to reclaim the people’s past and give it popular fictional form. The chapter chronicles how British writers adopted the form and embeds their novels in the wider historical culture of the British Communist Party to reveal the connections between literary and more scholarly attempts to write history from below. The chapter closes by linking the communist investment in radical social history to early definitions of a Latin American ‘marvellous’ or ‘magical’ realism.
Strategies to improve end-of-life decision-making and palliative care following hip fracture in frail older adults: a scoping review
Authors: Tremblay Alexandra , Pelet Stéphane , Belzile Étienne , Boulet Justine , Morency Chantal , Dion Norbert , Gagnon Marc-Aurèle , Gauthier Lynn , Khalfi Amal , Bérubé Mélanie
Published: July 2024

Background

Although surgery is the gold standard following a hip fracture, the potential for rehabilitation and survival rates are low in frail older patients. Some patients may derive more benefit from palliative care. The objectives of this review were to identify the available strategies to improve end-of-life decision-making and palliative care for frail patients with hip fractures and to synthetise their level of support.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review of the scientific and grey literature, searching seven databases and websites of associations. We included all study designs, expert opinion articles and clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Data were synthetised according to the Approach to Patient with Limited Life Expectancy and Hip Fracture framework. The number of research items and their level of evidence were tabulated for each of the recommended strategies.

Results

Of the 10 591 items identified, 34 were eligible. The majority of included articles were original research studies (n = 15). Half of the articles and CPGs focused on intervention categories (55%) such as goals of care discussion and comfort care, followed by factors to consider in the end-of-life decision-making process (25%) and prognosis assessments (20%), mainly through the estimation of life expectancy. The level of evidence for these strategies remains low, given the limited number of prospective studies supporting them.

Conclusions

This scoping review highlighted that end-of-life care in frail older patients with a hip fracture remains understudied. The strategies identified could be prioritised for future research to improve the well-being of the target population while promoting sustainable resource management.
Primitive conditional probabilities, subset relations and comparative regularity
Authors: Thong Joshua
Published: July 2024

Rational agents seem more confident in any possible event than in an impossible event. But if rational credences are real-valued, then there are some possible events that are assigned 0 credence nonetheless. How do we differentiate these events from impossible events when we order events? De Finetti (1975), Hájek (2012) and Easwaran (2014) suggest that, when ordering events, conditional credences and subset relations are as relevant as unconditional credences. I present a counterexample to all their proposals in this paper. While their proposals order possible and impossible events correctly, they deliver the wrong verdict for disjoint possible events assigned equal positive credence.
InstaPrism: an R package for fast implementation of BayesPrism
Authors: Hu Mengying , Chikina Maria
Published: July 2024

Computational cell-type deconvolution is an important analytic technique for modeling the compositional heterogeneity of bulk gene expression data. A conceptually new Bayesian approach to this problem, BayesPrism, has recently been proposed and has subsequently been shown to be superior in accuracy and robustness against model misspecifications by independent studies; however, given that BayesPrism relies on Gibbs sampling, it is orders of magnitude more computationally expensive than standard approaches. Here, we introduce the InstaPrism package which re-implements BayesPrism in a derandomized framework by replacing the time-consuming Gibbs sampling step with a fixed-point algorithm. We demonstrate that the new algorithm is effectively equivalent to BayesPrism while providing a considerable speed and memory advantage. Furthermore, the InstaPrism package is equipped with a precompiled, curated set of references tailored for a variety of cancer types, streamlining the deconvolution process.

Availability and implementation

The package InstaPrism is freely available at: https://github.com/humengying0907/InstaPrism. The source code and evaluation pipeline used in this paper can be found at: https://github.com/humengying0907/InstaPrismSourceCode.
Structure–activity relationship studies on iezoside, a highly potent Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor
Authors: Kurisawa Naoaki , Teranuma Kazuya , Noto Akari , Iwasaki Arihiro , Kabashima Yoshiki , Nakajima Rie , Toyoshima Chikashi , Suenaga Kiyotake
Published: July 2024

Iezoside (1a) is a novel, potent sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor from marine cyanobacterium. This paper describes the synthesis of comprehensive iezoside (1a) analogs containing C-18/19 diastereomers, simplified analogs without the peptide unit, and aglycones. Evaluations of the antiproliferative activities against cancer cells and SERCA inhibitory activities of the synthesized analogs revealed how the absolute configurations at C-18/19, peptide, and the sugar unit contribute to each bioactivity.
Drug survival of biologics in patients with psoriasis: real-world evidence for Greece during the period 2016–2020
Authors: Lazaridou Elizabeth , Kourlaba Georgia , Ravanidis Stylianos , Gounelas George , Stefanou Garyfallia , Tsolakidis Anastasios , Mathioudakis Konstantinos , Apalla Zoe
Published: July 2024

Background

Drug persistence is a crucial aspect of treatment success in psoriasis.

Objectives

To record real-world evidence concerning drug survival of biologic agents used for psoriasis treatment and to detect associated modifying factors in Greece.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study based on data extracted from the nationwide Greek prescription system. Included patients had psoriasis, with or without concomitant psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and had initiated biologics between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020.

Results

We included 8819 patients who received 13 359 treatment lines. Among them, 76.8% of patients were biologic naive and 16.5% were diagnosed with concomitant PsA. The overall median drug survival was 34.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 32.6–36.5]. Drug persistence at 12, 24, 36 and 48 months of follow-up was 71.9%, 57.7%, 49.0% and 43.7%, respectively. Patients receiving brodalumab had the highest drug survival rate in the first 2 years, while secukinumab had the highest rates beyond this period. Overall, drug survival rates were higher in the first treatment line (median 51.1 months, 95% CI 47.1 to not reached) than in the second line and onwards (median 21.7 months, 95% CI 20.0–23.5). Treatment line, PsA status, age and sex were found to significantly affect drug survival rates.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm previous reports regarding the importance of efficient first-line biologics and the vulnerability of patients to coexistent PsA. The use of antibodies against interleukins confers high drug survival rates. These results will assist clinical management of patients with psoriasis in Greece.
Delayed diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex: unveiling low-level TSC2 mosaicism using targeted next-generation sequencing
Authors: Chang Yi-Han , Chang Kwang-Yu , Li Chao-Hsuan , Chen Pei-Lung , McGrath John A , Hsu Chao-Kai
Published: July 2024

Our case illustrates the clinical and diagnostic challenges presented by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), notably when the clinical signs are few and subtle, and the molecular pathology involves mosaicism and presence of a low percentage of the mutant variant in target tissues. The result aligns with previous findings that a significant number of individuals exhibit low-level mosaicism for a TSC1/TSC2 pathogenic variant without clinical recognition, and underscores the utility of next-generation sequencing technologies in the genetic study of TSC. Moreover, a deeper understanding of the molecular pathology of TSC-associated tumours improves genetic counselling and disease management.
Neural network molecular dynamics simulation on friction-induced chemical reactions of Si3N4 in water and ethylene glycol environments
Authors: Kudo Ryutaro , Ootani Yusuke , Fukushima Shogo , Ozawa Nobuki , Kubo Momoji
Published: July 2024

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) exhibits low friction in aqueous environments due to a tribolayer that is formed through tribochemical reactions. However, the low friction state is not maintained in high contact pressure conditions, where surface-surface contact is dominant at the sliding interface, i.e. the load carrying capacity is low. Recently, it was reported that an ethylene glycol (EG) additive improves the load carrying capacity of Si3N4 in aqueous environments, though their mechanism is still in debate. In this study, we performed friction simulations to analyze the tribochemical reactions of water and an EG additive using a neural network molecular dynamics method which enables large-scale simulation with high accuracy comparable with ab initio molecular dynamics calculations. We found that tribochemical reactions of water produce SiO2 particles. On the other hand, tribochemical reactions of EG produce compounds which consist of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen atoms on the Si3N4 surface and the Si3N4 surface is covered by the compounds. Based on this finding, we propose that the compounds covering the Si3N4 surface can improve its load carrying capacity.
Towards a Territorial and Political Ecology of “circular bioeconomy”: a 30-year review of metabolism studies
Authors: Joxe Simon , Bahers Jean-Baptiste
Published: July 2024

In the context of the increasingly present policies of circular economy and the emergence of “Circular Bioeconomy” (CB), this article presents the results of a literature review on the sociometabolic research of biomasses. Six schools of thought are identified and distinguished according to their authors, their conceptions of metabolism, methodologies and social and spatial dimensions. Based on this state of the art, we propose an analytical framework that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches at the territorial scale, drawing upon the currents of Territorial Ecology and Political Ecology. This framework enhances our understanding and provides a critical perspective on the geography of CB. We compare discourses to actual practices by analysing biomass flows and power relations while adopting a critical perspective toward circular economy policies.
Artificial intelligence–based electrocardiogram analysis improves atrial arrhythmia detection from a smartwatch electrocardiogram
Authors: Fiorina Laurent , Chemaly Pascale , Cellier Joffrey , Said Mina Ait , Coquard Charlène , Younsi Salem , Salerno Fiorella , Horvilleur Jérôme , Lacotte Jérôme , Manenti Vladimir , Plesse Audrey , Henry Christine , Lefebvre Baptiste
Published: July 2024

Aims

Smartwatch electrocardiograms (SW ECGs) have been identified as a non-invasive solution to assess abnormal heart rhythm, especially atrial arrhythmias (AAs) that are related to stroke risk. However, the performance of these tools is limited and could be improved with the use of deep neural network (DNN) algorithms, particularly for specific populations encountered in clinical cardiology practice.

Methods and results

A total of 400 patients from the electrophysiology department of one tertiary care hospital were included in two similar clinical trials (respectively, 200 patients per study). Simultaneous ECGs were recorded with the watch and a 12-lead recording system during consultation or before and after an electrophysiology procedure if any. The SW ECGs were processed by using the DNN and with the Apple watch ECG software (Apple app). Corresponding 12-lead ECGs (12L ECGs) were adjudicated by an expert electrophysiologist. The performance of the DNN was assessed vs. the expert interpretation of the 12L ECG, and inconclusive rates were reported. Overall, the DNN and the Apple app presented, respectively, a sensitivity of 91% [95% confidence interval (CI) 85–95%] and 61% (95% CI 44–75%) with a specificity of 95% (95% CI 91–97%) and 97% (95% CI 93–99%) when compared with the physician 12L ECG interpretation. The DNN was able to provide a diagnosis on 99% of ECGs, while the Apple app was able to classify only 78% of strips (22% of inconclusive diagnosis).

Conclusion

In this study, by including patients from a cardiology department, a DNN-based algorithm applied to an SW ECG provided an accurate diagnosis for AA detection on virtually all tracings, outperforming the SW algorithm.
Platelet inhibitor withdrawal and outcomes after coronary artery surgery: an individual patient data meta-analysis
Authors: Schoerghuber Michael , Kuenzer Thomas , Biancari Fausto , Dalén Magnus , Hansson Emma C , Jeppsson Anders , Schlachtenberger Georg , Siegemund Martin , Voetsch Andreas , Pregartner Gudrun , Lindenau Ines , Zimpfer Daniel , Berghold Andrea , Mahla Elisabeth , Zirlik Andreas
Published: July 2024

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between guideline-conforming as compared to shorter than recommended withdrawal period of P2Y12 receptor inhibitors prior to isolated on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and the incidence of severe bleeding and ischaemic events. Randomized controlled trials are lacking in this field.

METHODS

We searched PUBMED, Embase and other suitable databases for studies including patients on P2Y12 receptor inhibitors undergoing isolated CABG and reporting bleeding and postoperative ischaemic events from 2013 to March 2024. The primary outcome was incidence of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 4 (BARC-4) bleeding defined as any of the following: perioperative intracranial bleeding, reoperation for bleeding, transfusion of ≥5 units of red blood cells, chest tube output of ≥2 l. The secondary outcome was postoperative ischaemic events according to the Academic Research Consortium 2 Consensus Document. Patient-level data provided by each observational trial were synthesized into a single dataset and analysed using a 2-stage IPD-MA.

RESULTS

Individual data of 4837 patients from 7 observational studies were synthesized. BARC-4 bleeding, 30-day mortality and postoperative ischaemic events occurred in 20%, 2.6% and 5.2% of patients. After adjusting for EuroSCORE II and cardiopulmonary bypass time, guideline-conforming withdrawal was associated with decreased BARC-4 bleeding risk in patients on clopidogrel [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.48; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.28–0.81; P = 0.006] and a trend towards decreased risk in patients on ticagrelor (adjusted OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.22–1.05; P = 0.067). Guideline-conforming withdrawal was not significantly associated with 30-day mortality risk (clopidogrel: adjusted OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.30–1.61; ticagrelor: adjusted OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.37–2.18) but with decreased risk of postoperative ischaemic events in patients on clopidogrel (clopidogrel: adjusted OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.30–0.82; ticagrelor: adjusted OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.45–1.37). BARC-4 bleeding was associated with 30-day mortality risk (adjusted OR 4.76; 95% CI 2.67–8.47; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Guideline-conforming preoperative withdrawal of ticagrelor and clopidogrel was associated with a 50% reduced BARC-4 bleeding risk when corrected for EuroSCORE II and cardiopulmonary bypass time but was not associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality or postoperative ischaemic events.