bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Multi-Agents in Digital Twin Implementation: Short Survey
Authors: Kalyani Yogeswaranathan , Collier Rem
Published: September 2024

In recent years, Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a significant technological advancement. A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical asset that mirrors its data model, behaviour, and interactions with other physical assets. Digital Twin aims at achieving adaptability, seamless data integration, modelling, simulation, automation, and real-time data management. The primary goal of this article is to explore the role of agents in DT implementations, seeking to understand their predominant usage scenarios and purposes. From our perspective, agents serving as intelligent entities play a role in realising the features of DTs. This article also discusses the gaps in DT, highlights future directions, and analyses various technologies integrated with multi-agent systems technologies in DT implementations. Finally, the article briefly discusses an overview of an architecture to implement a DT for smart agriculture with multi-agents.
Built to Adapt: Mechanisms of Cognitive Flexibility in the Human Brain
Authors: Hauptman Miriam , Liu Yun-Fei , Bedny Marina
Published: September 2024

Adaptability is a distinguishing feature of the human species: We thrive as hunter-gatherers, farmers, and urbanites. What properties of our brains make us highly adaptable? Here we review neuroscience studies of sensory loss, language acquisition, and cultural skills (reading, mathematics, programming). The evidence supports a flexible specialization account. On the one hand, adaptation is enabled by evolutionarily prepared flexible learning systems, both domain-specific social learning systems (e.g., language) and domain-general systems (frontoparietal reasoning). On the other hand, the functional flexibility of our neural wetware enables us to acquire cognitive capacities not selected for by evolution. Heightened plasticity during a protracted period of development enhances cognitive flexibility. Early in life, local cortical circuits are capable of acquiring a wide range of cognitive capacities. Exuberant cross-network connectivity makes it possible to combine old neural parts in new ways, enabling cognitive flexibility such as language acquisition across modalities (spoken, signed, braille) and cultural skills (math, programming). Together, these features of the human brain make it uniquely adaptable.
LMTK2 switches on canonical TGF-β1 signaling in human bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Cruz Daniel F. , Donovan Joshua , Hejenkowska Ewelina D. , Mu Fangping , Banerjee Ipsita , Köhn Maja , Farinha Carlos M. , Swiatecka-Urban Agnieszka
Published: September 2024

Activation of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 signaling pathway is complex, involving many ligands, transmembrane receptors, transcription factors, and modulating proteins. The mechanisms of TGF-β1 signaling activation/inactivation are not fully understood. We propose for the first time a model by which transmembrane lemur tyrosine kinase 2 (LMTK2) forms a complex with phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) to activate TGF-β1 signaling and Smad7, growth arrest and DNA damage (GADD34), and PP1C form a complex to inactivate TGF-β1 signaling in human bronchial epithelium.
Effects of glial-derived neurotrophic factor on remodeling and mitochondrial function in human airway smooth muscle cells
Authors: Drake Li Y. , Roos Benjamin B. , Teske Jacob J. , Borkar Niyati A. , Ayyalasomayajula Savita , Klapperich Courtney , Koloko Ngassie Maunick Lefin , Pabelick Christina M. , Prakash Y. S.
Published: September 2024

Our previous study suggests that glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is involved in allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity and remodeling in vivo. Here, we show that GDNF has no direct effects in remodeling of human airway smooth muscle (ASM) but GDNF dysregulates mitochondrial morphology in human ASM in the context of asthma.
Long‐Read Sequencing Identified a PKD1 Gene Conversion in ADPKD Rather Than the False‐Positive Exon Deletion Indicated by WES and MLPA
Authors: Qiu Xueping , Jin Xin , Li Jin , Zhang Yuanzhen , Ma Jianhong , Zheng Fang
Published: September 2024

Whole exome sequencing (WES) has become an increasingly common technique for identifying the genetic cause of Mendelian genetic diseases. However, it may fail to detect the complex regions of the genome. Here, we investigated the genetic etiology of a pedigree with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) using a combination of WES, multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA), Sanger sequencing, and long‐read sequencing (LRS). Initially, WES of the proband revealed a heterozygous variant c.7391G>C in PKD1 Exon 18, along with a heterozygous deletion of the 17th and 18th exons of PKD1 detected by exome‐based copy number variation (CNV) analysis. MLPA confirmed the PKD1 heterozygous deletion of Exon 18. Except for c.7391G>C, Sanger sequencing identified four other heterozygous variants (c.7278T>C, c.7288C>T, c.7344C>G, and c.7365C>T) in Exon 18 of PKD1. Subsequently, LRS uncovered seven clustered substitution variants (c.7209+28C>T, c.7210‐16C>T, c.7278T>C, c.7288C>T, c.7344C>G, c.7365C>T, and c.7391G>C), with six of them omitted by WES due to interference from PKD1 pseudogenes. Combining LRS results with cosegregation of the pedigree analysis, we found these variants were in cis and converted from PKD1 pseudogenes, covering a region of at least 282 bp. Notably, the paralogous sequence variants of c.7288C>T introduced a premature stop codon of PKD1, leading to a function loss, and were classified as pathogenic (PVS1+PS4+PM2) according to the ACMG/AMP guideline. Our study highlights the limitations of WES/MLPA and the importance of utilizing complementary tools like LRS for comprehensive variant detection in PKD1.
Association of Hormonal Contraceptives with Depression among Women in Reproductive Age Groups: A Cross‐Sectional Analytic Study
Authors: Sultan Sadia , Bashar MD. Abu , Bazhair Rahma M. , Abdurahman Doaa O. , Alrehaili Renad A. , Ennahoui Meimouna E. , Alsulaiman Yasmeen S. , Alamri Seba D. , Mohamed Elgawhara F. A.
Published: September 2024

Introduction. Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) are used for birth control, menstrual disturbances, and premenopausal syndrome. Most women stop using hormonal contraceptives due to changes in their mood. The evidence regarding the association of hormonal contraception with depression shows mixed results. Therefore, we aim to establish the association between the use of hormonal contraception and depressive symptoms. Methods. A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 326 women of the reproductive age group (15–49 years) attending the family planning unit of the obstetrics and gynecology department of a medical college in Saudi Arabia. Their sociodemographic and medical details along with the current use of any contraceptives (hormonal, nonhormonal, or not using any) with duration were collected. Beck depression inventory‐II (BDI‐II) was applied to the women to assess for depression along with its severity, and a BDI score of >16 was taken to denote clinical depression. Women were stratified by type of contraceptive used, and its association with depression category was assessed. Results. A total of 326 consenting eligible women in the age group of 15–49 years were enrolled in the study of which 165 (50.6%) were currently using a hormonal contraceptive and 49 (15.0%) were using a nonhormonal contraceptive and the rest 112 (34.4%) were not using any contraceptives. There was no significant difference in the mean BDI scores (p = 0.79) and degrees of depression (p = 0.06) between the HC users and HC nonusers. However, individual symptoms of depression such as sadness (p = 0.01), reduced libido (p = 0.0002), feelings of pessimism (p = 0.02), and failure (p = 0.003) were found to be significantly higher in the HC users than non‐HC users. Conclusion. We conclude that there was no significant difference in mean depression scores between groups. However, a few individual symptoms of depression were high in HC users suggesting depression as a potential side effect of hormonal contraceptive use.
Advancing Global Health Equity in Oncology Clinical Trial Access
Authors:   Bloomberg New Economy International Cancer Coalition, Adewole Tolulope , Albrecht Bjorn , Beg Shaalan , Brawley Otis , Chang I-Fen , Daly Bobby , de Claro Angelo , Dent Jennifer , Dickler Maura , Ene-Obong Abasi , Fashoyin-Aje Lola , Finnegan Justin , Galbraith Susan , Gospodarowicz Mary , Gralow Julie , Haddad Tufia , Kalidas Chitkala , Katz Artur , Kaucic Karen , Keane Harriet , Lanasa Mark , Legos Jeff , Li Bob T. , Mills Jennifer , Oelrich Stefan , Olopade Stefan , Palma John , Pazdur Richard , Pilarski Piotr , Qian Jing , Rudd Kevin , Shokrpour Sepideh , Tendler Craig , Wilson Matt , Smart Victoria W. , Wu Yi-Long , Yan James , Zhang Lianshan ,   McKinsey Cancer Center, Li Diya , Shen Johanna , Silverstein Amy ,   Cure4Cancer, Abou-Alfa Ghassan , Anderson Shelly , Beyrer Patrick , Carnival Danielle , Clarke Stephen , Conneran Terri , DeAngelis Lisa M. , Diakos Connie , Diaz Luis , dos Anjos Carlos Henrique , Drebin Jeffrey A. , Eisenmen Debra , Flannery Russell , Fredrickson David , Isbell James M. , Jones David R. , Joseph Adedayo , Kennedy Caroline , Kingham T. Peter , Lee Adrian , Lee Nancy Y. , Leigh Lillian , Li Zhi-Zhong , Liu An-Wen , Liu Dazhi , Liu Si-Yang , Maggie Liu Si-Yang , Makker Vicky , Mallafre-Larrosa Meritxell , McBride Sean , Mestres Isabel , Mondaca Sebastian , Nigro Paulo , Norton Larry , Oyler John V. , Pavlakis Nick , Powell Simon , Robinson Bruce , Qin Yi , Razavi Pedram , Reis-Filho Jorge , Rocco Gaetano , Rudin Charles M. , Schell Orville , Scher Howard I. , Schrag Deborah , Simon Greg , Smith Dorrance , Speece Morgan , Tu Hai-Yan , Umar-Sadiq Aminu , Wang Bu-Hai , Wheeler Helen , Xu Chong-Rui , Yan Li-Xu , Yang Fan , Yoon Byeong , Young Catharine , Zhang Jia-Tao , Zhou Qing
Published: September 2024

Despite exponentially increased industry investment in oncology research and development with more than $80 billion spent annually, patient enrollment in clinical trials remains below 5% globally. Our multistakeholder international cancer coalition envisions ecosystem transformation with capacity building through a global “hub-and-spoke” network model to expand access to and accelerate clinical trials, thus ending cancer as a major cause of death in this lifetime.
Table 1 from NCI’s Proteomic Data Commons: A Cloud-Based Proteomics Repository Empowering Comprehensive Cancer Analysis through Cross-Referencing with Genomic and Imaging Data
Authors: Thangudu Ratna R. , Holck Michael , Singhal Deepak , Pilozzi Alexander , Edwards Nathan , Rudnick Paul A. , Domagalski Marcin J. , Chilappagari Padmini , Ma Lei , Xin Yi , Le Toan , Nyce Kristen , Chaudhary Rekha , Ketchum Karen A. , Maurais Aaron , Connolly Brian , Riffle Michael , Chambers Matthew C. , MacLean Brendan , MacCoss Michael J. , McGarvey Peter B. , Basu Anand , Otridge John , Casas-Silva Esmeralda , Venkatachari Sudha , Rodriguez Henry , Zhang Xu
Published: September 2024

Available data types in the proteomic data commons
Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells: A Unique Platform for Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Rettinger Eva
Published: September 2024

Background: Immunotherapies in general, and cellular immunotherapies, in particular are becoming increasingly integrated into current personalized cancer treatment, though still facing some obstacles in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) setting. Summary: The concept of isolating immune effector cells, expanding their numbers, enhancing their anticancer capabilities by modifying them without increasing their alloreactive potential is the mainstay of adoptive cellular immunotherapy after allogeneic HSCT. In this context, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, a polyfunctional heterogenous population of conventional T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and T-NK cells capable of using T cell and NK cell-like cytotoxicity mechanisms against a various cancers, showed minimal alloreactivity in pediatric and adult patients allografted for hematological malignancies. Furthermore, CIK cells have already shown compatibility with chemotherapy, different kinds of immune checkpoint inhibitors, epigenetic drugs, antibody-targeted therapies, and recently with chimeric antigen receptor-engineering techniques. Key Messages: Hence, CIK cell therapy represents a unique platform for adoptive cell immunotherapies, guiding innovative treatment approaches from preclinical research to future clinical trials for cancer patients with yet unmet medical needs. In this context, the allogeneic HSCT setting provides an alternative source for safe and efficient adoptive allogeneic CIK cell strategies against a variety of cancers.
Differential Item Functioning and Clinical Utility of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort
Authors: Ochoa Lopez Andrea Pilar , Garcia Joshua M. , Williams Michael W. , Medina Luis D. ,   Health and Aging Brain Study Team
Published: September 2024

Introduction: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ) in a non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Mexican American (MA) sample from Texas in the USA. Methods: Data were obtained from the Health and Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities (HABS-HD; N = 1,691, age = 66.5 ± 8.7, education = 12.4 ± 4.8, 60.6% female, 33.2% MA Spanish speaking). Unidimensionality of the SMCQ was evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis. Differential item functioning (DIF) of the SMCQ was assessed across age, sex, education, and ethnicity/language using item response theory/logistic ordinal regression. Associations of the SMCQ in relation to cognitive status, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) blood-based biomarkers, and psychological distress were examined. Results: The SMCQ showed excellent fit in a single-factor model (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.97, RMSEA [95% CI] = 0.05 [0.04, 0.05], SRMR = 0.07). Significant item-level DIF was detected by education level and ethnicity/language, but not by age or sex; when detected, DIF was not salient (i.e., adverse). The SMCQ was associated with greater psychological distress, worse Clinical Dementia Rating scores, and greater disease burden as measured by total tau and neurofilament light. Conclusions: Practically negligible item-level bias was identified across education and ethnicity/language. Detected DIF can be described as benign, indicating that some items manifested differently between groups but had minimal impact on measurement properties. These results demonstrate that the SMCQ performs appropriately across demographic variables. Our findings also provide support for the associations of SMCQ scores with self-reported mood, cognitive status, and AD blood-based biomarkers.
Cigarette Smoking and Observed Growth of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pachón-Londoño Maria José , Ghoche Maged T. , Nguyen Brandon A. , Maroufi Seyed Farzad , Olson Vita , Patra Devi P. , Turcotte Evelyn L. , Wang Zhen , Halpin Brooke S. , Krishna Chandan , Turkmani Ali , Meyer Fredric B. , Bendok Bernard R.
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Smoking and observed growth of intracranial aneurysms are known risk factors for rupture. The mechanism by which smoking increases this risk is not completely elucidated. Furthermore, an association between smoking and aneurysm growth has not been clearly defined in the literature. We hypothesize that smoking is associated with aneurysm growth, which, in turn, may serve as one of the mechanisms by which smoking drives rupture risk.

METHODS:

We report a systematic review of the literature in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. Using the R software, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association between smoking and the growth of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Studies on familial aneurysms and genetic syndromes known to increase the risk of aneurysms were excluded.

RESULTS:

Eighteen observational studies were included with a total of 3535 patients and 4289 aneurysms with a mean follow-up period ranging from 17 to 226 months. The mean age among the studies ranged from 38.4 to 73.9 years; 74% of patients were female. Ever-smoking status (odds ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.87–1.38]) and current smoking status (odds ratio, 1.43 [95% CI, 0.84–2.43]) did not show a statistically significant association with growth of intracranial aneurysms. Patients currently smoking did not have a statistically significant association with the growth of intracranial aneurysms (odds ratio, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.72–1.93]) compared with patients without a smoking history. No significant association was found in patients who previously smoked compared with patients who never smoked (odds ratio, 1.46 [95% CI, 0.88–2.43]).

CONCLUSIONS:

Smoking is not clearly associated with the growth of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, despite trends being observed, there is no statistical association. The mechanism by which smoking increases rupture risk might not be growth. In patients for whom observation is recommended, the absence of growth over time in the setting of smoking history does not, therefore, imply protection from rupture.
Generative and Adversarial: Art and the Prospects of AI
Authors: Kuo Michelle , Lee Pamela M.
Published: September 2024

This essay serves as an introduction to the Questionnaire on Art and Machine Learning. It opens with the testimony of Sam Altman before the US Senate Judiciary Committee on Privacy, Technology and the Law in May 2023, following the launch of ChatGPT a year earlier. ChatGPT is part of a wave of generative AI: AI that not only classifies or analyzes information but also generates it. Media responses to ChatGPT and a range of other text-to-image and text-to-video generators—including Dall-E, Stable Diffusion, MidJourney, Deep AI, and Sora—tend to divide between “Boosterism” and “Doomerism”: They either echo Silicon Valley's habitual refrain about the inherent goodness of technological innovation or they describe dystopian scenarios in which human agency is all but eclipsed. “Generative and Adversarial: Art and the Prospects of AI” argues that artists, art historians, critics, and curators offer far more nuanced perspectives on the prospects of AI. Borrowing the language of “generative adversarial networks”—one of several machine-learning models that have revolutionized image production in the past decade—it interrogates AI's aesthetic, political, and ethical possibilities, as well as its historical genealogies.
Bataille and Eisenstein: In Defense of Michelson's View
Authors: Turvey Malcolm
Published: September 2024

In October 188's “Visceral Economies, Queer Dialectics: Eisenstein Meets Bataille,” Elena Vogman argues that there is an “affinity” between Sergei Eisenstein's and Georges Bataille's views, thereby contesting Annette Michelson's verdict that any similarities between them are “superficial.” This article contends that Michelson is right, and that Vogman provides no evidence of an affinity between Eisenstein's and Bataille's thinking. In doing so, I defend the important methodological principle, exemplified by Michelson's work, that theory should not be applied, top down and a priori, to art as if it were mere grist for the theory mill. Eisenstein was a deeply original thinker and filmmaker, and while he might have shared some of Bataille's interests, he did so for reasons antithetical to Bataille's. His work should not, therefore, be appropriated by what Michelson called the “veritable Bataille industry … [that] has proliferated to the point of generating a grille through which the reading of the Eisensteinian text is now proposed.”
The Last Sculptures (For Richard Serra)
Authors: Dickerman Leah
Published: September 2024

In 2022, Richard Serra installed a massive forged steel column that stood centered and alone in the gallery and whose surface was gouged in a way that resembled bite marks or scars. The gallerist David Zwirner conveyed that the artist had said that this sculpture was his last. Hal Foster's volume of long form interviews with Serra, Conversations about Sculpture (Yale, 2018) serves as a key source as the author explores: What does it mean to bring a career to a close? And what is the relationship between sculpture and death? The essay defines the features of Serra's late style, which played out in a series of forged sculptures ranging from Grief and Reason (for Walter) (2013) to the artist's last work, 2022. These works encompass as set of mnemonic gestures—invocations of the past—that include homages to people of formative intellectual or personal significance; reference to or reengagement with works, propositions, or modes of making from earlier in the artist's career; and the primordial forms and functions of sculpture itself. And in both their literal and affective weight, they invite thoughts of mortality.
The Kabbalistic Sefirot: Terminological and Structural Anticipations in Early Jewish and Christian Literature
Authors: Zinner Samuel
Published: September 2024

Lists of personified virtues in ancient Jewish and Christian texts offer remote intellectual anticipations of names and structural configurations of later kabbalistic sefirot. These parallels indicate that various Jewish-oriented Christian sources preserved and mediated some traditions that later came to circulate in Jewish kabbalistic circles.
The Development and Administration of the London Convention and Protocol: ‘Two Instruments, One Family’ and Their Link to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Authors: Birchenough Andrew , Haag Fredrik , Sun Zhen
Published: September 2024

The London Convention and London Protocol are the two main international treaties of global application addressing the protection of the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of wastes and other matter into the sea. This article describes how the treaties were developed and adopted, explores their relationship with the overarching 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) and examines how the treaties are administered to implement their vision of ‘two instruments, one family’. The article also highlights the ground-breaking steps the London Convention and London Protocol have taken to address new threats to the ocean, which include regulating new climate change mitigation technologies that have the potential to cause harm to the marine environment.
Trading places with the traitor: Pieter Pourbus (c. 1523-1584) and sixteenth-century Last Supper iconography
Authors: de Klerck Bram
Published: September 2024

Pieter Pourbus’ Last Supper of 1548 (Bruges, Groeningemuseum) contains some unusual iconographic elements that have not yet been extensively analysed: the figure of Judas, rising from the table and making a move to leave the gathering; the devilish creature entering the room from the right; the boy picking up the overturned chair in the foreground. By making use of recent scholarly insights into the employment of the anthropological concept of ‘liminality’ in the context of the visual arts (notably by Lynn Jacobs on Early and Renaissance Netherlandish painting and manuscript illumination), this contribution aims to show that these features were meant to enhance the contemporary viewer’s involvement in the depiction. The work seems to invite them to enter, as it were, the painted realm and to take Judas’ abandoned place.

An investigation of Last Supper imagery in the Western European visual arts from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance reveals that in some cases the figure of Judas plays a distinctive role in the presentation of the iconography and in the viewer’s devotional and psychological experience of participation in the sacred story. Sometimes, as in a panel from the circle of the Master of the Amsterdam Death of the Virgin (c. 1485-1500) or in the likewise anonymous Antwerp Last Supper (c. 1525-1530), a mortal human has been included in the painting, portrayed in the immediate vicinity of the scene and apparently being ready and prepared to take over Judas’ place once the latter leaves the gathering.

Pieter Pourbus’ painting, which probably played a role in the literary-religious context of the Bruges rederijkers’ Chamber of the Holy Spirit, is more inventive in nature. Lacking an intermediary worshipper depicted in the foreground, it transfers this worshipper’s role to the viewer, thus establishing a bridge between the painted realm and the real world.
Busybodies and Quietists, Yesterday and Today: Discovering Debates about Phronēsis in Nicomachean Ethics 6.8
Authors: Tarantino Giancarlo
Published: September 2024

Nicomachean Ethics 6.8 has been interpreted in a variety of ways. One dispute involves Aristotle’s remarks about the relationship of phronēsis to politics: does Aristotle claim that phronēsis is foremost applicable to an individual’s private life, to the political realm, or to some combination of the two? Two features of this dispute make it worthy of closer attention. First, the conflict of interpretations has not been documented as such. Second, I argue this contemporary conflict is a repetition of an ancient conflict about phronēsis that was being waged in 5th/4th century Athens. Phronēsis was a contested term alongside two related terms, apragmosynē (quietism) and polypragmosynē (meddlesomeness), and the construction of lines 1141b23–1142a12 enters into this historical debate to create a productive tension between two rival views. Aristotle heightens the tension between views represented by quietists and busybodies for his own purposes. In section 1, I surface the neglected historical frame of Nicomachean Ethics 6.8. In section 2, I turn to the contemporary conflict of interpretations, showing how it repeats the historical frame in many ways, and I provide a basic taxonomy of the views typically offered. In section 3, I bring the two debates – historical and contemporary – together and offer my own view of what Aristotle is up to in the passage. I argue that centering the historical frame in this passage highlights Aristotle’s use of Isocratean-style phronēsis, while also transforming the concept by connecting it to a series of questions that go beyond Isocrates’ view, thus preparing for a later exploration of the best forms of human living.
Articulation of Sufi Path and Doctrines in the Poetry of Khwāja Muḥammad Zamān Naqshbandī of Luārī
Authors: Anjum Tanvir
Published: September 2024

Khwāja Muḥammad Zamān Luārvī (i.e., of Luārī or Lowārī) was a much-revered eighteenth-century Sufi shaykh (master) who spent his entire life in Luārī and Thatta in lower Sindh. Spiritually affiliated with the Naqshbandī Silsilah, he was also an eloquent Sufi poet. Though small in volume, his poetic compositions are highly symbolic and replete with complex Sufi philosophical and cosmological themes. This article identifies and analyzes the Sufi doctrines in his poetry by undertaking a poetic exegesis of his verses within a Sufi framework. It briefly introduces the life and poetry of the Khwāja, analyzes the articulation of Sufi doctrines in his poetic verses, and assesses his poetry’s characteristics.
Half the price, twice the gain: How to simultaneously decrease animal numbers and increase precision with good experimental design
Authors: Grüninger Servan Luciano , Frommlet Florian
Published: September 2024

Animal research often involves experiments in which the effect of several factors on a particular outcome is of scientific interest. Many researchers approach such experiments by varying just one factor at a time. As a consequence, they design and analyze the experiments based on a pairwise comparison between two groups. However, this approach uses unreasonably large numbers of animals and leads to severe limitations in terms of the research questions that can be answered. Factorial designs and analyses offer a more efficient way to perform and assess experiments with multiple factors of interest. We will illustrate the basic principles behind these designs, discussing a simple example with only two factors before suggesting how to design and analyze more complex experiments involving larger numbers of factors based on multiway analysis of variance.
The Who, What, and How of Interagency Criminal Justice–Behavioral Health Teams: Developing and Sustaining Collaborations
Authors: Mackey Benjamin J. , Johnson Jennifer E. , Ramezani Niloofar , Hailemariam Maji , Rosen Rochelle K. , Thurman Teneshia , Viglione Jill , Taxman Faye S.
Published: September 2024

Interagency teams are considered an evidence-based change practice, but there is a paucity of research examining them in criminal justice (CJ) and behavioral health (BH) reform contexts. This study draws on qualitative interviews ( n = 52) and survey data ( n = 791) from BH and CJ leaders across the United States to examine who is on them, what they do, and effective strategies for building and sustaining them. Findings indicated that CJ–BH interagency teams often incorporate agencies from a range of CJ, BH, social service, and health agencies. Teamwork focused on connecting clients to resources or contributing to CJ–BH coalitions and resource centers. Although the team-building strategies learning about/from other agencies and system integration were significantly associated with developing more collaborations, consensus-building activities were not. These findings suggest that interagency teams need not necessarily reach consensus on goals and vision prior to working together, as this can be built through collaboration.
Management of Nasal Polyposis in Pediatric Patients With Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: A Case Series and Literature Review
Authors: Caplan Ian F. , Ye Michael , Pearlman Aaron N.
Published: September 2024

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare genetic multiple malformation disorder with many otolaryngologic comorbidities. Patients with CdLS appear to have an increased prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), however, there is limited literature describing the presentation, evaluation, and management of CRSwNP within the CdLS population. Here we performed a literature review from Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar and reported a case of CRSwNP with concomitant CdLS that was identified at our institution. We describe an 8-year-old male with CdLS and CRSwNP confirmed by history, physical exam, nasal endoscopy, and computed tomography. Symptoms of nasal obstruction were refractory to medical management and required repeat surgical management with improvement in nasal obstruction. Literature review identified 2 additional cases of nasal polyposis with similar management strategies. Additionally, one case series showed 33% of CdLS patients had recurrent sinusitis while a second series identified 39% of CdLS patients with CRS and 12% with CRSwNP. These data suggest that CRSwNP is more prevalent in patients with CdLS compared to the general public and can be both safely and effectively managed with a combination of medical and surgical therapy.
Soft yet secure: Exploring membrane buckling for achieving a versatile grasp with a rotation-driven squeezing gripper
Authors: Nguyen Khoi Thanh , Nguyen Nhan Huu , Ho Van Anh
Published: September 2024

Nowadays, there is a growing demand for versatile robotic grippers that facilitate adaptive grasping across a range of objects, characterized by diverse attributes such as shapes, sizes, and mechanical properties. This research introduces a new soft gripper, denoted as ROSE (ROtation-based Squeezing GrippEr), dedicated to the torsional buckling phenomenon to achieve its grasping capability. The inherent gripping pattern, formed through a single rotational actuation, enables ROSE to dynamically accommodate various objects (relatively smaller than the diameter of ROSE), even in challenging environments like an oil container, without a complicated controller. Experimental tests demonstrate that ROSE exhibits substantial gripping force, reaching up to more than 300 N in the specific setup, and a remarkable payload-to-weight ratio. Especially, ROSE can maintain mechanical integrity through long-term open-close operation cycles in a specific condition. In this paper, we also introduce non-linear simulations for the elaboration of behaviors of ROSE concerning different morphologies, encompassing geometry configurations and material properties. The findings highlight a significant correlation between morphological features and grasping performance, leading to the refinement of a dependable version of ROSE. This refined version was subsequently assessed through experimental trials in crop harvesting tasks, where ROSE demonstrated high success rates in picking both individual and clustered crops, regardless of their soft or stiff characteristics. Project’s website with videos: https://sites.google.com/view/rosesoftgripper .
Advancing robots with greater dynamic dexterity: A large-scale multi-view and multi-modal dataset of human-human throw&catch of arbitrary objects
Authors: Chen Lipeng , Qiu Jianing , Li Lin , Luo Xi , Chi Guoyi , Zheng Yu
Published: September 2024

Learning and imitating behavioral intelligence from human demonstrations is a promising approach towards the intuitive programming of robots for enhanced dynamic dexterity. However, there has been no publicly available dataset in this domain. To address this gap, we introduce the first large-scale dataset and recording framework specifically designed for studying human collaborative dynamic dexterity in throw&catch tasks. The dataset, named H2TC, contains 15,000 multi-view and multi-modal synchronized recordings of diverse Human-Human Throw-and-Catch activities. It involves 34 human subjects with typical motor abilities and a variety of 52 objects frequently manipulated through throw&catch in domestic and/or industrial scenarios. The dataset is supplemented with a hierarchy of manually annotated semantic and dense labels, such as the ground truth human body, hand and object motions captured with specialized high-precision motion tracking systems. These rich annotations make the dataset well-suited for a wide range of robot studies, including both low-level motor skill learning and high-level cognitive planning and recognition. We envision that the proposed dataset and recording framework will facilitate learning pipelines to extract insights on how humans coordinate both intra- and interpersonally to throw and catch objects, ultimately leading to the development of more capable and collaborative robots. The dataset, along with a suite of utility tools, such as those for visualization and annotation, can be accessed from our project page at https://h2tc-roboticsx.github.io/ .
Research on roll contour and control strategy for edge drop control of high-strength steel in the cold rolling precision mill
Authors: Yuan Tieheng , He Anrui , Zheng Shuaishuai , Yang Tingsong , Sun Wenquan
Published: September 2024

In cold rolling of high-strength steels using precision multi-roll mills, significant edge drop issues compromise product quality and adversely affect subsequent processing stages. To enhance the edge drop control capabilities of an S6-High cold rolling mill, this study designs a roll contour for the working and side support rolls and develops an accompanying position control strategy. Initially, a reciprocating multi-pass rolling simulation finite element model is constructed using ABAQUS software, and its accuracy is validated by comparing actual and simulated section profiles. Based on the ridge regression algorithm, the evolution of section profiles under different roll contours calculated by the model is fitted. In conjunction with the differential evolution algorithm, the optimisation of roll contour parameters aims to improve roll adaptability and edge drop control. Specifically for the S6-High cold rolling mill, the transverse bending coefficient and horizontal stiffness of the working rolls are defined, and a side support roll position control strategy is developed, integrated with the side support roll variable crown length (VCL) roll contour to enhance edge drop control capabilities. Field applications demonstrate that the methodologies developed in this paper effectively reduce the average edge drop of cold-rolled high-strength steel by 56.82%, significantly enhancing the sectional profile quality during the precision rolling of high-strength steels.
Virtual screening study for biological activity assessment and metabolism pathway of a fuel dye in airborne exposure scenario
Authors: Esmaeili Sayed Vahid , Alboghobeish Ali , Feyzi Vafa , Ravannakhjavani Fatemeh , Zendehdel Rezvan
Published: September 2024

The utilization of synthetic dyes increases the risk to human health. Despite the progress of information on azo dyes, very little attention has been reported on toxicity assessment of anthraquinone dyes. Solvent Blue 35 (SB35) is one of the anthraquinone dyes likely to be encountered because of its increasing use in various industries. Whereas the design of laboratory tests is very expensive, in silico screening was used to predict the metabolic profile and toxicity effect of SB35. MetaTox software was used to predict the metabolites of phase I and II in two layers. Since airborne exposure has been considered, the pathways of inhalation and dermal absorption of SB35 were investigated through the SwissADME model based on the modified Lipinski’s rule of five. To predict the biological effect and toxicity of SB35 and each of the metabolites, PASS online software was used. Chemical activity was considered according to the probability of activation values (Pa) higher than the probability of inactivation values (Pi). N- dealkylation of SB35 was predicted in the first layer, while seven active compounds were obtained in the second layer from phases I and II reactions. Investigating the physicochemical properties of SB35 confirmed inhalation absorption for occupational exposure scenarios. All metabolites are absorbed from intestinal routes based on the RO5 rules. SB35 and their metabolites have an effective substrate role for the sub-type of CYP 450 enzymes. The toxicity effect of carcinogenicity for SB35 and mutagenicity for metabolites are predicted while confirmed with some biological effects. However, reproductive disorders are pointed with SB35 by probability higher than 70%. Virtual screening methods are efficient tools for creating cost-effective predictions in the hazard’s evaluation of SB35. However, a perspective view is suggested before decision-making for laboratory designing tests.
A novel approach for enhancing the mechanical behavior of additively manufactured metal matrix composite structures: Preliminary investigation
Authors: Yalçın Hasan , Abdelmoula Mohamed , Kaya Duran , Küçüktürk Gökhan , Pul Muharrem
Published: September 2024

Additive Manufacturing is a promising technique for expanding the boundaries of Metal Matrix Composites. In this study, Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technique, employing Electron Beam as the heat source, was used to print Ti6Al4V metal matrix in different geometric shapes with a new approach for MMC fabrication. Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) powder was then incorporated into these pattern shapes, compacted, and sintered to bind the powder particles together. The findings showed that successful sintering was achieved, resulting in the formation of a flexible interface region, with the circular design achieving the best interface region among all pattern designs. Regarding the mechanical performance evaluation of the developed Metal Matrix Composites, it was found that the mechanical strength was significantly increased with the hexagonal and circular patterns achieving the best results. Future research should pay more attention to further design development for the metal matrix model to achieve outstanding performance and create a new field for Metal Matrix Composites using the developed method.
Identification of Dendritic Cells in ePTFE Grafts Explanted from Humans
Authors: Inder Stephanie J. , Bobryshev Yuri V. , Cherian Sanjay M. , Lord Reginald S. A. , Wang Andv Y.
Published: September 2024

Following implantation different cell types interact with synthetic vascular prostheses resulting in a complex immuno-inflammatory response. Dendritic cells are responsible for actuating the primary T-lymphocyte immune response in various pathological conditions by their role as antigen-Dresenters This study aimed at examining whether dendritic cells accumulate within small dimeter expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE. Goretex®) grafts explanted from humans. Segments of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene were explanted from 11 patents (6 male S female) aged between 60 and 83 years (mean 70.7 years) at secondary or revision bypass operatlon The graft implant duration varied from 4 months to 12 years (mean 40.5 months). Dendritic cells were identified immunohistochemically using S-100 antibody, as well as by electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical examination showed that all 11 explanted synthetic grafts contained S-100+ cells colonising both the synthetic matrix itself, and the adjacent perigraft tissue. Electron microscopic analysis confirmed the presence of cells with a characteristic dendritic cell morphology within the grafts. Dendritic cells which accumulated within synthetic grafts were found to co-localise with T-lymphocytes. Based on these observations we speculate that dendritic cells may be involved in the immuno-inflammatory responses following the Implantation of synthetic vascular prostheses through their interaction with T-lymphocytes.
Risks, Benefits and Results of Reoperative Coronary Surgery with Internal Mammary Grafts
Authors: Christenson J. T. , Velebit V. , Maurice J. , Simonet F. , Schmuziger M.
Published: September 2024

To determine the effect of a prior internal mammary artery graft on coronary artery bypass reoperation, experience with 189 consecutive patients who underwent such surgery was reviewed. Some 147 patients (group I) received only saphenous vein grafts at the primary coronary bypass surgery (CABG) and 42 (group II) received at least one IMA graft at the primary CABG. There were no differences in preoperative patient characteristics or operative data between the groups. Significantly more redo CABG 0–5 years after the initial operation was seen in group II compared with that in group I, indicating inadequate first operation or technical difficulties. In group II a larger proportion of the patients had patent grafts at redo (52.4% versus 34.7%). There were no entry injuries to the grafts or the heart in either group. No operative mortality was encountered in group II, while seven patients in group I died ( P< 0.05). Group II had more pneumonia ( P < 0.01) and re-exploration for bleeding ( P < 0.001) than group I. However, the overall postoperative morbidity in group II patients was less than in group I, though not statistically significant. When comparing patients with an occluded internal mammary artery graft at redo (group A) with those who had a patent internal mammary artery graft (group B) there were no statistically significant differences in patient characteristics and preoperative patient profile, even though group B patients showed a trend towards a better preoperative cardiac profile. A mean of 2.4 grafts/patient were performed in group B compared with 4.0 in group A ( P < 0.01). Other operative parameters did not differ between the groups. The overall perioperative morbidity was found to be lower in patients with a patent internal mammary artery graft at redo (group B) compared with that of group A, though not significantly so. It is concluded that myocardial function seems to be better preserved at the time of redo operation when an internal mammary artery graft is used at the first operation. especially if the internal mammary artery graft is patent and that the risk at redo CABG is not increased by a previously constructed internal mammary artery graft. This is encouraging as an increasing number of redo CABG procedures in which internal mammary artery grafts were used at the initial operation will be encountered.
Laser Doppler Velocimetry and Platelet-Derived Growth Factor as Prognostic Indicators for the Healing of Ulcers and Ischaemic Lesions of the Lower Limb
Authors: Chleboun J. O. , Martins R. , Rao S.
Published: September 2024

The prognostic potential of skin blood flow measured by laser Doppler and serum platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) levels was evaluated in patients with ischaemic lesions or ulceration of the lower limb. The laser Doppler-derived skin blood flow and perfusion pressure were measured in 93 patients with ischaemic lesions or ulceration in 98 lower limbs. Of these lesions, 61% healed spontaneously or with conservative local therapy, while 39% required major surgery. The likelihood for healing was reduced by older age. Comparison of receiver operating curves demonstrated that the optimal sensitivity and specificity were obtained for a combination of skin blood flow and perfusion pressure measured at 44°C rather than at room temperature. If the skin perfusion pressure and blood flow were greater than 15 mmHg and 100 U respectively at 44°C. 91 % lesions healed, while if they were less than these values none healed. This provided a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 83% respectively. The serum PDGF concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay in 48 patients with ischaemic lesions or ulceration of the lower limb, and compared with that in 34 healthy controls and 15 patients who had undergone abdominal surgery 3–5 days previously. The median PDGF level in the control group (83 pmoi/l) was significantly less than that in the post-laparotomy group (217 pmol/l). The median PDGF level in the 31 patients whose ulcers healed with conservative therapy (210pmol/l) was significantly higher compared with that in the 17 patients with unhealed ulcers (70pmol/l). This suggest that patients with non-healing ulcers may have an impaired ability to form PDGF and lends support to those studies that seek to improve ulcer healing by local application of exogenous PDGF. The use of these prognostic indices may facilitate the selection of therapeutic options in patients with ulceration or ischaemic lesions of the lower limb.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting without Cardiopulmonary Bypass for High-Risk Patients
Authors: Tashiro T. , Todo K. , Haruta Y. , Yasunaga H. , Tachikawa Y.
Published: September 2024

Between January 1991 and June 1993, coronary artery bypass grafting was performed without either cardiopulmonary bypass or cardiac arrest in 23 patients. Most patients had several surgical risk factors, including age ⩾70 years, poor left ventricular function, left main coronary artery stenosis, chronic renal failure, and aortic aneurysm. Distal anastomoses were made under temporary interruption of coronary flow. A total of 37 distal anastomoses to the left anterior descending coronary artery and/or right coronary artery (mean 1.6 per patient) were made, 24 of which were internal thoracic arteries. The coronary occlusion time ranged from 7–14 min (mean 9.8 min). Combined cardiac or vascular operations were carried out in six patients (abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, carotid endarterectomy, and coronary endarterectomy). There was one hospital death. Postoperative angiography was performed in 22 patients and showed a patency rate of 89%. In summary, coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass may improve the postoperative outcome of high-risk patients.