bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro study on the competitive reactions between arsenite and selenite with glutathione
Authors: Özkan Canan Höçük , Atakay Mehmet , Salih Bekir , Ertaş Gülay
Published: April 2024

Exposure to arsenic can cause various biological effects by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Selenium acts as a beneficial element by regulating ROS and limiting heavy metal uptake and translocation. There are studies on the interactive effects of As and Se in plants, but the antagonistic and synergistic effects of these elements based on their binding to glutathione (GSH) molecules have not been studied yet. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antagonistic or synergistic effects of As and Se on the binding mechanism of Se and As with GSH at pH 3.0, 5.0, or 6.5. The interaction of As and Se in Se(SG)2 + As(III) or As(SG)3 + Se(IV) binary systems and As(III) + Se(IV) + GSH ternary system were examined depending on their ratios via liquid chromatography diode array detector/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC‐DAD/MS) and liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐ESI‐MS/MS). The results showed that the formation of As(GS)3 was not detected in the As(III) + Se(SG)2 binary system, indicating that As(III) did not affect the stability of Se(SG)2 complex antagonistically. However, in the Se(IV) + As(SG)3 binary system, the addition of Se(IV) to As(SG)3 affected the stability of As(SG)3 antagonistically. Se(IV) reacted with GSH, disrupting the As(SG)3 complex, and consequently, Se(SG)2 formation was measured using LC‐MS/DAD. In the Se(IV) + GSH + As(III) ternary system, Se(SG)2 formation was detected upon mixing As(III), Se(IV), and GSH. The increase in the concentration of As(III) did not influence the stability of the Se(SG)2 complex. Additionally, Se(IV) has a higher affinity than As(III) to the GSH, regardless of the pH of the solution. In both binary and ternary systems, the formation of the by‐product glutathione trisulfide (GSSSG) was detected using LC‐ESI‐MS/MS.
Seasonal variations in rain cells propagation over Central Africa and association with diurnal rainfall regimes
Authors: Camberlin Pierre , Moron Vincent , Philippon Nathalie , Mengouna François Xavier , Vondou Derbetini A.
Published: April 2024

Three‐hourly data from two satellite rainfall estimates products, PERSIANN and TMPA, are analysed to document the seasonal patterns of diurnal rainfall distribution over the Congo Basin and neighbouring areas. PERSIANN data for 2001–2017, at a one‐hour time‐scale, are further used to identify rain cells (≥4 mm·h−1) in an attempt to explain the diurnal rainfall variations. Over land areas, an afternoon rainfall maximum is clearly shown, but over much of the region only a minor part of the rains (20%–30%) falls in the wettest 3‐h period. Substantial rains (often 50%–60%) occur in the evening and at night, as a progressively delayed peak from east to west, but a seasonal change is found in the meridional propagation of the peak diurnal rainfall, in a south‐westerly direction in January, and a north‐westerly direction in July. Rain cells have prominent genesis areas west of high terrain, but can develop over most regions, with a peak genesis time slightly ahead the diurnal phase of the rains. The size, mean lifetime and mean rainfall intensity of the rain cells are strongly related to each other and display a semi‐annual cycle not fully in phase with the seasonal cycle of the rains. The mean rain cell propagation speed (6.7 m·s−1) is much lower than in previous studies, which focused on mesoscale convective systems. Rain cells which have a longer lifetime move much faster, the mean speed of those lasting less than 6 h being half that of those lasting at least 24 h. Most (86%) of the mobile rain cells propagate westward, but the meridional component of their propagation shows an annual cycle (southward in austral summer, northward in boreal summer) which matches the mid‐tropospheric winds and explains the seasonal changes in the diurnal rainfall peak.
Dystonic Tremor: Time to Change
Authors: Lalli Stefania , Albanese Alberto
Published: April 2024

Background

The term dystonic tremor is being increasingly used in neurological publications despite uncertainties about its meaning. We provide here a historical reconstruction from its original introduction in 1984 to help distinguish dystonia from essential tremor.

Methods

A comprehensive Pubmed search of MeSH terms “dystonia”, “tremor”, and “essential tremor” provided the information base for reconstructing historical usage of the term “dystonic tremor”.

Results

Over the years, this expression was enriched of additional meanings and sided by companion descriptors, such as tremor associated with dystonia. Dystonic tremor has been considered characteristically coarse, jerky, irregular, directional and asymmetrical. These characteristics, however, are not included in the most recent definitions of tremor. The relationship between tremor and dystonia is not easy to untangle, as the two phenomena are often recognized in association. Tremor and dystonia experts have developed different visions of dystonic tremor that have been variably implemented. There are currently two independent consensus definitions, which are not coincident and imply different pathophysiological interpretations.

Conclusions

This historical reappraisal highlights that usage of the expression dystonic tremor has evolved over time to lose its original meaning. Notwithstanding inconsistencies of current definitions, its usage has steadily increased and it is time now to agree on an updated terminology.
Optimizing donor fascicle selection in Oberlin's procedure: A retrospective review of anatomical variability using intraoperative neuromonitoring
Authors: Marina Lucas , Sanz Elisa , Morillo Balsera M. Carmen , Cristobal Lara , Maldonado Andres A.
Published: April 2024

Background

Transfer of the fascicle carrying the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) branch of the ulnar nerve (UN) to the biceps/brachialis muscle branch of the musculocutaneous nerve (Oberlin's procedure), is a mainstay technique for elbow flexion restoration in patients with upper brachial plexus injury. Despite its widespread use, there are few studies regarding the anatomic location of the donor fascicle for Oberlin's procedure. Our report aims to analyze the anatomical variability of this fascicle within the UN, while obtaining quantifiable, objective data with intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) for donor fascicle selection.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of patients at our institution who underwent an Oberlin's procedure from September 2019 to July 2023. We used IONM for donor fascicle selection (greatest FCU muscle and least intrinsic hand muscle activation). We prospectively obtained demographic and electrophysiological data, as well as anatomical location of donor fascicles and post‐surgical morbidities. Surgeon's perception of FCU/intrinsic muscle contraction was compared to objective muscle amplitude during IONM.

Results

Eight patients were included, with a mean age of 30.5 years and an injury‐to‐surgery interval of 4 months. Donor fascicle was located anterior in two cases, posterior in two, radial in two and ulnar in two patients. Correlation between surgeon's perception and IONM findings were consistent in six (75%) cases. No long term motor or sensory deficits were registered.

Conclusions

Fascicle anatomy within the UN at the proximal arm is highly variable. The use of IONM can aid in optimizing donor fascicle selection for Oberlin's procedure.
Fabrication of poly(acrylic acid)/chitosan/linseed mucilage films: Thermal and mechanical properties
Authors: Corona‐Rivera Miguel Ángel , Velasco Martín Rabelero , Ovando‐Medina Víctor Manuel , Cervantes‐González Elsa , López José Elías Pérez
Published: April 2024

The use of biodegradable polymers in the plastics industry has been increasing in recent years. The study of the chemical, physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of films based on biodegradable components is of interest to technologists because these properties determine their applicability for food packaging. In this work, films based on natural polymers such as linseed mucilage (LM) and chitosan (CH), as well as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were obtained through the casting method and using V‐50 as the initiator. The films were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, and their water absorption and swelling capacity, and thermal and mechanical properties were determined. Homogenous flexible, translucid, amber‐colored films, with low absorption and solubility in water were obtained. It was demonstrated through Fourier Transform Infrared analysis the chemical interaction between C–H, CO, and C–O chemical groups of LM, CH, and PAA. In addition, films showed high resistance to thermal decomposition between 125 and 425°C. The mechanical tests of tension allowed the composition of LM in the film, the behavior variates between a plastic and/or elastic material and with tensile strength (Rm) values between 10.8 and 16.4 MPa and elastic modulus (E) values between 56.2 and 169.2 GPa, we observed that at higher quantities of LM and thickness, both E and Rm tend to increase, while %EL decreases. This led us to conclude that the material transitioned from ductile and malleable to rigid and brittle. The films obtained with different ratios of LM/CH/PAA may exhibit a semi‐interpenetrating polymeric networking type morphology.

Highlights

Thermal and mechanical properties are of interest in food packaging materials.

Water absorption can impact the packaged food.

Films can be processed on existing machines for conventional plastics.

Some conventional plastics could be replaced by these biodegradable films.

Biodegradable films are of great interest to the industry of food packaging.
Learning‐based monocular visual‐inertial odometry with SE2(3) $S{E}_{2}(3)$‐EKF
Authors: Guo Chi , Hu Jianlang , Luo Yarong
Published: April 2024

Learning‐based visual odometry (VO) becomes popular as it achieves a remarkable performance without manually crafted image processing and burdensome calibration. Meanwhile, the inertial navigation can provide a localization solution to assist VO when the VO produces poor state estimation under challenging visual conditions. Therefore, the combination of learning‐based technique and classical state estimation method can further improve the performance of pose estimation. In this paper, we propose a learning‐based visual‐inertial odometry (VIO) algorithm, which consists of an end‐to‐end VO network and an ‐Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The VO network mainly combines a convolutional neural network with a recurrent neural network, taking advantage of two consecutive monocular images to produce relative pose estimation with associated uncertainties. The ‐EKF, which is proved to overcome the inconsistency issues of VIO, propagates inertial measurement unit kinematics‐based states, and fuses relative measurements and uncertainties from the VO network in its update step. The extensive experimental results on the KITTI data set and the EuRoC data set demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method compared to other related methods.
Topographical and morphological changes of the single‐crystal (La0.3Sr0.7)(Al0.65Ta0.35)O3 (001) surface treated with high‐purity deionized water
Authors: Tokuda Yoshinori , Nishikawa Naoki , Irimoto Takeshi , Katsuyama Yutaro , Kobayashi Shunsuke , Tokunaga Tomoharu , Yamamoto Takahisa
Published: April 2024

The topological and morphological changes of the (001) surface of single‐crystal (La0.3Sr0.7)(Al0.65Ta0.35)O3 during treatment with high‐purity deionized water (DI) have been investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Etching by DI treatment at room temperature proceeded mainly in anisotropic etching mode, resulting in rectangular etch pits with {001} inner surfaces forming in the surface. The dominant etching mode changed from anisotropic to isotropic with increasing DI‐treatment temperature, and the lowest surface roughness occurred for DI treatment at 50°C for 60 min. Direct observation of the atomic structure of the surface by STEM showed that the etched surface was the B‐site‐terminated (001) surface after anisotropic etching at 50°C for 60 min, in which the B‐site‐terminated atomic layer was found to maintain the B‐site ordered structure existing in the crystal. This is because DI treatment, which does not require high‐temperature heat treatment of the substrate, suppresses element diffusion, sublimation, and formation of point defects on and in the vicinity of the surface.
An Organocatalyzed Multicomponent Reaction: A Rapid and Efficient Practical Approach for 4H‐pyrano[3,2‐c]quinoline‐3‐carbonitriles Synthesis
Authors: Kadu Vikas D. , Gaikwad Supriya G. , Konapure Shraddha R.
Published: April 2024

A three‐component multicomponent approach has been developed at room temperature for the synthesis of 4H‐pyrano[3,2‐c]quinoline‐3‐carbonitriles. The all synthesized products were afforded in short reaction time with excellent yield using BABCO catalyst. The process is proficient with good tolerance of functional groups and well‐explored substrate scope.
Assessment of Some Characteristics of a Novel Photocatalyst Based on Hydrotalcite Mg‐Al‐Ag, Titanium Dioxide and Magnetic Iron Nanoparticles
Authors: Duong My Tra , Nguyen Chinh Thuy , Dam Thang Xuan , Vu Hieu Dinh , Thai Hoang
Published: April 2024

The utilization of metals and metal oxides as photocatalysts is a common method for treating dye contamination. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TNPs) are well known for their effectiveness as a photocatalyst in ultraviolet regions, while the inclusion of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can improve the photocatalytic properties of the nanocomposite materials in visible light. However, the TNPs and AgNPs are difficult to collect for reuse in water treatment due to their limited dispersion. Henceforth, this work recommended a novel photocatalyst based on hydrotalcite Mg−Al, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (FNPs), AgNPs, and TNPs prepared using the co‐precipitation method. Additionally, organic silane was first time used as a coupling agent to combine the components together. Consequently, the obtained products were applied for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under natural sunlight. The characteristics of the synthesized nanocomposites were determined using infrared spectroscopy, vibrating‐sample magnetometer, X‐ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy methods. The degradability of MB under sunlight was investigated using ultraviolet‐visible method. Moreover, the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of these nanocomposites has been tested and discussed.
Ultrathin Sulfur‐Doped g‐C3N4 Nanosheets Controlled by Steam Activation for Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Song Wan‐Long , Zhang Niu‐Niu , Ma Xiao‐Jun , Liu Xu‐Tong , Li Dong‐Na , Li Jie
Published: April 2024

Graphite carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) has garnered considerable attention due to its excellent photocatalytic properties for the degradation of organic matter in wastewater treatment. Herein, sulfur‐doped g‐C3N4 nanosheets (CN−S‐X) were successfully synthesized via physical steam activation using thiourea and urea as precursors. Comprehensive characterizations demonstrate that the enhanced photocatalysis is attributed to the ultrathin structure, highly active site, vacancy defects, and high specific surface area due to the synergy of S doping and steam activation. The as‐prepared CN−S‐25 photocatalyst exhibits a desirable degradation efficiency of 95.4 % for methylene blue dye with a high degradation rate of 2.65×10−2 min−1 under visible‐light irradiation, which are 2.1 and 5.52 times those for bulk g‐C3N4, respectively as well as good reusability and stability. This study provides a simple and promising strategy to regulate the nanostructure of g‐C3N4 for highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.
Effects of Mother Tongue Education and Multilingualism on Reading Skills in the Regional Language and English in India
Authors: Vogelzang Margreet , Tsimpli Ianthi Maria , Balasubramanian Anusha , Panda Minati , Alladi Suvarna , Reddy Abhigna , Mukhopadhyay Lina , Treffers‐Daller Jeanine , Marinis Theodoros
Published: April 2024

In a highly multilingual country like India, challenges and opportunities arise in education and language policy. Although multilingualism is often associated with developmental advantages, Indian primary school children generally show low learning outcomes, specifically on literacy. Here we examine the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on the reading skills and reading comprehension of 1272 Indian primary school children from low SES homes. The children performed the ASER literacy task in both the regional, majority language and in English, which was followed by newly developed reading comprehension questions. The results show that minority language speakers from monolingual households—who do not receive mother tongue education—underperform compared to majority language speakers when reading in the majority language. When reading in English, growing up in a multilingual household improves children's performance. Finally, in sites which have a larger proportion of mother tongue‐educated children, children perform better in literacy in the regional language and worse in English. Overall, these results provide insight into the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on reading abilities and show that more support is needed for minority language speakers to develop literacy in the majority language, and for all children to develop literacy in English.
Enhanced ozonation of vanillin catalyzed by highly efficient magnetic MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 catalysts: Synergistic effects and mechanism insights
Authors: Ru Yifan , Gong Xianghong , Lu Wangyang , Chen Lu , Wei Lanlan , Dai Qizhou
Published: April 2024

In this study, we synthesized magnetic MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 composite catalysts using a straightforward method, yielding catalysts that exhibited outstanding performance in catalyzing the ozonation of vanillin. This exceptional catalytic efficiency arose from the synergistic interplay between MnFe2O4 and ZIF‐67. Comprehensive characterization via x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT‐IR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed that the incorporation of MnFe2O4 promoted the creation of oxygen vacancies, resulting in an increased presence of l adsorbed oxygen (Oads) and the generation of additional ·OH groups on the catalyst surface. Utilizing ZIF‐67 as the carrier markedly enhanced the specific surface area of the catalyst, augmenting the exposure of active sites, thus improving the degradation efficiency and reducing the energy consumption. The effects of different experimental parameters (catalyst type, initial vanillin concentration, ozone dosage, initial pH value, and catalyst dosage) were also investigated, and the optimal experimental parameters (300 mg/L1.0‐MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67, vanillin concentration = 250 mg/L, O3 concentration = 12 mg/min, pH = 7) were obtained. The vanillin removal efficiency of MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 was increased from 74.95% to 99.54% after 30 min of reaction, and the magnetic separation of MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 was easy to be recycled and stable, and the vanillin removal efficiency of MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 was only decreased by about 8.92% after 5 cycles. Additionally, we delved into the synergistic effects and catalytic mechanism of the catalysts through kinetic fitting, reactive oxygen quenching experiments, and electron transfer analysis. This multifaceted approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the enhanced ozonation process catalyzed by MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 composite catalysts, shedding light on their potential applications in advanced oxidation processes.

Practitioner Points

A stable and recyclable magnetic composite MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 catalyst was synthesized through a simple method.

The synergistic effect and catalytic mechanism of the MnFe2O4/ZIF‐67 catalyst were comprehensively analyzed and discussed.

A kinetic model for the catalytic ozone oxidation of vanillin was introduced, providing valuable insights into the reaction dynamics.
Good Inducing Schemes for Uniformly Hyperbolic Flows, and Applications to Exponential Decay of Correlations
Authors: Melbourne Ian , Varandas Paulo
Published: April 2024

Given an Axiom A attractor for a $$C^{1+\alpha }$$

C

1
+
α

flow ($$\alpha >0$$

α
>
0

), we construct a countable Markov extension with exponential return times in such a way that the inducing set is a smoothly embedded unstable disk. This avoids technical issues concerning irregularity of boundaries of Markov partition elements and enables an elementary approach to certain questions involving exponential decay of correlations for SRB measures.
Weighted $$\infty $$-Willmore spheres
Authors: Gallagher Ed , Moser Roger
Published: April 2024

On the two-sphere $$\Sigma $$
Σ
, we consider the problem of minimising among suitable immersions $$f \,:\Sigma \rightarrow \mathbb {R}^3$$

f

:
Σ
→

R

3

the weighted $$L^\infty $$

L
∞

norm of the mean curvature H, with weighting given by a prescribed ambient function $$\xi $$
ξ
, subject to a fixed surface area constraint. We show that, under a low-energy assumption which prevents topological issues from arising, solutions of this problem and also a more general set of “pseudo-minimiser” surfaces must satisfy a second-order PDE system obtained as the limit as $$p \rightarrow \infty $$

p
→
∞

of the Euler–Lagrange equations for the approximating $$L^p$$

L
p

problems. This system gives some information about the geometric behaviour of the surfaces, and in particular implies that their mean curvature takes on at most three values: $$H \in \{ \pm \Vert \xi H\Vert _{L^\infty } \}$$

H
∈
{
±
‖
ξ
H

‖

L
∞

}

away from the nodal set of the PDE system, and $$H = 0$$

H
=
0

on the nodal set (if it is non-empty).
A Q-Operator for Open Spin Chains II: Boundary Factorization
Authors: Cooper Alec , Vlaar Bart , Weston Robert
Published: April 2024

One of the features of Baxter’s Q-operators for many closed spin chain models is that all transfer matrices arise as products of two Q-operators with shifts in the spectral parameter. In the representation-theoretical approach to Q-operators, underlying this is a factorization formula for L-operators (solutions of the Yang–Baxter equation associated to particular infinite-dimensional representations). To extend such a formalism to open spin chains, one needs a factorization identity for solutions of the reflection equation (boundary Yang–Baxter equation) associated to these representations. In the case of quantum affine $$\mathfrak {sl}_2$$

sl
2

and diagonal K-matrices, we derive such an identity using the recently formulated theory of universal K-matrices for quantum affine algebras.
CT-like images based on T1-weighted gradient echo MRI sequences for the assessment of fractures of the hand and wrist compared to CT
Authors: Hesse N. , Feuerriegel G. C. , Erber B. , Reidler P. , Gottfried V. , Stohldreier Y. , Schmitt R. , Dietrich O. , Gersing A. S. , Spiro J. E.
Published: April 2024

Objective

To evaluate the performance of a 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo (3D T1GRE) computed tomography (CT)-like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence for detecting and assessing wrist and hand fractures compared to conventional CT.

Methods

Subjects with acute wrist or hand fracture in CT underwent additional 3 T MRI including a CT-like 3D T1GRE sequence and were compared to patients without fractures. Two radiologists assessed fracture morphology on both modalities according to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Osteosynthese (AO) and graded image quality and diagnostic confidence on a 5-point Likert scale.

Besides diagnostic test evaluation, differences in image quality and diagnostic confidence between CT-like MRI and CT were calculated using the Wilcoxon test. Agreement of AO classification between modalities and readers was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa.

Results

Twenty-eight patients with 43 fractures and 43 controls were included. Image quality (3D T1GRE 1.19 ± 0.37 vs. CT 1.22 ± 0.42; p = 0.65) and diagnostic confidence (3D T1GRE 1.28 ± 0.53 vs. CT 1.28 ± 0.55; p = 1.00) were rated excellent for both modalities. Regarding the AO classification, intra- (rater 1 and rater 2, κ = 0.89; 95% CI 0.80–0.97) and interrater agreement were excellent (3D T1GRE, κ = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70–0.93; CT, κ = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75–0.94). CT-like MRI showed excellent sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for fracture detection (reader 1: 1.00, 0.92, 0.96; reader 2: 0.98, 0.94, 0.96).

Conclusion

CT-like MRI is a comparable alternative to CT for assessing hand and wrist fractures, offering the advantage of avoiding radiation exposure.
Hematocrit control and thrombotic risk in patients with polycythemia vera treated with ruxolitinib in clinical practice
Authors: Chojecki Aleksander , Boselli Danielle , Dortilus Allison , Hamadeh Issam , Begley Stephanie , Chen Tommy , Bose Rupali , Podoltsev Nikolai , Zeidan Amer M. , Balmaceda Nicole Baranda , Yacoub Abdulraheem , Ai Jing , Knight Thomas Gregory , Ragon Brittany Knick , Shah Nilay Arvind , Sanikommu Srinivasa Reddy , Symanowski James , Mesa Ruben , Grunwald Michael Richard
Published: April 2024

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by unregulated red blood cell production resulting in elevated hemoglobin and/or hematocrit levels. Patients often have symptoms such as fatigue, pruritus, and painful splenomegaly, but are also at risk of thrombosis, both venous and arterial. Ruxolitinib, a selective Janus kinase inhibitor, is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as second-line cytoreductive treatment after intolerance or inadequate response to hydroxyurea. Although ruxolitinib has been widely used in this setting, limited data exist in the literature on ruxolitinib treatment patterns and outcomes among patients with PV in routine clinical practice. We report a retrospective, observational, cohort study of patients treated for PV with ruxolitinib across three US centers (academic and regional practice) from December 2014-December 2019. The study included 69 patients, with a median follow-up duration of 3.7 years (95% CI, 2.9–4.4). Our data demonstrate very high rates of hematocrit control (88% of patients by three months and 89% by six months); few patients required dose adjustments or suspension. No arterial thromboses were observed; however, the follow-up duration does not allow for the generation of meaningful conclusions from this. Three patients had thrombotic events; one was in the setting of a second malignancy, one post-operative, and a third related to prolonged immobility. We also found that 28% of patients initiated ruxolitinib as a result of poorly controlled platelet counts, second only to hydroxyurea intolerance (46%) as a reason to start therapy. In clinical practice, ruxolitinib continues to be effective in controlling hematocrit levels after three and six months of treatment in patients and is associated with low thrombotic risk.
Development and evaluation of two open-source nnU-Net models for automatic segmentation of lung tumors on PET and CT images with and without respiratory motion compensation
Authors: Carles Montserrat , Kuhn Dejan , Fechter Tobias , Baltas Dimos , Mix Michael , Nestle Ursula , Grosu Anca L. , Martí-Bonmatí Luis , Radicioni Gianluca , Gkika Eleni
Published: April 2024

Objectives

In lung cancer, one of the main limitations for the optimal integration of the biological and anatomical information derived from Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) is the time and expertise required for the evaluation of the different respiratory phases. In this study, we present two open-source models able to automatically segment lung tumors on PET and CT, with and without motion compensation.

Materials and methods

This study involved time-bin gated (4D) and non-gated (3D) PET/CT images from two prospective lung cancer cohorts (Trials 108237 and 108472) and one retrospective. For model construction, the ground truth (GT) was defined by consensus of two experts, and the nnU-Net with 5-fold cross-validation was applied to 560 4D-images for PET and 100 3D-images for CT. The test sets included 270 4D- images and 19 3D-images for PET and 80 4D-images and 27 3D-images for CT, recruited at 10 different centres.

Results

In the performance evaluation with the multicentre test sets, the Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSC) obtained for our PET model were DSC(4D-PET) = 0.74 ± 0.06, improving 19% relative to the DSC between experts and DSC(3D-PET) = 0.82 ± 0.11. The performance for CT was DSC(4D-CT) = 0.61 ± 0.28 and DSC(3D-CT) = 0.63 ± 0.34, improving 4% and 15% relative to DSC between experts.

Conclusions

Performance evaluation demonstrated that the automatic segmentation models have the potential to achieve accuracy comparable to manual segmentation and thus hold promise for clinical application. The resulting models can be freely downloaded and employed to support the integration of 3D- or 4D- PET/CT and to facilitate the evaluation of its impact on lung cancer clinical practice.

Clinical relevance statement

We provide two open-source nnU-Net models for the automatic segmentation of lung tumors on PET/CT to facilitate the optimal integration of biological and anatomical information in clinical practice. The models have superior performance compared to the variability observed in manual segmentations by the different experts for images with and without motion compensation, allowing to take advantage in the clinical practice of the more accurate and robust 4D-quantification.

Key Points

Lung tumor segmentation on PET/CT imaging is limited by respiratory motion and manual delineation is time consuming and suffer from inter- and intra-variability.

Our segmentation models had superior performance compared to the manual segmentations by different experts.

Automating PET image segmentation allows for easier clinical implementation of biological information.
Impact of ischemic stroke topography on early clinical outcome of basilar artery occlusion: a retrospective study
Authors: Hernandez Petzsche Moritz R. , Maegerlein Christian , Wunderlich Silke , Ikenberg Benno , Zimmer Claus , Kirschke Jan S. , Boeckh-Behrens Tobias , Berndt Maria
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Basilar artery occlusion (BAO) may be etiologically attributed to embolism or in situ thrombosis due to basilar stenosis (BS). Patients with BAO due to BS (BAOS) are known to have worse outcomes than patients with embolic occlusions (BAOE). BAOS occurs more proximally in the basilar artery (BA) than BAOE. We hypothesize that differing brain stem infarct patterns contribute to outcome differences between these stroke etiologies.

Methods

This retrospective study includes 199 consecutive patients with BAO who received endovascular treatment at a single center. Final infarction in brain parenchyma dependent on the posterior circulation was graded semiquantitatively on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Associations to underlying stenosis and angiographic and clinical outcome variables were tested. The primary endpoint was early good clinical outcome (EGCO, mRS score ≤ 3 at discharge).

Results

Infarct extension of the medulla oblongata (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.07–0.86; p = 0.03), the inferior pons (OR = 0.328; 95% CI = 0.17–0.63; p = 0.001), the superior pons (OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.33–0.99; p = 0.046), and the occipital lobes (OR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.26–0.80; p = 0.006) negatively predicted EGCO. Infarct extension for other posterior-circulation-dependent brain regions was not independently associated with unfavorable early outcomes. Patients with BAOS had more proximal occlusions and greater infarct volumes in the inferior brain stem. Successful reperfusion (mTICI 2b-3) occurred more often in patients with BAOE than in BAOS (BAOE: 131 (96.3%); BAOS: 47 (83.9%), p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Unfavorable early outcomes in patients with BAOS may be explained by a higher likelihood of inferior brain stem infarcts and lower rates of reperfusion success.

Clinical relevance statement

Basilar artery occlusion due to underlying stenosis is associated with a poorer prognosis than that caused by embolism; these results suggest that aggressive endovascular therapy, usually involving the placement of a permanent stent, may be warranted in these patients.

Key Points

Inferior brain stem and occipital infarcts are prognostically unfavorable in basilar artery occlusion.

Basilar artery occlusion due to stenosis occurs more proximally and is associated with worse outcomes.

Differentiating etiologies of basilar artery occlusion may influence how aggressively treated the occlusion is.
External validation of the colorectal cancer risk score LiFeCRC using food frequency questions in the HUNT study
Authors: Brenne Siv S. , Ness-Jensen Eivind , Laugsand Eivor A.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To mitigate the increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence globally and prevent CRC at the individual level, individual lifestyle information needs to be easily translated into CRC risk assessment. Several CRC risk prediction models exist and their clinical usefulness depends on their ease of use. Our objectives were to assess and externally validate the LiFeCRC score in our independent, unselected population and to investigate the use of simpler food frequency measurements in the score.

Methods

Incidental colon and rectal cancer cases were compared to the general population among 78,580 individuals participating in a longitudinal health study in Norway (HUNT). Vegetable, dairy product, processed meat and sugar/confectionary consumption was scored based on food frequency. The LiFeCRC risk score was calculated for each individual.

Results

Over a median of 10 years following participation in HUNT, colon cancer was diagnosed in 1355 patients and rectal cancer was diagnosed in 473 patients. The LiFeCRC score using food frequencies demonstrated good discrimination in CRC overall (AUC 0.77) and in sex-specific models (AUC men 0.76 and women 0.77) in this population also including individuals ≥ 70 years and patients with diabetes. It performed somewhat better in colon (AUC 0.80) than in rectal cancer (AUC 0.72) and worked best for female colon cancer (AUC 0.81).

Conclusion

Readily available clinical variables and food frequency questions in a modified LiFeCRC score can identify patients at risk of CRC and may improve primary prevention by motivating to lifestyle change or participation in the CRC screening programme.
A dislocation-based finite element method for plastic collapse assessment in solid mechanics
Authors: Zona Renato , Minutolo Vincenzo
Published: April 2024

A displacement-based dislocation map has been used to build the eigenstress stress, which is the base of the structure’s limit analysis. The limit load has been calculated as the upper bound of any equilibrated stress that respects the compatibility inequalities by means of a linear optimization program. The eigenstress stress nodal parameters were assumed as the design variables, and the compatibility inequalities have been obtained from the Mises–Schleicher criterion, assuming that the stress belongs to the corresponding plastic domain. The numerical application has considered a linear secant representation of the domain, with a penalty factor on stresses, to correct the linearization error. Examples concerning a simply supported cantilever beam, a pipe section, and a plate with a circular hole highlighted the accuracy of the procedure with respect to the established literature. Moreover, the procedure has been applied to investigate plane structure examples. A square plate with variable elliptic holes has been analyzed, and the influence of ellipticity on the collapse load has been shown. The effects of porosity and heterogeneity of the structure with respect to the collapse load are shown considering the porous cantilever and representative volume element. The evaluation of the limit load along different element directions envisaged a point-wise calculation of the compatibility domain of the porous material to be used in the macro-scale analysis of the structures made of porous micro-cells.
When the lava meets the sea: emplacement of the 2–4 ka San Bartolo lava flow field, Stromboli volcano (Italy)
Authors: Shajahan Rasia , Harris Andrew J. L. , Zanella Elena , Gurioli Lucia , Test Claudio Robustelli , Calvari Sonia , Drovanti Lodovico
Published: April 2024

When a lava flow enters a body of water, either a lake, sea, river or ocean, explosive interaction may arise. However, when it is an 'a'ā lava flow entering water, a more complex interaction occurs, that is very poorly described and documented in literature. In this paper, we analysed the 2–4 ka San Bartolo lava flow field emplaced on the north flank of Stromboli volcano, Italy. The lava flow field extends from ~ 650 m a.s.l. where the eruptive fissure is located, with two lava channels being apparent on the steep down to the coast. Along the coast the lava flow field expands to form a lava delta ~ 1 km wide characterised by 16 lava ‘Flow’ units. We performed a field survey to characterise the features of lava entering the sea and the associated formation of different components and magnetic measurements to infer the flow fabrics and emplacement process of the lava flow system. We measured the density, porosity and connectivity of several specimens to analyse the effect of lava-water interaction on the content in vesicles and their connectivity and conducted a macroscopic componentry analysis (clast count) at selected sites to infer the character of the eroded offshore segment of the lava flow field and its component flow units. The collected data allowed us to define the main components of a lava delta fed by 'a'ā lava flows, with its channels, littoral units, ramps, lava tubes, and inflated pāhoehoe flows controlled by the arterial 'a'ā flow fronts. The spatial organisation of these components allowed us to build a three-step descriptive model for 'a'ā entering a water. The initial stage corresponds to the entry of channel-fed 'a'ā lava flow into the sea which fragments to form metric blocks of 'a'ā lava. Continued lava supply to the foreshore causes flow units to stall while spreading over this substrate. Subsequent 'a'ā lava flow units ramp up behind the stalled flow front barrier. Lava tubes extending through the stalled flow barrier feed the seaward extension of a bench made of several pāhoehoe flow units.
Benefits of applying hourly resolution in the assessment of the climate aptitude to manage tourist activities in arid regions
Authors: Nourmohammadi Fatemeh , Gómez-Martín María Belén
Published: April 2024

The availability of reliable information on local climatic-tourism conditions is a growing need due to the influence it exerts on the quality of the organizational strategy of tourist destination’s, and travel experience. Evaluations of the tourism potential of the climate have been carried out on a daily or monthly resolution, thus limiting the collection of detailed information that makes it possible to fine-tune tourism management and operational decision-making on an intraday scale. This research is the first case study to analyse the climatic suitability for nature tourism, using the weather types method at hourly resolution. The study applies to arid tourist destinations in Isfahan province (Iran). The detailed resolution has made it possible to identify the time slots favourable to the development of nature tourism in those periods of the year recognized as critical in the daily resolution analyses. In the same way, the hourly resolution has also identified critical bands in those periods indicated as favourable in the evaluations to daily resolution. The hourly resolution provides detailed information that can allow tourists and also tourism managers to establish intraday adaptation strategies that make it possible to develop the activity even in places with extreme climates.
Relation-wise transformer network and reinforcement learning for visual navigation
Authors: He Yu , Zhou Kang
Published: April 2024

The task of object goal navigation is to drive an embodied agent to find the location of a given target only using visual observation. The mapping from visual perception of observation determines the navigation actions. Heterogeneous relationships in the observation are the essential part of the scene graph, which can guide the agent to find the target more easily. In this work, we propose a novel Heterogeneous Zone Graph Visual Transformer formulation for graph representation and visual perception. It consists of two key ideas: (1) Heterogeneous Zone Graph (HZG) that explores the heterogeneous target-related zones graph and spatial information. It allows the agent to navigate efficiently. (2) Relation-wise Transformer Network (RTNet) that transforms the relationship between previously observed objects and navigation actions. RTNet extracts rich nodes and edges features as pays more attention to the target-related zone. We model self-attention on the node-to-node encoder and cross-attention on the edge-to-node decoder. We evaluate our methods on the AI2THOR dataset and show superior navigation performance. Code and datasets can be found inhttps://github.com/zhoukang12321/RTNet_VN_2023.
Prevalence of the protective OAS1 rs10774671-G allele against severe COVID-19 in Moroccans: implications for a North African Neanderthal connection
Authors: Yousfi Fatima Zahra El , Haroun Abbas Ermilo , Nebhani Chaimae , Belayachi Jihane , Askander Omar , Fahime Elmostafa El , Fares Hakima , Ennibi Khalid , Abouqal Redouane , Razine Rachid , Bouhouche Ahmed
Published: April 2024

The clinical presentation of COVID-19 shows high variability among individuals, which is partly due to genetic factors. The OAS1/2/3 cluster has been found to be strongly associated with COVID-19 severity. We examined this locus in the Moroccan population for the occurrence of the critical variant rs10774671 and its respective haplotype blocks. The frequency of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cluster of OAS immunity genes in 157 unrelated individuals of Moroccan origin was determined using an in-house exome database. OAS1 exon 6 of 71 SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals with asymptomatic/mild disease and 74 with moderate/severe disease was sequenced by the Sanger method. The genotypic, allelic, and haplotype frequencies of three SNPs were compared between these two groups. Finally, males in our COVID-19 series were genotyped for the Berber-specific marker E-M81. The prevalence of the OAS1 rs10774671-G allele in present-day Moroccans was found to be 40.4%, which is similar to that found in Europeans. However, it was found equally in both the Neanderthal GGG haplotype and the African GAC haplotype, with a frequency of 20% each. These two haplotypes, and hence the rs10774671-G allele, were significantly associated with protection against severe COVID-19 (p = 0.034, p = 0.041, and p = 0.008, respectively). Surprisingly, in men with the Berber-specific uniparental markers, the African haplotype was absent, while the prevalence of the Neanderthal haplotype was similar to that in Europeans. The protective rs10774671-G allele of OAS1 was found only in the Neanderthal haplotype in Berbers, the indigenous people of North Africa, suggesting that this region may have served as a stepping-stone for the passage of hominids to other continents.
Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA): from carcinogenesis to drug resistance
Authors: Li Zhaoxing , Qian Daohai
Published: April 2024

Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) is a circular form of DNA that exists outside of the chromosome. Although it has only been a few decades since its discovery, in recent years, it has been found to have a close relationship with cancer, which has attracted widespread attention from researchers. Thus far, under the persistent research of researchers from all over the world, eccDNA has been found to play an important role in a variety of tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, etc. Herein, we review the sources of eccDNA, classifications, and the mechanisms responsible for their biogenesis. In addition, we introduce the relationship between eccDNA and various cancers and the role of eccDNA in the generation and evolution of cancer. Finally, we summarize the research significance and importance of eccDNA in cancer, and highlight new prospects for the application of eccDNA in the future detection and treatment of cancer.
Brief report of fatal rainfall-triggered landslides from record-breaking 2023 storms in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Brook Martin S. , Nicoll Chris
Published: April 2024

The aim of this paper is to report on fatal landslides resulting from two extraordinary storm events in January and February 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand, including the characteristics of the terrain, the site geology, and the storms. The January 27 Auckland Anniversary storm was from an “atmospheric river,” dumping Summer’s worth of rain (265 mm) in one day. This was the highest 24-h total on record, estimated a 1 in 200-year event, with a peak 2-min rainfall of 4.2 mm, coinciding with Friday’s evening “rush hour.” This led to widespread landsliding throughout Auckland, including a fatal landslide in Parnell, central Auckland. Notably, this occurred only meters from a similarly destructive landslide in 1997. With January 2023 Auckland’s wettest January on record, and with the region still in a state of emergency, Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle crossed the region on February 13–14. This also caused widespread landsliding, including a fatal landslide at Muriwai on the west Auckland coast. Fatal landslides from the same escarpment had occurred in 1965, close to the February 13, 2023, fatal landslide. Taken together, both storm events caused > 140,000 landslides across the North Island, and flooding, making hundreds of people homeless, with damage estimates of > US$8.6 billion (3.4% of NZ’s GDP). For future disaster risk reduction, attention should be paid to revising legislation and local planning, which currently allows people to legally build (and re-build) houses in landslide-prone areas of New Zealand.