bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on microstructure and mechanical properties of 5052 aluminum alloy MIG welded joint for high-speed train
Authors: Liu Shuang , Liu Zhanqi , Wang Haijiang , Liang Jianhui , Zhu Xiaoou
Published: August 2024

In this paper, the MIG welding process is utilized to weld a 3 mm thick 5052 aluminum alloy plate by using ER5356 welding wire as filler. The effects of different welding speeds on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld are systematically studied utilizing a metallographic microscope, x-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, room temperature tensile, and microhardness. It was found that there were pore defects in the samples at lower or higher welding speeds, and there was no penetration at the maximum welding speed. When the welding speed is 650 mm min−1, the weld is well-formed, the surface is flat without pores, the fish scale is evenly distributed, and the weld shows good penetration. The intermetallic compounds of all the welds are mainly composed of α(Al), Mg2Si, Al3Fe, and Al3Mg2. The mechanical properties of the samples show that the hardness of the weld reaches the maximum value of 56.7HV at this welding speed, and the tensile strength and elongation are 210 MPa and 14.3%, respectively. The fracture is located at the junction of the base metal and the heat-affected zone, and the fracture type showed typical ductile fracture.
Novel polybenzoxazine-based arylidene moiety modified cellulose acetate for enhanced antifouling properties
Authors: Klfout Hafsah , Asiri Abdullah M , Alamry Khalid A , Hussein Mahmoud A
Published: August 2024

Marine fouling is a widespread problem in the maritime industry, causing significant damage to equipment and vessels. Polybenzoxazine (PBz) is a resin that is both remarkable and captivating, and it has a wide range of sophisticated uses. Due to their distinctive characteristics, benzoxazines have sparked the interest of scholars globally. However, most benzoxazine resin production and processing depend on petroleum resources, particularly those based on bisphenol A. This study aimed to create new benzoxazine monomers using bio-based raw materials, primarily motivated by the environmental ramifications. The main goal of this study is to synthesize a benzoxazine molecule, specifically (2E,6E)-2,6-bis(3-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,3]oxazin-6-yl)methylene) cyclohexane-1-one, abbreviated as (CHPE), by employing an arylidene base. Later, the chemical was used as a modifier for the cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to create film samples. The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of these film samples in preventing fouling. The CHPE molecule was produced using a bis(arylidene) cyclohexanone diol and analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques, respectively. The films were fabricated by blending various weight proportions. The composition of the (CHPE-CA) films was determined by FTIR analysis, while their morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal stability of the films was studied using Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). This study investigated the antifouling properties of polymer sheet compositions containing varying amounts of CA at two different processing temperatures, 180 °C and 200 °C and without curing. The results demonstrated the potential of incorporating CA into the polymer matrix to enhance antifouling performance. Among the polymer compositions tested, the 20% CA composition exhibited the highest percentage reduction in fouling at both processing temperatures, suggesting that a small amount of CA can contribute to effective antifouling properties.
Technical note: MR image-based synthesis CT for CyberKnife robotic stereotactic radiosurgery
Authors: Jiao Shengxiu , Zhao Xiaoqian , Zhou Peng , Geng Mingying
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether deep learning-based sCT images enable accurate dose calculation in CK robotic stereotactic radiosurgery. A U-net convolutional neural network was trained using 2446 MR-CT pairs and used it to translate 551 MR images to sCT images for testing. The sCT of CK patient was encapsulated into a quality assurance (QA) validation phantom for dose verification. The CT value difference between CT and sCT was evaluated using mean absolute error (MAE) and the statistical significance of dose differences between CT and sCT was tested using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. For all CK patients, the MAE value of the whole brain region did not exceed 25 HU. The percentage dose difference between CT and sCT was less than ±0.4% on GTV (D2(Gy), −0.29%, D95(Gy), −0.09%), PTV (D2(Gy), −0.25%, D95(Gy), −0.10%), and brainstem (max dose(Gy), 0.31%). The percentage dose difference between CT and sCT for most regions of interest (ROIs) was no more than ±0.04%. This study extended MR-based sCT prediction to CK robotic stereotactic radiosurgery, expanding the application scenarios of MR-only radiation therapy. The results demonstrated the remarkable accuracy of dose calculation on sCT for patients treated with CK robotic stereotactic radiosurgery.
Anatomy-constrained synthesis for spleen segmentation improvement in unpaired mouse micro-CT scans with 3D CycleGAN
Authors: Jiang Lu , Xu Di , Sheng Ke
Published: August 2024

Objective. Auto-segmentation in mouse micro-CT enhances the efficiency and consistency of preclinical experiments but often struggles with low-native-contrast and morphologically complex organs, such as the spleen, resulting in poor segmentation performance. While CT contrast agents can improve organ conspicuity, their use complicates experimental protocols and reduces feasibility. We developed a 3D Cycle Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN) incorporating anatomy-constrained U-Net models to leverage contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) insights to improve unenhanced native CT (NACT) segmentation. Approach. We employed a standard CycleGAN with an anatomical loss function to synthesize virtual CECT images from unpaired NACT scans at two different resolutions. Prior to training, two U-Nets were trained to automatically segment six major organs in NACT and CECT datasets, respectively. These pretrained 3D U-Nets were integrated during the CycleGAN training, segmenting synthetic images, and comparing them against ground truth annotations. The compound loss within the CycleGAN maintained anatomical fidelity. Full image processing was achieved for low-resolution datasets, while high-resolution datasets employed a patch-based method due to GPU memory constraints. Automated segmentation was applied to original NACT and synthetic CECT scans to evaluate CycleGAN performance using the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and the 95th percentile Hausdorff Distance (HD95p). Main results. High-resolution scans showed improved auto-segmentation, with an average DSC increase from 0.728 to 0.773 and a reduced HD95p from 1.19 mm to 0.94 mm. Low-resolution scans benefited more from synthetic contrast, showing a DSC increase from 0.586 to 0.682 and an HD95p reduction from 3.46 mm to 1.24 mm. Significance. Implementing CycleGAN to synthesize CECT scans substantially improved the visibility of the mouse spleen, leading to more precise auto-segmentation. This approach shows the potential in preclinical imaging studies where contrast agent use is impractical.
Seismocardiography and echocardiography: the correlation in the systolic complex
Authors: Kolind Christoffer Mejling , Tange Alberte Bjerre , Sten Sandra Toft , Sonne Maria Mathilde Sauer , Agam Ahmad , Søgaard Peter , Schmidt Samuel
Published: August 2024

Aim. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between seismocardiographic and echocardiographic systolic variables and whether a decrease in preload could be detected by the seismocardiography (SCG). Methods. This study included a total of 34 subjects. SCG and electrocardiography were recorded simultaneously followed by echocardiography (echo) in both supine and 30◦ head-up tilted position. The SCG signals was segmented into individual heartbeats and systolic fiducial points were defined using a detection algorithm. Statistical analysis included correlation coefficient calculations and paired sample tests. Results. SCG was able to measure a decrease in preload by almost all of the examined systolic SCG variables. It was possible to correlate certain echo variables to SCG time intervals, amplitudes, and peak to peak intervals. Also, changes between supineand tilted position of some SCG variables were possible to correlate to changes in echo variables. LVET, IVCT, S’, strain, SR, SV, and LVEF were significantly correlated to relevant SCG variables. Conclusion. This study showed a moderate correlation, between systolic echo and systolic SCG variables. Additionally, systolic SCG variables were able to detect a decrease in preload.
GAN-ACNN: a design decision-making algorithm based on EEG signals from different brain regions
Authors: Yang Bokai , Xue Huang , Ye Ziming , Yang Jingmin
Published: August 2024

Decision-making is an integral part of an individual’s life. Due to the small amount of data in the art design decision dataset, we increase the amount of data using data augmentation. However, different brain regions have distinct effects on the accuracy of art design decisions, so we divide the brain into four areas and investigate the influence of each on the results. We collect electroencephalogram (EEG) data from 16 subjects, apply a band-pass filter to filter it, and then feed it into a generative adversarial network (GAN) for data augmentation. The augmented EEG data is input to a convolutional neural network with a self-attention mechanism (ACNN). The experimental results show that the degree of influence of different brain regions is: right frontal lobe > right parietal-temporal-occipital lobe > left frontal lobe > left parietal-temporal-occipital lobe. In view of this, we find the six optimal channels for art design decisions, and their prediction results are better than those of all channels. In addition, our GAN-ACNN model achieves an average accuracy of 93.51%, which is an effective method. Finally, we also classify the DEAP dataset to evaluate the robustness of the model.
Faster-YOLOv5: real-time deep learning for sea cucumber defect recognition and classification
Authors: Meng Huang , Wei Honglei
Published: August 2024

To tackle the challenges of precise recognition and classification of sea cucumbers in food processing, including issues like external lighting conditions, hardware limitations, and slow inference speeds, we propose a lightweight Faster-YOLOv5 network for the recognition and classification of common sea cucumber defects. Firstly, we utilize the GhostNetV2 network fused with the Mixed Local Channel Attention (MLCA) mechanism as the backbone, enhancing model feature representation and lightweight characteristics to ensure efficient operation in resource-limited environments. Additionally, by introducing an Auxiliary Head (Aux head), we bolster training stability and efficiency, guiding the model to focus on intermediate feature learning, thereby improving generalization and accuracy in detecting various target categories. Lastly, the MPDIoU loss function is employed to optimize the intersection over union between predicted and ground truth bounding boxes, aiming to reduce false detection rates and accelerate model training convergence. The experimental results demonstrate that the network achieves a precision of 96.83% and an mAP@0.5 of 95.12% in sea cucumber recognition, with an inference speed of 82.71 frames per second. This method balances accuracy and inference speed, offering a viable solution for similar problems.
A generalizable approach to imbalanced classification of residential electric space heat
Authors: Lee Christopher S , Zhao Zhizhen , Stillwell Ashlynn S
Published: August 2024

Changes in climate and energy technologies motivate a greater understanding of residential electricity usage and its relation to weather conditions. The recent proliferation of smart electricity meters promises an influx of new datasets spanning diverse cities, geographies, and climates worldwide. However, although analytics for smart meters is a rapidly expanding field of research, issues such as generalizability to new data and robustness to data quality remain underexplored in the literature. We characterize residential electricity consumption patterns from a large, uncurated testbed of smart electricity meter data, revealing challenges in adapting existing methodologies to datasets with different scopes and locations. We propose a novel feature—the proportion of electricity used below a temperature threshold—summarizing a household’s demand-temperature profile that is productive for identifying electric primary space heating in a smart meter data set of Chicago single-family residences. Weighted logistic regression using the proportion of electricity consumed below a selected low temperature mitigates difficulties of the dataset such as skew and class imbalance. Although the limitations of the dataset restrict some approaches, this experiment suggests advantages of the feature that can be adapted to study other datasets beyond the identification of space heating. Such data-driven approaches can be valuable for knowledge distillation from abundant, uncurated smart electricity meter data.
In vitro observation of histone-hexamer association with and dissociation from the amino-terminal region of budding yeast Mcm2, a subunit of the replicative helicase
Authors: Hizume Kohji
Published: August 2024

During DNA replication, core histones that form nucleosomes on template strands are evicted and associate with newly synthesized strands to reform nucleosomes. Mcm2, a subunit of the Mcm2-7 complex, which is a core component of the replicative helicase, interacts with histones in the amino-terminal region (Mcm2N) and is involved in the parental histone recycling to lagging strands. Herein, the interaction of Mcm2N with histones was biochemically analyzed to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying histone recycling by Mcm2N. With the addition of Mcm2N, a histone hexamer, comprising an H3-H4 tetramer and an H2A-H2B dimer, was excised from the histone octamer to form a complex with Mcm2N. The histone hexamer, but not H3-H4 tetramer was released from Mcm2N in the presence of Nap1, a histone chaperone. FACT, another histone chaperone, stabilized Mcm2N-histone hexamer complex to protect from Nap1-dependent dissociation. This study indicates cooperative histone transfer via Mcm2N and histone chaperones.
Lifetime incidence and healthcare disparities in alopecia areata: a UK population-based cohort study
Authors: Thompson Andrew R , Tziotzios Christos , Nesnas John , Randall Rowena , Czachorowski Maciej , Messenger Andrew G
Published: August 2024

Background

Alopecia areata (AA) is an immune-mediated form of hair loss that can occur at any age, often with a significant mental health burden.

Objectives

We aimed to provide estimates of the lifetime incidence of AA, and the impacts on mental health, healthcare utilization and work-related outcomes, assessing variation across major sociodemographic subgroups.

Methods

AA cases were identified in primary care from the UK population-based Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre database (2009–2018). Lifetime incidence of AA was estimated at age 80 years using modified time-to-event models with age as the timescale, overall and stratified by sex, ethnicity, deprivation and geography. Mental health, healthcare utilization and work-related outcomes were assessed in the 2 years after AA diagnosis compared with matched unaffected controls, and stratified by the same sociodemographic subgroups.

Results

During the study period, 6961 people developed AA. Overall lifetime incidence of AA was 2.11% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.06–2.16]. Females had a higher lifetime incidence (2.35%, 95% CI 2.28–2.43) than males (1.88%, 95% CI 1.81–1.94). Lifetime incidence was higher in those of Asian ethnicity (5.87%, 95% CI 5.51–6.24), Other (4.5%, 95% CI 3.63–5.31), Mixed (4.4%, 95% CI 3.50–5.37) and Black (3.0%, 95% CI 2.63–3.42) ethnicity, compared with White ethnicity (1.7%, 95% CI 1.68–1.80). Lifetime incidence was highest in those with the greatest deprivation: most-deprived quintile (2.92%, 95% CI 2.77–3.07) compared with least-deprived (1.68%, 95% CI 1.59–1.78). Across sociodemographic subgroups, people with AA of Black ethnicity were most likely to have anxiety (adjusted odds ratio vs. matched controls 2.92, 95% CI 1.71–4.91), and had the greatest risk of time off work (adjusted hazard ratio vs. matched controls 2.54, 95% CI 1.80–3.56).

Conclusions

AA affects around 1 in 50 people over their lifetime. The incidence and impact of AA on mental health and work outcomes is highest in ethnic groups other than White. Clinicians should be aware of the marked heterogeneity in the incidence and impact of AA, and support targeted healthcare to groups at the highest risk of alopecia and its consequences.
71794 - Breast reduction surgery in breast cancer patients - a retrospective cohort study regarding surgical, cosmetic and patient-reported outcomes
Authors: Noorzaei Maria , Heiman Jenny
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Breast reduction surgery (BRS) is an oncoplastic method used for breast conserving surgery for breast cancer. The choice and timing of contralateral surgery is based on patient preference, risk factors and complications in relation to expected adjuvant treatment.

Method

Female patients who underwent BRS (unilateral or bilateral) for breast cancer between 2018-2022 were analyzed retrospectively regarding complications, reoperations and cosmetic outcome (Bcct.core Global assessment). Patient-reported outcome (BREAST-Q reduction module) was collected prospectively. Three groups; unilateral BRS (1), immediate bilateral breast surgery, at least one side BRS (2) and a later contralateral BRS (3) were compared using a nonparametric test with 0.05 significance level.

Result

Among eligible patients, 39 consented to inclusion (group 1 n=12, group 2 n=12, group 3 n=15). The mean age was 55 years, 97,5% were ASA class 1 or 2 and mean BMI was 26.8.There were two reoperations, one due to bleeding (group 3) and one for wound dehiscence (group 1). There were no statistical differences regarding complications, CCI was 5, 6.1 and 7.6 for group 1-3 respectively. The Bcct.core global assessment score was median “fair” (group 1) and “good” (group 2 and 3), with a significant difference between group 2 and 1. Satisfaction with breast (BREAST-Q) showed a median of 59 (all), with no group difference.

Discussion

No difference in complications or BREAST-Q score was seen between the groups. A significantly better aesthetic outcome was seen for immediate bilateral breast reduction surgery. This knowledge can add to the shared decision-making regarding oncoplastic breast reduction surgery for breast cancer patients.
72278 - Defining excellence: the first core set of quality indicators for Hirschsprung’s disease care
Authors: Rossi Daniel , Granström Anna Löf , Teunissen Nadine , Vilanova Alejandra , Lambe Cecile , Leon Francesco Fascetti , de Blaauw Ivo , Bjornland Kristin , Tabbers Merit , Ellebaek Mark , Pakarinen Mikko , Schwarzer Nicole , Rolle Udo , Glaudemans Dirk-Jan , Prato Alessio Pini , Wester Tomas , Wijnen Rene , Sloots Cornelius
Published: August 2024

Introduction

This study aimed to establish a core set of quality indicators to benchmark Hirschsprung’s disease (HSCR) care across hospitals within a European clinical audit framework (EPSA; European Pediatric Surgical Audit), focusing on short- and long-term outcomes, and care quality improvement.

Method

An online Delphi method gathered inputs from health care professionals (HCPs) belonging to both ERNICA-recognized and non-recognized expert centers, and from patient representatives (PRs) in the field of HSCR. They evaluated baseline characteristics and potential outcome-, structure- and process indicators for HSCR care, identified through a systematic literature and guideline review, on a nine-point Likert-scale over three Delphi questionnaire rounds. The items selection criteria were predefined, with participants selecting the five to ten most essential indicators for the core set in the second and third rounds.

Result

An international panel of 8 PRs and 96 multidisciplinary HCPs from 59 hospitals in 17 countries completed all three Delphi rounds (response rate 73%), eventually including 11 baseline characteristics and 36 indicators. Six indicators were universally prioritized. Each group (HCPs and PRs) proposed four exclusive indicators. A mutual agreement was subsequently reached, with HCPs endorsing the indicators proposed by PRs and vice versa.

Discussion

This study established a core indicator set of 11 baseline characteristics, 5 outcome indicators, 2 structure indicators, and 7 process indicators for evaluating (quality of) HSCR care. These indicators, to be implemented in the EPSA, aim to highlight practice variations and guide HSCR care quality improvement, laying the groundwork for new guideline development after three years of data collection
71490 - Risk of complications following intraoperative rendezvous ERCP as compared to conventional ERCP
Authors: Anrep-Nordin Marcus , Högberg Dominika , Biörserud Christina , Katsarelias Dimitrios
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Gallstone diseases, affecting up to 20% of European population, frequently results in hospitalization due to conditions such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, and pancreatitis. Treatment involves laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and/or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Failure to cannulate the papilla Vateri during ERCP or inadvertent pancreatic duct cannulation could lead to post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP), occurring in 3-15%. An alternative method is intraoperative ERCP with rendezvous cannulation, using a guidewire inserted through the cystic duct, which could facilitate the access. Present study aims to investigate the post-operative complications of intraoperative ERCP with rendezvous cannulation compared to ERCP without rendezvous technique.

Method

Patients that underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and ERCP due to gallstone diseases between 2013-01-01 and 2022-12-31 were analyzed. Data was collected retrospectively from medical records covering variables such as demographic data, indication, cannulation technique, duration of surgery, and complications. Complications were defined as PEP, cholangitis, bleeding, and perforation.

Result

359 patients were identified with 386 ERCPs performed. There were 240 with rendezvous technique and 146 without. 58 patients with pancreatitis as indication of ERCP were excluded from the “PEP”-group, leaving 203 with rendezvous and 124 without. 23 with cholangitis in the “cholangitis”-group were excluded, leaving 226 with and 138 without.

Of a total of 58 complications there were 39.7% PEP (n=23), 8.6% cholangitis (n=5), 41.4% bleeding (n=24) and 10.3% perforations (n=6).

Discussion

Using rendezvous technique during ERCP reduces the risk of PEP from 13.3% to 2.97%, as compared to conventional cannulation during ERCP (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.5, P <0.001).
72249 - AIR score and CT scan utilization in all patients operated for acute appendicitis 2023 in a University Hospital
Authors: Jönsson Josefin , Rosemar Anders
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Acute appendicitis(AA) is a common surgical emergency.

The diagnosis is confirmed by the pathologists in the PathologicalAnatomicDiagnoses (PAD).

To get an indication for surgical treatment a combination of clinical assessment, laboratory tests and CT scan are used.

Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) score can stratify the probability of AA as an alternative to or combined wirh imaging.

The aim was to examine the use of AIR score and CT scan respectively.

Method

Retrospective observational study of all adult patients operated for AA in the Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Gothenburg, Sweden during January-December 2023.

AIR score and CT scan results were registered respectively and compaired with the results of PAD and peroperative diagnosis.

Result

Two-hundred-forty-nine patients (mean age 40 years) operated with laparoscopic/open surgery (91/9 %) for AA were included.

PAD was analyzed in 98% and positive in 96% of these (AA, phleghmonous or gangenous +/- perforation) based on neutrophils in the appendiceal wall.

CT scan was performed in 90% of all and in 98% of these AA were verified.

AIR score stratification was documented in 60% of the 249.

Peroperative diagnoses were precisely documented in the majority.

Discussion

The utilization of CT scan in almost everyone were unexpected.

Few operations, even in the high probability of complicatedAA group, were done without CT scan.

AIR score was documented/performed in only slightly more than half of the patients.

The explorative laparoscopy was rarely used as an alternative to imaging.

The most common explanations from our coworkers are the insufficient hospital beds and an unexperienced staff?
72118 - Surgical Unit Volume and Reoperation for Recurrence Following Total Extra-Peritoneal Groin Hernia Repairs: Nationwide Population-based Register Study
Authors: Widman Filippa , Bergström Mathias , Widhe Björn , Bringman Sven , Melkemichel Maria
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The quality of total extra-peritoneal groin hernia repair (TEP-GHR) and recurrence rates are influenced by various factors, potentially including the annual volume of repairs conducted by surgical units. The precise nature of this relationship remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the surgical unit volume influence on reoperation rates for recurrence following TEP-GHR.

Method

This observational nationwide population-based study utilized prospectively collected data from the Swedish Hernia Register. Patient ≥15 years old who underwent a TEP-GHR between 2015 and 2019 were eligible. Follow-up time was minimum 3 years after surgery. Surgical units were grouped into; low-volume (<12 repairs/year), low-medium volume (12-50 repairs/year), medium-high volume (>50-150 repairs/year) and high-volume (>150 repairs/year) units. Primary outcome was reoperation for recurrence. Secondary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days.

Result

20,656 elective TEP-GHR’s were included across 75 surgical units. The reoperation rate for recurrence was higher in all three lower-volume groups; low-volume (5.3%), low-medium (3.8%) and medium-high (3.5%) compared to the high-volume group (2.9%). Adjusted multivariate cox regression analysis revealed a statistically significant increased hazard ratio for reoperation for recurrence in the low-volume group: 1.87 (95% CI 1.31-2.67) and in the low-medium volume group; 1.32 (95% CI 1.07-1.62) compared to the high-volume group. No difference was seen between the groups regarding the risk of postoperative complications.

Discussion

The risk of reoperation for recurrence following TEP-GHR was significantly increased in surgical units with less than 50 repairs performed per year. These findings may influence guidelines on required annual surgical unit volume to improve patient outcomes following TEP-GHR.
Ethical Accompaniment and End-of-Life Care
Authors: Snyder Joshua R
Published: August 2024

A theology of accompaniment offers insights on how to journey with and be present to those who suffer from terminal illness. In order to sustain acts of accompaniment, the companion must cultivate specific virtues through prayer and the practices of the Christian community. This ethic of accompaniment is based on a Thomistic conceptualization of the virtues of charity and fortitude. These virtues enable the companion to engage in four types of practices with and on behalf of the dying patient. Ethical accompaniment offers the following contributions to end-of-life care, the companion can function as a healthcare proxy, offers a viable alternative to physician-assisted suicide, and overcomes the loss of meaning associated with death through the Christian narrative.
Refugee sousveillance: observation and co-optation in The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives
Authors: Misra Smita
Published: August 2024

Narratives are a matter of life and death for refugee subjects in the US. They are managed through a juridico-political process called Refugee Status Determination (RSD). Under the surveillant gaze of RSD, refugee subjects are forced to narrativize their lives using the language of persecution in exchange for state protection. This article contributes to critical refugee studies (CRS) scholarship which challenges the dehumanizing impacts of RSD’s surveillant gaze. Extending Vinh Nguyen’s concept of refugeetude, I develop a framework for refugee sousveillance. I define refugee sousveillance as the co-optation of refugee narratives such that they consciously defy the juridico-political surveillance of RSD towards a creative, open, coalitional future with other refugee subjects and marginalized groups. Refugee sousveillance applies bell hooks’ oppositional gaze (1992) and Browne’s (2015)  dark sousveillance to refugeetude. Identifying a noteworthy collection of essays written by a coalition of elite refugee writers, I provide examples of refugee sousveillance as both process and product.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Queer authenticity and strategic Westernness
Authors: Willard Zane Austin , Dubrofsky Rachel E
Published: August 2024

We analyze RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs The World (UKVTW), part of the larger RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise—one of the most popular current media representations of queerness. UKVTW features participants from different countries competing to be “Queen of the Mother-Tucking World.” We examine the intersection of queerness and whiteness, exploring the tension between national identity, racialization, and drag performance. Building on scholarship about reality TV and authenticity, we argue the series queers conventional notions of authenticity in reality TV by privileging fluid gender identities. Developing the notion of “strategic Westernness” we examine how the series presents a postracial imaginary that obfuscates race by foregrounding nationality: seemingly progressive representations of gender ultimately privilege white and Western participants.
Examining Clinical Features and Severe Neurologic Disease of Parechovirus Infection in Young Infants: A Multistate Cohort Study
Authors: Evans Amanda S , Singh Sumit , Joshi Charuta , Filkins Laura , Akkoyun Esra , Custodio Haidee , Daniels Elizabeth A , Kao Carol M , Richardson Katherine , Carrillo-Marquez Maria , Borré Carla I , Oliveira Carlos R , Espinosa Claudia , Mandelia Yamini , Mazade Marc , Kimberlin David W
Published: August 2024

Background

Human parechovirus (HPeV) infection can result in severe disease in infants, including sepsis, seizures, brain injury, and death. In 2022, a resurgence of HPeV was noted in young infants. The spectrum of illness and outcomes remain to be fully described.

Methods

A multistate retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate hospitalizations and outcomes of infants aged ≤6 months admitted in 2022 with laboratory-confirmed HPeV infection. Infants with severe disease were defined as having clinical seizures, or abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalogram during admission. Infants with severe versus nonsevere disease were compared using descriptive statistics.

Results

A total of 124 U.S. infants were identified with HPeV in 11 states. Cases of HPeV peaked in May and presented at a median of 25.8 days of life (0–194 d) with fever, fussiness, and poor feeding. Bacterial and other viral co-infections were rare. Thirty-three (27%) of infants had severe neurologic disease, were more likely to present at an earlier age (13.9 vs 30 days of life, P < .01), have preterm gestation (12% vs 1%, P = .02), and present with respiratory symptoms (26% vs 8%, P = .01) or apnea (41% vs 1%, P < .001). Subcortical white matter cytoxic cerebral edema was common in severe cases. Two infants with HPeV died during admission with severe neurologic HPeV disease; no infant with mild HPeV disease died.

Conclusions

This is the largest, geographically diverse U.S. study to describe the 2022 HPeV outbreak among infants. Longitudinal follow up of infants is needed to define predictors and outcomes of severe HPeV disease.
Adrenal and metabolic hormones demonstrate risk–reward trade-offs for African elephants foraging in human-dominated landscapes
Authors: Oduor Sandy , Gichuki Nathaniel N , Brown Janine L , Parker Jenna , Kimata Dennis , Murray Suzan , Goldenberg Shifra Z , Schutgens Maurice , Wittemyer George
Published: August 2024

A key driver of the African savannah elephant population decline is the loss of habitat and associated human–elephant conflict. Elephant physiological responses to these pressures, however, are largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we evaluated faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations as an indicator of adrenal activity and faecal thyroid metabolite (fT3) concentrations as an indicator of metabolic activity in relation to land use, livestock density, and human landscape modification, while controlling for the effects of seasonality and primary productivity (measured using the normalized difference vegetation index). Our best-fit model found that fGCM concentrations to be elevated during the dry season, in areas with higher human modification index values, and those with more agropastoral activities and livestock. There was also a negative relationship between primary productivity and fGCM concentrations. We found fT3 concentrations to be higher during the wet season, in agropastoral landscapes, in locations with higher human activity, and in areas with no livestock. This study highlights how elephants balance nutritional rewards and risks in foraging decisions when using human-dominated landscapes, results that can serve to better interpret elephant behaviour at the human–wildlife interface and contribute to more insightful conservation strategies.
Assessing the outcomes of posterior thoracic para-aortic lymph node dissection after induction chemotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shigeno Takashi , Otomo Mayuko , Kajiyama Daisuke , Sato Kazuma , Fujiwara Naoto , Kinugasa Yusuke , Daiko Hiroyuki , Fujita Takeo
Published: August 2024

Posterior thoracic para-aortic lymph node (TPAN) metastasis is a distant metastasis of esophageal cancer. Several case reports have shown that radical esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy for posterior TPAN improve the prognosis of patients with cStage IVB esophageal cancer and solitary posterior TPAN metastasis; however, the true value of this procedure is unclear. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of lymphadenectomy for posterior TPAN after induction chemotherapy in esophageal cancer. This study enrolled 15 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy for cStage IVB esophageal cancer with solitary posterior TPAN metastasis after induction chemotherapy between January 2013 and October 2022 at our hospital. The short- and long-term of radical esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy for posterior TPAN were retrospectively evaluated. All patients who underwent radical esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy for posterior TPAN achieved a pR0 in this study. The median operative time and intraoperative blood loss were 385 minutes and 164 ml, respectively. Four patients (26.7%) had postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo grade II or more. The median postoperative hospital stay was 15 days. The 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates were 55.6% (95% confidence interval: 23.1–79.0) and 55.0% (95% confidence interval: 25.3–77.2), respectively. We showed that lymphadenectomy for posterior TPAN metastasis was associated with an improved prognosis of some patients with advanced esophageal cancer. This technique may serve as a viable treatment option for patients who respond well to induction chemotherapy.
Revisiting the OBS seafloor compliance signal removal with a stationarity and stacking-based approach: the BRUIT-FM toolbox
Authors: Rebeyrol Simon , Ker Stéphan , Duval Laurent , Crawford Wayne C
Published: August 2024

This study focuses on improving the seafloor compliance noise removal method, which relies on estimates of the compliance transfer function frequency response (the deformation of the seafloor under long-period pressure waves). We first propose a new multiscale deviation analysis of broad-band ocean–bottom seismometer data to evaluate stationarity properties that are key to the subsequent analysis. We then propose a new approach to removing the compliance noise from the vertical channel data, by stacking daily estimated transfer function frequency responses over a period of time. We also propose an automated transient event detection and data selection method based on a cross-correlation criterion. As an example, we apply the method to data from the Cascadia Initiative (network 7D2011). We find that the spectral extent of long-period forcing waves varies significantly over time so that standard daily transfer function calculation techniques poorly estimate the transfer function frequency response at the lowest frequencies, resulting in poor denoising performance. The proposed method more accurately removes noise at these lower frequencies, especially where coherence is low, reducing the mean deviation of the signal in our test case by 27 per cent or more. We also show that our calculated transfer functions can be transferred across time periods. The method should allow better estimates of seafloor compliance and help to remove compliance noise at stations with low pressure-acceleration coherence. Our results can be reproduced using the BRUIT-FM Python toolbox, available at https://gitlab.ifremer.fr/anr-bruitfm/bruit-fm-toolbox.
Mirikizumab Sustained Impact on Fatigue in Patients with Moderately to Severely Active Crohn’s Disease in the Phase 2 AMAG Study
Authors: Regueiro Miguel , Fischer Monika , Bossuyt Peter , McGinnis Kim , Protic Marijana , Hunter Gibble Theresa , Panni Tommaso , Chan Lai Shan , Hibi Toshifumi , Rubin David T
Published: August 2024

Background

Fatigue is a burdensome, under-recognized, multidimensional symptom experienced by patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). We evaluated the impact of mirikizumab on fatigue and the association between changes in select patient-reported outcomes and clinical measures with changes in fatigue from baseline to week 104 (W104).

Methods

Patients (N = 191) were randomized (2:1:1:2) to receive placebo (PBO), 200 mg, 600 mg, or 1000 mg of mirikizumab, administered intravenously (IV) every 4 weeks at W0, W4, and W8. Patients who achieved ≥1 point improvement in Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (SES-CD) and received mirikizumab at W12 (rerandomized maintenance cohort) were rerandomized to continue induction IV treatment assignment (IV-C) or received 300 mg of mirikizumab subcutaneously (SC) until W52. Nonrandomized maintenance cohort had endoscopic nonimprovers (1000 mg) and PBO patients (PBO/1000 mg) who received 1000 mg of mirikizumab until W52. Subjects from the maintenance period with clinical benefit received 300 mg SC Q4W from W52 to W104. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire was used to assess fatigue, and the FACIT-F associations were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results

At W12, mirikizumab groups reported improved FACIT-F scores compared with PBO, and improvement was maintained through W52 and W104. Changes in FACIT-F at W52 and W104 had strong correlations with changes at the same time point in quality of life (QoL) scores but lacked correlations with changes in inflammatory biomarkers.

Conclusions

Mirikizumab treatment significantly improved fatigue in patients with moderately to severely active CD, which was sustained to W104. The improvement in fatigue was correlated with improvement in clinical measures and was strongly correlated with improvement in QoL.
Modeling Organismal Responses to Changing Environments
Authors: Greenlee Kendra J , Padilla Dianna K
Published: August 2024

Synopsis

Throughout their lives, organisms must integrate and maintain stability across complex developmental, morphological, and physiological systems, all while responding to changing internal and external environments. Determining the mechanisms underlying organismal responses to environmental change and development is a major challenge for biology. This is particularly important in the face of the rapidly changing global climate, increasing human populations, and habitat destruction. In January 2024, we organized a symposium to highlight some current efforts to use modeling to understand organismal responses to short- and long-term changes in their internal and external environments. Our goal was to facilitate collaboration and communication between modelers and organismal biologists, which is one of the major aims of the Organismal Systems-type Modeling Research Coordination Network, OSyM. Accompanying this introduction are a series of papers that are aimed to enhance research and education in linking organismal biology and modeling and contribute to building a new community of scientists to tackle important questions using this approach.
Law’s ideology: Neoliberalism and developmentalism in Egyptian jurisprudence
Authors: Sultany Nimer
Published: August 2024

This article contrasts neoliberal and developmental Egyptian judicial responses to questions of social justice to examine the role of law in shaping the economy. It argues that the Supreme Constitutional Court’s jurisprudence, both before and after the Arab Spring, has advanced a neoliberal counterrevolution and legitimated an anti-egalitarian and unjust social order. In contrast, administrative courts’ rulings, particularly those that challenged the privatization of public assets after the Arab Spring, represent a developmental approach that exposes neoliberal fallacies and advances social justice and the common good. Notwithstanding neoliberal invocations of constitutional legitimacy and the rule of law, the existence of an alternative within the field of legal interpretation illustrates that constitutionalism is a site for ideological contestation between opposing visions of the social order.
Orbits of Linear Series on the Projective Line
Authors: Deopurkar Anand , Patel Anand
Published: August 2024

We compute the equivariant fundamental class of the orbit closure of a linear series on the projective line. We also describe the boundary of the orbit closure and how the orbits specialize in one parameter families.
Regular Subgraphs of Linear Hypergraphs
Authors: Janzer Oliver , Sudakov Benny , Tomon István
Published: August 2024

We prove that the maximum number of edges in a 3-uniform linear hypergraph on $n$ vertices containing no 2-regular subhypergraph is $n^{1+o(1)}$. This resolves a conjecture of Dellamonica, Haxell, Łuczak, Mubayi, Nagle, Person, Rödl, Schacht, and Verstraëte. We use this result to show that the maximum number of edges in a $3$-uniform hypergraph on $n$ vertices containing no immersion of a closed surface is $n^{2+o(1)}$. Furthermore, we present results on the maximum number of edges in $k$-uniform linear hypergraphs containing no $r$-regular subhypergraph.
Fluoroquinolones and the risk for incidental seizures: a comparative retrospective study
Authors: Gueta Itai , Yonath Hagith , Fluss Ronen , Oberman Bernice , Oppenheim Amit , Ozeri David , Kreiss Yitshak , Loebstein Ronen
Published: August 2024

Background

Over the years, reports have associated fluoroquinolones (FQ) with seizures. The incidence and whether FQ compared to non-epileptogenic antibiotic are associated with increased risk of seizures has yet to be examined.

Methods

A retrospective observational study of hospitalized patients treated with FQ (ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin) or macrolides (MA: azithromycin or roxithromycin) between January 2009 and January 2021 in a large tertiary academic medical centre. The outcome was the occurrence of a seizure during treatment. The Naranjo scale was used to assess causality between FQ treatment and seizures. Comparative analysis was conducted using propensity score matching to correct for possible bias due to non-random selection, followed by inverse probability weighting (IPW) to estimate the difference in seizure risk between FQ and MA.

Results

Overall, 52 722 patients were treated with FQ during a total of 178 982 days. Mean age was 65 (±19) years and 47% were females. Thirty-three patients (0.06%) experienced a seizure, yielding an incidence of 1:5422 treatment days. Causality was deemed probable and possible among 9/33 and 24/33, respectively. The MA group composed of 8522 patients treated during 17 954 treatment days. Mean age was 65 (±21) years, 49% were females. Six (0.07%) patients experienced each a single seizure. IPW estimated OR for seizures among the FQ versus MA group was 1.44 (95%CI 0.59–3.5, P = 0.42).

Discussion

The incidence of FQ associated seizures among hospitalized patients is low and the risk did not significantly exceed that under macrolides. Our results provide evidence for clinicians and decision-makers when balancing fluoroquinolones risks and benefits.
Lamivudine dosing for preterm infants exposed to HIV: a population pharmacokinetic modelling and simulation study
Authors: Bekker Adrie , Capparelli Edmund V , Mirochnick Mark , Clarke Diana F , Cotton Mark F , Shapiro Roger , McCarthy Katie , Moye Jack , Violari Avy , Chokephaibulkit Kulkanya , Abrams Elaine , Penazzato Martina , Ruel Theodore D , Cressey Tim R
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To develop a pragmatic twice daily lamivudine dosing strategy for preterm infants from 24 to 37 completed weeks of gestation.

Methods

Data were combined from eight pharmacokinetic studies in neonates and infants receiving lamivudine oral solution. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using non-linear mixed effects regression. Different lamivudine dosing strategies, stratified by gestational age at birth (GA) bands, were simulated in a virtual population of preterm infants, aimed at maintaining lamivudine drug exposures (AUC0-12) within a reference target range of 2.95 to 13.25 µg·h/mL, prior to switching to WHO-weight band doses when ≥4 weeks of age and weighing ≥3 kg.

Results

A total of 154 infants (59% female) contributed 858 lamivudine plasma concentrations. Median (range) GA at birth was 38 (27–41) weeks. At the time of first pharmacokinetic sampling infants were older with median postnatal age (PNA) of 6.3 (0.52–26.6) weeks. Lamivudine concentrations were described by a one-compartment model, with CL/F and V/F allometrically scaled to weight. Maturation of CL/F was described using an Emax model based on PNA. CL/F was also adjusted on GA to allow extrapolation for extreme prematurity. Simulations predicted an optimal lamivudine dosing for infants GA ≥24 to <30 weeks of 2 mg/kg twice daily from birth until weighing 3 kg; and for GA ≥30 to <37 weeks, 2 mg/kg twice daily for the first 4 weeks of life, followed by 4 mg/kg twice daily until weighing 3 kg.

Conclusions

Model-based predictions support twice daily pragmatic GA band dosing of lamivudine for preterm infants, but clinical validation is warranted.