bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma response to pulsed ion acoustic wave excitation
Authors: Jin Chenyao , Yip Chi-Shung , Zhang Wei , Jiang Di , Li Jiangang
Published: October 2024

Experimental investigations into the plasma’s response to a pulsed ion acoustic wave excited via a grid have been carried out in a quiescent, multi-dipole confined hot cathode discharge. A frequency limit at ∼1/140 of the ion plasma frequency f
pi has been found in the plasma’s ion acoustic response to the excitation wave. This limiting response frequency is much lower than a plasma’s expected ion acoustic resonance frequency, which previous computational and experimental investigations revealed to be >f
pi/10. The corresponding wavelength at ∼860 times the Debye length λ
Debye also mismatches both the plasma resonance wavelengths, the device dimensions and the grid dimensions. It was found that multi-cycle pulses do not drastically change the frequency but only increase the response amplitude, which closely reflects the increase in transmitted total pulse energy. These findings show that the preferred plasma response to an excitation pulse might not reflect its wave resonance characteristics and other plasma parameter related effects might be at play. Experiments also show an inverse relationship between plasma density and excited wave amplitude with identical excitation parameters, and a strong inverse correlation between the amplitude of the excited wave and the expected sheath thickness near the launch grid, suggesting that the fundamental process of exciting ion acoustic waves mirrors that of capacitively coupled plasma heating, i.e. via sheath fluctuations. The change of the ion acoustic wave damping length is also found to reflect the change of neutral pressure but only up a certain limit, which could be either due to a cone expansion of the launched waves and/or an additional damping mechanism other than ion-neutral collisions. The implications of these findings for other wave-related plasmas, i.e. pulsed rf-plasmas, are discussed.
Research on rotational rollback suppression of diamond-shaped active locking flexure mechanism (ALFM) driven by piezoelectric wafers
Authors: Li Xiaotao , Peng Xiangyou , Li Jingzhe , Wang Shengjiang , Zhang Qiuyu , Feng Mengxi , He Lipeng , Yan Langlang
Published: October 2024

Piezoelectric actuators have a wide range of applications in many areas due to their advantages of fast response speed, high resolution, compact and simple structure, diverse configurations, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. However, existing piezoelectric actuators generally have large fallback, and a few researchers have applied the ALFM to the fallback suppression of actuators. In this paper, an ALFM using a piezoelectric wafer as the driving source is innovatively designed, and the structure and dimensions are simulated and optimized using Finite Element Method, according to which the piezoelectric wafer-type ALFM is used to design a new inertial piezoelectric actuator that can suppress backward movement. The motion principle of the piezoelectric actuator is theoretically analyzed, followed by the establishment of the machine dynamics model of the piezoelectric actuator and simulation with MATLAB/simulink to verify the reasonableness of the dynamics model. Finally, a series of experiments are carried out on the processed drive model, and the results show that the maximum accuracy of the actuator is 8.5 μrad, and the maximum load capacity is 160 g. The comparison experiments at 30 Hz and 40 Hz with and without the ALFM prove that the locking mechanism does supress the actuator from backing off to a certain extent, which verifies the reasonableness of the scheme proposed in this paper.
A Real-time Monitor for TeV Gamma-Ray Flare with the LHAASO-WCDA Detector
Authors: Xiang G. M. , Zha M. , Zhou J. N. , Xing Y.
Published: October 2024

With its high duty cycle, wide field of view and high detection sensitivity, Water Chereknov Detector Array as one of sub-arrays of Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory is a promising facility to monitor transient phenomena in the very high energy gamma-ray band. In this work, a real-time monitor for selected TeV extragalactic sources is introduced, this flare monitor is developed to detect very high energy flare events and for further studying the power-providing mechanism of blazar relativistic jets. The detailed information such as the searching method and sensitivity of this real-time flare monitor is also presented. In the end, successful multi-wavelength and multi-messenger observation of 1ES 1959+650 and IC 310 also confirms the capabilities and reliability of the monitoring system.
Development of an optical measurement system for strain determination in concrete structures
Authors: Mineo M. , Alustiza D.H. , Aredes D. , Ciciarelli J.P. , Castiglioni G. , Vaio E. , Russo N.A.
Published: October 2024

Health monitoring activities in concrete structures are
crucial tools in Civil Engineering for both maintenance processes
and durability assessment. These activities carry significant
economic implications within the field of civil projects. At the
regional level, locally produced products and services for such
monitoring are lacking. This deficiency is likely due to the high
costs associated with importing and deploying such systems, thus
limiting the implementation of structural health monitoring
practices. However, strain measurement is a key parameter in
structural monitoring techniques, and optical sensors have emerged
as attractive alternatives due to their inherent advantages over
conventional technologies. Recognizing the potential benefits and
economic impact of such systems in civil project management, and
noting the void in the regional market, this article presents the
results of a technological development undertaken as part of a
start-up technological project. Specifically, an optical system was
designed, implemented, and tested for strain measurement in concrete
structures using locally manufactured fiber optic sensors based on
Bragg gratings.
The unaccounted-for climate costs of materials
Authors: Colligan Paikea , Roijen Elisabeth Van , Kane Seth , Moore Frances , Miller Sabbie A
Published: October 2024

Materials production is a primary driver of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions; yet the externalized costs of these emissions on society are not reflected in market prices. Here, we estimate the externalized climate costs from materials production in the United States at approximately 79 billion USD per annum, and we highlight disparities in materials pricing. Proper accounting for such disparities can be leveraged to drive breakthroughs in technologies used for our material resources and manufacturing.
Baker–Akhiezer function for the deformed root system

B
C
(
l
,
1
)

and bispectrality
Authors: McWhinnie Iain , Rooke Liam , Vrabec Martin
Published: October 2024

We show that a Sergeev–Veselov difference operator of rational Macdonald–Ruijsenaars (MR) type for the deformed root system

B
C
(
l
,
1
)

preserves a ring of quasi-invariants in the case of non-negative integer values of the multiplicity parameters. We prove that in this case the operator admits a (multidimensional) Baker–Akhiezer eigenfunction, which depends on spectral parameters and which is, moreover, as a function of the spectral variables an eigenfunction for the (trigonometric) generalised Calogero–Moser–Sutherland (CMS) Hamiltonian for

B
C
(
l
,
1
)

. By an analytic continuation argument, we generalise this eigenfunction also to the case of more general complex values of the multiplicities. This leads to a bispectral duality statement for the corresponding MR and CMS systems of type

B
C
(
l
,
1
)

.
History of land status, land use, and land cover of two oil palm plantations in Riau Province
Authors: Nahlunnisa H
Published: October 2024

Deforestation in Indonesia is often attributed to oil palm plantations. it is essential to investigate the historical land use origins within these plantations. This study aimed to identify the history of land status, type of land use and land cover of oil palm plantations. The research was conducted on two oil palm plantations located in Riau Province. Analysis involved overlaying maps, interpreting Landsat images from before the plantations were established, conducting a literature review, and interviews. The findings revealed that the majority of the land was classified as non-forest area (98.6%) according to the Minister of Forestry decree and earmarked for plantations and agriculture (99.01%) under the Riau Provincial Spatial Plan. Analysis indicated that the plantations had converted shrublands, former community lands, and peat swamp forests. Before conversion, the plantations exhibited four primary land cover and land use types: young bush (45%), secondary dryland forest (36%), old bushes (16%), and open land (3%). These results suggest that the activities undertaken by these two oil palm plantations did not contribute to deforestation, as they operated predominantly in non-forest areas.
In silico dosimetry for a prostate cancer treatment using 198Au nanoparticles
Authors: Angelocci Lucas Verdi , Sgrignoli Sabrina Spigaroli , de Souza Carla Daruich , Antunes Paula Cristina Guimarães , Rostelato Maria Elisa Chuery Martins , Zeituni Carlos Alberto
Published: October 2024

Objective. To estimate dose rates delivered by using radioactive 198Au nanoparticles for prostate cancer nanobrachytherapy, identifying contribution by photons and electrons emmited from the source. Approach. Utilizing in silico models, two different anatomical representations were compared: a mathematical model and a unstructured mesh model based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 145 phantom. Dose rates by activity were calculated to the tumor and nearby healthy tissues, including healthy prostate tissue, urinary bladder wall and rectum, using Monte Carlo code MCNP6.2. Main results. Results indicate that both models provide dose rate estimates within the same order of magnitude, with the mathematical model overestimating doses to the prostate and bladder by approximately 20% compared to the unstructured mesh model. The discrepancies for the tumor and rectum were below 4%. Photons emmited from the source were defined as the primary contributors to dose to other organs, while 97.9% of the dose to the tumor was due to electrons emmited from the source. Significance. Our findings emphasize the importance of model selection in dosimetry, particularly the advantages of using realistic anatomical phantoms for accurate dose calculations. The study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of 198Au nanoparticles in achieving high dose concentrations in tumor regions while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. Beta emissions were found to be predominantly responsible for tumor dose delivery, reinforcing the potential of 198Au nanoparticles in localized radiation therapy. We advocate for using realistic body phantoms in further research to enhance reliability in dosimetry for nanobrachytherapy, as the field still lacks dedicated protocols.
Exploring dynamic spatiotemporal relationships among multiple ecosystem systems to identify priority restoration areas: a case study in the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Wen Xin , Zhen Lin , Xiao Yu
Published: October 2024

Ecological restoration has significantly improved ecosystem services (ESs) in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Identifying spatial priority restoration areas based on ESs plays a key role in future ecological restoration, as dynamic trade-off relationships exist in multiple ESs. This study examined the dynamic spatial and temporal relationships among soil erosion, carbon storage, and habitat quality from 1988 to 2020 and explored the spatial priority restoration areas in Yan’an, the Loess Plateau. We found that ecological restoration has improved soil erosion, carbon storage, and habitat quality in the entire Yan’an over the past three decades, but low values of ES areas were concentrated in north Yan’an. Trade-offs occurred in soil erosion, carbon storage, and habitat quality from 1988 to 2020. Significant trade-off relationship areas moved from south to north Yan’an, concentrating on Wuqi, Zhidan, Ansai counties, and north Baota district. Moreover, a high level of vegetation cover was maintained in Yan’an in 2015 and 2020, but we did not find a significant improvement for three ESs in 2020 in comparison to 2015. Thus, a focus should be on the maintenance of the level of vegetation in 2020 and priority restoration areas tend to be clustered in four counties located in north Yan’an. However, knowledge on what vegetation threshold is compatible with a good level of ES is missing. Future research may investigate the threshold of vegetation cover for providing multiple ES on a regional scale, even expanding to the entire Loess Plateau, and further identifying spatial priority restoration areas across the Loess Plateau.
Analysis on magnetization arrangements of ring-type permanent magnets in four surface levitation superconducting magnetic bearing
Authors: Jo Ju Hak , Choe Yun , Ryu Yu Gwang
Published: October 2024

A superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB) composed of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) and permanent magnets (PMs) is simple and easy in use since it is not necessary to supply a source of electricity for excitation windings. However, the SMB is restricted in the load capacity because of the limitation of the magnetization strength of the PM. Thus, it is a very important problem to improve the load capacity of the SMB. In this paper, we determined a suitable direction of the magnetization of ring-type PMs that brings about the maximum levitation force in the four-surface levitation superconducting magnetic bearing (FSL-SMB) composed of a ring-type HTS bulk and six ring-type PMs. The levitation system, considered in a two-dimensional axisymmetric system, is simulated for the field cooling (FC) state using the H-formulation and the finite-element method. Our simulation results show that the maximum levitation force is generated when only the upper ring-type of PMs is combined with opposite polarity. Also, changing of geometric size of PMs does not strongly influence the suitable magnetization arrangement of PMs for maximum levitation force. The FSL-SMB with opposite polarity provides significantly improved SMBs.
Odious Debt
Authors: Jones Corredera Edward
Published: October 2024

This book is the first history of odious debt. This five-hundred-year history shows that the origins of debates on legitimate and illegitimate state debts date back to Hugo Grotius’ moral critique of the Spanish Empire. Latin American rebels and rulers harnessed these ideas as they sought to establish what their nations owed the Spanish Crown. Commutative debt continued to shape relations in the Catholic Spanish Empire while contracts became the law of the land in Protestant Europe and North America. With a focus on Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, this book draws on archival sources in seven countries, overlooked congressional debates, and understudied thinkers. It analyses how officials who drafted Latin America’s first constitutions reconciled Catholic ideas of moral economy with visions of justice embedded in the Protestant law of nations. Debates over slavery, reprisal, and property rights shaped the creation of the new Latin American states. When constitutions failed and interventions over unpaid debts increased, Latin Americans sought to turn the law of nations into a code for a global moral economy. The sanctity of contracts was used to legitimate interventions and yet, as Latin American thinkers countered, the use of violence undermined the sacred purpose of debt: to fulfil the state’s obligations to the community. Today, as China’s global financial expansion grows by the day and international politics are increasingly dominated by debates on reparations, Latin America can reframe what it owes to the world and what the West owes to the rest.
Sensitivity Analysis for Attributable Fraction in the Presence of Unmeasured Confounding
Authors: Sim Hyunman , Tai An-Shun , Lee Whanhee , Lee Woojoo
Published: October 2024

A main goal of epidemiology is to provide an impact of an exposure on health outcomes. The attributable fraction (AF) is a widely used measure for quantifying its contribution. Various methods have been developed to estimate AF, including standardization, inverse probability of treatment weighting, and doubly robust methods. However, the validity of these methods is established based on the conditional exchangeability assumption, which cannot be tested using only observed data. To assess how vulnerable the research findings are to departures from this assumption, researchers need to conduct a sensitivity analysis. In this study, we propose novel sensitivity analysis methods for AF. Sensitivity analysis problems are formulated as optimization problems, and analytic solutions for the problem are derived. We illustrate our proposed sensitivity analysis methods with a publicly available dataset and examine how the AF of the mother’s smoking status during pregnancy for low birth weight changes to the degree of unmeasured confounding.
Automated CT-based decoupling of the effects of airway narrowing and wall thinning on airway counts in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Nadeem Syed Ahmed , Zhang Xinyu , Nagpal Prashant , Hoffman Eric A , Chan Kung-Sik , Comellas Alejandro P , Saha Punam K
Published: October 2024

Objective

We examine pathways of airway alteration due to wall thinning, narrowing, and obliteration in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using CT-derived airway metrics.

Methods

Ex-smokers (N = 649; age mean ± std: 69 ± 6 years; 52% male) from the COPDGene Iowa cohort (September 2013-July 2017) were studied. Total airway count (TAC), peripheral TAC beyond 7th generation (TACp), and airway wall thickness (WT) were computed from chest CT scans using previously validated automated methods. Causal relationships among demographic, smoking, spirometry, COPD severity, airway counts, WT, and scanner variables were analysed using causal inference techniques including direct acyclic graphs to assess multi-pathway alterations of airways in COPD.

Results

TAC, TACp, and WT were significantly lower (P < .0001) in mild, moderate, and severe COPD compared to the preserved lung function group. TAC (TACp) losses attributed to narrowing and obliteration of small airways were 4.59%, 13.29%, and 32.58% (4.64%, 17.82%, and 45.51%) in mild, moderate, and severe COPD, while the losses attributed to wall thinning were 8.24%, 17.01%, and 22.95% (12.79%, 25.66%, and 33.95%) in respective groups.

Conclusions

Different pathways of airway alteration in COPD are observed using CT-derived automated airway metrics. Wall thinning is a dominant contributor to both TAC and TACp loss in mild and moderate COPD while narrowing and obliteration of small airways is dominant in severe COPD.

Advances in knowledge

This automated CT-based study shows that wall thinning dominates airway alteration in mild and moderate COPD while narrowing and obliteration of small airways leads the alteration process in severe COPD.
Beyond the cochlea: exploring the multifaceted nature of hearing loss in primary mitochondrial diseases
Authors: Koohi Nehzat , Holmes Sarah , Male Amanda , Bamiou Doris-Eva , Dudziec Magdalena M , Ramdharry Gita M , Pizzamiglio Chiara , Hanna Michael G , Pitceathly Robert D S , Kaski Diego
Published: October 2024

Primary mitochondrial diseases, with diverse systemic manifestations, often present with auditory impairments due to mitochondrial dysfunction. This study provides an in-depth exploration of auditory deficits in primary mitochondrial diseases, highlighting the impact of various pathogenic variants on both cochlea and neural/central auditory functions. An observational study involving 72 adults with primary mitochondrial diseases was conducted. Participants underwent extensive audiological evaluations including pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex thresholds, quick speech-in-noise test, listening in spatialized noise-sentences test, auditory-evoked brainstem responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Multivariate analysis of covariance and logistic regression analyses assessed the influence of various pathogenic DNA variants, accounting for age, cognitive status via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and disease severity through the Newcastle Mitochondrial Disease Adult Scale. Participants with the pathogenic m.3243A>G/T variants (m.3243A>G n = 40; m.3243A>T n = 1) exhibited significant elevations in pure-tone audiometry thresholds, especially at high frequencies, suggesting cochlea involvement. Notably, the listening in spatialized noise-sentences test showed significant spatial processing deficits in the m.3243A>G/T group, possibly indicating a unique mutation-specific impact on central auditory processing. Auditory-evoked brainstem response results highlighted a higher likelihood of auditory brainstem response abnormalities in this group, further substantiating neural/central auditory pathway involvement. This study emphasizes the heterogeneous nature of hearing impairment in primary mitochondrial diseases, with a genotype–phenotype correlation, particularly in the m.3243A>G/T group. These insights advocate for personalized, genotype-specific auditory assessments and targeted management strategies. Conventional hearing aids and cochlear implants are ineffective for those with central auditory dysfunctions related to mitochondrial mutations. There is an urgent need for innovative rehabilitation strategies catering for both cochlear and neural/central auditory pathways.
Natural progression of basal cell carcinomas in patients awaiting surgical intervention
Authors: Lam Mun W , Wells Helena , Zhao Andrew , Gibbs Heidi , Tso Simon , Wernham Aaron
Published: October 2024

Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are slow-growing keratinocyte tumours. There are few reports in the literature reporting the natural history of untreated BCCs. We evaluated the natural progression of BCCs and patient outcomes while awaiting surgical intervention. Only patients with histologically proven BCCs were included in our analysis. Retrospective data analysis was performed for a sample of 55 patients (in total, 70 lesions). There was a significant correlation between the average growth of BCCs and the time waiting for a procedure, with 20% of patients requiring a more complex procedure than originally planned at the time of booking. The top three most frequently reported symptoms were itching (39.4%), crusting (36.4%) and bleeding (30.3%). We report a positive relationship between BCC growth and the length of time from initial presentation to surgical treatment. Patients with long waits often exhibited more symptoms and required more complex surgical procedures than originally planned, especially for BCCs in the head and neck.
UeLP: accurate user linkage across social platforms against location errors
Authors: Liu Ruiting , Li Ruixiang , Shi Wenqi , Du Shaoyong , Liu Yimin , Luo Xiangyang
Published: October 2024

User linkage across social platforms can connect the accounts of the same user across different social networks, which is crucial for the identification of users’ multiple social identities and cross-platform association analysis. Cross-platform user linkage based on location is a typical method in current research. These methods typically rely on check-in data to calculate user similarity. However, different from check-in location, the location data obtained from instant messaging social platforms may contain random errors, leading to low accuracy of user linkage of such methods. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an accurate user linkage method across social platforms against location errors. First, unlike existing methods that employ fixed-size grids, this paper uses a multi-grained spatio-temporal grid to organize data, in order to accurately extract user features from error locations. Then, by extracting coarse-grained movement pattern features from user trajectories, candidate users are filtered out, and a small subset of candidate uses is generated to effectively reduce the search space. Next, we establish a weight model based on grid contribution and motion sequence similarity to extract location and temporal features with stronger user orientation. Finally, according to the weight model, the weighted cluster center distance of trajectories is used to calculate the similarity between two different user trajectories. The user with the highest similarity is selected from the candidate subset to complete the user linkage. The extensive experiments are conducted on six public datasets containing 115 866 trajectories and a self-built dataset with 5358 trajectories. The results show the following: compared with the four existing typical location-based methods $k$-BCT, GS, TF-IDF, and TF-IWF, the accuracy Acc@1 is improved by an average of 33%, 44.94%, 15.2%, and 14.55%, respectively, and the accuracy Acc@3 is improved by 30.52%, 34.67%, 13.84%, and 13.19%, respectively.
International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus consensus on management of the failed fundoplication
Authors: Kohn Geoffrey P , Hassan Cesare , Lin Edward , Wong Yu-Hong Ian , Morozov Sergey , Mittal Sumeet , Thompson Sarah K , Lin Chelsea , Chen David , Elliott Jordi , Jahagirdar Varun , Newman Natasha , Shukla Rippan , Siersema Peter , Zaninotto Giovanni , Griffiths Ewen A , Wijnhoven Bas P ,   ISDE Collaborating Members Group
Published: October 2024

Fundoplication is a durable, effective, and well-accepted treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Nonetheless, troublesome postoperative symptoms do occasionally occur with management varying widely among centers. In an attempt to standardize definition and management of postfundoplication symptoms, a panel of international experts convened by the Guidelines Committee of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus devised a list of 33 statements across 5 domains through a Delphi approach, with at least 80% agreement to establish consensus. Eight statements were endorsed for the domain of Definitions, four for the domain of Investigations, nine for Dysphagia, nine for Heartburn, and four for Revisional surgery. This consensus defined as the treatment goal of fundoplication the resolution of symptoms rather than normalization of physiology or anatomy. Required investigations of all symptomatic postfundoplication patients were outlined. Further management was standardized by patients’ symptomatology. The appropriateness of revisional fundoplication and the techniques thereof were described and the role of revisional surgery for therapies other than fundoplication were assessed. Fundoplication remains a frequently-performed operation, and this is the first international consensus on the management of various postfundoplication problems.
The Bidirectional Effects of Periodontal Disease and Oral Dysbiosis on Gut Inflammation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Zilberstein Netanel F , Engen Phillip A , Swanson Garth R , Naqib Ankur , Post Zoe , Alutto Julian , Green Stefan J , Shaikh Maliha , Lawrence Kristi , Adnan Darbaz , Zhang Lijuan , Voigt Robin M , Schwartz Joel , Keshavarzian Ali
Published: October 2024

Background and Aims

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flares can lead to excessive morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine whether oral dysbiosis/periodontal disease (PD) is common in IBD and is associated with disease activity in IBD.

Methods

This single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, proof-of-concept, and observational study assessed the frequency of periodontal inflammatory disease and interrogated oral and stool microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of active-IBD (aIBD), inactive-IBD (iIBD), and healthy controls (HC). Questionnaires assessed diet, alcohol usage, oral hygiene behavior, and disease activity. A subset of participants underwent comprehensive dental examinations to evaluate PD.

Results

Periodontal disease was severer in aIBD subjects than in HC, as aIBD had poorer quality diets (lower Mediterranean diet scores) than iIBD and HC. Significant differences in microbial community structure were observed in unstimulated saliva, stimulated saliva, gingiva, and stool samples, primarily between aIBD and HC. Saliva from aIBD had higher relative abundances of putative oral pathobionts from the genera Streptococcus, Granulicatella, Rothia, and Actinomyces relative to HC, despite similar oral hygiene behaviors between groups.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that patients with aIBD have severer periodontal disorders and higher relative abundances of putative ‘pro-inflammatory’ microbiota in their oral cavity, despite normal oral hygiene behaviors. Our data are consistent with the potential presence of an oral-gut inflammatory axis that could trigger IBD flare-ups in at-risk patients. Routine dental health assessments in all IBD patients should be encouraged as part of the health maintenance of IBD and as a potential strategy to decrease the risk of IBD flares.
Suspected contained rupture of a coronary artery aneurysm followed by a re-rupture: a case report
Authors: Miyamoto Ryota , Kageyama Norihito , Suzuki Ryo , Kokawa Tatsuya , Fujinaga Hiroyuki
Published: October 2024

Background

Most coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are clinically asymptomatic and are only detected incidentally during cardiac imaging. However, CAAs can cause fatal complications such as cardiac tamponade following a rupture. Reports of contained ruptures of CAAs are limited.

Case summary

An 89-year-old man had a severe, acute-onset chest pain 2 days prior. The patient was referred to our hospital because of residual dyspnoea and a fever. The blood tests exhibited high C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels; moreover, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and transthoracic echocardiography revealed a diffuse mild pericardial effusion, which had not been detected six months prior. The fever and pericardial effusion persisted, and the main cause was not clearly understood. On Day 19, the patient had a sudden loss of consciousness after chest pain. Contrast-enhanced CT showed an increase in the pericardial effusion, and coronary angiography showed a CAA in the proximal right coronary artery with extravasations that probably sealed. A re-rupture following a contained rupture of the CAA was considered, and it was suspected that the prolonged fever and pericardial effusion were related to the contained rupture associated with the first episode of chest pain.

Discussion

Our case showed that a contained rupture of a CAA can cause a fatal event by a re-rupture and may present with a prolonged fever and pericardial effusion. A contained rupture of a CAA should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with a prolonged fever and pericardial effusion of unknown origin after an acute onset of chest pain.
Ten-year survival benefit and appropriateness of surgical versus percutaneous revascularization in synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with Taxus and cardiac surgery randomized trial
Authors: Serruys Patrick W , Ninomiya Kai , Revaiah Pruthvi C , Gao Chao , Garg Scot , van Klaveren David , Onuma Yoshinobu , Kappetein Arie Pieter , Davierwala Piroze , Mack Michael , Thuijs Daniel J F M , Taggart David P , Milojevic Milan
Published: October 2024

OBJECTIVES

Average treatment effects from randomized trials do not reflect the heterogeneity of an individual’s response to treatment. This study evaluates the appropriate proportions of patients for coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous intervention based on the predicted/observed ratio of 10-year all-cause mortality in the SYNTAX population.

METHODS

The study included 1800 randomized patients and 1275 patients in the nested percutaneous (n = 198) or surgical (n = 1077) registries. The primary end point was 10-year all-cause mortality. The SYNTAX score II-2020 was validated internally in the randomized cohort and externally in the registry cohort. Proportions of patients with survival benefits from coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous intervention were determined using SYNTAX score II-2020.

RESULTS

Ten-year mortality was 23.8% for coronary artery bypass grafting, 28.6% for percutaneous intervention in the randomized cohort, 27.6% for coronary artery bypass grafting and 55.4% for percutaneous intervention in the registries. In the coronary artery bypass grafting registry, the SYNTAX score II-2020 predicted 10-year mortality with helpful calibration and discrimination (C-index: 0.70, intercept: 0.00, slope: 0.76). The proportion of patients deriving a predicted survival benefit from coronary artery bypass grafting over percutaneous intervention was 82.4% (2143/2602) and 17.7% (459/2602) for the entire SYNTAX trial population, translating into a 4.7 to 1 appropriate ratio of treatment allocation to coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Choosing a revascularization modality should depend on an individual’s long-term prognosis rather than average treatment effects. Additionally, patients should be informed about their predicted prognosis.

Trial registration

Registered on clinicaltrial.gov

SYNTAXES

NCT03417050 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03417050)

SYNTAX

NCT00114972 (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00114972)
Genomic Localization Bias of Secondary Metabolite Gene Clusters and Association with Histone Modifications in Aspergillus
Authors: Zhang Xin , Leahy Iseult , Collemare Jérȏme , Seidl Michael F
Published: October 2024

Fungi are well-known producers of bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs), which have been exploited for decades by humankind for various medical applications like therapeutics and antibiotics. SMs are synthesized by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs)—physically co-localized and co-regulated genes. Because BGCs are often regulated by histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), it was suggested that their chromosomal location is important for their expression. Studies in a few fungal species indicated an enrichment of BGCs in sub-telomeric regions; however, there is no evidence that BGCs with distinct genomic localization are regulated by different histone PTMs. Here, we used 174 Aspergillus species covering 22 sections to determine the correlation between BGC genomic localization, gene expression, and histone PTMs. We found a high abundance and diversity of SM backbone genes across the Aspergillus genus, with notable unique genes within sections. Being unique or conserved in many species, BGCs showed a strong bias for being localized in low-synteny regions, regardless of their position in chromosomes. Using chromosome-level assemblies, we also confirmed a significantly biased localization in sub-telomeric regions. Notably, SM backbone genes in sub-telomeric regions and about half of those in low-synteny regions exhibit higher gene expression variability, likely due to the similar higher variability in H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 histone PTMs; while variations in histone H3 acetylation and H3K9me3 are not correlated to genomic localization and expression variation, as analyzed in two Aspergillus species. Expression variability across four Aspergillus species further supports that BGCs tend to be located in low-synteny regions and that regulation of expression in those regions likely involves different histone PTMs than the most commonly studied modifications.
Association Between TTV Viremia, Chronic Inflammation, and Ischemic Heart Disease Risk: Insights From MARK-AGE and Report-Age Projects
Authors: Giacconi Robertina , Piacenza Francesco , Maggi Fabrizio , Bürkle Alexander , Moreno-Villanueva María , Mancinelli Lucia , Spezia Pietro Giorgio , Novazzi Federica , Drago Ferrante Francesca , Minosse Claudia , Grossi Paolo Antonio , Mancini Nicasio , Cecati Monia , Dollé Martijn E T , Jansen Eugène , Grune Tilman , Gonos Efstathios S , Franceschi Claudio , Capri Miriam , Weinberger Birgit , Sikora Ewa , Debacq-Chainiaux Florence , Stuetz Wolfgang , Hurme Mikko , Slagboom P Eline , Bernhardt Jürgen , Gentilini Davide , Calzari Luciano , Di Rosa Mirko , Bonfigli Anna Rita , Galeazzi Roberta , Cherubini Antonio , Lattanzio Fabrizia , Provinciali Mauro , Malavolta Marco
Published: October 2024

The implication of Torquetenovirus (TTV) in ischemic heart disease (IHD) has not been thoroughly explored. This study investigated the association between TTV viremia, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and IHD risk in an aging population. This cross-sectional study included 900 non-IHD subjects and 86 individuals with IHD (aged 55–75 years) selected from the MARK-AGE project. Results were verified in another independent Report-Age cohort, including 94 inpatients with chronic IHD and 111 inpatients with non-IHD (aged 65–96 years). Multivariable logistic regression in the MARK-AGE cohort revealed that male sex, TTV viremia ≥4log, Cu/Zn ratio, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking were significant IHD predictors. Notably, TTV viremia ≥4log independently increased the IHD risk (odds ratio [OR]: 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–4.43), confirmed in the Report-Age cohort (OR: 4.90, 95% CI: 2.32–10.39). In a RASIG subgroup, individuals with TTV viremia ≥4 log, both with and without IHD, exhibited increased plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, TNF-α) compared to those with TTV viremia <4 log. No significant difference in cytokine production was observed between IHD patients and non-IHD with TTV viremia ≥4 log. A positive correlation between TTV viremia and DNA methylation estimator of leukocyte telomere length was observed in Report-Age patients. Additionally, IHD Report-Age patients with TTV viremia ≥4 log displayed higher NLR and SIRI index than those with TTV viremia <4 log.

In conclusion, a high TTV viremia is associated with an elevated IHD risk in the older population, potentially arising from an augmented pro-inflammatory response and immunosenescence.
An efficient improved singular spectrum analysis for processing GNSS position time series with missing data
Authors: Ji Kunpu , Shen Yunzhong , Wang Fengwei , Chen Qiujie
Published: October 2024

The improved SSA (ISSA) method is widely recognized for directly extracting signals from gappy time-series without requiring prior interpolation. However, it is rather time consuming, particularly for long time-series with large window sizes, such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position time-series. This study proposes an efficient ISSA method that yields equivalent results to the ISSA method while significantly reducing computation time. Both methods aim to minimize the quadratic norm of principal components, while our method has fewer unknown parameters in the principal component computation than those of the ISSA method. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method using real GNSS position time-series from 27 permanent stations located in mainland China. Results show that the proposed method can effectively reduce computation time than the ISSA method and the improvement depends on the chosen window size, the time-series length and the percentage of missing data. This efficient approach can be naturally extended to principal component analysis (PCA) and multichannel SSA (MSSA) for processing multiple incomplete time-series, improving computational efficiencies compared to the modified PCA and the improved MSSA while maintaining unchanged results. We also compare the ISSA method with the modified SSA (SSAM) and the iterative SSA methods using both real and synthetic time-series data. Results indicate that the ISSA method outperforms the SSAM method, and when conducted iteratively, also surpasses the iterative SSA method.
Exploring the roles of Lem2 and Bqt4 in lipid metabolism for nuclear envelope maintenance: a novel perspective
Authors: Ishiguro Kei-ichiro
Published: October 2024

The nuclear envelope (NE) is a double-membrane structure critical for genome maintenance and cellular function, composed of the inner and outer nuclear membranes. In fission yeast, the inner nuclear membrane (INM) proteins Lem2 and Bqt4 are essential for maintaining NE integrity. The study published by Hiraoka group explores the interactions between Lem2 and Bqt4 with lipid synthesis enzymes, addressing their roles in NE maintenance. The authors identified Lem2- and Bqt4-binding proteins using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, revealing that Lem2 interacts with lipid synthesis enzymes, whilst Bqt4 binds to an enzyme that involves in glucosylceramide synthesis. These findings suggest that Lem2 and Bqt4 independently contribute to NE structure and its integrity through distinct lipid metabolic pathways, highlighting their complementary roles in nuclear membrane homeostasis. This study represents a significant step forward in the field of NE biology to unravel the complexities of nuclear membrane dynamics.
Randomized pilot trial of an unconditional cash transfer intervention to address food insecurity in oncology
Authors: McDougall Jean A , Adler Jaffe Shoshana , Jacobson Kendal , Shaver Tori L , Wilson Jennifer L F , Baca Katrina , Boyce Tawny , Tawfik Bernard , Page-Reeves Janet
Published: October 2024

Screening for food insecurity and other social determinants of health is being integrated into oncology practice. We performed a pilot randomized trial to investigate whether an unconditional cash transfer (UCT) could be used to address food insecurity among female breast and gynecological cancer survivors. Food-insecure cancer survivors completed a baseline survey and were randomly assigned to receive $100/month for 3 months (UCT) or usual care (UC). Participants (n = 14) completed a follow-up survey after 3 months, and we compared changes in health-related quality of life, indicators of food insecurity, diet quality, and whether a participant had to forgo, delay, or make changes to medical care because of cost. The UCT was associated with higher physical health scores, fewer indicators of food insecurity, better diet quality, and a lower likelihood of forgoing medical care than those who received UC. Our results suggest that UCTs can improve outcomes for food-insecure cancer survivors.
FDA
Authors: Shorter Edward
Published: October 2024

Before the 1990s, the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA were often in disagreement, and any view before then that the FDA was in the pharmaceutical industry’s pocket was off base. Lou Lasagna and William Wardell emphasized in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1975 that it was an extraordinary perversion of justice to accuse the present FDA leadership of pro-industry bias. In fact, the reviews done by the FDA were seen as a major barrier in international drug competition. As a consequence, clinical trials turned into a kind of travesty of science as their purpose turned to gaining regulatory approval instead of obtaining new information. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) had a main role in the degradation of clinical trials from instruments of scientific curiosity to mechanisms for the registration of drugs.
Redesigning Health Care
Authors: Sava Rachel N. , Tarcan Serim , Vahia Ipsit V.
Published: October 2024

The geriatric mental health field faces unprecedented challenges as the aging population continues to expand. In the wake of a workforce shortage, escalating multimorbidity, growing mental health diagnoses, and an epidemic of loneliness and isolation, novel technologies aimed to address the mental health of older adults will be more crucial than ever. These technologies include, but are not limited to, wearable or passive remote monitoring devices, virtual reality, mobile applications, and artificial intelligence. However, with these advancements set to revolutionize the field come concerns around privacy, liability, consent, and effectiveness—as well as the implications for implementing these technologies across diverse communities globally. The future of geriatric mental health care is bright—but much research and governance still need to be addressed to ensure its success.
When Memories Keep Me Awake
Authors: Tiwari Vishnu , Rueda-Lara Maria
Published: October 2024

In this chapter, Ms. M’s case illustrates posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a car accident. Following the accident, Ms. M experienced intrusive memories, nightmares, and heightened anxiety. She sought a second opinion due to ongoing distress, including feelings of estrangement from peers, concentration problems at work, and irritability toward family members. She also avoided driving and experienced fear and anxiety triggered by loud noises and other vehicles. The chapter discusses the prevalence of PTSD in the general population, risk factors, and diagnostic criteria. The chapter highlights the chronic nature of PTSD and its impact on daily functioning. It also mentions the association between PTSD and other comorbidities. Differential diagnosis is discussed, emphasizing the need to distinguish PTSD from other psychiatric conditions. Treatment options for PTSD include pharmacotherapy, trauma-focused psychotherapy, and supportive psychotherapy. The chapter concludes by providing insight into various therapeutic approaches and their potential benefits for individuals with PTSD.
Principles of Scientific Writing and Biomedical Publication— Perspectives and Advice From Editors
Authors: Fontanarosa Phil B. , Flanagin Annette , Greenland Philip
Published: October 2024

Having a thorough knowledge of the principles of biomedical writing and scientific publication is essential for understanding the issues that can arise during the publishing process, for being aware of the ethical and practical aspects of manuscript preparation, and for successfully navigating the manuscript submission, peer review, revision, and publication processes of biomedical journals. As described in this chapter, the purpose of this practical book is to provide state-of-the-art and up-to-date information that will promote authors’ understanding of scientific publication, facilitate improved writing and manuscript preparation skills, and help authors navigate the complex and seemingly enigmatic scientific publication processes. The chapter also explains that information, recommendations, and advice in this book are based on the collective perspectives and insights of experienced JAMA and JAMA Network editors to help authors prepare high-quality manuscripts that may result in meaningful and important publications in biomedical journals.
Presenting the Results Section
Authors: Piccirillo Jay F.
Published: October 2024

The Results section of an article reports data and information obtained through the conduct of the study. This chapter provides recommendations for preparing an informative Results section, including that findings should be reported as described in the prespecified study protocol and should be consistent with the research questions. This chapter also emphasizes understanding the advantages and disadvantages of reporting results with P values and effect size metrics (which is particularly important in biomedical research), including confidence intervals around effect size estimates, and determining whether results are compatible with clinically meaningful effects. Challenges around reporting quantitative results to patients, health care professionals, or policy decision makers are also addressed.