bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Themes in Blaustein’s Philosophy
Authors: Płotka Witold
Published: September 2024

In his works, Blaustein used a complex analytical method to describe psychic life. He explicitly called this approach “descriptive psychology” (psychologia deskryptywna), and he noted on many occasions that he did research “on the borderline of psychology.” This should come as no surprise, as he was trained in philosophy by Twardowski, a direct student of Brentano. The presence of Brentano’s thought in the school of Twardowski is well described by, for instance, Liliana Albertazzi, Arianna Betti, Jan Woleński, and others. Indeed, after his arrival in Lvov in 1895, in his early writings, Twardowski developed—as I attempt to show in this chapter—a Brentanian notion of philosophy based on psychology and focused on “mental phenomena.” By claiming that philosophy examines mental phenomena, Twardowski set the psychological trend of the Lvov–Warsaw School, which included, in addition to Blaustein, Władysław Witwicki (1878–1948), Bronisław Bandrowski (1879–1914), Ludwik Jaxa-Bykowski (1881–1948), Stefan Baley (1885–1952), Stefan Błachowski (1889–1962), Salomon Igel (1889–1942), Mieczysław Kreutz (1893–1971), and Walter Auerbach (1900–1942 [?]). In this chapter, I discuss Teresa Rzepa’s idea that Blaustein can be considered a part of this group of scholars. Psychology was still a popular field of research in Lvov during Blaustein’s studies in the 1920s. Following Twardowski, Blaustein indeed used a variety of descriptive-psychological tools in his investigations. Nonetheless, his view of psychology cannot be reduced only to the Brentano–Twardowski legacy. After all, he referred to Gestalt psychology or to the conception of psychology put forward by Dilthey, not to mention Husserl’s phenomenological psychology. Whereas I will discuss Blaustein’s polemic against Husserl’s method in Chap. 5, here I attempt to show that he combined a variety of detailed ideas and procedures that had been developed by, for instance, Brentano, Twardowski, Stumpf or Dilthey. By claiming this, I will argue against Krzysztof Wieczorek, who holds that Blaustein overcame Brentano’s heritage by adapting Husserl’s phenomenology. If Wieczorek was right, Blaustein’s descriptive psychology was a mere introduction to his phenomenology. Accordingly, the latter can be understood in Blaustein’s writings without the former, which—as I will show in this chapter—is false. In this regard, I will argue that philosophical psychology is one of the cornerstones of Blaustein’s method; as such, it cannot be excluded from Blaustein’s writings or reduced to his account of phenomenology.
The Basics of Blaustein’s Descriptive Psychology in the Context of Twardowski’s Theory of Presentations
Authors: Płotka Witold
Published: September 2024

Blaustein’s project of philosophical psychology, for which he used the term “descriptive psychology” (psychologia deskryptywna), was—as already stated in Chap. 3—deeply rooted in the nineteenth- and twentieth-century heritage of psychology; however, Blaustein was a critical reader of this rich legacy. He elaborated different approaches and sought efficient tools to analyze psychic life. Psychology was, for him, a descriptive method which accounted for mental phenomena as wholes that ought to be analyzed or described as a combination of the simplest parts. The general purpose of this discipline was to classify mental phenomena. Nonetheless, whereas Brentano or Twardowski attempted to address a unified and complete taxonomy of mental phenomena, including presentations, judgments, emotions and (eventually defined as a separate class) will, Blaustein instead focused solely on presentations. Of course, in his writings, one finds some clues that he preferred Twardowski’s four-class taxonomy over Brentano’s three-part division; however, again, there is no in-depth discussion of this categorization. Instead, Blaustein formulated an interesting and original analysis of different classes of presentations. With these ideas in mind, the present chapter aims to introduce the basics of Blaustein’s descriptive psychology by discussing the sources, main ideas, arguments, and development of his theory of presentations. By doing so, I will explore the theoretical background of his philosophy, but a few remarks are necessary here.
A Reappraisal of Blaustein’s Exposition of Husserl’s Theory of Content
Authors: Płotka Witold
Published: September 2024

Blaustein’s analyses contained in Husserlowska nauka… [Husserl’s Theory...] took a wide perspective on the problems discussed in the book. This enabled Blaustein to clearly define the value of Husserl’s theories compared to the traditions of Bolzano as well as Brentano and Twardowski. However, rather than stopping at the presentation and discussion of the theory of content, Blaustein raises interesting objections to it. As I have stressed in the preceding chapter, these objections resulted in part from his original findings that he later used in other object-oriented and systematic research. In the present chapter, I want to ask to what extent his critique of the theory of content in Husserl may be considered valid. I want to define the elements in Blaustein’s interpretation that seem to diverge from Husserl’s position. What comes to the fore in this context is the issue of psychologism and the related problem of understanding reduction. I want to address these two problems at the beginning of the chapter. Next, I will try to formulate a phenomenological, i.e., metaphysically neutral, interpretation of the phenomenal world to which Blaustein referred, as he analyzed the theory of content in Husserl. Finally, I will assess the interpretative proposal made by Blaustein, identifying its strong and weak points.
Temporal Evaluation of Uncertainty Quantification Under Distribution Shift
Authors: Svensson Emma , Friesacher Hannah Rosa , Arany Adam , Mervin Lewis , Engkvist Ola
Published: September 2024

Uncertainty quantification is emerging as a critical tool in high-stakes decision-making processes, where trust in automated predictions that lack accuracy and precision can be time-consuming and costly. In drug discovery, such high-stakes decisions are based on modeling the properties of potential drug compounds on biological assays. So far, existing uncertainty quantification methods have primarily been evaluated using public datasets that lack the temporal context necessary to understand their performance over time. In this work, we address the pressing need for a comprehensive, large-scale temporal evaluation of uncertainty quantification methodologies in the context of assay-based molecular property prediction. Our novel framework benchmarks three ensemble-based approaches to uncertainty quantification and explores the effect of adding lower-quality data during training in the form of censored labels. We investigate the robustness of the predictive performance and the calibration and reliability of predictive uncertainty by the models as time evolves. Moreover, we explore how the predictive uncertainty behaves in response to varying degrees of distribution shift. By doing so, our analysis not only advances the field but also provides practical implications for real-world pharmaceutical applications.
Latent-Conditioned Equivariant Diffusion for Structure-Based De Novo Ligand Generation
Authors: Cremer Julian , Le Tuan , Clevert Djork-Arné , Schütt Kristof T.
Published: September 2024

We propose PoLiGenX for de novo ligand design using latent-conditioned, target-aware equivariant diffusion. Our model leverages the conditioning of the generation process on reference molecules within a protein pocket to produce shape-similar de novo ligands that can be used for target-aware hit expansion and hit optimization. The results of our study showcase the efficacy of PoLiGenX in ligand design. Docking scores indicate that the generated ligands exhibit superior binding affinity compared to the reference molecule while preserving the shape. At the same time, our model maintains chemical diversity, ensuring the exploration of diverse chemical space. The evaluation of Lipinski’s rule of five suggests that the sampled molecules possess a higher drug-likeness than the reference data. This constitutes an important step towards the controlled generation of therapeutically relevant de novo ligands tailored to specific protein targets.
Leveraging Quantum Mechanical Properties to Predict Solvent Effects on Large Drug-Like Molecules
Authors: Hilfiker Mathias , Sandonas Leonardo Medrano , Klähn Marco , Engkvist Ola , Tkatchenko Alexandre
Published: September 2024

Understanding how solvation affects structure-property and property-property relationships of drug-like molecules is crucial for de novo design, as most relevant reactions occur in aqueous environments. We have thus performed an exhaustive analysis of the recently proposed Aquamarine dataset to gain insights into the effect of solvent-molecule interaction on the quantum-mechanical (QM) properties of large drug-like molecules. Our results show that the inclusion of an implicit solvent model of water changes the values of (extensive and intensive) QM properties but it does not alter the correlations among them. Moreover, we have found that solvation can limit the identification of unique molecular conformations, with variations in specific properties being rationalized by the extent of structural changes. $$\varDelta $$
Δ
-learning approach was used to predict solvent effects on the dipole moment $$\mu $$
μ
and the many-body dispersion energy $$E_\textrm{MBD}$$

E
MBD

, resulting in more accurate and scalable predictive models compared to these directly trained on solvated properties. Hence, our work provides valuable insights into the effect of solvent-molecule interaction on physicochemical properties, which could assist in the development of machine-learning models for designing solvated molecules of pharmaceutical and biological relevance.
Towards Interpretable Models of Chemist Preferences for Human-in-the-Loop Assisted Drug Discovery
Authors: Nahal Yasmine , Heinonen Markus , Kabeshov Mikhail , Janet Jon Paul , Nittinger Eva , Engkvist Ola , Kaski Samuel
Published: September 2024

In recent years, there has been growing interest in leveraging human preferences for drug discovery to build models that capture chemists’ intuition for de novo molecular design, lead optimization, and prioritization for experimental validation. However, existing models derived from human preferences in chemistry are often black-boxes, lacking interpretability regarding how humans form their preferences. Enhancing transparency in human-in-the-loop learning is crucial to ensure that such approaches in drug discovery are not unduly affected by subjective bias, noise or inconsistency. Moreover, interpretability can promote the development and use of multi-user models in drug design projects, integrating multiple expert perspectives and insights into multi-objective optimization frameworks for de novo molecular design. This also allows for assigning more or less weight to experts based on their knowledge of specific properties. In this paper, we present a methodology for decomposing human preferences based on binary responses (like/dislike) to molecules essentially proposed by generative chemistry models, and inferring interpretable preference models that represent human reasoning. Our approach aims to bridge the gap between human-in-the-loop learning and user model interpretability in drug discovery applications, providing a transparent framework that elucidates how human judgments can shape molecular design outcomes.
Registries in Machine Learning-Based Drug Discovery: A Shortcut to Code Reuse
Authors: Hartog Peter B. R. , Svensson Emma , Mervin Lewis , Genheden Samuel , Engkvist Ola , Tetko Igor V.
Published: September 2024

Computer-aided drug discovery gradually builds on previous work and requires reusable code to advance research. Currently, research code is mainly used to provide further insights into the original research whilst code reuse has a lower priority. Modularity, the segmentation of code for independent modules, promotes good coding practices and code reuse. The registry pattern has been proposed as a way to call functionalities dynamically, but it is currently overlooked as a shortcut to promote code reuse. In this work, we expand the registry pattern to better suit computer-aided drug discovery and achieve a unified, reusable, and interchangeable interface with optional meta information. Our reformulated pattern is particularly suitable for collaborative research with standardized frameworks where multiple internal and external modules are used interchangeably and coding is more focused on fast iteration over low-debt technical code, such as in machine learning-based research for drug discovery. In a workflow, we exemplify the usage of the design patterns. Additionally, we provide two case studies where we 1) showcase the effectiveness of registration in a larger collaborative research group, and 2) overview the potential of registration in currently available open-source tools. Finally, we empirically evaluate the registry pattern through previous implementations and indicate where additional functionality can improve its use.
Introduction
Authors: Xu Bin , Pang Rui
Published: September 2024

This paper provides a complete probabilistic analysis method and a performance-based seismic safety evaluation for high concrete faced rockfill dam (CFRD). Combined with random sample generation and reliability analysis methods, the dynamic response characteristics and reliability level of CFRD under various random factors are comprehensively described. In Chapter 2, a random ground motion model based on spectral representation-random function and a high-dimensional random variable generation method based on GF-discrepancy are established. Combined with probability density evolution method (PDEM) and the random sample generation methods to verify its effectiveness and reliability for nonlinear complex geotechnical engineering. In Chapter 3, the dynamic response and probabilistic characteristics of high CFRD under random ground motion are revealed based on the elastoplastic analysis. A performance-based seismic safety evaluation method is established. In Chapter 4, the influence of material parameter randomness on dynamic response and seismic safety of high CFRD is studied from the perspective of stochastic dynamics and probability. In Chapter 5, the stochastic dynamic response and probability distribution of high CFRD under the coupled random action of ground motion and material parameters are systematically studied, and the performance-based seismic safety evaluation framework is improved. In Chapter 6, The stochastic dynamic response of 3D high CFRD is studied, and the failure performance index and performance level based on overstress volume ratio combined with overstress accumulation time are discussed. The performance-based seismic safety evaluation framework is further improved. In Chapter 7, combined with the finite element dynamic time-history analysis method considering the softening effect of rockfill, a performance-based seismic safety evaluation framework for dam slope stability of high CFRD under multiple random factors is systematically explored from the perspective of stochastic dynamics and probability. In Chapter 8, The performance indexes of seismic safety evaluation for high CFRDs are suggested and the corresponding performance level with probability assurance is put forward. The multi-seismic intensity—multi-performance target—failure probability performance relationship is established, and a performance-based seismic safety evaluation framework is initially formed. This book can be used as a reference for scholars studying random vibration and reliability analysis, as well as for scholars studying dam safety evaluation.
Stochastic Dynamic Analysis for High CFRD Considering Uncertainties of Material Parameters
Authors: Xu Bin , Pang Rui
Published: September 2024

Due to the uncertainty of the source of dam construction materials for CFRD, the material model parameters should be uncertain values, so the traditional deterministic seismic safety evaluation method is difficult to objectively evaluate the CFRD, especially difficult to analyze from the perspective of the probability of performance, and there are only a small number of studies that consider the effect of uncertainty in the dam construction materials, and there is virtually no literature to consider the effect of the randomness of elasticity-plasticity parameters of the dam construction materials on the seismic There are only a few studies considering the effect of uncertainty of dam construction materials, and almost no literature considering the effect of randomness of elastic–plastic parameters of dam construction materials on the seismic response, while the effect of parameter uncertainty on the seismic response of CFRD cannot be ignored.
The distribution amplitude of the ηc-meson at leading twist from lattice QCD
Authors: Blossier B. , Mangin-Brinet M. , Morgado Chávez J. M. , San José T.
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Distribution amplitudes are functions of non-perturbative matrix elements describing the hadronization of quarks and gluons. Thanks to factorization theorems, they can be used to compute the scattering amplitude of high-energy processes. Recently, new ideas have allowed their computation using lattice QCD, which should provide us with a general, fully relativistic determination. We present the first lattice calculation of the ηc-meson distribution amplitude at leading twist. Starting from the relevant matrix element in discrete Euclidean space on a set of Nf = 2 CLS ensembles, we explain the method to connect to continuum Minkowski spacetime. After addressing several sources of systematic uncertainty, we compare to Dyson-Schwinger and non-relativistic QCD determinations of this quantity. We find significant deviations between the latter and our result even at small Ioffe times.
Time-dependent microstrata in AdS3
Authors: Houppe Anthony
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We use perturbation theory to construct a family of time-dependent microstrata: a set of non-extremal solutions of IIB supergravity asymptotic to AdS3 × S3 × T4. Our construction shows that the “special locus” constraints of [1] can be broken by allowing the solutions to depend on time. We study the secular terms appearing in the perturbation theory. Some of them can be resummed into frequency shifts, with the same interpretation as for the previously-studied microstrata solutions. Other secular terms appear harder to resum, questioning the long-term stability of the solutions.
Tensor renormalization group study of (1 + 1)-dimensional U(1) gauge-Higgs model at θ = π with Lüscher’s admissibility condition
Authors: Akiyama Shinichiro , Kuramashi Yoshinobu
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We investigate the phase structure of the (1+1)-dimensional U(1) gauge-Higgs model with a θ term, where the U(1) gauge action is constructed with Lüscher’s admissibility condition. Using the tensor renormalization group, both the complex action problem and topological freezing problem in the standard Monte Carlo simulation are avoided. We find the first-order phase transition with sufficiently large Higgs mass at θ = π, where the ℤ2 charge conjugation symmetry is spontaneously broken. On the other hand, the symmetry is restored with a sufficiently small mass. We determine the critical endpoint as a function of the Higgs mass parameter and show the critical behavior is in the two-dimensional Ising universality class.
LO, NLO, and NNLO parton distributions for LHC event generators
Authors: Cruz-Martinez Juan , Forte Stefano , Laurenti Niccolò , Rabemananjara Tanjona R. , Rojo Juan
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We present NNPDF4.0MC, a variant of the NNPDF4.0 set of parton distributions (PDFs) at LO, NLO and NNLO, with and without inclusion of the photon PDF, suitable for use with Monte Carlo (MC) event generators, which require PDFs to satisfy additional constraints in comparison to standard PDF sets. These requirements include PDF positivity down to a low scale Q ~ 1 GeV, smooth extrapolation in the very small and large x regions, and numerically stable results even in extreme regions of phase space for all PDFs. We compare the NNPDF4.0MC PDFs to their baseline NNPDF4.0 counterparts, and to the NNPDF2.3LO set entering the Monash tune of the Pythia8 event generator. We briefly assess the phenomenological impact of these PDFs on the cross-sections for hard and soft QCD processes at the LHC.
Bjorken and threshold asymptotics of a space-like structure function in the 2D U(N) Gross-Neveu model
Authors: Liu Yizhuang
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In this work, we investigate a coordinate space structure function $$ \mathcal{E} $$
E
(z2m2, λ) in the 2D U(N) Gross-Neveu model to the next-to-leading order in the large-N expansion. We analytically perform the twist expansion in the Bjorken limit through double Mellin representations. Hard and non-perturbative scaling functions are naturally generated in their Borel representations with detailed enumerations and explicit expressions provided to all powers. The renormalon cancellation at t = n between the hard functions at powers p and the non-perturbative functions at powers p + n are explicitly verified, and the issue of “scale-dependency” of the perturbative and non-perturbative functions is explained naturally. Simple expressions for the leading power non-perturbative functions are also provided both in the coordinate space and the momentum-fraction space (0 < α < 1) with “zero-mode-type” subtractions at α = 0 discussed in detail. In addition to the Bjorken limit, we also perform the threshold expansion of the structure function up to the next-to-next-to-leading threshold power exactly and investigate the resurgence relation between threshold and “Regge” asymptotics. We also prove that the twist expansion is absolutely convergent for any 0 < z2 < ∞ and any λ ∈ iR≥0.
Quantum vortices, M2-branes and black holes
Authors: Choi Sunjin , Hwang Chiung , Kim Seok
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We study the partition functions of BPS vortices and magnetic monopole operators, in gauge theories describing N M2-branes. In particular, we explore two closely related methods to study the Cardy limit of the index on S2 × ℝ. The first method uses the factorization of this index to vortex partition functions, while the second one uses a continuum approximation for the monopole charge sums. Monopole condensation confines most of the N2 degrees of freedom except $$ {N}^{\frac{3}{2}} $$

N

3
2

of them, even in the high temperature deconfined phase. The resulting large N free energy statistically accounts for the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of large BPS black holes in AdS4 × S7. Our Cardy free energy also suggests a finite N version of the $$ {N}^{\frac{3}{2}} $$

N

3
2

degrees of freedom.
On the minimality of the Winterbottom shape
Authors: Kholmatov Shokhrukh Yu.
Published: September 2024

In this short note we prove that the Winterbottom shape (Winterbottom in Acta Metallurgica 15:303-310, 1967) is a volume-constraint minimizer of the corresponding anisotropic capillary functional.
A 37-year follow-up after Skoog lip repair of unilateral cleft lip and palate: what is the long-term verdict on lip appearance by different panels?
Authors: Peroz Roshan , Falk-Delgado Alberto , Arwidson Stina , Hakelius Malin , Mani Maria
Published: September 2024

Background

The study examined long-term lip appearance after Skoog’s lip repair in unilateral cleft, lip, and palate (UCLP) patients. To include different views, three different panels respectively, rated level of lip appearance and desire for improvement. The secondary aim was to investigate the correlation between the self-reported satisfaction of UCLP patients and controls with the panel assessments.

Methods

Cropped frontal photographs of the lips of 74 UCLP-treated individuals and 61 non-cleft individuals were assessed twice by three panels of five cleft surgeons (Professional panel), nine laymen (Layman panel), and five individuals with CLP (Cleft panel) using a web-based platform, at a mean follow-up of 37 years post-lip surgery.

Results

All three panels rated the lip appearance of UCLP patients worse than that of the controls (p < 0.001). The Professional panel reported higher satisfaction levels and less desire to change lip appearance than the Layman and Cleft panels. Intra-rater agreements were, in general, moderate in the Professional panel ICC (0.57–0.82) and Laymen panel ICC (0.63–0.73) and poor in the Cleft panel ICC (0.21–0.36). The inter-rater agreement was, in general, poor in all panels. No significant correlation was found between the patient’s Self-assessments and any of the panel assessments.

Conclusions

All panels’ rated lip appearance of adults born with UCLP treated with Skoog’s technique as worse than that of non-cleft controls. The study highlights a significant discrepancy between the Professional panel’s more favorable assessment and the more critical views of the laymen and cleft panels, contradicting the initial hypothesis of uniform perception across panels. The lack of correlation between patient self-assessment and panel assessments underscores the subjective nature of lip satisfaction, emphasizing the need for personalized patient care strategies in CLP treatment outcomes.

Level of evidence

Not gradable.
Gardnerella vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae, and Prevotella bivia Strongly Influence Each Other's Transcriptome in Triple-Species Biofilms
Authors: Sousa Lúcia G. V. , Novak Juliano , França Angela , Muzny Christina A. , Cerca Nuno
Published: September 2024

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common vaginal infection worldwide, is characterized by the development of a polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium. While Gardnerella spp. have been shown to have a prominent role in BV, little is known regarding how other species can influence BV development. Thus, we aimed to study the transcriptome of Gardnerella vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae, and Prevotella bivia, when growing in triple-species biofilms. Single and triple-species biofilms were formed in vitro, and RNA was extracted and sent for sequencing. cDNA libraries were prepared and sequenced. Quantitative PCR analysis (qPCR) was performed on the triple-species biofilms to evaluate the biofilm composition. The qPCR results revealed that the triple-species biofilms were mainly composed by G. vaginalis and P. bivia was the species with the lowest percentage. The RNA-sequencing analysis revealed a total of 432, 126, and 39 differentially expressed genes for G. vaginalis, F. vaginae, and P. bivia, respectively, when growing together. Gene ontology enrichment of G. vaginalis downregulated genes revealed several functions associated with metabolism, indicating a low metabolic activity of G. vaginalis when growing in polymicrobial biofilms. This work highlighted that the presence of 3 different BV-associated bacteria in the biofilm influenced each other’s transcriptome and provided insight into the molecular mechanisms that enhanced the virulence potential of polymicrobial consortia. These findings will contribute to understand the development of incident BV and the interactions occurring within the biofilm.
Quantitative aortic Na[18F]F positron emission tomography computed tomography as a tool to associate vascular calcification with major adverse cardiovascular events
Authors: Lieverse T. G. F. , van Praagh G. D. , Mulder D. J. , Lambers Heerspink H. J. , Wolterink J. M. , Slart R. H. J. A.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Sodium[18F]fluoride (Na[18F]F) used in positron emission tomography (PET) binds to active calcification and correlates consistently with higher cardiovascular risk. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of aortic Na[18F]F-PET in hybrid combination with low-dose computed tomography (CT) as a risk model for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods

Patient data and Na[18F]F-PET/CT scans from January 2019 to February 2022 were retrospectively collected at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Netherlands. MACE-outcome was a composite of time to first documented myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular accident (CVA), acute heart failure hospitalization, and aortic aneurysms. MACE dates were recorded from the day of the scan until follow-up in December 2023. The aorta was manually segmented in all low-dose CT scans. To minimize spill-over effects from the vertebrae, the vertebrae were automatically segmented using an open-source model, dilated with 10 mm, and subtracted from the aortic mask. The total aortic Na[18F]F corrected maximum standardized uptake value (cSUVmax) and total aortic Agatston score were automatically calculated using SEQUOIA. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression survival analysis were performed, stratifying patients into high, medium, and low cSUVmax and Agatston categories. Cox regression models were adjusted for age.

Results

Out of 280 identified scans, 216 scans of unique patients were included. During a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 12 MACE occurred. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significant difference in MACE-free survival among the high cSUVmax group compared to the medium and low groups (p = 0.03 and p < 0.01, respectively). Similarly, patients with high Agatston scores had a significantly lower MACE-free survival probability compared to those with medium and low scores (both p < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study highlights the potential clinical utility of Na[18F]F-PET/CT as an imaging tool to predict the risk of MACE. Clinical validation of this novel proof-of-concept method is needed to confirm these results and expand the clinical context.
Sheet conductance of laser-doped layers using a Gaussian laser beam: an effective depth approximation
Authors: Hassan Mohamed , Werner Juergen H.
Published: September 2024

Laser doping of silicon with pulsed and scanned laser beams is now well-established to obtain defect-free, doping profile tailored, and locally selectively doped regions with a high spatial resolution. Picking the correct laser parameters (pulse power, pulse shape, and scanning speed) impacts the depth and uniformity of the melted region geometry. This work performs laser doping on the surface of single crystalline silicon, using a pulsed and scanned laser profile with a Gaussian intensity distribution. A deposited boron oxide precursor layer serves as a doping source. Increasing the local inter-pulse distance $$x_\text {irr}$$

x
irr

between subsequent pulses causes a quadratic decrease of the sheet conductance $$G_\text {sh}$$

G
sh

of the doped surface layer. Here, we present a simple geometric model that explains all experimental findings. The quadratic dependence stems from the approximately parabolic shape of the individual melted regions directly after the laser beam has hit the Si surface. The sheet resistance depends critically on the intersection depth $$d_\text {ch}$$

d
ch

and the distance $$x_\text {irr}$$

x
irr

of overlap between two subsequent, neighboring pulses. The intersection depth $$d_\text {ch}$$

d
ch

quadratically depends on the pulse distance $$x_\text {irr}$$

x
irr

and therefore also on the scanning speed $$v_\text {scan}$$

v
scan

of the laser. Finally, we present a simple model that reduces the complicated three dimensional, laterally inhomogeneous doping profile to an effective two-dimensional, homogeneously doped layer which varies its thickness with the scanning speed.
A second-generation URANS model (STRUCT-$$\epsilon $$) applied to a generic side mirror and its impact on sound generation
Authors: Munoz-Paniagua J. , García J. , Latorre-Iglesias E.
Published: September 2024

A generic side mirror can be approximated to the combination of a half cylinder topped with a quarter of sphere. The flow structure in the wake of the side mirror is highly transient and the turbulence plays an important role affecting aeroacoustics through pressure fluctuation. Thus, this geometry is one of the test cases object of several numerical studies in recent years to assess the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic capabilities of the turbulence models. In this context, this study presents how the second-generation URANS closure STRUCT-$$\epsilon $$ϵis able to properly predict the expected stagnation, flow separation and vortex shedding phenomena. Besides, the predictive accuracy for the noise generation mechanism is evaluated by comparing the spectra of the sound pressure level measured at several static pressure sensors with the numerical results obtained with the STRUCT-$$\epsilon $$ϵ. The response of this turbulence model has exceeded that from other hybrid methods and is in good agreement with the results from Large-Eddy Simulations or the experiments. To conclude the paper, the applicability of STRUCT-$$\epsilon $$ϵto construct a Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition method that helps identifying the most energetic modes to appropriately capture the dominant flow structures is also introduced.
Impact of empagliflozin on cardiac structure and function assessed by echocardiography after myocardial infarction: a post-hoc sub-analysis of the emmy trial
Authors: Schwegel Nora , Strohhofer Christoph , Kolesnik Ewald , Oltean Sabrina , Hüttmair Alexander , Pipp Christian , Benedikt Martin , Verheyen Nicolas , Gollmer Johannes , Ablasser Klemens , Wallner Markus , Santner Viktoria , Tripolt Norbert , Pferschy Peter , Zechner Peter , Alber Hannes , Siller-Matula Jolanta M. , Kopp Kristen , Zirlik Andreas , Aziz Faisal , Sourij Harald , von Lewinski Dirk
Published: September 2024

Background

Empagliflozin administered after acute myocardial infarction proofed to improve cardiometabolic parameters and biomarkers, but the impact on cardiac function is still largely unknown. The aim of this post-hoc echocardiographic sub-analysis of the EMMY trial was to provide in-depth echocardiographic analysis on the effects of empagliflozin versus placebo on standard and novel echocardiographic structural and functional parameters after acute myocardial infarction.

Methods

In this post-hoc analysis of the EMMY trial a subset of 313 patients (157 empagliflozin vs. 156 placebo) was enrolled for post-processing analysis of echocardiographic structural and functional parameters. On top of two-dimensional and Doppler parameters, myocardial deformation analyses were performed to assess ventricular and atrial strain values.

Results

Left ventricular volumes showed significant differences in favor of empagliflozin over the course of the trial (change in left ventricular end-diastolic volume median [interquartile range] 8 [−3;19]% versus 13 [0;29]%, p = 0.048; left ventricular end-systolic volume −3 [−15;12]% versus 4 [−12;18]%, p = 0.044). This effect persisted after adjusting for baseline values, age, and sex. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function overall improved over the course of the trial and parameters for diastolic function showed a distinct trend between groups but did not meet statistical significance in this cohort.

Conclusion

In this post-hoc analysis among patients with acute myocardial infarction, treatment with empagliflozin resulted in a significant beneficial effect on left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume, without significantly improving left ventricular or right ventricular functional parameters compared to placebo after 26 weeks.

ClinicalTrials.gov registration

NCT03087773.

Graphical abstract
BMP10 reflects pre-capillary pulmonary hemodynamics: association of biomarkers and hemodynamic parameters in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Hennings Elisa , Aeschbacher Stefanie , Coslovsky Michael , Paladini Rebecca E. , Voellmin Gian , Lampart Maurin , Ziegler André , Müller Christian , Conen David , Zuern Christine S. , Kühne Michael , Osswald Stefan , Pfister Otmar
Published: September 2024

Background and aims

The role of biomarkers in diagnosing pulmonary hypertension (PH) and distinguishing between pre- and post-capillary PH remains poorly understood. We aimed to identify biomarkers with a strong association with mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mPAP (PH diagnosis) and pulmonary vascular resistance, PVR (pre-capillary component), but not with pulmonary arterial wedge pressure, PAWP (post-capillary component).

Methods

Blood samples were collected in patients undergoing right heart catheterization within a prospective cross-sectional study. Biomarkers measured included BMP10, NT-proBNP, ANG2, ESM1/endocan, FGF23, GDF15, IGFBP7, IL6, MyBPC3, proC3, and proC6/endotrophin. Primary outcomes were mPAP, PVR, and PAWP, while secondary outcomes included PH diagnosis (mPAP > 20 mmHg) and elevated PVR (> 2 Wood units). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between biomarkers and outcomes.

Results

Of the 127 patients included (age 66 ± 13 years, 54% female), 73% were diagnosed with PH. BMP10, NT-proBNP, ANG2, MyBPC3, and FGF23 showed a strong association with mPAP (p < 0.001). BMP10 and NT-proBNP were strongly associated with PVR (p < 0.001), while NT-proBNP and ANG2 were strongly associated with PAWP (p < 0.001). NT-proBNP had the strongest association with the diagnosis of PH (area under the curve = 0.76). BMP10 was the only biomarker associated with elevated PVR (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.01–2.54, p = 0.04) but not with PAWP (p = 0.86).

Conclusions

Several biomarkers were strongly associated with mPAP, PAWP, and PVR. BMP10 was the only biomarker strongly associated with mPAP and PVR, but not with PAWP, thus reflecting the pre-capillary PH component. Measurement of BMP10 along with NT-proBNP may aid in diagnosing PH.

Graphical abstract
Genetic predisposition of suicidal behavior: variants in GRIN2B, GABRG2, and ODC1 genes in attempted and completed suicide in two Balkan populations
Authors: Karanović Jelena , Beraković Doroteja , Katrašnik Mojca , Šalamon Arčan Iris , Pantović-Stefanović Maja , Radenković Lana , Garai Nemanja , Ivković Maja , Savić-Pavićević Dušanka , Zupanc Tomaž , Videtič Paska Alja
Published: September 2024

Completed suicide accounts for over 700,000 deaths worldwide annually, while attempted suicide is 20 times more frequent. Genetic background is an important factor contributing to suicidal behavior, including candidate genes in glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and polyamine systems. Our aim was to differentiate genetic predispositions underlying different types of suicidal behavior, attempted and completed suicide, in two Balkan populations. Analysis of variants in the genes GRIN2B (rs2268115 and rs220557), GABRG2 (rs424740), and ODC1 (rs1049500 and rs2302614) was performed on a study sample including 173 suicide attempters with comorbid psychiatric disorders, 216 non-suicidal psychiatric patients and 172 healthy controls from Serbia, and 333 suicide completers and 356 non-suicidal autopsy controls from Slovenia. CA genotype of rs220557 in GRIN2B gene increased the risk for completed suicide (P = 0.021), and violent suicide (P = 0.037), compared to controls. In ODC1 gene, CA genotype of rs2302614 decreased the risk for completed suicide compared to suicide attempt (P = 0.012). Marginally, AC haplotype for variants rs1049500-rs2302614 in ODC1 gene decreased the risk for completed suicide compared to suicide attempt (P = 0.052). Specific genetic variants of glutamate and polyamine systems are differently distributed among diverse suicidal phenotypes, providing further information on the implication of these systems in suicidality.
Digital health and wearable devices for retinal disease monitoring
Authors: Daich Varela Malena , Sanders Villa Alejandro , Pontikos Nikolas , Crossland Michael D. , Michaelides Michel
Published: September 2024

Digital health is wielding a growing influence across all areas of healthcare, encompassing various facets such as telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and electronic healthcare records. In Ophthalmology, digital health innovations can be broadly divided into four categories: (i) self-monitoring home devices and apps, (ii) virtual and augmented reality visual aids, (iii) AI software, and (iv) wearables. Wearable devices can work in the background, collecting large amounts of objective data while we do our day-to-day activities, which may be ecologically more valid and meaningful to patients than that acquired in traditional hospital settings. They can be a watch, wristband, piece of clothing, glasses, cane, smartphone in our pocket, earphones, or any other device with a sensor that we carry with us. Focusing on retinal diseases, a key challenge in developing novel therapeutics has been to prove a meaningful benefit in patients’ lives and the creation of objective patient-centred endpoints in clinical trials. In this review, we will discuss wearable devices collecting different aspects of visual behaviour, visual field, central vision, and functional vision, as well as their potential implementation as outcome measures in research/clinical trial settings. The healthcare landscape is facing a paradigm shift. Clinicians have a key role of collaborating with the development and fine-tuning of digital health innovations, as well as identifying opportunities where they can be leveraged to enhance our understanding of retinal diseases and improve patient outcomes.
Different growth patterns in two siblings with Schimke immuno-osseous-dysplasia
Authors: Bokenkamp Arend , Bouts Antonia , van der Weerd Neeltje , Levtchenko Elena , Haffner Dieter , Zivicnjak Miroslav
Published: September 2024

Schimke immuno-osseous-dysplasia (SIOD) is an autosomal recessive systemic disease due to pathogenic variants in SMARCAL1. Manifestations include nephrotic syndrome (NS), kidney failure, T-cell dysfunction, vaso-occlusive disease, and disproportionate short stature, a general feature of this disease. Here, we present a markedly different growth pattern in two brothers with SIOD sharing the same homozygous R561C missense variant. The index patient presented at the age of 11 years with NS and severely disproportionate short stature, followed by kidney failure at the age of 16, and severely reduced adult height (z-score − 8.0). In contrast, the younger brother showed normal growth until the age of 8 years. Mild proteinuria was noted at the age of 4.5, followed by NS at 9.5 years, kidney failure at 11 years, progressive disproportionate stature, and reduced adult height (z-score − 4.5). Both brothers had comparable disproportion in adulthood (sitting height index z-score − 0.88 and − 1.44, respectively).
Exercise interventions for self-perceived body image, self-esteem and self-efficacy in women diagnosed with breast cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regressions
Authors: Casuso-Holgado María Jesús , Martinez-Calderon Javier , Martínez-Miranda Patricia , Muñoz-Fernández María Jesús , Bernal-Utrera Carlos , García-Muñoz Cristina
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To synthesise the effectiveness of exercise interventions on self-perceived body image, self-esteem and self-efficacy in women diagnosed with breast cancer who are undergoing or have completed primary adjuvant treatments.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted with meta-analysis and meta-regressions. Five electronic databases were searched from inception to June 2023, and hand searches were performed to explore the reference lists of similar systematic reviews. The established selection criteria were randomised clinical trials that evaluated any type of physical exercise intervention with self-perceived body image, self-esteem and self-efficacy as outcomes. No restrictions were imposed with respect to the control group. Main characteristics were extracted for each study. Meta-analyses, meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses were performed. The certainty of evidence for each outcome was graded using the GRADE approach. The risk of bias was evaluated using the RoB2 Cochrane tool.

Results

Twenty studies, comprising 19 different samples (n = 2030), were included. In general, meta-analysis indicated that physical exercise interventions were not superior to controls for improving self-esteem and body image in women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, subgroup meta-analysis showed a significant difference in self-esteem improvement for resistance exercise (SMD = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.07, 0.55; p = 0.01; I2 = 0%) and supervised exercise (SMD = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.08, 0.42; p = 0.0004; I2 = 0%) compared with controls. Self-efficacy results were scarce and controversial. In addition, serious concerns were mainly detected in terms of the risk of bias and indirectness of the evidence, which caused the certainty of evidence to be very low for all outcomes.

Conclusion

Supervised exercise and resistance training appear to be effective exercise modalities for improving self-esteem in women diagnosed with breast cancer. In contrast, exercise interventions are not significantly associated with improvements in body image, while results on self-efficacy are controversial. However, due to the study’s limitations, further research is needed.
Effective affective EEG-based indicators in emotion-evoking VR environments: an evidence from machine learning
Authors: Castiblanco Jimenez Ivonne Angelica , Olivetti Elena Carlotta , Vezzetti Enrico , Moos Sandro , Celeghin Alessia , Marcolin Federica
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the use of electroencephalography (EEG) to characterize emotions and provides insights into the consistency between self-reported and machine learning outcomes. Thirty participants engaged in five virtual reality environments designed to elicit specific emotions, while their brain activity was recorded. The participants self-assessed their ground truth emotional state in terms of Arousal and Valence through a Self-Assessment Manikin. Gradient Boosted Decision Tree was adopted as a classification algorithm to test the EEG feasibility in the characterization of emotional states. Distinctive patterns of neural activation corresponding to different levels of Valence and Arousal emerged, and a noteworthy correspondence between the outcomes of the self-assessments and the classifier suggested that EEG-based affective indicators can be successfully applied in emotional characterization, shedding light on the possibility of using them as ground truth measurements. These findings provide compelling evidence for the validity of EEG as a tool for emotion characterization and its contribution to a better understanding of emotional activation.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore communities and co-occurrence networks demonstrate host-specific variation throughout the growing season
Authors: Hopkins Jacob R. , Bever James D.
Published: September 2024

Microbial community assembly involves a series of ecological filtering mechanisms that determine the composition of microbial communities. While the importance of both broad and local level factors on microbial communities has been reasonably well studied, this work often is limited to single observations and neglects to consider how communities change over time (i.e., seasonal variation). Because seasonal variation is an important determinant of community assembly and determines the relative importance of community assembly filters, this represents a key knowledge gap. Due to their close associations with seasonal variation in plant growth and fitness, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are useful groups for assessing the importance of seasonal dynamics in microbial community assembly. We tested how seasonal variation (spring vs. summer), plant life history stage (vegetative vs. flowering), and host plant species (Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea & Andropogon gerardii) influenced AM fungal spore community assembly. AM fungal spore community temporal dynamics were closely linked to plant host species and life history stage. While AM fungal spore communities demonstrated strong turnover between the spring (e.g., higher sporulation) and late summer (e.g., higher diversity), the strength and direction of these changes was modified by host plant species. Here we demonstrate the importance of considering temporal variation in microbial community assembly, and also show how plant-microbe interactions can modify seasonal trends in microbial community dynamics.