bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Education on Brain Pathology and Cognitive Decline in the Language Domain Across Women and Men in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Sample
Authors: Kim Min Hee , Ying Gelan , Morin Brittany T , Olvera Alice Gavarrete , Gibbons Laura E. , Scollard Phoebe , Lee Michael L. , Klinedinst Brandon S , Nakano Connie , Mez Jesse , Crane Paul K. ,   ADNI, Choi Seo‐Eun
Published: January 2025

Background

Education is a strong predictor influencing the dementia progression. With diminished brain integrity, cognitive reserve (CR) is thought to help preserve cognitive function and delay the symptom manifestation. Yet, scholars have not reached consensus on the extent to which education modifies brain integrity‐cognitive decline associations and how it differs by sex/gender.

Method

To test the hypothesis about CR on cognitive decline, we used the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) sample and included 785 male and 637 female participants, who were cognitively normal or had mild cognitive impairment at baseline (Table 1). We used three global brain integrity measures (cortical thickness (CT), hippocampal volume (HP), and Reversed‐White Matter Hyperintensities (R‐WMH) as well as the language composite score using the item response theory. We applied sex‐stratified random intercept models including the three‐way interaction term (education x CT x time) against the 5‐year language performance. A robust set of contextual confounders was included; intracranial volume (ICV) difference was accounted for in two ways: covariate adjustment vs. normalization.

Results

The average age was 72.6 (7.0 SD) and 74.3 years (6.8 SD) for female and males, respectively. Males had high average years of education than females. The linear regression models showed that high levels of brain integrity (HP, CT) were associated with high baseline performance and slower decline; education was only associated with higher baseline performance. The estimation of education modifying the association between brain integrity and language was sensitive to ICV correction methods and differed by brain integrity type and sex. For example, education attenuated the relationship between low normalized‐CT and R‐WMH measures and faster decline (i.e., the lower CT or WMH and decline association was weaker with higher education) only in female sample (Figure 1B); such association was not hold when ICV was included as covariate. In both males and females, lower HP and decline association was stronger with higher education, regardless ICV correction methods (Figure 2).

Conclusion

Incongruence between theory and empirical evidence on education and cognitive reserve may stem from which brain integrity measures are used, and the different approaches to account for ICV.
Longitudinal Analysis of BCAA Levels and Hypometabolism in ApoE4‐Positive Alzheimer’s Patients Over A 48‐Month Period
Authors: Virdi Jaipal , Silverman Daniel H.
Published: January 2025

Background

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a chronic, incurable neurodegenerative condition characterized by extensive systemic, cellular, and molecular abnormalities. One such aspect recent studies have highlighted is the reduction in plasma branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) concentrations, identifying them as a potential emerging marker for the disease. Although BCAAs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD, their utility in clinical prognosis remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate the role of BCAA levels in AD progression, considering the presence or absence of the APOE4 phenotype over a period of forty‐eight months.

Method

Biomarker and clinical diagnosis data for 31 subjects with varying cognitive statuses were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (CN, n = 10; LMCI, n = 21). Cognitive status was assessed using the Hypometabolic Convergence Index (HCI), a tool designed to quantify the magnitude and severity of cerebral hypometabolism typical in probable Alzheimer’s Disease patients. BCAA levels were measured through a nuclear magnetic resonance‐based blood biomarker analysis and expressed as concentrations in plasma.

Result

A significant correlation was observed between the initial HCI and BCAA measurements and HCI values taken forty‐eight months later, indicating cognitive decline (n = 31, r = 0.362, p‐value = 0.0383). Stratification by APOE4 phenotype revealed more nuanced insights: subjects with zero alleles showed no significant correlation (n = 16, r = 0.165, p‐value = 0.0542), while those with one or two alleles demonstrated a stronger, tighter correlation (n = 15, r = 0.564, p‐value = 0.0183).

Conclusion

This study corroborates prior research on the association between diminished plasma BCAA levels and reduced neuronal activity in regions pertinent to AD, as reflected by HCI assessments over a forty‐eight month period. Importantly, our findings reveal a significant correlation between BCAA concentrations and cognitive decline predominantly in individuals carrying one or two APOE4 alleles. This observation highlights the potential influence of the APOE4 allele on the impaired transport of BCAAs to the brain, contributing to cognitive deterioration in these groups. Further research is needed to explore the diagnostic value of BCAA levels in broader AD populations and to understand the mechanistic links in non‐carriers of the APOE4 allele.
Social Isolation and Loneliness in Varied Levels of Cognition Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Older Americans
Authors: Malatyali Ayse , Cidav Tom , Xie Rui , Thiamwong Ladda , Wiese Lisa Ann Kirk
Published: January 2025

Background

Social isolation and loneliness affect 20%‐30% of older Americans, increasing their risk of depression, admission to nursing homes, early disability, and mortality. This study examines the association of social isolation and loneliness with cognitive impairment‐not‐dementia (CIND) and dementia among racially/ethnically diverse older Americans.

Method

We analyzed data from the Health Retirement Study (2020 interviews) using logistic regression analyses with cognition as a response. Our sample consisted of 2,625 participants (age > 64). Measures included the 27‐item HRS cognition scale, five‐item social isolation scale, UCLA loneliness scale, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.

Result

The characteristics of our sample were: mean age of 75.5 years, Blacks (16%), Hispanics (11.4%), women (59%), College educated (55%), and residing in rural areas (26.3%). Participants who experienced loneliness were 40% more likely to have cognitive impairment and 20% more likely to have dementia. The likelihood of having cognitive impairment was 20% higher among socially isolated participants than those without social isolation. However, there was no significant association between social isolation and dementia. The relationship of depressive symptoms with CIND or dementia was also non‐significant. Black participants were about seven times more likely to have CIND and two times more likely to have dementia than Whites. Hispanic participants had nearly three times higher risk of CIND than non‐Hispanics, but their risk of dementia was non‐significant. Further interaction analyses showed no statistically significant difference in social isolation or loneliness with CIND or dementia risk by race or ethnicity. The odds of having CIND were significantly higher in men (20%) than women and in rural participants (31%) than urban participants. Conversely, the association of gender groups or rurality with dementia was non‐significant. The risk of CIND and dementia was significantly less in participants with a high school degree and above.

Conclusion

These findings support research on the importance of social connectedness in cognitive aging. Further investigation into temporal trends in social isolation and loneliness regarding the changes in cognitive trajectories is needed.
Developing novel supersensitive amyloid‐β 43 and pyroglutamate‐modified amyloid‐β 3‐40 assays for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Alawode Deborah O T , Heslegrave Amanda J , Zetterberg Henrik
Published: January 2025

Background

In light of the poor fold change in the plasma amyloid‐β (Aβ) 42/amyloid‐β 40 ratio (Aβ42/40) between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and control (CTRL) cases, novel Aβ biomarkers are needed which will require harnessing the increased sensitivity offered by a novel modification to the Quanterix Corporation Single molecule array (Simoa) technology.

Method

Simoa assays for the detection of Aβ43 and pyroglutamate‐modified Aβ 3‐40 (AβpE3‐40) have been developed on the standard HD‐X instrument. Aβ43 and AβpE3‐40 were measured in 8 CSF samples (1 AD, 4 mixed phenotype [MP] and 3 CTRL) on the HD‐X instrument, each of which were measured at four dilution levels – neat, 2x, 4x and 8x dilution.

Result

Out of a possible 32 measurements per analyte (four dilution levels per sample), Aβ43 was quantifiable in 68.8% of measurements, 72.7% of which fell below the concentration of calibrator B. In three samples, Aβ43 was measurable at all four dilution levels, and showed a strong but statistically non‐significant dilution linearity. In contrast, AβpE3‐40 was quantifiable in 93.8% samples, 96.6% of which fell below the concentrations of calibrator B. In six samples, AβpE3‐40 was measurable at all four dilution levels. One sample showed a strong but statistically non‐significant dilution linearity, with the remaining five samples showing a poor dilution linearity, suggesting the limits of HD‐X sensitivity had been reached.

Conclusion

The increased sensitivity provided by the modification to the Simoa SRx is needed to accurately quantify Aβ43 and AβpE3‐40 in CSF and subsequently plasma. Work is ongoing to transfer these novel assays from the HDx onto the modified SRx instrument.
Vascular Aging Markers and Blood Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration
Authors: Guzman Vanessa A. , Panton Maliyah , Rahman Salwa , Allende Antonio J Spagnolo , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Rundek Tatjana , Marshall Randolph S. , Cosentino Stephanie , Manly Jennifer J. , Gutierrez Jose
Published: January 2025

Background

Age‐related changes in the systemic and cerebral vasculature adversely affect brain health and may contribute to neurodegeneration. However, the relationship between markers of systemic (arterial stiffness) and cerebral (flow pulsatility) vascular aging with neurodegeneration remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of arterial stiffness and flow pulsatiility with blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration.

Method

A subset of 80 participants (Mage = 81+7, 63% female, 78% Latinx) from the Northern Manhattan Study completed carotid ultrasound, transcranial doppler (TCD) ultrasonography, and blood sampling. Arterial stiffness was used as a proxy for systemic vascular aging and measured using pulse wave velocity (PWV) obtained from the Vicorder device or carotid doppler. Middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (MCA PI) was used as a proxy for cerebral vascular aging and measured bilaterally using TCD. Blood biomarkers were derived using Simoa Neurology 4‐Plex E kit for: Aβ40, Aβ42, Ptau181, GFAP, and NfL. The ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40 (Aβ42/Aβ40) was also calculated and included as an outcome measure. We examined the associations of aortic stiffness, common carotid stiffness, internal carotid stiffness, and MCA PI with each blood biomarker, with and without adjustment for age and sex.

Result

MCA PI was associated with increased concentration of Aβ40 (βstandardized = .26, p = .03), p‐tau181 (βstandardized = .31, p = .01), GFAP (βstandardized = .36, p = .002), and NfL (βstandardized = .33, p = .01) but not with Aβ42 (βstandardized = .18, p = .13) or Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio (βstandardized = ‐.05, p = .54). In adjusted models, only the association between MCA PI and ptau181 remained significant (βstandardized = .31, p = .03). There was no association between arterial stiffness measures and blood biomarkers.

Conclusion

Elevated pulsatility in the middle cerebral arteries was associated with increased concentration of blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration; however, associations were attenuated for all blood biomarkers except for p‐tau181 after adjusting for age and sex. These preliminary findings suggest surrogate markers of cerebral vascular aging may be more robust predictors of neurodegeneration. While statistical power was limited by small sample size, future research examining these relationships in larger samples is warranted.
Prediction of regional brain tau levels in early Alzheimer’s disease using plasma pTau217
Authors: Devanarayan Viswanath , Charil Arnaud , Doherty Thomas , Llano Daniel A. , Ye Yuanqing , Andreozzi Erica , Zhou Jin , Sachdev Pallavi , Reyderman Larisa , Hampel Harald , Kramer Lynn D , Dhadda Shobha , Irizarry Michael C.
Published: January 2025

Background

PET quantification of brain tau pathology aids in Alzheimer’s disease staging and patient screening. This study assesses whether the phosphorylated to nonphosphorylated plasma Tau217 ratio (pTau217R) predicts regional tau PET standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) and accurately identifies subjects with different levels of tau accumulation.

Method

Plasma pTau217 and non‐phosphorylated tau217 concentrations were quantified via immunoprecipitation‐mass spectrometry. Predictive models for MK6240 tau PET SUVR were developed and validated using a 60‐40 random split of a clinical trial cohort comprising 242 amyloid‐β positive early Alzheimer’s disease individuals. The stochastic gradient boosting algorithm was employed to construct models for concurrently predicting SUVR values across various brain regions. Additional analyses explored whether integrating additional predictors (e.g., cognitive assessments, fluid biomarkers, structural MRI, and amyloid PET) into the model could improve the prediction performance of pTau217R. Model performance was cross‐validated within the training set and evaluated further in a hold‐out test set.

Result

pTau217R‐based models accurately predicted tau PET uptake across various brain regions, with R2 values ranging from 0.49 to 0.65. The maximum SUVR values reliably predicted across these brain regions fell within the range of 1.87 to 2.3. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for detecting tau presence ranged from 84% to 95% across the six Braak stages and cortical regions, maintaining consistent performance at higher tau accumulation levels (Figure 1A‐B; cortical regions). Integrating additional predictors did not improve pTau217R’s performance. Therefore, using pTau217R alone in predicting tau PET SUVR reduced the need for tau PET scans by up to 65%, particularly in identifying low tau concentrations within cortical grey matter, while maintaining a 5% false negative rate.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates the robust predictive ability of pTau217R in estimating regional brain tau levels among Aβ+ early Alzheimer’s disease patients, accurately discerning individuals with varying degrees of tau accumulation while notably reducing the need for tau PET scans. The simultaneous prediction of continuous SUVR values across multiple brain regions enables pathological disease staging, enhances practicality, and maximizes accessibility for patients, thereby providing greater flexibility in patient screening and monitoring procedures for both clinical trials and real‐world clinical settings.
Higher fracture risk associates with worse cognitive performance in Mexico
Authors: Ruiz‐Castillo Karla Paulina , Castro Natalia Pozo , Paradela Regina Silva , Valcour Victor
Published: January 2025

Background

Osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of dementia (Zhang, P. et al., 2022). The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) calculates the risk of hip fracture using a series of clinical variables, even in the absence of bone density knowledge. A higher FRAX scores indicates higher risk for osteoporosis. Some studies suggest that individuals with higher FRAX are also at increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia, with less evidence from low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC). We aim to evaluate the association between FRAX score and cognitive impairment in Mexican older adults.

Method

This is a cross‐sectional study of 500 Adults 60 years of age or older enrolled at a dementia clinic in a tertiary care hospital in México who completed baseline evaluations. We assessed the risk of hip fracture using FRAX and cognitive performance with the MMSE. Participants also received brain MRI (1.5 tesla), and a comprehensive geriatric assessment. A linear regression was performed to evaluate the association between FRAX score and cognitive impairment measured through MMSE.

Result

The sample included 295 (59%) women and 205 men (41%), with a mean age of 69±6.4 years, and a mean of 6±4.7 years of education. We excluded 1.8% of cased due to probable delirium. Among the remaining cases, 97.7% were cognitively impaired, which was classified as: mild cognitive impairment (MMSE between 24‐29, 40.8%) and dementia (MMSE < 24, 59.2%). The most prevalent diseases were hypertension (61.8%), diabetes (35.8%), and depression (23.2%). We found a negative association between the FRAX score and the MMSE score (b = ‐0.288, p = 0.001), after controlling for age, sex, and education.

Conclusion

A higher FRAX score was associated with a lower MMSE score in Mexican older adults, supporting an association between fracture risk and cognitive impairment. Understanding this association is important for developing integrated strategies for the prevention and management of both osteoporosis and dementia in aging populations from LMIC. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms linking osteoporosis to dementia.
Cell cycle re‐entry primes neuronal senescence in brain aging and dementia
Authors: Chow Hei‐Man
Published: January 2025

Background

Emerging evidence strongly suggests that terminally differentiated neurons in the brain have the potential to undergo a cell cycle‐like process during neuronal aging and in the presence of certain diseases. However, due to their infrequent occurrence and unpredictable distribution within the brain, the molecular characteristics and specific variations associated with these cells in different diseases are still not well understood.

Method

By taking advantage of the wealth of human brain single‐nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA‐seq) datasets available in public repositories, we developed an analytical pipeline that facilitates the identification and characterization of cell cycle gene re‐expressing neurons to address these questions. The cell cycle gene expression status of each single nucleus was identified and subsequently tested for DNA duplication or deletion events might be due to aberrant cell cycle activity. Subsequently, the target cells of interest were further characterized via cell fate trajectory analysis to uncover their origins and evolutionary relationships. Lastly, to understand the potential involvement of these cells in disease development and heterogeneity, we quantitatively analyzed their relative numbers and performed differential gene expression analysis comparing nuclei from control and disease‐affected samples.

Result

Our analysis showed that cell cycle‐related events primarily occur in excitatory neurons, with cellular senescence being their likely end fate. The number of neurons re‐engaging in the cell cycle and undergoing senescence decreased during normal brain aging, but in late‐onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), these cells accumulated instead. Transcriptomic profiling of these cells revealed that disease‐specific differences were predominantly associated with early‐stage senescence, indicating increased proinflammatory, metabolic dysregulation, and pathology‐related signatures in diseased brains. Similar features were observed in a subset of dopaminergic neurons in the Parkinson’s disease (PD)‐Lewy body dementia (LBD) model and a mouse model of aging.

Conclusion

The consistent findings in multiple disease models validated the robust relationship between the cell cycle and senescence events in neurons. The multi‐model analysis conducted in multiple independent datasets demonstrated the applicability and effectiveness of our bioinformatics approach in a cross‐species setting.
Rippl and the Alzheimer’s Association: A Strategic Approach to the GUIDE Model
Authors: Engskov Kris
Published: January 2025

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Evaluating the GUIDE Model
Authors: Timmins Lori
Published: January 2025

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Robust Fabrication of Anisotropic Bilayer Hydrogel Embedded With a Gradient Structure in One Layer: Enhanced Temperature‐Responsive Bending, Shape Programmability, and Actuator and Sensor Applications
Authors: Kalulu Mulenga , Munyati Onesmus , Oderinde Olayinka , Hu Jun , Ogungbesan Shephrah O. , Fu Guodong
Published: January 2025

Anisotropic hydrogel actuators with gradient structures offer tunable mechanical properties, like directional stiffness or bending. However, creating these gradient‐structured bilayer hydrogels is challenging, as current methods rely on complex, single‐force programming. Developing a double‐actuating bilayer hydrogel with temperature‐responsive and auxiliary layers could address these limitations and enhance their applicability. In this study, an anisotropic hydrogel actuator was developed using a simple, cost‐effective method to create a unique multi‐asymmetric structure with an embedded gradient in one layer. The resulting hydrogels exhibited excellent temperature‐responsive bending (360° within 9 s) and adaptive, complex shape‐programmable deformation (2D letters, flowers, butterflies, leaves). In addition, the hydrogels demonstrated good shape memory, mechanical strength, and conductivity. Prototypes of a hydrogel gripper and humidity alarm were successfully fabricated, showcasing the potential of this strategy for designing smart hydrogels for applications in sensors, smart humidity alarms, grippers, and actuators.
Mixed Adsorbents: Synergic Effects Improve Problematic Compounds Removal During Drinking Water Treatment
Authors: Sichrova Katerina , Cermakova Lenka , Novotna Katerina , Pivokonska Lenka , Zustakova Veronika , Pivokonsky Martin
Published: January 2025

This study investigated the adsorption using mixed adsorbents comprising different proportions of commercially available granular activated carbons (GACs) and compared their performance to single GACs for removing algal organic matter (AOM) and pesticides. In addition to diverse GAC ratios, the effects of adsorbent dosage and solution pH were investigated for AOM, pesticides, and an AOM‐pesticide mixture. The mixed adsorbents can achieve overall higher removal of AOM and pesticides in a mixture. Surprisingly, even the removal of single adsorbates increased when mixed adsorbents were used. The AOM removal increased from 25%–29% using single GACs to 44% using a suitable adsorbent mixture; similarly, the pesticide removal increased from 52%–67% to 74%. The adsorbent ratio was the key influential factor. Additionally, the pH value also significantly affected the adsorption. Using a mixture of different adsorbents is a promising method for treating drinking water.
Microscopic time‐dependent mechanical behavior of shale derived from nanoindentation
Authors: Li Cunbao , Zhong Shilei , Xie Heping , Zhou Changtai , Hu Jianjun
Published: January 2025

Understanding the microscopic time‐dependent mechanical behavior of shale is critical for assessing macroscopic creep and engineering applications. Grid nanoindentation experiments and nanoindentation creep tests were systematically conducted to investigate microscopic creep behaviors in shale. The indentation creep displacements and creep rates of the shale's soft, intermediate, and hard phases showed the same evolution patterns. The creep deformation was much higher in the soft phase than in the other two phases. However, the difference in the steady‐state creep rates between the three mechanical phases was negligible. A linear relationship was observed between the microscopic contact creep modulus and the microscopic Young's modulus, hardness, creep displacement, and creep rate. The primary mechanism of microscopic creep in shale revealed by the creep strain rate sensitivity parameter was the extension and closure of microcracks. The differences in the microscopic creep parameters derived from the experimental data using the deconvolution methods and representative point methods were evaluated, and the applicability of the two methods was described. The performances of commonly used creep models to predict the microscopic creep behaviors were evaluated. The Burgers model provided the best performance in predicting the steady‐state creep deformation and creep rate. The ability of the Mori–Tanaka and Voigt–Reuss–Hill models to derive macroscopic parameters from microscopic mechanical parameters was compared. Both methods provided macroscopic Young's modulus values close to the experimental values; however, neither could predict macroscopic creep parameters based on microscopic creep parameters.
Urodele amphibian newt bridges the missing link in evo‐devo of the pancreas
Authors: Morozumi Ryosuke , Okamoto Kazuko , Enomoto Eriko , Tsukamoto Yuta , Kyakuno Mitsuki , Suzuki Nanoka , Tazawa Ichiro , Furuno Nobuaki , Ogino Hajime , Kamei Yasuhiro , Matsunami Masatoshi , Shigenobu Shuji , Suzuki Kenichi , Uemasu Hitoshi , Namba Noriyuki , Hayashi Toshinori
Published: January 2025

Background

The pancreas exhibits diverse structures and roles across vertebrates. The pancreas has evolved to include both endocrine and exocrine cells, a change that occurred during the transition from fish to amphibian. This event emphasizes the evolutionary significance of amphibians. However, research has focused predominantly on anuran amphibians, with urodeles, such as newts, remaining underexplored. In this study, we investigated the development of the pancreas using Pleurodeles waltl as a model species of urodele.

Results

The newt pancreas consists of a single organ with exocrine tissue characterized by acinar structures and endocrine tissue forming islets. Notably, the newt possesses unique pancreas‐like tissues on their intestines. We found that disruption of the newt Pancreatic and Duodenal Homeobox (Pdx) 1 gene resulted in an underdeveloped pancreas. Conversely, disruption of the Pdx2 paralog in newt had no significant impact on pancreatic development.

Conclusion

The newt pancreas shows a morphology similar to that of the mammalian pancreas, which includes both exocrine and endocrine tissues. These results highlight the intermediate evolutionary position of the newt in the context of the evolution of pancreatic development.

Our findings indicate that characterization of the newt pancreas will be crucial for understanding the evolutionary progression of pancreatic function in vertebrates.
Addressing Bribery and Associated Social Norms in Healthcare: Results of a Behaviour Change Intervention in Tanzania
Authors: Camargo Claudia Baez , Gadenne Violette , Mkoji Veronica , Perera Dilhan , Persian Ruth , Sambaiga Richard , Stark Tobias
Published: January 2025

Practices of bribery in the delivery of public services become entrenched when they are driven by social norms of reciprocity. The resulting economies of favours, which are common across diverse geographical regions, are resilient to conventional anti‐corruption measures because they are underpinned by strong social pressures. This article describes the results of a behaviour change intervention to address gift‐giving as a form of bribery in a Tanzanian hospital. The intervention utilised environmental cues and a peer‐led network approach to deliver messages aimed at disincentivising bribery. An exit survey of hospital users indicates a reduction of the ‘gift‐offering propensity score’, capturing self‐declared behaviour, from 23% before implementation of the intervention to 13% afterwards. We find similar changes in the enabling norms score. Semi‐structured interviews with hospital users and health workers further support these findings. These results suggest that practices and norms around bribery might be changed through a multi‐pronged approach that addresses both the ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ side of bribery.
Price Discovery in Bitcoin Spot or Futures? The Jury Is Out
Authors: Frino Alex , Gaudiosi Robert , Webb Robert I. , Ivy Zhou Z.
Published: January 2025

This study clarifies discrepancies in previous research on the contribution of regulated Bitcoin futures to price discovery, where conclusions have varied between futures leading over spot markets or vice versa. We identify potential reasons behind these conflicting findings, including the choice of price discovery measures, sampling frequencies, modeling windows, futures contracts, and spot exchanges. Using 1‐s sampling frequencies to accurately capture price discovery in the fast‐paced markets and accounting for substantial noise differences between spot and futures markets, we find that the futures market generally leads spot markets, though this price leadership exhibits daily fluctuations. Moreover, we observe a pronounced increase in the futures market's contribution to price discovery around macroeconomic surprises and Tether stablecoin minting tweets.
Performance and Emission Characteristics of Bombyx mori Biodiesel Blends With SiO2 Nanoadditive in DI‐CI Engines
Authors: Ramani Bharathwaaj , Taamneh Yazan , Vinagayam Nadanakumar , Sathyamurthy Ravishankar
Published: January 2025

A major global concern is climate change and its effects on the environment. The combustion of mineral diesel plays a major role in creating pollution. This creates an interest for the researchers to identify an alternate source for the same. In this work, the biodiesel obtained from silkworm oil is blended with 70%. The biodiesel obtained from silkworm oil was blended with 70% by volume of diesel and SiO2 nanoparticles at three different proportions, 25, 50, and 75 ppm. The biodiesel blends containing 75 ppm SiO2 nanoparticles showed better combustion performance than diesel and other blends considered. From the results obtained from the single cylinder 4 stroke Compression Ignition engine, it can be evidently seen that the brake thermal efficiency of the biodiesel blends has been increased by 12.46% at full load operation of the engine. The experimental results also show a decrease in Brake‐specific fuel consumption by 13.44% for biodiesel blends compared to that of diesel. The emission for the better‐performance blend witnessed a decrease in CO by 38.33%, an increase in NOx by 27.41%, and a reduction in UBHC by 43.63%. The overall results of the experiment show that the fuel blend with 30% by volume biodiesel and 75 ppm nanoparticles performed better than diesel in all aspects and can be a potential alternative for diesel.
A Stateful Protocol‐Based Detection Engine Combining Behavior Use Cases and System Specifications
Authors: Seng S. , Garcia‐Alfaro J. , Gazeau I. , Desmonts L.
Published: January 2025

Faced with the increasing need for network monitoring, many detection methods have been proposed. In the last few years, AI‐based methods, especially Machine Learning, have been the most popular. However, these methods are not yet fully operational and detection methods based on signatures or on specifications still keep all their legitimacy. In this letter, we propose a technique that combines a detection method based on protocol specification with a learning method train on a dataset specific to a use case. This combination leads to the definition of the notion of protocol profile. Our solution is a continuation of a previous work which proposes an anomaly detection over‐layer that are complementary to the pre‐existing ones within a NIDS. The latter keeps its usual detection technique to which is added a stateful monitoring layer based on protocol specifications represented using Harel statecharts as well as our protocol profile layer. An algorithm has been proposed to automatically generate a protocol profile. It is based on event occurrence probabilities and an intermediate data format that we introduce: the Flow Graph Execution Log (FGEL). Other algorithms are also mentioned. A prototype has been realized and an experimentation with the POP3 protocol and simulated data sets has allowed to validate the concept.
New Intestinal Ultrasound Score for Assessing Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity and Identifying Severity
Authors: Zhang Chi , Xu Jianhua , Gu Changyan , Zheng Chunyao , Nie Fang
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose new ultrasound scores to assess inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity and to analyze their accuracy in assessing disease severity. In addition to this, to validate that intestinal ultrasound can be used as a follow‐up tool for the assessment of IBD.

Methods

One hundred and thirty‐six adult IBD patients who underwent intestinal ultrasound. Patients were divided into two groups based on colonoscopic findings: 93 patients with UC, 43 patients with CD. UC patients and CD patients were divided into active and inactive groups based on colonoscopic findings, respectively. After forming scores, cut‐off values, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, respectively.

Results

Both in UC patients and in CD patients, bowel wall thickness (BWT) and vascular index (VI) were much higher in the active group compared with the inactive group, CEUS mode III, IV, CDFI grades 3–4, fat wrapping, and lost stratification were more likely to imply active disease. In UC patients only, Young's modulus value was much higher in the active group compared with the inactive group.

Conclusion

The new intestinal ultrasound scores can be used to assess UC and CD activity and may be useful in identifying severe endoscopic activity in IBD.
The Effects of Moderate to High Static Magnetic Fields on Pancreatic Damage
Authors: Wang Ying , Chen Weili , Wang Junjun , Song Chao , Zhang Lei , Zhang Xin
Published: January 2025

Background

Pancreatic damage is a common digestive system disease with no specific drugs. Static magnetic field (SMF), the key component of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has demonstrated prominent effects in various disease models.

Purpose

To study the effects of 0.1–9.4 T SMFs on pancreatic injury induced by alcohol, and acute pancreatitis (AP) induced by L‐arginine (L‐Arg).

Study Type

Prospective, animal model.

Animal Model

Twelve healthy C57BL/6J male mice, 30 AP model male mice, and 30 alcohol‐associated liver disease (AALD) model male mice.

Field Strength/Sequence

1.5–9.4 T SMFs for 12 hours and 0.1 T SMF for 72 hours. No imaging sequence was used.

Assessment

Histological analysis on AALD mice pancreas was conducted. For L‐Arg‐induced AP mice, their body weight, food/water consumption, open field behavior, blood analysis, as well as histological analysis, inflammatory, oxidative stress of the pancreas were measured. In vitro cellular experiments were also conducted.

Statistical Tests

Data are presented as means ± SD and analyzed using the two‐tailed Student's t‐test or one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

1.5–7 T SMFs significantly reduced alcohol‐induced pancreatic damage, increasing the structurally intact acinar area from 51.5% to 78.3%, whereas the effect of 9.4 T SMF is not obvious. 0.1 T SMF can reduce the AP mice lethality, increase the structurally intact acinar area from 31.0% to 59.7%, associated with the reduced pancreatic inflammatory responses (78.1% reduction of F4/80 and 80.0% reduction of MPO), 20.0% decreased oxidative stress and 53.2% reduced pancreatic cell apoptosis.

Data Conclusion

High‐field MRI may be safe for pancreatic‐related diseases at the animal level. SMFs have a future potential to be developed as non‐invasive and highly penetrating physical modalities for the treatment of pancreatic injury including AP.

Plain Language Summary

This study aims to evaluate the safety and potential therapeutic effects of moderate‐ to high‐intensity static magnetic fields (SMFs) on mice with pancreatic injury. Their findings revealed that SMFs between 1.5 and 7 Tesla (T) helped reduce alcohol‐induced pancreatic damage, while a stronger 9.4 T showed no effect. Interestingly, for mice with L‐arginine‐induced acute pancreatitis, a weaker 0.1 T significantly increased the area of healthy acinar cells from 31.0% to 59.7%. These results not only suggest that MRI‐related SMFs are safe for pancreatic diseases in animals, but also unravel the potential of SMFs as a future treatment option for pancreatic disorders.

Evidence Level

N/A

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1
Income and Insurance‐Based Disparities in Primary Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Extremities
Authors: Wahle Charlotte F. , Sakowitz Sara , Newman‐Hung Nicole J. , Bernthal Nicholas M. , Benharash Peyman , Wessel Lauren E.
Published: January 2025

Background and Objectives

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare but can be devastating. Paradigm shifts in adjuvant treatment have expanded the availability of limb salvage; however, a subset of patients still require amputation. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of patient, disease, and practice‐related factors on rates of amputation in STS.

Methods

All adults undergoing resection for STS of the extremities were tabulated from the 2004–2021 National Cancer Database (NCDB). Multivariable models were utilized to evaluate risk factors for undergoing amputation.

Results

Of 31 805 patients, 1880 (6%) underwent amputation. Those who underwent amputation were younger (57 vs. 60, p < 0.001), more commonly Black (12% vs. 9%, p < 0.00), and more frequently Medicaid insured (11% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). Amputation patients experienced a longer time from diagnosis to surgery, compared to limb salvage patients (46 [23–91] vs. 37 days [9–93], p < 0.001). Amputation was associated with a significantly greater hazard of overall mortality over 10 years following resection (HR 1.66, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We report significant race‐, income‐, and insurance‐based disparities in amputation risk and overall survival for patients with STS of the extremities. We also report a significantly increased risk of amputation for patients with delayed clinical presentation. Multidisciplinary sarcoma care teams should be aware of these disparities.
Noninvasive blood–brain barrier integrity mapping in patients with high‐grade glioma and metastasis by multi–echo time–encoded arterial spin labeling
Authors: Hoffmann Gabriel , Preibisch Christine , Günther Matthias , Mahroo Amnah , van Osch Matthias J. P. , Václavů Lena , Metz Marie‐Christin , Jung Kirsten , Zimmer Claus , Wiestler Benedikt , Kaczmarz Stephan
Published: January 2025

Purpose

In brain tumors, disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) indicates malignancy. Clinical assessment is qualitative; quantitative evaluation is feasible using the K2 leakage parameter from dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI. However, contrast agent–based techniques are limited in patients with renal dysfunction and insensitive to subtle impairments. Assessing water transport times across the BBB (Tex) by multi‐echo arterial spin labeling promises to detect BBB impairments noninvasively and potentially more sensitively.

We hypothesized that reduced Tex indicates impaired BBB. Furthermore, we assumed higher sensitivity for Tex than dynamic susceptibility contrast–based K2, because arterial spin labeling uses water as a freely diffusible tracer.

Methods

We acquired 3T MRI data from 28 patients with intraparenchymal brain tumors (World Health Organization Grade 3 & 4 gliomas [n = 17] or metastases [n = 11]) and 17 age‐matched healthy controls. The protocol included multi‐echo and single‐echo Hadamard‐encoded arterial spin labeling, dynamic susceptibility contrast, and conventional clinical imaging. Tex was calculated using a T2‐dependent multi‐compartment model.

Areas of contrast‐enhancing tissue, edema, and normal‐appearing tissue were automatically segmented, and parameter values were compared across volumes of interest and between patients and healthy controls.

Results

Tex was significantly reduced (−20.3%) in contrast‐enhancing tissue compared with normal‐appearing gray matter and correlated well with |K2| (r = −0.347). Compared with healthy controls, Tex was significantly lower in tumor patients' normal‐appearing gray matter (Tex,tumor = 0.141 ± 0.032 s vs. Tex,HC = 0.172 ± 0.036 s) and normal‐appearing white matter (Tex,tumor = 0.116 ± 0.015 vs. Tex,HC = 0.127 ± 0.017 s), whereas |K2| did not differ significantly. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a larger area under the curve for Tex (0.784) than K2 (0.604).

Conclusion

Tex is sensitive to pathophysiologically impaired BBB. It agrees with contrast agent–based K2 in contrast‐enhancing tissue and indicates sensitivity to subtle leakage.
Discussing Weight in Real World GP Consultations: A Video Recording Analysis Study
Authors: Norman Kimberley , Giri Neha , Gunatillaka Nilakshi , West Kellie , Ramachandran Divya , Sturgiss Elizabeth
Published: January 2025

Objective

GPs have a complex role in obesity management due to patients' individualized experience of living with obesity, coupled with the challenge to deliver healthcare messages in non‐stigmatizing ways. This study aimed to explore who initiates the topic of weight and how weight was discussed in real‐world GP‐patient consultations.

Method

A multi‐disciplinary team, including obesity lived experience experts, undertook a secondary data analysis of 43 Australian video recorded consultations and patient surveys from The Digital Library using descriptive content analysis.

Results

17/43 consultations included the topic of weight in the discussion. 15 were initiated by the GP and 2 by the patient. 14/17 used a structured approach. All GPs asked for consent to discuss weight or gave patients space to decline the discussion. No overt stigmatizing language was identified. A post‐consultation survey found 15/17 patients (2 unanswered) felt listened to and respected during consultations.

Conclusion

This study identified the intricate ways GPs approach weight discussions in consultations. GPs navigated weight discussions in ways that made patients feel respected and listened to and related weight to health concerns relevant to each patient.

Practice Implications

The findings in this study can serve as a foundation for establishing education and training resources for GPs and can be utilized as a way of continuing professional development. Any future communication technique resources for GPs should be co‐designed with obesity lived experience experts to ensure appropriateness and avoid potential stigma and harm.
Drilling mechanism of temperature‐sensitive non‐directional UHMWPE fiber composites
Authors: Fu Chaolong , Huang Yuyuan , Jiang Qingrui , Ma Yujie , Hu Shanshan , Zhang Genge
Published: January 2025

Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber composites have been widely used in aerospace, construction, and other fields; however, chip winding and poor drilling quality was greatly influenced by the drilling temperature because of the fiber and substrate's inherent temperature sensitivity. Drilling Experiments of nondirectional UHMWPE short fiber composites was conducted with four different drill bits to investigate the drilling mechanism affecting by drill bits types and drilling temperature. A unique chip‐winding mechanism and its relationship with drilling temperature and drilling force was proposed. The results showed that the spindle speed was the key factor affecting the drilling force, drilling temperature, chips morphology and chip‐winding. The polycrystalline diamond (PCD) drill bit was better than the other drill bits in terms of chip removal capacity, hole wall surface quality, and drilling temperature. When the spindle speed was set at 135 m/min, the drilling temperature and quality were the most stable. The melting temperature of the fibers in the drilling process was about 20°C (24%) higher than its real melting point. In addition, when the drilling temperature was lower than the melting point of UHMWPE fiber (90–140°C), the fracture modes of fibers was mainly tensile and extrusion fracture; while fibers melted on hole inner wall to increase the roughness of the hole wall at temperatures above the melting point (140 ~ 175°C).

Highlights

The winding mechanism of UHMWPE fiber composites was analyzed for the first time.

The spindle speed and drilling temperature are both determinants of the hole quality.

PCD drill bit achieved better hole quality when drilling UHMWPE fiber composites.

The fiber fracture mechanism under the influence of drilling temperature was analyzed.
Rapid Determination of Crocin‐I in Gardenia Fruits (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) by Combining Spectral and Image Data Through Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Xu Xin‐Yue , Jie Xiao‐Lu , Wu Jia‐Hui , Xia Dan‐Ping , Xu Zhou‐Duan , Luo Zi‐Rui , Fei Fei , Zhou Wei‐Kang , Tao Yi , Kawagishi Hirokazu , Wu Jing , Wang Ping , Feng Pei‐Shi
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Crocin‐I, a water‐soluble carotenoid pigment, is an important coloring constituent in gardenia fruit. It has wide application in various industries such as food, medicine, chemical industry, and so on. So the content of crocin‐I plays a key role in evaluating the quality of gardenia.

Objective

We assessed crocin‐I content in gardenia with a rapid, nondestructive, and convenient method.

Method

The data of gardenia samples were scanned under a portable visible–near‐infrared (Vis–NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the spectral range of 400–1000 nm. Afterward, the spectral data along with image‐related information, encompassing color and texture, were extracted from the HSI. Based on a single information and its fusion at different fusion levels (low‐level, traditional mid‐level fusion, and an improved mid‐level fusion), partial least squares regression (PLSR) prediction models were established and compared.

Result

The results demonstrated the superiority of data fusion, which ingeniously combined spectra and image data. Compared with individual information sources, the traditional mid‐level fusion model showed a robust predictive ability. The correlation coefficient of the prediction set (Rp), the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and the ratios of performance to deviation (RPDP) of the model were 0.901, 0.962, and 2.262, respectively.

Conclusion

This study highlights the effectiveness of the data fusion method, showcasing its capacity to significantly enhance the prediction accuracy of crocin‐I content in gardenia through the integration of hyperspectral mapping data. The findings of this research are anticipated to serve as a valuable reference for predicting the active ingredients of other Chinese herbal medicines.