bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Landscape of e-Government Maturity Models: Insights from Systematic Mapping Study and Comparative Analysis
Authors: Okan Aylin Akca
Published: April 2024

e-Government Maturity Models are essential tools for governments to assess and improve their e-government capabilities, performance, and impact. This article offers a pioneering systematic mapping study and comparative analysis of e-Government Maturity Models proposed between 2010 and 2022, marking a significant stride in the realm of e-government research. The review focuses on these recent models and compares their approaches, frameworks, and dimensions. Previous comparison research studies conducted before 2010 are also reviewed to provide an inclusive context for understanding the evolution and advancement of e-government maturity models. The study is the first to systematically map and compare e-Government Maturity Models proposed in recent years, also comparing with the previous decade.

Employing a mixed-methods approach, this article meticulously dissects and contrasts various models, shedding light on the evolution, strengths, and weaknesses of e-government maturity frameworks over more than a decade. The research contributes to the literature by revealing underlying discrepancies in current models and proposing a synthesized perspective that integrates technological advancements and administrative strategies, providing insights into opportunities for future research and practice. The findings of the study can be used to develop a new generation of e-government maturity models that are more comprehensive and relevant to the current needs of governments.
A Systematic Literature Review of Novelty Detection in Data Streams: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Gaudreault Jean-Gabriel , Branco Paula
Published: April 2024

Novelty detection in data streams is the task of detecting concepts that were not known prior, in streams of data. Many machine learning algorithms have been proposed to detect these novelties, as well as integrate them. This study provides a systematic literature review of the state of novelty detection in data streams, including its advancement in recent years, its main challenges and solutions, an updated taxonomy for the classification of the proposed frameworks, and a comparative analysis of different key algorithms in this field. Additionally, we highlight ongoing challenges and future research directions that could be tackled moving forward.
LMACL: Improving Graph Collaborative Filtering with Learnable Model Augmentation Contrastive Learning
Authors: Liu Xinru , Hao Yongjing , Zhao Lei , Liu Guanfeng , Sheng Victor S. , Zhao Pengpeng
Published: April 2024

Graph collaborative filtering (GCF) has achieved exciting recommendation performance with its ability to aggregate high-order graph structure information. Recently, contrastive learning (CL) has been incorporated into GCF to alleviate data sparsity and noise issues. However, most of the existing methods employ random or manual augmentation to produce contrastive views that may destroy the original topology and amplify the noisy effects. We argue that such augmentation is insufficient to produce the optimal contrastive view, leading to suboptimal recommendation results. In this article, we proposed a
L
earnable
M
odel
A
ugmentation
C
ontrastive
L
earning (LMACL) framework for recommendation, which effectively combines graph-level and node-level collaborative relations to enhance the expressiveness of collaborative filtering (CF) paradigm. Specifically, we first use the graph convolution network (GCN) as a backbone encoder to incorporate multi-hop neighbors into graph-level original node representations by leveraging the high-order connectivity in user-item interaction graphs. At the same time, we treat the multi-head graph attention network (GAT) as an augmentation view generator to adaptively generate high-quality node-level augmented views. Finally, joint learning endows the end-to-end training fashion. In this case, the mutual supervision and collaborative cooperation of GCN and GAT achieves learnable model augmentation. Extensive experiments on several benchmark datasets demonstrate that LMACL provides a significant improvement over the strongest baseline in terms of
Recall
and
NDCG
by 2.5%–3.8% and 1.6%–4.0%, respectively. Our model implementation code is available at
https://github.com/LiuHsinx/LMACL
.
Visual Tuning
Authors: Yu Bruce X.B. , Chang Jianlong , Wang Haixin , Liu Lingbo , Wang Shijie , Wang Zhiyu , Lin Junfan , Xie Lingxi , Li Haojie , Lin Zhouchen , Tian Qi , Chen Chang Wen
Published: April 2024

Fine-tuning visual models has been widely shown promising performance on many downstream visual tasks. With the surprising development of pre-trained visual foundation models, visual tuning jumped out of the standard modus operandi that fine-tunes the whole pre-trained model or just the fully connected layer. Instead, recent advances can achieve superior performance than full-tuning the whole pre-trained parameters by updating far fewer parameters, enabling edge devices and downstream applications to reuse the increasingly large foundation models deployed on the cloud. With the aim of helping researchers get the full picture and future directions of visual tuning, this survey characterizes a large and thoughtful selection of recent works, providing a systematic and comprehensive overview of existing work and models. Specifically, it provides a detailed background of visual tuning and categorizes recent visual tuning techniques into five groups: fine-tuning, prompt tuning, adapter tuning, parameter tuning, and remapping tuning. Meanwhile, it offers some exciting research directions for prospective pre-training and various interactions in visual tuning.
Tailoring transfection for cardiomyocyte cell lines: balancing efficiency and toxicity in lipid versus polymer-based transfection methods in H9c2 and HL-1 cells
Authors: Gawargi Flobater I. , Shahshahan Hamid R. , Mishra Paras K.
Published: April 2024

We have developed standardized protocols that significantly reduce cytotoxicity and enhance transfection efficiency in H9c2 and HL-1 cardiomyocyte cell lines. Our detailed comparative analysis of polymer-based and lipid-based transfection methods has identified optimized approaches with superior performance. Accompanying these protocols are comprehensive troubleshooting strategies to address common issues related to low transfection rates. Implementing these protocols is expected to yield more consistent and reproducible results, driving the field of cardiovascular research toward impactful clinical breakthroughs.
JAK2 as Predictor of Therapeutic Response in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treated with Imatinib
Authors: Wijaya Indra , Bashari Muhammad H. , Reniarti Lelani , Rahmawati Anita , Roesli Rully M. A.
Published: April 2024

Background. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or chronic granulocytic leukemia is a myeloproliferative neoplasm indicated by the presence of the Philadelphia (Ph+) chromosome. First-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib, is the gold standard for treatment. However, there has been known unresponsiveness to treatment, especially due to the involvement of other genes, such as the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) gene. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between JAK2 levels and complete hematological response (CHR), as well as early molecular response (EMR) after 3 months of imatinib treatment in patients with chronic phase CML. Methods. Patients with Ph+ CML in the chronic phase (n = 40; mean age, 40 ± 11 years) were recruited to complete assessments consisting of clinical examination and blood test, including evaluation of complete blood counts and the JAK2 levels, at baseline and following 3 months of therapy with imatinib (at an oral dose of 400 mg per day). Subjects were divided into two groups according to the presence of CHR and EMR. Results. JAK2 gene levels, phosphorylated, and total JAK2 proteins at baseline were significantly lower in the group with the presence of CHR and EMR. In addition, baseline JAK2 levels, including JAK2 gene expression, phosphorylated, and total JAK2 proteins, were negatively correlated with the presence of CHR and EMR. Conclusions. Based on these findings, JAK2 levels may be a potential indicator for evaluating treatment response on imatinib due to its role in the pathophysiology of CML.
Design of Microstrip Antenna Arrays with Rotated Elements Using Wilkinson Power Dividers for 5 G Customer Premise Equipment Applications
Authors: Huang Ting-Yi , Lee Yun-Jhang
Published: April 2024

Microstrip antenna arrays are proposed in this paper for the customer premise equipment (CPE) applications in the frequency range 1 (FR1) of the 5th generation (5 G) mobile networks. The proposed antenna arrays consist of three FR4 substrates. Antenna elements and feeding networks are optimized separately through parameter studies and then combined to form the proposed antenna arrays. Bandwidth-enhancing parasitic elements on the top substrate are broadside coupled to the microstrip antennas in the middle substrate, which are probe-fed by the microstrip feeding network using Wilkinson power dividers realized in the bottom substrate through the ground plane and the stud supporting air layer between the lower two substrates. Two antenna arrays, with four and eight antenna elements, are proposed for different gain specifications, 10 dBi and 12 dBi, respectively. Bandwidths of 10-dB return loss for both arrays fully covered the 5 G n78 frequency band (3.3–3.8 GHz). 20 dB isolation between antenna elements can also be achieved using the proposed layouts with rotated elements. The dimensions, radiation gain, and efficiency of the proposed antenna units, four-element array, and eight-element array are 65 × 65 × 11.4, 115 × 115 × 11.4, and 115 × 215 × 11.4 mm3, 6.2, 10.5, and 13 dBi, 74%, 56%, and 50%, respectively. The proposed antenna arrays exhibit the advantages of simple, low-cost, low-profile, and high-gain characteristics, which is potentially applicable to 5 G CPE outdoor unit (ODU)-related devices.
Heat Transfer Performance Tests of a Circular‐Fin Sodium‐to‐Air Heat Exchanger for Sodium‐Cooled Fast Reactors
Authors: Lee Jewhan , Kim Dehee , Eoh Jaehyuk , Kim Hyungmo
Published: April 2024

Shell and tube‐type crossflow heat exchangers with circular fins are widely used in various industries, including nuclear power plants. This study focuses on the sodium‐to‐air heat exchanger, which is one of the key safety features in sodium‐cooled fast reactors. Tube alignment inside the heat exchanger is important because it directly determines the performance. Although heat exchangers are generally designed to have staggered tube alignment, inevitable inline‐aligned zones exist. Therefore, this paper proposes a hybrid tube alignment modeling approach that considers both staggered and inline tube heat transfer phenomena. The results of the hybrid model calculations are verified and validated with liquid sodium experiments. The hybrid approach to the tube arrangement reduced the temperature deviation between experimental and calculated values to a difference of 4.55% and 7.38% for both sodium and air sides, respectively, while for the heat transfer, the difference was 15.12% and 9.06% for sodium and air sides, respectively. The results of this study can also be used as a basis for the safety evaluation of nuclear reactors and licensing processes for sodium‐cooled fast reactors. In addition, this study is limited not only to sodium heat exchangers but also to any serpentine tube arrangement or crossflow heat exchanger under high‐temperature systems, such as concentrated solar power and thermal energy storage industries.
Voice Assistant Utilization among the Disability Community for Independent Living: A Rapid Review of Recent Evidence
Authors: Esquivel Paola , Gill Kayden , Goldberg Mary , Sundaram S. Andrea , Morris Lindsey , Ding Dan
Published: April 2024

The rapid advancement and widespread adoption of voice assistance technology have shown promise in benefiting individuals with disabilities, offering increased social participation, independence, and leisure activities. However, barriers to their full utilization have been identified, leading to potential abandonment by users with disabilities. This rapid review is aimed at filling the gap in the literature by investigating the utilization of voice assistants among people with disabilities for independent living and community participation. A comprehensive search was conducted in academic literature databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, and gray data was sourced from public social media domains through Infegy. The analysis included 48 articles and 281 social media posts that met the inclusion criteria. Neurodiversity, disabilities affecting vision, and general disabilities were the most frequently discussed categories in both sources. The most common tasks performed using voice assistants were interface control, reminders, and environmental control, with a focus on enabling independence. Barriers to use mentioned in the literature included cognitive load during use, speech interpretation, lack of nonverbal control, and privacy concerns, while gray data reported limited functionality and speech interpretation as primary barriers. Amazon Alexa was the most discussed brand in both sources. The findings highlight the need for further research and innovation to fully harness the potential benefits of voice assistants for individuals with disabilities. By addressing the identified barriers and tailoring voice assistance technology to cater to the specific needs of different disability types, this technology can become a powerful tool for enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities and promoting greater independence and community participation.
Phylogenetic and Molecular Characteristics of Wild Bird‐Origin Avian Influenza Viruses Circulating in Poland in 2018−2022: Reassortment, Multiple Introductions, and Wild Bird–Poultry Epidemiological Links
Authors: Dziadek Kamila , Świętoń Edyta , Kozak Edyta , Wyrostek Krzysztof , Tarasiuk Karolina , Styś-Fijoł Natalia , Śmietanka Krzysztof
Published: April 2024

Since 2020, a significant increase in the severity of H5Nx highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) epidemics in poultry and wild birds has been observed in Poland. To further investigate the genetic diversity of HPAI H5Nx viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b, HPAIV‐positive samples collected from dead wild birds in 2020–2022 were phylogenetically characterized. In addition, zoonotic potential and possible reassortment between HPAIVs and LPAIVs circulating in the wild avifauna in Poland have been examined. The genome‐wide phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three different avian influenza virus (AIV) subtypes (H5N8, H5N5, and H5N1) during the HPAI 2020/2021 season, while in the next HPAI 2021/2022 epidemic only one H5N1 subtype encompassing seven various genotypes (G1–G7) was confirmed. No reassortment events between LPAIVs (detected in the framework of active surveillance) and HPAIVs circulating in Poland have been captured, but instead, epidemiological links between wild birds and poultry due to bidirectional, i.e., wild bird‐to‐poultry and poultry‐to‐wild bird HPAIV transmission were evident. Furthermore, at least five independent H5N8 HPAIV introductions into the Baltic Sea region related to unprecedented mass mortality among swans in February–March 2021 in Poland, as well as a general tendency of current H5Nx viruses to accumulate specific mutations associated with the ability to break the interspecies barrier were identified. These results highlight the importance of continuous active and passive surveillance for AI to allow a rapid response to emerging viruses.
Investigation of the Protective Effect of Probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Ep‐M17 on the Hepatopancreas of Penaeus vannamei
Authors: Hu Xiaoman , Xu Wenlong , Li Hao , Lu Bowen , Du Yang , Chen Jiong
Published: April 2024

Infection with the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus typically causes severe hepatopancreatic damage in Penaeus vannamei, often resulting in acute shrimp mortality. Therefore, protecting the shrimp’s hepatopancreas is crucial for enhancing their disease resistance. Previous research has demonstrated that the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum Ep‐M17 inhibits the growth of V. parahaemolyticus E1 in vitro. However, it remains uncertain whether Ep‐M17 can provide protective benefits to the shrimp’s hepatopancreas. To address this knowledge gap, our present study investigated the histological changes, enzyme activity, gene transcription, and metabolite levels in the hepatopancreas of shrimp after a 4‐week diet supplemented with Ep‐M17. The results revealed that incorporating Ep‐M17 into the shrimp’s diet alleviated the damage by V. parahaemolyticus E1 infection in hepatopancreatic cells. In addition, the inclusion of Ep‐M17 notably boosted the effectiveness of immunodigestive enzymes such as SOD, AKP, and CAT. Furthermore, Ep‐M17 stimulated gene transcription in crucial immune response‐related signalling pathways like the mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathway and the antigen processing and presentation pathway. Moreover, the incorporation of Ep‐M17 into shrimp diets increased the levels of β‐alanine, and histidine in the hepatopancreas, enhancing anti‐inflammatory capacity and improving the shrimp’s immune response. Overall, the results indicate that incorporating Ep‐M17 into the diet can enhance shrimp disease resistance by bolstering both immune response and metabolic activity within the hepatopancreas. These results underscore the importance of probiotics in controlling aquatic animal diseases and highlight Ep‐M17 as a promising dietary supplement for enhancing shrimp health and immunity in aquaculture.
Potential Toxic Metal Concentration and Risk Assessment in Agricultural Soil and Lentil Crop (Lens culinaris Medik) in Dawunt Woreda, Northwest Wollo, Ethiopia
Authors: Biyazen Belay Baynesagn , Taye Asamene Embiale
Published: April 2024

Health implications for the population due to consuming contaminated crops have been a great concern worldwide. This study aimed to measure the levels of potential toxic elements in lentils and their growing soil in Dawunt Woreda, Ethiopia. Accordingly, 15 soil samples along with the lentil samples were collected to measure the level of potential toxic elements, including chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co), by using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer and for assessing the potential ecological and human health risk. The wet digestion method using aqua regia (HCl/HNO3 3 : 1) was employed for soil and lentil sample preparation. The mean concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Cr in the lentil sample were 60.4, 9.68, 0.75, 5.7, 0.25, 0.9, and 1.15 mg/kg, respectively. In soil, the mean concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Cr were 649, 19.9, 3.32, 40.0, 15.2, 1.83, and 69.1 mg/kg, respectively. All of the potential toxic metals in agricultural soil and lentil samples were found to be below the reference level set by the World Health Organization, except Cd, in the soil samples. Five single metal and three cumulative pollution index parameters were employed for the data and results showed that Fe, Cu, and Cr moderately pollute the soil and are highly contaminated by Cd. The cumulative pollution indices also confirmed that the extent of soil pollution varied from highly contaminated to moderate contamination. The possible health risks at various exposure routes have also been estimated. The single-metal and cumulative-metals health risks (cancer and noncancer) of adults and children due to chronic exposure to soil and consumption of lentils were estimated using the health quotient and health index values as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Thus, the results revealed no significant adverse health risks (cancer and noncancer) for adults and children. Therefore, the inhabitants in the study area have no significant health impacts due to either the consumption of lentil crops or exposure to agricultural soil particles.
Long-Term Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Routine Outpatient Care for Youth with Anxiety Disorders
Authors: Krause Karen , Zhang Xiao Chi , Schneider Silvia
Published: April 2024

Introduction: This study examined the long-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (≥ 2 years after the end of therapy) in the routine care of youth (mean 11.95 years; SD = 3.04 years) with primary anxiety disorder (AD). Methods: Two hundred and ten children with any AD as a primary diagnosis and with any comorbidity were included in the “Kids Beating Anxiety (KibA)” clinical trial and received evidence-based CBT. Diagnoses, severity of diagnoses, and further dimensional outcome variables of symptoms and functioning were assessed before (baseline), after the last treatment session (POST), and at two follow-up (FU) assessments in the child and caregiver report: 6 months (6MONTHS-FU) and >2 years (mean 4.31; SD = 1.07 years) after the last treatment session (long-term FU). Results: At POST, 61.38% showed total remission of all and any ADs. At long-term FU, the remission rate was 63.64%. Compared to baseline, ratings of severity, anxiety, impairment/burden, and life quality improved significantly after CBT in child and caregiver report. All pre-post/FU improvements and global success ratings were stable in child (Pre-Post: Hedges’ g = 3.57; Pre-6MONTHS-FU: Hedges’ g = 3.43; Pre-LT-FU: Hedges’ g = 2.34) and caregiver report (Pre-Post: Hedges’ g = 2.00; Pre-6MONTHS-FU: Hedges’ g = 2.31; Pre-LT-FU: Hedges’ g = 2.31) across all POST- and FU-assessment points. Some outcomes showed further significant improvement, and no deterioration was found over the course of time. Effect sizes calculated in the present study correspond to, or even exceed, effect sizes reported in previous meta-analysis. Conclusions: Stable long-term effects of “KibA” CBT for youth with ADs, comparable to those results from efficacy studies, were achieved in a routine practice setting by applying treatment manuals tested in randomized controlled trials. These findings are remarkable, as the patient group studied here consisted of an age group within the main risk phase of developing further mental disorders, and therefore an increase in new-onset anxiety and further mental disorders would be expected over the long time span studied here.
Extracorporeal Removal of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances by Hemoadsorption: In vitro Kinetic Model
Authors: Pavan Pierpaolo , Lorenzin Anna , Chiementin Livio , Perin Natascha , de Cal Massimo , Brendolan Alessandra , Morisi Niccolò , Zanella Monica , Ronco Claudio
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known water pollutants leading to potential public health consequences. High blood levels of PFAS have been associated with several pathological conditions including testicular and kidney cancer. Classic extracorporeal therapies have demonstrated limited efficiency, and new approaches should be explored. In this study, we studied the possible role of hemoadsorption to achieve a fast, safe, and effective removal of PFAS from blood in patients with high blood levels. Methods: We developed an in vitro model of hemoadsorption to test the potential of PFAS removal by extracorporeal treatment. We recirculated a highly polluted batch of water (4 L) through a sorbent cartridge (Jafron Medical, Zhuhai, China) for 120 min at a flow of 150 mL/min. We collected samples at different time points and analyzed 39 different PFAS compounds. Results: For the PFAS compounds with concentrations significantly above normal, we observed a removal ratio close to 90% already within the first 60 min of circulation leading to almost complete elimination of all pollutants at 120 min. Conclusions: The in vitro model of hemoadsorption suggests the possible application in vivo of this technique to reduce/normalize the concentrations of PFAS in patients exposed to water or environmental pollution.
Extracellular Vesicles in Metabolic and Vascular Insulin Resistance
Authors: Malin Steven K. , Erdbrügger Uta
Published: April 2024

Background: Insulin resistance is a major etiological factor in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Endothelial dysfunction may precede impairments in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, thereby making it a key feature in development of CVD. However, the mechanism by which vascular tissue becomes dysfunctional is not clear. Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as potential mediators of insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction. EVs are membrane-bound particles released by tissues following cellular stress or activation. They carry “cargo” (e.g., insulin signaling proteins, eNOS-nitric oxide, and miRNA) that are believed to promote inter-cellular and interorgan communications. Herein, we review the underlying physiology of EVs in relation to type 2 diabetes and CVD risk. Specifically, we discuss how EVs may modulate metabolic (e.g., skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose) insulin sensitivity, and propose that EVs may modulate vascular insulin action to influence both endothelial function and arterial stiffness. We lastly identify how EVs may play a unique role following exercise to promote metabolic and vascular insulin sensitivity changes. Key Message: Gaining insight toward insulin-mediated EV mechanism has potential to identify novel pathways regulating cardiometabolic health and provide foundation for examining EVs as unique biomarkers and targets to prevent and/or treat chronic diseases.
Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiac Vessel Remodeling Associated with Vessel Rarefaction: A Possible Underlying Mechanism May Result from a Poor Angiogenic Response to Altered VEGF Signaling Pathways
Authors: Bartkowiak Krzysztof , Bartkowiak Mateusz , Jankowska-Steifer Ewa , Ratajska Anna , Kujawa Marek , Aniołek Olga , Niderla-Bielińska Justyna
Published: April 2024

Background: Elevated mortality rates in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are partly due to adverse remodeling of multiple organs, which may lead to cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, kidney failure, or other conditions. MetS symptoms, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, associated with insulin and leptin resistance, are recognized as major cardiovascular risk factors that adversely affect the heart. Summary: Pathological cardiac remodeling is accompanied by endothelial cell dysfunction which may result in diminished coronary flow, dysregulated oxygen demand/supply balance, as well as vessel rarefaction. The reduced number of vessels and delayed or inhibited formation of collaterals after myocardial infarction in MetS heart may be due to unfavorable changes in endothelial cell metabolism but also to altered expression of vascular endothelial growth factor molecules, their receptors, and changes in signal transduction from the cell membrane, which severely affect angiogenesis. Key Messages: Given the established role of cardiac vessel endothelial cells in maintaining tissue homeostasis, defining the molecular background underlying vessel dysfunction associated with impaired angiogenesis is of great importance for future therapeutic purposes. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to present current information regarding vascular endothelial growth factor signaling in the myocardium of MetS individuals.
Roxadustat on Renal Anemia with Macroinflammation: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Tu Yan , Li Zuo-Lin , Liu Hong , Tang Ri-Ning , Wang Gui-Hua , Lv Lin-Li , Wang Bin , Liu Bi-Cheng
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Roxadustat, the first-in-class drug for the treatment of renal anemia, has demonstrated efficacy in renal anemia with microinflammation. Additional data are needed regarding the efficacy of roxadustat on renal anemia with systemic macroinflammation. Methods: Three cohorts of renal anemia based on the basic level of high-sensitivity CRP were included. Patients with hsCRP ≤2 mg/L were selected as non-inflammation (NI) group; 2< hsCRP ≤10 mg/L as microinflammation (MI) group; hsCRP≥10 mg/L as macroinflammation (MA) group. Patients received oral roxadustat three times per week for 52 weeks. The primary end point was the hemoglobin level over weeks 12–52. The second end point was the cumulative proportion of patients achieving hemoglobin response by the end of week 12. Results: A total of 107 patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) were enrolled. Overall, the baseline hemoglobin level of patients was 79.99 ± 11.20 g/L. Roxadustat could significantly increase the hemoglobin level in all of the three groups and did not show any significant difference (p > 0.05, respectively). Meanwhile, compared with that of the NI group, there was no significant difference in hemoglobin response rate in the MA group both at week 12 (p = 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9531–13.75) and week 52 (p = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.5080–7.937). Moreover, the hemoglobin response was independent of baseline hsCRP level (p = 0.72, 95% CI, −0.1139 to 0.0794). More importantly, roxadustat significantly reduced ferritin and serum iron levels and increased total iron-binding capacity in the three groups, which showed no significant differences among the three groups (p > 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Roxadustat significantly improves anemia in CKD patients with systemic macroinflammation.
A 37-kb Deletion in Region 16p13.3 in an Infant with Osteopetrosis and Congenital Diarrhea Including the CLCN7 and PERCC1 Genes
Authors: Sandal Semih , Kayhan Gulsum , Kahvecioglu Dilek , Vezir Emine , Kilic Ayse , Köse Aslihan , Tas Ersun Melda , Derme Turan , Bahap Yusuf , Dereci Selim , Hizli Samil
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Congenital diarrhea presents a diagnostic challenge in cases where standard assessments are inconclusive. Case Presentation: We report a female infant with thrombocytopenia, increased bone density, and pale optic disc symptoms, suggestive of osteopetrosis. However, she also exhibited noninfectious, blood- and mucus-free diarrhea, not accounted for by osteopetrosis. Genetic testing, including clinical exome sequencing and chromosomal microarray analysis, revealed a homozygous 39-kb deletion on chromosome 16p13.3. This deletion spanned the CLCN7 gene associated with osteopetrosis and the PERCC1 gene implicated in congenital diarrhea. Conclusion: This case illustrates the importance of considering 16p13.3 deletions when confronted with the dual presentation of congenital diarrhea and osteopetrosis, expanding the diagnostic considerations for similar clinical presentations.
Association between Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Variations in Sarcomere Gene and Calcium Channel Gene in Adults
Authors: Zhao Jia , Wang Bo , Ta Shengjun , Lu Xiaonan , Zhao Xueli , Liu Jiao , Yuan Jiarui , Wang Jing , Liu Liwen
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Calcium channel gene variations have been reported to be associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in family, but the relationship between calcium channel gene variations and HCM remains undefined in the population. Methods: A total of 719 HCM unrelated patients were initially enrolled. Finally, 371 patients were identified based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 145 patients with gene negative, 28 patients with a single rare calcium channel gene variation (calcium gene variation), 162 patients with a single pathogenic/likely pathogenic sarcomere gene variation (sarcomere gene variation) and 36 patients with a single pathogenic/likely pathogenic sarcomere gene variation and a single rare calcium channel gene variation (double gene variations). Then the demographic, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and follow-up data were collected. Results: Patients with double gene variations were at an earlier age and had more percent of family history of HCM, and had thicker walls, higher left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient, more pathological Q waves, and more bundle branch blocks as compared with those with single sarcomere gene variation. During the follow-up period, patients with double gene variations had more primary endpoints than the other three groups (p = 0.0013). Multivariate analysis showed that double gene variations were the independent predictor of primary endpoint events in patients (HR: 4.82, 95% CI: 1.77–13.2; p = 0.002). Conclusion: We found that patients with double gene variations had more severe HCM phenotype and prognosis. The pathogenesis effects of sarcomere gene variation and calcium channel gene variation may be cumulative in HCM populations.
Unplanned Rehospitalisation due to Medication Harm following an Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Paradissis Chariclia , Cottrell Neil , Coombes Ian D. , Wang William Y.S. , Barras Michael A.
Published: April 2024

Introduction: The contribution of medication harm to rehospitalisation and adverse patient outcomes after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) needs exploration. Rehospitalisation is costly to both patients and the healthcare facility. Following an AMI, patients are at risk of medication harm as they are often older and have multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy. This study aimed to quantify and evaluate medication harm causing unplanned rehospitalisation after an AMI. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged from a quaternary hospital post-AMI. All rehospitalisations within 18 months were identified using medical record review and coding data. The primary outcome measure was medication harm rehospitalisation. Preventability, causality, and severity assessments of medication harm were conducted. Results: A total of 1,564 patients experienced an AMI, and 415 (26.5%) were rehospitalised. Eighty-nine patients (5.7% of total population; 6.0% of those discharged) experienced a total of 101 medication harm events. Those with medication harm were older (p = 0.007) and had higher rates of heart failure (p = 0.005), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.046), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.037), and a prior history of ischaemic heart disease (p = 0.005). Gastrointestinal bleeding, acute kidney injury, and hypotension were the most common medication harm events. Forty percent of events were avoidable, and 84% were classed as “serious.” Furosemide, antiplatelets, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were the most commonly implicated medications. The median time to medication harm rehospitalisation was 79 days (interquartile range: 16–200 days). Conclusion: Medication harm causes unplanned rehospitalisation in 5.7% of all AMI patients (1 in 17 patients; 6.0% of those discharged). The majority of harm was serious and occurred within the first 200 days of discharge. This study highlights that measures to attenuate the risk of medication harm rehospitalisation are essential, including post-discharge medication management.
Preventive and Therapeutic Benefits of Natural Ingredients in Photo-Induced Epidermal Dysfunction
Authors: Lei Dongyun , Ye Li , Wen Si , Zhang Junling , Zhang Litao , Man Mao-Qiang
Published: April 2024

Background: The skin, particularly the epidermis, is subjected to various external stresses, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. UV irradiation, mainly UVB at wavelength of 280–315 nm, can alter several epidermal functions, including cutaneous inflammation, epidermal hyperproliferation, DNA damage, disruption of epidermal permeability barrier and reduction in stratum corneum hydration levels. Because of the negative impacts of UVB irradiation on epidermal functions, great efforts have been made to develop regimens for the protection of alterations in epidermal function induced by UV irradiation. Summary: While sunscreen can provide physical barrier to UV light, some natural ingredients can also effectively protect the skin from UVB irradiation-induced damages. Studies have demonstrated that either topical or oral administrations of some natural ingredients attenuate UVB irradiation-induced alterations in the epidermal function. The underlying mechanisms by which natural ingredients improve epidermal functions are attributable to antioxidation, stimulation of keratinocyte differentiation, increases in the content of epidermal natural moisturizers and inhibition of inflammation. Key Message: Some natural ingredients exhibit protective and therapeutical benefits in photo-induced epidermal dysfunctions via divergent mechanisms.
The Relationship between Speech Sound Disorder and Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential
Authors: Barrozo Tatiane Faria , Silva Liliane Aparecida Fagundes , Matas Carla Gentile , Wertzner Haydée Fiszbein
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Speech sound disorder (SSD) is a speech and language disorder associated with difficulties in motor production, perception, and phonological representation of sounds and speech segments. Since auditory perception has a fundamental role in forming and organizing sound representation for its recognition, studies that evaluate the cortical processing of sounds are required. Thus, the present study aimed to verify the relation between SSD severity measured by the percentage of correct consonants (PCCs) with the cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) using speech stimulus. Methods: Twenty-nine children with normal hearing participated in this research and were grouped into three groups by SSD level measured by the PCC index. In addition, the groups were subdivided according to the children’s age group: between 60–71 months, 72–83 months, and 83–94 months. The CAEP with speech stimulus was carried out in all children. Results: Older children had longer P1 and N1 latencies. In P2 latency, there was an interference of age only in the severe group. The N2 latency was affected by age, where older children had longer latency. Conclusion: The amplitude of CAEP has not suffered any interference with the age, or severity of SSD. For the latency, older children generally presented longer averages than younger ones.
Management and Clinical Outcomes of Membranous Nephropathy, IgA Nephropathy, and Minimal Change Disease Two Years Post-Kidney Biopsy
Authors: Guo Xiaojiao , Tie Xuan , Zhang Yuyu , Dai Yemei , Yao Shulei , Qiao Xi , Wang Lihua , Su Xiaole
Published: April 2024

Introduction: This study evaluated the phenotypic and pathology characteristics of patients undergoing kidney biopsy at a single center, while also determining the frequency and factors associated with clinical outcomes. Methods: The incidence and distribution of biopsy-proven kidney diseases in 2000–2019 were surveyed. Consecutive individuals diagnosed with membranous nephropathy (MN), immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), and minimal change disease (MCD) between August 2015 and December 2019 were enrolled in the prospective 2-year follow-up study. Outcomes included remission of proteinuria and kidney disease progression events. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model was applied. Results: 4,550 kidney biopsies were performed in 2000–2019, showing a noticeable increase in the proportion of MN. 426 patients were enrolled in the follow-up cohort. 346 (81.2%) achieved remission of proteinuria, 39 (9.2%) suffered kidney disease progression and 51.3% of them were diagnosed with IgAN. Kidney pathological diagnosis (MN vs. MCD: hazard ratio [HR], 0.42; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.31–0.57; IgAN vs. MCD: 0.58; 0.39–0.85), levels of 24-h urine protein at biopsy (1.04; 1.00–1.08) and presence of nodular mesangial sclerosis (0.70; 0.49–0.99) were significantly correlated with remission of proteinuria after adjusting for baseline variables. 24-h urine protein levels at biopsy (1.14; 1.04–1.25) and the presence of crescents (2.30; 1.06–4.95) were the independent risk factors for kidney disease progression events after adjusting for baseline variables. Conclusion: The increasing frequency of MN has been affirmed over the past 2 decades. The therapeutic status, clinical outcomes, and factors influencing these outcomes were presented in this single-center study for the three primary glomerular diseases.
Fantástico: breviário
Authors: Iannace Ricardo
Published: April 2024

Este breviário incursiona por narrativas de matriz insólita nas quais residem dominantes do fantástico. Para tanto, a visita a contos da tradição do surpreendente, a exemplo de “O homem da areia” e “Casa tomada”, vem possibilitar a identificação de elementos e aspectos estruturais dessa linhagem de intrigas, visando – por meio de recortes específicos – à aliança com ensaios que, há décadas, têm asseverado sobre essa ficção atada ao fenômeno do duplo, à recepção hesitante, ao homem imerso em caleidoscópio de incertezas.
Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients With Preexisting Disability: A Review
Authors: Wechsler Paul M. , Leslie‐Mazwi Thabele , Mistry Eva A.
Published: April 2024

Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EVT) drastically reduces disability after acute ischemic stroke due to large‐vessel occlusion, but only a small proportion of patients with stroke are eligible for this powerful treatment. Several ongoing studies are aiming to expand the indications for EVT to further reduce disability after acute ischemic stroke for a larger proportion of patients suffering from large‐vessel occlusion stroke. Patients with preexisting disability, comprising ≈30% of all patients with acute ischemic stroke, were universally excluded from the landmark clinical trials that established EVT efficacy. These patients disproportionally suffer from accumulated disability after stroke, with substantial societal and economic impact. Further, there is significant heterogeneity in current practice of EVT among patients with preexisting disability. Establishing evidence‐based acute stroke treatments for this population is a priority. In this narrative review, we summarize the current literature regarding EVT in patients with preexisting disability. While doing so, we highlight key concepts regarding statistical analysis and discuss opportunities and challenges for future studies focusing on this vulnerable population.
Improving auditory attention decoding by classifying intracranial responses to glimpsed and masked acoustic events
Authors: Raghavan Vinay S. , O’Sullivan James , Herrero Jose , Bickel Stephan , Mehta Ashesh D. , Mesgarani Nima
Published: April 2024

Listeners with hearing loss have trouble following a conversation in multitalker environments. While modern hearing aids can generally amplify speech, these devices are unable to tune into a target speaker without first knowing to which speaker a user aims to attend. Brain-controlled hearing aids have been proposed using auditory attention decoding (AAD) methods, but current methods use the same model to compare the speech stimulus and neural response, regardless of the dynamic overlap between talkers which is known to influence neural encoding. Here, we propose a novel framework that directly classifies event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by glimpsed and masked acoustic events to determine whether the source of the event was attended. We present a system that identifies auditory events using the local maxima in the envelope rate of change, assesses the temporal masking of auditory events relative to competing speakers, and utilizes masking-specific ERP classifiers to determine if the source of the event was attended. Using intracranial electrophysiological recordings, we showed that high gamma ERPs from recording sites in auditory cortex can effectively decode the attention of subjects. This method of AAD provides higher accuracy, shorter switch times, and more stable decoding results compared with traditional correlational methods, permitting the quick and accurate detection of changes in a listener’s attentional focus. This framework also holds unique potential for detecting instances of divided attention and inattention. Overall, we extend the scope of AAD algorithms by introducing the first linear, direct-classification method for determining a listener’s attentional focus that leverages the latest research in multitalker speech perception. This work represents another step toward informing the development of effective and intuitive brain-controlled hearing assistive devices.
Visual cortical area contributions to the transient, multifocal and steady-state VEP: A forward model-informed analysis
Authors: Mohr Kieran S. , Geuzebroek Anna C. , Kelly Simon P.
Published: April 2024

Central to our understanding of how visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) contribute to visual processing is the question of where their anatomical sources are. Three well-established measures of low-level visual cortical activity are widely used: the first component (“C1”) of the transient and multifocal VEP, and the steady-state VEP (SSVEP). Although primary visual cortex (V1) activity has often been implicated in the generation of all three signals, their dominant sources remain uncertain due to the limited resolution and methodological heterogeneity of source modelling. Here, we provide the first characterisation of all three signals in one analytic framework centred on the “cruciform model”, which describes how scalp topographies of V1 activity vary with stimulus location due to the retinotopy and unique folding pattern of V1. We measured the transient C1, multifocal C1, and SSVEPs driven by an 18.75 Hz and 7.5 Hz flicker, and regressed them against forward models of areas V1, V2, and V3 generated from the Benson-2014 retinotopy atlas. The topographic variations of all four VEP signals across the visual field were better captured by V1 models, explaining between 2 and 6 times more variance than V2/V3. Models with all three visual areas improved fit further, but complementary analyses of temporal dynamics across all three signals indicated that the bulk of extrastriate contributions occur considerably later than V1. Overall, our data support the use of peak C1 amplitude and SSVEPs to probe V1 activity, although the SSVEP contains stronger extrastriate contributions. Moreover, we provide elaborated heuristics to distinguish visual areas in VEP data based on signal lateralisation as well as polarity inversion.
What Do Self-Supervised Speech Models Know About Words?
Authors: Pasad Ankita , Chien Chung-Ming , Settle Shane , Livescu Karen
Published: April 2024

Many self-supervised speech models (S3Ms) have been introduced over the last few years, improving performance and data efficiency on various speech tasks. However, these empirical successes alone do not give a complete picture of what is learned during pre-training. Recent work has begun analyzing how S3Ms encode certain properties, such as phonetic and speaker information, but we still lack a proper understanding of knowledge encoded at the word level and beyond. In this work, we use lightweight analysis methods to study segment-level linguistic properties—word identity, boundaries, pronunciation, syntactic features, and semantic features—encoded in S3Ms. We present a comparative study of layer-wise representations from ten S3Ms and find that (i) the frame-level representations within each word segment are not all equally informative, and (ii) the pre-training objective and model size heavily influence the accessibility and distribution of linguistic information across layers. We also find that on several tasks—word discrimination, word segmentation, and semantic sentence similarity—S3Ms trained with visual grounding outperform their speech-only counterparts. Finally, our task-based analyses demonstrate improved performance on word segmentation and acoustic word discrimination while using simpler methods than prior work.1