bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International survey on the implementation of the European and American guidelines on disorders of consciousness
Authors: Farisco Michele , Formisano Rita , Gosseries Olivia , Kato Yoko , Koboyashi Shigeki , Laureys Steven , Lejeune Nicolas , Martial Charlotte , Matar Amal , Morrisey Ann-Marie , Schnakers Caroline , Yakufujiang Maidinamu , Yamaki Tomohiro , Veeramuthu Vigneswaran , Zandalasini Matteo , Zasler Nathan , Magliacano Alfonso , Estraneo Anna ,   IBIA Special Interest Group on DoCs
Published: September 2023

Diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic procedures for patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoCs) vary significantly across countries and clinical settings, likely due to organizational factors (e.g., research vs. non-academic hospitals), expertise and availability of resources (e.g., financial and human). Two international guidelines, one from the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and one from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in collaboration with the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), were developed to facilitate consistent practice among professionals working with this challenging patient population. While the recommendations of both guidelines agree in principle, it remains an open issue how to implement them into clinical practice in the care pathway for patients with pDoCs. We conducted an online survey to explore health professional clinical practices related to the management of patients with pDoCs, and compare said practices with selected recommendations from both the guidelines. The survey revealed that while some recommendations are being followed, others are not and/or may require more honing/specificity to enhance their clinical utility. Particular attention should be given to the implementation of a multimodal assessment of residual consciousness, to the detection and treatment of pain, and to the impact of restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemics on the involvement of patients’ families/representatives.
Sleep-physiological correlates of brachycephaly in dogs
Authors: Iotchev Ivaylo Borislavov , Bognár Zsófia , Tóth Katinka , Reicher Vivien , Kis Anna , Kubinyi Enikő
Published: September 2023

The shape of the cranium is one of the most notable physical changes induced in domestic dogs through selective breeding and is measured using the cephalic index (CI). High CI (a ratio of skull width to skull length > 60) is characterized by a short muzzle and flat face and is referred to as brachycephaly. Brachycephalic dogs display some potentially harmful changes in neuroanatomy, and there are implications for differences in behavior, as well. The path from anatomy to cognition, however, has not been charted in its entirety. Here, we report that sleep-physiological markers of white-matter loss (high delta power, low frontal spindle frequency, i.e., spindle waves/s), along with a spectral profile for REM (low beta, high delta) associated with low intelligence in humans, are each linked to higher CI values in the dog. Additionally, brachycephalic subjects spent more time sleeping, suggesting that the sleep apnea these breeds usually suffer from increases daytime sleepiness. Within sleep, more time was spent in the REM sleep stage than in non-REM, while REM duration was correlated positively with the number of REM episodes across dogs. It is currently not clear if the patterns of sleep and sleep-stage duration are mainly caused by sleep-impairing troubles in breathing and thermoregulation, present a juvenile-like sleeping profile, or are caused by neuro-psychological conditions secondary to the effects of brachycephaly, e.g., frequent REM episodes are known to appear in human patients with depression. While future studies should more directly address the interplay of anatomy, physiology, and behavior within a single experiment, this represents the first description of how the dynamics of the canine brain covary with CI, as measured in resting companion dogs using a non-invasive sleep EEG methodology. The observations suggest that the neuroanatomical changes accompanying brachycephaly alter neural systems in a way that can be captured in the sleep EEG, thus supporting the utility of the latter in the study of canine brain health and function.
Exploring unsupervised pre-training for echo state networks
Authors: Steiner Peter , Jalalvand Azarakhsh , Birkholz Peter
Published: September 2023

Echo State Networks (ESNs) are a special type of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), in which the input and recurrent connections are traditionally generated randomly, and only the output weights are trained. However, recent publications have addressed the problem that a purely random initialization may not be ideal. Instead, a completely deterministic or data-driven initialized ESN structure was proposed. In this work, an unsupervised training methodology for the hidden components of an ESN is proposed. Motivated by traditional Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), which have been widely used for speech recognition for decades, we present an unsupervised pre-training method for the recurrent weights and bias weights of ESNs. This approach allows for using unlabeled data during the training procedure and shows superior results for continuous spoken phoneme recognition, as well as for a large variety of time-series classification datasets.
Effect of ADHD medication on risk of injuries: a preference-based instrumental variable analysis
Authors: Widding-Havneraas Tarjei , Elwert Felix , Markussen Simen , Zachrisson Henrik Daae , Lyhmann Ingvild , Chaulagain Ashmita , Bjelland Ingvar , Halmøy Anne , Rypdal Knut , Mykletun Arnstein
Published: September 2023

ADHD is associated with an increased risk of injury. Causal evidence for effects of pharmacological treatment on injuries is scarce. We estimated effects of ADHD medication on injuries using variation in provider preference as an instrumental variable (IV). Using Norwegian registry data, we followed 8051 patients who were diagnosed with ADHD aged 5 to 18 between 2009 and 2011 and recorded their ADHD medication and injuries treated in emergency rooms and emergency wards up to 4 years after diagnosis. Persons with ADHD had an increased risk of injuries compared to the general population (RR 1.35; 95% CI: 1.30–1.39), with higher risk in females (RR 1.47; 95% CI: 1.38–1.56) than males (RR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.18–1.28). The between-clinics variation in provider preference for ADHD medication was large and had a considerable impact on patients’ treatment status. There was no causal evidence for protective effects of pharmacological treatment on injuries overall for young individuals with ADHD characterized by milder or atypical symptoms. However, there was an apparent effect of pharmacological treatment over time on the risk of injuries treated at emergency wards in this patient group.
Making Sense of Electrical Stimulation: A Meta-analysis for Wound Healing
Authors: Rabbani Mamun , Rahman Enayetur , Powner Michael B. , Triantis Iasonas F.
Published: September 2023

Electrical stimulation as a mode of external enhancement factor in wound healing has been explored widely. It has proven to have multidimensional effects in wound healing including antibacterial, galvanotaxis, growth factor secretion, proliferation, transdifferentiation, angiogenesis, etc. Despite such vast exploration, this modality has not yet been established as an accepted method for treatment. This article reviews and analyzes the approaches of using electrical stimulation to modulate wound healing and discusses the incoherence in approaches towards reporting the effect of stimulation on the healing process. The analysis starts by discussing various processes adapted in in vitro, in vivo, and clinical practices. Later it is focused on in vitro approaches directed to various stages of wound healing. Based on the analysis, a protocol is put forward for reporting in vitro works in such a way that the outcomes of the experiment are replicable and scalable in other setups. This work proposes a ground of unification for all the in vitro approaches in a more sensible manner, which can be further explored for translating in vitro approaches to complex tissue stimulation to establish electrical stimulation as a controlled clinical method for modulating wound healing.
Mobility trajectory generation: a survey
Authors: Kong Xiangjie , Chen Qiao , Hou Mingliang , Wang Hui , Xia Feng
Published: September 2023

Mobility trajectory data is of great significance for mobility pattern study, urban computing, and city science. Self-driving, traffic prediction, environment estimation, and many other applications require large-scale mobility trajectory datasets. However, mobility trajectory data acquisition is challenging due to privacy concerns, commercial considerations, missing values, and expensive deployment costs. Nowadays, mobility trajectory data generation has become an emerging trend in reducing the difficulty of mobility trajectory data acquisition by generating principled data. Despite the popularity of mobility trajectory data generation, literature surveys on this topic are rare. In this paper, we present a survey for mobility trajectory generation by artificial intelligence from knowledge-driven and data-driven views. Specifically, we will give a taxonomy of the literature of mobility trajectory data generation, examine mainstream theories and techniques as well as application scenarios for generating mobility trajectory data, and discuss some critical challenges facing this area.
Widely naturalized species are not more promiscuous to different nitrogen forms, but benefit more from inorganic nitrogen
Authors: Zeng Jianjun , Liu Yanjie , van Kleunen Mark
Published: September 2023

Nitrogen (N) has been considered a crucial factor influencing plant invasions. Many studies have assessed responses of alien plants to different N availabilities. However, in natural soils, N comes in different inorganic and organic forms. Few studies have explored yet whether responses of alien species to different N forms are related to their naturalization success globally. We selected 22 common herbaceous species native to Germany that have all become naturalized elsewhere in the world, but vary in their naturalization extent. We grew the species under six N conditions that differed in the availability or form of N, and assessed their growth performance. We found that neither biomass production nor promiscuity to different N forms was related to naturalization success of the species. However, the biomass response to inorganic N, relative to organic N, was stronger for the widely naturalized species than for the less widely naturalized ones. Our comparative multi-species source-area study shows that although the widely naturalized species were not more promiscuous than the less widely naturalized species, they took more advantage of the inorganic-N forms. This indicates that naturalization success might be partly driven by a species’ ability to take advantage of increased inorganic N levels.
The evolution of multispecies populations: a multilevel selection perspective
Authors: Lean Christopher H. , Jones Christopher J.
Published: September 2023

Two or more independent species lineages can fuse through an evolutionary transition to form a single lineage, such as in the case of eukaryotic cells, lichens, and coral. The fusion of two or more independent lineages requires intermediary steps of increasing selective interdependence between these lineages. We argue a precursory selective regime of such a transition can be Multilevel Selection 1 (MLS1). We propose that intraspecies MLS1 can be extended to ecological multispecies arrangements. We develop a trait group selection (MLS1) model applicable to multispecies mutualistic interactions. We then explore conditions under which such a model could apply to mutualistic relationships between pollinators and plants. We propose that MLS1 could drive transitions towards higher interdependency between mutualists and stabilise obligate mutualisms in the face of invasion by cheater variants. This represents a radical extension of multilevel selection theory, applying it to the evolution of multispecies populations, and indicating new avenues for researching ecological community evolution.
Analytic solution and numerical validation of the transient regime in dry surface grinding
Authors: González-Santander Juan Luis
Published: September 2023

In the framework of Samara–Valencia model for heat transfer in dry surface grinding, analytical expressions for the time-dependent temperature field of the workpiece during the transient regime in which the wheel is engaged (cut-in) and disengaged (cut-out) from the workpiece are calculated. The main assumption we consider is a constant heat flux profile along the contact zone between the wheel and the workpiece. According to the analytical expression obtained for the temperature field, a closed-form expression for the maximum temperature during the cut-in transient regime has been obtained. Further, a very rapid method for the numerical evaluation of maximum temperature during the cut-out is described. This maximum temperature is responsible of the thermal damage of the workpiece. Experimental evidence shows that the thermal damage risk is greater during the cut-out transient regime. The present analytical model reproduces this experimental feature. Finally, the analytical results have been numerically validated using FEM analysis and are intended to be very useful for the monitoring of the online grinding process in order to avoid thermal damage.
Tin sulfide supported on cellulose nanocrystals-derived carbon as a green and effective catalyst for CO2 electroreduction to formate
Authors: Garino Nadia , Monti Nicolò , Bartoli Mattia , Pirri Candido F. , Zeng Juqin
Published: September 2023

This work reports a whole green two-step approach for the synthesis of novel catalysts for efficient CO2 conversion. A conductive carbon support was firstly obtained via pyrolysis of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and the carbon surface was successively decorated with tin sulfide (SnS) through a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process. The morphology and carbon structure were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and the presence of SnS decoration was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. The SnS supported on CNC-derived carbon shows enhanced catalytic activity for the CO2 conversion to formate (HCOO−). Good selectivity of 86% and high partial current density of 55 mA cm−2 are reached at − 1.0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode in KHCO3 electrolyte. Additionally, the mass activity of the composite catalyst achieves a value as high as 262.9 mA mgSn−1 for HCOO− formation, demonstrating good utilization efficiency of Sn metal. In this work, the low-cost CNC-derived carbon is evidenced to be easily decorated with metal species and thus shows high versatility and tailorability. Incorporating metal species with conductive high-surface carbon supports represents an effective strategy to realize active and stable electrocatalysts, allowing efficient utilization of metals especially the raw and precious ones.

Graphical abstract
Does flute angle influence box performance?
Authors: Wade Kelly , Todoroki Christine , Jamsari Aiman , Gray-Stuart Eli , Tohill Stephen , Bronlund John , Parker Kate
Published: September 2023

In the production of boxes, it is customary to align the flutes vertically, corresponding to a 0° flute angle. This configuration is widely believed to yield optimal compressive strength, despite existing evidence from corrugated flute boards and boxes that challenge this assumption. The present study investigates the hypothesis that non-vertical flute angles do not significantly compromise box compression strength and may potentially offer enhancements in other performance characteristics. Regular slotted container boxes (385 × 238 ×  300 mm) constructed from single wall C-flute board were used in this study. Ten flute angles were selected for box level testing: 0°, 5°, 7.5°, 10°, 12.5°, 15°, 20°, 30°, 45° and 60°. Samples of converted board were subjected to edge crush testing (ECT) following TAPPI T-811 and four-point-bending following TAPPI T-820. Box crush testing (BCT) followed NZS 1301.800 2006 (New Zealand Standard). Component testing results were consistent with previous studies. Outcomes showed a general linear reduction in ECT with increasing flute angle, and nonlinear relationships between flute angle and bending force and stiffness. At the box level, peak load did not decline significantly between 0° and 45°, however 60° flute angles had significantly lower peak loads (α = 0.05). At certain angles, notably 10° and 30°, less variation in peak load was observed. BCT force and stiffness of the box significantly improved in terms of median and variation at 10° and 30°. Therefore, a flute angle of less than 45° does not significantly reduce compression strength.
Reaction–Diffusion Problems on Time-Periodic Domains
Authors: Allwright Jane
Published: September 2023

Reaction–diffusion equations are studied on bounded, time-periodic domains with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions. The long-time behaviour is shown to depend on the principal periodic eigenvalue of a transformed periodic-parabolic problem. We prove upper and lower bounds on this eigenvalue under a range of different assumptions on the domain, and apply them to examples. The principal eigenvalue is considered as a function of the frequency, and results are given regarding its behaviour in the small and large frequency limits. A monotonicity property with respect to frequency is also proven. A reaction–diffusion problem with a class of monostable nonlinearity is then studied on a periodic domain, and we prove convergence to either zero or a unique positive periodic solution.
Mesh-Informed Neural Networks for Operator Learning in Finite Element Spaces
Authors: Franco Nicola Rares , Manzoni Andrea , Zunino Paolo
Published: September 2023

Thanks to their universal approximation properties and new efficient training strategies, Deep Neural Networks are becoming a valuable tool for the approximation of mathematical operators. In the present work, we introduce Mesh-Informed Neural Networks (MINNs), a class of architectures specifically tailored to handle mesh based functional data, and thus of particular interest for reduced order modeling of parametrized Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). The driving idea behind MINNs is to embed hidden layers into discrete functional spaces of increasing complexity, obtained through a sequence of meshes defined over the underlying spatial domain. The approach leads to a natural pruning strategy which enables the design of sparse architectures that are able to learn general nonlinear operators. We assess this strategy through an extensive set of numerical experiments, ranging from nonlocal operators to nonlinear diffusion PDEs, where MINNs are compared against more traditional architectures, such as classical fully connected Deep Neural Networks, but also more recent ones, such as DeepONets and Fourier Neural Operators. Our results show that MINNs can handle functional data defined on general domains of any shape, while ensuring reduced training times, lower computational costs, and better generalization capabilities, thus making MINNs very well-suited for demanding applications such as Reduced Order Modeling and Uncertainty Quantification for PDEs.
A brief overview of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its management strategies: a recent update
Authors: Das Alakesh , Pathak Surajit , Premkumar Madhavi , Sarpparajan Chitra Veena , Balaji Esther Raichel , Duttaroy Asim K. , Banerjee Antara
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global health crisis, inflicting substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. A diverse range of symptoms, including fever, cough, dyspnea, and fatigue, characterizes COVID-19. A cytokine surge can exacerbate the disease’s severity. This phenomenon involves an increased immune response, marked by the excessive release of inflammatory cytokines like IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and IFNγ, leading to tissue damage and organ dysfunction. Efforts to reduce the cytokine surge and its associated complications have garnered significant attention. Standardized management protocols have incorporated treatment strategies, with corticosteroids, chloroquine, and intravenous immunoglobulin taking the forefront. The recent therapeutic intervention has also assisted in novel strategies like repurposing existing medications and the utilization of in vitro drug screening methods to choose effective molecules against viral infections. Beyond acute management, the significance of comprehensive post-COVID-19 management strategies, like remedial measures including nutritional guidance, multidisciplinary care, and follow-up, has become increasingly evident. As the understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis deepens, it is becoming increasingly evident that a tailored approach to therapy is imperative. This review focuses on effective treatment measures aimed at mitigating COVID-19 severity and highlights the significance of comprehensive COVID-19 management strategies that show promise in the battle against COVID-19.
miRNA as biomarker in lung cancer
Authors: Lobera Esperanza Salcedo , Varela Macarena Arroyo , Jimenez Rafael Larrosa , Moreno Rocio Bautista
Published: September 2023

Lung cancer has a high prevalence and mortality due to its late diagnosis and limited treatment, so it is essential to find biomarkers that allow a faster diagnosis and improve the survival of these patients. In this sense, biomarkers based on miRNAs have supposed a considerable advance. miRNAs, which are small RNA sequences, can regulate gene expression, so they play an essential role not only as a diagnostic biomarker but also as a therapeutic and prognostic one. Also, miRNA biomarkers can be obtained from liquid biopsies, which are less intrusive than lung biopsies, and have better accessibility, safety and repeatability, which allows using those biomarkers both for diagnosis and monitoring of patients. In this review, we highlight the importance of miRNAs and collect the existing evidence of their relationship with lung cancer.
Gesture, meaning, and intentionality: from radical to pragmatist enactive theory of language
Authors: Baggio Guido
Published: September 2023

The article argues in favour of a pragmatist enactive interpretation of the emergence of the symbolic and contentful mind from a basic form of social communicative interaction in which basic cognitive capacities are involved. Through a critical overview of Radical Enactivists (RECers)’ view about language, the article focuses on Mead’s pragmatist behavioural theory of meaning that refers to the gestural conversation as the origin of the evolution of linguistic conversation. The article develops as follows. After exposing the main elements of REC’s theory of cognition and language that involve the construction of a theory of natural signs (teleosemiotics) and basic directionality (Ur-intentionality), some critical points of Hutto and Myin’s proposal will be highlighted. To foster a continuist perspective of language, the behavioural theory of meaning and language that Mead develops from the notion of gesture will be analysed. His theory is akin to REC and could augment the bare bones of REC’s sketched perspective, helping to include Ur-intentionality in a broader non-dualistic phylogenetic and ontogenetic theory of symbolic language from gestural communication, thus helping to overcome the distinction between a content-less intentionality and a content-involving intentionality, i.e., a semantic propositional intentionality. Furthermore, a recent revival of Mead’s theory testifies to its up-to-date relevance to explain the innate social dimension of human and non-human animals, and the human communicative capacity through the conditioning of bio-social canons and structures.
International Student Mobility and Academic Performance: Does Timing Matter?
Authors: Granja Cintia Denise , Visentin Fabiana
Published: September 2023

We examine the impact of credit mobility exchange programs’ timing on students’ academic performance, focusing on the moment in which students travel and the length of the period spent abroad. To provide causal evidence, we exploit unique data from more than 10,000 students from a well-known and internationalized Brazilian university from 2010 to 2020. By combing Propensity Score Matching with Difference in Differences techniques, we find that international mobility impacts groups of students differently. Students who travel closer to the end of their undergraduate courses benefit the most from the mobility experience, while negative effects are found for those who travel at the beginning of their university program. Results also show that, while student mobility impacts positively and significantly students who participate in programs lasting from one semester to 1 year, negative effects are associated with shorter periods abroad. Our findings also reveal heterogeneity across destination countries. Mobility has a positive impact on students’ grades for those students traveling to English-speaking countries. Our analysis presents empirical evidence that can be used to design international student mobility programs, providing insights to policymakers engaged in maximizing their effects.
Parenthood and Job Quality: Is There a Motherhood Penalty in the UK?
Authors: Jones Laura , Cook Rose , Connolly Sara
Published: September 2023

Current research recognises the role of parenthood in contributing to gender inequalities at work. Meanwhile, there is a growing interest in job quality. We contribute to both these debates by analysing differences in job quality by gender and parenthood status, using data from a nationally representative UK household survey. We develop a 12-indicator, multi-dimensional measure of job quality and use this to analyse the combination and distribution of job quality attributes by gender and parenthood status. Our analysis shows that women and mothers are under-represented in high quality jobs and over-represented in poor quality jobs. While some mothers sacrifice career prospects for flexibility, motherhood is not always associated with more flexibility, and job quality disadvantages are multi-faceted. Working part time is a strong driver of job quality differences, suggesting that reduced hours after motherhood impacts on job quality in addition to worsening women’s pay. Job quality gaps are larger for mothers of school-aged children, pointing to the additional constraints of managing work and childcare around the school day.
Fake news and epistemic flooding
Authors: Anderau Glenn
Published: September 2023

The advance of the internet and social media has had a drastic impact on our epistemic environment. This paper will focus on two different risks epistemic agents face online: being exposed to fake news and epistemic flooding. While the first risk is widely known and has been extensively discussed in the philosophical literature, the notion of ‘epistemic flooding’ is a novel concept introduced in this paper. Epistemic flooding occurs when epistemic agents find themselves in epistemic environments in which they are routinely confronted with more information and evidence than they can diligently process. Epistemic flooding is one of the most significant risks epistemic agents run while using social media and one of the reasons why the first risk (being exposed to fake news) is especially pernicious. It is particularly harmful if one ascribes to the Spinozan model of belief acquisition in which belief comes easy. Mitigating the combined threat of fake news and epistemic flooding requires us to think normatively about our epistemic environments and how to better them. This paper turns to the normative framework of epistemic environmentalism in order to accomplish this.
Utility of noninvasive biomarker testing and MRI to predict a prostate cancer diagnosis
Authors: Sultan Mark I. , Huynh Linda M. , Kamil Sarah , Abdelaziz Ahmad , Hammad Muhammed A. , Gin Greg E. , Lee David I. , Youssef Ramy F
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic performance and utility of the ExoDx IntelliScore and an OPKO4K score to predict prostate cancer in men presenting with elevated PSA—both as independent predictors and in combination with clinical/MRI characteristics.

Methods

Patients with elevated PSA were retrospectively reviewed. Abnormal tests were defined as an OPKO4K score ≥ 7.5% and an ExoDx IntelliScore ≥ 15.6. Four regression models and ROC curves were generated based on: (1) age, PSA, and DRE, (2) model 1 + OPKO4K 4Kscore ≥ 7.5%, (3) model 2 + ExoDx IntelliScore ≥ 15.6, and (4) model 3 + MRI PIRADS 4–5.

Results

359 men received an OPKO4K test, 307 had MRI and 113 had ExoDx tests. 163 men proceeded to prostate biopsy and 196 (55%) were saved from biopsy. Mean age was 65.0 ± 8.7 years and mean PSA was 7.1 ± 6.1 ng/mL. Positive biopsies were found in 84 (51.5%) men. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of an OPKO4K score were 86.7% and 72.3%; values for an ExoDx test were 76.5% and 77.1%, respectively. On regression analysis, clinical markers (Age, PSA, DRE) generated an AUC of 0.559. The addition of an OPKO4K score raised the AUC to 0.653. The stepwise addition of an ExoDx score raised the AUC to 0.766. The combined use of both biomarkers, patient characteristics, and MRI yielded an AUC of 0.825.

Conclusion

This analysis demonstrates the high negative predictive value of both the OPKO4K score and ExoDX IntelliScore independently while demonstrating that the combination of an OPKO4K score, an ExoDX IntelliScore, and MRI increases predictive capability for biopsy confirmed prostate cancer.
Randomized trial to assess the potential role of ascorbic acid and statin for post-contrast acute kidney injury prevention
Authors: Hashem Abdelwahab , Laymon Mahmoud , Elgamal Mostafa , Hegazy Mohammed , Elmeniar A. M. , Refaie Huda , Osman Yasser
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of using statins and ascorbic acid for the prevention of post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI) in patients undergoing urologic diagnostic elective contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).

Methods

This registered trial (NCT03391830) was for statin naïve patients underwent elective CECT. Patients were randomized allocated to two groups: the first group received atorvastatin 80-mg the day before the study and atorvastatin 40-mg two hours before the CECT and for continue on atorvastatin 40-mg two days after CECT; plus ascorbic acid 500 mg with atorvastatin. The other group received two tablets of placebo once/daily before the procedure and for another 3 days. The primary outcome was to assess the incidence PC-AKI.

Results

The baseline parameters were comparable between both groups. The final median (interquartile range “IQR”) serum creatinine were 0.80 (0.60, 1.00) and 0.80 (0.60, 1.00), respectively, with insignificant p-value (p = 0.8). The median (IQR) final estimated GFR were 95.2 (72.8, 108.1) and 88.6 (71.9, 111.0) mL/min in placebo and statin plus ascorbic acid groups, respectively (p = 0.48). The eGFR difference median (IQR) were − 6.46 (− 11.72, − 4.18) and − 6.57 (− 13.38, − 3.82) ml/min in placebo and statin plus ascorbic acid groups, respectively (p = 0.58). PC-AKI occurred in 11 patients (9.8%) in placebo group and in 3 patients (3%) in statin plus ascorbic acid group (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Statin and ascorbic acid did not statistically improve neither serum creatinine nor eGFR values in patient underwent CECT. However, it can decrease the incidence of the clinically insignificant PC-AKI.
Influence of nutrition and food on sleep—is there evidence?
Authors: Netzer Nikolaus C. , Strohl Kingman P. , Pramsohler Stephan
Published: September 2023

Background

The influence of sleep disorders on metabolism, especially concerning obesity and diabetes, as well as obesity and obstructive sleep apnea, has been widely investigated. However, the effect of nutrition and the intake of certain foods on sleep has only recently gained attention. In recent years, there have been publications on intake of certain foods and certain diets regarding their influence on sleep, as well as activity of adipocytes and their effect on production of sleep hormones.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a PubMed search using the key words “sleep,” “sleep disorders,” “nutrition,” “food,” and “food intake” published from 2012 to 2022. We excluded by consensus all articles with diets and exercise programs or bariatric surgery for weight loss to treat sleep apnea, all articles on connections between sleep disorders and metabolic disorders, and articles concerning the influence of drugs on neuroactive substances.

Results

Of the 4155 publications revealed, 988 had nutrition, metabolism, and sleep as the primary topic of research. Of these 988 publications, only 26 fulfilled the content requirements concerning the influence of certain food and diets on sleep or sleep disorders, including the influence of the gastrointestinal system and adipocytes on sleep hormones. None of the investigations revealed clear evidence of an effect of a certain diet or food on sleep. Epidemiologic surveys suggest that shortened or fragmented sleep and chronotype in adults influence nutrition and fat metabolism. Additionally, there is evidence that adipocyte signaling influences neuronal mediators and hormones of the sleep-wake cycle.

Conclusion

There is no evidence of a direct influence of certain nutrition or food intake on sleep. Obesity via adipocyte signaling may influence the sleep-wake cycle, though the molecular research on this topic is based on animal studies.
Incentives for cooperation in groups: sociality meets decision rights
Authors: Butz Britta , Alvarez Pablo Guillen , Harbring Christine
Published: September 2023

We investigate the effect of a donation incentive tied to contributions to a public good when group members can decide on the size of their donation. An up to 20% donation of the public good was implemented either exogenously or endogenously by group members. In the Vote treatment, groups could either decide in favor of or against a donation of 20% of the public good; in the Vote Share treatment, subjects could decide on a donation share of between 0 and 20%. Results show that a large percentage of the participants vote in favor of implementing a donation share in both treatments. In groups voting in favor of a 20% donation share or endogenously implementing a high donation share in the Vote Share treatment contributions to the public good are higher compared to an exogenously implemented donation share.
1H, 13C, and 15N NMR chemical shift assignment of LytM N-terminal domain (residues 26–184)
Authors: Pitkänen Ilona , Tossavainen Helena , Permi Perttu
Published: September 2023

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem and a global threat for modern healthcare. New approaches complementing the traditional antibiotic drugs are urgently needed to secure the ability to treat bacterial infections also in the future. Among the promising alternatives are bacteriolytic enzymes, such as the cell wall degrading peptidoglycan hydrolases. Staphylococcus aureus LytM, a Zn2+-dependent glycyl-glycine endopeptidase of the M23 family, is one of the peptidoglycan hydrolases. It has a specificity towards staphylococcal peptidoglycan, making it an interesting target for antimicrobial studies. LytM hydrolyses the cell wall of S. aureus, a common pathogen with multi-resistant strains that are difficult to treat, such as the methicillin-resistant S. aureus, MRSA. Here we report the 1H, 15N and 13C chemical shift assignments of S. aureus LytM N-terminal domain and linker region, residues 26–184. These resonance assignments can provide the basis for further studies such as elucidation of structure and interactions.
Synergist for antitumor therapy: Astragalus polysaccharides acting on immune microenvironment
Authors: Xu Qian , Cheng Wen , Wei Jinrui , Ou Yan , Xiao Xian , Jia Yingjie
Published: September 2023

Various new treatments are emerging constantly in anti-tumor therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, the efficacy is still not satisfactory. Astragalus polysaccharide is an important bioactive component derived from the dry root of Radix astragali. Studies found that astragalus polysaccharides have gained great significance in increasing the sensitivity of anti-tumor treatment, reducing the side effects of anti-tumor treatment, reversing the drug resistance of anti-tumor drugs, etc. In this review, we focused on the role of astragalus polysaccharides in tumor immune microenvironment. We reviewed the immunomodulatory effect of astragalus polysaccharides on macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes. We found that astragalus polysaccharides can promote the activities of macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes and induce the expression of a variety of cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, we summarized the clinical applications of astragalus polysaccharides in patients with digestive tract tumors. We summarized the effective mechanism of astragalus polysaccharides on digestive tract tumors, including apoptosis induction, proliferation inhibition, immunoactivity regulation, enhancement of the anticancer effect and chemosensitivity. Therefore, in view of the multiple functions of astragalus polysaccharides in tumor immune microenvironment and its clinical efficacy, the combination of astragalus polysaccharides with antitumor therapy such as immunotherapy may provide new sparks to the bottleneck of current treatment methods.
Patient Engagement and Patient Experience Data in Regulatory Review and Health Technology Assessment: A Global Landscape Review
Authors: Bertelsen Neil , Dewulf Lode , Ferrè Silvia , Vermeulen Rebecca , Schroeder Karlin , Gatellier Laureline , Sargeant Ify , Luzuriaga Daniela , Chapman Hayley , Brooke Nicholas
Published: September 2023

Background

Working with patients through meaningful patient engagement (PE) and incorporating patient experience data (PXD) is increasingly important in medicines and medical device development. However, PE in the planning, organization, generation, and interpretation of PXD within regulatory and health technology assessment (HTA) decision-making processes remains challenging. We conducted a global review of the PE and PXD landscape to identify evolving resources by geography to support and highlight the potential of integration of PE and PXD in regulatory assessment and HTA.

Methods

A review of literature/public information was conducted (August 2021–January 2023), led by a multistakeholder group comprising those with lived or professional experience of PE and PXD, to identify relevant regulatory and HTA initiatives and resources reviewed and categorized by geography and focus area.

Results

Overall, 53 relevant initiatives/resources were identified (global, 14; North America, 11; Europe, 11; Asia, nine; UK, six; Latin America, one; Africa, one). Most focused either on PE (49%) or PXD (28%); few (11%) mentioned both PE and PXD (as largely separate activities) or demonstrated an integration of PE and PXD (11%).

Conclusions

Our analysis demonstrates increasing interest in PE, PXD, and guidance on their use individually in decision-making. However, more work is needed to offer guidance on maximizing the value of patient input into decisions by combining both PE and PXD into regulatory and HTA processes; the necessity of integrating PE in the design and interpretation of PXD programs should be highlighted. A co-created framework to achieve this integration is part of a future project.
Investigation of Interhemispheric Asymmetry of the Thermospheric Composition Observed by GOLD During the First Strong Geomagnetic Storm in Solar‐Cycle 25, 1: IMF By Effects
Authors: Yu Tingting , Cai Xuguang , Ren Zhipeng , Wang Zihan , Pedatella Nicholas. M. , Jin Yaqi
Published: September 2023

An interhemispheric asymmetry of thermospheric Oxygen (O) to Nitrogen (N2) column density ratio (∑O/N2) variations was observed by the Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) during the 3–5 November 2021 geomagnetic storm. ∑O/N2 depletion is more equatorward in the local morning than in the local afternoon in the northern hemisphere (NH), while more equatorward in the local afternoon than the local morning in the southern hemisphere (SH). The Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model simulations reproduced the observed ∑O/N2 asymmetry. The impacts of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) east‐west component (By) on the interhemispheric asymmetry of ∑O/N2 depletion was investigated. Comparisons of simulation results with and without real By show that the dominant positive IMF By results in the Joule heating maximum occurring in the local afternoon of NH and local morning in the SH during the storm initial phase, which generates the corresponding ∑O/N2 changes. Additionally, the IMF By during this storm are more crucial in the SH than in the NH. Without By, equatorward penetration of the ∑O/N2 depletion in GOLD Field of View are almost same in the SH. However, in the NH, there is still more equatorward depletion in the local morning than the local afternoon without By.
Modes of Mantle Convection, Their Stability, and What Controls Their Existence
Authors: Al Asad Manar , Lau Harriet C. P. , Crowley John W. , Lenardic Adrian
Published: September 2023

The motion of Earth's tectonic plates is the surface expression of mantle convection beneath. Analytical convection models have attempted to relate observables, such as plate velocities and surface heat flow, with the thermo‐mechanical state of the mantle, and remain deeply influential in global geophysics. While such models tend to focus on describing the mantle's behavior today, there is evidence that suggests they may not be the best description for an earlier, hotter mantle. Early in Earth's history, higher temperatures may have led to different convective regimes that include active‐lid (today's form of convection), sluggish‐lid, and stagnant‐lid convection. In this study, we adopt and extend the analytical theory laid out by Crowley & O'Connell (2012, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05254.x) that self‐consistently characterizes the first two of these convection regimes. For a given thermo‐mechanical state, the theory predicts one to multiple solutions that each represent distinct modes of mantle convection. Here, we derive new scaling laws that connect these modes to the mantle's Rayleigh number and identify a new fundamental, dimensionless number, which we term the O’Connell number (named after Richard “Rick” J. O'Connell (1941–2015)), that describes a plate's resistance in context of the overall convection of the system. In addition, we identify two key bifurcations that bracket the Rayleigh‐O'Connell number space within which multiple solutions may exist. Finally, we remove the assumption of steady‐state in their original framework in order to perform a linear stability analysis to characterize the relative stability of each convection mode.
Llamas (Llama glama) enhance proglacial ecosystem development in Cordillera Blanca, Peru
Authors: Zimmer Anaïs , Beach Timothy , Riva Regalado Sebastián , Salcedo Aliaga Jean , Cruz Encarnación Rolando , Anthelme Fabien
Published: September 2023

Worldwide, mountain glaciers are shrinking rapidly. Consequently, large areas are becoming available for the development of novel alpine ecosystems. These harsh environments, however, delay primary succession. In this study with a local community, we conducted an inclusion experiment to investigate whether Llama glama influences soils and vegetation primary succession following glacial retreat. At the foot of the Uruashraju glacier in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru (~ 4680 m.a.s.l.), we established four llama inclusion plots and four control plots that we studied from 2019 to 2022, 24–40 years after deglacierization. After three years, the llama plots had significantly increased soil organic carbon and soil nitrogen. In the llama plots, we found a large, significant increase in vascular plant cover (+ 57%) between the second and third years of experimentation, and we identified four new species that were not present in 2019. Our results suggest that Llama glama, through their latrine behavior and role as a seed disperser, enhances the primary succession and novel ecosystem formation in recently deglacierized landscapes. Our study provides scientific support that rewilding of native Andean camelids may favor adaptation to glacier retreat and inform conservation and management strategies in proglacial landscapes.
Research on the crisis propagation in the global coal trade under the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Authors: Huang Hui , Zhao Jingying , Liu Haibin , Ren Shuai , Liu Meng , Liu Haiping , An Feng , Guo Yanlei , An Haizhong
Published: September 2023

The outbreak of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict exacerbated the natural gas supply shortage in European countries. European countries restarted coal-fired power plants to maintain economic and social operations. The uneven distribution of coal resources in the world makes coal international trade inevitable. The intricate trade relations between trading countries have formed a coal trade network. When a country’s coal exports are limited due to geopolitical factors, it will cause coal supply risks. The risk will spread to more countries along the trade network, eventually leading to the collapse of the trade network. This paper builds a crisis propagation model of the coal supply under the Russia-Ukraine conflict using the cascading failure model. The results showed that the Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal, and Bulgaria become abnormal as the proportion of coal exports β increases. When the Russian Federation reduced its coal exports by 80% and countries maintained only 10% coal exports against crisis, 23 European countries were the worst. Iceland, Ireland, Turkey and other countries were spread by the indirect risk and became abnormal countries. The Czech Republic and Bulgaria were spread by multiple risk and became abnormal countries.