bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bio-Briquettes Production from Spent Coffee Grounds, Composite Organic Waste, and Coconut Shells by Using Carbonization
Authors: Septian Erdiyanto Angga , Hasbi Asshidiqi M , Syachrir Guntur
Published: September 2024

Global energy demand is projected to rise in coming years due to a corresponding increase in the world’s population. This increased demand highlights the importance of exploring alternative energy sources, particularly renewable energy. Among the various forms of renewable energy, biomass stands out as a consistently abundant and accessible source of renewable energy on a global scale. In Indonesia, there exists a significant abundance of organic waste, spent coffee grounds, and coconut shells. Each of these wastes has a high heating value, so it has potential to become the raw material of bio-briquette, an alternative source of renewable energy. By the method of carbonization, the study was intended to identify the characteristics of the bio-briquette composite using organic waste, coconut shells, and spent coffee grounds as raw material on proximate analysis parameters and heating value. Based on the results of the research, the best bio-briquette characteristics were obtained from sample APEK25 with the characteristic of 7.84% water content, 36.24% volatile matter, 9.38% ash content, 46.54% fixed carbon, and a heating value is 4637 cal/gr. These findings highlight the potential of bio-briquettes as a renewable energy, contributing to waste management for sustainable energy transition and addressing the increasing energy demand.
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Implementation on Reducing Emission in the ASEAN Energy Sector
Authors: Shidiq Muhammad , Htet Hein , Abdullah Ambiyah , Noor Rakhiemah Aldilla , Pradnyaswari Indira , Dewa Raditya Margenta I , Suryadi Beni
Published: September 2024

In the context of global efforts to combat climate change and transition towards a low-carbon economy, the European Union (EU) has introduced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as part of its ambitious Green Deal. This mechanism aims to address carbon leakage from high-emitting industries and ensure fair conditions for European industries. The ASEAN region, as highlighted in the 7th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO7) study, is projected to experience a substantial increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reaching 6,704 Mt CO2-eq by 2050 compared to a baseline scenario of 1,815 Mt CO2-eq in 2020. Consequently, ASEAN has recognized the urgency to earnestly reduce its emissions in response to the global push for carbon neutrality. The implementation of CBAM by the EU has prompted many countries, including ASEAN Member States (AMS) exporting goods to the EU and beyond, to consider the adoption of CBAM policies. This study examines the potential implications of CBAM for the emission reduction in high-emitting industries in ASEAN (such as cement, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and electricity generation). The findings indicate that the implementation of CBAM may result in higher product prices for these industries, as they will be required to account for the climate footprint of their manufacturing activities through additional fees. However, it also presents an opportunity for emission reductions within these industries by incentivizing the adoption of renewable energy sources to mitigate their carbon footprint during manufacturing processes. To effectively respond to the implementation of CBAM, the region should adopt three key strategies: 1) active participation in and implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms, 2) increased investments in low carbon technologies, and 3) establishment of strategic partnerships to enhance trade relations between the EU and ASEAN.
Enhancing EEG data quality and precision for cloud-based clinical applications: an evaluation of the SLOG framework
Authors: Ghani Amna , Heinrich Hartmut , Brown Trevor , Schellhorn Klaus
Published: September 2024

Automation is revamping our preprocessing pipelines, and accelerating the delivery of personalized digital medicine. It improves efficiency, reduces costs, and allows clinicians to treat patients without significant delays. However, the influx of multimodal data highlights the need to protect sensitive information, such as clinical data, and safeguard data fidelity. One of the neuroimaging modalities that produces large amounts of time-series data is Electroencephalography (EEG). It captures the neural dynamics in a task or resting brain state with high temporal resolution. EEG electrodes placed on the scalp acquire electrical activity from the brain. These electrical potentials attenuate as they cross multiple layers of brain tissue and fluid yielding relatively weaker signals than noise—low signal-to-noise ratio. EEG signals are further distorted by internal physiological artifacts, such as eye movements (EOG) or heartbeat (ECG), and external noise, such as line noise (50 Hz). EOG artifacts, due to their proximity to the frontal brain regions, are particularly challenging to eliminate. Therefore, a widely used EOG rejection method, independent component analysis (ICA), demands manual inspection of the marked EOG components before they are rejected from the EEG data. We underscore the inaccuracy of automatized ICA rejection and provide an auxiliary algorithm—Second Layer Inspection for EOG (SLOG) in the clinical environment. SLOG based on spatial and temporal patterns of eye movements, re-examines the already marked EOG artifacts and confirms no EEG-related activity is mistakenly eliminated in this artifact rejection step. SLOG achieved a 99% precision rate on the simulated dataset while 85% precision on the real EEG dataset. One of the primary considerations for cloud-based applications is operational costs, including computing power. Algorithms like SLOG allow us to maintain data fidelity and precision without overloading the cloud platforms and maxing out our budgets.
Assessing ecosystem resilience: effects of different environments on native flora, lichens and bee pollen in a mid-sized Brazilian city
Authors: Bonatti-Chaves Mariane , Macalossi Jenifer , Cabral Rodrigo Dümes Chaves , Dias dos Santos Murylu , Pfundner Pamela , Bonatti Michelle , Sieber Stefan , Medeiros Sandra Helena Westrupp , Mouga Denise Monique Dubet da Silva , Gumboski Emerson Luiz , Melo Junior João Carlos Ferreira de
Published: September 2024

The alteration of the natural environment by human activities has increased in recent decades, with a significant impact on the organisms that inhabit it. One of the most apparent consequences of environmental alterations is the occurrence of climatic changes. The city of Joinville is situated in the southern region of Brazil. It has achieved a notable position at the national level, largely due to the significant presence of large-scale industrial operations in the metal-mechanical, plastic, and textile sectors. This study aimed to assess the effects of urban environments on Nectandra oppositifolia plants and lichen communities using a passive biomonitoring approach, and on Tetragonisca angustula stingless bees using an active biomonitoring approach. This study demonstrated a pronounced effect of anthropogenic activities on plant anatomy and morphology (higher leaf area, fresh mass, dry mass, and water content in the urban-industrial site), with higher metal concentrations in leaf particulate matter (3.14 ± 0.4 μg cm−2). The diversity of lichens was the lowest, whereas that of crustose lichens was the highest in industrial-urban and residential-rural sites (industrial-urban site = 13 species, residential-rural site = 29 species, control site = 33 species, p < 0.05). The distribution of species within the lichen communities was inversely correlated with the degree of anthropogenic influence. Some lichen species were found exclusively in the control areas, suggesting that they may indicate good environmental quality (Arthonia sp., Astrothelium sp., Phyllopsora pyxinoides, Phyllopsis sp., and others). Beehive pollen analysis revealed the presence of Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Pb, and industrial-urban site exhibited higher metal concentrations (particularly, Ni, 12.59 ± 0.9, and Cr, 3.76 ± 1.00, mg kg−1). This approach highlights the environmental repercussions that affect the Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia kingdoms. The use of biomonitoring as a robust tool in good environmental quality assessment provides insight into policy decisions and underscores the importance of pollution studies.
A machine-learned kinetic energy model for light weight metals and compounds of group III-V elements
Authors: Lüder Johann , Ihara Manabu , Manzhos Sergei
Published: September 2024

We present a machine-learned (ML) model of kinetic energy for orbital-free density functional theory (OF-DFT) suitable for bulk light weight metals and compounds made of group III–V elements. The functional is machine-learned with Gaussian process regression (GPR) from data computed with Kohn-Sham DFT with plane wave bases and local pseudopotentials. The dataset includes multiple phases of unary, binary, and ternary compounds containing Li, Al, Mg, Si, As, Ga, Sb, Na, Sn, P, and In. A total of 433 materials were used for training, and 18 strained structures were used for each material. Averaged (over the unit cell) kinetic energy density is fitted as a function of averaged terms of the 4th order gradient expansion and the product of the density and effective potential. The kinetic energy predicted by the model allows reproducing energy-volume curves around equilibrium geometry with good accuracy. We show that the GPR model beats linear and polynomial regressions. We also find that unary compounds sample a wider region of the descriptor space than binary and ternary compounds, and it is therefore important to include them in the training set; a GPR model trained on a small number of unary compounds is able to extrapolate relatively well to binary and ternary compounds but not vice versa.
Process parameter interaction study for mechanical strength of r-HDPE filled calcium carbonate composites
Authors: Narayanan Thinakaran , Abd Razak Jeefferie
Published: September 2024

The increasing issue of plastic waste disposal has drawn attention to the urgent requirement for sustainable solutions. At the heart of this problem is polyethylene, a crucial industrial resin that has significant implications for recycling. This study aims to explore the feasibility of using recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) derived from waste carpet as a sustainable alternative material for structural applications that undergo mechanical loads. The primary focus of this research is to incorporate calcium carbonate an easily obtainable and cost-effective inorganic mineral filler into the rHDPE. This will enhance mechanical strength. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is widely recognized for their reinforcing properties in various polymer composites, and in addition not only improves the mechanical strength of the blend but also reduces the environmental impact associated with plastic and waste carpet disposal. Our experimental approach involves preparing samples with varying compositions of rHDPE and calcium carbonate. This includes carefully considering extrusion process parameters such as screw speed and melting temperature. Mechanical testing was performed using a universal testing machine following the ASTM standard. The findings of this research are expected to open up new avenues for innovative strategies in reducing plastic waste and promoting the sustainable utilization of waste carpets thereby contributing to the broader field of environmental sustainability.
Experimental investigation on in-situ laser-assisted machining of single crystal silicon based on response surface methodology
Authors: Yao Dong , Shi Guangfeng , Meng Siwei
Published: September 2024

In this paper, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized as a robust and convenient predictive tool to establish the correlation between process parameters in in situ laser-assisted machining and the surface roughness of single-crystal silicon. An optimized design of the diamond tool, a novel temperature field analysis method, and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were utilized. The contribution rate of each process parameter on surface roughness was laser power > rotation speed > cutting depth > feed rate. The optimal process parameter combination is: rotation speed as 1001 r min−1, feed rate as 4.9 μm/r, cutting depth as 7.55 μm, and laser power as 28.81 W. Experimental validation of these optimal parameters compared surface roughness values obtained experimentally with those predicted. The surface roughness model showed a maximum relative error of 5.2%, with an average error of 4.8% across three experimental sets. These errors are within acceptable limits, indicating an alignment between predicted and experimental results.
Causally interpretable meta-analysis combining aggregate and individual participant data
Authors: Rott Kollin W , Clark Justin M , Murad M Hassan , Hodges James S , Huling Jared
Published: September 2024

Recent work in causally-interpretable meta-analysis (CIMA) has bridged the gap between traditional meta-analysis and causal inference. While traditional meta-analysis results generally do not apply to any well-defined population, CIMA approaches specify a target population to which meta-analytic treatment effect estimates are transported. While theoretically attractive, these approaches currently have some practical limitations. Most assume that all studies in the meta-analysis have individual participant data (IPD), which is rare in practice because most trials share only aggregate data. We propose a method to perform CIMA using a combination of aggregate data and IPD. This method borrows information from studies with IPD to augment the aggregate data and create aggregate-matched synthetic IPD (AMSIPD), which can be used readily in the existing CIMA framework. By allowing use of both aggregate data and IPD, the method opens CIMA to more applications and can avoid biases arising from using only studies with IPD. We present a case study and simulations showing the AMSIPD approach is promising and merits further investigation as an advancement of CIMA.
Causal enhanced drug–target interaction prediction based on graph generation and multi-source information fusion
Authors: Qiao Guanyu , Wang Guohua , Li Yang
Published: September 2024

Motivation

The prediction of drug–target interaction is a vital task in the biomedical field, aiding in the discovery of potential molecular targets of drugs and the development of targeted therapy methods with higher efficacy and fewer side effects. Although there are various methods for drug–target interaction (DTI) prediction based on heterogeneous information networks, these methods face challenges in capturing the fundamental interaction between drugs and targets and ensuring the interpretability of the model. Moreover, they need to construct meta-paths artificially or a lot of feature engineering (prior knowledge), and graph generation can fuse information more flexibly without meta-path selection.

Results

We propose a causal enhanced method for drug–target interaction (CE-DTI) prediction that integrates graph generation and multi-source information fusion. First, we represent drugs and targets by modeling the fusion of their multi-source information through automatic graph generation. Once drugs and targets are combined, a network of drug–target pairs is constructed, transforming the prediction of drug–target interactions into a node classification problem. Specifically, the influence of surrounding nodes on the central node is separated into two groups: causal and non-causal variable nodes. Causal variable nodes significantly impact the central node’s classification, while non-causal variable nodes do not. Causal invariance is then used to enhance the contrastive learning of the drug–target pairs network. Our method demonstrates excellent performance compared with other competitive benchmark methods across multiple datasets. At the same time, the experimental results also show that the causal enhancement strategy can explore the potential causal effects between DTPs, and discover new potential targets. Additionally, case studies demonstrate that this method can identify potential drug targets.

Availability and implementation

The source code of AdaDR is available at: https://github.com/catly/CE-DTI.
A Bayesian nonparametric approach for causal mediation with a post-treatment confounder
Authors: Bae Woojung , Daniels Michael J , Perri Michael G
Published: September 2024

We propose a new Bayesian nonparametric method for estimating the causal effects of mediation in the presence of a post-treatment confounder. The methodology is motivated by the Rural Lifestyle Intervention Treatment Effectiveness Trial (Rural LITE) for which there is interest in estimating causal mediation effects but is complicated by the presence of a post-treatment confounder. We specify an enriched Dirichlet process mixture (EDPM) to model the joint distribution of the observed data (outcome, mediator, post-treatment confounder, treatment, and baseline confounders). For identifiability, we use the extended version of the standard sequential ignorability (SI) as introduced in Hong et al. along with a Gaussian copula model assumption. The observed data model and causal identification assumptions enable us to estimate and identify the causal effects of mediation, that is, the natural direct effects (NDE) and natural indirect effects (NIE). Our method enables easy computation of NIE and NDE for a subset of confounding variables and addresses missing data through data augmentation under the assumption of ignorable missingness. We conduct simulation studies to assess the performance of our proposed method. Furthermore, we apply this approach to evaluate the causal mediation effect in the Rural LITE trial, finding that there was not strong evidence for the potential mediator.
Investigating the prevalence of MFN2 mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: insights from an Italian cohort
Authors: Abati Elena , Gagliardi Delia , Manini Arianna , Del Bo Roberto , Ronchi Dario , Meneri Megi , Beretta Francesca , Sarno Annalisa , Rizzo Federica , Monfrini Edoardo , Di Fonzo Alessio , Pellecchia Maria Teresa , Brusati Alberto , Silani Vincenzo , Comi Giacomo Pietro , Ratti Antonia , Verde Federico , Ticozzi Nicola , Corti Stefania
Published: September 2024

The MFN2 gene encodes mitofusin 2, a key protein for mitochondrial fusion, transport, maintenance and cell communication. MFN2 mutations are primarily linked to Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2A. However, a few cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia phenotypes with concomitant MFN2 mutations have been previously reported. This study examines the clinical and genetic characteristics of an Italian cohort of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with rare, non-synonymous MFN2 mutations. A group of patients (n = 385) diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at our Neurology Units between 2008 and 2023 underwent comprehensive molecular testing, including MFN2. After excluding pathogenic mutations in the main amyotrophic lateral sclerosis–related genes (i.e. C9orf72, SOD1, FUS and TARDBP), MFN2 variants were classified based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, and demographic and clinical data of MFN2-mutated patients were retrieved. We identified 12 rare, heterozygous, non-synonymous MFN2 variants in 19 individuals (4.9%). Eight of these variants, carried by nine patients (2.3%), were either pathogenic, likely pathogenic or variants of unknown significance according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. Among these patients, four exhibited a familial pattern of inheritance. The observed phenotypes included classic and bulbar amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia, flail arm, flail leg and progressive muscular atrophy. Median survival after disease onset was extremely variable, ranging from less than 1 to 13 years. This study investigates the prevalence of rare, non-synonymous MFN2 variants within an Italian cohort of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients, who have been extensively investigated, enhancing our knowledge of the underlying phenotypic spectrum. Further research is needed to understand whether MFN2 mutations contribute to motor neuron disease and to what extent. Improving our knowledge regarding the genetic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is crucial both in a diagnostic and therapeutic perspective.
Rehabilitating homonymous visual field deficits: white matter markers of recovery—stage 2 registered report
Authors: Willis Hanna E , Caron Bradley , Cavanaugh Matthew R , Starling Lucy , Ajina Sara , Pestilli Franco , Tamietto Marco , Huxlin Krystel R , Watkins Kate E , Bridge Holly
Published: September 2024

Damage to the primary visual cortex or its afferent white matter tracts results in loss of vision in the contralateral visual field that can present as homonymous visual field deficits. Evidence suggests that visual training in the blind field can partially reverse blindness at trained locations. However, the efficacy of visual training is highly variable across participants, and the reasons for this are poorly understood. It is likely that variance in residual neural circuitry following the insult may underlie the variation among patients. Many stroke survivors with visual field deficits retain residual visual processing in their blind field despite a lack of awareness. Previous research indicates that intact structural and functional connections between the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and the human extrastriate visual motion-processing area hMT+ are necessary for blindsight to occur. We therefore hypothesized that changes in this white matter pathway may underlie improvements resulting from motion discrimination training.

Eighteen stroke survivors with long-standing, unilateral, homonymous field defects from retro-geniculate brain lesions completed 6 months of visual training at home. This involved performing daily sessions of a motion discrimination task, at two non-overlapping locations in the blind field, at least 5 days per week. Motion discrimination and integration thresholds, Humphrey perimetry and structural and diffusion-weighted MRI were collected pre- and post-training. Changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) were analysed in visual tracts connecting the ipsilesional dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and hMT+, and the ipsilesional dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and primary visual cortex. The (non-visual) tract connecting the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus and the primary somatosensory cortex was analysed as a control. Changes in white matter integrity were correlated with improvements in motion discrimination and Humphrey perimetry. We found that the magnitude of behavioural improvement was not directly related to changes in FA in the pathway between the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and hMT+ or dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and primary visual cortex. Baseline FA in either tract also failed to predict improvements in training. However, an exploratory analysis showed a significant increase in FA in the distal part of the tract connecting the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and hMT+, suggesting that 6 months of visual training in chronic, retro-geniculate strokes may enhance white matter microstructural integrity of residual geniculo-extrastriate pathways.
Consistent social odor representation across 7 languages: the Social Odor Scale translation and validation
Authors: Cecchetto Cinzia , Leleu Arnaud , Calce Roberta P , Arnhardt Sally , Parma Valentina , de Groot Jasper H B , Freiherr Jessica , Gentili Claudio , Zou Laiquan , Thunell Evelina , Fischmeister Florian Ph S , Rekow Diane , Dal Bò Elisa
Published: September 2024

The Social Odor Scale (SOS) is a 12-item questionnaire initially developed and validated in Italian and German to investigate self-reported awareness of social odors, which are odors emanating from the human body that convey diverse information and evoke various emotional responses. The scale includes a total score and 3 subscales representing social odors in the respective categories: romantic partner, familiar, and strangers. Here, we aimed to (i) replicate the validation of the Italian and German versions of the SOS, (ii) translate and validate the SOS into multiple additional languages (French, English, Dutch, Swedish, Chinese), and (iii) explore whether the factor structure of each translated version aligns with the original versions. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the scale’s structure, yielding a good fit across all languages. Notable differences in SOS mean scores were observed among the different languages: Swedish participants exhibited lower social odor awareness compared to the other groups, whereas Chinese participants reported higher social odor awareness compared to Dutch and Swedish participants. Furthermore, SOS scores correlated with respondents’ geographical location, with higher (i.e. northern) latitudes linked to lower social odor awareness. These results corroborate the SOS as a valid and reliable instrument, especially for the SOS total score and the Familiar and Partner factors, emphasizing the influence of individual and geographic factors on social odor awareness.
GDF15 antagonism limits severe heart failure and prevents cardiac cachexia
Authors: Takaoka Minoru , Tadross John A , Al-Hadithi Ali B A K , Zhao Xiaohui , Villena-Gutiérrez Rocío , Tromp Jasper , Absar Shazia , Au Marcus , Harrison James , Coll Anthony P , Marciniak Stefan J , Rimmington Debra , Oliver Eduardo , Ibáñez Borja , Voors Adriaan A , O’Rahilly Stephen , Mallat Ziad , Goodall Jane C
Published: September 2024

Aims

Heart failure and associated cachexia is an unresolved and important problem. This study aimed to determine the factors that contribute to cardiac cachexia in a new model of heart failure in mice that lack the integrated stress response (ISR) induced eIF2α phosphatase, PPP1R15A.

Methods and results

Mice were irradiated and reconstituted with bone marrow cells. Mice lacking functional PPP1R15A, exhibited dilated cardiomyopathy and severe weight loss following irradiation, whilst wild-type mice were unaffected. This was associated with increased expression of Gdf15 in the heart and increased levels of GDF15 in circulation. We provide evidence that the blockade of GDF15 activity prevents cachexia and slows the progression of heart failure. We also show the relevance of GDF15 to lean mass and protein intake in patients with heart failure.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that cardiac stress mediates a GDF15-dependent pathway that drives weight loss and worsens cardiac function. Blockade of GDF15 could constitute a novel therapeutic option to limit cardiac cachexia and improve clinical outcomes in patients with severe systolic heart failure.
PeptiHub: a curated repository of precisely annotated cancer-related peptides with advanced utilities for peptide exploration and discovery
Authors: Zareei Sara , Khorsand Babak , Dantism Alireza , Zareei Neda , Asgharzadeh Fereshteh , Zahraee Shadi Shams , Mashreghi Kashan Samane , Hekmatirad Shirin , Amini Shila , Ghasemi Fatemeh , Moradnia Maryam , Vaghf Atena , Hemmatpour Anahid , Hourfar Hamdam , Niknia Soudabeh , Johari Ali , Salimi Fatemeh , Fariborzi Neda , Shojaei Zohreh , Asiaei Elaheh , Shabani Hossein
Published: September 2024

Peptihub (https://bioinformaticscollege.ir/peptihub/) is a meticulously curated repository of cancer-related peptides (CRPs) that have been documented in scientific literature. A diverse collection of CRPs is included in the PeptiHub, showcasing a spectrum of effects and activities. While some peptides demonstrated significant anticancer efficacy, others exhibited no discernible impact, and some even possessed alternative non-drug functionalities, including drug carrier or carcinogenic attributes. Presently, Peptihub houses 874 CRPs, subjected to evaluation across 10 distinct organism categories, 26 organs, and 438 cell lines. Each entry in the database is accompanied by easily accessible 3D conformations, obtained either experimentally or through predictive methodology. Users are provided with three search frameworks offering basic, advanced, and BLAST sequence search options. Furthermore, precise annotations of peptides enable users to explore CRPs based on their specific activities (anticancer, no effect, insignificant effect, carcinogen, and others) and their effectiveness (rate and IC50) under cancer conditions, specifically within individual organs. This unique property facilitates the construction of robust training and testing datasets. Additionally, PeptiHub offers 1141 features with the convenience of selecting the most pertinent features to address their specific research questions. Features include aaindex1 (in six main subcategories: alpha propensities, beta propensity, composition indices, hydrophobicity, physicochemical properties, and other properties), amino acid composition (Amino acid Composition and Dipeptide Composition), and Grouped Amino Acid Composition (Grouped amino acid composition, Grouped dipeptide composition, and Conjoint triad) categories. These utilities not only speed up machine learning-based peptide design but also facilitate peptide classification.

Database URL: https://bioinformaticscollege.ir/peptihub/
The four-item PRECISE-DAPT score identifies coronary artery bypass grafting patients with increased risk for post-discharge major bleeding
Authors: Enström Philip , Martinsson Andreas , Rezk Mary , Nielsen Susanne , Björklund Erik , Landenhed-Smith Maya , Pan Emily , Jeppsson Anders
Published: September 2024

Aims

Early identification of patients with increased bleeding risk increases the possibility to individualize antithrombotic treatment. We validated the PRECISE-DAPT score, originally developed to estimate bleeding risk in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients.

Methods and results

All patients who underwent the first time, isolated CABG in Sweden 2009–2020 and survived until discharge were included. The four-item PRECISE-DAPT score, based on age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, pre-operative haemoglobin concentration, and previous spontaneous bleeding, was calculated in patients discharged on DAPT (n = 6838), or antiplatelet monotherapy (n = 15 406). High bleeding risk was defined as a score ≥25 in accordance with previous studies and major bleeding as hospitalization due to bleeding. Associations were assessed by C-statistics and Cox regression models.

 Major bleeding occurred during the first post-operative year in 130 patients (1.9%) in the DAPT group, and in 197 patients (1.3%) in the monotherapy group. The score identified 32.9% of the patients in the DAPT group and 38.2% in the monotherapy groups as having high bleeding risk. The area under the ROC-curve for the score was 0.67 (95%CI 0.62–0.72) for DAPT and 0.71 (0.67–0.74) for monotherapy. The hazard ratio for high bleeding risk vs. very low risk was 4.14 (2.07–8.26) for DAPT patients, and 4.95 (2.61–9.39) for monotherapy patients, both P < 0.001.

Conclusion

The PRECISE-DAPT identifies patients with increased risk for major bleeding after discharge following CABG with moderate accuracy. The accuracy is comparable to what previously has been reported for patients after PCI.
Effect of cross-platform variations on transthoracic echocardiography measurements and clinical diagnosis
Authors: Hashemi Mohammad Saber , Farsiani Yasaman , Pressman Gregg S , Amini M Reza , Kheradvar Arash
Published: September 2024

Aims

Accurate cardiac chamber quantification is essential for clinical decisions and ideally should be consistent across different echocardiography systems. This study evaluates variations between the Philips EPIQ CVx (version 9.0.3) and Canon Aplio i900 (version 7.0) in measuring cardiac volumes, ventricular function, and valve structures.

Methods and results

In this gender-balanced, single-centre study, 40 healthy volunteers (20 females and 20 males) aged 40 years and older (mean age 56.75 ± 11.57 years) were scanned alternately with both systems by the same sonographer using identical settings for both 2D and 4D acquisitions. We compared left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) volumes using paired t-tests, with significance set at P < 0.05. Correlation and Bland–Altman plots were used for quantities showing significant differences. Two board-certified cardiologists evaluated valve anatomy for each platform. The results showed no significant differences in LV end-systolic volume and LV ejection fraction between platforms. However, LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) differed significantly (biplane: P = 0.018; 4D: P = 0.028). Right ventricular (RV) measurements in 4D showed no significant differences, but there were notable disparities in 2D and 4D volumes within each platform (P < 0.01). Significant differences were also found in the LV systolic dyssynchrony index (P = 0.03), LV longitudinal strain (P = 0.04), LV twist (P = 0.004), and LV torsion (P = 0.005). Valve structure assessments varied, with more abnormalities noted on the Philips platform.

Conclusion

Although LV and RV volumetric measurements are generally comparable, significant differences in LVEDV, LV strain metrics, and 2D vs. 4D measurements exist. These variations should be considered when using different platforms for patient follow-ups.
Clinical and prognostic significance of central and obstructive apnoeas in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis
Authors: Gentile Francesco , Giannoni Alberto , Aimo Alberto , Castiglione Vincenzo , Bramanti Francesca , Iudice Giovanni , Degl’Innocenti Eleonora , Emdin Michele , Vergaro Giuseppe , Passino Claudio
Published: September 2024

Aims

Central apnoea (CA) and obstructive apnoea (OA) are highly prevalent in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), and transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is an increasingly recognized HF aetiology. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and impact of CA and OA in patients with ATTR-CA.

Methods and results

Consecutive patients with ATTR-CA who underwent 24 h ambulatory cardiorespiratory monitoring were enlisted for an evaluation of the prevalence and severity of breathing disorders. The severity of these disorders was quantified using the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI). Accordingly, the patients were categorized as having normal breathing (NB, AHI <5 events/h), OA (AHI ≥5 events/h with >50% being obstructive), or CA (AHI >5 events/h with ≥50% being central). The primary endpoint at follow-up was all-cause mortality. Out of 142 patients enrolled (n = 142, aged 77 ± 7 years, 91% males, 96% wild-type ATTR-CA), considering the 24 h monitoring, 20% had NB (39% at daytime and 8% at nighttime), 35% had CA (45% at daytime and 39% at nighttime), and 45% had OA (25% at daytime and 54% at nighttime). After a median 2.3-year (1.4–3.3 years) follow-up, 24 h, daytime, and nighttime AHIs were higher in non-survivors vs. survivors (all P < 0.05), independently of the prevalent apnoea type (P = 0.64). At multivariable regression analysis (adjusted for the possible clinical, echocardiographic, and biohumoral confounders), nighttime AHI ≥30 events/h {hazard ratio 2.37 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–5.23], P = 0.033} and high-sensitivity troponin T [hazard ratio 2.43 (95% CI 1.42–4.17), P = 0.001] were predictors of mortality.

Conclusion

Both CA and OA are highly prevalent, both at daytime and nighttime, in patients with ATTR-CA and are associated with higher mortality.
Age-Disturbed Vascular Extracellular Matrix Links to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
Authors: Yu Zhenping , Wu Andong , Ke Hao , Liu Jiankun , Zhao Ya , Zhu Yuanzheng , Wang Xiao-Yu , Xiang Yang , Xin Hong-Bo , Tian Xiao-Li
Published: September 2024

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common but life-threatening vascular condition in men at an advanced age. However, the underlying mechanisms of age-increased incidence and mortality of AAA remain elusive. Here, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of mouse aortas from males (young: 3-month, n = 4 vs old: 23-month, n = 4) and integrated with the data sets of human aortas (young: 20–39, n = 47 vs old: 60–79 years, n = 92) from GTEx project and the data set (GSE183464) for AAA to search for age-shifted aortic aneurysm genes, their relevant biological processes, and signaling pathways. Angiotensin II-induced AAA in mice was used to verify the critical findings. We found 1 001 genes transcriptionally changed with ages in both mouse and human. Most age-increased genes were enriched intracellularly and the relevant biological processes included mitochondrial function and translational controls, whereas the age-decreased genes were largely localized in extracellular regions and cell periphery and the involved biological processes were associated with extracellular matrix (ECM). Fifty-one were known genes for AAA and found dominantly in extracellular region. The common age-shifted vascular genes and known aortic aneurysm genes had shared functional influences on ECM organization, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Aorta with angiotensin II-induced AAA exhibited similar phenotypic changes in ECM to that in old mice. Together, we present a conserved transcriptional signature for aortic aging and provide evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and the imbalanced ribosomal homeostasis act likely as driven-forces for aortic aging and age-disturbed ECM is the substrate for developing AAA.
Vertical distribution of mesopelagic fishes deepens during marine heatwave in the California Current
Authors: Iglesias Ilysa S , Fiechter Jerome , Santora Jarrod A , Field John C
Published: September 2024

Marine heatwaves can impact the distribution and abundance of epipelagic organisms, but their effect on deep pelagic communities is unclear. Using fisheries acoustics data collected in the Central California current from 2013 to 2018, we found that during the warmest years of a large marine heatwave (2015–2016), the estimated center of mass depth of mesopelagic fishes deepened by up to 100 m compared to preheatwave conditions. Using a generalized additive model, we evaluated which biophysical factors may have driven these changes and found that light, dynamic height anomaly, and acoustic backscatter explained 81% of the variability in depth. We attribute the vertical shift by mesopelagic fishes into deeper waters to heatwave-driven compression of upwelling habitat that indirectly increased the amount of light reaching mesopelagic depths. Our results suggest that mesopelagic fishes are interconnected with, and thus sensitive to changes in near-surface oceanographic conditions, which could lead to cascading effects on vertical carbon export and the availability of mesopelagic fishes as prey for top predators under future climate conditions.
Machine learning insights on the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 in Nigeria
Authors: Oyebola Kolapo M , Ligali Funmilayo C , Owoloye Afolabi J , Erinwusi Blessing D , Musa Adesola Z , Aina Oluwagbemiga O , Salako Babatunde L
Published: September 2024

Background

The lack of effective pharmacological measures during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as initial mitigation strategies. The impact of these NPIs on COVID-19 in Nigeria is not well-documented. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of NPIs to support future epidemic responses.

Methods

Daily COVID-19 cases and deaths were analysed using smoothed variables to identify transmission trends. Regression analysis and clustering algorithms were applied to evaluate the impact of each NPI.

Results

Multiple transmission peaks were reported, with the highest smoothed daily new cases (approximately 1790) observed around 29 December 2021 and smoothed daily new deaths (approximately 23) peaking around 8 September 2021. NPIs such as public transport (coefficient value −166.56, p=0.01) and workplace closures (coefficient value −150.06, p=0.01) strongly correlated with decreased case numbers. This finding highlights the importance of mobility control and non-essential workplace management in slowing infection transmission during an outbreak. Public transport restrictions (coefficient value −2.43, p<0.001) also had a direct effect on death reduction.

Conclusions

Public transport restrictions and workplace closures correlated with reductions in the number of cases and deaths. These findings can guide future pandemic responses to enhance favourable public health outcomes.
Novel candidate taxa contribute to key metabolic processes in Fennoscandian Shield deep groundwaters
Authors: Dopson Mark , Rezaei Somee Maryam , González-Rosales Carolina , Lui Lauren M , Turner Stephanie , Buck Moritz , Nilsson Emelie , Westmeijer George , Ashoor Kamal , Nielsen Torben N , Mehrshad Maliheh , Bertilsson Stefan
Published: September 2024

The continental deep biosphere contains a vast reservoir of microorganisms, although a large proportion of its diversity remains both uncultured and undescribed. In this study, the metabolic potential (metagenomes) and activity (metatranscriptomes) of the microbial communities in Fennoscandian Shield deep subsurface groundwaters were characterized with a focus on novel taxa. DNA sequencing generated 1270 de-replicated metagenome-assembled genomes and single-amplified genomes, containing 7 novel classes, 34 orders, and 72 families. The majority of novel taxa were affiliated with Patescibacteria, whereas among novel archaea taxa, Thermoproteota and Nanoarchaeota representatives dominated. Metatranscriptomes revealed that 30 of the 112 novel taxa at the class, order, and family levels were active in at least one investigated groundwater sample, implying that novel taxa represent a partially active but hitherto uncharacterized deep biosphere component. The novel taxa genomes coded for carbon fixation predominantly via the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway, nitrogen fixation, sulfur plus hydrogen oxidation, and fermentative pathways, including acetogenesis. These metabolic processes contributed significantly to the total community’s capacity, with up to 9.9% of fermentation, 6.4% of the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway, 6.8% of sulfur plus 8.6% of hydrogen oxidation, and energy conservation via nitrate (4.4%) and sulfate (6.0%) reduction. Key novel taxa included the UBA9089 phylum, with representatives having a prominent role in carbon fixation, nitrate and sulfate reduction, and organic and inorganic electron donor oxidation. These data provided insights into deep biosphere microbial diversity and their contribution to nutrient and energy cycling in this ecosystem.
Mycobacterium abscessus strain variability in preclinical drug development: does it really matter?
Authors: Mudde Saskia E , Meliefste Henriëtte M , Ammerman Nicole C , de Steenwinkel Jurriaan E M , Bax Hannelore I
Published: September 2024

Background

New treatment options for Mycobacterium abscessus infections are urgently needed. Since a correlation between MICs and clinical outcomes is not clearly established, potency of novel drugs needs to be evaluated using additional in vitro drug activity assays. Preclinical drug activity assays generally use the M. abscessus type strain ATCC 19977. However, M. abscessus complex entails a genetically and morphologically diverse group, and it is questionable whether drug activity observed against ATCC 19977 is representative of drug activity against clinical M. abscessus isolates.

Objectives

To assess whether the relationship between MIC and the quantitative antimycobacterial activity of amikacin, imipenem and clofazimine differs between the ATCC 19977 strain and clinical M. abscessus isolates.

Methods

Experiments were performed with M. abscessus ATCC 19977 and a subset of six clinical isolates covering the three M. abscessus subspecies and the smooth and rough morphotypes. Cultures were exposed to the drugs at 4-fold increasing, MIC-standardized concentrations, and the mycobacterial load was assessed over time.

Results

Concentration- and time-dependent activity of amikacin, imipenem and clofazimine against the six clinical isolates was similar. Only slight variations in drug activity were observed between ATCC 19977 and clinical isolates.

Conclusions

Time- and concentration-dependent drug activity against the ATCC 19977 strain seems indicative for in vitro drug behaviour against M. abscessus complex clinical isolates. Including one clinical smooth morphotype isolate alongside ATCC 19977 seems appropriate for reliable interpretation of this particular in vitro drug activity assay as part of the M. abscessus preclinical drug development pipeline.
Impact of discontinuing routine fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in neutropenic allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: an observational study
Authors: Stern Anat , Henig Israel , Cohen Maya , Gur Ivan , Henig Oryan , Zuckerman Tsila , Paul Mical
Published: September 2024

Background

Uncertainty exists as to the role of fluoroquinolone (FQ) prophylaxis for patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the era of rising antibiotic resistance.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate rates of bloodstream infections (BSI), resistance patterns and outcomes of patients after discontinuing routine FQ prophylaxis administration.

Methods

All adult recipients of first HSCT from 2017 to 2020 were retrospectively included and classified according to time of HSCT as FQ group (HSCT January 2017–December 2018) or no FQ group (January 2019–December 2020). The primary outcome was Gram-negative (GN) BSI from day −7 to 30 days post-HSCT. The independent association between the study period and BSI was assessed using survival analysis, and adjusting for confounders.

Results

We included 254 patients, 130 (51%) and 124 (49%) in the FQ and no FQ groups, respectively. Compared to the FQ group, no FQ had significantly more GN BSI (21% versus 33%, P = 0.027) and the median time to first GN BSI was significantly shorter [4 (IQR 1–8) days versus 6 (1–10) days, P = 0.009]. Following adjustment, FQ prophylaxis remained associated with lower hazard for GN BSI (hazard ratio 0.57, 95% CI 0.34–0.93). Eighty-two GN BSI episodes had FQ susceptibility testing. More GN BSI episodes were FQ resistant in the FQ group (68.9% versus 41.6%, P = 0.021). No significant difference was found for 30-day mortality, time to first febrile neutropenia and time to first broad-spectrum antibiotics between the groups (P was not significant).

Conclusions

FQ prophylaxis is associated with fewer GN BSI in the early post-HSCT period even in high FQ resistance settings, with FQ resistance rates reaching >60% following prophylaxis.