bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in Nonischemic Versus Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: Real‐World Primary Prevention Study
Authors: Ma Fankun , Gao Yang , Yu Haibo , Xu Guoqing , Wu Min , Hao Xinrui , Cui Yangfan , Peng Xiao , Liang Yanchun
Published: January 2025

Background

The evidence in the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by using implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is well‐established but remains controversial for those with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). This study evaluates whether prognostic differences exist between ICM and NICM patients after ICD implantation.

Methods

Patients initially undergoing ICD implantation as primary SCD prevention were retrospectively enrolled from January 2017 to May 2023. Malignant ventricular arrhythmic and/or SCD were set as the primary endpoint, whereas all‐cause mortality was the secondary endpoint. Patients were grouped by heart failure etiology (ICM vs. NICM) and then by primary endpoint events occurrence. Outcomes analyses were performed between the NICM and ICM patients.

Results

The final cohort had 342 patients, 213 (62.3%) with NICM and 129 (37.7%) with ICM. At a median follow‐up of 23.0 (10.7, 33.2) months, 51 patients (14.9%) encountered primary endpoint events. No statistically significant disparities in primary endpoint events (log rank p = 0.413), all‐cause death (log rank p = 0.208), cardiovascular mortality (log rank p = 0.218), or appropriate ICD therapy (log rank p = 0.250) between the two groups were indicated by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Moreover, the COX‐adjusted models further demonstrated the absence of any significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion

In real‐world settings, primary prevention of SCD with ICD implantation yields similar outcomes for ICM and NICM patients, including probabilities of SCD and/or malignant ventricular arrhythmias, all‐cause mortality, appropriate ICD therapy, and cardiovascular mortality.
Suppression of TGA2‐Mediated Salicylic Acid Defence by Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus C2 via Disruption of TCP7‐Like Transcription Factor Activity in Tobacco
Authors: Li Ping , Zhang Lei , Yan Xiao‐Tian , Zheng Chao , Zhang Xin‐Yue , Chen Jian‐Ping , Liu Shu‐Sheng , Wang Xiao‐Wei
Published: January 2025

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a significant threat to tomato cultivation globally, transmitted exclusively by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. While previous research suggests that the TYLCV C2 protein plays a role in fostering mutualistic interactions between the virus and its insect vectors, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we show that the C2 protein interferes with the salicylic acid (SA) defence pathway by disrupting TCP7‐like transcription factor‐mediated regulation of TGA2 expression. Whitefly infestation increases the expression of TCP7‐like transcription factors (TCP7‐L1 and TCP7‐L2), which subsequently trigger TGA2‐dependent activation of BGL2 transcription, enhancing plant resistance to whiteflies. However, the TYLCV C2 protein interacts with these TCP7‐like factors, reducing their binding affinity to the TGA2 promoter, which in turn suppresses BGL2 expression in the SA signalling pathway. These findings provide new insights into how TYLCV C2 modulates TCP7‐like protein activity to impair SA‐mediated defences, contributing to the mutualistic relationship between TYLCV and whiteflies. This work deepens our understanding of the complex regulatory networks underlying these virus‐vector‐host interactions.
GhRac9 improves cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae via regulating ROS production and lignin content
Authors: Luo Xincheng , Hu Zongwei , Chu Longyan , Li Jianping , Tang Ziru , Sun Xiangxiang , An Hongliu , Wan Peng , Wang Xiangping , Yang Yazhen , Zhang Jianmin
Published: January 2025

Rac/Rop proteins, a kind of unique small GTPases in plants, play crucial roles in plant growth and development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, it is poorly understood whether cotton Rac/Rop protein genes are involved in mediating cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae. Here, we focused on the function and mechanism of cotton Rac/Rop gene GhRac9 in the defense response to Verticillium dahliae infection. The expression level of GhRac9 peaked at 24 h after V. dahliae infection and remained consistently elevated from 24 to 48 h upon SA treatment. Furthermore, silencing GhRac9 using VIGS (Virus‐induced gene silence) method attenuated cotton defense response to V. dahliae by reducing ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) burst, peroxidase activity and lignin content in cotton plants. On the contrary, heterologous overexpression of GhRac9 enhanced Arabidopsis resistance to V. dahliae and significantly increased ROS production in Arabidopsis plants. Furthemore, transient overexpressing of GhRac9 significantly enhanced ROS burst and POD activity in cotton plants. In addition, GhRac9 positively regulated the expression levels of the genes related to SA signaling pathway in cotton plants. In conclusion, GhRac9 functioned as a positive regulator in the cotton defense response to V. dahliae, which provided important insights for breeding new cotton varieties resistant to V. dahliae.
Wake Not a Sleeping Lion: Free Trade Agreements and Decision Rights in Multinationals
Authors: Mukunoki Hiroshi , Okoshi Hirofumi
Published: January 2025

Free trade agreements with rules of origin affect the location of input production for vertically integrated multinational enterprises. The relocation induced by a free trade agreement changes the allocation of decision rights within multinational enterprises and the purpose of transfer pricing from avoiding high taxes to strengthening their product market competitiveness. This study shows that a free trade agreement with rules of origin may hurt both a multinational enterprise and a local firm, despite tariff elimination, when the relocation occurs and the decision rights change from centralization to decentralization. Moreover, such a free trade agreement can hurt consumers. Nevertheless, rules of origin increase the feasibility of free trade agreements due to larger tax revenues.
Non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic Women's Pregnancy‐Related Physical Intimate Partner Violence and WIC Program Participation
Authors: Espinoza Lucas Enrique , Espinoza Luis Enrique , Talleff Jennifer L. , Zavala Leticia Nevarez , Resendiz Rosalva
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of pregnancy‐related physical intimate partner violence (IPV) on participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) among non‐Hispanic Black and Hispanic women, while highlighting intersections of IPV, racial/ethnic disparities, and access to social services.

Methods

This study utilized data from the 2012–2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to analyze IPV and WIC participation among 21,774 women self‐identifying as non‐Hispanic White, non‐Hispanic Black, or Hispanic. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to examine the association between pregnancy‐related physical IPV (before, during, or both) and WIC participation rates.

Results

Findings revealed that only 43.5% of participants used the WIC program, with 2.4% experiencing IPV before pregnancy, 2.1% during pregnancy, and 3.0% experiencing at least one type of IPV. Compared to non‐Hispanic Black women who did not experience IPV, Hispanic women encountering pregnancy‐related physical IPV were less likely to participate in the WIC program.

Conclusion

This study underscores the intersection of pregnancy‐related physical IPV, racial/ethnic disparities, and barriers to accessing social services such as WIC. It highlights the need for targeted screening and culturally sensitive interventions to connect IPV survivors with necessary resources and support systems, thereby improving public health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Evaluation of phenotypic risk indicators for the development of alopecia X (hair cycle arrest) in Pomeranian dogs in the Netherlands and Belgium
Authors: van Hensbergen Ilse , van den Broek Jan , van Amersfort Kelly , van der Lee Annette
Published: January 2025

Background

Alopecia X (AX) is a common noninflammatory alopecic condition of Pomeranian dogs with an unknown cause. While a genetic aetiology is suspected, no current tests can predict the development of this disorder or confirm the aetiology. Therefore, identifying potential risk indicators for the development of AX would be of value in this breed.

Objectives

This study aimed to identify risk indicators for AX in Pomeranians in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in the Netherlands and the Dutch‐speaking parts of Belgium between March 2022 and August 2023, using an online survey of Pomeranian owners. Variables such as sex, birth season, neutering status, coat type, coat colour, grooming frequency and whether the dog experienced an ‘ugly stage’ of hair coat growth or not were recorded, along with the presence or absence of alopecia and the age of onset of the condition.

Results

Of 234 completed surveys, 211 were eligible for analysis. Statistical analysis with a Cox proportional‐hazard model indicated that the risk of developing alopecia was greater for a woolly versus shiny coat and for males versus females.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

A woolly hair coat type and male sex were identified as risk indicators for developing AX in Pomeranian dogs in this study.
Exact Solutions of the Mixed Motion and Path Synthesis Problem for Four-Bar Linkages
Authors: Wu Rui , Yang Wenming , Bai Shaoping
Published: January 2025

An algebraic method is proposed in this work to find multiple exact solutions to the mixed motion and path synthesis problem. A system of synthesis equations is established based on Burmester theory, which is further simplified, leading to two binary quadratic equations, which are utilized for finding multiple solutions by a semigraphic searching technique. In solution searching, the orientation angle of the coupler link is utilized to generate a curve of synthesis errors, from which the real solutions are found from the points of minimum errors. Multiple exact solutions are thus found robustly and exactly. Three examples, including an actual design case, are provided to demonstrate the development method.
Adaptive focusing for wideband beamforming in multipath environments
Authors: Ganti Anil , Martinez Michael , Hickman Granger , Krolik Jeffrey
Published: January 2025

This paper addresses achieving the high time-bandwidth product necessary for low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) target detection and localization in complex multipath environments. Time bandwidth product is often limited by dynamic environments and platform maneuvers. This paper introduces data-driven wideband focusing methods for passive sonar that optimize parameterized unitary matrices to align signal subspaces across the frequency band without relying on wave propagation models which are subject to mismatch in complex multipath environments. The methods minimize the log-determinant of the wideband covariance, a measure indicative of matrix rank, ensuring the coherence of wideband data and preserving SNR. We propose two approaches: a fully adaptive method with parameters scaling directly with the number of frequency bins, and a partially adaptive method that shares parameters across frequencies to improve robustness to noise. Simulations are conducted in a shallow-water waveguide scenario to demonstrate the flexibility of data-driven focusing over traditional model-based approaches. Results from the SWellEx-96 S59 event validate our methods, showing improvement in tonal target detection and localization in the presence of strong wideband interference.
A solution method for active suppression of reflections in anechoic chambers
Authors: Haasjes R. , Berkhoff A. P.
Published: January 2025

A solution method to improve an anechoic chamber at low frequencies with the use of active noise control is presented. The approach uses the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz integral to compute the reflected sound field resulting from the primary sources together with an algorithm to compute the filter coefficients of a controller driving secondary sources on the walls of the enclosure using reference signals as inputs, which are measured on a contour enclosing the primary sources. A causal frequency domain method with conjugate gradient iterations is derived to determine the controller. The method is sufficiently efficient to allow computation of a causal time-domain controller with hundreds of secondary sources and hundreds of reference sensors in two- (2D) or three-dimensional configurations using a fully coupled multiple-input multiple-output system. The paper shows the results of a simulation with 200 secondary sources, 200 reference sensors, and 225 performance sensors based on a 2D finite element simulation. The method is verified in real-time in an experiment with the objective to suppress the reflections from the walls in a smaller 2D setup. Measurements with verification microphones show that the reverberation time is effectively reduced in the real-time experiment.
Early onset of septal FtsK localization allows for efficient DNA segregation in SMC-deleted
Corynebacterium glutamicum
strains
Authors: Peng Feng , Giacomelli Giacomo , Meyer Fabian , Linder Marten , Haak Markus , Rückert-Reed Christian , Weiß Manuela , Kalinowski Jörn , Bramkamp Marc
Published: January 2025

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) are ubiquitously distributed proteins involved in chromosome organization. Deletion of
smc
causes severe growth phenotypes in many organisms. Surprisingly,
smc
can be deleted in
Corynebacterium glutamicum
, a member of the
Actinomycetota
phylum, without any apparent growth phenotype. SMC in
C. glutamicum
is loaded in a ParB-dependent fashion to the chromosome and functions in replichore cohesion. The unexpected absence of a growth phenotype in the
smc
mutant prompted us to screen for synthetic interactions within
C. glutamicum
. We generated a high-density Tn5 library from wild-type and
smc
-deleted
C. glutamicum
strains. Transposon sequencing data revealed that the DNA translocase FtsK is essential in an
smc
-deletion strain. In wild-type cells, FtsK localized to the septa and cell poles, showing polar enrichment during the earlier stages of the life cycle and relocating to the septum in the later stages. However, deletion of
smc
resulted in an earlier onset of pole-to-septum FtsK relocation, suggesting that prolonged FtsK complex activity is both required and sufficient to compensate for the absence of SMC, thus achieving efficient chromosome segregation in
C. glutamicum
. Deletion of ParB increases SMC and FtsK mobility. While the change in SMC dynamics aligns with previous data showing ParB’s role in SMC loading on DNA, the change in FtsK mobility suggests defects in chromosome segregation. Based on our data, we propose an efficient mechanism for reliable DNA segregation in the absence of replichore arm cohesion in
smc
mutant cells.

IMPORTANCE

Faithful DNA segregation is of fundamental importance for life. Bacteria have developed efficient systems to coordinate chromosome compaction, DNA segregation, and cell division. A key factor in DNA compaction is the SMC complex that is found to be essential in many bacteria. In members of the
Actinomycetota, smc
is dispensable, but the reason for the lack of an
smc
phenotype in these bacteria remained unclear. We show here that the divisome-associated DNA pump FtsK can compensate for SMC loss and the subsequent loss in correct chromosome organization. In cells with distorted chromosomes, FtsK is recruited and stabilized earlier to the septum, allowing for DNA segregation for a larger part of the cell cycle, until chromosomes are segregated.
Complete genome sequences of
Castellaniella ginsengisoli
associated with mortality events in avian species
Authors: Luo Yi-Chen , Nicholds Jenny , Mortimer Tatum D. , Maboni Grazieli
Published: January 2025

Castellaniella ginsengisoli
is a potential bacterial pathogen that affects chickens. We present 22 complete genome sequences of clinical isolates to facilitate the genomic analysis and the development of diagnostic tools.
Effective killing of
Mycobacterium abscessus
biofilm by nanoemulsion delivery of plant phytochemicals
Authors: Albano Casey , Nabawy Ahmed , Tran Wyatt C. , Prithviraj Malavika , Kado Takehiro , Hassan Muhammad Aamir , Makabenta Jessa Marie V. , Rotello Vincent M. , Morita Yasu S.
Published: January 2025

Mycobacterium
is an acid-fast, aerobic, non-motile, and biofilm-forming bacterium. The increasing prevalence of mycobacterial infections makes it necessary to find new methods to combat the resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics.
Mycobacterium abscessus
is an emerging pathogen that is intrinsically drug resistant due to several factors, including an impermeable cell envelope, drug efflux pumps, target-modifying enzymes, and the ability to form thick, robust biofilms. Phytochemicals are promising antimicrobials; however, their poor solubility in water and their inability to penetrate biofilms render them inefficient in killing bacterial biofilms. In this study, we demonstrate the efficacy of polymer-stabilized phytochemical nanoemulsions in killing
M. abscessus
biofilms. These nanoemulsions improve the solubility and stability of the phytochemicals and enable biofilm penetration and eradication. We show that the phytochemical emulsions effectively eliminated
M. abscessus
in an
in vitro
biofilm model and killed non-replicating persister cells in the Wayne hypoxia model. These nanoemulsions were also effective
in vivo
in a wound infection model. These findings demonstrate the potential of polymer-stabilized phytochemical nanoemulsions as a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics for the treatment of mycobacterial infections.

IMPORTANCE

Mycobacterium abscessus
is among the opportunistic bacterial pathogens that cause nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases. The infection caused by
M. abscessus
is difficult to treat because the bacterium is resistant to many of the currently available antibiotics, limiting chemotherapeutic strategies. Furthermore, it forms biofilms in clinically relevant settings, making the infection difficult to treat. Many phytochemicals have potent antimicrobial activities, but their hydrophobicity limits clinical applications. In this study, we tested a new drug delivery strategy where hydrophobic plant phytochemicals were emulsified with a biodegradable nanosponge. We show that the emulsification makes phytochemicals such as carvacrol and eugenol more effective against
M. abscessus
biofilms. We further demonstrate that nanoemulsified phytochemicals can kill hypoxia-induced dormant
M. abscessus
and effectively improve skin wound infection in mice. Our data pave the way to use phytochemical nanosponge as a platform to create synergy by combining other antimycobacterial drugs.
Genetic diversity and virulence of
Bacillus cereus
group isolates from bloodstream infections
Authors: Okutani Akiko , Okugawa Shu , Fujimoto Fumie , Ikeda Mahoko , Tsutsumi Takeya , Moriya Kyoji , Maeda Ken
Published: January 2025

Bacillus cereus
catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are an increasing concern in Japanese hospitals. Although their clinical characteristics have been explored, the genetic relationships and virulence profiles of
B. cereus
isolates from CRBSIs remain understudied. Here, using advanced genomic techniques, we investigated the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and virulence profiles of
B. cereus
isolates from patients with bloodstream infections. We analyzed 28
B. cereus
group strains isolated from blood samples at the University of Tokyo Hospital between 2005 and 2017 using whole-genome sequencing, core-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing, and virulence gene profiling. Core-genome SNP analysis revealed significant genetic diversity among the isolates, suggesting multiple independent sources of infection. The isolates predominantly belonged to
panC
clades III and IV, with distinct virulence gene profiles. All
panC
clade III isolates contained
hbl
operon genes, whereas four isolates from clade IV harbored cereulide synthetase genes (
cesABCD
). One isolate possessed a capsule gene operon (
capBCADE
), a rare finding among clinical
B. cereus
strains. Biofilm formation ability was observed in 50% of catheter-related isolates, although this ability was not significantly different from that of the noncatheter-related isolates.

IMPORTANCE

This study provides novel insights into the genetic diversity and virulence potential of
B. cereus
strains causing bloodstream infections in a Japanese hospital setting. These findings suggest diverse infection pathways and highlight the importance of continuous molecular epidemiological surveillance for effective infection control.
Supplemental Material: Proliferation of oxygen oases in Mesoarchean oceans
Authors: Ye Hui , Wu Chang-Zhi , Li Weiqiang , al. et
Published: January 2025

Methods, additional information regarding the potential metamorphic and metasomatic influences, Figures S1–S9, and Tables S1–S4. 
Standard of care for blunt spleen trauma: embracing non-operative management
Authors: Reis Maria Inês , Gomes António , Patrício Bernardo , Nunes Vítor
Published: January 2025

Non-operative management is the standard of care for blunt spleen trauma in stable patients in the absence of other abdominal injuries. This is a case report of a male patient in his 60s who presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain 2 days after sustaining blunt abdominal trauma. The patient was haemodynamically stable, and CT scan revealed a severe spleen injury. Considering the clinical stability, the patient was admitted for non-operative management and kept under continuous monitoring. A CT angiogram revealed active bleeding, so the patient underwent angioembolisation of the distal splenic artery. Follow-up after angioembolisation was uneventful, and imaging findings were stable, so the patient was discharged after 12 days. Non-operative management is a valid option for stable patients, avoiding surgical complications while preserving spleen function. Being a dynamic process, it should be an option in centres with continuous monitoring capacity and emergency surgery availability, considering the potential failure of this approach.
6  Preliminary analysis of validated serum osteoarthritis biomarkers in the ADVANCE cohort suggests a relationship between trauma exposure and osteoarthritis pathophysiology
Authors: O’Sullivan Oliver
Published: January 2025

Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is not a degenerative condition of an ageing population, but a multi-faceted, heterogeneous condition, influenced by individual factors with genetic, environmental, and traumatic triggers. OA is a leading cause of disability globally and can occur within 3-5 years after a significant injury, especially in those in their 20’s-30’s. 10% of US Military medical discharges are OA-attributable, which is currently under-recognised and under-reported in the UK Military. This study aims to identify serum biomarkers associated with radiographic OA (rOA), pain and function to enable potential future early diagnosis and intervention for pre-clinical OA.

Methods

Stored baseline serum samples from the ADVANCE cohort (n=1145) were tested for validated OA biomarkers (Affinity, London), demonstrating extracellular matrix (CTX-II, COMP, PIIANP), inflammation (TNFa, IL1b, IL17a) and metabolic (leptin, adiponectin) processes. Baseline X-rays (Kellgren-Lawrence, K-L, grade), questionnaires and functional tests from the same visit were utilised. Preliminary unadjusted parametric and non-parametric (normality dependent) univariable analysis was performed, dichotomised by exposure to major trauma or presence of rOA.

Results

Exposed participants (n=579) had higher rates of rOA, worse pain and lower function (all p<0.001) compared with unexposed (n=566). Those with rOA (n=256) had worse pain, higher leptin (both p<0.001), CTX-II (p=0.032) and lower COMP (p=0.005), adiponectin (p<0.001), and PIIANP (p=0.003) compared to those without (n=889). Exposed participants with rOA (n=158) had higher pain (p=0.016), leptin (p=0.004), COMP (p=0.047), and lower adiponectin (p=0.002) and PIIANP (p=0.048) compared to those without (n=421). Unexposed participants with rOA (n=98) had higher pain (p<0.001), COMP (p=0.024) and PIIANP (p=0.019) compared to those without (n=468).

Conclusion

Preliminary analysis shows significant rates of rOA and, importantly, suggests potential differing mechanisms between the trauma (potentially metabolic driven) and non-trauma (potentially extra-cellular driven) groups. Understanding of predominant pathophysiological mechanisms can improve individual phenotyping, influencing future diagnostics and management options. These early findings require further analysis and validation.
Willingness to donate eyes and associated factors among adults in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia: a mixed-methods approach
Authors: Tefera Wubalem Addis , Mengistu Hirut Gebremeskel , Zeleke Ejigu Gebeye , Lorato Merkineh Markos
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study intended to assess willingness to donate eyes and associated factors among adults in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia.

Methods and analysis

This study used a triangulated phenomenological mixed-methods design, involving 1293 adults and eight key informants selected through multistage and purposive sampling. Data collection involved a pretested, semistructured questionnaire for quantitative data and an open-ended guiding questionnaire for qualitative insights. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Gondar, School of Medicine ethics review committee. The data were entered into Epi Info V.7 and analysed using SPSSV.22, with bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression employed to identify significant factors, defined as those with a p value under 0.05. Qualitative data were analysed through thematic content analysis using code software, which included transcription, translation, coding and thematisation, ultimately enriching the quantitative findings.

Results and conclusion

The study found that 47.2% (95% CI 44.7, 50.0) participants were willing to donate their eyes. Significant factors influencing willingness included being male (adjusted OdR (AOR)=1.55; 95% CI 1.18, 2.03), being a Christian (AOR=2.08; 95% CI 1.42, 3.04), having a family or friends awaiting for corneal transplantation (AOR=1.78; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.68), completing higher education (AOR=2.63; 95% CI 1.88, 3.69), completing secondary education (AOR=1.77; 95% CI 1.03, 3.04), having a favourable attitude towards eye donation (AOR=4.97; 95% CI 3.70, 6.66) and being aware of eye donation (AOR=3.12; 95% CI 2.23, 4.36). Qualitative analysis indentified barriers such as lack of information, poor attitudes and religious restrictions.

Overall, willingness to donate eyes was moderate compared to previous studies. The findings emphasise the need for community education to improve public attitudes and awareness about eye donation to enhance willingness to donate eyes.
Neonatal unit admission and offspring mental health trajectories across childhood and adolescence: a nationally representative UK cohort study
Authors: Nandakumar Madura , Lewis Gemma , Lewis Glyn , Solmi Francesca , Srinivasan Ramya
Published: January 2025

Objective

To investigate the associations between neonatal unit admission (NNU) and subsequent emotional and behavioural difficulties during childhood and adolescence.

Design

Longitudinal general population cohort study.

Setting

The Millennium Cohort Study: nationally representative UK-based cohort.

Participants

All children with exposure, outcome and confounding data.

Exposure

NNU admission was identified at 9 months by asking parents whether their baby was ‘taken to special care or neonatal or intensive care unit after birth’.

Main outcome measures

Emotional and behavioural problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when children were 3, 5, 7, 11, 14 and 17 years. We explored the association between NNU admission and trajectories of emotional and behavioural problems using multilevel models with growth curves for outcome data between 3–17 years and adjusted for a broad range of confounders.

Results

14 013 participants (48.9% female, 13.7% ethnic minority) were included in the analytical sample. In the sample, mean gestational age was 275.81 (SD): 13.80) days, and mean birth weight was 3.36 kg (SD=0.58). 1273 (9.1%) participants had an NNU admission. The latter was associated with increased emotional difficulties (mean difference (MD) 0.13, 95% CI 0.045 to 0.22, p=0.003) and peer problems (MD 0.11, 95% CI 0.026 to 0.19, p=0.010) during childhood in fully adjusted models. There was no evidence that NNU admission was associated with conduct problems (MD 0.013, 95% CI −0.062 to 0.088, p=0.732) or hyperactivity symptoms (MD 0.042, 95% CI −0.070 to 0.15, p=0.452).

Conclusions

Children admitted to NNUs at birth are more likely to experience emotional difficulties and peer problems during childhood. These differences are apparent from early childhood continuing into adolescence and strengthen the case for a calm NNU environment with parental visits and mental health support, and early interventions for children admitted to NNUs.
Research on Automatic Identification of Power Big Data Anomalies Based on Improved Decision Tree
Authors: Zheng Sijia , Wang Jiaying , Gong Yawen
Published: January 2025

With the advancement of smart grid technology, the issue of power system network security has become increasingly critical. To fully utilize the power grid’s vast data resources and enhance the efficiency of anomaly detection, this paper proposes an improved decision tree (DT)-based automatic identification approach for anomalies in electric power big data. The method employs six-dimensional features extracted from the dimensions of volatility, trend, and variability to characterize the time series of power data. These features are integrated into a hybrid DT-SVM-LSTM framework, combining the strengths of DTs, support vector machines, and long short-term memory networks. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 96.8%, a precision of 95.3%, a recall of 94.8%, and an F1-score of 95.0%, outperforming several state-of-the-art methods cited in the literature. Moreover, the approach exhibits strong robustness to noise, maintaining high detection accuracy even under low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the method in efficiently detecting anomalies and addressing noise interference.
Time, space and synoptic topography: how to read outcrops as a granular record of Earth history
Authors: Davies Neil S. , Veenma Yorick P. , Craig James A. , Allport Hamilton A. , McMahon William J. , Shillito Anthony P.
Published: January 2025

Siliciclastic strata commonly preserve chronostratigraphic surfaces that record the ancient interface of sediment and water/air, in the form of true substrates on bedding planes and sampled topography in stratigraphic profiles. Such surfaces are commonly a reflection of sedimentary stasis, a sedimentation state where neither deposition or erosion was occurring. Sedimentary stasis may be instantaneous, temporary or prolonged, and may also be considered to occur when the constituent grains of a substrate remain in motion as the surface active layer, when the elevation of the lithic surface does not change. The preservation of patches of synoptic topography requires only that sedimentation states of deposition, erosion and stasis fluctuate, but is more common in lower energy parts of a depositional environment. Certain sedimentary features associated with true substrates and sampled topography can, through modern analogy, be used to determine the likely duration of sedimentary stasis. Here we use original case studies to show how the duration of this stasis can be variable depending on facies and stratal age, but that at outcrop scale it is always a very short interval relative to the longevity of a depositional environment. With examples from several siliciclastic facies and geological periods, we show that stratigraphic time preserved at outcrop scale can be very short, indicating that the total stratigraphic record is built brick by brick of many lower hierarchy snapshots. This understanding shifts perspectives on the stratigraphic record as an archive, with implications for the meaning of sedimentary signatures at outcrop and the construction of narratives to understand Earth history.
A 360-degree Video Player for Dynamic Video Editing Applications
Authors: De Castro Araújo Gabriel , Domingues Garcia Henrique , Farias Mylène C.Q. , Prakash Ravi , Carvalho Marcelo M.
Published: January 2025

360-degree videos introduce unique challenges to storytelling, especially if filmmakers want to draw the user’s attention to specific regions of the surrounding sphere to ensure the proper flow of narrative at any given time. For instance, at scene cuts, a user might lose track of a story if he/she looks towards a direction that prevents an intended region of interest (RoI) to appear in the viewport of the user’s head-mounted display (HMD). Because of that, new editing techniques for 360-degree videos are being investigated, and the use of dynamic (i.e., real-time) alignment of intended RoI across scene cuts is receiving growing attention. To support research on this topic, we introduce 360EAVP, an open source web-based application for streaming and visualization of 360-degree
edited
videos on HMDs. The 360EAVP is built on top of the VR DASH Tile Player, which is based on cube mapping projection, and adds new capabilities to handle dynamic video editing. Specifically, 360EAVP introduces 1) real-time track of a user’s viewport direction on the HMD; 2) support for dynamic editing via “snap-change” or “fade-rotation” effects; 3) visibility mapping of the user’s Field of View (FoV) with respect to the player’s cube mapping projection (for purposes of video tile requests during streaming); 4) incorporation of editing timing information into the operation of an ABR algorithm; 5) viewport prediction module based on linear regression or ridge regression models; and 6) video playback data collection and log module. To showcase the use of 360EAVP, we present results of a small-scale subjective experiment that aimed to evaluate the impact of the “snap-change” and “fade-rotation” editing techniques on user’s Quality of Experience (QoE), comfort, and head movement. Our findings indicate that these editing techniques do not compromise the overall QoE; in fact, in certain scenarios, an improvement is observed. In addition, some subjects significantly reduced their head movements with the editing techniques implemented.
Spatio-Temporal Attention for Text-Video Retrieval
Authors: Shen Leqi , Zhao Sicheng , Zhang Yifeng , Liu Pengzhang , Bao Yongjun , Ding Guiguang
Published: January 2025

Text-video retrieval, a fundamental task for associating textual descriptions with video content, has become increasingly important in the video domain. Most existing methods focus on the single-modality features only considering the knowledge within individual video or text modalities, often neglecting cross-modal interactions. However, a text description corresponds to a specific spatio-temporal content within a video, involving a certain segment of a frame sequence and distinct sub-regions within these frames. Therefore, we focus on the text-conditioned video features to bridge the modality gap. In this paper, we propose Spatio-Temporal Attention for video-text retrieval, termed STAttn, which utilizes textual information to focus on the spatio-temporal video content. Our final text-conditioned video features are generated from the text-related video frames and the text-related regions within these frames. First, we propose the Spatial Text-Attention Module (STAM) to learn the spatial information within video frames. STAM introduces the text-related salient patches to capture more fine-grained details. Second, we propose the Temporal Text-Attention Module (TTAM) to learn the temporal relationships between video frames. Temporal Triplet loss is proposed in TTAM to enhance the attention towards the text-related frames. Thus, the two modules learn the text-related spatio-temporal content from both intra-frame and inter-frame aspects. Extensive experiments on three benchmark datasets, MSRVTT, ActivityNet, and DiDeMo, demonstrate that our STAttn outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
CHIRP:

C

ompact and

H

igh-Performance FPGA Implementation of Un

i

fied Hardware Accelerators for

R

ing-Binary-LWE-based

P

QC
Authors: Bao Tianyou , He Pengzhou , Fujimoto Daisuke , Hayashi Yuichi , Xie Jiafeng
Published: January 2025

Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has drawn significant attention from the hardware design research community, especially on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) platforms. In line with this trend, in this paper, we present a novel FPGA-based PQC design work (CHIRP), i.e.,
C
ompact and high-
P
erformance FPGA implementation of un
I
fied accelerators for
R
ing-Binary-Learning-with-Errors (RBLWE)-based
P
QC, a promising lightweight PQC suited for related applications like Internet-of-Things. The proposed accelerators offer flexibility across the available two security levels, thus expanding their application potential. In total, we presented four distinct hardware accelerators tailored to different performance and resource requirements, ranging from resource-constrained devices to high-throughput applications. Our innovation encompasses three key efforts: (i) we derived four optimized algorithms for RBLWE-ENC’s unified operation (covering the available two security levels), allowing flexible switching of security sizes while boosting calculations; (ii) we then presented the four novel accelerators (CHIRP) targeting FPGA platforms, featuring dedicated hardware structures; (iii) we finally conducted a comprehensive evaluation to validate the efficiency of the proposed accelerators on various FPGA devices. Compared to the existing unified design, the proposed accelerator demonstrated up to 91.4% reduction in area-delay product (ADP) on the Straix-V device. Even when compared with the state-of-the-art single security designs, the proposed accelerator (best version) obtains much better resource usage and ADP performance while unified operation (flexibly switching between two security levels) is considered on both AMD-Xilinx and Intel devices. We anticipate the findings of this research will foster advancements in FPGA implementation techniques for lightweight PQC development.
Nothing Like the Real Thing! A Randomized Field Experiment of Quasi-Mixed Reality Gamified Phishing Training
Authors: Lee Jong Seok , Kettinger William J. , Zhang Chen
Published: January 2025

In recent years, organizations have been incorporating gamification elements and techniques into security compliance training, and research has shown positive outcomes resulting from using gamification in security compliance training. However, research has focused on training using game elements within one-time (or periodic) dedicated training sessions, where training occurs outside an employee's regular work context. Consequently, even if gamified, this ''away from the actual job'' approach may limit the ability to readily draw on earlier training and stay vigilant against phishing attacks once he/she returns to normal job duties. Contrasted with the approach used in prior research, this study proposes mixing gamified security training with the reality of day-to-day work activities, which we call quasi-mixed reality in gamified security training. Specifically, the security training proposed in this study is a several-week-long program that takes place in employees' regular work context while they perform their everyday job tasks. In a randomized field experiment, we find that employees who were randomly assigned to experience quasi-mixed reality in gamified phishing training performed better in detecting and avoiding phishing attacks than those who were assigned to a control group. In addition, we propose and articulate mindfulness of phishing as a psychological mechanism and develop a path model based on mindfulness of phishing to provide insights into how the quasi-mixed reality gamified phishing training improves employee behavior regarding phishing detection and avoidance.
Use of AI in Cardiac CT and MRI: A Scientific Statement from the ESCR, EuSoMII, NASCI, SCCT, SCMR, SIIM, and RSNA
Authors: Mastrodicasa Domenico , van Assen Marly , Huisman Merel , Leiner Tim , Williamson Eric E. , Nicol Edward D. , Allen Bradley D. , Saba Luca , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn , Hanneman Kate
Published: January 2025

This collaborative multisociety effort explores artificial intelligence applications in cardiac CT and MRI, evaluating their readiness level from research to clinical deployment while addressing ethical, legal, and environmental sustainability considerations.
Association of Obesity and Skeletal Muscle with Postoperative Survival in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Lee Ji Hyun , Kang Danbee , Lee Junghee , Jeon Yeong Jeong , Park Seong Yong , Cho Jong Ho , Choi Yong Soo , Kim Jhingook , Shim Young Mog , Kong Sunga , Kim Hong Kwan , Cho Juhee
Published: January 2025

In patients with non–small cell lung cancer, obesity was associated with improved overall survival after curative resection, particularly when CT-assessed skeletal muscle mass and radiodensity were preserved.
Impact of Interface Trap Charges on the Performance and Reliability of Heterojunction Hetero Dielectric Vertical Non-Uniform Channel Double Gate TFET
Authors: Macherla Swaroop Kumar , Goel Ekta
Published: January 2025

We examined the influence of interface trap charges on the performance of the source pocket heterojunction hetero dielectric vertical non-uniform channel double gate tunnel field- effect transistor (SP-HJ-HD-VNUCDG-TFET). Specifically, the effect of donor and acceptor traps on the analog/RF performance of the device was investigated. The SP-HJ-HD-VNUCDG-TFET was designed to improve the drive current of the TFET. The results of the proposed device are compared with a source pocket heterojunction vertical non-uniform channel double gate TFET (SP-HJ-VNUCDG-TFET). Several figures of merit, including cutoff frequency fT, gain bandwidth product, and the transconductance frequency product are analysed and, based on the simulation results, it appears that the SP-HJ-HD-VNUCDG-TFET is more suitable for low power switching applications compared to the SP-HJ-VNUCDG-TFET because performance of SP-HJ-HD-VNUCDG-TFET is less affected by the interface trap charges.
Activated cardiac fibroblasts are a primary source of high-molecular-weight hyaluronan production
Authors: Little Danielle T. , Howard Caitlin M. , Pendergraft Emma , Brittian Kenneth R. , Audam Timothy N. , Lukudu Exile W. , Smith Juliette , Nguyen Daniel , Nishida Yoshihiro , Yamaguchi Yu , Brainard Robert E. , Singhal Richa A. , Jones Steven P.
Published: January 2025

Activated cardiac fibroblasts produce copious quantities of collagen, and much is known about this process. They also produce hyaluronan, which is abundant in the extracellular matrix, but less is known about hyaluronan. Here, we identify cardiac fibroblasts as major producers of hyaluronan and, specifically, that they produce high-molecular-weight hyaluronan via HAS2. This has important implications for ventricular remodeling and for metabolic regulation of activated fibroblasts, as they produce this abundant matrix component.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Road Dust in Changchun City, Northeast China: Spatial Distribution, Source Appointment, and Human Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Li Na , Li Qingqing , Zhu Fuchen , Liu Peng , Wang Zhaowei , Chen Zhao , Han Weizheng , Wang Kaize , Hou Keyi , Xu Yanxue
Published: January 2025

This study thoroughly examined the impact of coal burning on the emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their subsequent long‐lasting presence in different environmental matrices, including road dust. The aim was to identify the origin, extent, spatial arrangement, and cancer‐causing potential associated with PAHs in road dust in Changchun City, Northeast China. The levels of Σ16 PAHs in the road dust samples ranged from 0.314 to 17.418 mg/kg, with an average concentration of 1.4452 mg/kg, exhibiting lower values than cities worldwide. In Changchun City, PAH levels in various regions follow the order of Chaoyang (CY) > Lvyuan (LY) > Kuancheng (KC) > Jingyue (JY) > Nanguan (NG) > Er’dao (ErD). Road dust primarily comprised PAHs containing 4–5 rings among these substances. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) analysis indicated that adults faced potential risk (>10−6) at 97.7% of the sampling sites, while children faced potential risk (>10−6) at 48.8%. The principal component analysis (PCA) model identified five potential origins of PAHs, including petroleum (22.2%), coal burning (19.1%), biomass burning (30.5%), fossil fuel burning (15.8%), and transportation (12.4%). Further investigations are required to scientifically and systematically determine the carcinogenic risks associated with PAHs in the total environment, despite estimating only potential risks from PAHs in road dust and human exposure to various environmental matrices.
Exploring Antibacterial Activity of Fish Protein Hydrolysate In Vitro Against Vibrio Strains and Disease Resistance to V. harveyi in Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
Authors: Wei Yuliang , Wang Lu , Li Yanlu , Ma Qiang , Liang Mengqing , Xu Houguo
Published: January 2025

This study was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) against Vibrio harveyi, V. anguillarum, and V. scophthalmi, as well as the nonspecific immunity, intestinal microbiota, and disease resistance to V. harveyi in turbot. FPH was prepared from Pollock. The antibacterial activity of FPH was measured by the agar well diffusion, turbidometric assay, and plate count. The feeding trial was performed to study the effect of FPH on the resistance against V. harveyi in turbot after feeding three diets containing a high level of fish meal (FM), a high level of soybean meal (SM), and 100 g/kg FPH. Agar well diffusion showed the clearest inhibition zone of FPH was observed against V. harveyi, followed by V. scophthalmi. The bacterial growth curve and plate count showed a slight antibacterial effect of FPH against V. anguillarum. Results of the feeding trial showed that FPH enhanced antioxidant and immune responses before V. harveyi challenge as modulating immunoglobulin M (IgM), catalase (CAT), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in serum, as well as the number of goblet cells in the intestine. Meanwhile, the expression of some pro‐inflammatory cytokines (interleukin‐1β [il-1β], il-6, and il-8) was downregulated in the FPH group after the V. harveyi challenge. Survival probability in the FPH group increased after challenging to V. harveyi based on the Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results of intestinal microbiota showed the relative abundance of Vibrio in the SM group was the highest, followed by the FPH and control groups. Similarly, the relative abundance of distal intestinal V. harveyi was significantly reduced in the FPH group by analyzing the vhhp2 gene. In conclusion, the present FPH against Vibrio strains was species‐specific, with stronger antibacterial activity to V. harveyi. Dietary FPH enhanced the nonspecific immunity and antibacterial activity of turbot, increasing the resistance to V. harveyi.