bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of maternal bariatric surgery on offspring perinatal cardiac function: A prospective study
Authors: Patey Olga , Bartsota Margarita , Maric Tanya , Patel Deesha , Savvidou Makrina , Carvalho Julene S.
Published: December 2023

Objective

To assess perinatal cardiac function in offspring of women with previous bariatric surgery and examine its association with maternal glucose control.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting

Maternity unit, UK.

Population

Fifty‐four fetuses/neonates; 29 of post‐bariatric surgery women and 25 of women without surgery.

Methods

Prospective, longitudinal observational study of pregnant women with and without previous bariatric surgery, matched for early pregnancy body mass index. Cardiac function of all offspring was assessed by two‐dimensional conventional, spectral tissue Doppler and speckle‐tracking echocardiography at 35–37 weeks of gestation and at 5–7 weeks of age. Maternal glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at 27–30 weeks of gestation. Maternal demographics and fetal/infant cardiac function indices were compared between the groups. Correlation coefficient (r) is reported.

Main outcome measures

Fetal/infant cardiac function indices.

Results

Compared with no‐bariatric neonates, offspring of post‐bariatric women were smaller at birth (birthweight centiles: 64.96 ± 36.41 versus 40.17 ± 27.99; p = 0.007). There were no significant differences in fetal/infant cardiac function indices and perinatal cardiac changes, between groups. There was a positive correlation between maternal HbA1c and fetal left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (r = 0.33) and LV longitudinal strain rate (r = 0.29), suggesting an inverse relation between HbA1c and fetal LV systolic function, but this was mainly seen in offspring of women with no previous bariatric surgery (r = 0.56 and r = 0.50, respectively).

Conclusions

Maternal bariatric surgery does not appear to inadvertently affect the offspring cardiac performance. We found an inverse correlation between maternal HbA1c levels and fetal LV systolic function but this was mainly seen in the no‐bariatric pregnancies.
Leakage of biodiversity risks under the European Union Biodiversity Strategy 2030
Authors: Fischer Richard , Zhunusova Eliza , Günter Sven , Iost Susanne , Schier Franziska , Schweinle Jörg , Weimar Holger , Dieter Matthias
Published: December 2023

The European Union Biodiversity Strategy 2030 (EUBDS) aims to regain biodiversity through enhanced forest conservation and protection, which may lead to increased timber harvest in non‐EU countries. We aimed to identify the potential leakage of biodiversity risks as induced by the EUBDS. We created an indicator framework that allows one to quantify vulnerability of forest biodiversity. The framework is based on 26 biodiversity indicators for which indicator values were publicly available. We weighted single indicator values with countrywise modeled data on changed timber production under EUBDS implementation. Nearly 80% of the indicators pointed to higher vulnerability in the affected non‐EU countries. Roundwood production was transferred to countries with, on average, lower governance quality (p = 0.0001), political awareness (p = 0.548), forest coverage (p = 0.034), and biomass (p = 0.272) and with less sustainable forest management (p = 0.044 and p = 0.028). These countries had more natural habitats (p = 0.039) and intact forest landscapes (p = 0.0001) but higher risk of species extinction (p = 0.006) and less protected area (p = 0.0001) than the EU countries. Only a few indicators pointed to lower vulnerability and biodiversity risks outside the EU. Safeguards are needed to ensure that implementation of EUBDS does not cause harm to ecosystems elsewhere. The EU regulation on deforestation‐free supply chains might have limited effects because the sustainable management of existing and even expanding forests is not well considered. Sustained roundwood production in the EU is needed to avoid placing more pressure on more vulnerable ecosystems elsewhere. Decreasing species and habitat indicator values nevertheless call for global conservation and protection schemes. The EUBDS helped pave the way to the Kunming–Montreal Biodiversity Framework. Yet, lower values for the indicators mean governance and biodiversity engagement in non‐EU countries suggest that this global framework might not sufficiently prevent leakage of risks to biodiversity. Effective land‐use planning is necessary to balance conservation schemes with roundwood production.
Joint action and spontaneity
Authors: Leferman Alexander
Published: December 2023

This paper poses a challenge to theories of joint action. In addition to the typical requirement of explaining how agents count as acting together as opposed to acting in parallel or independently—the togetherness requirement—it is argued that theories must explain how agents can be spontaneously joined such that they can act together spontaneously—the spontaneity requirement. To be spontaneously joined is to be immediately joined. The challenge arises because the typical means of satisfying the togetherness requirement, for example, planning, expressing willingness, and so forth, are forms of mediating, binding interaction and so seem to eliminate the possibility of spontaneity. Likewise, taking spontaneity seriously makes it difficult to see how the togetherness requirement can be simultaneously met. The challenge threatens the very idea of joint agency.
Regional variation in Swedish acid sulfate soil microbial communities is influenced by temperature and geochemistry
Authors: Johnson Anders , Nyman Alexandra , Åström Mats , Dopson Mark
Published: December 2023

Acid sulfate soils are frequently described as the nastiest soils on Earth, and they pose environmental risks associated with their strong acidity and consequential mobilization of toxic metals present in the soils. Within Sweden, acid sulfate soils have been extensively studied around the northern Baltic coastline and have now been found to occur throughout the area below the maximum Holocene marine limit that stretches for some 2000 km from North to South. This study investigated 20 active acid sulfate soils (field tested pH < 4.0) collected throughout this area that were tested for microbial community composition using 16S rRNA gene amplicons, representing a novel study of microbial communities in ripening zones across a broad regional scale. The microbial community compositions exhibited a north (boreal zone) to south (hemiboreal zone) regional divide, primarily within the oxidized zone (pH < 4.0), to a lesser degree in the transition zone (steep pH gradient), while little differences were observed in the reduced zone (near‐neutral pH). For instance, a higher relative abundance of Ktedonobacteraceae was identified in the northern boreal and Gallionellaceae in the southern hemiboreal oxidized zones. In addition, microbial taxa associated with iron and sulfur oxidation and reduction were identified, such as Acidobacteriaceae, Gallionellaceae and Koribacteraceae that have been previously identified in other acid sulfate soils and acid mine drainage settings. The predominant controls of the microbial community differences were the north–south divide indicative of a strong soil‐temperature effect followed by soil zones suggesting an influence of the soils' pH and/or redox conditions.
Machine learning application for prediction of surgical site infection after posterior cervical surgery
Authors: Lu Keyu , Tu Yiting , Su Shenkai , Ding Jian , Hou Xianghua , Dong Chengji , Jin Haiming , Gao Weiyang
Published: December 2023

Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common complications of posterior cervical surgery. It is difficult to diagnose in the early stage and may lead to severe consequences such as wound dehiscence and central nervous system infection. This retrospective study included patients who underwent posterior cervical surgery at The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Childrens Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from September 2018 to June 2022. We employed several machine learning methods, such as the gradient boosting (GB), random forests (RF), artificial neural network (ANN) and other popular machine learning models. To minimize the variability introduced by random splitting, the results underwent 10‐fold cross‐validation repeated 10 times. Five measurements were averaged across 10 repetitions with 10‐fold cross‐validation, the RF model achieved the highest AUROC (0.9916), specificity (0.9890) and precision (0.9759). The GB model achieved the highest sensitivity (0.9535) and the KNN achieved the highest sensitivity (0.9958). The application of machine learning techniques facilitated the development of a precise model for predicting SSI after posterior cervical surgery. This dynamic model can be served as a valuable tool for clinicians and patients to assess SSI risk and prevent it in clinical practice.
Mid‐term efficacy of castor stent and in situ fenestration stent in the treatment of type B aortic dissection involving the left subclavian artery: A retrospective single‐center study
Authors: Wu Qingsong , Xie Lin‐feng , Li Huangwei , Shen Yue , Qiu Zhihuang , Chen Liangwan
Published: December 2023

To evaluate the midterm efficacy of the Castor stent (CS) versus in situ fenestration (ISF) for reconstructing the left subclavian artery (LSA) in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD).

Between July 2017 and July 2022, a total of 247 patients with TBAD were enrolled. One hundred thirty‐seven patients were treated using CSs (group A), while the remaining 110 patients received ISFs (group B). Data of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed.

The success rates of surgery were 99.3% and 95.5% in groups A and B (p = .053), There were no deaths during hospitalization. During surgery, group B showed a longer surgical duration [68.0 (66.0, 77.0) vs. 62.0 (59.0, 66.0) min, p < .001] and intraoperative fluoroscopy time [18.0 (16.0, 20.0) vs. 16.0 (14.0, 18.0) min, p < .001] than group A. The follow‐up duration was similar for both groups (44.0 vs. 43.0 months, p = .877), and no patient died. Stent‐related complications were significantly lower in group A than in group B (1.5% vs. 8.4%, p = .009). Group A had fewer instances entry flow (0.7% vs. 4.7%, p = .048) and stent stenosis (0.7% vs. 2.8%, p = .206) than group B. All reintervention cases (4.7%) were from group B (p = .011). The rate of false aortic lumen thrombosis was significantly higher in group A than in group B (84.6% vs. 72.9%, p = .024).

Both CSs and ISFs are evidently safe, feasible, and effective in achieving positive early outcomes in patients undergoing treatment for TBAD. Notably, at midterm follow‐up, CSs appeared to be superior to ISF in terms of reducing stent‐related complications and minimizing the need for reintervention.
Confluences of the Islamic in Hans Urs von Balthasar's Theological Aesthetics: Toward a Comparative THEO‐POETICS with Islam
Authors: Takacs Axel M. Oaks
Published: December 2023

This essay is an excavation of Islamic theological confluences in Hans Urs von Balthasar's theological aesthetics. It likewise demonstrates how comparative theology facilitates the de‐essentialization of religious traditions. This essay uses the Swiss theologian as a case study in exposing how someone apparently closed off from interreligious learning is still inadvertently shaped by non‐Christian traditions. Being adjacent to the work of Anne Carpenter, who seeks to save his theological project from Eurocentrism, this essay seeks to save it from theological exclusivism and Orientalism. It will argue that in the case of Christian theology, confluences of the Islamic in the past offer possibilities for future exercises in comparative theology. It looks back to look ahead by suggesting theo‐poetics as a new direction for Christian comparative theology with Islam.
Spillover effects of childhood obesity prevention interventions: A systematic review
Authors: Brown Vicki , Tran Huong , Jacobs Jane , Ananthapavan Jaithri , Strugnell Claudia , Backholer Kathryn , Sultana Marufa , Alsubhi Moosa , Allender Steve , Novotny Rachel , Nichols Melanie
Published: December 2023

Background

Childhood obesity prevention initiatives are complex interventions that aim to improve children's obesity‐related behaviors and provide health promoting environments. These interventions often impact individuals, communities, and outcomes not primarily targeted by the intervention or policy. To accurately capture the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of childhood obesity prevention interventions, an understanding of the broader impacts (or spillover effects) is required. This systematic review aims to assess the spillover effects of childhood obesity prevention interventions.

Methods

Six academic databases and two trial registries were searched (2007–2023) to identify studies reporting quantifiable obesity‐related and other outcomes in individuals or communities not primarily targeted by an obesity prevention intervention. Critical appraisal was undertaken for studies that reported statistically significant findings, and a narrative synthesis of the data was undertaken.

Results

Twenty academic studies and 41 trial records were included in the synthesis. The most commonly reported spillovers were diet or nutrition‐related, followed by BMI and physical activity/sedentary behavior. Spillovers were mostly reported in parents/caregivers followed by other family members. Nine of the 20 academic studies reported statistically significant spillover effects.

Conclusion

Limited evidence indicates that positive spillover effects of childhood obesity prevention interventions can be observed in parents/caregivers and families of targeted participants.
Development and validation of a scoring system to predict vasovagal reaction upon whole‐blood donation
Authors: Hashizume Tatsuma , Kondo Gaku , Ishimaru Fumihiko , Ikeda Yoko , Kagawa Keiko , Kunii Noriko , Namba Noriko , Aoki Kiichi , Sawamura Yoshihiro , Makino Shigeyoshi
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

Risk factors for vasovagal reaction (VVR) have been extensively studied. With knowledge of the relative importance of these risk factors for VVR, collection staff could take care of blood donors from the same standpoint, leading to improved donor safety. We therefore developed a scoring system to predict VVR, which incorporates registration information.

Materials and Methods

Pre‐syncopal and syncopal symptoms, as well as on‐ and off‐site reactions, are included in this analysis as VVR. We defined the donor status as follows: first‐time donors, repeat donors with no history of reaction and repeat donors with a history of reaction. We prepared two datasets: whole‐blood donations at a blood donation site in Tokyo between January 2019 and December 2019 were included in training data (n = 361,114), and whole‐blood donations between January 2020 and August 2020 were included in testing data (n = 216,211).

Results

The most important variable was the donor status, followed by age, estimated blood volume and height. We integrated them into a scoring system. Training and testing datasets were combined (n = 577,325), and VVR rates in groups with scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 or more were 0.09% (95% CI: 0.081%–0.10%), 0.33% (95% CI: 0.31%–0.36%), 0.87% (95% CI: 0.78%–0.96%), 1.17% (95% CI: 1.05%–1.30%), 2.15% (95% CI: 1.98%–2.32%) and 3.11% (95% CI: 2.90%–3.34%), respectively.

Conclusion

The scoring system enables staff to significantly predict VVR and may help them to identify donors at increased risk of experiencing syncope, thereby mitigating the negative impact of VVR on donor safety and return by paying close attention to high‐risk donors.
A Linear Quadratic Regulator-Based Controller Design for Ensuring Attack Resilient Operations of Power Networks
Authors: Stebbings Sandford , Apel Mahmud Md , Islam Shama Naz
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes a linear quadratic regulator-based control scheme to ensure the stability of power grids against cyber-attacks. The proposed control scheme is developed for the synchronous generator in a power system having a single generator. In this work, the nominal system represented by a linear state-space model is augmented by considering the impact of cyber-attacks and the Riccati equation for the augmented system is solved in such a way the attack is completely eliminated. The attack is considered on the actuator, i.e., within the dynamical model of the synchronous generator in a power grid. Simulation studies are conducted under different attacks on the actuator and results under all attack scenarios ensure attack resilient operations of power systems.
Predicting Electrical Resistivity of Sintered Copper Nanoparticles From Simulations for the Microscale Selective Laser Sintering Process
Authors: Dibua Obehi G. , Tasnim Farzana , Liao Aaron , Grose Joshua , Behera Dipankar , Foong Chee S. , Cullinan Michael
Published: December 2023

One of the main challenges facing the expansion of Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the minimum feature sizes which these processes are able to achieve. Microscale Selective Laser Sintering (μ-SLS) is a novel Additive Manufacturing process created to meet this limitation by precisely laser sintering nanoparticles to give a better control over feature sizes. With the development of this new process, there is a concurrent need for models, which can predict the material properties of the sintering nanoparticles. To this end, this paper presents a novel simulation created to predict the electrical resistivity of sintered copper nanoparticles. Understanding the electrical resistivity of nanoparticles under sintering is useful for quantifying the rate of sintering and has applications such as predicting how the nanoparticles will fuse together when subjected to laser irradiation. Such a prediction allows for in situ corrections to be made to the sintering process to account for heat spreading beyond the intended laser irradiation targets. For these applications, it is important to ensure that the predictions of electrical resistivity from the simulations are accurate. This validation must be done against experimental data and since such experimental data does not currently exist, this paper also presents electrical resistivity data for the laser sintering of copper nanoparticles. In summary, this paper details the simulation methodology for predicting electrical resistivity of laser-sintered copper nanoparticles as well as validation of these simulations using electrical resistivity data from original sintering experiments. The key findings of this work are that the simulations can be used to predict electrical resistivity measurements for sintering of actual copper nanoparticles when the copper nanoparticles do not include other materials such as polymer coatings.
A checklist of eriophyoid mites of China (Acariformes: Eriophyoidea)
Authors: Xue Xiao-Feng , Hong Xiao-Yue
Published: December 2023

This paper provides an updated checklist of eriophyoid mites found in China, including 1340 named species and a new synonym: Calvittacus spectabilus Yin, Lu, Liu & Xue, 2022, synonym of Vittacus bougainvilleae (Keifer, 1959). The top ten speciose genera are Aceria (81 species), Tetra (71 species), Diptilomiopus (68 species), Phyllocoptes (58 species), Diptacus (57 species), Tegolophus (53 species), Aculus (52 species), Rhyncaphytoptus (50 species), Calepitrimerus (50 species), and Epitrimerus (42 species). In addition, we provided the Chinese name for each eriophyoid mite species.
Pinching dynamics and extensional rheology of dense colloidal suspensions with depletion attractions
Authors: Soetrisno Diego D. , Martínez Narváez Carina D. V. , Gallegos Mariah J. , Sharma Vivek , Conrad Jacinta C.
Published: December 2023

We study the extensional flow properties by characterizing the capillarity-driven pinching dynamics of dense colloidal suspensions at a constant volume fraction ϕ=0.40 with polymer-induced depletion interactions using a dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) protocol. Methacrylate copolymer particles with dimethylacrylamide copolymer brushes are suspended in a refractive-index- and density-matched mixture of 80 (w/w)% glycerol in water with NaCl added to screen the electrostatic repulsions. Depletion attractions between the colloids are introduced by adding polyacrylamide polymers of weight and dispersity. The addition of polymer delays and modifies the pinch-off dynamics of the dense suspensions, depending on the size and dispersity of the polymer. The extensional relaxation time λE of suspensions collapses as a function of the normalized free volume polymer concentration c/c∗ with the corresponding polymer solutions, indicating that the elastic properties of the polymer solutions control the extensional time scale. Following the results of our previous study [Soetrisno et al., Macromolecules 56, 4919–4928 (2023)], the polymer size determines the scaling exponent of λE for colloid-polymer mixtures in the dilute regime and high dispersity shifts the concentration where the scaling of λE transitions from power-law to linear. The filament lifespans tf of colloid-polymer mixtures and of polymer solutions collapse onto a master curve as a function of c/c∗ when normalized by the filament lifespan of the corresponding fluid without polymer tf,0. These results provide insight into the role of the polymer size in dictating the pinching dynamics and extensional rheology of colloid-polymer mixtures and further suggest that the shear and extensional responses of these mixtures can be separately tuned through the concentrations of the two constituents.
Non-intrusive Balance Tomography Using Reinforcement Learning in the Lightning Network
Authors: Qiao Yan , Wu Kui , Khabbazian Majid
Published: December 2023

The Lightning Network (LN) is a second layer system for solving the scalability problem of Bitcoin transactions. In the current implementation of LN, channel capacity (i.e., the sum of individual balances held in the channel) is public information, while individual balances are kept secret for privacy concerns. Attackers may discover a particular balance of a channel by sending multiple
fake
payments through the channel. Such an attack, however, can hardly threaten the security of the LN system due to its high cost and noticeable intrusions. In this work, we present a novel
non-intrusive balance tomography
attack, which infers channel balances silently by performing legal transactions between two pre-created LN nodes. To minimize the cost of the attack, we propose an algorithm to compute the optimal payment amount for each transaction and design a path construction method using reinforcement learning to explore the most informative path to conduct the transactions. Finally, we propose two approaches (NIBT-RL and NIBT-RL-β) to accurately and efficiently infer all individual balances using the results of these transactions. Experiments using simulated account balances over actual LN topology show that our method can accurately infer 90% ∼ 94% of all balances in LN with around 12 USD.
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Cavity Natural Heat Convection: Numerical Analysis and Optimization in Greenhouse Application
Authors: Zhang Yin , Zhang Menglong , Xiong Jianwu , Mao Gang , Qi Yicong
Published: December 2023

Natural convection in cavity plays a significant role in energy-related field, including the indoor heat transfer analysis in greenhouse with integrated PV roof. In this study, mathematical model is established for two-dimensional heat transfer analysis in greenhouse air cavity, with numerical simulation through computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Main natural convection impact factors, such as system configuration parameters (tilting angle and PV panel unit number) and fluid thermal–physical properties, are investigated with indoor temperature distribution and streamline comparison by finite-volume method (FVD). Preliminary results show that with rising Rayleigh number (Ra), natural convection is enhanced with growing Nusselt number (Nu). Moreover, panel slope tilting angle (θ) highly determines inside heat transfer subregions in terms of the vertical temperature gradient declines with rising θ, improving the temperature distribution uniformity inside. The solar greenhouse example illustrates that with the increasing numbers of panel group numbers (n), the air temperature gradient differences decrease, improving the temperature distribution uniformity inside, which is preferable to built environment accurate control for greenhouse in the practical engineering. This work can provide modeling method support and reference for natural heat convection applications.
Modeling and Simulation of Parametric Nonlinear Focused Ultrasound in Three-Dimensional Bubbly Liquids with Axial Symmetry by a Finite-Element Model
Authors: Tejedor Sastre María Teresa , Leblanc Alexandre , Lavie Antoine , Vanhille Christian
Published: December 2023

This paper presents the development of a numerical model able to track in time the behavior of nonlinear focused ultrasound when interacting with tiny gas bubbles in a liquid. Our goal here is to analyze the frequency components of the waves by developing a model that can easily be adapted to the geometrical restrictions and complexities that come out in several application frameworks (sonochemistry, medicine, and engineering). We thus model the behavior of nonlinear focused ultrasound propagating in a liquid with gas bubbles by means of the finite-element method in an axisymmetric three-dimensional domain and the generalized-α method in the time domain. The model solves a differential system derived for the nonlinear interaction of acoustic waves and gas bubble oscillations. The high nonlinearity and dispersion of the bubbly medium hugely affect the behavior of the finite-amplitude waves. These characteristics are used here to generate frequency components of the signals that do not exist at the source through nonlinear mixing (parametric antenna). The ability of the model to work with complex geometries, which is the main advantage of the method, is illustrated through the simulation of nonlinear focused ultrasound in a medium excited from two spherical sources in opposite directions.
Immediate Effects of Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises on Acoustic, Auditory-Perceptual, and Self-Perceptual Measures of Voice Production
Authors: Ford David S. , Hunter Eric J. , Deliyski Dimitar D.
Published: December 2023

Introduction: This study examined the immediate acoustic, auditory-perceptual, and self-perceptual effects of two semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTs): straw phonation and straw phonation into a cup of water, delivered in a remote setting. Method: Thirty-six participants (19 females and 17 males) completed a baseline battery of acoustic recordings, followed by one of two SOVTs, and an identical post-task battery. The procedure repeated itself to include the other SOVT. Participants were also asked to rate their self-perceived vocal effort and quality following each condition. Recordings were presented to three expert listeners for completion of auditory-perceptual analysis. Results: Acoustically, a significant decrease in shimmer was noted following straw phonation. Auditory-perceptual analysis revealed a significant increase in the perception of strain following straw phonation into a cup of water. While no significant differences were found between SOVT tasks in self-perception of vocal effort, a significant increase in self-perception of vocal loudness was reported following straw phonation into a cup of water. Conclusion: SOVTs have a varied, yet significant short-term impact across acoustic, auditory-perceptual, and self-perceptual measures of voice production. Straw phonation provided consistently significant acoustic results, with nearly every variable improving to some degree. Results also support the notion that shimmer is an acoustic measure that is particularly susceptible to change following modest manipulation. These results, in addition to the auditory-perceptual and self-perceptual findings, have a direct impact on how SOVTs are being used clinically and may generalize to inform the way voice metrics are collected and analyzed.
Male–Female Differences in Acute Type B Aortic Dissection
Authors: Meccanici Frederike , Thijssen Carlijn G. E. , Heijmen Robin H. , Geuzebroek Guillaume S. C. , ter Woorst Joost F. , Gökalp Arjen L. , de Bruin Jorg L. , Gratama Daantje N. , Bekkers Jos A. , van Kimmenade Roland R. J. , Poyck Paul , Peels Kathinka , Post Marco C. , Mokhles Mostafa M. , Takkenberg Johanna J. M. , Roos‐Hesselink Jolien W. , Verhagen Hence J. M.
Published: December 2023

Background

Acute type B aortic dissection is a cardiovascular emergency with considerable mortality and morbidity risk. Male–female differences have been observed in cardiovascular disease; however, literature on type B aortic dissection is scarce.

Methods and Results

A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all consecutive patients with acute type B aortic dissection between 2007 and 2017 in 4 tertiary hospitals using patient files and questionnaires for late morbidity. In total, 384 patients were included with a follow‐up of 6.1 (range, 0.02–14.8) years, of which 41% (n=156) were female. Women presented at an older age than men (67 [interquartile range (IQR), 57–73] versus 62 [IQR, 52–71];
P
=0.015). Prior abdominal aortic aneurysm (6% versus 15%;
P
=0.009), distally extending dissections (71 versus 85%;
P
=0.001), and clinical malperfusion (18% versus 32%;
P
=0.002) were less frequently observed in women. Absolute maximal descending aortic diameters were smaller in women (36 [IQR: 33–40] mm versus 39 [IQR, 36–43] mm;
P
<0.001), while indexed for body surface area diameters were larger in women (20 [IQR, 18–23] mm/m
2
versus 19 [IQR, 17–21] mm/m
2
). No male–female differences were found in treatment choice; however, indications for invasive treatment were different (
P
<0.001). Early mortality rate was 9.6% in women and 11.8% in men (
P
=0.60). The 5‐year survival was 83% (95% CI, 77–89) for women and 84% (95% CI, 79–89) for men (
P
=0.90). No male–female differences were observed in late (re)interventions.

Conclusions

No male–female differences were found in management, early or late death, and morbidity in patients presenting with acute type B aortic dissection, despite distinct clinical profiles at presentation. More details on the impact of age and type of intervention are warranted in future studies.
Incremental Diagnostic Value of Right Ventricular Strain Analysis in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Dong Zhixiang , Ma Xuan , Wang Jiaxin , Yang Shujuan , Yu Shiqin , Song Yanyan , Tang Yun , Xiang Xiaorui , Yang Kai , Zhao Kankan , Lu Minjie , Chen Xiuyu , Zhao Shihua
Published: December 2023

Background

Strain analysis is a sensitive method for the assessment of ventricular structural or functional alterations. The authors aimed to determine whether right ventricular (RV) strain parameters can discriminate patients with revised Task Force Criteria–diagnosed arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy (ARVC) incremental to the existing cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) criteria, thus improving the diagnostic yield of CMR in ARVC.

Methods and Results

A total of 74 patients with revised Task Force Criteria–diagnosed ARVC (37 borderline and 37 definite) and 37 controls were retrospectively enrolled for analysis. Using CMR feature tracking, RV global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential, and radial strain of all participants were evaluated. Compared with controls, the study patients demonstrated significantly impaired global biventricular strain in all 3 directions (all
P
<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that RV GLS was the strongest discriminator among all RV strain parameters for the identification of patients with ARVC (area under the curve, 0.92). Using the Youden index, the authors determined RV GLS ≥−19.95% as the diagnostic criterion of ARVC. In patients diagnosed with borderline ARVC according to revised Task Force Criteria but with no or only minor CMR criteria, there were >50% presenting with impaired RV GLS. When both conventional criteria and RV GLS were considered together, this new diagnostic method demonstrated an overall diagnostic accuracy of 90%. The likelihood ratio test showed a significant incremental diagnostic value of RV GLS (
P
=0.02) over the existing CMR major criteria.

Conclusions

The current study showed an improved diagnostic accuracy when both RV GLS and the existing CMR criteria were considered together, especially for patients with borderline diagnosis, suggesting the incremental value of strain analysis to the initial assessment of ARVC.
Plasma Calprotectin Levels Associate With New‐Onset Hypertension in the General Population: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Bourgonje Arno R. , Bourgonje Martin F. , la Bastide‐van Gemert Sacha , Nilsen Tom , Hidden Clara , Gansevoort Ron T. , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Mulder Douwe J. , Dullaart Robin P. F. , Abdulle Amaal E. , van Goor Harry
Published: December 2023

Background

Low‐grade systemic inflammation is a relevant pathogenic mechanism underlying the development of hypertension. In this study, we hypothesized that plasma calprotectin levels, as a biomarker of neutrophil‐mediated inflammation, is associated with developing new‐onset hypertension in the general population.

Methods and Results

Plasma calprotectin levels were determined in 3524 participants who participated in the PREVEND (Prevention of Renal and Vascular End‐Stage Disease) study, a prospective population‐based cohort study. Plasma calprotectin levels were studied for associations with the risk of new‐onset hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mm Hg, or the first recorded use of antihypertensives. Participants with hypertension at baseline were excluded. Median plasma calprotectin levels were 0.48 (0.34–0.66) mg/L, and median systolic blood pressure was 117 (109–126) mm Hg. Plasma calprotectin levels were significantly associated with the risk of new‐onset hypertension (hazard ratio [HR], per doubling 1.30 [95% CI, 1.21–1.41];
P
<0.001), also after adjustment for age and sex (HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.16–1.37];
P
<0.001), but not after additional adjustment for potentially confounding factors, including baseline systolic blood pressure (HR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.90–1.11];
P
=0.996). Stratified analyses showed significant effect modification by sex (
P
interaction
=0.023) and urinary albumin excretion (
P
interaction
=0.004), with higher HRs in men (compared with women) and in individuals with higher urinary albumin excretion (>9.3 mg per 24 hours) compared with lower urinary albumin excretion (≤9.3 mg per 24 hours).

Conclusions

Higher plasma calprotectin levels are associated with an increased risk of new‐onset hypertension in the general population. This association is dependent on baseline systolic blood pressure and is particularly prominent in men compared with women.
Transcatheter Closure or Surgery for Symptomatic Paravalvular Leaks: The Multicenter KISS Registry
Authors: Güner Ahmet , Kırma Cevat , Ertürk Mehmet , Türkmen Muhsin , Alıcı Gökhan , Karabay Can Yücel , Uzun Fatih , Kılıçgedik Alev , Gündüz Sabahattin , Güler Gamze Babur , Kalkan Ali Kemal , Özkan Birol , Sarı Münevver , Gürsoy Mustafa Ozan , Tekin Meltem , Yıldız Mustafa , Can Fatma , Kırali Kaan , Fedakar Ali , Sarıkaya Sabit , Aydın Ünal , Kahraman Serkan , İyigün Taner , Aksüt Mehmet , Karpuzoğlu Eren , Çiloğlu Koray , Sungur Mustafa Azmi , Tanboğa İbrahim Halil , Özkan Mehmet
Published: December 2023

Background

The optimal treatment of symptomatic paravalvular leak (PVL) remains controversial between transcatheter closure (TC) and surgery. This large‐scale study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the long‐term outcomes of the patients who underwent reoperation or TC of PVLs.

Methods and Results

A total of 335 (men, 209 [62.4%]; mean age, 58.15±12.77 years) patients who underwent treatment of PVL at 3 tertiary centers between January 2002 and December 2021 were included. Echocardiographic features, procedure details, and in‐hospital or long‐term outcomes were assessed. The primary end point was defined as the all‐cause death during follow‐up. The regression models were adjusted by applying the inverse probability weighted approach to reduce treatment selection bias. The initial management strategy was TC in 171 (51%) patients and surgery in 164 (49%) cases. Three hundred cases (89.6%) had mitral PVL, and 35 (10.4%) had aortic PVL. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 52.03±10.79%. Technical (78.9 versus 76.2%;
P
=0.549) and procedural success (73.7 versus 65.2%;
P
=0.093) were similar between both groups. In both univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, the in‐hospital mortality rate in the overall population was significantly higher (15.9 versus 4.7%) in the surgery group compared with the TC group (unadjusted odds ratio, 3.13 [95% CI, 1.75–5.88];
P
=0.001; and adjusted odds ratio (inverse probability‐weighted), 4.55 [95% CI, 2.27–10.0];
P
<0.001). However, the long‐term mortality rate in the overall population did not differ between the surgery group and the TC group (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.86 [95% CI, 0.59–1.25];
P
=0.435; and adjusted HR (inverse probability‐weighted), 1.11 [95% CI, 0.67–1.81];
P
=0.679).

Conclusions

The current data suggest that percutaneous closure of PVL was associated with lower early and comparable long‐term mortality rates compared with surgery.
Naked in the Eyes of the Law
Authors: Kuzmicz Maksymilian M.
Published: December 2023

This paper conducts a legal analysis of the concept of nudity in the context of innovative technologies in selected Europeans jurisdictions. The laws of Poland, Ireland, and the European Union are examined and compared in terms of their approach to the protection of nudity. The research finds that while there are similarities in the criminal laws of Poland and Ireland, there are also notable differences in the understanding of nudity. Additionally, the proposed EU Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence is examined in relation to the non-consensual distribution of intimate and manipulated images. The study concludes by recommending further research to clarify the legal definition of nudity, and to address the concerns of different individuals and groups with varying sensitivity towards nudity.
The Place of the Qurʾān and Islamic Theology in Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān and its Early English Receptions: A Study in Textual Citation and Excision
Authors: Gallien Claire
Published: December 2023

This article on the place of the Qurʾān and Islamic theology in Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān constitutes a study in textual citation and excision articulated in two main parts. The first part of the article studies the interconnections between philosophy and theology in Ibn Ṭufayl’s (d. 581/1185) life and the references to the Qurʾān and to Islamic theology in his Risālat Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān. In the second part, I track the engagement with the Qurʾān and Islamic theology in the early-modern Latin and English variants of the tale. The article provides a detailed study of the Qurʾanic passages in translation, and reflects on practices of citation, excision and significant paratextual reorganisations. The article argues that the case is less one where the Qurʾān and Islamic theology are excised from the tale and vanish from view, than one where the tale is ‘de-Islamised’ so that it can serve intra-Christian and orientalist interests. The issue resides in making the Qurʾān and Islam epistemically dispensable and in disabling them as hermeneutic interlocutors to be reckoned with in a theological and philosophical debate.
A decade of Biotaxa.org: community-supported online library for taxonomic journals enhanced their publication, access and preservation
Authors: ZHANG ZHI-QIANG , COSTELLO MARK JOHN
Published: December 2023

Biotaxa.org is a non-profit international collaboration among professional societies, institutions, publishers, natural history museums and libraries for facilitating the publication, enhancing the access and enabling the preservation of journals in biological taxonomy. Since the start of Biotaxa.org in 2013, 58 journals by 46 publishers from 23 countries have joined this platform and 49 of these journals archived 10,076 issues covering a span of 98 years (1926 to 2023), Most of these journals (41) are for open access. Currently 13 journals are also using Biotaxa.org site for manuscript submission and review. Biotaxa.org has helped small publishers and journals—many of these lack sufficient funding—go online, reduce cost, become more sustainable, remain editorial independent, and/or be archived to fulfil the requirements of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
Application of Crosslinking of Thiolated Hyaluronic Acid Nanogel for Targeted Therapy and Drug Delivery in Melanoma
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhu Xin , Mirzaei Yousef , Zhuo Fan , jabbari Hadi , Al-Naqeeb Bashar Zuhair Talib , Bai Yao
Published: December 2023

Melanoma is extremely aggressive and its prevalence is growing every year. Gel was generated by altering thiolated hyaluronic acid on surface-functionalized Pluronic F127-TPGS mixed micelles to create a nanogel with the ability to selectively target melanoma. Cell uptake experiment
was used to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the uptake of the nanogel by B16F10 melanoma cells; cytotoxicity experiment was used to investigate the toxicity of the carrier material to cells. Microscopic analysis of the produced nanogel revealed an average particle size of 30 nm, with
no discernible cytotoxic effect on both mouse 3T3 fibroblasts and mouse melanoma B16F10 cells. Higher HCAM receptor expression in B16F10 cells allowed for more efficient absorption than in 3T3 cells.
Hsa-Circ-0002360 Promotes the Development of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Regulating Specific E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase 2 Pathway Through miRNA-511-5p
Authors: Li Hong , Gao Fei , Yang Tian , Feng Sifang , Ning Qian , Liu Ya , Chen Tianjun
Published: December 2023

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths for cancer patients, the specific role of cyclic RNA in non-small cell lung cancer still needs further exploration. The effect of Hsa-Circ-0002360 and the relative pathway participated in the development of non-small
cell lung cancer cells, lentivirus expression vector shcirc0002360, miRNA-511-5p mimics and recombinant protein SMURF2 were used in this study. The function of cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis were compared by flow cytometry, wound healing, RT-qPCR and western blot. We found circRNA
0002360 knockout significantly inhibited A549 cell functions. After further overexpression of miR-511-5p, the migration function, proliferation function, and cell viability of cells are significantly decreased while apoptosis rate increased, and quite the opposite after adding SMURF2. Smurf2
promotes the development of non-small cell lung cancer cells by regulating tumor cell migration, dissemination, and apoptosis, and this process is also regulated by Hsa-cic-000236 and miR-511-5p.
MicroRNA-223 Suppresses the Progression of Esophageal Cancer by Negatively Regulating SMAD Family Member 4
Authors: Lin Jiansheng , Shi Haizhan , Zheng Xinyang , Xie Xiaowei
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the biological role of MicroRNA-223 (miRNA-223) in mediating the malignant progression of esophageal cancer and the underlying mechanism. MiRNA-223 levels were measured using qRT-PCR in 50 paired esophageal cancer tissues and adjacent paracancerous
tissues. The correlation between miRNA-223 level and pathological indicators in esophageal cancer patients was analyzed. In vitro experiments assessed the impact of miRNA-223 on the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of esophageal cancer cells. Additionally, rescue experiments
were conducted to investigate the involvement of miRNA-223 and its downstream target, SMAD4, in the progression of esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer tissues showed decreased levels of miRNA-223 compared to adjacent tissues. Patients with low miRNA-223 exhibited higher rates of lymphatic
and distant metastasis, as well as poorer overall survival than those with high miRNA-223 levels. Increasing miRNA-223 in TE-1 and EC-109 cells reduced their proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities. Esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines displayed elevated SMAD4 levels, which
were negatively regulated by miRNA-223. Restoring SMAD4 expression partially reversed the inhibitory effects of miRNA-223 overexpression in esophageal cancer cells. MiRNA-223 is closely correlated to lymphatic metastasis, distant metastasis and poor prognosis of esophageal cancer patients.
MiRNA-223 suppresses proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of esophageal cancer cells via negatively regulating SMAD4.
The Construction of Foot and Ankle Joint by Autologous Oxygen-Releasing Nano-Bionic Scaffold Combined with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Zhao Zhi , Liu Mengkun , Zha Rifei , Zhang Tingbao , Pei Lijia , Liu Yang , Zhou Xinshe
Published: December 2023

This study assesses the role of a scaffold constructed by co-cultivating autologous oxygen-releasing nano-bionic materials and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in joint repairing. A scaffold constructed of autologous oxygen-releasing nano-bionic materials and BMSCs was transplanted
into SD rats. The immunofluorescence detected the expression of nuclear antigen (PCNA) and analyzed the proliferation of BMSCs. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) examined the expression of osteogenic markers and TUNEL staining analyzed BMSCs apoptosis. There was a significant
difference in the apoptosis and proliferation cell number of BMSCs in ankle joint between solely autologous oxygen-releasing nano-bionic material scaffold group and composite BMSCs nano-bionic scaffold (P <0.05). There was a statistical difference in PCNA and TUNEL expression between
two groups at 4 weeks and 8 weeks (P <0.05). The expression of osteogenesis markers in ankle joint at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks were continuously reduced, and the composite of autologous oxygen-releasing nanomaterials and BMSCs increased the expression of osteogenic markers (P
<0.05). The composite scaffold constructed by autologous oxygen-releasing nano-bionic materials and BMSCs has a good two-way immune regulation function and is able to carry lipids, proteins, nutritional factors, and growth factors, which can effectively promote tissue engineering repairing
and delay the scaffold degradation. Combined with the nano-release system to repair bone tissue, composite material can effectively promote the proliferation of joint osteoblasts and osteogenic differentiation, thus help repairing the ankle joint.