bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A ternary complementary Gray code phase unwrapping method in fringe projection profilometry
Authors: Wei Hao , Li Hongru , Liu Jiangtao , Deng Guoliang , Zhou Shouhuan
Published: April 2024

This paper proposes a phase unwrapping method based on ternary Gray code in fringe projection profilometry. This method does not require additional projection images or any prior knowledge. It accurately determines the segmentation thresholds of the ternary Gray code using only the average intensity and intensity modulation calculated from phase-shifting fringes, effectively reducing projection costs and achieving lower codeword errors. Additionally, a segment selection strategy suitable for the ternary Gray code is proposed. By employing the complementary method, three sets of candidate orders with certain codeword shifts can be generated. The wrapped phase is then divided into three segments: upper, middle, and lower segments, and correspondingly matched with the central regions of the three sets of candidate orders, thus enabling the solution of the absolute phase. Through the segment selection strategy, error-prone areas at the edges of orders are effectively avoided, further enhancing the accuracy of measurement results. Compared to the binary Gray code, the ternary complementary Gray code can encode up to 3m−1 orders when the number of Gray code patterns is m; when the required number of encoding orders is K, only ⌈log3K⌉+1 Gray code patterns are needed. Its additional value capacity precisely enables it to encode more orders, thereby increasing the frequency of phase-shifting fringes and further enhancing measurement efficiency. A series of experiments validates the feasibility, robustness, and superiority of this method.
Research on fault diagnosis of rolling bearing based on improved convolutional neural network with sparrow search algorithm
Authors: Wan Min , Xiao Yujie , Zhang Jingran
Published: April 2024

Traditional approaches to the intelligent fault diagnosis of rolling bearings have predominantly relied on manual expertise for feature extraction, a practice that compromises robustness. In addition, the existing convolutional neural network (CNN) is characterized by an overabundance of parameters and a substantial requirement for training samples. To address these limitations, this study introduces a novel fault diagnosis algorithm for rolling bearings, integrating a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) with a support vector machine (SVM) to form an enhanced 1DCNN-SVM model. This model is further refined using the sparrow search algorithm (SSA) for the optimal adjustment of the parameters of 1DCNN-SVM. Specifically, by substituting the CNN’s final softmax layer with an SVM, the model becomes better suited for processing limited data volumes. In addition, the incorporation of batch normalization and dropout layers within the CNN framework significantly augments its fault classification accuracy for rolling bearings, concurrently mitigating the risk of overfitting. The SSA is subsequently applied to refine three principal hyper-parameters: batch size, initial learning rate, and the L2 regularization coefficient, thereby overcoming the challenges associated with manually adjusting parameters, such as extended processing times and unpredictable outcomes. Empirical tests on Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) datasets revealed the model’s superior performance, with the SSA-optimized 1DCNN-SVM showcasing diagnostic accuracies over 98%, marked improvements over conventional models, and a significant reduction in processing times. This method not only marks a significant advancement in intelligent fault diagnosis for rolling bearings but also demonstrates the potential of integrating machine learning for more precise and efficient diagnostics. The SSA-1DCNN-SVM model, optimized for accuracy and minimal data use, sets a new standard in fault diagnosis, relevant for machinery health monitoring and maintenance strategies across various industries.
Performance-improved narrowband near-ultraviolet emission from a simple butyl and cyanogen substituted indolocarbazole
Authors: Lu Kaiyu , Huang Jingwei , Chang Xiang , Jiang Kai , Yan Xiuqin , Wang Xumeng , Yu Junting , Zhu Jieqiong , Wu Xiugang , Zhu Weiguo
Published: April 2024

High-efficiency narrowband near-ultraviolet (NUV) organic light-emitting diodes with high color purity have currently encountered great challenges. Here, using butyl (Bu) and cyanogen (CN) substituted strategy in the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of indolocarbazole (ICz), two simple emitters of BuICz and BuICzCN were demonstrated. This simple strategy was observed to enable both emitters to realize NUV emission at 380–381 nm with a small full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 21–23 nm and high photoluminescent quantum efficiency of 50%–59% in toluene solution. Furthermore, the BuICzCN doped devices exhibited a slightly blueshifted narrowband NUV electroluminescence at 388 nm with a small FWHM of 32.3 nm but a higher external quantum efficiency of 3.92% in comparison with the BuICz doped devices. This work provides a path to realize high-performance narrow-band NUV emission.
On the magnetohydrodynamic stability of channel flow of Navier–Stokes–Voigt fluid
Authors: Kavitha G. N. , Shankar B. M. , Shivakumara I. S.
Published: April 2024

The linear stability of a pressure-driven channel flow of an electrically conducting Navier–Stokes–Voigt type of the viscoelastic fluid subject to a transverse magnetic field is investigated. The validity of Squire's theorem is proved, and the generalized eigenvalue problem for two-dimensional modes is obtained by adopting the Galerkin method, which is subsequently solved using the QZ-algorithm. Although the base flow retains its Newtonian fluid characteristics, the noticeable influence of the Kelvin–Voigt parameter in conjunction with the Hartmann number on the stability of fluid flow is perceived. Instability is exclusively identified within a specific range of the Kelvin–Voigt parameter, markedly affected by the Hartmann number. Furthermore, closed neutral stability curves arise, indicating the requirement of two values of the Reynolds number to completely assess the linear stability criteria, in contrast to the typical single value observed in the case of Newtonian fluids.
Electron scattering beyond the independent atom model: Quantum fluctuation of the Coulomb potential
Authors: Chen Keke , Yang Jie
Published: April 2024

In the past century, electron scattering has mostly served as a powerful tool to measure the microscopic structure of gases, liquids, and solids in either a static or time-resolved manner. One common basis for these works is the independent atom model, which directly relates electron scattering signals to the atomic structure of matter. In this perspective, we explore the information content of electron scattering that goes beyond the independent atom model. We show that the small-angle limit of the electron scattering signal encodes the quantum mechanical fluctuation of the long-range Coulomb potential. This quantum fluctuation, described by the second moment of the dipole operator, is the root cause of the intermolecular van der Waals forces.
Evidence of local structural distortions and subtle thermal disorder in transparent photochromic yttrium oxyhydride
Authors: Arslan H. , Pudza I. , Kuzmin A. , Karazhanov S.
Published: April 2024

The structural properties of photochromic yttrium oxyhydride powder in its transparent state were examined using x-ray diffraction and temperature-dependent extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) combined with reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulations. The refinement of the x-ray powder diffraction pattern, employing the Rietveld method, indicates that yttrium oxyhydride crystallizes in the nanocrystalline phase with the cubic space group Fm-3m (225), at room temperature. The lattice parameter was determined as a = 5.404(3) Å, and the nanocrystallite size was estimated at d = 16(2) nm. The partial radial distribution functions (RDFs) g(r) for Y–O, O–O, and Y–Y atom pairs were obtained from the results of the RMC simulations of the Y K-edge EXAFS spectra measured at three temperatures (10, 150, and 300 K). The analysis of the RDFs reveals a subtle impact of the thermal disorder and splitting of the second coordination shell of yttrium atoms (the Y–Y RDF), remaining at all temperatures. This observation, also supported by our density functional theory calculations, suggests the presence of local structural distortions associated with yttrium sites, which do not affect the long-range crystal order.
A deep learning approach to classifying flow-induced vibration response regimes of an elliptical cylinder
Authors: Lo Jonathan C. C. , Thompson Mark C. , Hourigan Kerry , Zhao Jisheng
Published: April 2024

This study proposes a new approach that leverages deep learning to the study of flow-induced vibration (FIV), specifically to automate flow regime classification and to visualize the transitions between these regimes. Using previously obtained data on the amplitude response of an elastically mounted cylinder as a function of reduced velocity for a range of structural damping ratios, the time trace of the body displacement and fluid driving forces are first converted into a frequency-time representation using continuous wavelet transforms before being input to several pre-trained convolutional neural networks for feature extraction. When utilizing the outputs of each convolutional neural network for regime classification, we found that almost all the machine learning approaches had high cross-validation accuracy that was statistically insignificant from each other. The five best-performing classifiers were then used as an ensemble method, yielding a weighted accuracy of 99.1% on the test data. The FIV response regimes were further investigated by projecting the outputs of the pre-trained convolutional neural networks onto the first three modes identified with principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA plots indicated that, among all the models considered, Xception showed superior capability in delineating distinct locations for different FIV response regimes, based on the lock-in frequency and the presence of harmonics in the driving fluid forces. Moreover, the PCA plots also showed that increasing the structural damping ratio resulted in a diminished disparity in the dynamics of the identified FIV response regimes, leading to a less discernible separation between the regimes in the plots.
Experimental study of cavitation development in liquid in pulsed non-uniform electric field under the action of ponderomotive forces
Authors: Starikovskiy Andrey Yu. , Shneider Mikhail N.
Published: April 2024

In this paper, the Rayleigh scattering method is used to study the formation of cavitation in water in a pulsed inhomogeneous electric field when a nanosecond high voltage pulse is applied to a needlelike electrode. The observational results confirm the theoretical picture of cavitation development under the action of electrostrictive ponderomotive forces. The values of the negative pressure, the average size of the cavitation nanovoids, and their concentration were obtained from these measurements, which are in agreement with theoretical estimates.
Comparison of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and ICP analysis results for measuring Pb and Zn in soil
Authors: Yang Hyeon , Jo Young-Tae , Chong Jihyo , Won Yonggwan , Park Jeong-Hun
Published: April 2024

Context Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a rapid, multielement analytical technique. It is particularly suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of heavy metals in solid samples. Aims To validate the technique, the LIBS data were compared with the data obtained via conventional inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy for the same soil samples. Methods In this study, standard and unknown soil samples from contaminated areas were prepared and fixed to an adhesive tape for LIBS analysis. The soils were also digested with acids for ICP analysis. The emission intensity of one selected line for each of the two analytes, i.e. lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn), was normalised to the background signal and plotted as a function of the concentration values previously determined via ICP analysis. Key results The data demonstrated good linearity for the calibration lines drawn, and the correlation between the ICP and LIBS data was confirmed by the satisfactory agreement between the corresponding values. Conclusions The concentration coefficient of determination (R2) between LIBS and ICP-aqua regia digestion analysis or ICP-total digestion analysis were >0.86 and >0.89 for Pb and Zn, respectively. The total analysis time for the LIBS method was 310 min, which was 54.40% shorter than that for the ICP method (680 min). Implications Consequently, LIBS can be used to measure Pb and Zn in soils without any chemical preparation.
A hydrophobic groove in secretagogin allows for alternate interactions with SNAP-25 and syntaxin-4 in endocrine tissues
Authors: Szodorai Edit , Hevesi Zsofia , Wagner Ludwig , Hökfelt Tomas G. M. , Harkany Tibor , Schnell Robert
Published: April 2024

Vesicular release of neurotransmitters and hormones relies on the dynamic assembly of the exocytosis/trans-SNARE complex through sequential interactions of synaptobrevins, syntaxins, and SNAP-25. Despite SNARE-mediated release being fundamental for intercellular communication in all excitable tissues, the role of auxiliary proteins modulating the import of reserve vesicles to the active zone, and thus, scaling repetitive exocytosis remains less explored. Secretagogin is a Ca
2+
-sensor protein with SNAP-25 being its only known interacting partner. SNAP-25 anchors readily releasable vesicles within the active zone, thus being instrumental for 1st phase release. However, genetic deletion of secretagogin impedes 2nd phase release instead, calling for the existence of alternative protein–protein interactions. Here, we screened the secretagogin interactome in the brain and pancreas, and found syntaxin-4 grossly overrepresented. Ca
2+
-loaded secretagogin interacted with syntaxin-4 at nanomolar affinity and 1:1 stoichiometry. Crystal structures of the protein complexes revealed a hydrophobic groove in secretagogin for the binding of syntaxin-4. This groove was also used to bind SNAP-25. In mixtures of equimolar recombinant proteins, SNAP-25 was sequestered by secretagogin in competition with syntaxin-4. K
d
differences suggested that secretagogin could shape unidirectional vesicle movement by sequential interactions, a hypothesis supported by in vitro biological data. This mechanism could facilitate the movement of transport vesicles toward release sites, particularly in the endocrine pancreas where secretagogin, SNAP-25, and syntaxin-4 coexist in both α- and β-cells. Thus, secretagogin could modulate the pace and fidelity of vesicular hormone release by differential protein interactions.
Top–down modulation in canonical cortical circuits with short-term plasticity
Authors: Waitzmann Felix , Wu Yue Kris , Gjorgjieva Julijana
Published: April 2024

Cortical dynamics and computations are strongly influenced by diverse GABAergic interneurons, including those expressing parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SST), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Together with excitatory (E) neurons, they form a canonical microcircuit and exhibit counterintuitive nonlinear phenomena. One instance of such phenomena is response reversal, whereby SST neurons show opposite responses to top–down modulation via VIP depending on the presence of bottom–up sensory input, indicating that the network may function in different regimes under different stimulation conditions. Combining analytical and computational approaches, we demonstrate that model networks with multiple interneuron subtypes and experimentally identified short-term plasticity mechanisms can implement response reversal. Surprisingly, despite not directly affecting SST and VIP activity, PV-to-E short-term depression has a decisive impact on SST response reversal. We show how response reversal relates to inhibition stabilization and the paradoxical effect in the presence of several short-term plasticity mechanisms demonstrating that response reversal coincides with a change in the indispensability of SST for network stabilization. In summary, our work suggests a role of short-term plasticity mechanisms in generating nonlinear phenomena in networks with multiple interneuron subtypes and makes several experimentally testable predictions.
Linear resistivity at van Hove singularities in twisted bilayer WSe
2
Authors: Wei LingNan , Xu Qiaoling , He Yangchen , Li Qingxin , Huang Yan , Zhu Wang , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Claassen Martin , Rhodes Daniel A. , Kennes Dante M. , Xian Lede , Rubio Angel , Wang Lei
Published: April 2024

Different mechanisms driving a linear temperature dependence of the resistivity
ρ
∼
T
at van Hove singularities (VHSs) or metal-insulator transitions when doping a Mott insulator are being debated intensively with competing theoretical proposals. We experimentally investigate this using the exceptional tunability of twisted bilayer (TB) WSe
2
by tracking the parameter regions where linear-in-
T
resistivity is found in dependency of displacement fields, filling, and magnetic fields. We find that even when the VHSs are tuned rather far away from the half-filling point and the Mott insulating transition is absent, the
T
-linear resistivity persists at the VHSs. When doping away from the VHSs, the
T
-linear behavior quickly transitions into a Fermi liquid behavior with a
T
2
relation. No apparent dependency of the linear-in-
T
resistivity, besides a rather strong change of prefactor, is found when applying displacement fields as long as the filling is tuned to the VHSs, including D ∼ 0.28 V/nm where a high-order VHS is expected. Intriguingly, such non-Fermi liquid linear-in-
T
resistivity persists even when magnetic fields break the spin-degeneracy of the VHSs at which point two linear in
T
regions emerge, for each of the split VHSs separately. This points to a mechanism of enhanced scattering at generic VHSs rather than only at high-order VHSs or by a quantum critical point during a Mott transition. Our findings provide insights into the many-body consequences arising out of VHSs, especially the non-Fermi liquid behavior found in moiré materials.
Hi-gMISnet: generalized medical image segmentation using DWT based multilayer fusion and dual mode attention into high resolution pGAN
Authors: Showrav Tushar Talukder , Hasan Md Kamrul
Published: April 2024

Objective. Automatic medical image segmentation is crucial for accurately isolating target tissue areas in the image from background tissues, facilitating precise diagnoses and procedures. While the proliferation of publicly available clinical datasets led to the development of deep learning-based medical image segmentation methods, a generalized, accurate, robust, and reliable approach across diverse imaging modalities remains elusive. Approach. This paper proposes a novel high-resolution parallel generative adversarial network (pGAN)-based generalized deep learning method for automatic segmentation of medical images from diverse imaging modalities. The proposed method showcases better performance and generalizability by incorporating novel components such as partial hybrid transfer learning, discrete wavelet transform (DWT)-based multilayer and multiresolution feature fusion in the encoder, and a dual mode attention gate in the decoder of the multi-resolution U-Net-based GAN. With multi-objective adversarial training loss functions including a unique reciprocal loss for enforcing cooperative learning in pGANs, it further enhances the robustness and accuracy of the segmentation map. Main results. Experimental evaluations conducted on nine diverse publicly available medical image segmentation datasets, including PhysioNet ICH, BUSI, CVC-ClinicDB, MoNuSeg, GLAS, ISIC-2018, DRIVE, Montgomery, and PROMISE12, demonstrate the proposed method’s superior performance. The proposed method achieves mean F1 scores of 79.53%, 88.68%, 82.50%, 93.25%, 90.40%, 94.19%, 81.65%, 98.48%, and 90.79%, respectively, on the above datasets, surpass state-of-the-art segmentation methods. Furthermore, our proposed method demonstrates robust multi-domain segmentation capabilities, exhibiting consistent and reliable performance. The assessment of the model’s proficiency in accurately identifying small details indicates that the high-resolution generalized medical image segmentation network (Hi-gMISnet) is more precise in segmenting even when the target area is very small. Significance. The proposed method provides robust and reliable segmentation performance on medical images, and thus it has the potential to be used in a clinical setting for the diagnosis of patients.
Lead and zinc chemical fraction alterations in multi-metal contaminated soil with pomelo peel biochar and biochar/apatite incubation
Authors: Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy , Vu Thi Anh Ngoc , Nguyen Duc Phuong , Nguyen Vu Huyen Ngoc , Pham Thi Thu Ha , Truong Thi Thao , Khieu Thi Tam , Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan , Vuong Truong Xuan
Published: April 2024

The issue of heavy metal soil contamination is widespread, and the negative effects of heavy metals on the ecosystem depend on their chemical speciation in contaminated soil. Pomelo peel-derived biochar produced at 300 °C (PPB300) and 500 °C (PPB500) and its combination with apatite ore (AP) was applied to immobilize lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in agricultural multi-metal polluted soil. Soil amendments including biochar (PPB300 and PPB500) at concentrations of 3%, 5%, and 10%, as well as a mixture of biochar and apatite (AP) at 3:3% and 5:5% weight ratios, were introduced into the soil matrix. The chemical forms of Pb and Zn in incubated soil samples and control soil (CS) were studied utilizing the Tessier’s sequential extraction procedure. The chemical partitioning of heavy metals was carried out using Tessier’s extraction protocol, yielding fractions representing exchangeable (F1), carbonate (F2), Fe/Mn oxide (F3), organic matter (F4), and residual (F5) forms. Quantification of Pb and Zn concentrations was accomplished via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Observations revealed notable elevations in pH, organic carbon (OC), and electrical conductivity (EC) levels within the treated soil relative to the control soil (p < 0.05). After incubating PPB300, PPB500, and AP for 30 days, there was a reduction in the exchangeable fraction of Pb and Zn by approximately 64% and 58% respectively. This reduction was achieved by transforming heavy metals from mobile fractions to immobile fractions using five primary mechanisms: chemical and physical adsorption, electrostatic attraction, the formation of complexes via interactions with active groups, cation exchange processes, and precipitation events mediated by phosphate, carbonate ions, or hydroxyl ions within an alkaline environment. Therefore, pomelo peel-derived biochar and the blend of biochar/apatite show promise as materials for mitigating heavy metal pollution in soil.
Modeling and control of planar dielectric elastomer energy harvester
Authors: Kaaya Theophilus , Chen Zheng
Published: April 2024

Dielectric Elastomer Generators (DEGs) have been used as mechanical-electrical transducers in energy harvesting systems. However, material safety assurance control, which prevents dielectric elastomer (DE) failures, is not fully investigated. Since various DEG configurations share common failure modes, incorporating these modes into the system is crucial for extending DEG lifetime and improving output power capacity of DE energy harvesters. This paper develops a physics-based model for a planar DE energy harvester and material failure modes identified through analytical analysis of the model. A real-time algorithm for internal safety control is developed to allow operation within a broader feasible region while preventing electrical breakdown (EB), electromechanical instability (EMI), loss of tension (LT), or rupture by stretch (RS). The algorithm prioritizes safety control when the feasible space is violated and allows primary control when operating within the safe space. As a step towards prototyping of an energy harvester using a DE, a prototype concept model is outlined. By using the safety control algorithm, energy harvesting output power is maximized without violating material safety rules, making it applicable to various energy source conversions like human motion, tidal wave, and wind energy.
Cachexia index for prognostication in surgical patients with locally advanced oesophageal or gastric cancer: multicentre cohort study
Authors: Brown Leo R , Thomson Georgina G , Gardner Ellen , Chien Siobhan , McGovern Josh , Dolan Ross D , McSorley Stephen T , Forshaw Matthew J , McMillan Donald C , Wigmore Stephen J , Crumley Andrew B , Skipworth Richard J E
Published: April 2024

Background

Features of cancer cachexia adversely influence patient outcomes, yet few currently inform clinical decision-making. This study assessed the value of the cachexia index (CXI), a novel prognostic marker, in patients for whom neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery for oesophagogastric cancer is planned.

Methods

Consecutive patients newly diagnosed with locally advanced (T3–4 or at least N1) oesophagogastric cancer between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015 were identified through the West of Scotland and South-East Scotland Cancer Networks. CXI was calculated as (L3 skeletal muscle index) × (serum albumin)/(neutrophil lymphocyte ratio). Sex-stratified cut-off values were determined based on the area under the curve (AUC), and patients were divided into groups with low or normal CXI. Primary outcomes were disease progression during neoadjuvant chemotherapy and overall survival (at least 5 years of follow-up).

Results

Overall, 385 patients (72% men, median age 66 years) were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for oesophageal (274) or gastric (111) cancer across the study interval. Although patients with a low CXI (men: CXI below 52 (AUC 0.707); women: CXI below 41 (AUC 0.759)) were older with more co-morbidity, disease characteristics were comparable to those in patients with a normal CXI. Rates of disease progression during neoadjuvant chemotherapy, leading to inoperability, were higher in patients with a low CXI (28 versus 12%; adjusted OR 3.07, 95% c.i. 1.67 to 5.64; P < 0.001). Low CXI was associated with worsened postoperative mortality (P = 0.019) and decreased overall survival (median 14.9 versus 56.9 months; adjusted HR 1.85, 1.42 to 2.42; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

CXI is associated with disease progression, worse postoperative mortality, and overall survival, and could improve prognostication and decision-making in patients with locally advanced oesophagogastric cancer.
Digital recruitment and compliance to treatment recommendations in the Norwegian Atrial Fibrillation self-screening pilot study
Authors: Sandberg Edvard Liljedahl , Halvorsen Sigrun , Berge Trygve , Grimsmo Jostein , Atar Dan , Leangen Grenne Bjørnar , Jortveit Jarle
Published: April 2024

Aims

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent, undiagnosed in approximately one-third of cases, and is associated with severe complications. Guidelines recommend screening individuals at increased risk of stroke. This report evaluated the digital recruitment procedure and compliance with the follow-up recommendations in participants with screen-detected AF in the Norwegian Atrial Fibrillation self-screening pilot study.

Methods and results

Norwegians ≥65 years were invited through Facebooks posts, web pages, and newspapers to participate in the study. Targeted Facebook posts promoted over 11 days reached 84 208 users and 10 582 visitors to the study homepage. This accounted for 51% of the total homepage visitors (n = 20 704). A total of 2118 (10%) of the homepage visitors provided digital consent to participate after they met the inclusion criteria. The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 70 (4) years, and the majority [n = 1569 (74%)] were women. A total of 1849 (87%) participants completed the electrocardiogram self-screening test, identifying AF in 41 (2.2%) individuals. Of these, 39 (95%) participants consulted a general practitioner, and 34 (83%) participants initiated anticoagulation therapy.

Conclusion

Digital recruitment and inclusion in digital AF screening with a high rate of initiation of anticoagulation therapy in AF positive screening cases are feasible. However, digital recruitment and inclusion may introduce selection bias with regard to age and gender. Larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a fully digital AF screening.

Trial registration

Clinical trials: NCT04700865
Atrial fibrillation: age at diagnosis, incident cardiovascular events, and mortality
Authors: Paludan-Müller Christian , Vad Oliver B , Stampe Niels K , Diederichsen Søren Z , Andreasen Laura , Monfort Laia M , Fosbøl Emil L , Køber Lars , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Svendsen Jesper H , Olesen Morten S
Published: April 2024

Background and Aims

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risks of cardiovascular diseases and mortality, but risks according to age at diagnosis have not been reported. This study investigated age-specific risks of outcomes among patients with AF and the background population.

Methods

This nationwide population-based cohort study included patients with AF and controls without outcomes by the application of exposure density matching on the basis of sex, year of birth, and index date. The absolute risks and hazard rates were stratified by age groups and assessed using competing risk survival analyses and Cox regression models, respectively. The expected differences in residual life years among participants were estimated.

Results

The study included 216 579 AF patients from year 2000 to 2020 and 866 316 controls. The mean follow-up time was 7.9 years. Comparing AF patients with matched controls, the hazard ratios among individuals ≤50 years was 8.90 [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.17–11.0] for cardiomyopathy, 8.64 (95% CI, 7.74–9.64) for heart failure, 2.18 (95% CI, 1.89–2.52) for ischaemic stroke, and 2.74 (95% CI, 2.53–2.96) for mortality. The expected average loss of life years among individuals ≤50 years was 9.2 years (95% CI, 9.0–9.3) years. The estimates decreased with older age.

Conclusions

The findings show that earlier diagnosis of AF is associated with a higher hazard ratio of subsequent myocardial disease and shorter life expectancy. Further studies are needed to determine causality and whether AF could be used as a risk marker among particularly younger patients.
When socialization fails: breaking the habit of engagement with China
Authors: Pedersen-Macnab Michaela , Bernstein Steven
Published: April 2024

Why do states sustain failing policy? The literature on path dependency and cognitive habits shows how foreign policy logics become axiomatic. Yet these explanations focus too much on people and not enough on policies. We argue that the content of policies matters for the degree and depth of their entrenchment. Policies with long-term time horizons, immeasurable objectives and diffuse effects are especially vulnerable to stasis. Engagement policies toward China are a paradigmatic example. We focus on Canada's engagement policy, which exhibits both stasis and change, and refer to similar policies of other countries. Drawing on primary evidence including interviews with high-level diplomats and decision-makers, we find that engagement aimed at socializing China was sustained despite growing evidence of its failure—including through a multi-year diplomatic crisis. Change only became possible through ‘institutionalized debate’, meaning the purposeful creation of formal channels for debate. The article makes three contributions. First, we identify a novel explanation of stasis, showing that the content of policies matters. Second, we introduce a practical pathway—institutionalized debate—that can disrupt stasis once a policy logic is habituated. Finally, we identify an aspect of socialization ignored in the literature: when operationalized as policy, it becomes resistant to reversal.
Building the Future of Infectious Diseases: A Call to Action for Quality Improvement Research and Measurement
Authors: Madaline Theresa , Classen David C , Eby Joshua C
Published: April 2024

Quality is central to value-based care, and measurement is essential for assessing performance and understanding improvement over time. Both value-based care and methods for quality measurement are evolving. Infectious diseases (ID) has been less engaged than other specialties in quality measure development, and ID providers must seize the opportunity to engage with quality measure development and research. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are an ideal starting point for ID-related quality measure development; antimicrobial stewardship program interventions and best practices are ID specific, measurable, and effective, yet they are grossly undercompensated. Herein, we provide a scheme for prioritizing research focused on development of ID-specific quality measures. Maturation of quality measurement research in ID, beginning with an initial focus on stewardship-related conditions and then expanding to non-stewardship topics, will allow ID to take control of its future in value-based care and promote the growth of ID through greater recognition of its value.
Global Power Shifts and the Cotton Subsidy Problem: How Emerging Powers Became the New Kings of Cotton Subsidies
Authors: Hopewell Kristen
Published: April 2024

Cotton is one of the most contentious issues in the global trading system. Subsidies provided by richer countries have had a devastating impact on the welfare of poor cotton farmers in the developing world. Cotton subsidies have long been seen as a symbol of the injustices of the trading system—a harm perpetrated by the rich countries of the Global North against the poor countries of the Global South. This conception of the global cotton subsidy problem is deeply entrenched and has profoundly shaped contemporary debates about power and fairness in the multilateral trading system. As this article shows, however, the prevailing view of the global cotton subsidy problem is now simply outdated and inaccurate. Today, the biggest providers of cotton subsidies are no longer the United States and EU but emerging economic powers like China and India. These major developing countries are providing large volume of subsidies, which are distorting global production and trade, and harming some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable farmers in other developing countries. The cotton subsidy problem is no longer simply a North–South issue. Addressing the problem requires tackling all harmful subsidies, including those from large emerging economies.
Love and Care in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda
Authors: Schulz Philipp , Apio Eunice Otuko , Oryem Robin
Published: April 2024

Dominant storylines about armed conflicts and rebel groups, such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group in Uganda, typically focus on violence, suffering, harm, and abuse. Without a doubt, life within insurgency groups, including in the LRA, is characterized by immense social suffering, typically portrayed to be beyond the pale of humanity. Yet, what of the connections of compassion, joy, love, and care that emerged in the context of cohesion and alongside these aspects and experiences of violence, suffering, and abuse? Over the years, our interlocutors narrated to us what can be understood as meaningful forms of kinship, social connections, or intimacy during and after their time with the group; in the context of conjugal spousal relations, among fellow recruits, or between abductees and their families and communities. This article focuses on these practices of love and care within and in the wake of life in the LRA, and how they are entangled with and sit alongside experiences of violence. The simultaneities of care and suffering constitute a key aspect of this analysis; not intending to negate, downplay, ignore, or trivialize the detrimental impact of violence within rebel groups in general, nor to idealize the relations of compassion, love, or care that emerged within this context. This dual focus, we maintain, is important for unearthing the complexities, intricacies, and nuances of peoples’ lived realities in the context of insurgency movements, and in the context of armed conflict more broadly, holding important analytical and ethical implications.
The responses of photosynthetic rate of dominant species to extreme drought in Inner Mongolia grasslands
Authors: Shi Yalong , Cao Yuanbo , Wu Honghui , Xu Chong , Yu Qiang , Zuo Xiaoan , Han Xingguo , Smith Melinda D , Knapp Alan K , Wang Chengjie , Han Guodong
Published: April 2024

Estimating the effects of extreme drought on the photosynthetic rates (Pn) of dominant plant species is crucial for understanding the mechanisms driving the impacts of extreme drought on ecosystem functioning. Extreme drought may result from either reduced rainfall amount or decreased rainfall frequency, and the impacts of different patterns of extreme drought may vary greatly. In addition, different grasslands likely appear various sensitivity to different extreme drought patterns. However, there have been no reports on the effects of different extreme drought patterns on dominant species Pn in different grassland types. Here, we conducted multi-year extreme drought simulation experiments (reducing each rainfall event by 66% during the growing season, CHR vs. completely excluding rainfall during a shorter portion of the growing season, INT) in two different grasslands (desert grassland vs. typical grassland) from 2014. The Pn of two dominant species in each grassland was measured in July and August 2017. Both CHR and INT significantly decreased dominant species Pn, with INT causing more negative impacts on Pn regardless of grassland types. The response ratios of Pn in desert grassland were generally higher than that of typical grassland, especially for Leymus chinensis in CHR. These results demonstrated that decreased rainfall frequency had a more negative effect on Pn compared with reduced rainfall amount, with grassland types changing the magnitude, but not the direction, of the effects of extreme drought patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering extreme drought patterns and grassland types in ecosystem management in the face of future extreme droughts.
Successful treatment of a large profunda femoris artery aneurysm and associated pseudoaneurysm using endovascular stenting
Authors: Jess Rebecca , Summerour Virginia , Garnham Andrew , Wall Michael Lewis , Al-Saadi Nina , Randhawa Kiran
Published: April 2024

Profunda femoris artery aneurysms are a rare form of peripheral arterial aneurysm. In this report, we present the case of an 83-year-old lady who was found to have a 65 mm aneurysm arising from the proximal left profunda femoris artery and associated pseudoaneurysm. Successful treatment was achieved using an endovascular approach in which two stents were deployed.
Laparoscopic approach of inguinal hernia associated with adult cryptorchidism: case series and literature review
Authors: Ungureanu Claudiu , Stanculea Floris , Ginghina Octav , Cristian Daniel A , Grigorean Valentin T , Popescu Razvan , Georgescu Dragos , Iordache Niculae
Published: April 2024

Cryptorchidism is defined as the extra-scrotal position of the testes. It is a common disorder in male children, but rarely in adult patients. The association of cryptorchidism with hernia is a common finding in childhood, but is not frequent in adults or the elderly. Herein, we report a series of three cases (28-, 24-, and 34-year-old men) of adult inguinal hernia combined with cryptorchidism successfully managed by laparoscopic surgery under the same operative view. Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair and orchiectomy were performed in all patients. No complications occurred in the postoperative period, and the patients were discharged on the first or second postoperative day. Pathological examination of the specimens revealed atrophic testes without malignancy. No hernia recurrence was observed during follow-up. The laparoscopic approach in the combined pathology of inguinal hernia and cryptorchidism is feasible in adult patients and has multiple advantages in terms of diagnosis and management.
Polarized QED cascades over pulsar polar caps
Authors: Song Huai-Hang , Tamburini Matteo
Published: April 2024

The formation of e± plasmas within pulsar magnetospheres through quantum electrodynamics (QED) cascades in vacuum gaps is widely acknowledged. This paper aims to investigate the effect of photon polarization during the QED cascade occurring over the polar cap of a pulsar. We employ a Monte Carlo-based QED algorithm that accurately accounts for both spin and polarization effects during photon emission and pair production in both single-particle and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. Our findings reveal distinctive properties in the photon polarization of curvature radiation (CR) and synchrotron radiation (SR). CR photons exhibit high linear polarization parallel to the plane of the curved magnetic field lines, whereas SR photons, on average, demonstrate weak polarization. As the QED cascade progresses, SR photons gradually dominate over CR photons, thus reducing the average degree of photon polarization. Additionally, our study highlights an intriguing observation: the polarization of CR photons enhances e± pair production by approximately 5 per cent, in contrast to the inhibition observed in laser–plasma interactions. Our self-consistent QED-PIC simulations in the corotating frame reproduce the essential results obtained from single-particle simulations.
Autonomous disentangling for spectroscopic surveys
Authors: Seeburger Rhys , Rix Hans-Walter , El-Badry Kareem , Xiang Maosheng , Fouesneau Morgan
Published: April 2024

A suite of spectroscopic surveys is producing vast sets of stellar spectra with the goal of advancing stellar physics and Galactic evolution by determining their basic physical properties. A substantial fraction of these stars are in binary systems, but almost all large-survey modelling pipelines treat them as single stars. For sets of multi-epoch spectra, spectral disentangling is a powerful technique to recover or constrain the individual components’ spectra of a multiple system. So far, this approach has focused on small samples or individual objects, usually with high-resolution ($R \gtrsim 10.000$) spectra and many epochs ($\gtrsim 8$). Here, we present a disentangling implementation that accounts for several aspects of few-epoch spectra from large surveys: that vast sample sizes require automatic determination of starting guesses; that some of the most extensive spectroscopic surveys have a resolution of only $\approx 2000$; that few epochs preclude unique orbit fitting; that one needs effective regularization of the disentangled solution to ensure resulting spectra are smooth. We describe the implementation of this code and show with simulated spectra how well spectral recovery can work for hot and cool stars at $R \approx 2000$. Moreover, we verify the code on two established binary systems, the ‘Unicorn’ and ‘Giraffe’. This code can serve to explore new regimes in survey disentangling in search of massive stars with massive dark companions, for example, the $\gtrsim 200\,000$ hot stars of the SDSS-V survey.
Evaluation of prognostic biomarkers in meningiomas and their clinical implications in settings with limited resources
Authors: Singh Jyotsna , Mohan Trishala , Sahu Saumya , Sharma Mehar C , Suri Ashish , Sarkar Chitra , Suri Vaishali
Published: April 2024

Background

The 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Central Nervous System (CNS) tumor classification for meningiomas acknowledges the clinical relevance of genomic profiling studies and emphasizes the importance of incorporating molecular information alongside histopathological features, leading to more accurate diagnoses and improved patient care.

Methods

We analyzed 206 meningioma samples (108 histological grade 1, 89 grade 2, and 9 grade 3) to study pTERT mutations, CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, loss of H3K27me3, and p16 expression. The association of these molecular markers with survival outcomes was also assessed.

Results

pTERT mutation was found in 4.85% of cases, predominantly occurring in histological grade 2 (11.24%), while none of the histological grade 1 or 3 meningiomas exhibited this mutation. CDKN2A/B gene deletion was absent in grade 1 and detected in 2.24% of grade2, and 33.3% of histological grade 3 cases. There was a significant increase in loss of H3K27me3 with higher tumor grades, while p16 loss was observed in over 50% of cases across all histological grades. The presence of pTERT mutation and CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion resulted in the reclassification of 5.33% (11/206) of meningiomas as integrated grade 3. pTERT mutation and CDKN2A/B deletion, emerged as prognostically relevant markers, showing significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) between integrated grade 3 and histological grade 2 meningiomas (P = .0002).

Conclusions

pTERT mutations are the most clinically relevant genetic alterations in meningiomas. Routine testing for pTERT mutations can identify high-risk cases of histologically grade 2 meningiomas, providing crucial prognostic information for treatment planning. CDKN2A/B alteration is rare and not cost-effective in assessing meningiomas. Immunohistochemical assessment of p16 and H3K27me3 expression lacks significant prognostic value. Assessment of pTERT mutations offers a cost-effective and valuable diagnostic tool for meningiomas.
Narrative influence on support of a public policy: The case of nuclear power in The Netherlands
Authors: de Lint Lotte , Roßmann Maximilian , Vostroknutov Alexander
Published: April 2024

We propose a new methodology to systematically transform presurveyed argument preferences into fictional narratives, that can help people to imagine the consequences of future events, and measure how they impact willingness to pay for a public policy. We apply narrative theory to construct two short narratives that depict an imaginary future, bleak due to climate change or energy dependence, and show experimentally that exposure to these narratives increases contributions in a Public Goods game, framed as payments toward the construction of new nuclear plant in The Netherlands. Our results suggest that fictional narratives can be used (and misused) as a tool of economic policy that allows conveying relevant information to people about complex issues. We discuss the ethical use of narratives and the value of their transparent construction for democratic will-formation and policy implementation when abstract factual information can be difficult to process or comprehend.
Jacobi–Lie Models and Supergravity Equations
Authors: Hlavatý Ladislav , Petr Ivo
Published: April 2024

Poisson–Lie T-duality/plurality was recently generalized to Jacobi–Lie T-plurality formulated in terms of double field theory and based on Leibniz algebras given by the structure coefficients fabc, fcab, and Za, Za. We investigate three- and four-dimensional sigma models corresponding to six-dimensional Leibniz algebras with fbba ≠ 0, Za = 0. We show that these algebras are plural one to another and, moreover, to an algebra with fbba = 0, Za = 0. These pluralities are used for construction of Jacobi–Lie models.

It was conjectured that plural models should satisfy generalized supergravity equations. We have found examples of models satisfying “true” generalized supergravity equations where no trivialization to usual supergravity equations is possible. On the other hand, we show that there are also models corresponding to algebras with fbba ≠ 0, Za = 0 where the Killing vector appearing in generalized supergravity equations either vanishes or can be removed by suitable gauge transformation. Such models then satisfy usual supergravity equations, i.e. vanishing beta-function equations.