bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of MoS2 films via simultaneous grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRD/GIXRF)
Authors: Rodriguez Mark A. , Babuska Tomas F. , Curry John , Griego James J. M. , Dugger Mike T. , Larson Steven R. , Mings Alex
Published: September 2024

Physical vapor deposited (PVD) molybdenum disulfide (nominal composition MoS2) is employed as a thin film solid lubricant for extreme environments where liquid lubricants are not viable. The tribological properties of MoS2 are highly dependent on morphological attributes such as film thickness, orientation, crystallinity, film density, and stoichiometry. These structural characteristics are controlled by tuning the PVD process parameters, yet undesirable alterations in the structure often occur due to process variations between deposition runs. Nondestructive film diagnostics can enable improved yield and serve as a means of tuning a deposition process, thus enabling quality control and materials exploration. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) for MoS2 film characterization provides valuable information about film density and grain orientation (texture). However, the determination of film stoichiometry can only be indirectly inferred via GIXRD. The combination of density and microstructure via GIXRD with chemical composition via grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) enables the isolation and decoupling of film density, composition, and microstructure and their ultimate impact on film layer thickness, thereby improving coating thickness predictions via X-ray fluorescence. We have augmented an existing GIXRD instrument with an additional X-ray detector for the simultaneous measurement of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectra during the GIXRD analysis. This combined GIXRD/GIXRF analysis has proven synergetic for correlating chemical composition to the structural aspects of MoS2 films provided by GIXRD. We present the usefulness of the combined diagnostic technique via exemplar MoS2 film samples and provide a discussion regarding data extraction techniques of grazing angle series measurements.
High-output cardiac failure in the setting of iron deficiency anaemia: a case report
Authors: Kandoi Kesha , Gan Stephen , Gamboa David , Ganigara Madhusudan
Published: September 2024

We present a case of a child with high-output heart failure and severe iron deficiency anaemia-induced dilated cardiomyopathy managed with serial blood transfusions, preload and afterload reducing agents, inotropic therapies, and long-term iron supplementation. The complete resolution of echocardiogram findings of moderate enlargement of all cardiac chambers and moderately depressed left ventricular systolic function was achieved.
The role of Italian pre-participation screening in early detection of cardiomyopathies: what is the meaning of T wave inversion in young athletes?
Authors: Tranchita Eliana , Cafiero Giulia , Giordano Ugo , Gentili Federica , Turchetta Attilio , Cantarutti Nicoletta , Cicenia Marianna , Battipaglia Irma , Di Mambro Corrado , Baban Anwar , Secinaro Aurelio , Drago Fabrizio
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

The presence of T wave inversion on screening electrocardiogram may represent an early sign of cardiomyopathies in athletes. This finding even in very young athletes can generate some suspicion and may determine a contraindication to practice competitive sport. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of T wave inversion in a population of young competitive athletes and determine whether they can be associated with the occurrence of cardiomyopathies in the absence of other pathological features.

Methods:

A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out and 581 subjects were screened for competitive sport eligibility. Based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, 53 athletes showed T wave inversion and they were selected to undergo further investigations.

Results:

In 32,1% of cases, we have identified the cause of T wave inversions and we suspended them from competition. In particular, in 15% of athletes who showed T wave inversions, we found cardiomyopathies.

Discussion:

Prevalence of T wave inversion in this population of athletes was 9,1%. At the end of second and third-level evaluations, eight athletes with T wave inversion showed an early form of cardiomyopathy and were suspended from competitive sport. Most of them showed T wave inversion in infero-lateral leads on electrocardiogram.

Conclusion:

The probability that competitive athletes have a concealed cardiomyopathy is low, but not negligible. Pre-participation screening for competitive sport activity represents an excellent opportunity to early identify cardiomyopathies and other pathologies that increase the risk of sudden death in apparently healthy young athletes.
Subclinical left ventricular structural and functional alterations in children with obesity: is body mass or insulin resistance the main issue?
Authors: Civilibal Tang Nazlican , Oztarhan Kazim , Bornaun Helen , Civilibal Ata Mert
Published: September 2024

Objective:

Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to assess the left ventricular structure and functions in children with obesity.

Methods:

This study included 29 patients with metabolic syndrome, 31 patients with obesity without metabolic syndrome, and 30 healthy children of similar age and gender. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical findings and left ventricular structure and functions evaluated by conventional pulsed wave Doppler and tissue Doppler echocardiography were compared.

Results:

The left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness were significantly higher in children with obesity compared to controls. The mean left ventricular mass index of children with metabolic syndrome was also higher than for those without it. Most children with obesity had normal left ventricular geometry; concentric hypertrophy (27.6%) was more common in children with metabolic syndrome, and eccentric hypertrophy (25.7%) was more common in those without. The early to late diastolic mitral annular velocity ratios obtained with conventional pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography and tissue Doppler echocardiography (E/A and Em/Am, respectively) were lower in children with obesity than controls. In addition, the ratio obtained by tissue Doppler echocardiography was lower in children with metabolic syndrome than without. The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index has been identified as independent factors for left ventricular structures and functions.

Conclusion:

Obesity causes subclinical left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. Additional metabolic syndrome-related risks lead to further deterioration of cardiac morphology and functions.
Cardiac biomarkers in COVID-19: what did we learn?
Authors: Srour Lara , Ismail Jaafar , Zareef Rana , Arabi Mariam
Published: September 2024

Objectives:

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has generated a global pandemic with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Cardiovascular complications are frequently observed in individuals with COVID-19, particularly those with preexisting cardiovascular risk factors or diseases. Cardiac biomarkers, including troponin, natriuretic peptides, and inflammatory markers, play a vital role in risk stratification, diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis in COVID-19 patients. These biomarkers provide valuable insights into cardiac injury, myocardial stress, inflammation, and the prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This review aims to provide better understanding of how Cardiac biomarkers correlate to clinical manifestation of COVID-19.

Methods:

We retrieved studies from PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholars that included results on cardiac biomarkers in COVID-19. Total of 14 studies were reviewed.

Results:

8 studies showed evidence of poor progression of the disease when there is increased troponin. 6 studies out of the 14 mentioned in this review showed positive correlation between mortality and elevation in cardiac biomarkers. This shows the significance of cardiac biomarkers in predicting the mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Conclusion:

It was shown that elevated cardiac biomarkers were associated significantly to poor outcome of covid-19 infection. The outcomes that were linked to increased cardiac biomarkers included increased length of hospitalization, need of life sustaining treatment, myocarditis, invasive and non-invasive respiratory support, and even death were linked to elevated cardiac biomarkers levels.
An infant case of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease-associated dilated cardiomyopathy-like hypertensive cardiomyopathy diagnosed because of urinary tract infection
Authors: Akiba Takato , Tanaka Noboru , Nakagawa Mayu , Matsui Kotoko , Fukunaga Hideo , Shimizu Toshiaki
Published: September 2024

We report a case of dilated cardiomyopathy-like hypertensive cardiomyopathy (HTN-CM) with polycystic kidney disease without family history when a 3-month-old boy developed bacteraemia secondary to a urinary tract infection. He was later confirmed as having autosomal recessive inheritance due to the proven PKHD1 gene mutation. The treatment consisted mainly of antihypertensive and anti-heart failure therapies and he was discharged on the 131st day. To prevent the development of heart failure in patients with HTN-CM due to autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), it is important to improve the fetal diagnosis rate of ARPKD, detect hypertension early, and strictly control the blood pressure after birth.
Comparison of paediatric patients evaluated for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome with and without tachycardia
Authors: Boris Jeffrey R. , Sniatynski Matthew J. , Bernadzikowski Thomas , Kristal Bruce S.
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is a debilitating disorder. We compared paediatric patients with this dysautonomia presenting with and without peak upright heart rate > 100 beats per minute.

Materials and Methods:

Subjects were drawn from the Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome Program database of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia diagnosed between 2007 and 2018. Subjects were aged 12–18 years at diagnosis with demographic data, supine and peak heart rate from 10-minute stand, symptoms, and family history. Patients were divided into “low heart rate” (peak less than 100 beats/minute) and “high heart rate” (peak at least 100 beats/minute) groups.

Results:

In total, 729 subjects were included (low heart rate group: 131 patients, high heart rate group: 598 patients). The low heart rate group had later age at diagnosis (16.1 versus 15.7, p = 0.0027). Median heart rate increase was 32 beats/minute in the low heart rate group versus 40 beats/minute in the high heart rate group (p < 0.00001). Excluding palpitations and tachypalpitations, there were no differences in symptom type or frequency between groups.

Discussion:

Paediatric patients meeting heart rate criteria for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome but without peak heart rate > 100 demonstrate no difference in symptom type or frequency versus those who meet both criteria. Differences observed reached statistical significance due to population size but are not clinically meaningful. This suggests that increased heart rate, but not necessarily tachycardia, is seen in these patients, supporting previous findings suggesting maximal heart rate is not a major determinant of symptom prevalence in paediatric postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
CONGRUENCE SUBGROUPS OF BRAID GROUPS AND CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC QUOTIENTS. PART I
Authors: BELLINGERI PAOLO , DAMIANI CELESTE , OCAMPO OSCAR , STYLIANAKIS CHARALAMPOS
Published: September 2024

This paper is the first of a two part series devoted to describing relations between congruence and crystallographic braid groups. We recall and introduce some elements belonging to congruence braid groups and we establish some (iso)-morphisms between crystallographic braid groups and corresponding quotients of congruence braid groups.
ASYMPTOTIC BEHAVIOUR OF THE LEAST ENERGY SOLUTIONS TO FRACTIONAL NEUMANN PROBLEMS
Authors: GANDAL SOMNATH , TYAGI JAGMOHAN
Published: September 2024

We study the asymptotic behaviour of the least energy solutions to the following class of nonlocal Neumann problems:

$$ \begin{align*} \begin{cases} { d(-\Delta)^{s}u+ u= \vert u\vert^{p-1}u } & \text{in } \Omega, \\ {u>0} & \text{in } \Omega, \\ { \mathcal{N}_{s}u=0 } & \text{in } \mathbb{R}^{n}\setminus \overline{\Omega}, \end{cases} \end{align*} $$

where

$\Omega \subset \mathbb {R}^{n}$

is a bounded domain of class

$C^{1,1}$

,

$1
\max \{1, 2s \}, 0<s<1, d>0$

and

$\mathcal {N}_{s}u$

is the nonlocal Neumann derivative. We show that for small

$d,$

the least energy solutions

$u_d$

of the above problem achieve an

$L^{\infty }$

-bound independent of

$d.$

Using this together with suitable

$L^{r}$

-estimates on

$u_d,$

we show that the least energy solution

$u_d$

achieves a maximum on the boundary of

$\Omega $

for d sufficiently small.
The economics of cognitive institutions: mapping debates, looking ahead
Authors: Frolov Daniil
Published: September 2024

In the philosophy of mind and cognitive science, there is a pronounced paradigm shift associated with the transition from internalism to externalism. The externalist paradigm views cognitive processes as not isolated in the brain, but as interrelated with external artefacts and structures. The paper focuses on one of the leading externalist approaches – extended cognition. Despite the dominance of internalism in economics, in its main schools, there is an emerging trend towards extended cognition ideas. In my opinion, economists might develop the most advanced version of the extended cognition approach: socially extended cognition based on cognitive institutions. This paper analyses extended cognition ideas in institutional, Austrian, and behavioural economics and identifies numerous overlapping approaches and complementary research areas. I argue that the economics of cognitive institutions is a promising field for all economic schools and propose a preliminary research agenda.
Backsliding Democracy and the Slippery Slope of Conceptual Weakness
Authors: Fleck Zoltán
Published: September 2024

This article discusses the thin socio-legal conceptualisation of the rule of law in Hungary. Employing a culturalist perspective, it first shows how the rule of law had a thin foundation prior to the Second World War in this country. Then, the contribution demonstrates how, contrary to previous understandings, even in the most advanced stages of rule of law building in Hungary, in the early 1990s, the resulting concept had been thin mainly focusing on institutional guarantees and legal certainty. The remaining part of the contribution then critically discusses whether and to what extent it is possible to use backsliding to frame the ongoing legal changes in Hungary.
Remote Sensing of River Discharge From Medium‐Resolution Satellite Imagery Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Hao Zhen , Xiang Naier , Cai Xiaobin , Zhong Ming , Jin Jin , Du Yun , Ling Feng
Published: September 2024

Accurate monitoring of river discharge variations is essential for managing floods and droughts and understanding the response of global river systems to climate change. Remote sensing of discharge (RSQ) offers a timely and efficient alternative for widespread monitoring, particularly in ungauged areas. Current methods often struggle with accuracy, especially when estimating the width of narrow rivers from medium‐resolution images. We first observe that, although estimating the width variation of narrow rivers can be challenging from medium‐resolution satellite imagery, river discharge still correlates with river surface color or reflectance. However, existing methods can only correlate river surface reflectance with discharge in gauged rivers. Here, we introduce a novel method employing an advanced Transformer architecture to map river discharge variations directly from time‐series reflectance imagery. Our model, trained on quality‐checked data from 2,036 discharge gauges, outperforms existing methods in discharge estimation accuracy and is less affected by the need for precise river width estimation. The proposed model yields positive Kling‐Gupta Efficiency (KGE) in 68.6% of ungauged rivers, a substantial improvement over the BAM and geoBAM methods, which show positive KGEs in only 28.4% and 33.1% of rivers, respectively. Notably, this performance is achieved despite two‐thirds of the rivers being less than 100 m wide, a range where traditional RSQ methods typically struggle, and the RSQ performance does not show degradation for braided rivers. Our approach suggests a significant shift toward more efficient, extensive, and adaptable space‐based river discharge monitoring.
Topographic Roughness as an Emergent Property of Geomorphic Processes and Events
Authors: Doane T. H. , Gearon J. H. , Martin H. K. , Yanites B. J. , Edmonds D. A.
Published: September 2024

Earth's terrestrial surfaces commonly exhibit topographic roughness at the scale of meters to tens of meters. In soil‐ and sediment‐mantled settings topographic roughness may be framed as a competition between roughening and smoothing processes. In many cases, roughening processes may be specific eco‐hydro‐geomorphic events like shrub deaths, tree uprooting, river avulsions, or impact craters. The smoothing processes are all geomorphic processes that operate at smaller scales and tend to drive a diffusive evolution of the surface. In this article, we present a generalized theory that explains topographic roughness as an emergent property of geomorphic systems (semi‐arid plains, forests, alluvial fans, heavily bombarded surfaces) that are periodically shocked by an addition of roughness which subsequently decays due to the action of all small scale, creep‐like processes. We demonstrate theory for the examples listed above, but also illustrate that there is a continuum of topographic forms that the roughening process may take on so that the theory is broadly applicable. Furthermore, we demonstrate how our theory applies to any geomorphic feature that can be described as a pit or mound, pit‐mound couplet, or mound‐pit‐mound complex.
An All-Community Push to “Close the Loops” on Southern Ocean Dynamics
Authors: Bennetts Luke , Shakespeare Callum , Vreugdenhil Catherine
Published: September 2024

A new study highlights the connected nature of the Southern Ocean dynamic system, the research priorities needed to understand its influence on climate change, the importance of cross-disciplinary collaborations.
Integrating State Data Assimilation and Innovative Model Parameterization Reduces Simulated Carbon Uptake in the Arctic and Boreal Region
Authors: Huo Xueli , Fox Andrew M. , Dashti Hamid , Devine Charles , Gallery William , Smith William K. , Raczka Brett , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Rogers Alistair , Moore David J. P.
Published: September 2024

Model representation of carbon uptake and storage is essential for accurate projection of the response of the arctic‐boreal zone to a rapidly changing climate. Land model estimates of LAI and aboveground biomass that can have a marked influence on model projections of carbon uptake and storage vary substantially in the arctic and boreal zone, making it challenging to correctly evaluate model estimates of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP). To understand and correct bias of LAI and aboveground biomass in the Community Land Model (CLM), we assimilated the 8‐day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LAI observation and a machine learning product of annual aboveground biomass into CLM using an Ensemble Adjustment Kalman Filter (EAKF) in an experimental region including Alaska and Western Canada. Assimilating LAI and aboveground biomass reduced these model estimates by 58% and 72%, respectively. The change of aboveground biomass was consistent with independent estimates of canopy top height at both regional and site levels. The International Land Model Benchmarking system assessment showed that data assimilation significantly improved CLM's performance in simulating the carbon and hydrological cycles, as well as in representing the functional relationships between LAI and other variables. To further reduce the remaining bias in GPP after LAI bias correction, we re‐parameterized CLM to account for low temperature suppression of photosynthesis. The LAI bias corrected model that included the new parameterization showed the best agreement with model benchmarks. Combining data assimilation with model parameterization provides a useful framework to assess photosynthetic processes in LSMs.
The Sanya Incoherent Scatter Radar Tristatic System and Initial Experiments
Authors: Yue Xinan , Ning Baiqi , Jin Lin , Ding Feng , Ke Changhai , Wang Junyi , Zhang Ning , Cai Yihui , Li Mingyuan , Luo Junhao , Chen Weiping , Zhang Yunxia , Zhao Biqiang , Zeng Lingqi , Wang Yonghui
Published: September 2024

Low latitude ionosphere experiences complex dynamical and electrodynamical processes, which make the spatiotemporal variations of the corresponding electron density complicated and therefore influence trans‐ionosphere radio communications. The monitoring of low latitude dynamical drivers, such as neutral wind and ionospheric electric field, is essential for both dynamic mechanism investigations and applications. The Sanya Incoherent Scatter Radar Tristatic System (SYISR‐TS) was proposed with the main objective of low latitude ionospheric monitoring and investigation and has been successfully developed over the past decade. The system consists of the Sanya (18.3°N, 109.6°E) trans‐receiving main station with key parameters of ∼1,600 m2 antenna aperture, >4 MW peak power, <120 K system noise temperature, and ∼46 dBi normal gain, and Danzhou (19.5°N, 109.1°E) and Wenchang (19.6°N, 110.8°E) receiving only stations with key parameters of ∼790 m2 antenna aperture, <130 K system noise temperature, and ∼43 dBi normal gain. Three stations form a quasi‐equilateral triangle at Hainan Island and use Global Navigation Satellite System satellite common view technique to achieve the time synchronization with the uncertainty of the timing and time synchronization less than 50 and 10 ns, respectively. Initial collaborative satellite tracking and ionospheric common volume experiments among three stations have confirmed the detection ability of SYISR‐TS and the feasibility of achieving its scientific goals in the future.
Accuracy of the WatchBP Office Central as a Type 2 device for non-invasive estimation of central aortic blood pressure in children and adolescents
Authors: Glenning Jonathan P. , Sandhu Kieran , Harrington Hilary A. , Eastaugh Lucas , Lane Geoffrey K. , Smolich Joseph J. , Mynard Jonathan P.
Published: September 2024

High blood pressure (BP) in childhood is a recognised precursor of elevated cardiovascular risk in adulthood. Brachial BP is normally used for clinical decision making, but central BP may be a better marker of pressure load on the heart. There is a paucity of validated non-invasive, automated devices for estimating central BP in children and adolescents. In this study, we compared the WatchBP Office Central (a Type 2 central pressure estimation device) against a high-fidelity micromanometer in the ascending aorta of anaesthetised patients undergoing clinically-indicated catheterisation (n = 15, age 4–16 years). As a secondary aim, central systolic BP (cSBP) was also compared to two non-invasive estimation methods in 34 awake patients undergoing routine cardiac MRI (age 10–18 years). WatchBP substantially overestimated cSBP compared to the intra-arterial gold-standard reference (26.1 ± 7.4 mmHg), and recruitment was terminated at n = 11 (included in the analysis) due to high statistical certainty that the device would not pass the validation criteria of 5±8 mmHg. WatchBP cSBP was also substantially higher than values obtained from a phase contrast MRI method (11.8 ± 7.9 mmHg) and the SphygmoCor XCEL (13.5 ± 8.9 mmHg) in the awake patient group, which translate to 21–23 mmHg on average after accounting for known/estimated biases in these non-invasive comparators. Compared with invasive central diastolic and systolic BPs, the brachial measures from WatchBP yielded errors of 0.1 ± 5.6 and 12.5 ± 6.0 mmHg respectively. We conclude that the WatchBP substantially overestimates cSBP in children and adolescents. These findings reinforce the need for central BP-measuring devices to be further developed and validated in this population.
Social needs and healthcare utilization in NICU graduates
Authors: Yama Cecile L. , Greenberg Rachel G. , Johnson Erika , Mago-Shah Deesha D.
Published: September 2024

Objective

Unplanned healthcare utilization after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge challenges families and healthcare systems. The impact of social needs on post-NICU healthcare utilization is underexplored. Our objective was to identify social needs among NICU graduates and examine associations between social needs and post-NICU healthcare utilization.

Study design

A prospective cohort design was used to screen for social needs and track healthcare utilization among 112 NICU graduates attending a NICU follow-up clinic (2021–2022). Associations between social needs and healthcare utilization were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests.

Results

Of 112 patients screened, 20 (18%) had some social need. Infants with social needs experienced statistically significant higher rates of hospitalizations, overall encounters, and missed appointments.

Conclusion

Social needs are associated with increased unplanned healthcare utilization and missed appointments. Addressing these needs during NICU follow-up may improve preventative care attendance and reduce unplanned healthcare use, leading to better outcomes for vulnerable infants and cost-savings for healthcare systems.
Oral dextrose gel for hypoglycemia in a well-baby nursery: a baby-friendly initiative
Authors: Batra Mansi , Ikeri Kelechi , Blake Michelle , Mantell Genevieve , Bhat Ramachandra , Zayek Michael
Published: September 2024

Objectives

To assess the impact of oral dextrose gel (ODG) treatment on NICU admission rates for hypoglycemic infants in a well-baby nursery.

Study design

We retrospectively compared newborn infants at risk for hypoglycemia born during the intervention period (n = 3775) with historical controls (n = 655). We also compared the rates of the primary outcome (NICU admission) and secondary outcomes (exclusive breastfeeding and hospital costs) between the two periods.

Results

Following the implementation of ODG supplementation, the NICU admissions rates dropped from 4% to 2%, p < 0.05, for at-risk infants and from 15% to 7%, p < 0.05, for hypoglycemic infants in the baseline and intervention periods, respectively, with an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 0.39 (0.24–0.64), p < 0.001. Additionally, the ODG protocol sustained rates of exclusive breastfeeding in contrast to the institutional protocol.

Conclusion

The adoption of an ODG protocol fosters a more nurturing and baby-friendly environment through reduced NICU transfers, support for exclusive breastfeeding, and decreased hospital costs.
Pharmacokinetic characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells in translational challenges
Authors: Shan Yunlong , Zhang Mengying , Tao Enxiang , Wang Jing , Wei Ning , Lu Yi , Liu Qing , Hao Kun , Zhou Fang , Wang Guangji
Published: September 2024

Over the past two decades, mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) therapy has made substantial strides, transitioning from experimental clinical applications to commercial products. MSC therapies hold considerable promise for treating refractory and critical conditions such as acute graft-versus-host disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Despite recent successes in clinical and commercial applications, MSC therapy still faces challenges when used as a commercial product. Current detection methods have limitations, leaving the dynamic biodistribution, persistence in injured tissues, and ultimate fate of MSCs in patients unclear. Clarifying the relationship between the pharmacokinetic characteristics of MSCs and their therapeutic effects is crucial for patient stratification and the formulation of precise therapeutic regimens. Moreover, the development of advanced imaging and tracking technologies is essential to address these clinical challenges. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the kinetic properties, key regulatory molecules, different fates, and detection methods relevant to MSCs and discusses concerns in evaluating MSC druggability from the perspective of integrating pharmacokinetics and efficacy. A better understanding of these challenges could improve MSC clinical efficacy and speed up the introduction of MSC therapy products to the market.
Text mining method to unravel long COVID’s clinical condition in hospitalized patients
Authors: Veras Florentino Pilar Tavares , Araújo Vinícius de Oliveira , Zatti Henrique , Luis Caio Vinícius , Cavalcanti Célia Regina Santos , de Oliveira Matheus Henrique Citibaldi , Leão Anderson Henrique França Figueredo , Bertoldo Junior Juracy , Barbosa George G. Caique , Ravera Ernesto , Cebukin Alberto , David Renata Bernardes , de Melo Danilo Batista Vieira , Machado Tales Mota , Bellei Nancy C. J. , Boaventura Viviane , Barral-Netto Manoel , Smaili Soraya S.
Published: September 2024

Long COVID is characterized by persistent that extends symptoms beyond established timeframes. Its varied presentation across different populations and healthcare systems poses significant challenges in understanding its clinical manifestations and implications. In this study, we present a novel application of text mining technique to automatically extract unstructured data from a long COVID survey conducted at a prominent university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Our phonetic text clustering (PTC) method enables the exploration of unstructured Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) data to unify different written forms of similar terms into a single phonemic representation. We used n-gram text analysis to detect compound words and negated terms in Portuguese-BR, focusing on medical conditions and symptoms related to long COVID. By leveraging text mining, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of this chronic condition and its implications for healthcare systems globally. The model developed in this study has the potential for scalability and applicability in other healthcare settings, thereby supporting broader research efforts and informing clinical decision-making for long COVID patients.
Unprecedented mechanical wave energy absorption observed in multifunctional bioinspired architected metamaterials
Authors: Li Zhendong , Wang Xinxin , Zeng Kexin , Guo Zichao , Li Chong , Yu Xiang , Ramakrishna Seeram , Wang Zhonggang , Lu Yang
Published: September 2024

In practical engineering, noise and impact hazards are pervasive, indicating the pressing demand for materials that can absorb both sound and stress wave energy simultaneously. However, the rational design of such multifunctional materials remains a challenge. Herein, inspired by cuttlebone, we present bioinspired architected metamaterials with unprecedented sound-absorbing and mechanical properties engineered via a weakly-coupled design. The acoustic elements feature heterogeneous multilayered resonators, whereas the mechanical responses are based on asymmetric cambered cell walls. These metamaterials experimentally demonstrated an average absorption coefficient of 0.80 from 1.0 to 6.0 kHz, with 77% of the data points exceeding the desired 0.75 threshold, all with a compact 21 mm thickness. An absorptance-thickness map is devised for assessing the sound-absorption efficiency. The high-fidelity microstructure-based model reveals the air friction damping mechanism, with broadband behavior attributed to multimodal hybrid resonance. Empowered by the cambered design of cell walls, metamaterials shift catastrophic failure toward a progressive deformation mode characterized by stable stress plateaus and ultrahigh specific energy absorption of 50.7 J/g—a 558.4% increase over the straight-wall design. After the deformation mechanisms are elucidated, a comprehensive research framework for burgeoning acousto-mechanical metamaterials is proposed. Overall, our study broadens the horizon for multifunctional material design.
Large-scale simulations of Floquet physics on near-term quantum computers
Authors: Eckstein Timo , Mansuroglu Refik , Czarnik Piotr , Zhu Jian-Xin , Hartmann Michael J. , Cincio Lukasz , Sornborger Andrew T. , Holmes Zoë
Published: September 2024

Periodically driven quantum systems exhibit a diverse set of phenomena but are more challenging to simulate than their equilibrium counterparts. Here, we introduce the Quantum High-Frequency Floquet Simulation (QHiFFS) algorithm as a method to simulate fast-driven quantum systems on quantum hardware. Central to QHiFFS is the concept of a kick operator which transforms the system into a basis where the dynamics is governed by a time-independent effective Hamiltonian. This allows prior methods for time-independent simulation to be lifted to simulate Floquet systems. We use the periodically driven biaxial next-nearest neighbor Ising (BNNNI) model, a natural test bed for quantum frustrated magnetism and criticality, as a case study to illustrate our algorithm. We implemented a 20-qubit simulation of the driven two-dimensional BNNNI model on Quantinuum’s trapped ion quantum computer. Our error analysis shows that QHiFFS exhibits not only a cubic advantage in driving frequency ω but also a linear advantage in simulation time t compared to Trotterization.
Quantum autoencoders using mixed reference states
Authors: Ma Hailan , Mooney Gary J. , Petersen Ian R. , Hollenberg Lloyd C. L. , Dong Daoyi
Published: September 2024

One of the fundamental tasks in quantum information theory is quantum data compression, which can be realized via quantum autoencoders that first compress quantum states to low-dimensional ones and then recover to the original ones with a reference state. When taking a pure reference state, there exists an upper bound for the encoding fidelity, which limits the compression of states with high entropy. To overcome the entropy inconsistency, we allow the reference state to be a mixed state and propose a cost function that combines the encoding fidelity and the quantum mutual information. We consider the reference states to be a mixture of maximally mixed states and pure states and propose three strategies for setting the ratio of mixedness. Numerical simulations of different states and experimental implementations on IBM quantum computers illustrate the effectiveness of our approach.
COVID-19 vaccine refusal is driven by deliberate ignorance and cognitive distortions
Authors: Fuławka Kamil , Hertwig Ralph , Pachur Thorsten
Published: September 2024

Vaccine hesitancy was a major challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. A common but sometimes ineffective intervention to reduce vaccine hesitancy involves providing information on vaccine effectiveness, side effects, and related probabilities. Could biased processing of this information contribute to vaccine refusal? We examined the information inspection of 1200 U.S. participants with anti-vaccination, neutral, or pro-vaccination attitudes before they stated their willingness to accept eight different COVID-19 vaccines. All participants—particularly those who were anti-vaccination—frequently ignored some of the information. This deliberate ignorance, especially toward probabilities of extreme side effects, was a stronger predictor of vaccine refusal than typically investigated demographic variables. Computational modeling suggested that vaccine refusals among anti-vaccination participants were driven by ignoring even inspected information. In the neutral and pro-vaccination groups, vaccine refusal was driven by distorted processing of side effects and their probabilities. Our findings highlight the necessity for interventions tailored to individual information-processing tendencies.
Incorporation of nitrogen in antinutritional Solanum alkaloid biosynthesis
Authors: Grzech Dagny , Smit Samuel J. , Alam Ryan M. , Boccia Marianna , Nakamura Yoko , Hong Benke , Barbole Ranjit , Heinicke Sarah , Kunert Maritta , Seibt Wibke , Grabe Veit , Caputi Lorenzo , Lichman Benjamin R. , O’Connor Sarah E. , Aharoni Asaph , Sonawane Prashant D.
Published: September 2024

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are specialized metabolites produced by hundreds of Solanum species including food crops, such as tomato, potato and eggplant. Unlike true alkaloids, nitrogen is introduced at a late stage of SGA biosynthesis through an unknown transamination reaction. Here, we reveal the mechanism by which GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM12 (GAME12) directs the biosynthesis of nitrogen-containing steroidal alkaloid aglycone in Solanum. We report that GAME12, a neofunctionalized γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase, undergoes changes in both active site specificity and subcellular localization to switch from its renown and generic activity in core metabolism to function in a specialized metabolic pathway. Moreover, overexpression of GAME12 alone in engineered S. nigrum leaves is sufficient for de novo production of nitrogen-containing SGAs. Our results highlight how hijacking a core metabolism GABA shunt enzyme is crucial in numerous Solanum species for incorporating a nitrogen to a steroidal-specialized metabolite backbone and form defensive alkaloids.
A U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk
Authors: Le Ngoan Tran , Pham Yen Thi-Hai , Le Chung Thi-Kim , Le Linh Thuy , Le Thanh-Do , Dao Hang Viet , Ha Toan H. , Kuchipudi Suresh V. , Luu Hung N.
Published: September 2024

While selenium is a cofactor of several antioxidant enzymes against cancer and is essential for human health, its excess intake may also be harmful. Though a safe intake of selenium has recently been recommended, it is not well understood in the Asian population. We aimed to determine the association between dietary intake of selenium and cancer risk in a case–control study of 3758 incident cancer cases (i.e., stomach, colon, rectum, lung cancers, and other sites) and 2929 control subjects in Vietnam. Daily intake of selenium was derived from a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The unconditional logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between selenium intake and cancer risk. We observed a U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk. A safe intake ranged from 110.8 to 124.4 µg/day (mean 117.8 µg/day). Compared to individuals with the safe intake of selenium, individuals with the lowest intake (i.e., 27.8–77.2 µg/day) were associated with an increased risk of cancer (OR = 3.78, 95% CI 2.89–4.95) and those with the highest intake (169.1–331.7 µg/day) also had an increased cancer risk (OR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.45–2.39). A U-shaped pattern of association between selenium intake and cancer risk was stronger among participants with body mass index (BMI) < 23 kg/m2 and never smokers than BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 and ever smokers (P’sheterogeneity = 0.003 and 0.021, respectively) but found in both never and ever-drinkers of alcohol (Pheterogeneity = 0.001). A U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk was seen in cancer sites of the stomach, colon, rectum, and lung cancers. In summary, we found a U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk and a safe selenium intake (mean: 117.8 µg/day) in the Vietnamese population. Further mechanistic investigation is warranted to understand better a U-shaped association between selenium intake and cancer risk.
Children’s limited tooling ability in a novel concurrent tool use task supports the innovation gap
Authors: Colbourne Jennifer A. D. , Auersperg Alice M. I. , Beck Sarah R.
Published: September 2024

School-aged children have consistently shown a surprising developmental lag when attempting to innovate solutions to tool use tasks, despite being capable of learning to solve these problems from a demonstrator. We suggest that this “innovation gap” arises from tool tasks with more complex spatial relations. Following Fragaszy and Mangalam’s new tooling theory, we predicted that innovating a new “sticker slide” task should be more challenging when two tools need to be used at the same time (concurrently) rather than one at a time (sequentially), despite the similarity of the other task elements. In line with previous work, both versions of the task were challenging for all ages of children (4–9 years) that we tested. However, the youngest group showed particularly extreme difficulties, which was marked by not a single child innovating the concurrent version. Although success significantly increased with age, even the oldest group failed to reach 50% success on the concurrent version of the task, whereas the majority of the two older groups could solve the sequential version. Thus, in this first study of concurrent tool use in children, we found support for the prediction that increasing the complexity of spatial relations in tooling exacerbates the innovation gap.
Large language models predict human sensory judgments across six modalities
Authors: Marjieh Raja , Sucholutsky Ilia , van Rijn Pol , Jacoby Nori , Griffiths Thomas L.
Published: September 2024

Determining the extent to which the perceptual world can be recovered from language is a longstanding problem in philosophy and cognitive science. We show that state-of-the-art large language models can unlock new insights into this problem by providing a lower bound on the amount of perceptual information that can be extracted from language. Specifically, we elicit pairwise similarity judgments from GPT models across six psychophysical datasets. We show that the judgments are significantly correlated with human data across all domains, recovering well-known representations like the color wheel and pitch spiral. Surprisingly, we find that a model (GPT-4) co-trained on vision and language does not necessarily lead to improvements specific to the visual modality, and provides highly correlated predictions with human data irrespective of whether direct visual input is provided or purely textual descriptors. To study the impact of specific languages, we also apply the models to a multilingual color-naming task. We find that GPT-4 replicates cross-linguistic variation in English and Russian illuminating the interaction of language and perception.
Engagement analysis of a persuasive-design-optimized eHealth intervention through machine learning
Authors: Idrees Abdul Rahman , Beierle Felix , Mutter Agnes , Kraft Robin , Garatva Patricia , Baumeister Harald , Reichert Manfred , Pryss Rüdiger
Published: September 2024

The challenge of sustaining user engagement in eHealth interventions is a pressing issue with significant implications for the effectiveness of these digital health tools. This study investigates user engagement in a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based eHealth intervention for procrastination, using a dataset from a randomized controlled trial of 233 university students. Various machine learning models, including Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machines, were employed to predict patterns of user engagement. The study adopted a two-phase analytical approach. In the first phase, all features of the dataset were included, revealing ‘total_minutes’—the total time participants spent on the intervention and the eHealth platform—as the most significant predictor of engagement. This finding emphasizes the intuitive notion that early time spent on the platform and the intervention is a strong indicator of later user engagement. However, to gain a deeper understanding of engagement beyond this predominant metric, the second phase of the analysis excluded ‘total_minutes’. This approach allowed for the exploration of the roles and interdependencies of other engagement indicators, such as ‘number_intervention_answersheets’—the number of completed lessons, ‘logins_first_4_weeks’—login frequency, and ‘number_diary_answersheets’—the number of completed diaries. The results from this phase highlighted the multifaceted nature of engagement, showing that while ‘total_minutes’ is strongly correlated with engagement, indicating that more engaged participants tend to spend more time on the intervention, the comprehensive engagement profile also depends on additional aspects like lesson completions and frequency of platform interactions.
Design of a high voltage gain converter using coupled inductor with reduced voltage stress for photovoltaic energy based systems
Authors: Hashemzadeh Seyed Majid , Hosseini Seyed Hossein
Published: September 2024

This paper presents the design and analysis of a high voltage gain converter utilizing a coupled inductor with reduced voltage stress, specifically for photovoltaic energy-based systems. The proposed converter employs a two-winding coupled inductor and voltage multiplier cells to achieve an increase in output voltage while mitigating voltage stress across semiconductor components. Additionally, the voltage multiplier cells function as voltage clamps for the power switch, further enhancing the converter's performance. The converter features a single switch design, which simplifies control, reduces cost, and improves reliability. Key advantages of the converter include a low component count, a common ground between input and output ports, and high efficiency. The converter's performance is thoroughly investigated through mode analysis and steady-state analysis. Comparative evaluations with similar converters are conducted to highlight the benefits and performance of the proposed design. To validate the theoretical analysis, a 125 W prototype with 26 V input and 200 V output voltages operating at a 50 kHz switching frequency is developed, and experimental results are presented, demonstrating the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed high voltage gain converter.
Global patterns of plant functional traits and their relationships to climate
Authors: Li Jiaze , Prentice Iain Colin
Published: September 2024

Plant functional traits (FTs) determine growth, reproduction and survival strategies of plants adapted to their growth environment. Exploring global geographic patterns of FTs, their covariation and their relationships to climate are necessary steps towards better-founded predictions of how global environmental change will affect ecosystem composition. We compile an extensive global dataset for 16 FTs and characterise trait-trait and trait-climate relationships separately within non-woody, woody deciduous and woody evergreen plant groups, using multivariate analysis and generalised additive models (GAMs). Among the six major FTs considered, two dominant trait dimensions—representing plant size and the leaf economics spectrum (LES) respectively—are identified within all three groups. Size traits (plant height, diaspore mass) however are generally higher in warmer climates, while LES traits (leaf mass and nitrogen per area) are higher in drier climates. Larger leaves are associated principally with warmer winters in woody evergreens, but with wetter climates in non-woody plants. GAM-simulated global patterns for all 16 FTs explain up to three-quarters of global trait variation. Global maps obtained by upscaling GAMs are broadly in agreement with iNaturalist citizen-science FT data. This analysis contributes to the foundations for global trait-based ecosystem modelling by demonstrating universal relationships between FTs and climate.