bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetic simulations underestimate the effects of waves during magnetic reconnection
Authors: Ng J. , Yoo J. , Chen L.-J. , Bessho N. , Ji H.
Published: December 2024

Collisionless plasma systems are often studied using fully kinetic simulations, where protons and electrons are treated as particles. Due to their computational expense, it is necessary to reduce the ion-to-electron mass ratio mi/me or the ratio between plasma and cyclotron frequencies in simulations of large systems. In this Letter we show that when electron-scale waves are present in larger-scale systems, numerical parameters affect their amplitudes and effects on the larger system. Using lower-hybrid drift waves during magnetic reconnection as an example, we find that the ratio between the wave electric field and the reconnection electric field scales as mi/me, while the phase relationship is also affected. The combination of these effects means that the anomalous drag that contributes to momentum balance in the reconnection region can be underestimated by an order of magnitude. The results are relevant to the coupling of electron-scale waves to ion-scale reconnection regions, and other systems such as collisionless shocks.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Impact of material property variations and sensor positioning on the coating thickness determination of steel sheets using eddy current testing
Authors: Koll Martin , Wöckinger Daniel , Dobler Christoph , Goldbeck Gereon , Bramerdorfer Gerd , Schuster Stefan , Scheiblhofer Stefan , Gstöttenbauer Norbert , Reisinger Johann
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the reliable thickness, and more generally, the geometric and material parameter determination of thin electrically conductive and diamagnetic coatings on conductive and ferromagnetic substrates, e.g. steel, using eddy current testing (ECT).

Design/methodology/approach

The analytical model of an ECT coil arrangement known from the literature is analyzed to evaluate the numerical simulation performed by a Finite Element (FE) program. The latter is used to investigate the influence of the sheet edge on the measurement result. Finally, a measurement setup is presented and the unknown geometric and material parameters are estimated from measurement data of different sample sheets at different air gaps.

Findings

Generally, valid mesh rules are found for a very accurate FE analysis of eddy current problems with large air gaps. The influence of large air gaps on the parameter estimation is emphasized. Moreover, the formulated hypotheses can be widely confirmed by measurements.

Research limitations/implications

In this paper, electrical steel sheets coated with a conductive oven-cured ink are used. This sample configuration creates a discrete transition between the substrate and the coating as present in the analytical modeling approaches. Furthermore, the ferromagnetic substrate’s nonlinear B-H curve is not considered in the analytical model so far.

Originality/value

The analytical model is known from the literature. However, real practical measurements have not been carried out with the discussed setup. Furthermore, well-known literature on eddy current measurements usually only considers constant and very small air gaps.
Determinants of hospitality and tourism employees’ green behaviors: a deeper insight into the application of behavioral reasoning theory
Authors: Han Heesup , Kim Seongseop (Sam) , Sarah Blankson-Stiles-Ocran , Jung Inyoung , Chi Xiaoting
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The hospitality and tourism industry strives to enhance its corporate image to speed up recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since employees are service providers and practitioners of a company’s philosophy, it is vital to determine whether their work performance is conducive to corporate sustainability. This study investigated employees’ green behaviors in the hospitality and tourism industries using the behavioral reasoning theory (BRT).

Design/methodology/approach

This study performed fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) to evaluate the formation of employees’ approach intentions for green behaviors at work.

Findings

The fsQCA and NCA results revealed complex causal recipes for the formation of high-level and low-level employees’ approach intentions for green behaviors at work and predicted that there is no single necessary condition.

Practical implications

The research findings have significant managerial implications for enhancing employees’ approaches to green practices in the workplace and promoting the green performance of existing tourism and hotel products.

Originality/value

The research findings established a theoretical basis for industry managers to activate employees’ green behaviors, providing significant references for scholars to investigate green work performance in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Unveiling the relationship between corporate sustainability and earnings management: insights from India
Authors: Sabirali K.P. , Mahalakshmi S. , Sahoo Jyoti Ranjan
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Corporate sustainability is recognised as a moral imperative based on the notion that companies are obliged to meet social expectations and have ethical integrity. Further, the concept of corporate sustainability is perceived as the expression of ethical obligations upheld by managers that will be reflected in financial and non-financial reporting and responsible decisions. So, responsible companies are unlikely to be part of manipulation practices like earnings management. The present study aims to analyse how corporate sustainability practices influence the earnings management practices of non-financial Indian companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprises 113 companies included in Nifty 200 for a time span of 12 years. The study measured earnings management using the modified Jones model and corporate sustainability using the environmental, social and governance disclosure score provided by the Bloomberg database. The study employed panel data regression to examine the relationship.

Findings

The outcome indicates that the relationship between corporate sustainability and earnings management is not statistically significant. The insignificant relationship may be due to the underdevelopment of sustainability practices, as the majority of the companies are not prioritising sustainability but reporting to meet regulatory requirements. The findings suggest that Indian companies must seriously consider sustainability practices instead of doing the same for mandatory requirements to enjoy the benefits of sustainability.

Originality/value

To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is one of the initial studies that examined the link between corporate sustainability and earnings management in the Indian context.
Facies‐constrained simultaneous inversion for elastic parameters and fracture weaknesses using azimuthal partially incidence‐angle‐stacked seismic data
Authors: Chen Huaizhen , Han Jian , Li Kun
Published: December 2024

In order to improve the identification and characterization of underground fractured reservoirs, seismic inversion for elastic properties and fracture indicators is required. To improve the accuracy of seismic inversion, model constraints are necessary. Model constraints of P‐ and S‐wave moduli can be provided by well logging data; however, model constraints of fracture weaknesses are often unavailable. To obtain model constraints of fracture weaknesses, we propose a two‐stage inversion method, which is implemented as (1) estimating azimuthal elastic impedance (AEI) and fracture facies using partially incidence‐angle‐stacked seismic data at different azimuths; and (2) using the estimated azimuthal elastic impedance to predict P‐ and S‐wave moduli, density and fracture weaknesses, which is constrained by models constructed using the estimated fracture facies. In the first stage, we use Gaussian mixture prior distribution to obtain azimuthal elastic impedance of different incidence angles and azimuths, and we also predict fracture facies combining the obtained azimuthal elastic impedance and seismic data. In the second stage, we implement the Bayesian maximum a posterior inversion for estimating unknown parameter vectors. We apply the proposed inversion method to noisy synthetic seismic data, which illustrates the inversion method is robust even in the case of a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 1. Tests on real data reveal that reliable results of P‐ and S‐wave moduli and fracture weaknesses are obtained, which verifies that the inversion method is a valuable tool for generating reliable fracture indicators from azimuthal seismic data for identifying underground fractured reservoirs.
Genetic, natal and spatial drivers of social phenotypes in wild great tits
Authors: Satarkar Devi , Sepil Irem , Sheldon Ben C.
Published: December 2024

In social animals, group dynamics profoundly influence collective behaviours, vital in processes like information sharing and predator vigilance. Disentangling the causes of individual‐level variation in social behaviours is crucial for understanding the evolution of sociality. This requires the estimation of the genetic and environmental basis of these behaviours, which is challenging in uncontrolled wild populations.

In this study, we partitioned genetic, developmental and spatial environmental variation in repeatable social network traits derived from foraging events. We used a multi‐generational pedigree and social data for 1823 individuals with over 800,000 observations from a long‐term monitored great tit population.

Animal models indicated minimal narrow‐sense heritability (2%–3%) in group size choice, further reduced when the spatial location was considered, which itself explains a substantial 30% of the observed variation. Individual gregariousness also had a small genetic component, with a low heritability estimate for degree (<5%). Centrality showed heritability up to 10% in one of 3 years sampled, whereas betweenness showed none, indicating modest genetic variation in individual sociability, but not group‐switching tendencies. These findings suggest a small, albeit detectable, genetic basis for individual sociality but pronounced spatial effects.

Furthermore, our study highlights the importance of common environment effects (natal origin and brood identity), which essentially negated genetic effects when explicitly accounted for. In addition, we demonstrate that phenotypic resemblance can be a result of similarities beyond shared genes; spatial proximity at birth and natal environmental similarity explained up to 8% of the variation in individual sociability.

Our results thus emphasise the role of non‐genetic factors, particularly developmental and spatial variation, in shaping individual social behavioural tendencies.
‘MAN MUST CHOP!’: Agency of Potholes, Informal Road Menders and Socioeconomic Survival on a Sub‐Urban Road in Nigeria
Authors: Àbàtì Ọmọ́máyọ̀wá Ọláwálé
Published: December 2024

Owing to Nigeria's poor road maintenance culture, informal road menders (IRMs) have emerged who fill potholes on urban and sub‐urban roads in exchange for money from road users. This article interrogates the micropolitics of this phenomenon as a relatively new means of informal livelihood within the context of the ethnography of road infrastructure, informal agency and the everyday struggle for socioeconomic survival. Conceiving informal road mending as a livelihood offers a promising lens for discussing how IRMs gain and retain access to space, navigate risks, and harness relationships with other road users and state institutions along the road. Drawing on conversations with drivers and commuters during ‘go‐alongs’ in public transport and on interviews with IRMs, private car owners and state regulatory agents, the article shows how IRMs and other road users appropriate the risks and opportunities associated with potholes as socioeconomic resources through which they leverage the precarious road transport experience in the country. This contributes to the literature on the ethnography of road infrastructures and the micropolitics of informal work in urban Africa.
Enrollment in Medicare is associated with fewer outpatient mental healthcare visits among those with mental health symptoms
Authors: McCormack Grace , Duffy Erin , Rohrer Josephine , Biener Adam
Published: December 2024

Objective

To test whether enrolling in traditional Medicare (TM) or Medicare Advantage (MA) at age 65 reduces mental healthcare utilization among individuals with mental health symptoms and low or moderate family incomes.

Study Setting and Design

We employ a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, comparing the likelihood of having an outpatient mental health visit or a psychotropic drug fill among individuals younger than or older than the age 65 Medicare eligibility threshold.

Data Sources and Analytic Sample

We analyze 2014–2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data. Our primary sample is restricted to individuals with probable mental health symptoms as indicated by their score on the Kessler K6 psychological distress scale (K6) and Patient Health Questionnaire‐2 instrument (PHQ‐2) and who have incomes less than 400% of the federal poverty level.

Principal Findings

Among individuals with probable mental health symptoms and low or moderate incomes, enrolling in Medicare (combining the effect of MA and TM) is associated with a 24.9 percentage point reduction (95% CI −49.1 to −0.8; p = 0.043) in the likelihood of having any type of outpatient mental health visit and a 31.3 percentage point reduction (95% CI −54.2 to −8.4; p = 0.008) in the likelihood of having a prescription drug fill for a psychotropic drug. Effects of MA and TM on mental healthcare utilization are not statistically different from each other. We observe no impact of enrolling in Medicare on the likelihood of having a visit to a primary care provider, having a visit to a non‐mental healthcare specialist, or having a fill for a prescribed non‐psychotropic drug.

Conclusions

Enrolling in Medicare is associated with a reduction in the use of mental healthcare among individuals with probable mental health symptoms and low or moderate family incomes. Our findings suggest that the program poses access barriers specific to mental healthcare.
Beliefs and attitudes about men's alcohol‐related sexual harassment and aggression (BAMASHA): Development and initial validation of a new scale
Authors: Huellemann Katarina L. , Graham Kathryn , Bernards Sharon , Tremblay Paul , Abbey Antonia , Senn Charlene , Banyard Victoria , McMahon Sarah , Dumas Tara M. , Wells Samantha
Published: December 2024

Background

Men's perpetration of sexual violence (SV) toward women in drinking venues is a pervasive yet understudied phenomenon with significant downstream consequences for women. Although men's negative attitudes and beliefs toward women play an important role in SV, current attitude measures are limited in that they do not focus on SV specific to drinking contexts, thereby precluding understandings of SV in this context. As such, we developed and evaluated a measure of beliefs and attitudes about men's alcohol‐related sexual harassment and aggression (BAMASHA) toward women in drinking venues to better understand this ubiquitous problem.

Methods

Young heterosexual men (N = 330, Mage = 22.66, SD = 2.09) completed an online survey that included 82 BAMASHA items developed to assess eight theoretical dimensions/sub‐dimensions derived from past research. The survey also measured sexual aggression perpetration in drinking venues and well‐established correlates of SV including drinking patterns, rape myth acceptance, hostility toward women, stereotypes about drinking women, and alcohol expectancies regarding sexual behavior.

Results

Item analysis resulted in a 24‐item inventory with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggesting a unidimensional factor structure. The resultant measure and its 12‐item short form also explained sexual aggression perpetration toward women in drinking venues when controlling for associated constructs.

Conclusions

Findings underscore the unique contributions of the BAMASHA for sexual aggression perpetration and its utility in the context of drinking venues compared to measures of attitudes and beliefs toward SV more generally.
Habit substitution toward more active commuting
Authors: Di Maio Sally , Wilhelm Lea O. , Fleig Lena , Knoll Nina , Keller Jan
Published: December 2024

Commuting to work is often a highly habitual behavior that people perform automatically over a long period of time. Substituting an inactive with a more active commuting habit might thus support long‐term behavior change. This study investigated habit substitution processes in commuting behavior and related psychological determinants. We report primary analyses of an online planning intervention study conducted in Germany with a one‐arm pre‐post design over 14 weeks including multiple‐a‐day workday assessments across a baseline week followed by five post‐intervention measurement weeks. Forty‐two participants (60% female, Mage = 32.3 years) reported daily automaticity, experienced reward and regret, and weekly plan enactment for new and old commuting behaviors. Multilevel models were fit. In this one‐arm study, automaticity of the old commuting behavior declined linearly, whereas the increase in automaticity of the new commuting behavior was more pronounced in earlier than later study weeks. Within‐person plan enactment and experienced reward were positively linked with automaticity of the new commuting behavior. Between‐person plan enactment was negatively linked with automaticity of the old commuting behavior. Weekly plan enactment and outcome experiences were associated with increases of new habits and decay of old habits in this study. Results warrant replication using an experimental design.
‘No words’—Machine‐learning classified nonverbal immediacy and its role in connecting teacher self‐efficacy with perceived teaching and student interest
Authors: Lazarides Rebecca , Frenkel Jonas , Petković Uroš , Göllner Richard , Hellwich Olaf
Published: December 2024

Background

Much is known about the positive effects of teachers' self‐efficacy on instruction and student outcomes, but the processes underlying these relations are unknown.

Aims

We aimed to examine the effects of teacher self‐efficacy for student engagement (TSESE) before a lesson on teachers' nonverbal immediacy (NVI) and their enthusiastic teaching. Furthermore, we examined how NVI and enthusiastic teaching affected students' interest after the lesson, controlling for prior interest.

Sample

We used data from the German TALIS video study in the context of the international TALIS study. The study included 50 teachers (46% women) and their 1140 students (53% girls; ageM = 15 years).

Methods

We developed a computational model to assess teachers' NVI on classroom video data. Using a multimodal longitudinal approach, we tested sequential processes with multilevel path models.

Results

TSESE before the lesson (Time 1) was positively and significantly related to teachers' NVI during the lesson (Time 2). Teachers' NVI (Time 2) was positively related to class‐level enthusiastic teaching behaviours, reported after the lesson (Time 3). Student‐reported enthusiastic teaching behaviours (Time 3) were significantly and positively associated with students' interest (Time 3) when controlling for students' prior interest (Time 1). Students' interest after the lesson (Time 3) was significantly and positively related to students' interest 6 weeks later (Time 4).

Conclusions

Nonverbal behaviours of the teacher are central to classroom instruction by promoting students' perceptions of the teachers' enthusiastic teaching behaviours.
Prognostic Significance of Preoperative NLR or PLR and PASS Score Combinations in Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
Authors: Çavdar Ümit , Kalender Derya Sema Yaman , Yüksel Berna Demir , Pamuk Barış Önder , Çömlekçi Abdurrahman , Ertürk Mehmet Sercan , Gür Emine Özlem , Kahraman Aslı , Yörükoglu Kutsal , Yener Serkan
Published: December 2024

Context

Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have recently emerged in assessing pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). However, their combined use with PASS scale has not yet been explored.

Objective

Our goal was to investigate the prognostic values of NLR and PLR and incorporate the PASS score into our analysis.

Methods

Data from 74 histologically confirmed pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas across two centres were assessed. Poor prognosis was characterised by the presence of metastasis or disease‐specific mortality. Clinical characteristics such as age, gender, primary tumour size and location, and urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine levels, alongside NLR, PLR, and the PASS score as prognostic markers, were analysed. The prognostic value of the PASS score combined with NLR or PLR was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC), univariate, and multivariate regression analyses.

Results

Sixty‐four patients with better prognosis and 10 patients with poor prognosis were included in the analysis, with mean PASS scores of 4 and 9, respectively. Poor prognosis was significantly higher in patients with NLR Á 3.43 (Area Under Curve(AUC) = 0.761; 70% sensitivity, 82.8% specificity, 38.9% PPV and 94.7% NPV) and with PLR > 193.12 (AUC = 0.738; 70% sensitivity, 76.2% specificity, 30% PPV and 94% NPV). The PASS and preoperative NLR or PLR combination predicted poor prognosis significantly in the multivariate models (OR: 125; 95% CI: 6.25–∞; p = 0.001 for PASS ≥ 6 and NLR > 3.43 and OR: 28.57; 95% CI: 3–250; p = 0.003 for PASS ≥ 6 and PLR > 193.12).

Conclusion

As the roles of NLR and PLR in prediction of prognosis is gaining recognition, combining these with PASS score may improve preoperative stratification of prognosis and management of patients.
Are Oral Somatostatin Receptor Ligands Moving Closer to Becoming a Reality?
Authors: McLaren David S. , Kyriakakis Nikolaos , Seejore Khyatisha , Lynch Julie , Murray Robert D.
Published: December 2024

With the current therapeutic modalities available to endocrinologists, control of GH and IGF‐I is now possible in almost all patients with acromegaly with multi‐modality therapy. Despite biochemical control of GH and IGF‐I, patients with acromegaly continue to experience impaired quality of life. Although there are likely multiple factors contributing to this dissatisfaction with current medical therapies, in particular the widely utilised injectable long‐acting somatostatin receptor ligands (iSRL), is a contributor. The iSRLs require intramuscular or deep subcutaneous injection with a wide bore needle that can be complicated by injection site pain, erythema, subcutaneous nodule formation, and for most individuals require attendance with a healthcare professional every 28 days to safely administered the medication. Two oral SRL (oSRL) formulations, Oral Octreotide Capsules and Paltusotine have been developed with clinical studies showing them to have promise as a therapeutic alternative to iSRL.
The Phenotypic and Genotypic Spectrum of BRPF1‐Related Disorder: 29 New Patients and Literature Review
Authors: Colson Cindy , Tessarech Marine , Boucher‐Brischoux Elise , Boute‐Benejean Odile , Vincent‐Delorme Catherine , Vanlerberghe Clémence , Boussion Simon , Cunff Justine Le , Duban‐Bedu Bénédicte , Faivre Laurence , Thauvin Christel , Philippe Christophe , Bruel Ange‐Line , Tran Mau‐Them Frédéric , Houdayer Clara , Lesca Gaetan , Putoux Audrey , Lévy Jonathan , Patat Olivier , Rio Marlène , Ghoumid Jamal , Smol Thomas
Published: December 2024

Intellectual Developmental Disorder with Dysmorphic Facies and Ptosis (IDDDFP) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in the BRPF1 gene, which is critical for chromatin regulation. This study expands the clinical and molecular spectrum of IDDDFP by analysing 29 new patients from 20 families with confirmed BRPF1 variants. Our cohort presented with a wide range of clinical features including developmental delay, intellectual disability (ID) and characteristic dysmorphic facial features such as ptosis, blepharophimosis and a broad nasal bridge. New phenotypic features identified include palpebral oedema, laterally elongated eyebrows, low hanging columella and hypertrichosis. Neuropsychological assessment reveals a predominance of mild to moderate ID, with cognitive profiles showing variability in verbal and visual processing. Structural abnormalities such as agenesis of the corpus callosum and ocular defects were noted, consistent with previous studies but with some differences. Familial analysis revealed variability in clinical expression. Our findings highlight the diverse clinical manifestations of BRPF1‐related disorders and suggest that comprehensive ophthalmological evaluation is essential for the management of these patients.
Mahmoud Taleghani: A Pioneer Thinker of Social Islam in Contemporary Iran
Authors: Lolaki Seyed Mohammad
Published: December 2024

The confrontation and comprehension of the Islamic world with regard to Western modernity, which has been unfolding for nearly two centuries, has obliged Muslim thinkers to study and reconceptualize this complex intersection of ideas. Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani was one of the most prominent figures of jurisprudential Islam, who adopted a modern interpretation of Islam and Shiism as part of the Iranian Islamic tradition. This article analyses the viewpoints of Taleghani, as a pioneer of this form of social Islam in contemporary Iran, focusing on Taleghani's thoughts under five different headings: the historical circumstances of Iran, his system of knowledge, his priorities for norms, his approach toward government, and public policy.
Association Between Lipoprotein(a) and Dilatation of Different Aortic Segments in Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Wang Lin , Ma Chaoqun , Liu Xiaowei , Han Wei
Published: December 2024

Purpose

There are limited reports on the potential link between Lp(a) and ARDM. Thus, we examined the relationship between Lp(a) and ARDM among hypertensive patients.

Methods

We used echocardiography to measure ARDM in 513 consecutively hospitalized patients. namely, the aortic valve annulus (Ava), sinuses of Valsalva (SV), sinotubular junction (STJ), and ascending aorta (AA) in 513 consecutive inpatients. We also examined the Lp(a), and other laboratory profiles of all participants.

Results

Lp(a) exhibited a positive and independent relationship with the SV diameter (coefficient [β] = 0.330, p = 0.002) and STJ (coefficient [β] = 0.253, p = 0.023), regardless of age, sex, height, or other clinical factors among hypertensive, but not nonhypertensive patients. We also demonstrated that a marked rise in Lp(a) levels was independently associated with SV dilatation (SVD) (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.002–1.009, p = 0.002) and AA dilatation (AAD) (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.000–1.011, p = 0.035) in patients with hypertension. In the subgroup analysis, elevated Lp(a) levels were significantly associated with SV dilatation in all subgroups, and with AAD in males and patients aged 65 years or younger (p < 0.05). The restricted cubic spline analysis indicated a linear association between Lp(a) levels and the risk of both SV and AAD (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Herein, we were the first to report that among hypertensive patients, elevated Lp(a) concentrations were intricately linked to the ARDMs at SV and STJ. Moreover, we revealed that the Lp(a) level was a stand‐alone indicator of SVD and AAD.
Prognostic Value of Advanced Echocardiography in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Najaf Zadeh Shabnam , Malagutti Patrizia , Sartore Luca , Madhkour Raouf , Berto Martina Boscolo , Gräni Christoph , De Marchi Stefano
Published: December 2024

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases caused 20.5 million deaths in 2021, making up nearly one‐third of global mortality. This highlights the need for practical prognostic markers to better classify patients and guide treatment, especially in ischemic heart disease (IHD), which represents one of the leading causes of CV mortality. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a key, non‐invasive imaging tool widely used in cardiology for diagnosing and managing a range of CV conditions. It is the first choice for diagnosing and monitoring patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Alongside well‐established echocardiographic measures, new techniques have proven useful for predicting adverse events in IHD patients, such as three‐dimensional (3D) and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and speckle tracking technology. This review aims to explore the latest echocardiographic tools that could provide new prognostic markers for patients in the acute phase and during follow‐up after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We focus on new imaging methods like TDI, myocardial work index (MWI), speckle‐tracking strain, and 3D technologies using TTE, which are easy to use and widely available at all stages of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Education moderates the association between motor involvement and executive status in ALS
Authors: Aiello Edoardo Nicolò , Poletti Barbara , Consonni Monica , Iazzolino Barbara , Torre Silvia , Faltracco Veronica , Telesca Alessandra , Palumbo Francesca , Curti Beatrice , De Luca Giulia , Bella Eleonora Dalla , Bersano Enrica , Riva Nilo , Verde Federico , Messina Stefano , Doretti Alberto , Maranzano Alessio , Morelli Claudia , Calvo Andrea , Silani Vincenzo , Lauria Giuseppe , Chiò Adriano , Ticozzi Nicola
Published: December 2024

Background

This study aimed to determine whether educational attainment—a common proxy of cognitive reserve (CR)—influences the association between motor and cognitive/behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of ALS patients without dementia.

Methods

N = 726 ALS patients without FTD were assessed for motor (ALSFRS‐R), cognitive (Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen, ECAS) and behavioural outcomes (ECAS‐Carer Interview, ECAS‐CI). CR was operationalized via educational attainment (in years). Moderation models were run on each subscale of the cognitive section of the ECAS and on the ECAS‐CI by addressing ALSFRS‐R as the predictor and education as the moderator.

Results

Education was associated with both the ALSFRS‐R and all the cognitive subscales of the ECAS, while not with the ECAS‐CI. As to moderation models, a significant Education*ALSFRS‐R interaction was detected solely with regard to the ECAS‐Executive—with its simple slope‐based decomposition revealing that higher ALSFRS‐R scores were associated with higher scores on the ECAS‐Executive for patients with low (p < 0.001) and average (p = 0.007), while not high, levels of education.

Discussion

Education seems to moderate the association between motor involvement and executive status in ALS patients without dementia, thus possibly exerting a protective role towards both motor function and cognition in this population.
User‐defined virtual sensors: A new solution to the problem of temporal plus epilepsy sources
Authors: Tenney Jeffrey , Fujiwara Hisako , Skoch Jesse , Horn Paul , Hong Seungrok , Lee Olivia , Kremer Kelly , Arya Ravindra , Holland Katherine , Mangano Francesco , Greiner Hansel
Published: December 2024

Objective

The most common medically resistant epilepsy (MRE) involves the temporal lobe (TLE), and children designated as temporal plus epilepsy (TLE+) have a five‐times increased risk of postoperative surgical failure. This retrospective, blinded, cross‐sectional study aimed to correlate visual and computational analyses of magnetoencephalography (MEG) virtual sensor waveforms with surgical outcome and epilepsy classification (TLE and TLE+).

Methods

Patients with MRE who underwent MEG and iEEG monitoring and had at least 1 year of postsurgical follow‐up were included in this retrospective analysis. User‐defined virtual sensor (UDvs) beamforming was completed with virtual sensors placed manually and symmetrically in the bilateral amygdalohippocampi, inferior/middle/superior temporal gyri, insula, suprasylvian operculum, orbitofrontal cortex, and temporoparieto‐occipital junction. Additionally, MEG effective connectivity was computed and quantified using eigenvector centrality (EC) to identify hub regions. More conventional MEG methods (equivalent current dipole [ECD], standardized low‐resolution brain electromagnetic tomography, synthetic aperture magnetometry beamformer), UDvs beamformer, and EC hubs were compared to iEEG.

Results

Eighty patients (38 female, 42 male) with MRE (mean age = 11.3 ± 6.2 years, range = 1.0–31.5) were identified and included. Twenty‐five patients (31.3%) were classified as TLE, whereas 55 (68.8%) were TLE+. When modeling the association between MEG method, iEEG, and postoperative surgical outcome (odds of a worse [International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) class > 2] outcome), a significant result was seen only for UDvs beamformer (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–1.48). Likewise, when the relationship between MEG method, iEEG, and classification (TLE and TLE+) was modeled, only UDvs beamformer had a significant association (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.13–1.92). When modeling the association between EC hub location and resection/ablation to postoperative surgical outcome (odds of a good [ILAE 1–2] outcome), a significant association was seen (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.05–1.43).

Significance

This study demonstrates a concordance between UDvs beamforming and iEEG that is related to both postsurgical seizure outcome and presurgical classification of epilepsy (TLE and TLE+). UDvs beamforming could be a complementary approach to the well‐established ECD, improving invasive electrode and surgical resection planning for patients undergoing epilepsy surgery evaluations and treatments.
Movement in 3D: Novel Opportunities for Understanding Animal Behaviour and Space Use
Authors: Lennox Robert J. , Adam Timo , Riha Milan , Klappstein Natasha , Monk Christopher T. , Vollset Knut Wiik , Beumer Larissa T.
Published: December 2024

Animals move in three spatial dimensions, but many animal movement tools have only focused on the use of 2D coordinates for modelling space use, habitat selection, behavioural classification, social interactions and movement. Here, we submit that many common movement ecology analyses can and should be extended to consider all three spatial dimensions to make more robust inferences about ecological processes. We provide an overview of how home range analysis, network analysis and social network analysis, hidden Markov models, resource selection and step selection functions and hierarchical linear and additive models are used for studying animal movement in two dimensions. Then, we explain how the third dimension, z, can be used within these existing frameworks to consider how depth and altitude affect key ecological inferences drawn from animal tracking data. Our position builds on empirical and theoretical work about how three‐dimensional methods can contribute to stronger inferences in movement ecology. Key limitations to operationalisation of this framework include calibration of uncertainty in pressure sensors used to measure depth and altitude, visualisation and rendering of three‐dimensional data to make them interpretable and understandable to end‐users and generally more conventional and accepted methods for using three dimensions when conducting standard animal movement analyses.
Recreational Fisher Local Ecological Knowledge Provides Information Applicable to the Management of an Anthropogenically Impacted Estuary
Authors: Adams Aaron J. , Parkinson Randall W. , Dourte Daniel , Bainbridge Amy
Published: December 2024

Anthropogenic impacts to estuaries are increasing globally, and often exceed the capacity of resource managers to effectively quantify environmental changes, design and implement effective restoration programs, or assess ecosystem response to specific restoration projects. We interviewed recreational fishers to document spatiotemporal fishing effort over a 40‐year period, analyzed commercial fishing landings, to qualitatively compare the data to seagrass monitoring estimates of aerial coverage and percent cover over a four‐decade period for the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (USA). Fisher effort and landings mirrored declines in seagrass percent cover, which preceded declines in seagrass aerial coverage resulting from large‐scale, harmful algal blooms. A super‐bloom was posited as the point of ecological collapse of the Indian River Lagoon. We recommend engaging stakeholders and incorporating local ecological knowledge into resource management programs to monitor and improve restoration outcomes by expanding the knowledge base from which decisions are made.
chooseGCM: A Toolkit to Select General Circulation Models in R
Authors: Esser Luíz Fernando , Bailly Dayani , Lima Marcos Robalinho , Ré Reginaldo
Published: December 2024

Studies on climate change need to make projections based on predicted scenarios. One source of variability in these projections is the choice of general circulation models (GCMs). There is a lack of consensus on how to choose the GCMs. This is particularly notorious in species distribution modeling (SDM) studies. An ideal approach would be to encompass all GCMs, but this is exceedingly costly in terms of computational requirements. We propose a methodological framework, which allows the researcher to evaluate the variation in GCMs. The framework has been implemented in an R package, being an easily accessible tool. The proof of concept using SDMs returned an output correlation > 0.9 with the baseline, saving > 79% of computation time and allowing a broader range of hardware to perform robust projections. The chooseGCM package provides a set of functions to download and analyze GCM data, while also providing a wrapper function, helping both experienced and novice modelers. It facilitates the application and calculation of clusterization, correlation, distances, and exploratory information and can help researchers from different backgrounds since it relies solely on the availability of GCMs projections.
No General Trend in Functional Diversity in Bird and Mammal Communities Despite Compositional Change
Authors: Norman Kari E. A. , de Valpine Perry , Boettiger Carl
Published: December 2024

Aim

Despite unprecedented environmental change due to anthropogenic pressure, recent work has found increasing dissimilarity due to turnover but no overall trend in species diversity through time at the local scale. Functional diversity provides a potentially powerful alternative approach for understanding community composition by linking shifts in species identity to the characteristics that underpin ecosystem processes. Here we present the first multitaxa, multisystem analysis of functional diversity and composition through time.

Location

Global, with a North American focus.

Time Period

1923–2014.

Major Taxa Studied

Mammals, Birds.

Methods

We paired thousands of bird and mammal assemblage time series from the BioTIME database with existing trait data representative of species' functional roles to reconstruct time series of functional diversity and composition metrics. Our dataset included 2432 time series of yearly observations from 50 studies with a maximum spatial extent of 95 km2. Using generalised linear mixed models, we estimated general and study‐level trends for those metrics.

Results

We found no overall temporal trends in functional diversity metrics. Study characteristics such as taxa, realm, biome, or protection status did not distinguish between types of change exhibited by communities. We found evidence of a temporal increase in fish consumption across all communities but no evidence to support multiple predictions for specific traits, including decreasing body size, dietary shifts or changes in bird foraging strata.

Main Conclusions

General temporal trends indicate that on the aggregate, studies do not exhibit consistent changes in functional diversity across many taxa, biomes and realms. At the study level, the majority of studies showed no temporal trends in species or functional diversity, with the remainder of the studies falling into broad categories of functional diversity change independent of species richness, functional redundancy loss (species richness declines with functional richness maintained) and increasing species richness sometimes accompanied by increasing functional richness.
Dielectric, impedance, and energy storage properties of Bi(Mg0.5Sn0.5)O3 modified Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 based ceramics
Authors: Khan Sami Ullah , Manan Abdul , Ullah Atta , Qazi Ibrahim , Rehman Maqbool Ur , Khan Murad Ali , Ahmad Arbab Safeer , Muhammad Raz , Iqbal Yaseen
Published: December 2024

(1–x)(0.60eBi0.5Na0.5TiO3–0.35SrTiO3–0.05BiFeO3)–xBi(Mg0.5Sn0.5)O3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) ceramics processed via a solid‐state sintering route were investigated. Analysis of XRD data revealed the formation of the parent phase along with a minor secondary phase for each ceramic composition. The doping of BMS led to a decrease in the dielectric loss (tanδ ≤3%) for the composition with x = 0.10 in the temperature range 25°C–400°C. The observed small grain size of the sample with x = 0.10 may be responsible for its lower electrical conductivity which enhanced the energy storage performance. Furthermore, the overall resistance of all the compositions decreased with an increase in temperature which indicated a semiconducting behavior. For the sample with x = 0.10, enhancement in the overall properties was observed, i.e., stored energy density (Ws) ∼2.67 J/cm3, recoverable energy density (Wrec) ∼1.691 J/cm3 and efficiency (η) ∼63% at a dielectric breakdown strength (BDS) ∼200 kV/cm. This composition may be suitable as an energy storage capacitor for pulsed power applications.
Healthcare burden of public hospital gout admissions in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Tse Wing Wai , Smith Ben J. , Han Joanne , Manolios Nicholas , Wong Peter , Cai Ken
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims

In New Zealand, the Māori and Pacific Islander population has a higher rate of hospital admissions for gout; however, we lack data for these population groups who reside in Australia. This study examined the pattern of hospital gout admissions in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state of Australia, with a particular focus on the Māori and Pacific Islander population.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study exploring the pattern of gout admissions in NSW public hospitals in the financial years 2017/2018 to 2019/2020. All patients aged ≥20 years, admitted to hospital with gout as the principal diagnosis between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2020, were included in this study. Outcomes measured included the number and costs of these hospital admissions. Crude and age‐standardised admission rates were calculated.

Results

Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD) and South Western Sydney LHD had the highest number of hospital admissions with a principal diagnosis of gout (n = 537 and 788 admissions, respectively) in the 3‐year study period. Māori and Pacific Islanders had higher rates of admissions due to gout (109.9 admissions per 100 000 people, compared to 20.0 for non‐Māori/non‐Pacific Islanders) and were of younger age.

Conclusions

This study highlights the ethnic and geographical disparities in gout hospital admissions in NSW, with the Māori and Pacific Islander population of Western and South Western Sydney disproportionately affected. Culturally appropriate gout management strategies may be needed in the Māori and Pacific Islander population to address the large number of gout cases in western and southwestern Sydney.
SANTANA Cohort: Study on Frailty in Institutionalised Older Adults and Its Relationship With Gordon's Functional Health Patterns
Authors: Pérez‐Rugosa Victoria , Núñez‐Castro Isabel , Carriles‐Freire Wendy Celeste , Rodríguez‐Rodríguez Antonia , Sarabia‐Cobo Carmen
Published: December 2024

Aim

This study investigated whether Gordon's Functional Health Patterns (FHPs) can predict frailty in older adults residing in nursing homes over 5 years.

Design

Prospective cohort study with participants from 10 nursing homes across five countries.

Methods

Researchers assessed 1245 participants at baseline and 903 at follow‐up (5 years) using standardised frailty measures and FHP assessments. Statistical analyses explored the relationships between FHPs and frailty.

Results

FHPs, particularly those related to mobility, nutrition and social interaction, significantly predicted lower frailty risk at baseline. Furthermore, FHPs showed an increased ability to predict frailty over time, explaining a substantial portion of frailty variation at both baseline and follow‐up. Analyses also revealed differences in how specific FHPs impacted frailty, suggesting the importance of individual functional variations.

Conclusion

This study suggests that Gordon's FHPs are a valuable tool for predicting frailty in older adults within institutional settings. Integrating FHPs into clinical practice can promote early frailty detection and intervention. Future research should explore how FHPs change over time and their impact on frailty in broader populations.

Reporting Method

The study followed the CONSORT guideline for cohort studies to enhance the quality and transparency of reporting the results.

Patient or Public Contribution

Not applicable.
Syncope: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment 2024
Authors: Sutton Richard , Kenny Rose Anne , Benditt David G.
Published: December 2024

Aim

In light of many recent advances in the field of vasovagal syncope, a selective review has been undertaken of these developments.

Methods

Recent publications on the following topics were reviewed; understanding of vasovagal syncope pathophysiology, tilt‐testing methodology and interpretation, drug, ablation and pacemaker therapy.

Results and Conclusions

The vasovagal syncope field is very active in researching its pathophysiology, using it to gain better understanding of the process and applying this knowledge to therapy.
Investigating the Links Between Food Addiction, Emotional Dysregulation, Impulsivity and Quality of Life in Brazilian and Canadian College Students: A Network Analysis
Authors: Dejavitte Rosemeire Aparecida Simone , Enes Carla Cristina , Kim Hyoun S. , Soares da Silva Laura , Andrade André Luiz Monezi
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Food addiction (FA) has been associated with emotional dysregulation, impulsivity and reduced quality of life, but its interrelationships remain underexplored. This cross‐sectional descriptive study aimed to examine these connections using network analysis.

Methods

Data were collected from 1777 university students in Brazil and Canada through an online survey. Participants were classified into three groups based on the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0): No food addiction (NFA), mild food addiction (MFA) and moderate/severe food addiction (MSFA).

Results

The MSFA group reported significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, impulsivity and emotional dysregulation, as well as lower quality of life compared to the other groups. Network analysis identified stress as the most influential variable in both samples, whereas impulsivity played a key role in connecting FA with emotional problems, particularly, in the MSFA group.

Conclusions

This study addresses this gap by identifying impulsivity as central to the co‐occurrence of FA and emotional dysfunction, thereby offering insights for future research and interventions targeting FA.