bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Properties of Li4Ti5O12 Coated LiMn0.6Fe0.4PO4 Prepared by Rheological Phase Reaction Method
Authors: Gu Haoyan , Li Weida , Li Quanchen , Li Xinran , Yang Hao , Fu Quanjun , Liang Guangchuan
Published: March 2024

In this study, we fabricated LiMn0.6Fe0.4PO4/C (LMFP/C) materials employing the spray drying method. Subsequently, the LMFP/C composites underwent surface modification with Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) using the rheological phase reaction method. LTO demonstrates high electrochemical activity and possesses significantly greater lithium-ion conductivity compared to LMFP. The developed composite coating serves a dual purpose by safeguarding the LMFP material against electrolyte erosion and facilitating the swift transfer of lithium ions and electrons. The results from transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy validated the successful coating of LTO onto the LMFP/C surface after the surface modification treatment. A comparative analysis was conducted between the pristine LMFP/C powder and the LMFP-LTO composite that underwent surface modification. The results reveal that the 2 wt% LTO-coated LMFP/C composite has the best electrochemical performance, manifesting specific capacities of 156 and 132.6 mAh g−1 at 0.2 and 5 C rate, respectively. Furthermore, the material demonstrated excellent cycle retention, with 95.4% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C. Hence, LTO coating can be considered an efficacious strategy for enhancing the electrochemical performance of LMFP.
Coimagining the Future of Voice Assistants with Cultural Sensitivity
Authors: Seaborn Katie , Sawa Yuto , Watanabe Mizuki
Published: March 2024

Voice assistants (VAs) are becoming a feature of our everyday life. Yet, the user experience (UX) is often limited, leading to underuse, disengagement, and abandonment. Co-designing interactions for VAs with potential end-users can be useful. Crowdsourcing this process online and anonymously may add value. However, most work has been done in the English-speaking West on dialogue data sets. We must be sensitive to cultural differences in language, social interactions, and attitudes towards technology. Our aims were to explore the value of co-designing VAs in the non-Western context of Japan and demonstrate the necessity of cultural sensitivity. We conducted an online elicitation study (N=135) where Americans (n=64) and Japanese people (n=71) imagined dialogues (N=282) and activities (N=73) with future VAs. We discuss the implications for coimagining interactions with future VAs, offer design guidelines for the Japanese and English-speaking US contexts, and suggest opportunities for cultural plurality in VA design and scholarship.
Pain in Solid and Clean Fuel Using Households
Authors: Zhu Yi , Chen Lijin , Feng Honghong , Zheng Esthefany Xu , Huang Yixiang
Published: March 2024

Household air pollution from solid cooking fuel use influences multiple health outcomes, but its association with body pain remains poorly understood. This was a longitudinal study of 8880 adults who participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2018. Household cooking fuels were extracted from the baseline household questionnaire. Transitions in cooking fuels from 2011 to 2018 were also identified. Body pain status was reported in the three waves of surveys conducted in 2011, 2015, and 2018. The associations between cooking fuel type, fuel transition, and pain site number were examined using generalized estimating equations. Among the 8880 participants, 41.4% (n = 3680) primarily used clean fuels for cooking, and 58.6% (n = 5200) used solid ones at baseline. Cooking with solid fuels was associated with more pain sites (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08 to 1.21), but a slower rate of pain sites increases from 2011 to 2018 (IRR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.86, for 2018 × solid fuels). Compared with those who persistently used clean fuels for cooking, the number of pain sites increased by 10% in participants who transiting from using solid to clean fuels (IRR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.18), by 21% in those transiting from cooking with clean to solid fuels (IRR = 1.21: 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.35) and by 25% among those persistent using solid fuels for cooking (IRR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.34). Our findings provided new evidence linking using solid fuels for cooking with more pain sites, but a slower rate of pain sites increases. Public health efforts should focus on fuel transition and take measures to help clean fuels spread.
Maximizing Conversion Efficiency: A Numerical Analysis on P+ a-SiC/i Interface/n-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells with AMPS-1D
Authors: Ali Md. Feroz , Hossain Md. Faruk , Hossain Md. Alamgir
Published: March 2024

In this study, a heterojunction (P+ a-SiC/i intrinsic/n-Si) solar cell has been examined and characterized using the Analysis of Microelectronics and Photonic Structures (AMPS-1D) simulator. In this heterojunction solar cell, an intrinsic layer is imposed to enhance the efficiency and performance. The optimum efficiency of 36.52% (Voc=1.714 V, Jsc=27.006 mA/cm2, and FF=0.789) has been achieved with this intrinsic layer. It has also been observed the solar cell without intrinsic layer. In this case, the maximum efficiency of 2.378% has been observed which is very poor. The heterojunction solar cell also has been investigated with electron blocking layer (EBL) and defect layer. In this case, the simulation result shows the lower efficiency (34.357%) than the previous. This research paper introduces an optimized model of a heterojunction solar cell enhanced with an intrinsic layer to improve efficiency. The proposed design shows significant promise in its theoretical framework. Looking forward, the design could be realized in laboratory settings and has the potential to be scaled up for broader applications.
Tunable High-Frequency Acoustoelectric Current Oscillations in Fluorine-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Sekyi-Arthur Daniel , Mensah Samuel Yeboah , Wi-Adu Kofi , Dompreh Kwadwo Anokye , Edziah Raymond
Published: March 2024

Herein, we report on a fluorine-doped single-walled carbon nanotube (FSWCNT) phenomenon, that yields tunable high-frequency self-sustained acoustoelectric direct current (ADC) oscillations. A tractable analytical method was used in the hypersound domain, to base the calculations on carriers in the lowest miniband. Hypothetically, the energy of interaction between the carriers and the acoustic phonons is less than the energy of the typical carriers. High-order harmonics of the acoustic phonons’ effective field could be disregarded under this supposition. The ADC was observed to exhibit a nonlinearity, that resulted from the carrier distribution function’s distortion as a result of interaction with the acoustic phonons, which had strong nonlinear effects. Theoretically, we demonstrated that the dynamics of space charge instabilities, due to Bragg reflection of Bloch oscillating carriers in the FSWCNT’s miniband, were the only factors which contributed to the creation of radiation in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. The study also investigated the influence of various FSWCNT parameters such as the overlapping integrals (Δs and Δz), ac-field E1, and carrier concentration noon the behaviour of the ADC. The results showed that the intensity of the ADC oscillation Jzzae/Joae could be tuned by adjusting Δs, Δz, E1, and no.This tunability suggests that FSWCNTs could be used as an active device operating at very high frequencies, potentially reaching the submillimeter wavelength range. The study also suggests the possibility of domain suppression and acoustic Bloch gain through dynamic ADC stabilisation.
Identification of Specific Cell Surface Markers on Immune Cells of Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)
Authors: Nehete Bharti P. , DeLise Ashley , Nehete Pramod N.
Published: March 2024

Nonhuman primates are an important experimental model for the development of targeted biological therapeutics because of their immunological closeness to humans. However, there are very few antibody reagents relevant for delineating the different immune cell subsets based on nonhuman primate antigens directly or with cross‐reactivity to those in humans. Here, we report specific expression of HLA‐DR, PD‐1, and CD123 on different circulating immune cell subsets in the peripheral blood that included T cells (CD3+), T cells subsets (CD4+ and CD8+), B cells (CD20+), natural killer (NK) cells (CD3–CD16+), and natural killer T cells (CD3+CD16+) along with different monocyte subsets in squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). We established cross‐reactivity of commercial mouse antihuman monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), with these various immune cell surface markers. These findings should aid further future comprehensive understanding of the immune parameters and identification of new biomarkers to significantly improve SQM as a model for biomedical studies.
Properties, Structure, and Acceptability of Innovative Legume-Based Biscuits with Alternative Sweeteners
Authors: Lazou Andriana E.
Published: March 2024

The effects of legume incorporation and sweetener substitution on the quality characteristics of innovative biscuits were investigated. The wheat flour was substituted with chickpea and lentil flour at ratios ranging from 0 to 30% legume to whole-meal dicoccum wheat flour. The sugar was substituted by oligofructose at 50 and 100% levels. The quality characteristics, including physicochemical properties (moisture content, water activity, and color), sorption characteristics, structural and textural properties, and sensory properties, were significantly affected by the substitutions. Sorption phenomena were excellently described by the Guggenheim, Anderson, and de Boer (GAB) model, while its parameters were affected by substitutions. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous structure with starch granules embedded within the protein matrix, showing restricted gelatinization and keeping largely their form. The incorporation of legume flour increased the biscuit density, hardness, and spread ratio and decreased the color of the products. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) analysis of instrumental and sensory characteristics showed that texture and sweetness were the key quality characteristics for product acceptance. It was found that highly acceptable legume-based biscuits with alternative sweeteners can be produced, with 50% oligofructose substitution and legume flour incorporation (chickpea or lentil) up to 30%.
Measurement of ctDNA Tumor Fraction Identifies Informative Negative Liquid Biopsy Results and Informs Value of Tissue Confirmation
Authors: Rolfo Christian D. , Madison Russell W. , Pasquina Lincoln W. , Brown Derek W. , Huang Yanmei , Hughes Jason D. , Graf Ryon P. , Oxnard Geoffrey R. , Husain Hatim
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

Liquid biopsy (LBx) for tumor profiling is increasingly used, but concerns remain regarding negative results. A lack of results may truly reflect tumor genomics, or it may be a false negative that would be clarified by tissue testing. A method of distinguishing between these scenarios could help clarify when follow-on tissue testing is valuable.

Experimental Design:

Here we evaluate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) tumor fraction (TF), a quantification of ctDNA in LBx samples, for utility in identifying true negative results. We assessed concordance between LBx and tissue-based results, stratified by ctDNA TF, in a real-world genomic dataset of paired samples across multiple disease types. We also evaluated the frequency of tissue results identifying driver alterations in patients with lung cancer after negative LBx in a real-world clinicogenomic database.

Results:

The positive percent agreement and negative predictive value between liquid and tissue samples for driver alterations increased from 63% and 66% for all samples to 98% and 97% in samples with ctDNA TF ≥1%. Among 505 patients with lung cancer with no targetable driver alterations found by LBx who had subsequent tissue-based profiling, 37% had a driver, all of which had ctDNA TF <1%.

Conclusions:

Patients with lung cancer with negative LBx and ctDNA TF ≥1% are unlikely to have a driver detected on confirmatory tissue testing; such informative negative results may benefit instead from prompt treatment initiation. Conversely, negative LBx with ctDNA TF <1% will commonly have a driver identified by follow-up tissue testing and should be prioritized for reflex testing.
The ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Enhances NK-Cell Antitumor Effector Functions
Authors: Wu Shuting , Peng Hongyan , Li Songyang , Huang Lanlan , Wang Xiangyu , Li Yana , Liu Yongjie , Xiong Peiwen , Yang Qinglan , Tian Kunpeng , Wu Weiru , Pu Rongxi , Lu Xiulan , Xiao Zhenghui , Yang Jian , Zhong Zhaoyang , Gao Yuan , Deng Yafei , Deng Youcai
Published: March 2024

ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are known to directly repress tumor development and progression. In this study, we explored whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of ω-3 PUFA, had an immunomodulatory role in inhibiting tumor growth in immunocompetent mice. The number of natural killer (NK) cells but not the number of T or B cells was decreased by DHA supplementation in various tissues under physiologic conditions. Although the frequency and number of NK cells were comparable, IFNγ production by NK cells in both the spleen and lung was increased in DHA-supplemented mice in the mouse B16F10 melanoma tumor model. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that DHA promoted effector function and oxidative phosphorylation in NK cells but had no obvious effects on other immune cells. Using Rag2−/− mice and NK-cell depletion by PK136 antibody injection, we demonstrated that the suppression of B16F10 melanoma tumor growth in the lung by DHA supplementation was dependent mainly on NK cells. In vitro experiments showed that DHA directly enhanced IFNγ production, CD107a expression, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity and slightly increased proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) protein expression in NK cells. The PGC-1α inhibitor SR-18292 in vitro and NK cell–specific knockout of PGC-1α in mice reversed the antitumor effects of DHA. In summary, our findings broaden the current knowledge on how DHA supplementation protects against cancer growth from the perspective of immunomodulation by upregulating PGC-1α signaling–mediated mitochondrial OXPHOS activity in NK cells.
FIGURE 2 from Spectral Flow Cytometry Methods and Pipelines for Comprehensive Immunoprofiling of Human Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow
Authors: Spasic Milos , Ogayo Esther R. , Parsons Adrienne M. , Mittendorf Elizabeth A. , van Galen Peter , McAllister Sandra S.
Published: March 2024

PBMC Panel 2: Gating strategy for monocyte, NK, and dendritic cells. Density plots of the gating strategy used to identify indicated PBMC cell types in the M/N/D panel. Arrows denote sequential steps in the gating strategy and are used to visualize the relationships across populations. Density plots represent 534,000 CD45+ live single cells from concatenation of events from all donors (n = 3).
Surgical Management of Difficult Nail Glomus Tumors
Authors: Gioia Di Chiacchio Nilton , Di Chiacchio Nilton
Published: March 2024

Background: Nail glomus tumor is a well-known tumor, with well-defined clinical characteristics and surgical treatment; however, some of these lesions occur in different locations and sizes with difficult surgical resolution. Summary: Clinical and imaging tests help in the diagnosis and tumor localization. Key Message: Adequate surgical knowledge for these cases ensures lower rates of recurrence and nail dystrophy.
Alzheimer’s Disease: A Suitable Case for Treatment with Precision Medicine?
Authors: Pauwels Ernest K.J. , Boer Gerard J.
Published: March 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of neurodegenerative impairment in elderly people. Clinical characteristics include short-term memory loss, confusion, hallucination, agitation, and behavioral disturbance. Owing to evolving research in biomarkers, AD can be discovered at early onset, but the disease is currently considered a continuum, which suggests that pharmacotherapy is most efficacious in the preclinical phase, possibly 15–20 years before discernible onset. Present developments in AD therapy aim to respond to this understanding and go beyond the drug families that relieve clinical symptoms. Another important factor in this development is the emergence of precision medicine that aims to tailor treatment to specific patients or patient subgroups. This relatively new platform would categorize AD patients on the basis of parameters like clinical aspects, brain imaging, genetic profiling, clinical genetics, and epidemiological factors. This review enlarges on recent progress in the design and clinical use of antisense molecules, antibodies, antioxidants, small molecules, and gene editing to stop AD progress and possibly reverse the disease on the basis of relevant biomarkers.
Type I interferon, induced by adenovirus or adenoviral vector infection, regulates the cytokine response to LPS in a macrophage type-specific manner
Authors: Maler Mareike D. , Zwick Sophie , Kallfass Carsten , Engelhard Peggy , Shi Hexin , Hellig Laura , Zhengyang Pang , Hardt Annika , Zissel Gernot , Ruzsics Zsolt , Jahnen-Dechent Willi , Martin Stefan F. , Nielsen Peter Jess , Stolz Daiana , Lopatecka Justyna , Bastyans Sarah , Beutler Bruce , Schamel Wolfgang W. , Fejer György , Freudenberg Marina Alexandra
Published: March 2024

In mice, adenovirus (Ad)-elicited IFN-ab mediates the overproduction of LPS stimulated cytokines such as TNFa and IL-6. We found that Ad infection also mediates the overproduction of IFN-ab itself and enables its production in splenic marginal zone macrophages, which don’t produce IFN-ab in response to LPS alone. We show the importance of the scavenger receptor MARCO for Ad uptake and cytokine overproduction in vivo, and the differential contribution of infection and rIFN-b to LPS-induced cytokine response in macrophage subsets. TNF-a and IL-6 responses are enhanced in alveolar macrophages and alveolar macrophage-like lines, but downregulated in bone-marrow-derived and peritoneal macrophages, which correlates with the absence and presence of the anti-inflammatory IL-10 response. The IFN-ab response to LPS is enhanced in all four macrophage types. In Ad-infected mice, the rough LPS chemotype-induced TNF-a production partially depends on the LPS co-receptor CD14, while the IL-10 response is independent of CD14. The IFN-ab responses are strictly CD14-dependent, and partly IRF-3-independent. Upregulated TNF-a and IL-6, and downregulated IL-10 responses to LPS were also found in human blood treated ex vivo with SARS-CoV-2 adenovirus vaccine or rIFN-b. The altered reactivity of cytokine-producing cells to the ubiquitously present LPS could promote adverse effects of viral infection or vaccination.
Plasma Cell-Free Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Gene Promoter Methylation as a Prognostic Biomarker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Hsiao Chih-Yang , Lu Chang-Yi , Su Hung-Ju , Huang Kai-Wen
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Lack of biomarkers for follow-up after treatment is a clinical challenge. DNA methylation has been proposed to be a potential biomarker in HCC. However, there is still a lack of evidence of its clinical use. This study aimed to evaluate the value of using plasma Adenomatous Polyposis Coli promoter methylation level (APC-MET) as a potential biomarker in HCC treatment. Method: A total of 96 patients with HCC at BCLC stage B who underwent local tumor ablation treatment were prospectively included in this study. APC-MET was examined in the plasma of each patient before and 1 month after treatment. The prediction value of APC-MET for survival outcome and disease status after treatment was analyzed and adjusted with alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence-II using Cox regression analysis. Results: Univariate Cox regression analysis showed preoperative APC-MET >0 (HR, 2.9, 95% CI: 1.05–8.05, p = 0.041) and postoperative APC-MET >0 (HR, 3.47, 95% CI: 1.16–10.4, p = 0.026) were both predictors of death, and preoperative APC-MET >0 was a predictor of disease progression after treatment (HR, 2.04, 95% CI: 1.21–3.44, p = 0.007). In multivariate models, preoperative APC-MET >0 was a significant predictor of disease progression after adjusting with the other two traditional biomarkers (HR, 1.82, 95% CI: 1.05–3.17, p = 0.034). Conclusions: Hypermethylation of APC promoter appears to be a potential biomarker that could predict patient survival and disease progression outcomes in patients with intermediate-stage HCC after local ablation treatment.
PAX1 and SOX1 Gene Methylation as a Detection and Triage Method for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Diagnosis
Authors: Gao Yan , Zi Dan , Liang Wentong , Qiu Fang , Zheng Jie , Xiao Xuelian , Jiang Engli , Xu Yuwei
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Methylation assays have demonstrated potential as dependable and high-precision approaches for identifying or triaging individuals with cervical cancer (CA) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Our investigation aimed to assess the efficacy of the diagnosis and triage of the PAX1/SOX1 methylation panel in detecting CIN or CA. Methods: A total of 461 patients with abnormal high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) or cytology test results were recruited for this study. Each patient underwent an assortment of assessments, comprising a cytology test, hrHPV test, colposcopy examination, and PAX1 and SOX1 methylation tests. Results: The extent of methylation of both genes demonstrates a positive correlation with the severity of CIN lesions and CA. To determine the correlation for patients with CIN2 or worse (CIN2+), the area under curve was 0.821 (95% CI: 0.782–0.853) for PAX1 and 0.800 (95% CI: 0.766–0.838) for SOX1, while for CIN3 or worse (CIN3+), 0.881 (95% CI: 0.839–0.908) for PAX1 and 0.867 (95% CI: 0.830–0.901) for SOX1. The PAX1/SOX1 methylation marker panel performed sensitivity and specificity of 77.16% and 91.67% for CIN2+, 84.76% and 90.50% for CIN3+, respectively. Regarding triaging hrHPV+ patients, the PAX1/SOX1 methylation test only referred 11.83% of the patients who are unnecessary for colonoscopy examination, which is comparatively lower than cytology, thereby signifying a promising triage strategy for hrHPV-positive women. Furthermore, we observed that the positive PAX1/SOX1 methylation test result for untreated CIN1 or fewer patients would result in a higher likelihood of progression upon a 24-month follow-up visit. Conclusion: The present investigation demonstrates that the PAX1/SOX1 methylation marker panel exhibits favorable diagnostic performance in CIN detection and holds the potential to be employed for individual CIN tests or hrHPV-positive triage.
Estimating Vitamin K Antagonist Anticoagulation Benefit in People With Atrial Fibrillation Accounting for Competing Risks: Evidence From 12 Randomized Trials
Authors: Shah Sachin J. , van Walraven Carl , Jeon Sun Young , Boscardin John , Hobbs F.D. Richard , Connolly Stuart J. , Ezekowitz Michael D. , Covinsky Kenneth E. , Fang Margaret C. , Singer Daniel E.
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND:

Patients with atrial fibrillation have a high mortality rate that is only partially attributable to vascular outcomes. The competing risk of death may affect the expected anticoagulant benefit. We determined if competing risks materially affect the guideline-endorsed estimate of anticoagulant benefit.

METHODS:

We conducted a secondary analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials that randomized patients with atrial fibrillation to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or either placebo or antiplatelets. For each participant, we estimated the absolute risk reduction (ARR) of VKAs to prevent stroke or systemic embolism using 2 methods—first using a guideline-endorsed model (CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc) and then again using a competing risk model that uses the same inputs as CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc but accounts for the competing risk of death and allows for nonlinear growth in benefit. We compared the absolute and relative differences in estimated benefit and whether the differences varied by life expectancy.

RESULTS:

A total of 7933 participants (median age, 73 years, 36% women) had a median life expectancy of 8 years (interquartile range, 6–12), determined by comorbidity-adjusted life tables and 43% were randomized to VKAs. The CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc model estimated a larger ARR than the competing risk model (median ARR at 3 years, 6.9% [interquartile range, 4.7%–10.0%] versus 5.2% [interquartile range, 3.5%–7.4%];
P
<0.001). ARR differences varied by life expectancies: for those with life expectancies in the highest decile, 3-year ARR difference (CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc model – competing risk model 3-year risk) was −1.3% (95% CI, −1.3% to −1.2%); for those with life expectancies in the lowest decile, 3-year ARR difference was 4.7% (95% CI, 4.5%–5.0%).

CONCLUSIONS:

VKA anticoagulants were exceptionally effective at reducing stroke risk. However, VKA benefits were misestimated with CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc, which does not account for the competing risk of death nor decelerating treatment benefit over time. Overestimation was most pronounced when life expectancy was low and when the benefit was estimated over a multiyear horizon.
Does Thrombosis Play a Causal Role in Lacunar Stroke and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease?
Authors: Koohi Fatemeh , Harshfield Eric L. , Shatunov Alexey , Markus Hugh S.
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND:

The importance of thromboembolism in the pathogenesis of lacunar stroke (LS), resulting from cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), is debated, and although antiplatelets are widely used in secondary prevention after LS, there is limited trial evidence from well-subtyped patients to support this approach. We sought to evaluate whether altered anticoagulation plays a causal role in LS and cSVD using 2-sample Mendelian randomization.

METHODS:

From a recent genome-wide association study (n=81 190), we used 119 genetic variants associated with venous thrombosis at genome-wide significance (
P
<5*10
−8
) and with a linkage disequilibrium r
2
<0.001 as instrumental variables. We also used genetic associations with stroke from the GIGASTROKE consortium (62 100 ischemic stroke cases: 10 804 cardioembolic stroke, 6399 large-artery stroke, and 6811 LS). In view of the lower specificity for LS with the CT-based phenotyping mainly used in GIGASTROKE, we also used data from patients with magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed LS (n=3199). We also investigated associations with more chronic magnetic resonance imaging features of cSVD, namely, white matter hyperintensities (n=37 355) and diffusion tensor imaging metrics (n=36 533).

RESULTS:

Mendelian randomization analyses showed that genetic predisposition to venous thrombosis was associated with an increased odds of any ischemic stroke (odds ratio [OR], 1.19 [95% CI, 1.13–1.26]), cardioembolic stroke (OR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.21–1.45]), and large-artery stroke (OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.26–1.57]) but not with LS (OR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.99–1.17]) in GIGASTROKE. Similar results were found for magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed LS (OR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.81–1.09]). Genetically predicted risk of venous thrombosis was not associated with imaging markers of cSVD.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings suggest that altered thrombosis plays a role in the risk of cardioembolic and large-artery stroke but is not a causal risk factor for LS or imaging markers of cSVD. This raises the possibility that antithrombotic medication may be less effective in cSVD and underscores the necessity for further trials in well-subtyped cohorts with LS to evaluate the efficacy of different antithrombotic regimens in LS.
Kuhnian Lessons for the Study of Open-Ended Evolution
Authors: Bedau Mark A.
Published: March 2024

Kuhnian philosophy of science implies that progress in the study of open-ended evolution (OEE) would be accelerated if the OEE science community were to agree on some examples of striking success in OEE science. This article recounts the important role of scientific paradigms and scientific exemplars in creating the productivity of what Kuhn, in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, calls “normal” science, and it describes how the study of OEE today would benefit from exhibiting more of the hallmarks of normal science. The article concludes by describing five proposed projects that would help create a consensus in the OEE community on some good examples of the scientific study of OEE.
Microstructural Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Children With Developmental Language Disorder
Authors: Asaridou Salomi S. , Cler Gabriel J. , Wiedemann Anna , Krishnan Saloni , Smith Harriet J. , Willis Hanna E. , Healy Máiréad P. , Watkins Kate E.
Published: March 2024

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) struggle to learn their native language for no apparent reason. While research on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder has focused on the role of corticostriatal systems, little is known about the role of the cerebellum in DLD. Corticocerebellar circuits might be involved in the disorder as they contribute to complex sensorimotor skill learning, including the acquisition of spoken language. Here, we used diffusion-weighted imaging data from 77 typically developing and 54 children with DLD and performed probabilistic tractography to identify the cerebellum’s white matter tracts: the inferior, middle, and superior cerebellar peduncles. Children with DLD showed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the inferior cerebellar peduncles (ICP), fiber tracts that carry motor and sensory input via the inferior olive to the cerebellum. Lower FA in DLD was driven by lower axial diffusivity. Probing this further with more sophisticated modeling of diffusion data, we found higher orientation dispersion but no difference in neurite density in the ICP of children with DLD. Reduced FA is therefore unlikely to be reflecting microstructural differences in myelination, rather the organization of axons in these pathways is disrupted. ICP microstructure was not associated with language or motor coordination performance in our sample. We also found no differences in the middle and superior peduncles, the main pathways connecting the cerebellum with the cortex. To conclude, it is not corticocerebellar but atypical olivocerebellar white matter connections that characterize DLD and suggest the involvement of the olivocerebellar system in speech and language acquisition and development.
On the shoulders of fallen giants: What do references to retracted research tell us about citation behaviors?
Authors: Woo Seokkyun , Walsh John P.
Published: March 2024

Citations are increasingly being used to evaluate institutional and individual performance, suggesting a need for rigorous research to understand what behaviors citations are reflecting and what these behaviors mean for the institution of science. To overcome challenges in accurately representing the citation generation process, we use postretraction citations to test competing theories under two different citation search processes, empirically testing predictions on the spread of retracted references. We find that retracted papers are continually cited after the retraction, and that these citations are more likely to come from audiences likely to be unfamiliar with the field of the retracted paper. In addition, we find this association to be much stronger among those citing high-status journals, consistent with the behavior of scientists relying on heuristic search instead of engaged search process. While the current policy debate on misinformation in science emphasizes increasing the visibility of retraction labels to discourage the use of such publications, we argue that institutional-level interventions may be more effective, as such interventions are more consistent with the heuristic citation process. As such citation behavior may not be limited to the case of postretraction citations, we discuss the implications for current science studies as well as science policy.
Evaluating approaches to identifying research supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Kashnitsky Yury , Roberge Guillaume , Mu Jingwen , Kang Kevin , Wang Weiwei , Vanderfeesten Maurice , Rivest Maxime , Chamezopoulos Savvas , Jaworek Robert , Vignes Maéva , Jayabalasingham Bamini , Boonen Finne , James Chris , Doornenbal Marius , Labrosse Isabelle
Published: March 2024

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) challenge the global community to build a world where no one is left behind. Recognizing that research plays a fundamental part in supporting these goals, attempts have been made to classify research publications according to their relevance in supporting each of the UN’s SDGs. In this paper, we outline the methodology that we followed when mapping research articles to SDGs and which is adopted by Times Higher Education in its Social Impact rankings. We compare our solution with other existing queries and models mapping research papers to SDGs. We also discuss various aspects in which the methodology can be improved and generalized to other types of content apart from research articles. The results presented in this paper are the outcome of the SDG Research Mapping Initiative, which was established as a partnership between the University of Southern Denmark, the Aurora European Universities Alliance (represented by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), the University of Auckland, and Elsevier to bring together broad expertise and share best practices on identifying research contributions to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
A botanical expedition in Eastern Alborz (Iran): rare plant species and assessing their conservation status
Authors: RAHNAMA FATEME , NADERI REZA , AMIRAHMADI ATEFE , NOROOZI JALIL , MAHMOODI MOHAMMAD , MIRTADZADINI MANSOUR
Published: March 2024

This study is a part of an ongoing floristic study in Eastern Alborz mountain range (Iran). The flora and vegetation of this area are less known compared to those of Central Alborz. The study area indicates the regionally significant connection between the Kopet Dagh-Khorassan and Central Alborz. A total of 41 rare-threatened taxa belonging to 26 genera and 15 families are presented. According to the IUCN criteria, our checklist identifies 3 taxa classified as Critically Endangered (CR), 19 taxa as Endangered (EN), 4 taxa as Vulnerable (VU), 4 taxa as Near Threatened (NT), 3 taxa as Least Concern (LC), and 8 taxa as Data Deficient (DD). Among them, 28 are hemicryptophytes, followed by chamaephytes (7 species), geophytes (4 species), and therophytes (2 species). During 10 years of field investigations on the semi-arid areas of Eastern Alborz, some rare-threatened endemic species have been rediscovered in the region. Geographic distribution maps of all rare species together with the accompanying species and their conservation status were drawn up. It is noteworthy that some rare species are known only from their locus classicus and no new specimens have been collected during the last 30 to 80 years. A total of 10 taxa were reported for the first time from Eastern Alborz, primarily exhibiting a disjunct distribution pattern occurring in the high elevations of Zagros, Alborz and/or other mountain ranges in SW Asia.
Synopsis of Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer, 1880 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Brachycyrtinae) from Brazil, with description of two new species
Authors: NASCIMENTO ALEXSANDRA C. , FERNANDES DANIELL R. R.
Published: March 2024

The Brazilian species of the Darwin wasp genus Brachycyrtus Kriechbaumer, 1880 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Brachycyrtinae) are reviewed; a total of 12 species are recognized, of which two are described as new: Brachycyrtus amazonensis sp. n. and Brachycyrtus ocellicarinatus sp. n.. Furthermore, B. obelix Gauld & Ward, 2000 is registered for the first time in Brazil. Brachycyrtus convergens Cushman, 1936, B. cosmetus (Walkley, 1956), B. oculatus Cushman, 1936, B. pretiosus Cushman, 1936, B. veriatrix Gauld & Ward, 2000, B. walkleyae Gauld & Ward, 2000, and B. zani Gauld & Ward, 2000 have their distributional records expanded. Comparative diagnoses for Brazilian species, an illustrated identification key, and maps with geographical records for all species recorded in Brazil are presented.
Seven
Authors: Felsenstein Frank
Published: March 2024

A chapter concerning some of the influential books and writers of the pre-second-world-war era and how such books affected Vera. This chapter includes written correspondence from Thomas Mann in response to a letter from Vera.
Eight
Authors: Felsenstein Frank
Published: March 2024

A summary of events leading to Vera moving to England. Within this chapter, Vera’s journey in medicine faces immense challenges due to restrictions on Jews limiting their ability to learn medicine or work in hospitals.
Nine
Authors: Felsenstein Frank
Published: March 2024

The beginning of Mope’s time under Nazi rule in Leipzig leads to much of his family leaving Germany altogether. Some settle in Palestine, Mope faces personal challenges as more restrictions on Jewish people are put into place.
Thirty
Authors: Felsenstein Frank
Published: March 2024

Vera searches for a maternity hospital and works to conceal her pregnancy from the shop girls at M&S, Mope disagrees with her continuing her demanding work schedule in her condition. Vera is contacted by a relative on behalf of her sister and brother-in-law, following their use of the Kindertransport scheme to send their two youngest to stay with their Grandmother in England, demanding that she write to the Head of the Jewish Refugees Committee and ask him to assist with their application for refugee status in England. Mope falls ill for a week in Moscow, choosing not to alert his pregnant wife so as not to upset her, then works at an auction for a length of time, busy enough that he finds it difficult to write to Vera. At the time of the auction, Vera loses their child, and doesn’t tell Mope until after the auction, so as not to cause him extra stress. When she does tell him, he is incredibly distressed, both for the loss of the child and that she had hidden it from him.
Pediatric Peripheral Vascular Trauma: Incidence and Outcomes
Authors: Dunn Candice L , Burjonrappa Sathyaprasad
Published: March 2024

Peripheral vascular trauma (PVT) is rare in children, with an incidence estimated below 1%. We studied pediatric PVT and risk factors for major amputation by accessing the 2019 National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). Demographics, injury type and location, trauma center capability, injury severity score (ISS), length of stay (LOS), and major amputation rates were evaluated. Statistical analysis included chi-square testing for categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables. Of 130,554 pediatric trauma patients, 1196 (.9%) had 1460 upper extremity (UE) and lower extremity (LE) PVT. Patients were predominantly male (n = 933, 78%) with a mean age of 14 years. Most patients suffered penetrating injury (n = 744, 62.2%). The most common vessels injuries were radial (n = 198, 13.6%) and femoral (n = 196, 13.4%). Major amputation occurred in 2.6% of patients (n = 31). Patients who suffered blunt injury (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.5-7.5; P = .004) and lower limb PVT (OR, 11.1; 95% CI, 3.3-37.9, P = .0001) had higher odds of amputation.
Exploring the Impact of Therapeutic Presence on Working Alliance in Metaverse Counseling
Authors: Im Seongah , Jo Duckhyun , Lee Sang Min
Published: March 2024

This study investigated the role of a therapeutic presence in metaverse counseling, considering the growing interest in virtual reality psychotherapy. To examine the relationship between therapeutic presence and working alliance over time in metaverse counseling, we conducted a multilevel analysis with sessions at level 1, clients at level 2, and therapists at level 3. The dataset consisted of 75 sessions, nested within 25 clients and seven therapists. The study revealed that therapeutic presence positively affected the working alliance, at the between-sessions (within individual clients) and between-clients levels (across different clients). The findings also indicated that, during the early stages of treatment, a higher level of therapeutic presence in a session was associated with a stronger working alliance for that particular session. The final model explained approximately 45% of the working alliance variance. The implication for the potential influence of a therapeutic presence was discussed particularly during the initial sessions of metaverse counseling.
New behavioural economics and its influence on USA passenger airline management and policies
Authors: Button Kenneth John
Published: March 2024

The essay examines the history of interactions between academic thinkers and the application of their ideas to airline management and policy. Many studies of the history of transport focus on developments in engineering hardware and business models underlying its use, together with historical biographies of the key individuals involved. Here I deviate from this to look at how, over the past half-century or so, ideas emanating from the new behavioural economics have permeated the way air transport markets, and their regulation, have developed. I consider the outcomes on air carriers and their markets of efforts at combining psychology and economics into matters concerning airline management and policy formulation. It looks at the ways in which the traditional economic framework that dominated much of the thinking about commercial air transport from the 1920s has been challenged over the past 50 years and the implications of this for carriers and passengers.
Bikeshare–Metrorail Integration in Washington, D.C.: What are the Characteristics of Neighborhoods that Encourage Capital Bikeshare Trips to and from the Metrorail?
Authors: Tushar Md Shazalal , Buehler Ralph
Published: March 2024

Bikeshare has gained popularity worldwide and can serve as a first mile/last mile feeder for public transport. In many bikeshare systems, docking stations near a metrorail station are popular trip origins and destinations and bikeshare can help increase the ridership of the metrorail system as well. The goal of this study is to identify the determinants of bikeshare trips between neighborhood stations and bikeshare docking stations near the metrorail in Washington, D.C. For this study, we divided the bikeshare stations in Washington, D.C., into two categories: docking stations near a metrorail station (defined as bikeshare docking stations within a quarter mile radius of metrorail stations) and neighborhood stations (bikeshare docking stations outside the quarter mile radius of metrorail stations). We used two stepwise linear regression models of bikeshare trips between neighborhoods and metrorail stations stratifying the analysis by the determinants of neighborhood docking stations into four categories: socio-demographic conditions, transportation related, land use, and points of interests. In the backward elimination model, expanding the bike trail supply by an additional 100 m was associated with an increase in 70 annual bikeshare trips between a neighborhood station and a docking station near the metrorail. The forward selection model showed that a 1% increase in the poverty rate of the neighborhood stations was associated with 52 fewer annual such bikeshare trips. This study also found that adding bikeshare docking stations near national parks and neighborhoods with higher population density can promote bikeshare that starts/ends near metrorail stations.
Revolution as a transition from empire to nation-state(s): Comparing the Soviet and Chinese paths
Authors: Zhou Luyang
Published: March 2024

How did revolutions facilitate empires’ transition to nation-states? This article compares the Bolshevik and the Chinese Communist Revolutions. It conceptualizes this Soviet–Sino comparison through three dimensions of nation-building: separating from a universal community, building a national cultural core and overcoming internal ethnopolitics. Both socialist regimes accommodated the nation-state model by fusing centralized control with limited autonomy for ethnic minorities. Yet, whereas the Soviet Union claimed to be a universal union of nation-states, which was supposed to keep accepting new members until it covered the entire globe, the People’s Republic of China resembled a typical nation-state that preserved multiethnicity and enclosed borders under the title of the ‘Chinese Nation’. In analyzing the influence of revolutions, this article probes three relations: inter-revolution, revolution–society and revolution–counterrevolution. Arising after the Bolsheviks as a follower-revolution, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was confined to a national component of the USSR’s global communism project. This shaped the CCP’s enclosed geographical activity space, Han-dominated ethnic composition and the consciousness of national liberation. The CCP’s mobilization covered far wider social strata than the Bolsheviks’ had, which engendered stronger manpower and motivation to transform the traditional culture into a national culture. Being weak at its borderlands, the CCP was cautious about the doctrine of ‘national self-determination’, not daring to make it a geopolitical weapon for revolution export as the Bolsheviks had done in founding the Soviet Union. Owing to each of these differences in revolutionary trajectories, the CCP was more receptive to ‘China’ than the Bolsheviks were to ‘Russia’, and this led to two distinctive ways of reorganizing empires into nation-states.
Organizing for deputy principalship in Swedish school organizations: The triggers and factors shaping the process
Authors: Andersson Richard , Sälj Karin
Published: March 2024

Although constituting a significant position in the daily practices and development of many school organizations, little is known regarding how the position of the deputy principal is organized. The purpose of this paper is to explore how Swedish principals organize for the deputy principal position by focusing on the triggers and factors constituting their sensemaking of the division of responsibilities. The paper provides an additional perspective by focusing on the interpretive aspects comprising the organizing processes. The paper draws from qualitative interview data from a larger study on deputy principals’ position in the Swedish school system. The results show how principals’ sensemaking is triggered by contextual cues and reform-driven factors that together create spaces of ambiguity in relation to the organizing of the deputy principals’ position. Principals make sense of these events based on personal- and identity-oriented beliefs, as well as frameworks and perceived expectations from municipal organizers.
Community School Implementation in Rural Vermont
Authors: Knox Peter N. , Garnett Bernice , DeCarolis Jess , Haensch Johannes
Published: March 2024

This study highlights the Community Schools (CS) implementation experience of five rural Vermont schools. Principals and CS coordinators participating in a state-funded program aimed at CS establishment were interviewed to understand better their experience with implementing a school/district-wide policy and reform effort. Findings suggest several elements play a critical role in the successful implementation of rural CSs, including leveraging already-present community engagement practices, school leader embodiment of CS values/mentality, as well as collaborative leadership practices that broaden participation and level the field for all parties involved. Implications for community school implementation within rural contexts are discussed.