bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic spectrum features and diagnostic accuracy of four plasma biomarkers in 248 Chinese patients with frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Xu Tianyan , Weng Ling , Zhang Cong , Xiao Xuewen , Yang Qijie , Zhu Yuan , Zhou Yafang , Liao Xinxin , Luo Shilin , Wang Junling , Tang Beisha , Jiao Bin , Shen Lu
Published: September 2024

INTRODUCTION

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is characterized by phenotypic and genetic heterogeneities. However, reports on the large Chinese FTD cohort are lacking.

METHODS

Two hundred forty‐eight patients with FTD were enrolled. All patients and 2010 healthy controls underwent next generation sequencing. Plasma samples were analyzed for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), α‐synuclein (α‐syn), neurofilament light chain (NfL), and phosphorylated tau protein 181 (p‐tau181).

RESULTS

Gene sequencing identified 48 pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations in a total of 19.4% of patients with FTD (48/248). The most common mutation was the C9orf72 dynamic mutation (5.2%, 13/248). Significantly increased levels of GFAP, α‐syn, NfL, and p‐tau181 were detected in patients compared to controls (all p < 0.05). GFAP and α‐syn presented better performance for diagnosing FTD.

DISCUSSION

We investigated the characteristics of phenotypic and genetic spectrum in a large Chinese FTD cohort, and highlighted the utility of plasma biomarkers for diagnosing FTD.

Highlights

This study used a frontotemporal dementia (FTD) cohort with a large sample size in Asia to update and reveal the clinical and genetic spectrum, and explore the relationship between multiple plasma biomarkers and FTD phenotypes as well as genotypes.

We found for the first time that the C9orf72 dynamic mutation frequency ranks first among all mutations, which broke the previous impression that it was rare in Asian patients.

Notably, it was the first time the C9orf72 G4C2 repeat expansion had been identified via whole‐genome sequencing data, and this was verified using triplet repeat primed polymerase chain reaction (TP‐PCR).

We analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of four plasma biomarkers (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP], α‐synuclein [α‐syn], neurofilament light chain [NfL], and phosphorylated tau protein 181 [p‐tau181]) at the same time, especially for α‐syn being included in the FTD cohort for the first time, and found GFAP and α‐syn had the highest diagnostic accuracy for FTD and its varied subtypes.
Deep Learning for Multilabel Classification of Coral Reef Conditions in the Indo‐Pacific Using Underwater Photo Transect Method
Authors: Shao Xinlei , Chen Hongruixuan , Magson Kirsty , Wang Jiaqi , Song Jian , Chen Jundong , Sasaki Jun
Published: September 2024

Because coral reef ecosystems face threats from human activities and climate change, coral reef conservation programmes are implemented worldwide. Monitoring coral health provides references for guiding conservation activities. However, current labour‐intensive methods result in a backlog of unsorted images, highlighting the need for automated classification. Few studies have simultaneously utilized accurate labels along with updated algorithms and datasets. This study aimed to create a dataset representing common coral reef conditions and associated stressors in the Indo‐Pacific. Concurrently, it assessed existing classification algorithms and proposed a new multilabel method for automatically detecting coral reef conditions and extracting ecological information. A dataset containing over 20,000 high‐resolution coral images of different health conditions and stressors was constructed based on the field survey. Seven representative deep learning architectures were tested on this dataset, and their performance was quantitatively evaluated using the F1 metric and the match ratio. Based on this evaluation, a new method utilizing the ensemble learning approach was proposed. The proposed method accurately classified coral reef conditions as healthy, compromised, dead and rubble; it also identified corresponding stressors, including competition, disease, predation and physical issues. This method can help develop the coral image archive, guide conservation activities and provide references for decision‐making for reef managers and conservationists. The proposed ensemble learning approach outperforms others on the dataset, showing state‐of‐the‐art (SOTA) performance. Future research should improve its generalizability and accuracy to support global coral reef conservation efforts.
WATER versus WATER II 5‐year update: Comparing Aquablation therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia in 30–80‐cm3 and 80–150‐cm3 prostates
Authors: Berjaoui Mohamad Baker , Nguyen David‐Dan , Almousa Saud , Daher Karim , Barber Neil , Bidair Mo , Gilling Peter , Anderson Paul , Zorn Kevin C. , Badlani Gopal , Humphreys Mitch , Kaplan Steven , Kaufman Ronald P. , Elterman Dean , Desai Mihir , Roehrborn Claus , Bhojani Naeem
Published: September 2024

Objective

This study aims to compare the long‐term outcomes of Aquablation for small‐to‐moderate (30–80 cm3) prostates with the outcomes for large (80–150 cm3) prostates at 5‐year follow up.

Methods

The Waterjet Ablation Therapy for Endoscopic Resection of Prostate Tissue (WATER; NCT02505919) is a prospective, double‐blind, international clinical trial encompassing 116 patients, examining Aquablation versus transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for LUTS/BPH in prostates sized between 30 and 80 cm3. In parallel, WATER II (W‐II; NCT03123250), a prospective, multicentre, single‐arm international clinical trial, explores Aquablation outcomes in prostates ranging from 80 to 150 cm3. Baseline parameters and 60‐month outcomes were scrutinized using statistical analyses, including Students' t test, Wilcoxon tests for continuous variables, and Fisher's test for binary variables.

Results

There is a significant improvement in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) from baseline to 60 months in both WATER (22.9 to 7.0) and WATER II (23.2 to 6.8) (P = 0.852). Urinary flow rate (Qmax) increased in both groups from baseline to 60 months (WATER: 9.4 to 17.3 cc/s; WATER II: 8.7 to 17.1 cc/s) (P = 0.933). Immediate and sustained enhancements were observed in IPSS and Qmax. At 5 years, a notable percentage of patients in both groups were BPH medication‐free (WATER: 99%; WATER II: 94%) (P = 0.0517) and free from surgical retreatment (WATER: 95%; WATER II: 97%) (P = 0.508).

Conclusions

The 5‐year follow‐up affirms that Aquablation therapy exhibits sustained outcomes, minimal irreversible complications, and low retreatment rates for treating LUTS/BPH, irrespective of prostate volume ranging from 30 to 150 cm3.
Prepare for legal challenges of highlight reels featuring student‐athletes
Authors: O’Brien Timothy
Published: September 2024

When groups of former student‐athletes recently filed lawsuits over the rebroadcast of their respective highlight reels from past games of historic magnitude, the quickly changing world of name, image, and likeness became even more complex.
Polysaccharides from Lanzhou Lily Attenuate Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Modifying the Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Profile
Authors: Li Zhengdou , Wang Xueqi , Li Xu , Chen Xia , Wang Cancan , Mao Ying , Teng Guixiang , Zhu Xinliang , Zhang Ji
Published: September 2024

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to gut microbiota due to the hepatic portal system, and utilizing natural polysaccharides as prebiotics has become a prospective strategy for treating NAFLD. However, the therapeutic effects and potential molecular mechanisms of Lanzhou Lily polysaccharides (LLP) on NAFLD remains unclear. Therefore, the alleviating effects of LLP on NAFLD induced by high‐fat diet (HFD) were investigated. LLP treatment greatly ameliorated NAFLD by significantly reducing lipid accumulation and the levels of liver function markers in HFD‐induced NAFLD mice, as evidenced by decreased serum levels of TG, TC, HDL‐C and LDL‐C. Furthermore, LLP administration reduced hepatic steatosis, as shown by H&E and Oil red O staining. LLP also inhibited the TNF‐α and IL‐1β expression, thereby reducing levels of hepatic proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, LLP restored gut microbiota dysbiosis (up‐regulated Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, Alistipes and Lachnospiraceae abundances, down‐regulated Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobiota, Desulfobacterota and Turicibacter abundances), and regulated microbial metabolic pathways such as primary bile acid biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism. In addition, the resultes of Spearman's correlation analysis found that some key metabolites in these metabolic pathways were associated with intestinal microorganisms such as Desulfobacterota, Prevotellaceae‐UCG‐001, Colidextribacter and Alistipes. Therefore, our study suggests that LLP may has potential applications in the treatment of NAFLD by regulating gut microbiota and its metabolite profile.
Large‐signal stability analysis for hybridized vehicular power supply systems of rolling stocks
Authors: Pei Haoying , Diao Lijun , Jin Zheming , Zhang Jia
Published: September 2024

Hybridized vehicular power supply (HVPS) are acquiring widespread adoption in various applications such as providing power for passenger or heavy‐duty electric vehicles, more‐electric ships, electrified rolling stocks, and more. Stability analysis is a critical issue for HVPS, but it presents significant challenges due to their prominent high‐dimensional and nonlinear characteristics. This paper presents a large‐signal stability analysis scheme for HVPS of rolling stocks, enabling the assessment of system stability under sudden load changes. Based on the state‐space averaging method, a mathematical model for the large‐signal behavior of the system is established. Subsequently, the small‐signal stability parameter range of the system is determined by analyzing the eigenvalues of the Jacobian matrix. To further analyze the stability of the system during large‐signal disturbances, a nonlinear decoupling transformation approach is employed to decompose the original high‐order state equations into multiple lower‐order equations. For the decoupled lower‐order subsystems, their stability is analyzed using phase portrait, and the region of attraction (ROA) is determined using the inverse trajectory method. Based on the stability analysis results, the controller is enhanced to bring the points outside the ROA back within it, thereby mitigating the transient instability phenomenon of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed method was demonstrated using two case studies.
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays an important role in implicit emotion regulation: A focality‐optimized multichannel tDCS study in anxiety individuals
Authors: Gao Kexiang , Wong Aslan B. , Li Sijin , Zhang Yueyao , Zhang Dandan
Published: September 2024

The regulation of emotions is a crucial facet of well‐being and social adaptability, with explicit strategies receiving primary attention in prior research. Recent studies, however, emphasize the role of implicit emotion regulation, particularly implicating the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) in association with its implementation. This study delves into the nuanced role of the VMPFC through focality‐optimized multichannel transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), shedding light on its causal involvement in implicit reappraisal. The primary goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of VMFPC‐targeted tDCS and elucidate its role in individuals with high trait anxiety. Participants engaged in implicit and explicit emotion regulation tasks during multichannel tDCS targeting the VMPFC. The outcome measures encompassed negative emotion ratings, pupillary diameter, and saccade count, providing a comprehensive evaluation of emotion regulation efficiency. The intervention exhibited a notable impact, resulting in significant reductions in negative emotion ratings and pupillary reactions during implicit reappraisal, highlighting the indispensable role of the VMPFC in modulating emotional responses. Notably, these effects demonstrated sustained efficacy up to 1 day postintervention. This study underscores the potency of VMPFC‐targeted multichannel tDCS in augmenting implicit emotion regulation. This not only contributes insights into the neural mechanisms of emotion regulation but also suggests innovative therapeutic avenues for anxiety disorders. The findings present a promising trajectory for future mood disorder interventions, bridging the gap between implicit emotion regulation and neural stimulation techniques.
Dataset factors associated with age‐related changes in brain structure and function in neurodevelopmental conditions
Authors: Vandewouw Marlee M. , Ye Yifan (Julia) , Crosbie Jennifer , Schachar Russell J. , Iaboni Alana , Georgiades Stelios , Nicolson Robert , Kelley Elizabeth , Ayub Muhammad , Jones Jessica , Arnold Paul D. , Taylor Margot J. , Lerch Jason P. , Anagnostou Evdokia , Kushki Azadeh
Published: September 2024

With brain structure and function undergoing complex changes throughout childhood and adolescence, age is a critical consideration in neuroimaging studies, particularly for those of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. However, despite the increasing use of large, consortium‐based datasets to examine brain structure and function in neurotypical and neurodivergent populations, it is unclear whether age‐related changes are consistent between datasets and whether inconsistencies related to differences in sample characteristics, such as demographics and phenotypic features, exist. To address this, we built models of age‐related changes of brain structure (regional cortical thickness and regional surface area; N = 1218) and function (resting‐state functional connectivity strength; N = 1254) in two neurodiverse datasets: the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Network and the Healthy Brain Network. We examined whether deviations from these models differed between the datasets, and explored whether these deviations were associated with demographic and clinical variables. We found significant differences between the two datasets for measures of cortical surface area and functional connectivity strength throughout the brain. For regional measures of cortical surface area, the patterns of differences were associated with race/ethnicity, while for functional connectivity strength, positive associations were observed with head motion. Our findings highlight that patterns of age‐related changes in the brain may be influenced by demographic and phenotypic characteristics, and thus future studies should consider these when examining or controlling for age effects in analyses.
Safety of labor, Valsalva maneuver, and neuraxial anesthesia for pregnant women after decompressive craniectomy: Case series and review of the literature
Authors: Monsour M. , Pressman E. , Pressman K. , Cain M. A. , Vakharia K.
Published: September 2024

Decompressive craniectomies are a neurosurgical operation aimed at normalizing intracranial pressure (ICP). Occasionally, there is delayed replacement of the skull resulting in an acquired skull defect. When managing laboring patients with an acquired skull defect there is often fear associated with traditional labor involving the Valsalva maneuver and with neuraxial anesthesia. These fears typically stem from potential ICP changes and risk of herniation. In reviewing the literature, only 15 cases are described detailing labor management after decompressive craniectomy (DC), mostly with incomplete labor histories. We aim to expand that literature by reporting two cases of safe labor with epidural anesthesia in patients with large skull defects. The first described patient underwent a cranioplasty during pregnancy because of trauma. Later, because of concerns for pre‐eclampsia, induction of labor was initiated and she received neuraxial anesthesia via epidural. The patient ultimately underwent cesarean delivery 48 h after induction began due to nonreassuring fetal heart tones. The second patient underwent a cranioplasty because of infection prior to pregnancy. Once in labor, she was cleared by neurosurgery and the anesthesia team placed her epidural. She later underwent an uncomplicated standard vaginal delivery. The existing literature on labor following DC is sparse. Retrospective review of case reports can advance discussion and standardization regarding care for laboring women with a history of DC. We advocate that the Valsalva maneuver and epidural anesthesia is safe for pregnant women who are neurologically asymptomatic.
Propagation dynamics of a nonlocal dispersal Zika transmission model with general incidence
Authors: He Juan , Zhang Guo‐Bao
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we are interested in propagation dynamics of a nonlocal dispersal Zika transmission model with general incidence. When the threshold
is greater than one, we prove that there is a wave speed
such that the model has a traveling wave solution with speed
, and there is no traveling wave solution with speed less than
. When the threshold
is less than or equal to one, we show that there is no nontrivial traveling wave solution. The approaches we use here are Schauder's fixed point theorem with an explicit construction of a pair of upper and lower solutions, the contradictory approach, and the two‐sided Laplace transform.
International students' perspectives on factors impacting psychological well‐being and early help‐seeking behaviours in undergraduate nursing programs
Authors: Abdelkader Amany , Joseph Bindu , Anish Ligi , Kaur Muskandeep , Bourke Sharon , Hayes Claire , Thong Matthew , Plummer Virginia , Jacob Sini
Published: September 2024

Background

Studying in a foreign country can be accompanied by challenges, including difficulty understanding the curriculum, culture shock, and a new language. These additional challenges place international students at risk and predispose them to developing mental health problems compared to domestic student.

Aims

This study explores psychological well‐being and help‐seeking behaviours of international nursing students who commenced their program onshore or in a remote learning capacity.

Materials & Methods

This paper reports the findings of the mixed‐methods study. Research was conducted among international students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing programs across multiple campuses at two Victorian universities in 2022. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire with open‐response questions and incorporated a validated Student Stress Survey.

Results

Findings indicated that international students require support financially and to settle in Australia upon arrival.

Discussion & Conclusion

Participants highlighted that they require additional support to keep up with academic workloads and require further academic support tailored for international students. There was no patient or public contribution in the design, conduct, analysis or preparation of this manuscript.
The effects of 1D multi‐wall carbon nanotubes and 2D graphene nanoplatelets on curing behavior of epoxy/vinyl ester interpenetrating polymer network nanocomposites
Authors: Molaei Afrooz , Jannesari Ali
Published: September 2024

This study meticulously investigated the effect of two carbon allotrope nanofillers, two‐dimensional graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) and one‐dimensional multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) individually, at various loadings on the kinetics of curing of the epoxy (EP)/vinyl ester (VE) based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) system, with a mass ratio of 1:1. The IPN system is including a liquid epoxy resin based on bisphenol A which has been cured by methyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride (MTHPA) in the presence of 1‐methyl imidazole (Mi) as an accelerator and a vinyl ester resin based on bisphenol A which has been cured by methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP). The curing behavior of all prepared nanocomposites under non‐isothermal conditions was studied using DSC at four heating rates. Two different isoconversional approaches were applied to evaluate the reaction kinetics, that is, the Friedman and the advanced Vyazovkin methods. The obtained activation energy curves for all samples revealed a complex curing behavior involving three stages: early IPN stage, IPN growth stage, and late IPN stage. Then, the activation energy values for each reaction step were determined based on the Friedman method. The presence of GnPs showed no catalytic effect on the reaction of VE with MEKP. In contrast, incorporating MWCNT nanoparticles considerably decreases the activation energy values of the reaction of ring opening of epoxides with MTHPA‐Mi and the reaction of esterification of the hydroxyl groups of VE with MTHPA.

Highlights

MWCNTs reduce activation energy in curing reactions for EP/MTHPA‐Mi and VE/MTHPA.

GnPs do not catalyze VE/MEKP reaction unlike MWCNTs.

Combining MWCNTs and GnPs enhances properties of IPN nanocomposites.

Curing process includes early, growth, and late IPN stages impacting activation energy.

SEM analysis reveals better dispersion of GnPs in IPN nanocomposites with MWCNTs.
Effect of environmental temperature and semi‐crystalline order on the toughening of polyamide 1010 by 2D nanomaterials
Authors: Pinto Gabriel M. , Helal Emna , Ribeiro Hélio , David Eric , Demarquette Nicole R. , Fechine Guilhermino J. M.
Published: September 2024

By incorporating nanomaterials into polymer matrices, nanocomposites can be produced with enhanced properties, combining the ease of processing thermoplastics with the superior physical characteristics of nanoparticles. In this study, fully bio‐based polyamide 1010 was used as the polymer matrix, with graphene oxide (GO), hexagonal‐boron nitride (h‐BN), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), both individually and in hybrids, serving as fillers. The tensile behavior of these nanocomposites was evaluated at room temperature and −40 °C, along with their morphology and microstructure. Results showed that the nanomaterials slightly shifted the polymer's crystallization temperature upward, indicating a small nucleating effect, but also hindered the development of crystalline domains, reducing the crystallization kinetics. Despite no change in the final crystalline form, nanocomposites with h‐BN and MoS2 showed lower microstructural order as evidenced by XRD. Regarding tensile behavior, GO provided the greatest toughening at room temperature due to its larger lateral dimensions and good chemical affinity with the matrix. However, at low temperatures, h‐BN‐based nanocomposites maintained the toughening effect better than GO‐based ones. This can be attributed to the lower order of the polymer's semi‐crystalline structure promoted by h‐BN, allowing greater energy dissipation. Surprisingly, hybrid fillers did not exhibit synergistic effects, with one nanomaterial hampering the effect of the other. However, SEM analysis indicated that the fracture mechanisms of the nanocomposites remained unchanged from the neat polymer, which makes them interesting options for applications that require desirable mechanical properties at a wide temperature range.

Highlights

GO showed the best toughening of polyamide 1010 at room temperature.

Toughening at room temperature is mainly due to nanomaterials physical traits.

Most nanofillers lowered polyamide's overall microstructural order.

Toughening at −40 °C is mainly due to lower microstructural order.
Analyzing the energy markets and financial markets linkage: A bibliometric analysis and future research agenda
Authors: Patel Ritesh
Published: September 2024

This study has been conducted using 200 articles from 1984 to 2023, by undertaking a meta‐literature review on the subject of energy markets and financial markets linkage (EFML). Our study consists of content analysis of 200 articles along with other analyses such as (i) co‐citation analysis, (ii) co‐authorship analysis, and (iii) cartographic analysis. We have identified five research streams: (1) Oil, stock, commodities markets, crypto currency, real estate, exchange rate linkage; (2) Oil and stock market linkage; (3) Energy as a portfolio diversification tool; (4) Dynamic linkage between the oil‐commodity market and stock market; and (5) Oil and other market linkages with respect to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the subsequent financial crisis, and other events. We have performed a comprehensive review of the EFML literature and provided the influential aspects of top journals and authors, the characteristics of the most studied topics, past and current key research streams in the EFML literature. We have also suggested 63 future research questions. Looking at the widespread interest of finance scholarship in the area of energy market linkages, the assessment of energy market linkages, and possible portfolio diversification opportunities and benefits, is of great importance and interest to researchers, policy holders, and portfolio managers.
A passive convex optimal control algorithm for teleoperating a redundant robotic arm in minimally invasive surgery
Authors: Piccinelli Nicola , Colombo‐Taccani Gianluca , Muradore Riccardo
Published: September 2024

In recent years, the remote center of motion (RCM) constraint has moved from purely mechanical to software implementation, enabling the use of serial manipulators in robotic‐assisted minimal invasive surgery. However, ensuring safety with software‐based RCM presents challenges. This article addresses this issue by introducing a novel control algorithm for a 7‐DOF redundant robotic arm, taking into account a software RCM while considering system passivity and kinematic constraints. The algorithm is both a control optimizer and a robot kinematics inversion, enabling precise and dexterous control for various surgical tasks and other control applications. By formulating a quadratic optimization problem under linear constraints, the algorithm guarantees the robotic arm's performance, safety, and stability under communication delay. Experimental validation demonstrates the effectiveness and accuracy of the control algorithm in executing a surgical training task (peg‐and‐ring) during bilateral teleoperation. The results highlight the successful implementation of the RCM constraint, ensuring patient safety and optimizing the manipulation capabilities of the robotic arm.
Restoration Effects on a Native Cutthroat Trout Stream
Authors: Hodge Brian W. , Henderson Richard , Brehme Christopher E.
Published: September 2024

Restoration practitioners spend more than $1 billion each year restoring US rivers and streams but commit comparatively few resources to evaluating project effectiveness. Meanwhile, monitoring and disseminating the outcomes of restoration projects remains our best opportunity to learn from past successes and failures and to, ultimately, improve the cost effectiveness of restoration. We monitored the physical and biological outcomes of a stream restoration project in the Rocky Mountains, the goals of which were to improve habitat for and productivity of native Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT) and the scope of which included three contiguous reaches under different restoration treatments. Moreover, we evaluated the efficacy of the restoration project relative to its stated goals and objectives. To test for restoration effects on physical and biological indicators we coupled a before‐after, control‐impact (BACI) study design with (generalized) linear mixed models. Over the course of 7 years, we detected restoration‐related increases in floodplain connectivity, streambank stability, and riparian shrub cover, as well as decreases in summer stream temperature. Despite measuring improvements in native trout habitat, we were unable to draw definitive conclusions regarding restoration effects on native trout abundance because of the unforeseen removal of some CRCT from the study area during the study period. Although our study was somewhat limited in scope, our findings contribute toward a relatively small body of work on monitoring and effectiveness of river restoration.

[Correction added on 31 January 2025, after first online publication: The Abstract has been amended in this version.]
Designing with neurodiversity in mind supports overall student success
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: September 2024

PHILADELPHIA — Before you update or renovate residence halls, student unions, recreation centers, or other on‐campus facilities frequently trafficked by your students, keep in mind that designing for neurodiversity can make a significant difference in overall student success.
Students create prize‐winning app to keep everyone safer on campus
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: September 2024

Four students from the University of Nevada, Reno, senior project in computer science class created an app designed specifically to help women feel safer on campus. Kathleen Scafidi, Anna Desorcy, Michael Munakash, and Kurtis Bertauche were all computer science majors when they created the app Ur Next Route.
Photo‐Curable Stretchable High‐k Polymer/TiO2 Nanosheet Hybrid Dielectrics for Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Chen Qun‐Gao , Cai Xingke , Chueh Chu‐Chen , Lee Wen‐Ya
Published: September 2024

Elastomeric polymer materials are of interest due to their stretchability, low‐temperature processing, and scalability. In addition, the incorporation of 2D materials can further enhance the dielectric properties and capacitance of elastic polymer materials, thereby reducing the driving voltage and energy consumption. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanosheets are cross‐linked with nitrile butadiene rubber using thiol‐ene click chemistry, which leads to the preparation of nanocomposite dielectric films with stretchability and high dielectric constant. Furthermore, by controlling the doping amount of the nanosheets, it is observed that the capacitance of the nanocomposite films increases from 25.61 to 684.67 nF cm−2, and the dielectric constant increases from 14.96 to 161.98. Finally, the stretchable nanocomposite films exhibit good insulating properties even at 50% strain. In this study, insight is provided into the potential of in situ cross‐linking between elastic polymer materials and 2D materials to produce high‐k dielectric materials with both stretchability and high insulating properties.
Dysphagia, dyspnoea, dizziness, and ‘inverted D’: Abnormal LV eccentricity secondary to extrinsic compression by oesophageal achalasia
Authors: Veeraraghavan Sriram , Kidambi Bharath Raj , Balakrishnan Karthikeyan , Selvaraj Vivek
Published: September 2024

Extrinsic compression of the left atrium (LA) due to oesophageal achalasia though uncommon has been reported in literature. This case report describes a middle‐aged man who presented with sudden onset dyspnoea and atrial fibrillation, but was later diagnosed to have achalasia cardia and megaoesophagus, resulting in extrinsic compression of the LA as well as posterobasal wall of the left ventricle (LV). The patient's early complaints of dysphagia and weight loss prompted a thorough study, with echocardiography helping to identify extrinsic compression of heart chambers caused by the dilated oesophagus. The left ventricular eccentricity index was increased secondary to compression by volume‐loaded megaoesophagus, which was one of the most notable findings. Through this case, we describe probably the first case of LV compression by achalasia cardia, in addition to LA and we want to highlight the fact that D‐shaped LV can also occur secondary to extrinsic etiologies particularly compression from posterior mediastinal structures.
Climate winners: Adapting to shifting species in the New England supply chain
Authors: Roberts Nicky , Walton Eric , Masury Kate
Published: September 2024

Objective

Climate change is driving shifts in marine species' distributions, affecting resource availability for fishery supply chains worldwide. While research and governance have been in step with fishing impacts, consequences to the downstream supply chain are not generally considered. In this project, we identify how and to what extent New England seafood supply chains are capable of navigating anticipated shifts in species distributions. The study was especially concerned with the degree to which suppliers would consider incorporating "climate winners": species that are predicted to become more abundant in New England waters.

Methods

Using indicators derived from climate resilience and adaptive fisheries frameworks, we characterized supply chain adaptability for 27 seafood businesses across New England.

Result

The results revealed a range of adaptability linked to particular supplier characteristics, including diversity of services, processing infrastructure, and market diversity. External factors such as consumer preference, regulatory policy, and employment in the industry also indicated climate vulnerabilities. Despite these limiting factors, however, most businesses appeared to be not only capable but also willing to incorporate climate winner species into their portfolio.

Conclusion

Our conclusions support the idea that New England seafood suppliers adopt different strategies for climate resilience based on their business model, with considerable potential to take advantage of species shifts given the right incentives. To reduce vulnerabilities in the face of unprecedented change, it is critical that managing practitioners and partnering organizations encourage portfolio diversification with market incentives and adaptive management measures.
Non-Conviction Based Asset Recovery in Nigeria: An Additional Tool for Law Enforcement Agencies?
Authors: Sproat Peter , Ward Tony , Harvey Jackie , Turner Sue , Shehu Abdullahi , Bello Abdullahi
Published: September 2024

Within Nigeria, anti-money laundering and asset recovery powers lie primarily with agencies established under the Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Act 2000, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004 and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006. International efforts to recover assets associated with serious and organised crime emanating from Nigeria frequently focus on the proceeds of corruption. Despite the powers of Nigerian authorities and extensive international efforts, relatively few cases of grand corruption are prosecuted successfully, and the value of the assets recovered from financially-motivated criminals are very low in comparison to the value of the proceeds they are said to generate. Kleptocrats and other Politically Exposed Persons have been able to exploit legal loopholes in the criminal courts to avoid or delay conviction, enabling them to conceal massive amounts of stolen wealth in offshore financial centres around the world. The aim of this contribution is to focus on non-conviction based asset recovery and its availability to the Nigerian authorities in their efforts to combat financial crime. Despite extensive debate over the existence of non-conviction based asset recovery-related legislation, we demonstrate such provisions are available, however, we also show that there are many barriers to their effective implementation which may obscure their usefulness.
Terror on the Blockchain: The Emergent Crypto-Crime-Terror Nexus
Authors: Burgess Ariel , Hamilton Rhianna , Leuprecht Christian
Published: September 2024

Inadequate oversight and an inchoate appreciation are giving terrorist groups ready access to transboundary financial transfers by means of virtual currency. This chapter counters the prevailing approach that treats cryptocurrency-enabled crimes, such as terrorism, as monolithic. This chapter demonstrates that terrorist groups are using cryptocurrency and decentralized finance to fundraise and transfer funds in conjunction with the traditional financial system. Since actual case studies are few and data limited, this chapter is a proof of concept: it compares terrorist financing schemes by the Al-Qassam Brigades and Al Qaeda that used virtual assets. The comparison of virtual assets being used finds that standards developed and recommended by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are wholly inadequate to contain the proliferation of decentralized finance technology and centralized virtual assets as drivers of the global Illicit International Political Economy (IIPE). FATF recommendations are not sufficiently nuanced, nor are they effective at detecting, disrupting and deterring he nexus of crypto, crime and terror. To make matters worse, FATF members are falling short on implementing even FATF’s inadequate standards. The chapter concludes that FATF needs to: clarify inclusion criteria under the current definition of virtual assets; broaden regulations, improve interagency collaboration, and formulate more nuanced recommendations that are sensitive to crypto-enabled crimes across different criminal activities and criminogenic factors.
Automated Repair of Information Flow Security in Android Implicit Inter-App Communication
Authors: Tiwari Abhishek , Prakash Jyoti , Dong Zhen , Furia Carlo A.
Published: September 2024

Android’s intents provide a form of inter-app communication with implicit, capability-based matching of senders and receivers. Such kind of implicit addressing provides some much-needed flexibility but also increases the risk of introducing information flow security bugs and vulnerabilities—as there is no standard way to specify what permissions are required to access the data sent through intents, so that it is handled properly.

To mitigate such risks of intent-based communication, this paper introduces IntentRepair, an automated technique to detect such information flow security leaks and to automatically repair them. IntentRepair first finds sender and receiver modules that may communicate via intents, and such that the sender sends sensitive information that the receiver forwards to a public channel. To prevent this flow, IntentRepair patches the sender so that it also includes information about the permissions needed to access the data; and the receiver so that it will only disclose the sensitive information if it possesses the required permissions.

We evaluated a prototype implementation of IntentRepair on 869 Android open-source apps, showing that it is effective in automatically detecting and repairing information flow security bugs that originate in implicit intent-based communication, introducing only a modest overhead in terms of patch size.
Epidemiology and phenomenology of the Charles Bonnet syndrome in low-vision patients
Authors: Christoph Sophia E. G. , Boden Karl T. , Pütz Annette , Januschowski Kai , Siegel Rudolf , Seitz Berthold , Szurman Peter , Schulz André
Published: September 2024

Background

The occurrence of visual hallucinations in visually impaired people without mental impairment is known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). To date, the prevalence of CBS has been reported with high variance. The present study aims at evaluating the prevalence of CBS among low-vision patients.

Methods

From March 2018 to February 2022, 194 patients with a visual acuity ≥ 0.5 logMAR approached the low vision section of the Eye Clinic Sulzbach. Of these, 50 patients were found eligible, agreed to participate in the study and were screened for CBS. The course of the disease, its phenomenology and characteristics, the circumstance of onset, the ability to manipulate and resolve the hallucinations, and the psychosocial aspects of CBS were investigated.

Results

26% of patients with low vision suffered from CBS. Women did not suffer from CBS significantly more often than men. Often, insight into the unreality of the images is not achieved immediately. Patterns or so-called “simple” hallucinations occurred just as frequently as other types of images such as people, body parts or faces. The most frequent images were animals. Visual hallucinations, lasting only for seconds in most cases, occurred more frequently during the day and in bright surroundings. All patients experienced the hallucinations exclusively with their eyes open. The hallucinations generally did not move with the eyes. Many sufferers did neither communicate about their hallucinations nor consult any physician.

Conclusions

CBS among low-vision patients is common. Its prevalence constitutes clinical relevance. Future management of CBS may benefit from encouraging patients to share their experiences and consult a physician.
The severity of respiratory syncytial virus infection in children during the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide study of 11,915 cases in Germany
Authors: Maslowski Sarah , Hohenstein Sven , Bollmann Andreas , Karagiannidis Christian , Papan Cihan , Thal Serge C. , Wirth Stefan , Tenenbaum Tobias , Aydin Malik
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a major cause of childhood hospitalization. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the usual seasonal pattern of RSV, resulting in high activity during the off-season. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the pandemic on the severity of RSV infections.

Methods

Data from 11,915 children hospitalized due to RSV infection between 2016 and 2022 were analyzed. The hospitalized patients were categorized into two groups, from January 2016 to February 2020 (PreCoV19 group) and from March 2020 to December 2022 (CoV19 group). The hospitalization duration, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, length of stay at ICU, mechanical ventilation requirement and duration, Elixhauser comorbidity index scores, and in-hospital mortality were analyzed.

Results

Children in the PreCoV19 group had a mean age of 0.4 ± 0.7, whereas those in the CoV19 group had a mean age of 0.6 ± 1.0 years. Children during the pandemic had significantly shorter hospital stays (4.3 ± 2.6 days) compared to children of the pre-pandemic period (4.9 ± 3.3 days). Although ICU admission rates did not change, the duration of ICU stays decreased in the CoV19 group. Moreover, the in-hospital mortality did not differ between the groups. A multivariable analysis showed that younger age, regardless of the pandemic period, was associated with prolonged hospital stays, higher ICU admission rates, and an increased requirement for mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight significant changes of the clinical characteristics of RSV infections during the pandemic, with implications for clinical management and public health strategies.
Evaluation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal swab screening at a large comprehensive cancer center
Authors: Herrington Mark J. , Feng Chun , Hwang Hyunsoo , Vuong Nancy N.
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The aim of this study is to determine the predictive values of MRSA swab screenings in patients with cancer.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort observational study of adult patients admitted to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2019 and October 2022. Data collected from patients with documented MRSA nasal swab screenings and clinical cultures taken within 7 days were collected. The first documented MRSA swab screening and culture results from unique patients were included for analysis to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and NPV.

Results:

A total of 6475 patients with MRSA nasal swab cultures had 13129 clinical cultures from different anatomical sites. Of the patients included, 57% had a solid tumor and 37% had a hematological malignancy, with 82% of patients receiving an anti-MRSA antibiotic prior to MRSA nasal swab. There were 167 documented positive MRSA cultures, most commonly from a wound (41.3%) or respiratory source (24%). Overall sensitivity and specificity for all culture sites were 50.9% and 98.4%, respectively, with an overall NPV of 99.4%. The NPV was 99.8% for bloodstream infections, 98.5% for respiratory infections, 92.6% for wound infections, and greater than 99% for other culture sites.

Conclusion:

The specificity and negative predictive value of MRSA swab screenings in patients with cancer was high overall and consistent with the literature in immunocompetent patients. These results may aid in antimicrobial stewardship activities that can help guide the discontinuation of empiric antibiotics in patients with cancer.
Effects of occurrence form of soil organic matter on the Atterberg limits and thermal conductivity of clays
Authors: Gui Yue , Sang Qingkun , Yin Jie
Published: September 2024

Because of the interfacial interactions between mineral soil particles and soil organic matter (SOM), SOM occurs in various forms in the soil, and the mineral-associated and particulate forms are fundamental. Many recent studies have concentrated on the effects of SOM content and type on the geotechnical behavior of soil. However, the influence of SOM occurrence forms is not well understood, nor is there a scientific classification standard for SOM in geotechnical engineering. The main objectives of this study were to explore the effects of SOM occurrence forms on a few physical properties of clays to develop an engineering classification standard of SOM. First, this paper reviews the interfacial interaction mechanism, factors that influence the relation between mineral soil particles and SOM, and the classification method of SOM in soil science. Three predominant clays (montmorillonite, illite, and kaolinite) were then used as the matrix, and three groups of artificial soil samples with different SOM contents (wu ranging from 0 to 50% by weight) were prepared by adding peat. A chemical extraction method was used to determine the amount of different forms of SOM. Moreover, the Atterberg limits wL (wp) and thermal conductivity λ of artificial soil samples were tested. Based on the experimental results, the relationship between the form of SOM and these physical parameters was established. The experimental results show that the wL (wp) vs wu, and λ vs wu fitted curves were not monotonic but piecewise linear and could be divided into two straight lines with different slopes; wu corresponded to the inflection point of wL (wp) vs wu, and λ vs wu curves were closer to the threshold value wu,2. Finally, a simple engineering classification method of SOM is proposed.
Conjoint-Analysen als rechtspsychologische Forschungsmethode
Authors: Körner André , Lauf Elena , Arnold Charlotte
Published: September 2024

Zusammenfassung: Conjoint-Analysen, klassische Methoden der Entscheidungsforschung und Werbepsychologie, können implizite Entscheidungsprozesse und Präferenzen sichtbar machen. Obwohl sie für das rechtspsychologische Forschungsfeld gut geeignet sind, werden sie dort bisher kaum eingesetzt. Neben einer allgemeinen Darstellung skizzieren wir anhand zweier Studien zur frühen Kindeswohlgefährdung die Anwendbarkeit und Relevanz von Conjoint-Analysen in der Rechtspsychologie. In einer ersten untersuchten wir anhand einer Stichprobe von 100 Hebammen, welchen Einfluss die Risikofaktoren Alter und psychische Erkrankung der Mutter sowie kindliche Verhaltensauffälligkeiten auf die subjektive Einschätzung einer Kindeswohlgefährdung bei Säuglingen haben. Neben elternbezogenen Erkrankungsmustern wie Schizophrenie oder Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung traten auch kindliche Risikofaktoren (u. a. exzessives Schreien) hervor, was die Notwendigkeit einer differenzierten Betrachtung und Bewertung bei Gefährdungsbeurteilungen unterstreicht. In einer zweiten Studie mit 33 Fachkräften der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe zeigten sich der Substanzmittelkonsum der Eltern, deren Stressbelastung sowie prozessorientierte Risikomechanismen (verzerrtes Erziehungsverhalten, Care-Control-Konflikt) als weitere Risikofaktoren für frühe Kindeswohlgefährdung. Die Erkenntnisse beider Studien decken relative Wichtigkeiten verschiedener Risikofaktoren auf und unterstreichen die Effektivität der Conjoint-Analysen, implizite Entscheidungsmuster aufzudecken und somit zielgerichtete Präventionsmaßnahmen abzuleiten. Wir diskutieren abschließend, wie Conjoint-Analysen komplexe rechtspsychologische (Entscheidungs–)‌Prozesse erhellen und auch in anderen Bereichen rechtspsychologischer Entscheidungsprozesse angewendet werden könnten.