bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of fair allocation principles on energy system model designs
Authors: Vågerö Oskar , Jackson Inderberg Tor Håkon , Zeyringer Marianne
Published: November 2024

What constitutes socially just or unjust energy systems or transitions can be derived from philosophy and theories of justice. Assessments of distributive justice and utilising them in modelling lead to great differences based on which justice principles are applied. From the limited research so far published in the intersection between energy systems modelling and justice, we find that comparisons between the two principles of utilitarianism and egalitarianism dominate in assessments of distributive justice, with the latter most often considered representing a ‘just energy system’. The lack of recognition of alternative and equally valid principles of justice, resting on e.g. capabilities, responsibilities and/or opportunities, leads to a narrow understanding of justice that fails to align with the views of different individuals, stakeholders and societies. More importantly, it can lead to the unjust design of future energy systems and energy systems analysis. In this work, we contribute to the growing amount of research on distributive justice in energy systems modelling by assessing the implications of different philosophical views on justice on modelling results. Through a modelling exercise with a power system model for Europe (highRES), we explore different designs of a future (2050) net-zero European electricity system, and its distributional implications based on the application of different justice principles. In addition to the utilitarian and egalitarian approach, we include, among others, principles of ‘polluters pay’ and ‘ability-to-pay’, which take historical contributions of greenhouse gas emissions and the socio-economic conditions of a region into account. We find that fair distributions of electricity generating infrastructure look significantly different depending on the justice principles applied. The results may stimulate a greater discussion among researchers and policymakers on the implications of different constructions of justice in modelling, expansion of approaches, and demonstrate the importance of transparency and assumptions when communicating such results.
The association of adolescent to midlife weight change with age at natural menopause: a population study of 263,586 women in Norway
Authors: Langås Julie R , Eskild Anne , Hofvind Solveig , Bjelland Elisabeth K
Published: November 2024

Age at menopause varies considerably among women and is linked to health after menopause. Body mass index is associated with age at natural menopause, but the influence of weight change remains unclear. Thus, we studied associations of adolescent to midlife weight change with age at natural menopause. We performed a retrospective population-based cohort study of 263,586 women aged 50-69 years attending BreastScreen Norway (2006-2015). The associations were estimated as hazard ratios (HRs) for having reached menopause using Cox proportional hazard models. We included nine categories of weight change based on recalls of adolescent weight compared to peers and quartiles of midlife weight in kilograms. We adjusted for year and country of birth, education, number of childbirths, height, smoking, and exercise. Women with the largest estimated weight loss had highest hazard of reaching menopause (adjusted HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.17) compared to women with estimated stable average weight. Conversely, women with the largest estimated weight gain had lower hazard (adjusted HR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99). Women with estimated stable high weight had lowest hazard of reaching menopause (adjusted HR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90-0.95). Our findings suggest that changes in body weight across the life course may influence the timing of menopause.
Deciphering the Refined Musculature of the Brow Area in Asians by Micro-Computed Tomography
Authors: Sun Yixin , Zhang Mengyuan , Zhang Yixuan , Dong Ruijia , Yu Panxi , Tao Catharina , Ma Xuda , Jin Lin , Zhang Di , Huang Jiuzuo , Yu Nanze , Long Xiao
Published: November 2024

Background

The brow area is an important aesthetic unit. Accurate anatomical understanding of the brow is important for clinical treatments related to this region. Due to the complexity of the brow area and limitations of methods, there are still some controversies regarding description of its musculature.

Objectives

In this article, we aimed to reveal the detailed brow musculature with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) combined with histological staining.

Methods

Eight fresh cadavers (16 hemifaces) were obtained. Eight hemifaces were processed with phosphotungstic acid contrast staining for micro-CT scanning and reconstruction. The corresponding other 8 hemifaces were prepared with Masson staining.

Results

The orbicularis oculi muscle, frontalis muscle (FM), depressor supercilii, and procerus muscle were situated superficially. The FM terminated and connected with its antagonistic muscles at 2 to 5 mm above the brow but the fusion line descended in the lateral third. The corrugator supercilii muscle (CSM) originated from the periosteum, extending laterally and superficially. During its course, it mainly penetrated the FM. The CSM had broad subcutaneous insertion, covering about 77.9% ± 7.5% of the hairy brow. CSM fibers connected to the subcutaneous fiber septa to directly transmit contraction force. The soft tissue on the lateral side of the brow was looser than that on the medial side.

Conclusions

Our study deepens the understanding of the precise anatomy of the brow area and helps guide clinical practice.
A deep learning method to integrate extracelluar miRNA with mRNA for cancer studies
Authors: Athaya Tasbiraha , Li Xiaoman , Hu Haiyan
Published: November 2024

Motivation

Extracellular miRNAs (exmiRs) and intracellular mRNAs both can serve as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for various diseases. However, exmiR expression data is often noisy, and obtaining intracellular mRNA expression data usually involves intrusive procedures. To gain valuable insights into disease mechanisms, it is thus essential to improve the quality of exmiR expression data and develop noninvasive methods for assessing intracellular mRNA expression.

Results

We developed CrossPred, a deep-learning multi-encoder model for the cross-prediction of exmiRs and mRNAs. Utilizing contrastive learning, we created a shared embedding space to integrate exmiRs and mRNAs. This shared embedding was then used to predict intracellular mRNA expression from noisy exmiR data and to predict exmiR expression from intracellular mRNA data. We evaluated CrossPred on three types of cancers and assessed its effectiveness in predicting the expression levels of exmiRs and mRNAs. CrossPred outperformed the baseline encoder-decoder model, exmiR or mRNA-based models, and variational autoencoder models. Moreover, the integration of exmiR and mRNA data uncovered important exmiRs and mRNAs associated with cancer. Our study offers new insights into the bidirectional relationship between mRNAs and exmiRs.

Availability and implementation

The datasets and tool are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13891508.
Tuberculosis and Increased Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease: Cohort Study Using United States and United Kingdom Health Records
Authors: Critchley Julia A , Limb Elizabeth S , Khakharia Anjali , Carey Iain M , Auld Sara C , De Wilde Stephen , Harris Tess , Phillips Lawrence S , Cook Derek G , Rhee Mary K , Chaudhry Umar A R , Bowen Liza , Magee Matthew J
Published: November 2024

Background

Limited evidence suggests elevated risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) disease, though studies have not adjusted for preexisting CVD risk. We carried out a cohort study using 2 separate datasets, estimating CVD incidence in people with TB versus those without.

Methods

Using data from the United States (Veterans Health Administration) and the United Kingdom (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) for 2000–2020, we matched adults with incident TB disease and no CVD history 2 years before TB diagnosis (US, n = 2121; UK, n = 15 820) with up to 10 people without TB on the basis of age, sex, race/ethnicity and healthcare practice. Participants were followed beginning 2 years before TB diagnosis and for 2 years subsequently. The acute period was defined as 3 months before/after TB diagnosis. TB, CVD, and covariates were identified from electronic routinely collected data (primary and secondary care; mortality). Poisson models estimated incident rate ratios for CVD events in people with TB compared to those without.

Results

CVD incidence was consistently higher in people with TB, including during the baseline period (pre-TB) and particularly in the acute period: incident rate ratios were US, 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.7–4.4), and UK, 2.7 (2.2–3.3). Rate ratios remained high after adjusting for differences in preexisting CVD risk: US, 3.2 (2.2–4.4); UK, 1.6 (1.2–2.1).

Conclusions

Increased CVD incidence was observed in people with TB versus those without, especially within months of TB diagnosis, persistent after adjustment for differences in preexisting risk. Enhancing CVD screening and risk management may improve long-term outcomes in people with TB.
A secure fault detection for digital microfluidic biochips
Authors: Ranjan Behera Rakesh , Gountia Debasis
Published: November 2024

Among all the modern technological advances, digital microfluidic biochip has been extending a salient solution to healthcare and bio-laboratories with the pledge of high sensitivity and reconfigurability. Such biochip devices fulfill the requirement of a faster testing kit for the detection of different novel diseases, which is indispensable in the market due to the tremendously disrupted scenario of healthcare systems. To eliminate erroneous testing, the current scope of digital microfluidic biochips is widened as a viable testing method using various bioprotocols with a reduced cost in developing countries. This paper addresses the existing security challenges and operational faults in the identification mechanism of proteins such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein in state-of-the-art digital microfluidic biochips. We are the first to propose a safety detection solution along with a fault identification algorithm using an inductive transfer learning model. Experimental results of the proposed model register a threshold accuracy of 98% while applying the own dataset. This work will provide a better security-enabled fault-free safety assurance framework against attack and fault identification with better accuracy in digital microfluidic biochips for the detection of different diseases and many other healthcare diagnoses, without any overhead of completion time for bioprotocols.
Optimization of breeding program design through stochastic simulation with evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Hassanpour Azadeh , Geibel Johannes , Simianer Henner , Rohde Antje , Pook Torsten
Published: November 2024

The effective planning and allocation of resources in modern breeding programs is a complex task. Breeding program design and operational management have a major impact on the success of a breeding program and changing parameters such as the number of selected/phenotyped/genotyped individuals in the breeding program will impact genetic gain, genetic diversity, and costs. As a result, careful assessment and balancing of design parameters is crucial, taking into account the trade-offs between different breeding goals and associated costs. In a previous study, we optimized the resource allocation strategy in a dairy cattle breeding scheme via the combination of stochastic simulations and kernel regression, aiming to maximize a target function containing genetic gain and the inbreeding rate under a given budget. However, the high number of simulations required when using the proposed kernel regression method to optimize a breeding program with many parameters weakens the effectiveness of such a method. In this work, we are proposing an optimization framework that builds on the concepts of kernel regression but additionally makes use of an evolutionary algorithm to allow for a more effective and general optimization. The key idea is to consider a set of potential parameter settings of the breeding program, evaluate their performance based on stochastic simulations, and use these outputs to derive new parameter settings to test in an iterative procedure. The evolutionary algorithm was implemented in a Snakemake workflow management system to allow for efficient scaling on large distributed computing platforms. The algorithm achieved stabilization around the same optimum with a massively reduced number of simulations. Thereby, the incorporation of class variables and accounting for a higher number of parameters in the optimization framework leads to substantially reduced computing time and better scaling for the desired optimization of a breeding program.
A critical review of literature and a conceptual framework for organizing and researching urban health and community health services in low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Santosh Sanjana , Kane Sumit
Published: November 2024

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are rapidly urbanizing, and in response to this, there is an expansion in the body of scholarship and significant policy interest in urban healthcare provision. The idea and the reality of ‘urban advantage’ have meant that health research in LMICs has disproportionately focused on health and healthcare provision in rural contexts and is yet to sufficiently engage with urban health as actively. We contend that this research and practice can benefit from a more explicit engagement with the rich conceptual understandings that have emerged in other disciplines around the urban condition. Our critical review included publications from four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Social Sciences Citation Index) and two Community Health Worker (CHW) resource hubs. We draw upon scholarship anchored in sociology to unpack the nature and features of the urban condition; we use these theoretical insights to critically review the literature on urban community health worker programs as a case to reflect on community health practice and urban health research in LMIC contexts. Through this analysis, we delineate key features of the urban, such as heterogeneity, secondary spaces and ties, size and density, visibility and anonymity, precarious work and living conditions, crime, and insecurity, and specifically the social location of the urban CHWs and present their implications for community health practice. We propose a conceptual framework for a distinct imagination of the urban to guide health research and practice in urban health and community health programs in the LMIC context. The framework will enable researchers and practitioners to better engage with what entails a ‘community’ and a ‘community health program’ in urban contexts.
The whole-genome dissection of root system architecture provides new insights for the genetic improvement of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
Authors: Jiang Xueqian , Zeng Xiangcui , Xu Ming , Li Mingna , Zhang Fan , He Fei , Yang Tianhui , Wang Chuan , Gao Ting , Long Ruicai , Yang Qingchuan , Kang Junmei
Published: November 2024

Appropriate root system architecture (RSA) can improve alfalfa yield, yet its genetic basis remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated six RSA traits in 171 alfalfa genotypes grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. We also analyzed five yield-related traits in normal and drought stress environments and found a significant correlation (0.50) between root dry weight (RDW) and alfalfa dry weight under normal conditions (N_DW). A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using 1 303 374 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to explore the relationships between RSA traits. Sixty significant SNPs (−log10(P) ≥ 5) were identified, with genes within the 50 kb upstream and downstream ranges primarily enriched in GO terms related to root development, hormone synthesis, and signaling, as well as morphological development. Further analysis identified 19 high-confidence candidate genes, including AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs (ARFs), LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES-DOMAIN (LBD), and WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX (WOX). We verified that the forage dry weight under both normal and drought conditions exhibited significant differences among materials with different numbers of favorable haplotypes. Alfalfa containing more favorable haplotypes exhibited higher forage yields, whereas favorable haplotypes were not subjected to human selection during alfalfa breeding. Genomic prediction (GP) utilized SNPs from GWAS and machine learning for each RSA trait, achieving prediction accuracies ranging from 0.70 for secondary root position (SRP) to 0.80 for root length (RL), indicating robust predictive capability across the assessed traits. These findings provide new insights into the genetic underpinnings of root development in alfalfa, potentially informing future breeding strategies aimed at improving yield.
Intersectionality and women's participation in peace negotiations
Authors: Sapiano Jenna , Jin Xianan , Heathcote Gina
Published: November 2024

The Women, Peace and Security resolutions have consistently called for women's increased participation at all levels in institutions and mechanisms for preventing, managing and resolving conflict. Despite a long history of feminist interventions to disrupt categories of gender as a stagnant, ahistorical or geographically consistent structure, rationales for women's inclusion continue to rest on problematic narratives and assumptions. We draw on twenty-nine interviews with practitioners whom we asked to speak about their experiences in peace negotiations and the expectations placed on women involved in these processes. The problematic narratives and assumptions we identify on the basis of these interviews and academic literature have the effect of diminishing women's agency and, thus, their ability to participate in peace negotiations on their terms. Women contribute positively to the durability of peace and the inclusion of gender provisions in agreements. Still, when women's identities are constructed as one-dimensional, the benefits of women's inclusion remain paradoxically a cause for celebration and a partial gain. In this article, we apply theories of intersectionality, informed by Black and African feminisms, to expose women's subject positions that may be made invisible because of assumptions that continue to be associated with calls for women's participation in peace negotiations.
Commitment and compromise in Danish cyber and tech diplomacy
Authors: Jacobsen Jeppe T
Published: November 2024

This article explores the emergence of norm promotion strategies through an in-depth, partly autobiographical case-study spanning almost a decade of Danish cyber and tech diplomacy. The article engages the norms literature in International Relations and highlights the significance of the frequently overlooked internal negotiations that take place within the bureaucratic structures of norm entrepreneurs. Despite Denmark's favourable position and aspiration to become a norm entrepreneur in cyberspace, internal dynamics characterized by varying levels of commitment and compromise in negotiations over cyber norm promotion strategies resulted in both failed norm promotion attempts and fundamental alterations to a previously successful initiative. The article advocates for increasing analytical attention to the internal dynamics of norm entrepreneurs, positing that such examination not only offers a more nuanced perspective on the initial stages of a norm's life-cycle, but also furnishes an additional indication of a norm's robustness. Methodologically tracing the practices of civil servants as they negotiate their continuing commitment to norm-entrepreneurial strategies, particularly in response to domestic political changes or external events, provides norms scholars with valuable insight into the potential weakening or strengthening of a norm.
Variability of interobserver interpretation of selected helminth ova in the development of a training image set
Authors: Chua Rupert Stephen Charles S , Henderson Kiersten A , de Guzman Lorenzo Maria C , Foss Vicki , Schub Nathaniel , Bell Cameron , Medina John Robert C , Siao Taggart G , Mistica Myra S , Belleza Maria Luz B , Modequillo Marie Cris R , Torres Nadine Joyce C , Belizario Vicente Y
Published: November 2024

Background

Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis for surveillance relies on microscopic detection of ova in Kato–Katz (KK) prepared slides. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms for parasitic eggs may be developed using a robust image set with defined labels by reference microscopists. This study aimed to determine interobserver variability among reference microscopists in identifying parasite ova.

Methods

Images of parasite ova taken from KK prepared slides were labelled according to species by two reference microscopists (M1 and M2). A third reference microscopist (M3) labelled images when the first two did not agree. Frequency, percent agreement, κ statistics and variability score (VS) were generated for analysis.

Results

M1 and M2 agreed on 89.24% of the labelled images (κ=0.86, p<0.001). M3 had agreement with M1 and M2 (κ=0.30, p<0.001 and κ=0.28, p<0.001), resolving 89.29% of disagreement between them. The labelling of Schistosoma japonicum had the highest VS (κ=0.487, p=0.101) among the targeted ova. Reference microscopists were able to reliably reach consensus in 99.0% of the dataset.

Conclusions

Training AI using this image set may provide more objective and reliable readings compared with that of reference microscopists.
Maintaining Ocean ecosystem health with hydrocarbonoclastic microbes
Authors: Wang Wanpeng , Zhi Bin , Wang Yong , Shao Zongze
Published: November 2024

Accidental spills and persisting hydrocarbon pollution caused by petroleum exploitation have deeply disrupted marine ecosystems, including those in the deep oceans and the Arctic Ocean. While physicochemical methods are available for emergency cleanup, microorganisms are ultimately responsible for mineralizing the hydrocarbons. The understanding of environmental effects on the composition and efficiency of hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities has greatly improved current microorganism-based remediation strategies. This review summarizes recent findings on the physiology, metabolism, and ecology of marine obligate hydrocarbonoclastic microorganisms. Strategies for improved biotechnological solutions based on the use of hydrocarbon-degrading microbes are discussed for hydrocarbon remediation in marine water columns, sediments, beaches, and the Arctic.
Combining polynomial regression with unsupervised machine learning on wafer-level packaging reliability prediction
Authors: Liao H H , Su Qinghua , Chiang K N
Published: November 2024

The benefits of wafer-level packaging include better thermal dissipation, lower latency and reduced space consumption. Accelerated thermal cycling test (ATCT) is a regulation that determines whether a product is ready for mass production, but it takes a long time and is costly to perform. The design-on-simulation approach can reduce the number of ATCT experiments and shorten the design cycle. However, the simulation method must be verified before it can be treated as an experiment; if the simulation consistently matches experiments at close range, it can also be treated as an experiment. In addition, the verified simulation method can be used to develop a machine learning (ML) database and obtain an artificial intelligence model for long-term reliability prediction. Due to its effectiveness in solving nonlinear problems with relatively short computation times, polynomial regression (PR) is used in this study as ML model. Results show combining PR with an unsupervised learning algorithm, K-means, can produce more accurate predictions.
The Patient Who Rates Pain as 14/10
Authors: Cianfrini Leanne R.
Published: November 2024

This chapter provides guidance on how to overcome initial suspicions of patient exaggeration when the patient’s pain intensity ratings are higher than expected, when their subjective report does not correlate with their diagnostic scans, or when the patient exhibits copious overt pain behaviors. It will highlight the challenges of using unidimensional 0-to-10 numerical pain intensity rating scales and offer a reminder to incorporate measures of perceived functional impairment and/or the affective dimension of pain during assessments. The authors suggest alternative explanations for why patients provide high ratings of pain that do not correspond to their in-office behaviors, degree of pathology, or treatment efforts. Constructive communication options will be suggested.
DNAproDB: an updated database for the automated and interactive analysis of protein–DNA complexes
Authors: Mitra Raktim , Cohen Ari S , Sagendorf Jared M , Berman Helen M , Rohs Remo
Published: November 2024

DNAproDB (https://dnaprodb.usc.edu/) is a database, visualization tool, and processing pipeline for analyzing structural features of protein–DNA interactions. Here, we present a substantially updated version of the database through additional structural annotations, search, and user interface functionalities. The update expands the number of pre-analyzed protein–DNA structures, which are automatically updated weekly. The analysis pipeline identifies water-mediated hydrogen bonds that are incorporated into the visualizations of protein–DNA complexes. Tertiary structure-aware nucleotide layouts are now available. New file formats and external database annotations are supported. The website has been redesigned, and interacting with graphs and data is more intuitive. We also present a statistical analysis on the updated collection of structures revealing salient patterns in protein–DNA interactions.
NusG-dependent RNA polymerase pausing is a common feature of riboswitch regulatory mechanisms
Authors: Jayasinghe Oshadhi T , Ritchey Laura E , Breil Thomas , Newman Paxton , Yakhnin Helen , Babitzke Paul
Published: November 2024

Transcription by RNA polymerase is punctuated by transient pausing events. Pausing provides time for RNA folding and binding of regulatory factors to the paused elongation complex. We previously identified 1600 NusG-dependent pauses throughout the Bacillus subtilis genome, with ∼20% localized to 5′ leader regions, suggesting a regulatory role for these pauses. We examined pauses associated with known riboswitches to determine whether pausing is a common feature of these mechanisms. NusG-dependent pauses in the fmnP, tenA, mgtE, lysP and mtnK riboswitches were in strategic positions preceding the critical decision between the formation of alternative antiterminator or terminator structures, which is a critical feature of transcription attenuation mechanisms. In vitro transcription assays demonstrated that pausing increased the frequency of termination in the presence of the cognate ligand. NusG-dependent pausing also reduced the ligand concentration required for efficient termination. In vivo expression studies with transcriptional fusions confirmed that NusG-dependent pausing is a critical component of each riboswitch mechanism. Our results indicate that pausing enables cells to sense a broader range of ligand concentrations for fine-tuning riboswitch attenuation mechanisms.
scImmOmics: a manually curated resource of single-cell multi-omics immune data
Authors: Li Yan-Yu , Zhou Li-Wei , Qian Feng-Cui , Fang Qiao-Li , Yu Zheng-Min , Cui Ting , Dong Fu-Juan , Cai Fu-Hong , Yu Ting-Ting , Li Li-Dong , Wang Qiu-Yu , Zhu Yan-Bing , Tang Hui-Fang , Hu Bao-Yang , Li Chun-Quan
Published: November 2024

Single-cell sequencing technology has enabled the discovery and characterization of subpopulations of immune cells with unique functions, which is critical for revealing immune responses under healthy or disease conditions. Efforts have been made to collect and curate single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, yet an immune-specific single-cell multi-omics atlas with harmonized metadata is still lacking. Here, we present scImmOmics (https://bio.liclab.net/scImmOmics/home), a manually curated single-cell multi-omics immune database constructed based on high-quality immune cells with known immune cell labels. Currently, scImmOmics documents >2.9 million cell-type labeled immune cells derived from seven single-cell sequencing technologies, involving 131 immune cell types, 47 tissues and 4 species. To ensure data consistency, we standardized the nomenclature of immune cell types and presented them in a hierarchical tree structure to clearly describe the lineage relationships within the immune system. scImmOmics also provides comprehensive immune regulatory information, including T-cell/B-cell receptor sequencing clonotype information, cell-specific regulatory information (e.g. gene/chromatin accessibility/protein/transcription factor states within known cell types, cell-to-cell communication and co-expression networks) and immune cell responses to cytokines. Collectively, scImmOmics is a comprehensive and valuable platform for unraveling the heterogeneity and diversity of immune cells and elucidating the specific regulatory mechanisms at the single-cell level.
Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum
Authors: Zulfiqar Alveena , Azhar Beenish J , Shakeel Samina N , Thives Santos William , Barry Theresa D , Ozimek Dana , DeLong Kim , Angelovici Ruthie , Greenham Kathleen , Schenck Craig A , Schaller G Eric
Published: November 2024

The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), commonly known as the corpse flower, produces the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. Its rare blooms last only a few days and are notable both for their burst of thermogenic activity and for the odor of rotting flesh by which they attract pollinators. Studies on the titan arum can therefor lend insight into the mechanisms underlying thermogenesis as well as the production of sulfur-based volatiles, about which little is known in plants. Here, we made use of transcriptome and metabolite analyses to uncover underlying mechanisms that enable thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. The ability to perform thermogenesis correlated with the expression of genes involved in bypass steps for the mitochondrial electron transport chain, in particular alternative oxidase expression, and through our analysis is placed within the context of sugar transport and metabolism. The major odorants produced by the titan arum are dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, and we identified pathways for sulfur transport and metabolism that culminate in the production of methionine, which our analysis identifies as the amino acid substrate for production of these odorants. Putrescine, derived from arginine, was identified as an additional and previously unrecognized component of the titan arum's odor. Levels of free methionine and putrescine were rapidly depleted during thermogenesis, consistent with roles in production of the titan arum's odor. Models for how tissues of the titan arum contribute to thermogenesis and volatile production are proposed.
Directionality and representativeness are differentiable components of stereotypes in large language models
Authors: Nicolas Gandalf , Caliskan Aylin
Published: November 2024

Representativeness is a relevant but unexamined property of stereotypes in language models. Existing auditing and debiasing approaches address the direction of stereotypes, such as whether a social category (e.g. men, women) is associated more with incompetence vs. competence content. On the other hand, representativeness is the extent to which a social category's stereotypes are about a specific content dimension, such as Competence, regardless of direction (e.g. as indicated by how often dimension-related words appear in stereotypes about the social category). As such, two social categories may be associated with competence (vs. incompetence), yet one category's stereotypes are mostly about competence, whereas the other's are mostly about alternative content (e.g. Warmth). Such differentiability would suggest that direction-based auditing may fail to identify biases in content representativeness. Here, we use a large sample of social categories that are salient in American society (based on gender, race, occupation, and others) to examine whether representativeness is an independent feature of stereotypes in the ChatGPT chatbot and SBERT language model. We focus on the Warmth and Competence stereotype dimensions, given their well-established centrality in human stereotype content. Our results provide evidence for the construct differentiability of direction and representativeness for Warmth and Competence stereotypes across models and target stimuli (social category terms, racialized name exemplars). Additionally, both direction and representativeness uniquely predicted the models' internal general valence (positivity vs. negativity) and human stereotypes. We discuss implications for the use of AI in the study of human cognition and the field of fairness in AI.
QRISK3 and SCORE2 are equally reliable predictors of carotid plaques in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Ferraz-Amaro Iván , Heras-Recuero Elena , Quevedo-Abeledo Juan C , Llorca Javier , González-Gay Miguel Á
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of death among patients with SLE. This study aimed to compare the performance of QRESEARCH risk estimator version 3 (QRISK3) and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation-2 (SCORE2) scores to identify SLE patients at high risk of CV events, as indicated by the presence of carotid plaques.

Methods

Subclinical atherosclerosis was evaluated using carotid US in 365 SLE patients. QRISK3 and SCORE2 were calculated. The relationship between these scores and the presence of carotid plaques was analysed by treating the scores as continuous and categorical variables, as well as separately and in combination. Logistic regression and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analyses were used to assess their predictive accuracy.

Results

The discriminatory capacity of QRISK3, with an AUC of 0.770 (95% CI 0.720, 0.821), and SCORE2, with an AUC of 0.800 (95% CI 0.753, 0.843), for carotid plaque was similar, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.070). However, when examining the association of both calculators considered continuously and together with their interaction, the discriminatory capacity of this combination was significantly greater than that of QRISK3 alone (P = 0.034) but did not differ from SCORE2 (P = 0.71).

Conclusion

QRISK3 and SCORE2 are equally reliable predictors of carotid plaques in SLE patients. The combination of both calculators offers significantly better discrimination than QRISK3 alone but shows no significant difference when compared with SCORE2 alone. Therefore, SCORE2 alone, without the need for additional tools, can be used to identify patients with SLE who are at high risk of CV events.
Tolvaptan safety in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease; a focus on idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury liabilities
Authors: Hammond Sean , Meng Xiaoli , Barber Jane , Mosedale Merrie , Chadwick Amy , Watkins Paul B , Naisbitt Dean J
Published: November 2024

Tolvaptan is a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist which has proven to be an effective and mostly well-tolerated agent for the treatment of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease. However, its administration is associated with rare but serious idiosyncratic liver injury, which has warranted a black box warning on the drug labels and frequent monitoring of liver blood tests in the clinic. This review outlines mechanistic investigations that have been conducted to date and constructs a working narrative as an explanation for the idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) events that have occurred thus far. Potential risk factors which may contribute to individual susceptibility to DILI reactions are addressed, and key areas for future investigative/clinical development are highlighted.
Peripubertal exposure to oxyfluorfen, a diphenyl herbicide, delays pubertal development in the male rat by antagonizing androgen receptor activity
Authors: Murr Ashley S , Buckalew Angela R , Devane Grace , Bailey Jarod R , Ford Jermaine L , Gray Leon Earl , Stoker Tammy E
Published: November 2024

We recently identified the herbicide oxyfluorfen as an inhibitor of iodide uptake by the sodium iodide symporter, a key step in thyroid hormone synthesis, using in vitro assays. We also observed a suppression of serum T4 and T3 in juvenile rats exposed orally to oxyfluorfen for 4 to 8-d. The purpose of the present study was to further evaluate the effects of an extended 31-d oral exposure using a male pubertal rat study (15 to 500 mg/kg). Oxyfluorfen delayed puberty at all doses (1.3 to 3.5-d) suppressing ventral prostate at 62.5 mg/kg and above and seminal vesicle weights at 31.25 mg/kg and above with no effect on testosterone or luteinizing hormone. Serum T4 and T3 were suppressed by all doses up to 80%, with a linear increase in serum TSH. Based on delayed puberty without changes in testosterone, we hypothesized that oxyfluorfen interferes with androgen receptor (AR) function. Results from our Hershberger study, with oxyfluorfen (62.5 and 125 mg/kg) co-treated with testosterone propionate (TP, 1 mg/kg) for 10-d showed 3 of 5 of the androgenic tissue weights were suppressed compared with TP alone indicating AR antagonism. We next confirmed this effect in an in vitro AR transcriptional activation reporter assay (0 to 20 μM) with 125 pM 5αDH-11-ketotestosterone and found concentration-dependent inhibition of AR luminescence activity (EC50 1.75 µM) without cytotoxicity. Thus, this study confirms the endocrine-disrupting mechanism of oxyfluorfen using in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the thyroid hormone and AR pathways. This abstract does not necessarily reflect U.S. EPA policy.
Enhanced Recovery After Craniotomy: Global Practices, Challenges, and Perspectives
Authors: Di Donato Anne , Velásquez Carlos , Larkin Caroline , Baron Shahaf Dana , Bernal Eduardo Hernandez , Shafiq Faraz , Kalipinde Francis , Mwiga Fredson F. , Jose Geraldine Raphaela B. , Naidu Gangineni Kishore K. , Nijs Kristof , Moipolai Lapale , Venkatraghavan Lashmi , Lukoko Lilian , Pandia Mihir Prakash , Jian Minyu , Masohood Naeema S. , Juul Niels , Avitsian Rafi , Manohara Nitin , Srinivasaiah Rajesha , Takala Riikka , Lamsal Ritesh , Al Khunein Saleh A. , Sudadi Sudadi , Cerny Vladimir , Chowdhury Tumul
Published: November 2024

The global demand for hospital care, driven by population growth and medical advances, emphasizes the importance of optimized resource management. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to expedite patient recovery and reduce health care costs without compromising patient safety or satisfaction. Its principles have been adopted in various surgical specialties but have not fully encompassed all areas of neurosurgery, including craniotomy. ERAS for craniotomy has been shown to reduce the length of hospital stay and costs without increasing complications. ERAS protocols may also reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting and perioperative opioid requirements, highlighting their potential to enhance patient outcomes and health care efficiency. Despite these benefits, guidelines, and strategies for ERAS in craniotomy remain limited. This narrative review explores the current global landscape of ERAS for craniotomy, assessing existing literature and highlighting knowledge gaps. Experts from 26 countries with diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds contributed to this review, offering insights about current ERAS protocol applications, implementation challenges, and future perspectives, and providing a comprehensive global overview of ERAS for craniotomy. Representatives from all 6 World Health Organization geographical world areas reported that barriers to the implementation of ERAS for craniotomy include the absence of standardized protocols, provider resistance to change, resource constraints, insufficient education, and research scarcity. This review emphasizes the necessity of tailored ERAS protocols for low and middle-income countries, addressing differences in available resources. Acknowledging limitations in subjectivity and article selection, this review provides a comprehensive overview of ERAS for craniotomy from a global perspective and underscores the need for adaptable ERAS protocols tailored to specific health care systems and countries.
Breathy Vocal Quality, Background Noise, and Hearing Loss: How Do These Adverse Conditions Affect Speech Perception by Older Adults?
Authors: Shen Jing , Heller Murray Elizabeth
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

Although breathy vocal quality and hearing loss are both prevalent age-related changes, their combined impact on speech communication is poorly understood. This study investigated whether breathy vocal quality affected speech perception and listening effort by older listeners. Furthermore, the study examined how this effect was modulated by the adverse listening environment of background noise and the listener’s level of hearing loss.

Design:

Nineteen older adults participated in the study. Their hearing ranged from near-normal to mild-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Participants heard speech material of low-context sentences, with stimuli resynthesized to simulate original, mild-moderately breathy, and severely breathy conditions. Speech intelligibility was measured using a speech recognition in noise paradigm, with pupillometry data collected simultaneously to measure listening effort.

Results:

Simulated severely breathy vocal quality was found to reduce intelligibility and increase listening effort. Breathiness and background noise level independently modulated listening effort. The impact of hearing loss was not observed in this dataset, which can be due to the use of individualized signal to noise ratios and a small sample size.

Conclusion:

Results from this study demonstrate the challenges of listening to speech with a breathy vocal quality. Theoretically, the findings highlight the importance of periodicity cues in speech perception in noise by older listeners. Breathy voice could be challenging to separate from the noise when the noise also lacks periodicity. Clinically, it suggests the need to address both listener- and talker-related factors in speech communication by older adults.
Factors Associated With Return to Work Following Laminoplasty for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
Authors: Hou Brian Q. , Croft Andrew , Chanbour Hani , Zakieh Omar , Hymel Alicia M. , Pennings Jacquelyn S. , Young Mason W. , Bowers Mitchell F. , Gardocki Raymond J. , Lugo-Pico Julian G. , Abtahi Amir M. , Zuckerman Scott L. , Stephens Byron F.
Published: November 2024

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:

To identify factors predictive of returning to work within 90 days of laminoplasty for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Background:

DCM is a debilitating condition resulting from spinal canal stenosis and spinal cord compression. One surgical option for cord decompression is cervical laminoplasty. Factors influencing return to work (RTW) postsurgery are unknown.

Methods:

This study included adult patients previously employed, undergoing primary elective laminoplasty for DCM, and with documented RTW status. Variables included demographic information, medical history, illness characteristics, and baseline patient-reported outcomes. The primary outcome of interest was RTW status at 90 days. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify predictors.

Results:

Forty-six patients (67.6%) returned to work within 90 days, whereas 22 (32.3%) either RTW between 90 and 365 days (n = 3) or did not RTW within 365 days (n = 19). Significantly more patients who RTW within 90 days worked full-time (90.9% vs 64.3%, P = 0.030). Patients who RTW within 90 days had significantly lower preoperative Neck Disability Index scores (23.7 ± 17.5 vs 35.6 ± 14.3, P = 0.008) and higher preoperative modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scores (13.7 ± 2.5 vs 12.2 ± 2.7, P = 0.018) compared with those who did not RTW. No differences were found in other baseline patient-reported outcomes. Patients who RTW within 90 days had significantly lower postoperative 3-month neck pain (2.0 ± 2.1 vs 3.8 ± 2.6, P = 0.007), 3-month arm pain (1.3 ± 1.9 vs 3.6 ± 2.8, P < 0.001), 12-month neck pain (1.4 ± 1.6 vs 3.1 ± 2.4, P = 0.019) and 12-month arm pain (1.1 ± 1.8 vs 2.4 ± 2.4, P = 0.048) compared with those who did not RTW within 90 days. Higher preoperative modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scores were significantly associated with truncated time to RTW (HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.29, P = 0.034).

Conclusion:

Patients with better preoperative neck and arm pain and functional scores were more likely to RTW within 90 days postlaminoplasty. Preoperative functional status plays an important role in assessing RTW postlaminoplasty. This information is valuable for preoperative patient counseling.
Platelet-to-albumin ratio is an independent predictor for ventricular aneurysm formation in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Ding Haifeng , Chai Rui , Yin Yin , Li Wenwen , Jiang Shijiu
Published: November 2024

Background

Left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) is a common complication of acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to investigate the association of the platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) with LVA formation in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

A total of 767 consecutive patients with STEMI were prospectively enrolled. Logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to assess the association between PAR and LVA formation. The predictive ability of PAR and combined variable for LVA formation were assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

The prevalence of LVA was 14.1%. Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed that PAR was associated with the risk of LVA at both 1 month [odds ratio (OR) = 4.42, P < 0.001] and 6 months (OR = 4.35, P < 0.001) of follow-up. The predictive value of PAR remained significant even after multivariate logistic regression analysis at 1 month (OR = 3.42, P = 0.004) and 6 months (OR = 4.28, P < 0.001). RCS analysis revealed a nonlinear association between a higher PAR and an increased risk of LVA (nonlinear P < 0.05). In addition, the predictive abilities of PAR for LVA were 0.659. The combination of PAR, hemoglobin, left ventricular ejection fraction, and the use of angiotensin-converting enzym inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker significantly enhanced the ability to predict LVA formation (C statistic= 0.887).

Conclusion

A higher PAR was significantly associated with an increased risk of LVA formation in patients with acute STEMI who underwent primary PCI.