bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantification of Goldmann Visual Fields During Resolution of Traumatic Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Tachibana Midori , Kanno Junji , Hashimoto Miho , Hosokawa Yu , Sawada Masafumi , Nishiyama-Ota Yuri , Konno Satomi , Aoyagi Rintaro , Ishikawa Sho , Makita Jun , Ikezono Tetsuo , Shinoda Kei
Published: November 2024

Purpose: We describe the clinical findings in a Japanese patient with unilateral traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) who underwent steroid pulse therapy followed by optic canal decompression surgery. The optic nerve function was assessed longitudinally and quantitatively by Goldmann visual fields (GVFs). This was accomplished by measuring the area of each isopter and scotoma, and the findings were compared with the visual acuities recorded during the course of the resolution of the TON.

Case Presentation: A 70‐year‐old man suffered from TON in his left eye after falling from a 3 m cliff. On examination at the Saitama Medical University Hospital, his decimal best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in his left eye was 0.2. Computed tomography revealed a fracture of the lateral wall of the left orbit, but no obvious optic canal fracture was observed. Steroid pulse therapy was started, and optic nerve decompression surgery was performed. After steroid administration, there was a slight improvement in the visual acuity, and a response in the I/3e isopter was present (area 17.76 deg2). However, the V/4e area decreased from 539.35 to 359.36 deg2. Three days after the optic canal decompression surgery, the decimal visual acuity improved to 0.6, and the V/4e area and I/3e area increased to 1122.52 and 46.88 deg2, respectively. Postoperatively, there was a marked improvement in the size of the GVFs that corresponded to the improved visual acuity. The visual acuity of the left eye was 0.8 after 6 months, and the GVF was still not completely normal.

Conclusions: Our findings showed the course of recovery of the visual acuity and visual field in an eye with TON. The quantification of GVF was helpful in assessing the course of recovery after the treatments. The new quantitative index of the GVFs may be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for optic nerve disorders.
Investigating the Effect of Vitamin D3 on Osseointegration of Dental Implants in Rabbits: An Experimental Pilot Study
Authors: Diachkova Ekaterina , Petukhova Marina , Zhilkov Yury , Osmanov Polad , Pchelyakov Аlexey , Tarasenko Svetlana , Taschieri Silvio , Runova Gyuzel , Fadeev Valentin , Shalnova Svetlana , Khristidis Yana , Zaborova Victoria , Corbella Stefano
Published: November 2024

Aim: Studying in rabbit model, the bone behavior during the process of osseointegration of dental implants mimicking vitamin deficiency D3.

Materials and Methods: Six rabbits received implants in the area of the removed lower first incisor after creating a condition of vitamin D3 deficiency. Afterwards, the examinations were carried out on days 3, 5, 7, 30, and 90 when all animals were removed from the experiment. At that time, a bone block was collected within the installed dental implant, with the intact area and the area of the adjacent tooth. The samples were examined by histomorphometry analysis.

Results: In rabbits with vitamin D3 deficiency, dental implants could be osseointegrated by the regeneration of the bone tissues after surgeries. However, a decrease in the number of cells involved in the construction of bone tissue—osteocytes—was recorded in the regenerated bone (40% ± 7%) as compared with the native bone immediately after implantation, before the bone remodeling processes.

Conclusions: The study’s results on the rabbit model in vivo confirmed the relationship between vitamin D3 and the process of osseointegration. This in vivo experiment can be the basis for future clinical study.
Bronchial Artery Embolization for a Mediastinal Aortopulmonary Paraganglioma Safe Resection: A Case Report
Authors: Salcedo Miranda Diego , Galvis O. Jorge Roberto , García-Herreros Luis Gerardo , Torres Cortes David , Rivero Rapalino Oscar
Published: November 2024

Paraganglioma of the middle mediastinum has a prevalence of 1%–2% of paragangliomas and less than 1% of mediastinal masses. It is generally asymptomatic and can easily be confused with other pathologies. The following is the case of a 50‐year‐old patient who, as an incidental finding, documented an injury between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, hypervascularized, which was embolized prior to surgery, which facilitated the complete resection of the lesion by sternotomy. With favorable evolution of the patient and discharge on the fourth postoperative day. A thorough review of the literature on the diagnostic and treatment approach to this pathology has been also carried out.
Optimizing Traffic at Intersections With Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Boyko Nataliya , Mokryk Yaroslav
Published: November 2024

Background: The purpose of this work is to develop a method of traffic optimization at intersections using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) by creating models for controlling autonomous vehicles and traffic lights in a simulated environment. The practical value of the research is to compare the performance of existing algorithms at both traffic light control and autonomous vehicle control tasks, compare their results in different scenarios, and create a framework for testing more such methods in the future.

Methods: The goal of the research is achieved by using DQN, SAC, A2C, and PPO algorithms for the task of driving vehicles across the intersection and for the task of controlling the traffic lights in a simulated environment. The comparison of the selected algorithms is done using metrics such as average reward, average waiting time (AWT), average queue length (AQL), and training time. For the task of controlling vehicles, the reward function is modeled by taking into consideration of the distance to the goal, i.e., the part of the intersection to be reached by the car, and the agent is penalized for violating traffic rules. The agents that were trained to control the phases of traffic lights have their rewards modeled based on minimizing the AWT and AQL metrics. Additionally, the traffic light control agents are trained with both discrete and continuous action spaces.

Results: Most DRL algorithms suffer from the problem of catastrophic forgetting or catastrophic interference, especially DQN. This problem can be remedied by using HER or other replay buffers. The PPO algorithm, especially with a low value of the entropy coefficient hyperparameter, produced the most stable results during training, although it required more iterations to achieve these results. It was found that the dependence of the reward function on the AWT and AQL metrics has a significant impact on the results of the algorithm training.

Conclusions: This work compared methods for controlling traffic lights and autonomous vehicles in a custom simulated environment at a signalized intersection. A novel environment was developed, compatible with existing frameworks such as Gym, for the task of training and validating reinforcement learning algorithms.
Using Spent Brewer’s Yeast to Encapsulate and Enhance the Bioavailability of Sonochemically Nanostructured Curcumin
Authors: Kalinina Irina , Fatkullin Rinat , Naumenko Natalya , Popova Natalia , Stepanova Darya
Published: November 2024

This study is aimed at investigating the possibility of using spent cells of brewer’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to encapsulate the plant antioxidant curcumin and the effect of such an approach on the bioavailability of BAS in an in vitro digestion model. Spent brewer’s yeast is a significant volume organic waste that is difficult to dispose of, which makes additional options for its use very promising. Encapsulation of curcumin into spent yeast cells was carried out in a nanostructured manner. The encapsulation process was studied using laser dynamic light scattering, inverted and luminescence microscopy, and FTIR analysis. The efficiency and feasibility of curcumin encapsulation process was evaluated by determining the encapsulation efficiency index and modeling the in vitro digestion process. From these studies, it was found that spent yeast cells are capable of acting as a “delivery system” for curcumin. Encapsulation efficiencies of 47.7% can be achieved if curcumin is prenanostructured. Analysis of the potential bioavailability of the plant antioxidant in an in vitro gastric digestion model showed that the technology of encapsulation into yeast cells allows for curcumin retention of 79.5%.
Effects of Different Drying Processes on the Bioactivity and Rutin Content of Prunus spp. (Plums)
Authors: Wongwad Eakkaluk , Preedalikit Weeraya , Changprasoed Suttida , Somsai Suthida , Singmee Nanthawan , Srisuksomwong Pawalee , Srivilai Jukkarin , Rungsang Tammanoon , Mungmai Lapatrada
Published: November 2024

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of drying process preparations, solvent type, and different species of Prunus spp. (European, Japanese, and cherry plums) on bioactive properties (antioxidant, anti‐lipid peroxidation, anti‐tyrosinase, and anti‐inflammatory activities) and rutin content. Leaves and fresh fruits of plums were dried using a cold process (vacuum freeze dryer at −105 ± 5°C) and a hot process (hot air oven at 50 ± 0.5°C). The dried plant material was then extracted using ethanol and propylene glycol to obtain ethanolic crude extracts and propylene glycol extract solutions. These extracts were then tested for phenolic and flavonoid contents and their potential biological activities and analyzed for rutin content using the HPLC method. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of plum leaves obtained via the cold‐drying process exhibited higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents (96.94 ± 6.73–112.34 ± 9.08 mg GAE/g sample and 105.10 ± 11.31–185.94 ± 23.35 mg QE/g sample, respectively), as well as greater potential for antioxidant activity (DPPH with IC50 = 29.97 ± 1.17 to 31.44 ± 4.16 μg/mL), anti‐tyrosinase activity (40.34 ± 1.27%–46.91 ± 0.22%), and anti‐lipid peroxidation activity (34.10 ± 4.88%–38.27 ± 2.12%). They also exhibited higher anti‐inflammatory activity by inhibiting NO (20.16 ± 0.12%–40.05 ± 0.42%), IL‐6 (37.81 ± 3.01%–42.37 ± 8.92%), and TNF‐α (45.96 ± 7.93%–63.28 ± 6.44%) compared to fresh plum fruit extracts and other extraction procedures. These activities correlated with the rutin content, which was high in the plum leaf extracts (28.52 ± 0.00%–43.82 ± 0.13% w/w). European plums tended to exhibit greater bioactivities and higher rutin content compared to other species. These findings indicate that plum leaf extracts are a promising source for further applications in food, nutrition, and health products.
Experimental Study on the Spray Characteristics of Streamlined Direct‐Injection Atomizer
Authors: Yan Dongbo , Dong Diansheng , Fang Gangyi , Guo Weijia , Xing Fei
Published: November 2024

This article investigates the atomization characteristics of a streamlined direct‐injection atomizer, which finishes the atomization process by coupling the air swirl with the conventional direct injector. First, we used experimental methods to focus on controlling its structural parameters and the liquid‐to‐gas flow ratio. We used a phase Doppler interferometer to measure the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the droplets and used a high‐speed camera to capture the atomization field images. The experimental results showed that, under all test conditions, the overall range of the SMD was from 84 to 100 μm. It was found that a higher liquid‐to‐gas flow ratio resulted in a smaller SMD, a larger distance between the liquid and air outlets led to a larger SMD, and an increase in the axial angle of the liquid jet led to a smaller SMD. We found the influence parameters of the atomization characteristics of the streamlined direct‐injection atomizer based on the dimensional analysis, namely, π theorem. In addition, a calculation formula for the SMD was proposed, with multiple linear regression conducted on the sample data from experiment. Based on the findings of this study, the streamlined direct‐injection atomizer can be used to dynamically control its spray characteristics according to the requirements of aviation engine combustion chambers.
The Secretion of Inflammatory Cytokines Triggered by TLR2 Through Calcium‐Dependent and Calcium‐Independent Pathways in Keratinocytes
Authors: Kim Eun-Ok , Park Dain , Ha In Jin , Bae Se-Eun , Lee Min Young , Yun Miyong , Kim Kyuseok
Published: November 2024

Keratinocytes can be activated by Cutibacterium acnes, leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines via toll‐like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4. Although several studies have investigated keratinocytes, the mechanism of calcium‐mediated activation remains unclear. Herein, we investigated whether calcium influx via TLR2 and TLR4 stimulation was involved in cytokine secretion by keratinocytes in HaCaT cells. Although TLR2 stimulation by peptidoglycan (PGN) increased intracellular calcium influx, TLR4 stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not increase it, as analyzed using flow cytometry with the calcium indicator Fluo‐3. However, activation by either TLR2 or TLR4 ligands upregulated the intracellular calcium influx in THP‐1 monocytes. Additionally, the expression of major proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, IL‐1α, granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), was significantly increased by TLR2 in HaCaT cells. Moreover, treatment with the intracellular calcium chelator, BAPTA‐AM, disrupted PGN‐mediated induction of IL‐6, IL‐8, and MCP‐1 production. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting revealed that TLR2 stimulation induced expression of the epidermal differentiation marker keratin 1. In conclusion, TLR2‐induced intracellular calcium influx plays a pivotal role in the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐6 and MCP‐1, in keratinocytes. Moreover, the continuous influx of calcium via TLR2 activation leads to keratinization. In vitro studies using HaCaT cells provide basic research on the effect of TLR2‐induced calcium on C. acnes‐mediated inflammation in keratinocytes. These studies are limited in their ability to clinically predict what happens in human keratinocytes. Clinical studies on patients with acne, including three‐dimensional (3D) cultures of primary keratinocytes, are required to develop new diagnostic markers for determining the severity of acne vulgaris.
Analyzing the Effect of Variable Transportation Load on CO2 Emissions in Distribution Networks
Authors: Caballero-Morales Santiago-Omar , Rojas-Cuevas Irma-Delia
Published: November 2024

The global supply chain relies on road, land, and air transport, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Various measures have been proposed to reduce these emissions, including energy taxes, environmentally friendly vehicles, and optimized transportation loads. Current optimization mainly considers fixed loads and vehicle types to reduce CO2 emissions. However, dynamic loads in distribution networks and their interactions with factors like distance and vehicle type have not been studied. The present work contributes by (a) extending a vehicle routing problem (VRP) database to include vehicle type and load size data; (b) developing a mathematical model for emissions based on traveled distance, vehicle type, and load size; (c) creating a multivariate database of the emissions considering optimal routing; and (d) analyzing the database to identify key factors influencing emissions. A factorial analysis determined that vehicle type, load size, and traveled distance are the main factors associated with CO2 emissions. By coding and rearranging the database considering three levels for each main factor, a 3k full factorial design was developed to analyze the interactions of these factors and their effect on CO2 emissions. The results of the analyses corroborate that optimizing vehicle utilization and minimizing routes, which depend on optimal load, distribution routes, and infrastructure planning, are recommended actions to reduce emissions.
Natural Language Processing to Adjudicate Heart Failure Hospitalizations in Global Clinical Trials
Authors: Marti-Castellote Pablo M. , Reeder Christopher , Claggett Brian , Singh Pulkit , Lau Emily S. , Khurshid Shaan , Batra Puneet , Lubitz Steven A. , Maddah Mahnaz , Vardeny Orly , Lewis Eldrin F. , Pfeffer Marc , Jhund Pardeep , Desai Akshay S. , McMurray John J.V. , Ellinor Patrick T. , Ho Jennifer E. , Solomon Scott D. , Cunningham Jonathan W.
Published: November 2024

BACKGROUND:

Medical record review by a physician clinical events committee is the gold standard for identifying cardiovascular outcomes in clinical trials, but is labor-intensive and poorly reproducible. Automated outcome adjudication by artificial intelligence (AI) could enable larger and less expensive clinical trials but has not been validated in global studies.

METHODS:

We developed a novel model for automated AI-based heart failure adjudication (Heart Failure Natural Language Processing) using hospitalizations from 3 international clinical outcomes trials. This model was tested on potential heart failure hospitalizations from the DELIVER trial (Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the Lives of Patients With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure), a cardiovascular outcomes trial comparing dapagliflozin with placebo in 6063 patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. AI-based adjudications were compared with adjudications from a clinical events committee that followed Food and Drug Administration-based criteria.

RESULTS:

AI-based adjudication agreed with the clinical events committee in 83% of events. A strategy of human review for events that the AI model deemed uncertain (16%) would have achieved 91% agreement with the clinical events committee while reducing the adjudication workload by 84%. The estimated effect of dapagliflozin on heart failure hospitalization was nearly identical with AI-based adjudication (hazard ratio, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.66–0.88]) compared with clinical events committee adjudication (hazard ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.67–0.89]). The AI model extracted symptoms, signs, and treatments of heart failure from each medical record in tabular format and quoted sentences documenting them.

CONCLUSIONS:

AI-based adjudication of clinical outcomes has the potential to improve the efficiency of global clinical trials while preserving accuracy and interpretability.
Associations of Neighborhood Food and Physical Activity Environments in Young Adulthood With Cardiovascular Health in Midlife: The CARDIA Study
Authors: Park Seong W. , Wong Mandy , Kiefe Catarina I. , Gordon‐Larsen Penny , Kershaw Kiarri N.
Published: November 2024

Background

Adults who maintain ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) profiles up to midlife have lower risk of several chronic diseases and better quality of life. Some evidence suggests that individual‐level exposures earlier in life shape midlife CVH, but the impact of neighborhood‐level exposures over the life course remains understudied.

Methods and Results

Participants were 3017 Black and White men and women aged 18 to 30 years at baseline (1985–1986), recruited from Birmingham, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Chicago, Illinois; and Oakland, California, as part of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study. Measures of the neighborhood food and physical activity environment were linked to participant addresses collected at baseline. CVH was measured on the basis of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 criteria in young adulthood and 30 years later (2015–2016) when participants were midlife (aged 48–60 years). Associations of young adult neighborhood food environment and physical activity resources with midlife CVH (moderate versus high and low versus high) were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Models were adjusted for young adult sociodemographic factors. Participants who lived farther away from a major park in young adulthood were more likely to have low versus high CVH scores (odds ratio, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.22–1.96]) and more likely to have moderate versus high CVH scores (odds ratio, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.12–1.73]) in midlife. No other neighborhood measures were significantly associated with CVH.

Conclusions

Young adulthood may be a sensitive period in which having convenient access to physical activity–promoting resources may help them establish healthy habits that can carry into midlife.
Comparison of Ridaforolimus‐Eluting and Zotarolimus‐Eluting Coronary Stents: 5‐Year Outcomes From the BIONICS and NIREUS Trials
Authors: Zornitzki Lior , Smits Pieter C. , Love Michael P. , Stone Gregg W. , Kandzari David E. , Redfors Bjorn , Ozan Melek O. , Konigstein Maayan
Published: November 2024

Background

The BIONICS (BioNIR Ridaforolimus‐Eluting Coronary Stent System in Coronary Stenosis) and the NIREUS (BioNIR Ridaforolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System [BioNIR] European Angiography Study) randomized clinical trials showed noninferiority of the ridaforolimus‐eluting stent (RES) compared with the zotarolimus‐eluting stent (ZES) with respect to 1‐year target‐lesion failure and 6‐month angiographic late lumen loss. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes between treatment groups over a 5‐year follow‐up.

Methods and Results

Patient‐level data from the BIONICS (n=1919) and NIREUS (n=302) were pooled, comparing the outcomes of patients implanted with RES and ZES. The primary end point was the 5‐year rate of target‐lesion failure. A total of 2221 patients (63.2±10.3 years, 79.7% men) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with RES (n=1159) or ZES (n=1062) were included. Most clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between groups. At 5 years, the primary end point of target‐lesion failure was similar between treatment groups (12.2% RES versus 11.3% ZES,
P
=0.52). Rates of TLR (7.6% RES versus 6.8% ZES,
P
=0.42) target‐vessel–related myocardial infarction (4.8% RES versus 4.9% ZES,
P
=0.95) and stent thrombosis (0.9% RES versus 0.9% ZES,
P
=0.87) also did not differ between groups. Target‐vessel revascularization and cardiac death were higher among the RES group (12.3% versus 9.5%
P
=0.037, and 3.6% versus 2.2%
P
=0.042, respectively). However, after correction for baseline characteristics, there was no significant difference in cardiac death between groups.

Conclusions

In a pooled analysis of 2 randomized trials, 5‐year clinical outcomes were similar between patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with RES and ZES. These results support the long‐term safety and efficacy of RES for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease.
Associations Between Gene Variants of Lipid‐Lowering Drug Targets and Adverse Outcomes After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Sun Lulu , Zhang Qilu , Shi Mengyao , Liu Yang , Zhu Zhengbao , Zhang Jing , Peng Hao , Wang Aili , Chen Jing , Xu Tan , Zhang Yonghong , He Jiang
Published: November 2024

Background

The association of lipid‐lowering drug targets and their gene variants with cardiovascular diseases has been previously clarified. However, the relationship between gene variants of lipid‐lowering drug targets and the adverse prognosis of ischemic stroke patients remains unclear.

Methods and Results

Multiple single‐nucleotide polymorphisms associated with 6 lipid‐lowering drug targets were genotyped for patients with ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was death or major disability within 2 years after ischemic stroke. Genetic risk score was constructed from significant single‐nucleotide polymorphisms identified via additive models, which was calculated by multiplying the number of risk alleles at each locus by the corresponding beta coefficient and then summing the products. The rs2006760‐C of the
HMGCR
, rs11206510‐T of
PCSK9
, and rs1864163‐G and rs9929488‐G of
CETP
were associated with increased odds of adverse outcomes within 2 years after ischemic stroke. Each additional risk allele was associated with higher odds of adverse outcomes. Genetic risk score was positively associated with the odds of primary outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.48 [95% CI, 1.15–1.90];
P
trend
 = 0.001), major disability (OR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.16–2.08];
P
trend
 = 0.002), death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.58 [95% CI, 1.12–2.25];
P
trend
 = 0.011), and the composite outcome of death or cardiovascular events (HR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.08–1.85];
P
trend
 = 0.010) when 2 extreme quartiles were compared.

Conclusions

rs2006760‐C of
HMGCR
, rs11206510‐T of
PCSK9
, and rs1864163‐G and rs9929488‐G of
CETP
were associated with increased odds of adverse outcomes within 2 years after ischemic stroke. Furthermore, higher GRS was positively related to the odds of poor outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke.

Registration:
URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Identifier: NCT01840072.
Sex Differences in Patients Undergoing Left Main Stem Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stable Angina: Data From a National Registry
Authors: Shamkhani Warkaa , Zathar Zafraan , Khattak Sophia , Nolan James , Chieffo Alaide , Kinnaird Tim , Mamas Mamas A.
Published: November 2024

Background

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) for stable angina has steadily increased. Outcomes stratified by sex are inconclusive and limited. We assessed sex‐based trends and differences in clinical outcomes among patients with stable angina who received LMCA PCI.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively collected data on patients with stable angina who underwent LMCA PCI (2006–2022) from the UK national PCI registry. The primary outcome of interest was inpatient mortality. Secondary outcomes were major bleeding and major cardiovascular and cerebral events. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess adjusted odds ratio for outcome of interest. Of the 24 271 LMCA PCI performed, 5497 (22.7%) were in women. Women were older than men (median 72.7 versus 70.4) and less likely to have their PCI via radial access (50.3% versus 58.9%). More women had PCI guided by intravascular ultrasound (43.4% versus 41.2%). Women had significantly lower comorbid burden than men. Higher prevalence of chronic renal failure (6.72% versus 4.77%), smoking history (61.47% versus 45.68%), diabetes (27.36% versus 25.74%), prior myocardial infarction (45.36% versus 35.89%), and prior coronary artery bypass grafting (42.13% versus 30.34%) was observed in men than in women, respectively;
P
value <0.005 for all. Women had higher adjusted mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.1–2.3]) and major bleeding events (adjusted odds ratio, 2.07 [95% CI, 1.19–3.59]). Although odds of major cardiovascular and cerebral events (adjusted odds ratio, 1.27[95% CI, 0.9–1.6]) were higher in women, it was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Despite being less comorbid, women had a significant increase in their mortality and major bleeding events following LMCA PCI. A sex‐tailored approach considering age, intravascular imaging, and vascular access may improve outcomes.
Projected Cost Savings With Optimal Medication Adherence in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease Requiring Lipid‐Lowering Therapy: A Multinational Economic Evaluation Study
Authors: Cho Jeong‐Yeon , Wilson Fernando A. , Chaikledkaew Usa , Chen Yingyao , Phrommintikul Arintaya , Diaz‐Aguilera Miguel Angel , Chen Zhenyue , Kim Kyoo , Chaiyakunapruk Nathorn
Published: November 2024

Background

Poor adherence to chronic cardiovascular treatments can impede targeted clinical outcomes. This study estimates the potential benefits of improving adherence among patients with cardiovascular disease requiring secondary prevention in Mexico, Thailand, and China.

Methods and Results

We performed Markov model simulation for patients with cardiovascular disease in 3 countries from health care and societal perspectives over a lifetime horizon. Two scenarios were compared: (1) optimal adherence based on a meta‐analysis of 51 randomized controlled trials and (2) status quo. The association between adherence and cardiovascular disease outcomes derives from a dose–response meta‐analysis of 4 051 338 patients. Outcomes include the accumulated number of cardiovascular events and associated costs in 2022 US dollars, life years, and quality‐adjusted life years. Optimal adherence could prevent 42 (95% credible interval [CrI], 29–56) cardiovascular events in Mexico, 34 (95% CrI, 24–50) in Thailand, and 63 (95% CrI, 43–89) in China per 1000 patients over a lifetime. Incremental effectiveness per patient was 0.60 (95% CrI, 0.47–0.74) life‐years in Mexico, 0.68 (95% CrI, 0.37–0.94) quality‐adjusted life years in Thailand, and 0.93 (95% CrI, 0.44–1.27) quality‐adjusted life years in China. Cost savings from societal perspective amounted to $412 (95% CrI, $211–$723), $316 (95% CrI, $187–$541), and $700 (95% CrI, $355–$1144) per patient for Mexico, Thailand, and China, respectively. Findings remained cost saving in deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Achieving optimal adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease requiring lipid‐lowering therapy saves costs and improves health outcomes in Mexico, Thailand, and China. These findings support national health care systems implementing strategies to improve adherence in these countries.
Incarcerated Power: Tracing Foucault’s Footsteps in Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero
Authors: Ghorbanpour Fateme , Sabbagh Mahmoud Reza Ghorban
Published: November 2024

Many researchers have approached Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero from different perspectives; however, little has been done to show the complexity of the main character, Firdaus, and her transformation through the story. The present study focuses on the process of character transformation from what may seem to be a state of misery to that of disobedience and heroic resistance. Foucault’s theory of power, as followed by the third-wave feminists, can shed further light on the dynamic change in the personality of the central character. The study reveals that the laws in a patriarchal society, the protagonist’s lack of awareness, and her irresistible fears are the main reasons for her predicaments. The study also shows that the main character, Firdaus, as a free subject, is not always a passive recipient of power but from time to time, she also makes her presence felt. By telling her story, she tries to share her idiosyncratic form of power with other women and inspire them in their struggles against social inequality and male chauvinism.
Dispute Settlement in the Law of the Sea: Survey for 2023
Authors: Churchill Robin
Published: November 2024

This is the latest in a series of annual surveys in this Journal reviewing dispute settlement in the law of the sea, both under Part XV of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and outside the framework of the Convention. The most significant developments during 2023 were the judgments on the merits of a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in the Dispute concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives) case and of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Question of the Delimitation of the Continental Shelf between Nicaragua and Colombia beyond 200 Nautical Miles from the Nicaraguan Coast (Nicaragua v. Colombia) case; the commencement of two new cases before the ITLOS and the ICJ concerning the seizure and detention of vessels and climate change obligations, respectively; and the findings and recommendations of a panel established by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation to consider the validity of one of its fisheries conservation and management measures.
The Trend of Changes in the Differentiation in Climate Change Law: Towards Intensifying, Not Weakening
Authors: Salimi Turkamani Hojjat
Published: November 2024

The differentiation between developing and developed countries has been one of the central issues in the climate change legal regime from the beginning. Although there is a consensus among countries regarding the CBDR-RC as the basis for differentiation, the developing countries have always emphasized the first part of the principle, the responsibility of the developed countries based on equity, and in contrast, the developed countries have focused on the second part, the capability of countries to deal with climate change. Due to this contrast between approaches, the differentiation in the evolutionary process of the climate change regime has always been very volatile, from the UNFCCC to the Paris Agreement. The question arises as to what direction the differentiation has gone and what path it will take. This research shows that the movement toward specialization, pragmatism, and flexibility indicate differentiation is going towards strengthening, and the attempt to weaken or gradually eliminate it will most likely lead to the meaningless participation of developing countries and ultimately the ineffectiveness of the regime. To achieve equitable differentiation along with global participation in the future, two-stage differentiation can be applied. In the first step, the differentiation should be applied between developed and developing countries based on an equitable approach to changing responsibility, and in the second step, sub-differentiation should be applied between the developing countries themselves based on national economic-environmental circumstances such as capability and vulnerability. In this case, differentiation will be considered an opportunity and catalyst instead of a threat and an obstacle.
The Effect of Seeing Paintings or Photojournalistic Images Depicting Refugees on Their Infrahumanisation
Authors: Bara Ionela , Tsakiris Manos
Published: November 2024

Images are powerful cultural agents that can inform, shape and change the attitudes and behaviours of viewers. The ways in which marginalised groups are depicted in photographs shape people's attitudes towards them. For example, viewing photojournalistic images portraying refugees in large rather than small groups results in the infrahumanisation of refugees. However, the impact of artworks vs photojournalistic images depicting refugees on their infrahumanisation remains a key and unexplored topic. In this pre-registered study, we investigated whether viewing different types of visual images (e.g., paintings vs photographs) of refugees using distinct visual framings (e.g., large or small groups) influences viewers' infrahumanisation of refugees and the intensity and valence of the viewers' felt emotions. Contrary to our predictions, no evidence was found for an effect of visual framing (large vs small groups) and different image types (paintings vs photos) portraying refugees on their infrahumanisation. Moreover, and in line with our predictions, photojournalistic images were evaluated as more emotionally intense than paintings, whereas paintings rather than photojournalistic images engaged more positive emotions, demonstrating that different types of images involve distinct affective responses. Furthermore, exploratory findings revealed that increased positive appraisals of photojournalistic images depicting small groups rather than large groups led to greater humanisation of refugees. This suggests that positive emotions can decrease the infrahumanisation of marginalized groups, particularly when these are evoked by photojournalistic images. Overall, these findings shed new light on the effects of audience exposure to different forms of visual representation and their social and emotional consequences.
The Fact of Anti-Blackness in South African Farms
Authors: Majavu Pumlani
Published: November 2024

This article uses the 2020 protest by a group of white farmers in Senekal as an entry point to the continuing anti-Black racist violence in South Africa’s white-owned farms. It argues that the key demand by the white farmers reflected the living violent history of white farmers, particularly as articulated in the country’s farmlands. The article contends that the history of white racial violence that produced the current racial disparities of land ownership in South Africa is, to an extent, kept alive by the ongoing exploitative and racist practices that have become a defining feature of white farming practices in South Africa. These exploitative and racist practices are well documented in the research on post-1994 white farms. As was the case in the past, anti-Black racist violence in contemporary South Africa relies on the narrative that historically constructed Blacks as subhuman and therefore were regarded as deserving of exploitation and unfair treatment. Blacks in this narrative are cast as not worthy of being treated with dignity and hence the dominant theme of this narrative portray Black life as insignificant, meaningless and disposable.
Riding the Dragon’s Rails: Unpacking the Impacts of Chinese-Built Railway in Nigeria
Authors: Abubakar Sulaiman Saidu , Ying Hooi Khoo , Rogers Roy Anthony
Published: November 2024

This research investigates the impacts of China’s development assistance on African development through Nigeria’s Abuja–Kaduna railway, West Africa’s first modern railway constructed with Chinese aid. Grounded in urbanization and dependency theories and utilizing interviews, focused group discussions (FGDs), and a comprehensive literature review, this study evaluates both positive and negative impacts. Findings reveal socio-economic benefits for Nigeria, including employment generation, improved connectivity, and infrastructure renewal, while also identifying challenges such as community displacement and limited technology transfer. This analysis sheds light on China’s role in African railway development, China–Nigeria relations, and the broader implications of Chinese involvement. By enriching empirical knowledge and presenting a balanced view, this study fosters a nuanced understanding of infrastructure development’s role in Africa’s progress.
Examining the Influence of Socio-Economic and Demographic Transformation on Employment In the Informal Sector From 2017 To 2020
Authors: Mkulisi Sibusisiwe Natarsh , Sathiya Susuman A
Published: November 2024

This study explored the impact of socio-demographic changes on informal sector employment in South Africa from 2017 to 2020. Utilizing data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), descriptive statistics and logistic regression were employed to analyze relationships between age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and education within the informal workforce. The results revealed significant shifts in employment patterns, particularly affecting youth and marginalized groups. The findings emphasize the vital role of socio-demographic factors in shaping the informal sector and highlight the need for targeted policies to support vulnerable populations and improve their economic opportunities in a fluctuating labor market.
Structure-property relationships of 3D woven fabric composites: A critical review through bibliometric and content analyses
Authors: Verma Vikas , Majumdar Abhijit
Published: November 2024

3D fabric composites generally have significant thickness in a monolithic structure eliminating the need for multi-ply laminates. 3D fabric preforms have given significant boost to the composite industry by reducing one of the major failure modes, i.e., delamination. In the past few decades, an enormous amount of researches has been conducted in the domain of 3D woven fabric composites highlighting their structure-property relationships. There are 459 research articles related to 3D fabric composites in Scopus-indexed journals. The objective of this review is to summarise the extant literature, highlighting the current research trends, thematic research areas, structure-property relationships, and future research directions of 3D fabric composites. This review amalgamates bibliometric and content analyses to identify the dominant research themes within the 3D woven composite area. Content analysis of the research papers has revealed that the properties of 3D fabric composites depend on structural parameters such as weave design, binding step, binding depth, and stuffer-to-binder ratio. However, the results of these studies on the role of structural parameters are often divergent, implying that there is a need for more systematic research on the structure-property relationships of 3D fabric composites.
Geo-Net: Geometry-Guided Pretraining for Tooth Point Cloud Segmentation
Authors: Liu Y. , Liu X. , Yang C. , Yang Y. , Chen H. , Yuan Y.
Published: November 2024

Accurately delineating individual teeth in 3-dimensional tooth point clouds is an important orthodontic application. Learning-based segmentation methods rely on labeled datasets, which are typically limited in scale due to the labor-intensive process of annotating each tooth. In this article, we propose a self-supervised pretraining framework, named Geo-Net, to boost segmentation performance by leveraging large-scale unlabeled data. The framework is based on the scalable masked autoencoders, and 2 geometry-guided designs, curvature-aware patching algorithm (CPA) and scale-aware reconstruction (SCR), are proposed to enhance the masked pretraining for tooth point cloud segmentation. In particular, CPA is designed to assemble informative patches as the reconstruction unit, guided by the estimated pointwise curvatures. Aimed at equipping the pretrained encoder with scale-aware modeling capacity, we also propose SCR to perform multiple reconstructions across shallow and deep layers. In vitro experiments reveal that after pretraining with large-scale unlabeled data, the proposed Geo-Net can outperform the supervised counterparts in mean Intersection of Union (mIoU) with the same amount of annotated labeled data. The code and data are available at https://github.com/yifliu3/Geo-Net .
Exploring the Experience of Existential Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation Period in a Small Sample of Young Kosovar Adults
Authors: Lecaj Rron , Michalopoulou Lito E.
Published: November 2024

International literature has documented the mental health impact of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic on global communities. However, for this period, a significant lack of research exists on the human and psychological experiences of Albanian Kosovars. This study aimed to retrospectively explore a specific experience associated with the isolation period, that is, the Kosovar young adults’ experience of existential anxiety. The notion of isolation is significant for the Kosovars as their country is recently independent with some referencing its political isolation in the European context. The current study was conducted from March to June 2022; Stage 1 included a quantitative sampling of existential anxiety among 115 Albanian Kosovars through the Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (Weems et al., 2004). In Stage 2, five participants with high levels of existential anxiety partook in in-depth interviews. For the qualitative analysis, the Existential Phenomenological Research approach was adopted. Using Paul Tillich’s existential anxiety framework, results revealed that this study’s participants experienced great losses with the start of the lockdown as they were students who had to return to their families. It appears that a process of transformation occurred in light of the hardships that individuals experienced. Implications for mental health practitioners and researchers are offered.
EXPRESS: Conceptual Research: Multidisciplinary Insights for Marketing
Authors: Kozlenkova Irina V. , Warren Caleb , Kotha Suresh , Boghrati Reihane , Palmatier Robert W.
Published: November 2024

Conceptual research is fundamental to advancing theory and, thus, science. Conceptual articles launch new research streams, resolve conflicting findings, explain new phenomena, and integrate divergent research areas. Yet, compared with other disciplines, marketing publishes little conceptual research. This paper provides a multidisciplinary perspective of conceptual research to help increase the quality and quantity of conceptual research in marketing. First, the authors compare conceptual research approaches across marketing, management, psychology, and sociology to provide a synthesis of existing conceptual research frameworks. Second, using citation analyses, the authors provide insights into the academic impact of conceptual research across disciplines, across marketing domains, and over time; they also assess its impact outside of academia. Third, to assist researchers, the paper offers a step-by-step process or “how to” guide for developing high-impact conceptual research, based on insights from the multidisciplinary analysis and interviews with conceptual researchers from different disciplines. Fourth, drawing on the interviews and keyword analysis of recent conceptual marketing articles, the authors suggest emerging opportunities for conceptual research and how to increase the value of conceptual papers for practitioners.
Demographic features or spatial structures? Unpacking local variation during the 2022 Iranian protests
Authors: Asadzade Peyman
Published: November 2024

Why do protests emerge and endure in some localities but not others? This study focuses on urban protests in the city of Tehran, Iran’s capital and largest city, during the 2022 uprising to explain why protests emerged and endured in some neighbourhoods but not others. Using an original geocoded dataset of 339 protest events at the neighbourhood level, I test two competing sets of demographic and spatial explanations. The results reveal that protests are more likely to emerge and persist in neighbourhoods with a higher percentage of educated citizens, closer proximity to university campuses and convenient access to metro stations. I provide theoretical explanations on how education boosts political awareness, university campuses act as networking hubs influencing surrounding areas and metro stations facilitate critical gathering points for protests. The findings remain consistent even when I control for a range of variables and use alternative specifications.
Examining perspectives on fatal use of force: A comparative analysis of police and social sciences students’ views
Authors: Charbonneau Étienne , Mousseau Vincent , Poirier Brigitte , Faubert Camille , Boivin Rémi
Published: November 2024

Citizen views are, at times, in opposition to professional expertise. When it comes to policing, discussions surrounding the use of force often indicate a lack of understanding from the general population. In this study, police ( n = 1609) and social sciences ( n = 688) students were shown a video vignette of a fatal police shooting. Findings show that police students’ attitudes towards the use of force face a significant shift during training, leading to stronger support for lethal force and greater discrepancy in opinions compared to the other students. Our results also show that non-expert adults want police officers to be sanctioned severely.
Impact of Organizational Culture on Bullying Behavior in Public Sector Organizations
Authors: Quinn Susan , Waheduzzaman Wahed , Djurkovic Nikola
Published: November 2024

Organizational culture can significantly influence the prevalence of bullying in workplaces. However, there is a dearth of empirical research that thoroughly investigates the various aspects of organizational culture directly linked to bullying behaviors in public sector organizations. To address this gap, a research study was conducted, interviewing senior-level managers across the Victorian Public Sector (VPS), Australia, aiming to identify the cultural elements contributing to bullying behaviors in their workplaces. Utilizing Schein’s organizational culture framework, this study reveals that hierarchical power distance, bureaucratic control, bullying as a political tactic, inaction against bullying incidents, and leaders’ prerogative are the primary cultural features that foster a negative environment and escalate bullying levels. It is imperative for organizations to recognize and rectify these cultural issues to prevent bullying behaviors and foster a safe and respectful workplace culture.