bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How to survive the long night? Longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior among adolescents: The serial mediating roles of negative emotion, self‐control, and nonsuicidal self‐injury
Authors: Yang Qingfeng , Xie Ruibo , Wang Die , Li Jiayi , Zhang Rui , Li Weijian , Ding Wan
Published: January 2024

Objective

Sleep problems are a significant risk factor for identifying and preventing suicidal involvement among adolescents. However, there is limited evidence to assess the underlying mechanisms between them. This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior and examined whether this relationship was moderated by negative emotions, low self‐control, and nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI).

Methods

From December 2020 onward, we assessed 1214 Chinese secondary school adolescents (60.7% were boys, aged 13–19 years) three times, 6 months apart.

Results

In the direct effects model, sleep problems were found to have a positive impact on adolescent suicidal behavior. In the indirect effects model, we observed that sleep problems were associated with an elevated risk of suicidal behavior through several pathways: one‐mediator path of negative emotions, low self‐control, and NSSI, respectively; two‐mediator path of negative emotions via low self‐control, negative emotions via NSSI, and low self‐control via NSSI, and three‐mediator path from negative emotions to NSSI via low self‐control.

Conclusions

This longitudinal study provides evidence that sleep problems in adolescents may increase suicidal behavior by exacerbating negative emotions, weakening self‐control, and promoting NSSI. The findings suggest sleep problems should be addressed in suicide prevention and intervention efforts for adolescents.
To achieve the unachievable—Patients' experiences of opting for delayed anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction after trying rehabilitation alone as primary treatment: A qualitative study
Authors: Simonsson Rebecca , Magnusson Cajsa , Piussi Ramana , Kaarre Janina , Thomeé Roland , Ivarsson Andreas , Samuelsson Kristian , Hamrin Senorski Eric
Published: January 2024

Introduction

About 50% of patients who sustain an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury are treated without ACL reconstruction (ACL‐R). A significant proportion of these patients opt for late ACL‐R. Patients' experience of changing treatment has not yet been investigated and presented in the scientific literature.

Aim

To explore patients' experiences before and after changing treatment from ACL rehabilitation alone to ACL‐R.

Method

Fifteen patients were interviewed in semi‐structured interviews, which were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with qualitative content analysis, based on the method described by Graneheim and Lundman. Patients were between 26 and 58 years old, and had tried rehabilitation for a minimum of 9 months prior to ACL‐R.

Results

Two themes, “Expecting what could not be achieved: the struggle to recover and not becoming stable”, and “Internal completeness: expectations can be achieved”, emerged from the analysis. Each theme was supported by three main categories and 5–6 subcategories. The first theme represents the journey before ACL‐R, where patients experienced getting stronger, but perceived the knee as unstable. The second theme represents the journey after ACL‐R, where patients expressed that they felt whole after their ACL‐R, and where able to achieve their expections. Patients experienced a greater support from the healthcare system, and ultimately expressed a feeling of having achieved the unachievable after ACL‐R.

Patients who cross over from ACL rehabilitation to ACL‐R experienced rehabilitation alone as insufficient to achieve the desired outcomes, which resulted in a need to opt for delayed ACL‐R. Healthcare providers need to support patients, who primarily choose to undergo rehabilitation alone and later opt for ACL‐R, throughout the whole rehabilitation process.
Assessments of individual fiber glycogen and mitochondrial volume percentages reveal a graded reduction in muscle oxidative power during prolonged exhaustive exercise
Authors: Nielsen Joachim , Jensen Rasmus , Ørtenblad Niels
Published: January 2024

During submaximal exercise, there is a heterogeneous recruitment of skeletal muscle fibers, with an ensuing heterogeneous depletion of muscle glycogen both within and between fiber types. Here, we show that the mean (95% CI) mitochondrial volume as a percentage of fiber volume of non‐glycogen‐depleted fibers was 2 (−10:6), 5 (−21:11), and 12 (−21:−2)% lower than all the sampled fibers after continuing exercise for 1, 2 h, and until task failure, respectively. Therefore, a glycogen‐dependent fatigue of individual fibers during submaximal exercise may reduce the muscular oxidative power. These findings suggest a relationship between glycogen and mitochondrial content in individual muscle fibers, which is important for understanding fatigue during prolonged exercise.
New insight into prurigo nodularis: Proadrenomedullin N‐terminal 20 peptide mediates mouse mast cell activation via Mrgprb2
Authors: Shao Yixin , Xiao Zijing , Jin Yinghong , Zhu Yiqi , Shen Yanyun , Jin Taiyu , Tang Hui , Wang Duoqin
Published: January 2024

Background

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by extremely itchy nodules. Proadrenomedullin N‐terminal 20 (PAMP) activates mast cell degranulation via Mas‐related G protein‐coupled receptor X2 (MRGPRX2), which is associated with pruritus in allergic contact dermatitis. However, the mechanisms underlying the action of PAMP and MRGPRX2 in PN remain unclear.

Objective

To determine the role of PAMP‐induced mast cell activation via MRGPRX2 (mouse homologous Mrgprb2) in PN.

Methods

The expression of PAMP and the number of MRGPRX2‐expressing mast cells in the skin biopsies of patients with PN, atopic dermatitis (AD), and healthy participants were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, respectively. The biphasic response of PAMP9‐20 mediated by Mrgprb2 in mouse peritoneal mast cells (PMC) was validated in vitro using qRT‐PCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, and siRNA techniques.

Results

PAMP expression and the number of MRGPRX2+ mast cells in lesional PN skin, but not in AD, were elevated compared to healthy skin. PAMP9‐20 mediates the immediate and delayed phase responses of PMC, such as degranulation, histamine and β‐hexosaminidase release, and secretion of inflammatory factors such as CCL2, TNF‐α, and GM‐CSF. These effects were inhibited when Mrgprb2 expression was silenced. Silencing Mrgprb2 did not affect the biphasic response of PMC that was induced by IgE‐FcεRI activation.

Conclusions

The results show that PAMP mediates mouse mast cell activation via Mrgprb2, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of PN. The PAMP/ Mrgprb2 pathway, independent of classical IgE signaling, could be developed as a candidate drug target for treating PN.
A pilot initiative to enhance quality improvement teaching with simulation
Authors: Dhanoa Mankeeran , Trivedi Sachin , Sheridan Mark
Published: January 2024

Background

Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) is a recognised competency across residency programmes. Although a variety of teaching modalities exist, many do not represent the multifaceted clinical environment that trainees work in. Residents have reported challenges in linking QIPS classroom‐based learning with their clinical duties. High‐fidelity simulation has been used to bridge this gap within clinical skills teaching and therefore has potential to address this issue in QIPS learning.

Approach

We developed and piloted four high‐fidelity simulation scenarios with 15 surgical residents (Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Gynaecology and Neurosurgery). Each scenario contained elements of both latent and active safety errors. Residents were provided with a short pre‐reading from an open‐access resource on basic QIPS methodology and underwent a debriefing by a trained QIPS faculty. Residents were then tasked to apply their learning to their scenario to develop a QIPS‐focused solution.

Evaluation

Objective knowledge acquisition was assessed with the Quality Improvement Knowledge Assessment Tool—Revised (QIKAT‐R) in conjunction with a survey based upon the Kirkpatrick Model of Learning. Overall, residents agreed that the simulation was helpful in learning QIPS methodology and agreed that they could perform fundamental QIPS tasks. The average QIKAT‐R score demonstrated a trend towards improvement.

Implications

High‐fidelity simulation is a potential means to provide residents with hands‐on experience in QIPS knowledge acquisition and application. Future directions should aim to compare the efficacy of simulation with other teaching modalities and evaluate the long‐term impact of QIPS teaching on resident behaviours and motivation to take part in QIPS initiatives.
Modeled underwater sound levels in the Pan-Arctic due to increased shipping: Analysis from 2013 to 2019
Authors: Heaney Kevin D. , Verlinden Christopher M. A. , Seger Kerri D. , Brandon Jennifer A.
Published: January 2024

The loss of Arctic sea ice is one of the most visible signs of global climate change. As Arctic sea ice has retreated, Arctic marine shipping has increased. The Pan-Arctic's unique underwater acoustic properties mean that even small increases in ship traffic can have a significant effect on the ambient soundscape. This study presents the first long-term, basin-scale model of shipping noise in the Pan-Arctic with a focus on a few select sub-regions. The Arctic Ship Traffic Database from the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment is used in this study to model the locations and source levels from ships operating in the Pan-Arctic between 2013 and 2019. The acoustic footprint of these ships is explored temporally for the entire basin as well as for the select large maritime ecosystems of the Barents Sea, the Northern Bering-Chukchi Sea, and Baffin Bay. From 2013 to 2019, modeled shipping noise propagating underwater broadly increased between 5–20 dB across the Pan-Arctic, but more specific results in sub-regions are presented and discussed.
Perception of voice cues in school-age children with hearing aids
Authors: Babaoğlu Gizem , Rachman Laura , Ertürk Pınar , Özkişi Yazgan Başak , Sennaroğlu Gonca , Gaudrain Etienne , Başkent Deniz
Published: January 2024

The just-noticeable differences (JNDs) of the voice cues of voice pitch (F0) and vocal-tract length (VTL) were measured in school-aged children with bilateral hearing aids and children and adults with normal hearing. The JNDs were larger for hearing-aided than normal-hearing children up to the age of 12 for F0 and into adulthood for all ages for VTL. Age was a significant factor for both groups for F0 JNDs, but only for the hearing-aided group for VTL JNDs. Age of maturation was later for F0 than VTL. Individual JNDs of the two groups largely overlapped for F0, but little for VTL. Hearing thresholds (unaided or aided, 500–400 Hz, overlapping with mid-range speech frequencies) did not correlate with the JNDs. However, extended low-frequency hearing thresholds (unaided, 125–250 Hz, overlapping with voice F0 ranges) correlated with the F0 JNDs. Hence, age and hearing status differentially interact with F0 and VTL perception, and VTL perception seems challenging for hearing-aided children. On the other hand, even children with profound hearing loss could do the task, indicating a hearing aid benefit for voice perception. Given the significant age effect and that for F0 the hearing-aided children seem to be catching up with age-typical development, voice cue perception may continue developing in hearing-aided children.
Performance of low-frequency sound zones with very fast room impulse response measurements
Authors: Cadavid José , Møller Martin Bo , Pedersen Christian Sejer , Bech Søren , van Waterschoot Toon , Østergaard Jan
Published: January 2024

Sound zone methods aim to control the sound field produced by an array of loudspeakers to render a given audio content in specific areas while making it almost inaudible in others. At low frequencies, control filters are based on information of the electro-acoustical path between loudspeakers and listening areas, contained in the room impulse responses (RIRs). This information can be acquired wirelessly through ubiquitous networks of microphones. In that case and for real-time applications in general, short acquisition and processing times are critical. In addition, limiting the amount of data that should be retrieved and processed can also reduce computational demands. Furthermore, such a framework would enable fast adaptation of control filters in changing acoustic environments. This work explores reducing the amount of time and information required to compute control filters when rendering and updating low-frequency sound zones. Using real RIR measurements, it is demonstrated that in some standard acoustic rooms, acquisition times on the order of a few hundred milliseconds are sufficient for accurately rendering sound zones. Moreover, an additional amount of information can be removed from the acquired RIRs without degrading the performance.
The basic leucine zipper transcription factor MeaB is critical for biofilm formation, cell wall integrity, and virulence in
Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Chen Yuan , Gao Fei , Chen Xiaojin , Tao Siyuan , Chen Peiying , Lin Wei
Published: January 2024

The regulation of fungal cell wall biosynthesis is crucial for cell wall integrity maintenance and directly impacts fungal pathogen virulence. Although numerous genes are involved in fungal cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis through multiple pathways, the underlying regulatory mechanism is still not fully understood. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized a direct downstream target of SomA, the basic-region leucine zipper transcription factor MeaB, playing a certain role in
Aspergillus fumigatus
cell wall integrity. Loss of
meaB
reduces hyphal growth, causes severe defects in galactosaminogalactan-mediated biofilm formation, and attenuates virulence in a
Galleria mellonella
infection model. Furthermore, the
meaB
null mutant strain exhibited hypersensitivity to cell wall-perturbing agents and significantly alters the cell wall structure. Transcriptional profile analysis revealed that MeaB positively regulates the expression of the galactosaminogalactan biosynthesis and β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase genes
uge3
,
agd3
, and
sph3
and
gel1
,
gel5,
and
gel7
, respectively, as well as genes involved in amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. Further study demonstrated that MeaB could respond to cell wall stress and contribute to the proper expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase genes
mpkA
and
mpkC
in the presence of different concentrations of congo red. In conclusion,
A. fumigatus
MeaB plays a critical role in cell wall integrity by governing the expression of genes encoding cell wall-related proteins, thus impacting the virulence of this fungus.

IMPORTANCE

Aspergillus fumigatus
is a common opportunistic mold that causes life-threatening infections in immunosuppressed patients. The fungal cell wall is a complex and dynamic organelle essential for the development of pathogenic fungi. Genes involved in cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis and remodeling are crucial for fungal pathogen virulence. However, the potential regulatory mechanism for cell wall integrity remains to be fully defined in
A. fumigatus
. In the present study, we identify basic-region leucine zipper transcription factor MeaB as an important regulator of cell wall galactosaminogalactan biosynthesis and β-1,3-glucan remodeling that consequently impacts stress response and virulence of fungal pathogens. Thus, we illuminate a mechanism of transcriptional control fungal cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis and stress response. As these cell wall components are promising therapeutic targets for fungal infections, understanding the regulatory mechanism of such polysaccharides will provide new therapeutic opportunities.
Vocal cord dysfunction causing hypoxaemia in the postanaesthesia care unit
Authors: de Vries Kristin Anne , van der Wolk Aukje , Venker Jantine , Koolwijk Jasper
Published: January 2024

Hypoxaemia in the postanaesthesia care unit is common and the majority is caused by hypoventilation or upper airway obstruction due to the (residual) effects of anaesthetic and analgesic agents. We present a case of upper airway obstruction caused by vocal cord dysfunction, a less frequently occurring aetiology. The patient’s case suggests a notable relationship between procedural laryngeal stimulus and the onset of symptoms. Approach to the diagnosis and flexible laryngoscopy to either rule-in or rule-out several relevant differentials are discussed.
Quality of life in congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors treated at a non-ECMO centre from 1998 to 2015: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Larsen Ulla Lei , Christensen Steven Aagaard , Herskind Anne Maria , Strøm Thomas , Toft Palle , Halken Susanne
Published: January 2024

Background

Survival of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has increased and more insight is warranted on the long-term issues of this condition.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study on consecutively born infants with CDH treated at a non-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre (ECMO) from 1998 to 2015. Quality of life was evaluated using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scale 4.0 (PedsQL(4.0)) Questionnaire and an interview was conducted to assess for CDH-related morbidity.

Results

71 eligible CDH survivors were identified and 51 consented to participate: aged 5–21 years, 28 (54.9%) male, 42 (82.4%) with left-sided hernias, 10 (19.6%) needed patch repair, median length of stay in hospital was 27.96 days (IQR 18.54–61.56). Forty-nine completed the questionnaire with a median PedsQL total score for participants of 82.6 vs 83.7 of the total proxy parent score (p=0.04). Total score was significantly lower for participants aged 5–12 years compared with participants aged 13–21 years (p=0.04); however, when reported by domains, only the physical score remained significantly lower (p=0.048). Two (4.1%) participants’ and 8 (16.7%) proxy parents’ scores were below 70 and considered at risk of impaired quality of life. We identified the presence of CDH-related morbidity in our population, and confirmed an association between respiratory morbidity and lower PedsQL scores (p=0.04).

Conclusion

We report an overall good quality of life in our population with CDH. However, a lower physical score was noted when compared with a national Danish cohort and individuals at risk of reduced quality of life were recognised. Structured follow-up programmes to identify and ensure early management of CDH-related issues may prevent a negative impact on quality of life.
Cardiovascular risk burden, dementia risk and brain structural imaging markers: a study from UK Biobank
Authors: Cao Yaying , Zhu Gaohong , Feng Chengwu , Chen Jing , Gan Wei , Ma Yuan , Hu Yonghua , Dhana Klodian , Voortman Trudy , Shen Jie , Li Ting , Zheng Yan , Yuan Changzheng , Zong Geng
Published: January 2024

Background

Cardiovascular risk burden is associated with dementia risk and neurodegeneration-related brain structure, while the role of genetics and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear.

Aims

To examine the association of overall cardiovascular risk burden with the risk of major dementia subtypes and volumes of related brain regions in a large sample, and to explore the role of genetics and CVD onset.

Methods

A prospective study among 354 654 participants free of CVD and dementia (2006–2010, mean age 56.4 years) was conducted within the UK Biobank, with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurement available for 15 104 participants since 2014. CVD risk burden was evaluated by the Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FGCRS). Dementia diagnosis was ascertained from inpatient and death register data.

Results

Over a median 12.0-year follow-up, 3998 all-cause dementia cases were identified. Higher FGCRS was associated with increased all-cause dementia risk after adjusting for demographic, major lifestyle, clinical factors and the polygenic risk score (PRS) of Alzheimer’s disease. Comparing the high versus low tertile of FGCRS, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.26 (1.12 to 1.41) for all-cause dementia, 1.67 (1.33 to 2.09) for Alzheimer’s disease and 1.53 (1.07 to 2.16) for vascular dementia (all ptrend<0.05). Incident stroke and coronary heart disease accounted for 14% (95% CI: 9% to 21%) of the association between FGCRS and all-cause dementia. Interactions were not detected for FGCRS and PRS on the risk of any dementia subtype. We observed an 83% (95% CI: 47% to 128%) higher all-cause dementia risk comparing the high–high versus low–low FGCRS–PRS category. For brain volumes, higher FGCRS was associated with greater log-transformed white matter hyperintensities, smaller cortical volume and smaller grey matter volume.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the positive association of cardiovascular risk burden with dementia risk also applies to major dementia subtypes. The association of cardiovascular risk burden with all-cause dementia is largely independent of CVD onset and genetic predisposition to dementia.
Percutaneous coronary intervention versus medical therapy in stable angina: a matched cohort study
Authors: Jo Sang-Ho , Kim Hoseob , Kim Hyun-Jin , Lee Min-Ho , Seo Won-Woo , Kim Mina , Kim Hack-Lyoung
Published: January 2024

Objective

It is uncertain whether percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in addition to optimal medical therapy (OMT) can reduce adverse clinical events in the long term as compared with OMT alone in patients with pure stable angina.

Methods

We enrolled patients from 2006 to 2010 using the Korean national insurance data. 58 742 patients with pure stable angina with no history of myocardial infarction (MI) nor PCI were candidate, and finally, 5673 patients in the PCI plus OMT group and 5673 in the OMT alone group were selected with 1:1 propensity matching. They were followed up for 9.3 years.

Results

Primary endpoint, a composite of MI, stroke and cardiac death rate was significantly higher in the PCI group than in the OMT group, 13.5/1000 vs 11.5/1000 person-year with HR of 1.18 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.32, p=0.003). Individual event rate of MI and cardiac death rate was higher in the PCI group than in the OMT group at 9.3 years, 2.9 vs 2.1 (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.7, p=0.009) and 4.8 vs 3.4/1000 person-year (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.69, p=0.001), respectively. Revascularisation and total death occurred more in the PCI group as compared with the OMT group, 30.3 vs 8.2 (HR 3.64, 95% CI 3.27 to 4.05, p<0.001) and 13.5 vs 10.6/1000 person-year (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.40, p<0.001), respectively. In subgroup analysis, the same trend of more event in the PCI group was detected.

Conclusions

PCI plus OMT was associated with higher rate of primary endpoint of MI, stroke, cardiac death as compared with OMT alone in patients with pure stable angina at 9.3-year follow-up in large population.
Outpatient care of adults with congenital heart disease in the UK: a qualitative appraisal of the clinician perspective
Authors: Chaudhry Isobel , Ghassani Anisa , Wray Jo , Chaudhry Bill , Coats Louise
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study aimed to explore clinicians’ perspectives of ambulatory care in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD).

Methods

Semistructured interviews were carried out remotely (Zoom) with a range of physicians providing ambulatory care to patients with ACHD across the UK. The chronic care model, thrive and candidacy frameworks were used to design prompt guides and subsequently develop themes. A framework approach was used to code and analyse transcripts, which were managed in NVivo.

Results

21 clinicians (43% females, 38% specialists) from 10/12 ACHD networks in the UK participated. Shared themes included the purpose of the clinic appointment, problems in the ‘hub-and-spoke’ care system, role of the general practitioner and ACHD specialist nurse, communication with patients, burden of ambulatory care and patient self-management. Reflecting on these themes, participants identified resources, what care and how and by it is delivered alongside the role of the patient as key areas for future research.

Conclusions

The present structure of ACHD ambulatory care is neither patient-centred nor equitable. The concerned clinicians raise the question whether increasing resource alone without changing structure will lead to better outcomes for patients.
Efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy in the elderly for stroke prevention: a subgroup analysis of the CHANCE-2 trial
Authors: Zhang Xinmiao , Jing Jing , Wang Anxin , Xie Xuewei , Johnston S Claiborne , Li Hao , Bath Philip M , Xu Qin , Lin Jinxi , Wang Yilong , Zhao Xingquan , Li Zixiao , Jiang Yong , Liu Liping , Chen Weifeng , Gong Xuhai , Li Jianhua , Han Xinsheng , Meng Xia , Wang Yongjun
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Evidence of the optimal antiplatelet therapy for elderly patients who had a stroke is limited, especially those elder than 80 years. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in old-old patients compared with younger patients in the ticagrelor or Clopidogrel with aspirin in High-risk patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events-II (CHANCE-2) trial.

Methods

CHANCE-2 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in China involving patients with high-risk transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke with CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles. In our substudy, all enrolled patients were stratified by age: old-old (≥80 years), young-old (65–80 years) and younger (<65 years). The primary outcomes were stroke recurrence and moderate to severe bleeding within 90 days, respectively.

Results

Of all the 6412 patients, 406 (6.3%) were old-old, 2755 (43.0%) were young-old and 3251 (50.7%) were younger. Old-old patients were associated with higher composite vascular events (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.98, p=0.048), disabling stroke (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.88, p=0.0002), severe or moderate bleeding (HR 8.40, 95% CI 1.95 to 36.21, p=0.004) and mortality (HR 7.56, 95% CI 2.23 to 25.70, p=0.001) within 90 days. Ticagrelor-aspirin group was associated with lower risks of stroke recurrence within 90 days in younger patients (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.91, p=0.008), which was no differences in old-old patients.

Conclusion

Elderly patients aged over 80 in CHANCE-2 trial had higher risks of composite vascular events, disabling stroke, severe or moderate bleeding and mortality within 90 days. Genotype-guided DAPT might not be as effective in old-old patients as in younger ones.

Trial registration number

NCT04078737
.
Combination pharmacological therapy targeting multiple mechanisms of sleep apnoea: a randomised controlled cross-over trial
Authors: Sands Scott A , Collet Jinny , Gell Laura K , Calianese Nicole , Hess Lauren B , Vena Daniel , Azarbarzin Ali , Bertisch Suzanne M , Landry Shane , Thomson Luke , Joosten Simon A , Hamilton Garun S , Edwards Bradley A
Published: January 2024

Rationale

Acetazolamide and atomoxetine-plus-oxybutynin (‘AtoOxy’) can improve obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) by stabilising ventilatory control and improving dilator muscle responsiveness respectively. Given the different pathophysiological mechanisms targeted by each intervention, we tested whether AtoOxy-plus-acetazolamide would be more efficacious than AtoOxy alone.

Methods

In a multicentre randomised crossover trial, 19 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA received AtoOxy (80/5 mg), acetazolamide (500 mg), combined AtoOxy-plus-acetazolamide or placebo at bedtime for three nights (half doses on first night) with a 4-day washout between conditions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and night 3 of each treatment period. Mixed model analysis compared the reduction in Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI) from baseline between AtoOxy-plus-acetazolamide and AtoOxy (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included hypoxic burden and arousal index.

Results

Although AtoOxy lowered AHI by 49 (33, 62)%baseline(estimate (95% CI)) vs placebo, and acetazolamide lowered AHI by+34 (14, 50)%baselinevs placebo, AtoOxy-plus-acetazolamide was not superior to AtoOxy alone (difference: −2 (−18, 11)%baseline, primary outcome p=0.8). Likewise, the hypoxic burden was lowered with AtoOxy (+58 (37, 71)%baseline) and acetazolamide (+37 (5, 58)%baseline), but no added benefit versus AtoOxy occurred when combined (difference: −13 (−5, 39)%baseline). Arousal index was also modestly reduced with each intervention (11%baseline–16%baseline). Mechanistic analyses revealed that similar traits (ie, higher baseline compensation, lower loop gain) were associated with both AtoOxy and acetazolamide efficacy.

Conclusions

While AtoOxy halved AHI, and acetazolamide lowered AHI by a third, the combination of these leading experimental interventions provided no greater efficacy than AtoOxy alone. Failure of acetazolamide to further increase efficacy suggests overlapping physiological mechanisms.

Trial registration number

NCT03892772.
Genetic evaluation for piglet crushing behaviour in primiparous sows
Authors: Jafarikia Mohsen , Karimi Zahra , DeVries Brent , Schenkel Flavio , Sullivan Brian , Lu Ray
Published: January 2024

Stress in farrowing sows is associated with the number of piglets crushed or attacked. Sow’s behaviour is variable and heritable, therefore genetic selection can be a viable approach for improving pig’s welfare. In this report, we used first parity litter records of Yorkshire sows to test a genetic evaluation model for piglet crushing. The data were split into training and validation to check the prediction accuracy of piglet crushing estimated breeding values (EBVs) for young sows. We found that the estimated heritability of piglet crushing was 0.07 ± 0.03. The difference in the EBVs in the validation set was equivalent to 0.15 more piglets crushed in the top 10% group than in the bottom group of sows. These results indicate that the genetic selection may be used to reduce piglet crushing which will improve the welfare of pigs as well as production efficiency. The average reliability of the estimated EBVs across all animals in the pedigree was (0.07; 0.0 to 0.72). More research on evaluation models and the genetics underlying sow stress and behaviour is warranted to improve the reliabilities of modeling and to identify robust genetic markers for animal breeding for the implementation.
Spatial-temporal characteristics of ambient isoprene and monoterpene and their ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potential in China
Authors: Jia Yanqi , Qiao Lili , Xie Wenxia , Li Lingyu
Published: January 2024

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are important precursors of forming ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), which have important impacts on air quality and climate change. Using a literature search, this review analyzed the concentration levels and spatial-temporal distributions of isoprene and monoterpene in the atmosphere in China, mainly from biogenic emissions, and estimated their impact on O3 and SOA generation. The existing observations were mainly in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Pearl River Delta region, central China, and in remote mountainous areas. The results showed that isoprene is the dominant component of BVOCs in the atmosphere, and its ambient concentration is much higher than monoterpene. The site-average concentrations of isoprene and monoterpene were 0.004–3.80 and 0.0003–6.31 ppb, respectively. At vegetation sites, the concentrations of isoprene and monoterpene were 0.006–3.80 and 0.007–6.31 ppb, respectively, whereas they were 0.004–2.70 and 0.0003–1.10 ppb at urban sites. For urban sites, the higher concentrations of annual isoprene occurred mainly in several central megacities, in the Sichuan–Chongqing region, and in southern regions. For vegetation sites, higher concentrations mainly occurred in southern regions. Ambient concentrations of BVOCs in the western region were the lowest for both urban and vegetation sites. Both isoprene and monoterpene showed higher concentrations in summer. The potential of isoprene and monoterpene to form O3 was 0.05–57.21 and 0.003–72.35 ppb, while that which form SOA was 0.0002–0.21 and 0.0006–10.46 µg/m3, respectively. For urban sites, the average annual O3 formation potential (OFP) by isoprene and monoterpene was 8.70 and 2.58 ppb, respectively, and their SOA formation potential (SOAP) was 0.03 and 0.37 µg/m3, respectively. For vegetation sites, it was 7.95 and 5.31 ppb and 0.03 and 0.75 µg/m3, respectively. The annual average contributions of isoprene and monoterpene to O3 and SOA formation were higher in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, Pearl River Delta region, and central China, which experience severe air pollution in China.
Synchronize your chrono-brane: testing a variable brane tension model with strong gravitational lensing
Authors: Verdugo Tomás , Amante Mario H. , Magaña Juan , García-Aspeitia Miguel A. , Hernández-Almada Alberto , Motta Verónica
Published: January 2024

Brane world models have shown to be promising to understand the late cosmic acceleration, in particular because such acceleration can be naturally derived, mimicking the dark energy behaviour just with a five dimensional geometry. In this paper we present a strong lensing joint analysis using a compilation of early-type galaxies acting as a lenses, united with the power of the well studied strong lensing galaxy cluster Abell 1689. We use the strong lensing constraints to investigate a brane model with variable brane tension as a function of the redshift. In our joint analysis we found a value $$n = 7.8^{+0.9}_{-0.5}$$

n
=
7
.

8

-
0.5

+
0.9

, for the exponent related to the brane tension, showing that n deviates from a Cosmological Constant (CC) scenario (n=6). We obtain a value for the deceleration parameter, q(z) today, $$q(0)=-1.2^{+0.6}_{-0.8}$$

q

(
0
)

=
-
1
.

2

-
0.8

+
0.6

, and a transition redshift, $$z_t=0.60\pm 0.06$$

z
t

=
0.60
±
0.06

(when the Universe change from an decelerated phase to an accelerated one). These results are in contrast with previous work that favors CC scenario, nevertheless our lensing analysis is in agreement with a formerly reported conclusion suggesting that the variable brane tension model is able to source a late cosmic acceleration without an extra fluid as in the standard one.
Viable anisotropic inflation and reheating in the tachyon model
Authors: Rashidi Narges
Published: January 2024

We study the intermediate tachyon inflation in an anisotropic background. By using the Friedmann equations obtained in the anisotropic geometry, we obtain the slow-roll parameters in the tachyon model. The presence of the anisotropic effects in the slow-roll parameters changes the perturbation parameters in our setup which may change its observational viability. To check this, we perform a numerical analysis and test the results with Planck2018 TT, TE, EE +lowE+lensing+BK14(18)+BAO data. We show that the intermediate anisotropic inflation in some ranges of the anisotropic and intermediate parameters is observationally viable. We also show that the equilateral amplitude of the non-gaussianity in our model is of the order of $$10^{-2}-10^{-1}$$

10

-
2

-

10

-
1

. By studying the reheating process in our setup, we find that it is possible to have instantaneous reheating in this model. We also find that the temperature during the reheating in our setup is consistent with Big-Bang nucleosynthesis.
Stability analysis of nonlinear convective boundary layer flow on a shrinking surface in the presence of viscous dissipation
Authors: Rehman Ali , Zeb Muhammad , Waheed Asif , Inc Mustafa , Yagoob Budur , Jan Rashid
Published: January 2024

This study investigates analytically the stability analysis of a nonlinear convective boundary layer (BL) flow of the nanofluids GO-EG and GO-W on a shrinking surface in the presence of a magnetic field and viscous dissipation. We provide a second-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation (NODE) for temperature distribution (TD) and a third-order NODE for velocity profile (VP) coupling based on the thermophysical characteristics of the base fluid and nanofluid as well as similarity transformations (STs) in the fundamental governing equations of momentum and energy. The analytical method HAM is used to answer the equations that have been gathered. In many different industries, such as manufacturing, automotive, microelectronics, and defense, cooling of various types of equipment and devices has very important challenges. To fulfill the demands of the engineering and industrial industries, it is hoped that this issue would significantly improve the heat transformation ratio.
THE MULTI-PARAMETER FRACTAL–FRACTIONAL INEQUALITIES FOR FRACTAL (P,m)-CONVEX FUNCTIONS
Authors: YUAN XIAOMAN , BUDAK HÜSEYIN , DU TINGSONG
Published: January 2024

Local fractional calculus theory and parameterized method have greatly assisted in the advancement of the field of inequalities. To continue its enrichment, this study investigates the multi-parameter fractal–fractional integral inequalities containing the fractal [Formula: see text]-convex functions. Initially, we formulate the new conception of the fractal [Formula: see text]-convex functions and work on a variety of properties. Through the assistance of the fractal–fractional integrals, the [Formula: see text]-fractal identity with multiple parameters is established, and from that, integral inequalities are inferred regarding twice fractal differentiable functions which are fractal [Formula: see text]-convex. Furthermore, a few typical and novel outcomes are discussed and visualized for specific parameter values, separately. It concludes with some applications in respect of the special means, the quadrature formulas and random variable moments, respectively.
Structural, photophysical, and electrochemical redox properties of meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrins
Authors: Deval Ankit Kumar , Sankar Muniappan
Published: January 2024

This study delineates the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of metal complexes of meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (H2TPF[Formula: see text]P, 1) with first-row transition metal ions (M = Mn(III) 2, Fe(III) 3, Co(II) 4, Ni(II) 5, Cu(II) 6, and Zn(II) 7) to elucidate their structural, electronic spectral, and electrochemical redox properties. Co, Ni, Cu and Zn Complexes exhibit planar structure ([Formula: see text]24 = 0.003-0.021 Å and [Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text] = 0.004−0.041 Å) which is also confirmed by the single crystal data of complex ZnTPF[Formula: see text]P, 7 shows the planar geometry, while Fe and Mn complexes show the slightly nonplanar structure ([Formula: see text]24 = 0.101–0.143 Å and [Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text] = 0.080–0.112 Å), which are distorted due to their occupied axial sites by −Cl ligand as revealed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Furthermore, electronic spectroscopy revealed a gradual bathochromic shift following the order of NiTPF[Formula: see text]P < CoTPF[Formula: see text]P < CuTPF[Formula: see text]PCl < H2TPF[Formula: see text]P = FeTPF[Formula: see text]PCl < ZnTPF[Formula: see text]P < MnTPF[Formula: see text]PCl by appending different metal ions in the porphyrin core. MnTPF[Formula: see text]PCl exhibited the most significant bathochromic shift ([Formula: see text] = 63 nm) in the Soret band compared to H2TPF[Formula: see text]P. Also, MnTPF[Formula: see text]PCl and FeTPF[Formula: see text]PCl show a unique pattern of split Soret band at around 364 and 345 nm due to the interaction between the metal [Formula: see text]-orbitals and the surrounding ligands. The electrochemical redox potentials of the filled 3d orbital of Zn endow ZnTPF[Formula: see text]P (ring centered) with the lowest oxidation potential.
Liquid crystalline behaviors of porphyrin iron(III) chloride complexes with different alkyl chain lengths
Authors: Aryuwananon Dumrongsak , Phongtamrug Suttinun , Pulpoka Buncha
Published: January 2024

Two novel porphyrin liquid crystals were designed and synthesized. Their structures were characterized by NMR, FT-IR, UV-visible, and mass spectroscopies. The liquid crystalline properties were investigated by DSC, POM and XRD analyses. The C[Formula: see text] and C[Formula: see text] alkyl chains porphyrin iron(III) complex (1-2) displayed three liquid crystalline transitions in a wide temperature range. Both long alkyl chain porphyrin iron(III) complexes were exhibited a columnar mesophase type.
A Framework for Assessment of Water Poverty in Iran
Authors: SERESHTI Maryam , VALIBEIGI Mojtaba , SAFARI Neda
Published: January 2024

The water shortage crisis is one of the main concerns that is threatening the biological security in Iran. According to available data and information, providing a framework for the assessment of water poverty in Iran seems crucial. The land-dividing unit in Iran is the province, and most of the governmental information is gathered based on this unit. In this sense, Isfahan province, which is one of the central provinces in Iran that is suffering from water crises, has been selected. The water poverty index (WPI), which is adopted in accordance with Iran’s situation, including five components of resources, access, capacity, use, and environment, has been used for each of Isfahan’s cities. “Capacity” and “use” has the greatest correlation, and it seems any advancement in water utilization for economic purposes might result in increased capacity, and vice versa. Also, there is a positive correlation between WPI and components of access, capacity, use, and environment. It can be interpreted that the lack of access to water services may be due to a lack of income or education. Finally, access, capacity, and use showed the strongest relationships between WPI and its subcategories. Therefore, these three elements should be the main focus of any initiative to manage the water poverty in Isfahan province.
Service Robots Roll Forward
Authors: Greengard Samuel
Published: January 2024

Transitioning from classic 'programmed automation' to modern 'AI-powered autonomy.'
The Battle to Mitigate E-Waste
Authors: Kugler Logan
Published: January 2024

As electronic waste grows by the metric ton, companies and citizens work to stem the tide.
What's That Smell?
Authors: Shein Esther
Published: January 2024

Digital scent technologies bring aromas to virtual reality.
The Perception of Agency
Authors: Trafton J. Gregory , McCurry J. Malcolm , Zish Kevin , Frazier Chelsea R.
Published: January 2024

The perception of agency in human robot interaction has become increasingly important as robots become more capable and more social. There are, however, no accepted or consistent methods of measuring perceived agency; researchers currently use a wide range of techniques and surveys. We provide a definition of perceived agency, and from that definition we create and psychometrically validate a scale to measure perceived agency. We then perform a scale evaluation by comparing the PA scale constructed in experiment 1 to two other existing scales. We find that our PA and PA-R (Perceived Agency–Rasch) scales provide a better fit to empirical data than existing measures. We also perform scale validation by showing that our scale shows the hypothesized relationship between perceived agency and morality.
Iterative Temporal-spatial Transformer-based Cardiac T1 Mapping MRI Reconstruction
Authors: Lyu Jun , Wang Guangming , Hossain M. Shamim
Published: January 2024

The precise reconstruction of accelerated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brings about notable advantages, such as enhanced diagnostic precision and decreased examination costs. In contrast, traditional cardiac MRI necessitates repetitive acquisitions across multiple heartbeats, resulting in prolonged acquisition times. Significant strides have been made in accelerating MRI through deep learning-based reconstruction methods. However, these existing methods encounter certain limitations: (1) The intricate nature of heart reconstruction involving multiple complex time-series data poses a challenge in exploring nonlinear dependencies between temporal contexts. (2) Existing research often overlooks weight sharing in iterative frameworks, impeding the effective capturing of non-local information and, consequently, limiting improvements in model performance. In order to improve cardiac MRI reconstruction, we propose a novel temporal-spatial transformer with a strategy in this study. Based on the multi-level encoder and decoder transformer architecture, we conduct multi-level spatiotemporal information feature aggregation over several adjacent views, that create nonlinear dependencies among features and efficiently learn important information among adjacent cardiac temporal frames. Additionally, in order to improve contextual awareness between neighboring views, we add cross-view attention for temporal information fusion. Furthermore, we introduce an iterative strategy for training weights during the reconstruction process, which improves feature fusion in critical locations and reduces the number of computations required to calculate global feature dependencies. Extensive experiments have demonstrated the substantial superiority of this procedure over the most advanced techniques, suggesting that it has broad potential for clinical use.
Exploiting Data-pattern-aware Vertical Partitioning to Achieve Fast and Low-cost Cloud Log Storage
Authors: Wei Junyu , Zhang Guangyan , Chen Junchao , Wang Yang , Zheng Weimin , Sun Tingtao , Wu Jiesheng , Jiang Jiangwei
Published: January 2024

Cloud logs can be categorized into on-line, off-line, and near-line logs based on the access frequency. Among them, near-line logs are mainly used for debugging, which means they prefer a low query latency for better user experience. Besides, the storage system for near-line logs prefers a low overall cost including the storage cost to store compressed logs, and the computation cost to compress logs and execute queries. These requirements pose challenges to achieving fast and cheap cloud log storage.

This article proposes LogGrep, the first log compression and query tool that exploits both static and runtime patterns to properly structurize and organize log data in fine-grained units. The key idea of LogGrep is “vertical partitioning”: it stores each log entry into multiple partitions by first parsing logs into variable vectors according to static patterns and then extracting runtime pattern(s) automatically within each variable vector. Based on such runtime patterns, LogGrep further decomposes the variable vectors into fine-grained units called “Capsules” and stamps each Capsule with a summary of its values. During the query process, LogGrep can avoid decompressing and scanning Capsules that cannot match the keywords, with the help of the extracted runtime patterns and the Capsule stamps. We further show that the interactive debugging can well utilize the advantages of the vertical-partitioning-based method and mitigate its weaknesses as well. To this end, LogGrep integrates incremental locating and partial reconstruction to mitigate the read amplification incurred by vertical-partitioning-based method.

We evaluate LogGrep on 37 cloud logs from the production environment of Alibaba Cloud and the public datasets. The results show that LogGrep can reduce the query latency and the overall cost by an order of magnitude compared with state-of-the-art works. Such results have confirmed that it is worthwhile applying a more sophisticated vertical-partitioning-based method to accelerate queries on compressed cloud logs.