bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personal light treatment devices: a countermeasure to improve sleep, fatigue, and circadian misalignment in an operational setting
Authors: Chabal Sarah , Moslener Emily , Markwald Rachel R , Chinoy Evan D
Published: December 2024

Carefully timed light exposure is a promising countermeasure to overcome the negative sleep and circadian implications of shift work. However, many lighting interventions are static and applied at the group level (e.g. light banks, changes to ambient lighting), which is not appropriate for all populations or settings. This study investigates whether individualized lighting exposure, via personal light treatment devices (PLTDs), can improve sleep, sustain projected performance, and entrain circadian rhythms with the work schedules of US Navy submariners. Submarines are a unique testbed for PLTD intervention because they provide a self-contained environment with little influence from outside schedules or lighting. Forty-two submariners were pseudo-randomly assigned to either the PLTD or Control group. PLTD group participants wore blue-light exposure glasses for ~40 minutes upon waking and blue-blocking glasses for ~2 hours before sleep; Control group participants did not use PLTDs. Both groups completed questionnaires assessing subjective sleep and mood before and after the 12-day intervention, and wore wrist actigraphy devices to objectively assess sleep, projected performance, and predicted circadian phase outcomes. Compared with the Control group, several objective and subjective sleep outcomes and projected performance scores were improved in the PLTD group. The PLTD group’s predicted circadian phase (modeled from actigraphy-derived accelerometer data) more rapidly shifted to align with scheduled work periods. Compliance with PLTD use was high, with no major disruptions to operational duties reported. These data provide initial support for the use of PLTDs as a flexible and customizable countermeasure for fatigue, sleep loss, and circadian misalignment in an operational environment.
Trimester-Specific Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound for Detection of Placenta Accreta Spectrum: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Hessami K. , Horgan R. , Munoz J. L. , Norooznezhad A. H. , Nassr A. A. , Fox K. A. , Di Mascio D. , Caldwell M. , Catania V. , D’Antonio F. , Abuhamad A. Z.
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2024;63:723–730

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is an obstetrical complication where the placenta abnormally attaches to the uterus and invades surrounding tissue, posing a high risk of severe maternal bleeding if not diagnosed before delivery. Risk factors include previous uterine surgeries, such as cesarean delivery, myomectomy, uterine curettage, and endometrial ablation.
Academic Performance in Moderately and Late Preterm Children in the United States: Are They Catching Up?
Authors: Lock Nicole E. , DeBoer Mark D. , Scharf Rebecca J. , Miller Sarah E.
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from J Perinatol 2024;44:819–826

Preterm birth, occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, affects many US children and is linked to increased medical challenges. Although severely preterm infants have been widely studied, including their academic underperformance, research on the educational outcomes of moderate and late preterm children (32–36 6/7 weeks’ gestation) remains limited.
Resurgent Maternal and Congenital Syphilis in Mississippi—Pathways for Prevention
Authors: Dobbs Thomas , Staneva Manuela
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from JAMA Health Forum 2024;5(6):e241278

Between 2020 and 2021, the rates of maternal and congenital syphilis have risen sharply—up 36.4% and 32.4%, respectively. In Mississippi, there has been a 10-fold increase in congenital syphilis rising in just 6 years (2016–2022).
IUD Insertion Under Conscious Sedation: Patient Characteristics With Clinical Decisions
Authors: Ross Madeline , Corpin Alleana , Priebe Anne-Marie , Lawson Ashli
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2024;37:433–437

Though intrauterine devices (IUDs) are widely known to be an effective form of contraception, a large proportion of adolescents choose different forms due to apprehension about pain during insertion. Previous literature has shown a few different options for the management of pain during IUD insertion, though methods for optimizing analgesia for the procedure remain as yet unclear.
Global Incidence and Mortality Trends of Corpus Uteri Cancer and Associations With Gross Domestic Product, Human Development Index, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors
Authors: Huang Junjie , Chan Wing Chung , Ngai Chun Ho , Lok Veeleah , Zhang Lin , Lucero-Prisno Don Eliseo , Xu Wanghong , Zheng Zhi-Jie , Elcarte Edmar , Withers Mellissa , Wong Martin C. S. ,   NCD Global Health Research Group, Association of Pacific Rim Universities
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from Int J Gynecol Obstet 2023;162:998–1009

Corpus uteri cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in Western countries, although globally there is large variation in its incidence and mortality rate. Risk factors for corpus uteri cancer are giving birth later in life, use of contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy, alcohol consumption, high weight, adulthood obesity, and unhealthy diet, as well as comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, and family history of endometrial cancer, among others.
Repeated High-dose Fentanyl Administration in Rats Reveals Minimal Tolerance to Unconsciousness, Bradycardia, Muscle Rigidity, and Respiratory Depression
Authors: Obert David P. , Park Gwi H. , Strong Kaitlyn , Schreier David R. , Korn Elizabeth , Troyas Carla , Vincent Kathleen F. , Solt Ken
Published: December 2024

Background:

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is widely used in anesthesiology, but its illicit use is rapidly increasing. At high doses, fentanyl induces unconsciousness and muscle rigidity, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. Since animal models are needed to study these effects, the aim of this study was to establish a rat model of fentanyl abuse and investigate the effects of repeated high-dose fentanyl injections on loss of righting reflex, heart rate, respiratory depression, muscle, and brain activity.

Methods:

Male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were studied (n = 40). A bolus of 100 µg/kg fentanyl was administered intravenously twice a week for 5 consecutive weeks. Time to return of righting reflex after fentanyl injection and changes in electromyography/electroencephalography activity as well as heart rate were analyzed. Additionally, arterial blood gas analysis for evaluation of ventilation was performed. Mixed-effect models with Dunnett test and effect sizes were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Repeated injections resulted in a U-shaped change in time to return of righting reflex with the longest latency after the first exposure (median, 50 [first to third quartile, 36 to 56] min) and the shortest after the fifth exposure (16 [13 to 33] min). After fentanyl administration, heart rate dropped immediately by 225 beats/min (95% CI, 179 to 271; F = 3,952.16; P < 0.001), while electromyography activity increased by 291% (95% CI, 212 to 370; F = 27.51; P < 0.001) and partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide increased by 49.4 mmHg (95% CI, 40.6 to 58.2; F = 75.97; P < 0.001) within 5 min after injection. Additionally, pH decreased by 0.48 (95% CI, 0.41 to 0.54; F = 142.00; P < 0.01), and partial pressure of arterial oxygen decreased by 50.4 mmHg (40.8 to 60.0; F = 57.90; P < 0.001). Repeated fentanyl exposures did not significantly affect the extent of these changes (EMG, F = 1.63, P = 0.237; partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide, F = 1.23, P = 0.312; heart rate, F = 1.05, P = 0.400; pH, F = 3.05, P = 0.066; arterial partial pressure of oxygen, F = 3.35, P = 0.052). Electroencephalography analysis revealed that repeated fentanyl exposures elicited significantly higher absolute power in frequencies greater than 20 Hz as indicated by an area under the receiver operator characteristics curve greater than 0.7.

Conclusions:

The authors established a rodent model of repeated high-dose fentanyl administration. Overall, significant evidence of tolerance was not observed after 10 exposures of high-dose fentanyl for any of the analyzed parameters. These results suggest that tolerance does not develop for fentanyl-induced unconsciousness, muscle rigidity, or respiratory depression.
Platelet Glycoprotein Ⅵ: A Novel Target for Antithrombotic Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Liu Menglu , Zhao Xueyan
Published: December 2024

Platelets play an important role in thrombosis caused by acute coronary syndrome and stroke. As the main platelet collagen receptor, platelet glycoprotein Ⅵ (GPⅥ) is an important modulator in the activation and aggregation of platelets at vascular injury sites. Recently, GPⅥ has been identified as a potent antithrombotic target. The structure, properties, functions, and downstream signaling of GPⅥ are reviewed; its relationship with bleeding, thrombosis, and other diseases are discussed; and potential of GPⅥ as a future antiplatelet therapeutic target is summarized in this article.
Win Ratio approach for the composite outcome of postoperative pulmonary complications
Authors: Serpa Neto Ary , Campos Niklas S. , Bluth Thomas , Hemmes Sabrine N.T. , Ferrando Carlos , Librero Julian , Soro Marina , Ball Lorenzo , Mazzinari Guido , de Abreu Marcelo Gama , Schultz Marcus J.
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND

The win ratio analysis method might provide new insight on the impact of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) on clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to re-analyse the results of the ’Re-evaluation of the effects of high PEEP with recruitment manoeuvres vs. low PEEP without recruitment manoeuvres during general anaesthesia for surgery’ (REPEAT) study using the win ratio analysis.

DESIGN

Individual patient data meta-analysis.

SETTING

Three international multicentre randomised trials.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients undergoing general anaesthesia for surgery.

INTERVENTION

High vs. low PEEP.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Hierarchical composite endpoint of: all-cause hospital mortality; hospital length of stay; need for postoperative mechanical ventilation; severe pulmonary complications; and mild pulmonary complications.

RESULTS

A total of 3774 patients undergoing general anaesthesia for surgery were included in this analysis. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 57 [45 to 68] years and 2077 (55%) were women. A total of 3 560 720 comparison pairs were produced. The high PEEP group had a higher percentage of losses than wins in hospital mortality (1.1 vs. 0.9%) and hospital length of stay (33.8 vs. 33.2%), comparable percentages of losses and wins in postoperative invasive mechanical ventilation (0.2 vs. 0.2%), a higher percentage of wins in severe complications (2.5 vs. 2.1%) and a higher percentage of ties in mild complications (18.7 vs. 3.9% wins vs. 3.3% losses). The win ratio for high PEEP compared with low PEEP group was 1.00 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.09).

CONCLUSION

No beneficial effects of high PEEP compared with low PEEP were found in this win ratio analysis.

REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov (study identifier NCT03937375).
Surgeon adoption of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery in the United States from 2018 to 2022
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Dun Chen , Chang David F. , Son Hyeck-Soo , Woreta Fasika A. , Soiberman Uri S. , Prescott Christina R. , Makary Martin A. , Srikumaran Divya
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

To assess 5-year trends in the rate of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and surgeon characteristics associated with performing ISBCS.

Setting:

100% Medicare Fee-For-Service beneficiaries from 2018 to 2022.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

ISBCS cases were identified among patients aged 65 years or older undergoing bilaterally performed cataract surgery (BPCS). Cochrane Armitage trend test was used to assess patient and surgeon characteristics over time. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate surgeon characteristics associated with performing ISBCS.

Results:

Among 1 190 169 BPCS, 3954 (0.33%) were ISBCS. Quarterly ISBCS rate increased from 2.12 to 5.5 per 1000 BPCS (P < .001). Among 10 290 surgeons, 1119 (10.87%) performed ISBCS on some patients. Proportion of surgeons performing ISBCS per 1000 cataract surgeons increased from 15.63 during the first quarter of 2018 to 26.55 during the last quarter of 2022 (P < .001). Among the ISBCS surgeons, the proportion of ISBCS cases per 1000 BPCS doubled from 17.20 in 2018 to 35.50 in 2022 (P < .001). On multivariate analysis, surgeons in the highest surgical volume quartile (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.01-1.45; Ref: lowest quartile), recent graduates (0 to 10 years: OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.87-3.15; Ref: ≥ 31 years), and surgeons in the West (OR, 2.408; 95% CI, 2.052-2.826; Ref: South) had higher odds of performing ISBCS.

Conclusions:

There was an increased rate of ISBCS possibly suggesting greater interest among patients and surgeons. Although the overall ISBCS rate remained low, the number of surgeons performing ISBCS increased. Higher volume surgeons, recent graduates, and those practicing in the West were more likely to perform ISBCS.
Machine Perfusion for Recovery of Brain Death Donor Hearts From Extended Distances
Authors: Ohira Suguru , Tavolacci Sooyun Caroline , Okumura Kenji , Isath Ameesh , Gregory Vasiliki , de la Pena Corazon , Kai Masashi
Published: December 2024

The emerging ex vivo machine perfusion (MP) enables the extension of ex situ intervals, potentially expanding the heart transplant (OHT) donor pool. From October 18, 2018, to June 30, 2023, isolated OHT using donation after brain death (DBD) from extended distances (>500 miles) were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing database, and categorized into cold storage (non-MP, N = 1,212) and MP group (N = 152). The MP utilization rate for DBD hearts from extended distances surged from 0% in 2018 to 27.7% in 2023. Recipient characteristics including listing status were similar except for history of cardiac surgery (non-MP, 32% vs. MP, 41%, p = 0.019). The travel distance was longer in MP group (696 vs. 894 miles, p < 0.001), as was donor organ preservation time (4.42 vs. 6.27 hours, p < 0.001). One-year survival was similar between groups (non-MP, 93.0 ± 0.8% vs. MP, 90.5 ± 2.9%, p = 0.23). In multivariable Cox hazards models, MP was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.19; p = 0.60). Among MP cohort, survival was comparable between hearts transported between 500–999 miles (N = 112) and those over 1,000 miles (N = 40). The utilization of MP for DBD heart recovery allows for safe DBD recovery from extended distance with comparable survival to cold storage.
Development and Evaluation of a Novel Drainage Cannula for Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Wickramarachchi Avishka , Shirejini Saeedreza Zeibi , Vatani Ashkan , Rana Akshita , Khamooshi Mehrdad , Šeman Michael , Liao Sam , Jap Edwina , Nguyen Tuan H. , Alt Karen , Burrell Aidan , Pellegrino Vincent A. , Kaye David M. , Hagemeyer Christoph E. , Gregory Shaun D.
Published: December 2024

A critical factor in thrombus formation during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) is prothrombotic flow dynamics generated by the drainage cannula’s design. This study aimed to create and evaluate a novel drainage cannula design which optimized blood flow dynamics to reduce thrombus formation. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to iteratively vary drainage cannula design parameters such as inner wall shape and side hole shape. The final novel design was then placed in an ex vivo blood circulation loop, and compared against a Bio-Medicus cannula (n = 6, each). Clot volume, hemolysis, and other parameters were measured to assess thrombus formation markers. The novel design consisted of a parabolic inner wall profile with closely spaced side holes angled at 30º to align with flow. When tested in the ex vivo loop, the novel design resulted in lower instances (two vs. four) and volumes of clot in the cannula (360.5 ± 254.8 vs. 1258.0 ± 651.7 µl) when compared to the Bio-Medicus cannula. Results from tests assessing hemolysis, platelet activation, and other thrombotic markers revealed a noninferior relationship between the novel and Bio-Medicus designs. Future work will explore the clinical applicability of these findings.
The Effect of Reflexology Socks in the Management of Opioid-Induced Constipation
Authors: Ozdemir Ferda Akyuz , Can Gulbeyaz
Published: December 2024

Background

Constipation is an important symptom that is common in patients using opioids and leads to major health problems among patients. Reflexology is one of the approaches utilized to manage constipation.

Objective

To examine the effect of reflexology socks on constipation in patients with opioid-induced constipation.

Methods

This study was designed as a single-blind, randomized, controlled experimental trial. The study was conducted with the participation of a total of 101 patients who were suffering from cancer and other noncancer diseases, using opioids, and complaining of constipation. The patients in the intervention group (n = 51) were advised to walk with reflexology socks for 4 weeks, whereas the patients in the control group (n = 50) were advised to walk only.

Results

It was found that the severity of opioid-induced constipation was lower in the intervention group than in the control group at the end of the fifth week (P < .05). Additionally, after the application, the quality-of-life mean score was lower in the intervention group (mean, 48.46 ± 24.66) compared with control group (mean, 109.88 ± 10.62), and reflexology socks were effective in enhancing quality of life in the intervention group (P < .05).

Conclusions

This study concluded that reflexology socks were an effective approach to the management of constipation.

Implications for Practice

Reflexology socks may be more useful for patients to manage constipation because it is difficult to find a reflexologist, and reflexology sessions are charged and expensive. In this way, patients will wear reflexology socks comfortably and easily at home, and the severity of constipation will be alleviated.
Prevention of Maternal Rh D Alloimmunization: A Comparative Review of Guidelines
Authors: Boureka Eirini , Tsakiridis Ioannis , Giouleka Sonia , Liberis Anastasios , Michos Georgios , Kalogiannidis Ioannis , Mamopoulos Apostolos , Athanasiadis Apostolos , Dagklis Themistoklis
Published: December 2024

Importance

Rhesus alloimmunization refers to the sensitization of an Rh D–negative mother after exposure to D-positive fetal red blood cells, which can lead to significant fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Objective

The aim of this study was to review and compare the most recently published international guidelines on the prevention of maternal alloimmunization.

Evidence Acquisition

A comparative review of guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the British Committee for Standards in Hematology, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada regarding the prevention of maternal Rh D alloimmunization was conducted.

Results

There is consensus among the reviewed guidelines regarding the timing of antenatal antibody screening; the management of an already sensitized pregnancy; the administration and timing of postnatal prophylaxis with a D-positive neonate; and the need for prophylaxis after invasive procedures, abdominal trauma, and external cephalic version. Controversies exist regarding the management of women expressing weak D blood type and the optimal dose and regimen for routine antenatal prophylaxis, with recommendations suggesting administration between 28 and 34 weeks, versus specifically at 28 weeks. Moreover, significant discrepancies exist regarding the need for prophylaxis after some sensitizing events such as threatened, spontaneous, or surgical miscarriage; termination of pregnancy; and molar and ectopic pregnancy, as well as the optimal dose of anti-D globulin after invasive antenatal procedures, abdominal trauma, external cephalic version, and postnatal prophylaxis.

Conclusions

Anti-D globulin remains an important tool for the prevention of maternal alloimmunization, thus contributing to a significant improvement in fetal and neonatal outcomes. However, due to lack of evidence, discrepancies exist between relevant guidelines. Hence, further studies and the development of consistent evidence-based protocols and algorithms are pivotal to safely guide through pregnancy and subsequently reduce fetal and neonatal morbidity, without subjecting women to unnecessary treatment.

Target Audience

Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians.

Learning Objectives

After participating in this activity, the learner should be better able to explain the mechanism of maternal Rh alloimmunization; identify all the potential Rh-related sensitizing events; and assess the appropriate management strategies for Rh prophylaxis, both antenatally and postnatally.
Utility of Routine Postoperative Examination for Detecting Vaginal Cuff Dehiscence After Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
Authors: Caskey Rachel , Niino Clarissa , Meyer Raanan , Schneyer Rebecca , Hamilton Kacey , Truong Mireille D. , Wright Kelly , Siedhoff Matthew
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2024;31(2):147–154

Hysterectomy can be performed in a variety of ways: laparoscopic, vaginal, or open. One potential complication of the procedure is vaginal cuff dehiscence (VCD), which is a full-thickness separation of the vaginal epithelial edges.
Disparities Research for Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Systematic Review and Critique of Literature
Authors: Mou Tsung , Shinnick Julia , DeAndrade Samantha , Roselli Nicole , Andebrhan Sarah , Akanbi Tracey , Ackenbom Mary , Carter-Brooks Charelle , Beestrum Molly , Cichowski Sara , Brown Oluwateniola
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from Urogynecology (Phila) 2024;30(9):758–764

Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) describe conditions inclusive of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and anal incontinence (AI). The prevalence of PFDs is estimated at 1 in 4 women throughout their lifetime.
Valproate Use During Spermatogenesis and Risk to Offspring
Authors: Christensen Jakob , Trabjerg Betina B. , Dreier Julie Werenberg
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from JAMA Network Open 2024;7(6):e2414709

Valproate, an antiseizure medication, is correlated with increased risk of congenital malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, in children when taken by pregnant women. Because valproate is commonly prescribed to epileptic men of fertile age, concerns have been raised about its potential effects on spermatogenesis.
Endometriosis Typology and Ovarian Cancer Risk
Authors: Barnard Mollie E. , Farland Leslie V. , Yan Bin , Wang Jing , Trabert Britton , Doherty Jennifer A. , Meeks Huong D. , Madsen Myke , Guinto Emily , Collin Lindsay J. , Maurer Kathryn A. , Page Jessica M. , Kiser Amber C. , Varner Michael W. , Allen-Brady Kristina , Pollack Anna Z. , Peterson Kurt R. , Peterson C. Matthew , Schliep Karen C.
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from JAMA 2024;332(6):482–489

Ovarian, breast, and endometrial cancers are known to be associated with endometriosis. This study was designed to assess associations between endometriosis and its subtypes with the overall incidence of ovarian cancer and the incidence of ovarian cancer by histologic type.
Cell-Free DNA Analysis of Fetal Aneuploidies in Early Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Kutteh William H. , Miller Charles E. , Park John K. , Corey Victoria , Chavez Mauro , Racicot Karen , Alagia Damian P. , Jinnett Kristine N. , Curnow Kirsten , Dalton Kristin , Bhatt Sucheta , Keefe David L.
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from J Clin Med 2024;13(15):4283

Approximately 10% to 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, or early pregnancy loss (EPL), with most losses occurring in the first trimester. An estimated half of EPLs are due to chromosomal abnormalities, including trisomies, monosomies, and sex chromosome abnormalities, with another 10% due to polyploidy, uniparental disomy, and copy-number variants.
Lateral Episiotomy or No Episiotomy in Vacuum Assisted Delivery in Nulliparous Women (EVA): Multicentre, Open Label, Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Bergendahl Sandra , Jonsson Maria , Hesselman Susanne , Ankarcrona Victoria , Leijonhufvud Åsa , Wihlbäck Anna-Carin , Wallström Tove , Rydström Emmie , Friberg Hannah , Kallner Helena Kopp , Wendel Sophia Brismar
Published: December 2024

(Abstracted from BMJ 2024;385:e079014

Obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) is a serious complication to vaginal birth, with the primary risk factors being primiparity and instrumental birth. Rates of OASI vary across countries, affecting up to 4% of primiparous women for spontaneous births and 6% to 24% for instrumental births in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Socioeconomic Inequities in Preemptive Kidney Transplantation and Graft Survival: An Innovative Approach to Identifying Disparities in Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Kizilbash Sarah , Wi Chung-II , Roy Madison , Ryu Euijung , Matas Arthur , Garovic Vesna , Riad Samy , Schinstock Carrie , Juhn Young
Published: December 2024

Background.

The limitations of conventional measures of socioeconomic status (SES) limit our ability to elucidate the role of SES as a key element of social determinants of health in kidney transplantation. This study’s objective was to use an innovative SES measure, the HOUsing-based SES measure (HOUSES) index, to examine the effects of social determinants of health on access to and outcomes of kidney transplantation.

Methods.

Our study included residents of Minnesota (age older than 18 y) who underwent kidney transplantation at a single center between 2010 and 2020. SES was determined using the HOUSES index, categorized into quartiles (Q1 for lower, Q2–Q4 for higher SES). We used mixed-effects multivariable logistic and Cox models to examine the effects of HOUSES on preemptive transplants, pretransplant dialysis duration, and death-censored graft loss, adjusting for covariates.

Results.

Among 1975 eligible patients, 29.4% received preemptive transplants, 34.9% underwent pretransplant dialysis for >3 y, and 15.1% experienced death-censored graft loss for a median follow-up of 7.15 (interquartile range, 4.25–11.38) y. Lower SES recipients (Q1) demonstrated decreased preemptive transplant likelihood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.97; P = 0.03), longer dialysis duration (>3 y; aOR: 1.43; 95% CI, 1.01-2.03; P = 0.046), and higher death-censored graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio 1.36; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12; P = 0.036) versus higher SES recipients (Q2–Q4).

Conclusions.

We observed significant socioeconomic disparities in kidney transplant access, dialysis duration, and graft survival. The HOUSES index may be a promising tool for individual-based targeted interventions as it identifies SES on an individual rather than an area-level basis.
Paying Attention to Attention: High Attention Sites as Indicators of Protein Family and Function in Language Models
Authors: Nayar Gowri , Tartici Alp , Altman Russ B.
Published: December 2024

Protein Language Models (PLMs) use transformer architectures to capture patterns within protein sequences, providing a powerful computational representation of the protein sequence [1]. Through large-scale training on protein sequence data, PLMs generate vector representations that encapsulate the biochemical and structural properties of proteins [2]. At the core of PLMs is the attention mechanism, which facilitates the capture of long-range dependencies by computing pairwise importance scores across residues, thereby highlighting regions of biological interaction within the sequence [3]. The attention matrices offer an untapped opportunity to uncover specific biological properties of proteins, particularly their functions. In this work, we introduce a novel approach, using the Evolutionary Scale Model (ESM) [4], for identifying High Attention (HA) sites within protein sequences, corresponding to key residues that define protein families. By examining attention patterns across multiple layers, we pinpoint residues that contribute most to family classification and function prediction. Our contributions are as follows: (1) we propose a method for identifying HA sites at critical residues from the middle layers of the PLM; (2) we demonstrate that these HA sites provide interpretable links to biological functions; and (3) we show that HA sites improve active site predictions for functions of unannotated proteins. We make available the HA sites for the human proteome. This work offers a broadly applicable approach to protein classification and functional annotation and provides a biological interpretation of the PLM’s representation.

1

Author Summary

Understanding how proteins work is critical to advancements in biology and medicine, and protein language models (PLMs) facilitate studying protein sequences at scale. These models identify patterns within protein sequences by focusing on key regions of the sequence that are important to distinguish the protein. Our work focuses on the Evolutionary Scale Model (ESM), a state-of-the-art PLM, and we analyze the model’s internal attention mechanism to identify the significant residues.

We developed a new method to identify “High Attention (HA)” sites—specific parts of a protein sequence that are essential for classifying proteins into families and predicting their functions. By analyzing how the model prioritizes certain regions of protein sequences, we discovered that these HA sites often correspond to residues critical for biological activity, such as active sites where chemical reactions occur. Our approach helps interpret how PLMs understand protein data and enhances predictions for proteins whose functions are still unknown. As part of this work, we provide HA-site information for the entire human proteome, offering researchers a resource to further study the potential functional relevance of these residues.
International Validation of Echocardiographic AI Amyloid Detection Algorithm
Authors: Duffy Grant , Oikonomou Evan , Hourmozdi Jonathan , Usuku Hiroki , Patel Jigesh , Stern Lily , Goto Shinichi , Tsujita Kenichi , Khera Rohan , Ahmad Faraz S. , Ouyang David
Published: December 2024

Background

Diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is often missed or delayed due to confusion with other causes of increased left ventricular wall thickness. Conventional transthoracic echocardiographic measurements like global longitudinal strain (GLS) has shown promise in distinguishing CA, but with limited specificity. We conducted a study to investigate the performance of a computer vision detection algorithm in across multiple international sites.

Methods

EchoNet-LVH is a computer vision deep learning algorithm for the detection of cardiac amyloidosis based on parasternal long axis and apical-4-chamber view videos. We conducted a multi-site retrospective case-control study evaluating EchoNet-LVH’s ability to distinguish between the echocardiogram studies of CA patients and controls. We reported discrimination performance with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and associated sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value at the pre-specified threshold.

Results

EchoNet-LVH had an AUC of 0.896 (95% CI 0.875 – 0.916). At pre-specified model threshold, EchoNet-LVH had a sensitivity of 0.644 (95% CI 0.601 – 0.685), specificity of 0.988 (0.978 – 0.994), positive predictive value of 0.968 (95% CI 0.944 – 0.984), and negative predictive value of 0.828 (95% CI 0.804 – 0.850). There was minimal heterogeneity in performance by site, race, sex, age, BMI, CA subtype, or ultrasound manufacturer.

Conclusion

EchoNet-LVH can assist with earlier and accurate diagnosis of CA. As CA is a rare disease, EchoNet-LVH is highly specific in order to maximize positive predictive value. Further work will assess whether early diagnosis results in earlier initiation of treatment in this underserved population.
Trends and Cross-Country Inequalities in Dengue, 1990-2021
Authors: Zhou Mingzhu , He Yong , Wu Liangmiao , Weng Kaiyuan
Published: December 2024

Background

The existing body of literature is deficient in the most recent data regarding the global perspective of dengue fever and its associated health inequities.Our aim is to assess the global burden of dengue fever and its health inequities from 1990 to 2021.

Methods

We utilized the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database for epidemiological trends, demographic analysis, and epidemiological decomposition. Cross-national inequality and predictive modeling for the global dengue burden up to 2051 were also performed.

Results

Globally, dengue fever incidence, prevalence, DALYs, and mortality showed increasing trends with significant international disparities. From 1990 to 2021, ASR for incidence and prevalence rose by 1.83% (95% CI: 1.58%-2.08%), and for DALYs and mortality by 1.33% (95% CI: 1.10%-1.57%) and 1.70% (95% CI: 1.45%-1.94%), respectively. Age-period-cohort-model analysis revealed a positive correlation between dengue fever incidence and age, with mortality sharply increasing in those over 80. Decomposition of dengue fever DALYs burden showed population growth as the main contributor to the global burden, with varying impacts across SDI quintiles. Inequalities in dengue fever burden related to SDI persisted, shifting benefits from impoverished to affluent populations. BAPC model projections suggest stabilization of incidence and prevalence ASRs, with declining DALYs and mortality ASRs, particularly for females.

Conclusion

This study elucidates the changes in the burden of dengue fever against the backdrop of a burgeoning global population, severe aging, and pronounced health inequities across nations, quantifying these alterations and forecasting the trends in the disease burden over the next three decades. Concurrently, the research proposes effective measures for various countries and regions to mitigate health inequities associated with dengue fever and to reduce the associated disease burden.
Coupling nitrogen-vacancy center spins in diamond to a grape dimer
Authors: Fawaz Ali , Nair Sarath Raman , Volz Thomas
Published: December 2024

Two grapes irradiated inside a microwave (MW) oven typically produce a series of sparks and can ignite a violent plasma. The underlying cause of the plasma has been attributed to the formation of morphological-dependent resonances (MDRs) in the aqueous dielectric dimers that lead to the generation of a strong evanescent MW hotspot between them. Previous experiments have focused on the electric field component of the field as the driving force behind the plasma ignition. Here we couple an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) spins in nanodiamonds (NDs) to the magnetic field component of the dimer MW field. We demonstrate the efficient coupling of the N-V spins to the MW magnetic field hotspot formed between the grape dimers using optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). The ODMR measurements are performed by coupling N-V spins in NDs to the evanescent MW fields of a copper wire. When placing a pair of grapes around the NDs and matching the ND position with the expected magnetic field hotspot, we see an enhancement in the ODMR contrast by more than a factor of 2 compared to the measurements without grapes. Using finite-element modeling, we attribute our experimental observation of the field enhancement to the MW hotspot formation between the grape dimers. The present study not only validates previous work on understanding grape-dimer resonator geometries, but it also opens up another avenue for exploring alternative MW resonator designs for quantum technologies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Elastic scattering at
s=6  GeV
up to
s=13  TeV
: Proton-proton; proton-antiproton, and proton-neutron
Authors: Selyugin O. V.
Published: December 2024

In the framework of the Regge-eikonal model of hadron interaction based on the analyticity of the scattering amplitude, taking into account the hadron structure, a simultaneous analysis is carried out with 90 sets of data. These sets include data obtained at low energies (s>3.6  GeV) and high energies at FNAL, ISR, SPP¯S, TEVATRON, and LHC with 4326 experimental points, including the polarization data of analyzing power. The energy and momentum transfer dependence of separate sets of data is analyzed on the basis of the eikonalized Born amplitude, taking into account two additional anomalous terms. Different origins of the nonlinear behavior of the slope of the scattering amplitude are compared. No contribution from the hard Pomeron in elastic hadron scattering is found. The importance of odderon’s contribution is presented. The form and energy dependence of different terms of the cross-even and cross-odd parts of the elastic nucleon-nucleon scattering amplitude is determined in the framework of the high-energy general structure model. In this framework, using the electromagnetic and gravitomagnetic form factors, the differential cross sections in the Coulomb nuclear interference region and at large momentum transfer are described well simultaneously in a wide energy region. It is shown that the cross-even part, including the soft Pomeron and an additional term with a large slope, has energy dependence ln2(s). The cross-odd part includes the maximal odderon term with ln2(s) and an additional oscillation term with ln(s). It is shown that the additional terms with large slope are proportional to charge distributions, but the maximal odderon term and oscillation term are proportional to matter distributions. Additionally, a good description of proton-neutron differential scattering with 526 experimental points is obtained on the basis of the amplitudes taken from the analysis of pp and pp¯ scattering. An adequate description of the polarization data was also obtained.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Color coherence effects in dipole-quark scattering in the soft limit
Authors: Pablos Daniel , Sanjurjo Sergio
Published: December 2024

Color coherence effects play a crucial role in the description of jet evolution at collider experiments. It is well known that the stimulated gluon emission suffered by energetic jets traversing deconfined QCD matter is also affected by color coherence effects. Through multiple soft scatterings with the medium constituents, an antenna will lose its color correlation, causing its legs to behave as independent emitters after the so-called decoherence time. In this work, we provide the first computation of the properties of the recoils produced as a result of these soft scatterings between a color coherent dipole and the medium constituents. Our findings reveal that the angular phase-space of these soft recoils is strongly restricted by the opening angle of the dipole itself due to quantum interference effects. In this long wavelength limit, one can effectively consider that interactions take place with each of the legs of the dipole separately, provided that the angular constraints dictated by the corresponding color flow topologies are respected. This is in complete analogy with the case of soft gluon emission in vacuum, where the recoil quark plays the role of the emitted gluon. As a direct phenomenological application, we estimate the collisional energy loss rate of a color antenna. Importantly, these results indicate the way in which color coherence effects can be implemented in jet quenching models that account for the recoils from elastic scatterings, improving in this way our description of medium response physics in heavy-ion collisions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Higher-order triadic percolation on random hypergraphs
Authors: Sun Hanlin , Bianconi Ginestra
Published: December 2024

In this work, we propose a comprehensive theoretical framework combining percolation theory with nonlinear dynamics to study hypergraphs with a time-varying giant component. We consider in particular hypergraphs with higher-order triadic interactions. Higher-order triadic interactions occur when one or more nodes up-regulate or down-regulate a hyperedge. For instance, enzymes regulate chemical reactions involving multiple reactants. Here we propose and investigate higher-order triadic percolation on hypergraphs showing that the giant component can have a nontrivial dynamics. Specifically, we show that the fraction of nodes in the giant component undergoes a route to chaos in the universality class of the logistic map. In hierarchical higher-order triadic percolation, we extend this paradigm in order to treat hierarchically nested higher-order triadic interactions. We demonstrate the nontrivial effects of their increased combinatorial complexity on the critical phenomena and the dynamical properties of the process. Finally, we consider other generalizations of the model studying the effect of adopting interdependencies and node regulation instead of hyperedge regulation. The comprehensive theoretical framework presented here sheds light on possible scenarios for climate networks, biological networks, and brain networks, where the hypergraph connectivity changes over time.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Toward a storage ring coherent light source based on an angular dispersion-induced microbunching scheme
Authors: Li Changliang , Jiang Bocheng , Feng Chao , Gu Qiang , Bai Zhenghe , Wan Weishi , Zhang Qinglei , Wang Kun
Published: December 2024

The combination of reversible angular dispersion-induced microbunching (ADM) and the rapid damping storage ring provides a storage-ring-based light source with the capability to produce longitudinal coherent radiation with a high repetition rate. This paper presents a prototype design for a test facility based on the study by Jiang et al. [Sci. Rep. (2022), 12, 3325]. The modulation–demodulation section is inserted into a long straight section of the storage ring instead of a bypass line, which poses great challenges for the optimization of the nonlinear dynamics of the storage ring. However, this design avoids the challenging injection and extraction system connecting to the bypass line. To utilize mature laser technology and reduce the difficulty of the reversible ADM lattice design, we use a long-wavelength 1030 nm seed laser. In the simulation, we achieved 20th harmonic radiation with a bunching factor of about 7.2%. The growth rate of vertical emittance and energy spread of the electron beam for a single pass are about 11% and 0.02%, respectively. When the energy of the electron beam is 800 MeV and two sets of damping wigglers are employed, the damping time in the vertical plane is reduced to 8.31 ms. This results in a 438 kHz repetition rate of the coherent radiation at the new equilibrium state.
Group judgments and decision-making in accounting: enhancing the financial reporting judgments of accountants
Authors: Liu Fang , Mala Rajni , Chand Parmod , Dumay John
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Investors and other stakeholders depend on financial reports prepared by accountants to make informed decisions. During the aftermaths of unprecedented events, such as COVID-19, the need investors have for high-quality financial information is greater than ever. The purpose of this study is to examine whether financial reporting judgments made in groups rather than as individuals result in a better reflection of the economic substance of a transaction.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine the benefits that decision-making in groups may have on the reporting judgments of accountants, we conducted an experiment in which experienced accountants, located in Australia, were asked to make a decision over a lease classification. Each of the 87 respondents were either assigned to make their decision individually or as part of a three-member group.

Findings

Our results indicate that accountants in groups of three make significantly more accurate judgments than accountants who make judgments individually. The results also support the presumption that accountants in groups are significantly more confident in their judgments than accountants who make judgments individually.

Research limitations/implications

We contribute to the important discussion that decision-making in groups has the potential to improve the quality of financial reporting by better reflecting economic reality.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the merits of group judgments and decision-making when interpreting and applying the International Financial Reporting Standards.
Unveiling the nexus of renewable energy, institutional quality and financial development in India’s carbon emission landscape
Authors: Ganie Anam Ul Haq , Khah Arif Mohd , Parvaiz Amir
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The primary objective of this research is to assess the influence of financial development, institutional quality and renewable energy consumption on India’s carbon emissions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilises econometric methodologies, specifically the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and Toda–Yamamoto causality tests, to explore the interplay among renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, financial development, economic growth, institutional quality, trade openness and carbon emissions in India spanning the years 1996–2019.

Findings

The research indicates that in India, greater utilisation of renewable energy, enhanced financial development and improved institutional quality are linked to lower carbon emissions. On the contrary, an escalation in carbon emissions is related to the consumption of non-renewable energy and greater trade openness. The Toda–Yamamoto causality tests reveal one-way causal relationships from institutional quality, financial development, non-renewable energy consumption and economic growth to CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the study identifies reciprocal causation, demonstrating that carbon dioxide emissions influence renewable energy consumption and trade openness.

Research limitations/implications

This study recommends that forthcoming research expand its focus by integrating more comprehensive indicators such as consumption, production, transport-based CO2 emissions or ecological footprint. Additionally, to bolster the rigour of future inquiries, researchers might consider exploring alternative regression analysis methods like NARDL and STAR.

Originality/value

This study addresses a significant gap in the existing literature by being the first empirical investigation into the effects of renewable energy consumption, institutional quality and financial development on carbon emissions in the Indian economy. Unlike prior research, we consider a comprehensive financial development and institutional quality index, providing a more holistic perspective. This unique approach contributes valuable insights into the environmental challenges faced by the Indian economy, offering a nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics of environmental degradation in this region.