bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel dynamic machine learning-based explainable fusion monitoring: application to industrial and chemical processes
Authors: Ali Husnain , Safdar Rizwan , Zhou Yuanqiang , Yao Yuan , Yao Le , Zhang Zheng , Ding Weilong , Gao Furong
Published: December 2024

The complexity and fusion dynamism of the modern industrial and chemical sectors have been increasing with the rapid progress of IR 4.0–5.0. The transformative characteristics of Industry 4.0–5.0 have not been fully explored in terms of the fundamental importance of explainability. Traditional monitoring techniques for automatic anomaly detection, identifying the potential variables, and root cause analysis for fault information are not intelligent enough to tackle the intricate problems of real-time practices in the industrial and chemical sectors. This study presents a novel dynamic machine learning based explainable fusion approach to address the issues of process monitoring in industrial and chemical process systems. The methodology aims to detect faults, identify their key causes and feature variables, and analyze the root path of fault propagation with the time and magnitude of one cause variable to another impact. This study proposed using a time domain multivariate granger-entropy-aided dynamic independent component analysis (DICA)—distributed canonical correlation analysis approach, incorporating the dynamics time wrapping supported time delay-signed directed graph. The proposed methodology utilized the application to industrial and chemical processes and verified using the continuous stirred tank reactor and Tennessee Eastman process as practical application benchmarks. The framework’s validations and efficiency are evaluated using established techniques such as classic computed ICA and DICA as standard model scenarios. The outcomes and results showed that the newly developed strategy is preferable to previous approaches regarding explainability and robust detection and identification of the actual root causes with high FDRs and low FARs.
Comparing AI versus optimization workflows for simulation-based inference of spatial-stochastic systems
Authors: Ramirez Sierra Michael Alexander , Sokolowski Thomas R
Published: December 2024

Model parameter inference is a universal problem across science. This challenge is particularly pronounced in developmental biology, where faithful mechanistic descriptions require spatial-stochastic models with numerous parameters, yet quantitative empirical data often lack sufficient granularity due to experimental limitations. Parameterizing such complex models therefore necessitates methods that elaborate on classical Bayesian inference by incorporating notions of optimality and goal-orientation through low-dimensional objective functions that quantitatively encapsulate target system behavior. In this study, we contrast two such inference workflows and apply them to biophysically inspired spatial-stochastic models. Technically, both workflows employ simulation-based inference (SBI) methods: the first leverages a modern deep-learning technique known as sequential neural posterior estimation, while the second relies on a classical optimization technique called simulated annealing. We evaluate these workflows by inferring the parameters of two complementary models for the inner cell mass (ICM) lineage differentiation in the blastocyst-stage mouse embryo. This developmental biology system serves as a paradigmatic example of a highly robust and reproducible cell-fate proportioning process that self-organizes under strongly stochastic conditions, such as intrinsic biochemical noise and cell–cell signaling delays. Our results reveal that while both methods provide consistent model parameter estimates, the modern SBI workflow yields significantly richer inferred distributions at an equivalent computational cost. We identify the computational scenarios that favor the modern SBI method over its classical counterpart, and propose a plausible strategy to exploit the complementary strengths of both workflows for enhanced parameter space exploration.
New parameterized quantum gates design and efficient gradient solving based on variational quantum classification algorithm
Authors: Ding Xiaodong , Liu FuDong , Wang Weilong , Zhu Yu , Hou Yifan , Huang Yizhen , Xu Jinchen , Shan Zheng
Published: December 2024

Currently, variational quantum classification algorithms (VQCAs) generally rely on traditional optimization techniques such as Powell and SLSQP in the parameter optimization session. However, the performance of these methods shows limitations in practical applications. Although the parameter-shift rule can efficiently compute the parameter gradient with quantum circuits, it needs to run the quantum circuit twice repeatedly, which significantly reduces the computation efficiency. In order to overcome this challenge, this paper innovatively integrates the principle of unitary operation in quantum mechanics with the technical characteristics of superconducting quantum chips and elaborately designs some new parameterized quantum gates (PQGs). These PQGs strictly follow the rules of unitary operation, which ensures the stability and accuracy of quantum state evolution while realizing an efficient solution to the parameter gradient. Especially for the gradient calculation of a single qubit and single-angle PQGs, the new method can be completed with only a single quantum circuit run, which greatly improves the computation efficiency. Experimental validation on benchmark datasets such as breast cancer and iris shows that the method proposed in this paper exhibits excellent performance on quantum classification tasks. Compared with the parameter-shift rule, the computation efficiency of the new method is improved by 40%. And the classification accuracy, precision, and other key performance metrics are improved by an average of 5% in comparison with traditional optimization algorithms. This work not only enriches the methodology of quantum machine learning theoretically but also demonstrates its remarkable superiority in practical applications, which indicates that the method has great potential in scientific research and industrial applications.
Anisotropy-driven topological quantum phase transition in magnetic impurities
Authors: Blesio G G , Manuel L O , Aligia A A
Published: December 2024

A few years ago, a topological quantum phase transition (TQPT) has been found in Anderson and Kondo 2-channel spin-1 impurity models that include a hard-axis anisotropy term

D

S
z
2

with D > 0. The most remarkable manifestation of the TQPT is a jump in the spectral density of localized electrons, at the Fermi level, from very high to very low values as D is increased. If the two conduction channels are equivalent, the transition takes place at the critical anisotropy

D

c

∼
2.5

T

K

, where

T

K

is the Kondo temperature for D = 0. This jump might be important to develop a molecular transistor. The jump is due to a corresponding one in the Luttinger integral, which has a topological non-trivial value

π

/

2

for

D
>

D

c

. Here, we review the main results for the spectral density and highlight the significance of the theory for the interpretation of measurements conducted on magnetic atoms or molecules on metallic surfaces. In these experiments, where D is held constant, the energy scale

T

K

is manipulated by some parameters. The resulting variation gives rise to a differential conductance

d

I

/

d

V

, measured by scanning-tunneling spectroscopy, which is consistent with a TQPT at an intermediate value of

T

K

. For non-equivalent channels and non-zero magnetic field, the topological phase is lost but still a peculiar behaviour in the spectral density is obtained which agrees with experimental observations. We also show that the theory can be extended to integer spin S > 1 and two-impurity systems. This is also probably true for half-integer spin and non-equivalent channels in some cases.
Continual learning with hebbian plasticity in sparse and predictive coding networks: a survey and perspective
Authors: Safa Ali
Published: December 2024

Recently, the use of bio-inspired learning techniques such as Hebbian learning and its closely-related spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) variant have drawn significant attention for the design of compute-efficient AI systems that can continuously learn on-line at the edge. A key differentiating factor regarding this emerging class of neuromorphic continual learning system lies in the fact that learning must be carried using a data stream received in its natural order, as opposed to conventional gradient-based offline training, where a static training dataset is assumed available a priori and randomly shuffled to make the training set independent and identically distributed (i.i.d). In contrast, the emerging class of neuromorphic CL systems covered in this survey must learn to integrate new information on the fly in a non-i.i.d manner, which makes these systems subject to catastrophic forgetting. In order to build the next generation of neuromorphic AI systems that can continuously learn at the edge, a growing number of research groups are studying the use of sparse and predictive Coding (PC)-based Hebbian neural network architectures and the related spiking neural networks (SNNs) equipped with STDP learning. However, since this research field is still emerging, there is a need for providing a holistic view of the different approaches proposed in the literature so far. To this end, this survey covers a number of recent works in the field of neuromorphic CL based on state-of-the-art sparse and PC technology; provides background theory to help interested researchers quickly learn the key concepts; and discusses important future research questions in light of the different works covered in this paper. It is hoped that this survey will contribute towards future research in the field of neuromorphic CL.
Making dew in the Atacama Desert: a paradigmatic case of plant water uptake from an unsaturated atmosphere fails a test
Authors: Gersony Jess , Manandhar Anju , Hochberg Uri , Abdellaoui Nora , Llanos Paula , Dumais Jacques , Holbrook N Michele , Rockwell Fulton E
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims

Nolana mollis is a dominant plant species in the hyper-arid Atacama Desert. A previous hypothesis states that N. mollis owes its success to the condensation of atmospheric water from undersaturated air onto its leaf surfaces by exuded salts, and absorption of this water by its leaves, or by shallow roots following drip onto the soil surface; living roots of N. mollis were suggested to only exist near the soil surface.

Methods

We conducted a field experiment with three treatments to establish the source of water for N. mollis: control, root cutting to block uptake of all soil moisture, and plastic skirting at the soil surface to block leaf drip of atmospheric water.

Key Results

Xylem tensions monotonically increased after root cutting until the plants wilted irreversibly, diverging clearly from the skirted and control treatments showing diurnal patterns of increasing tension in the day followed by recovery overnight.

Conclusions

Hydration in N. mollis requires access to deep soil water, motivating an alternative hypothesis: imperfect salt exclusion at the root surface and salt exudation by the leaf results in less root fouling and lower xylem tensions, while during the day evaporation of the surface brine, condensed overnight, increases the water use efficiency of carbon gain.
Symbiosis, hybridization, and speciation in Mediterranean octocorals (Octocorallia, Eunicellidae)
Authors: Aurelle Didier , Haguenauer Anne , Bally Marc , Zuberer Frédéric , Guillemain Dorian , Ledoux Jean-Baptiste , Sartoretto Stéphane , Cabau Cédric , Lapeyre Rachel , Chaoui Lamya , Kara Hichem , Samadi Sarah , Pontarotti Pierre
Published: December 2024

Understanding how species can form and remain isolated in the marine environment still stimulates active research. Here we study the differentiation and the possibility of hybridization among three temperate octocorals: Eunicella cavolini, Eunicella singularis, and Eunicella verrucosa. Morphologically intermediate individuals have been observed between them. Among these three species, E. singularis is the only one described in mutualistic symbiosis with photosynthetic Symbiodiniaceae. The symbiosis between Symbiodiniaceae and scleractinian corals is well studied, especially in the context of the response to anthropogenic climate change. Nevertheless, the potential role of symbiotic interactions in speciation processes remains unknown in cnidaria. We tested here the possibility of hybridization between symbiotic and non-symbiotic Eunicella species. Through multivariate analyses and hybrid detection, we prove the existence of on-going gene flow between E. singularis and E. cavolini, with the observation of F1 and F2 hybrids, and backcrosses. Demographic inferences indicate a scenario of secondary contact between these two species. Despite current gene flow, these two species appear genetically well differentiated. Our data also suggest an intermediate abundance of Symbiodiniaceae in the hybrids of the two parental populations. We discuss the evolution of the Symbiodiniaceae/cnidarian symbiosis in the light of our results.
Blood–brain barrier disruption and microglial activation during hypoxia and post-hypoxic recovery in aged mice
Authors: Sapkota Arjun , Halder Sebok K , Milner Richard
Published: December 2024

Hypoxia triggers blood–brain barrier disruption and a strong microglial activation response around leaky cerebral blood vessels. These events are greatly amplified in aged mice which is translationally relevant because aged patients are far more likely to suffer hypoxic events from heart or lung disease, and because of the pathogenic role of blood–brain barrier breakdown in vascular dementia. Importantly, it is currently unclear if disrupted cerebral blood vessels spontaneously repair and if they do, whether surrounding microglia deactivates. In this study, we addressed these questions by exposing aged (20 months old) mice to chronic mild hypoxia (8% O2) for 7 days and then returned them to normoxic conditions for 7 or 14 days, before evaluating blood–brain barrier disruption and microglial activation at the different timepoints. Seven days chronic mild hypoxia triggered marked blood–brain barrier disruption, as measured by extravascular leak of fibrinogen and red blood cells, which led to enhanced microglial activation, as measured by Mac-1 and CD68 levels. Interestingly, while return to normoxia promoted spontaneous repair of damaged blood vessels, the surrounding microglia remained persistently activated and were slow to deactivate. Chronic mild hypoxia also triggered neuronal loss that resulted in irreversible cognitive decline as measured by the novel object recognition test. Taken together, these findings describe an important disconnect between vascular repair and microglial deactivation in aged mice, which likely contributes to prolonged neuroinflammation. As hypoxia occurs in many age-related conditions, our data have important implications for the pathogenic role of hypoxia in the induction and progression of vascular dementia.
A case report supporting early surgery in mitral valve infective endocarditis with recurrent cerebral infarcts
Authors: Kesieme Emeka B , Omoregbee Benjamin , Ngaage Dumbor L
Published: December 2024

Background

In patients with infective endocarditis, brain embolism portends a poor prognosis. The timing of surgery in patients who require emergency valve surgery in the setting of deteriorating level of consciousness from recurrent embolic events, and brain infarction with haemorrhagic transformation, remains controversial.

Case summary

We report a case of a 54-year-old male who presented with Streptococcus salivarius mitral valve endocarditis, recurrent episodes of cerebral embolic infarctions with haemorrhagic transformation and deteriorating level of consciousness, and successfully underwent emergency mitral valve surgery without extension of the preoperative cerebral embolic complication or worsening of neurological symptoms.

Discussion

Mitral valve surgery can be performed successfully in patients with mitral valve endocarditis and cerebral embolism earlier than the recommended 2–4 weeks, and this should be considered in deteriorating patients.
Lifetime risk of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease: a Danish nationwide longitudinal study
Authors: Søgaard Mette , Behrendt Christian-Alexander , Eldrup Nikolaj , Skjøth Flemming
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims

Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) presents a substantial disease burden, yet lifetime estimates remain scant. This nationwide study quantified the lifetime risk of PAD and its clinical outcomes in Denmark.

Methods

This cohort study included 4 275 631 individuals in Denmark aged 40–99 years between 1998 and 2018. We estimated the lifetime risk using a modified survival analysis method, considering death as a competing risk event.

Results

Over a median 15.5-year follow-up, 151 846 individuals were diagnosed with PAD (median age at diagnosis 71.5 years, interquartile range 63.1–79.2). The overall lifetime risk of PAD from age 40 was 11.6% (95% confidence interval 11.6%–11.7%), decreasing from 12.9% in 1998–2002 to 10.7% in 2013–18. Males had a higher lifetime risk than females (12.8% vs. 10.5%). Socioeconomic disparities were evident, with higher risks for those with lower educational levels (risk difference 3.4%, 95% confidence interval 3.2%–3.6%) and lower income (risk difference 0.4%, 95% confidence interval 0.2%–0.5%). One year after PAD diagnosis, 21.4% had undergone lower limb revascularization, 8.0% had experienced a major amputation, and 16.2% had died. At 5 years, the corresponding proportions were 26.4%, 10.8%, and 40.8%, respectively. The risk of lower limb revascularization showed little variation by sex and socioeconomic status, whereas there was a strong socioeconomic gradient for major amputation and all-cause death.

Conclusions

More than one in 10 Danish individuals are diagnosed with symptomatic PAD during their lifetime. Peripheral arterial disease diagnosis is associated with high morbidity and mortality at 1 and 5 years.
Development and Delivery of Enhanced Implementation Support to Disseminate a National Caregiver Skills Training Program
Authors: Hughes Jaime M , Makaroun Lena K , Decosimo Kasey , Tucker Matthew , Dadolf Joshua , Drake Connor , Zullig Leah L , Coffman Cynthia J , Kota Swetha , Sperber Nina R , Christensen Leah , Chadduck Trisha , Allen Kelli D , Hastings Susan Nicole , Van Houtven Courtney H
Published: December 2024

Background and Objectives

As the population ages there is an increasing need for caregiver training programs, but little is known about how to deliver implementation support for diverse sites in large-scale implementation efforts. External group-based implementation facilitation may be one promising approach. This study’s objective is to detail the development and delivery of a pragmatic implementation facilitation approach to support the national rollout of caregiver training, Caregivers FIRST, at over 140 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) sites.

Research Design and Methods

Using administrative, survey, and project data, we describe the process of developing and delivering enhanced support to 13 VHA sites unable to meet adoption benchmarks as part of a national mandate. Enhanced support consisted of 4 group-based calls delivered within a 12-week period that used tailored external facilitation to address barriers, facilitators, and strategies for program implementation. We present key implementation barriers, implementation strategies, and sites’ perceptions of highly valued elements of enhanced support.

Results

Enhanced support calls focused on 3 implementation barriers commonly identified by implementing staff (n = 25) in a site-level needs assessment survey: recruiting and retaining caregivers (83%), balancing program delivery alongside competing demands (57%), and support from other departments in program delivery (44%). Sites attended a median of 3 out of 4 enhanced support calls. In postimplementation quantitative surveys, the average response of perceived helpfulness of enhanced support (ranging from 1 to 5) was 3.4 at 6 months, increasing to 4.2 at 12 months. Respondents valued collaborative problem-solving and the ability to learn best practices from other implementing sites during enhanced support calls.

Discussion and Implications

Describing the process of developing and delivering enhanced support via group-based external facilitation for Caregivers FIRST in VHA may provide useful information to guide similar efforts in other healthcare systems as they broadly disseminate interventions to support caregivers across diverse sites.

Clinical Trial Registration

NCT05319535
Building a holistic health approach in supported housing for people with intellectual disabilities in Denmark
Authors: Flensborg Jensen Maya Christiane , Rasmussen Pernille Skovbo , Olsen Leif , Røgeskov Maria , Ladekjær Else
Published: December 2024

People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) face health issues and barriers to physical activity. Health promotion programmes targeting this group are often short-term. Few programmes have been designed for people with IDs who live in supported housing staffed by social care workers (SCWs). The potential that SCWs hold as health promoters has recently come into focus within literature with a setting approach. Drawing on an ethnographic study, this article explores how SCWs articulate health promotion and enact health promoter roles at supported housing for adults with moderate to severe IDs. Our findings show that SCWs perceive sport and diet as health promotion activities. Because of their background within social education and not health promotion, few perceived themselves as health promoters. However, using the holistic concept of active living, which focuses on everyday lifestyle rather than short-term programmes, our ethnographic data reveal the more unspoken and unconscious practices that SCWs enact to ‘build’ customized active living routines among residents. Our results suggest that this ‘silenced’ capacity of SCWs to build healthy routines adds to previous findings by emphasizing that, rather than lacking a health promotion ethos, employees may have the potential to promote health by adapting a more holistic approach to health promotion. We argue the active living approach can contribute to building such a holistic health approach. Such an approach may help SCWs identify with and strengthen their enactment of health promotion roles.
Molecular phylogeny of the large-bodied dendryphantines of North America: Paraphidippus, Phidippus, Pelegrina, and their relatives (Salticidae: Dendryphantina)
Authors: Guerrero-Fuentes Dariana R , Francke-Ballvé Oscar F , Ceccarelli Fadia Sara
Published: December 2024

Despite the great advances in salticid systematics, the phylogeny of the subtribe Dendryphantina remains in part unresolved and many of the taxonomic boundaries of the genera are still problematic since previous systematic phylogenetic studies relied on sparse taxonomic samplings. Thus, further in-depth studies of the different groups are required to establish the generic boundaries and to piece together the genus-level relationships. Here, we examine more closely the phylogeny of the large-bodied North American jumping spiders and their relatives: Paraphidippus, Pelegrina, Phidippus, Beata sensu stricto, Metaphidippus manni group species, Dendryphantes nigromaculatus, Eris militaris, and Nagaina incunda. We elucidate the relationships among the genera and test their monophyly, employing molecular data from the mitochondrial gene fragment cytochrome oxidase subunit I, and nuclear gene fragments from histone 3 and actin 5C, analyzed under maximum likelihood approaches. Based on our results, the North American species D. nigromaculatus is related to the Palearctic species of Dendryphantes. Meanwhile, the previously established relationship between the genera Phidippus, Paraphidippus, and Beata sensu stricto is confirmed, whereas Pelegrina, Eris militaris, Nagaina cf. incunda, and species from the Metaphidippus manni group form another clade. Within this clade, Pelegrina is nonmonophyletic and is closely related to the Metaphidippus manni group species, which indeed form a monophyletic group. Therefore, this study is crucial for singling out the taxa in need of revision, as well as consolidating important relationships within the subtribe Dendryphantina.
Repurposing zidovudine and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine as antibiotic drugs made possible by synergy with both trimethoprim and the mitochondrial toxicity–reducing agent uridine
Authors: Levenfors Jolanta J , Bjerketorp Joakim , Guss Bengt , Nord Christina , Cao Sha , Hughes Diarmaid , Broberg Anders , Öberg Bo
Published: December 2024

Objectives

The increasing frequency of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is a major public health challenge, and new antibiotic drugs are urgently needed. A rapid solution to the problem is to repurpose clinically approved compounds with antibacterial properties, such as the nucleoside analogues zidovudine (azidothymidine) or 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine. Here we report the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial properties of double and triple combinations of azidothymidine or 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine with uridine and/or trimethoprim.

Methods

We determined MICs of azidothymidine and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, alone or combined with uridine and/or trimethoprim, against a selection of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. We also measured MICs of a selection of antibiotics of different classes as a function of uridine concentration. The efficacy of azidothymidine and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine with uridine and/or trimethoprim was measured in a murine peritonitis infection model.

Results

The addition of uridine enhanced the in vitro antibacterial activity of azidothymidine and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. Uridine also enhanced the in vitro antibacterial activity of azidothymidine/trimethoprim and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine/trimethoprim combinations. Triple combinations containing azidothymidine, trimethoprim and uridine, showed antibacterial synergy against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) whereas the 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, trimethoprim and uridine combination showed synergy against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The positive effect of uridine on the efficacy of azidothymidine/trimethoprim combination was also observed in vivo in a murine E. coli peritonitis model.

Conclusions

Triple combinations of these clinically approved compounds warrant further investigations as therapies to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Treatment success prediction in patients with methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci infections, using vancomycin AUC24/MIC ratio: a multicentre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Hanai Yuki , Matsumoto Kazuaki , Endo Aiju , Hanawa Kazumi , Hashi Hideki , Miyazaki Taito , Yamaguchi Tetsuo , Harada Sohei , Yokoo Takuya , Uekusa Shusuke , Asakawa Daiki , Yokoyama Yoshiaki , Maruyama Riku , Tsujimura Shun , Namiki Takaya , Isoda Ryo , Enoki Yuki , Taguchi Kazuaki , Matsuo Kazuhiro
Published: December 2024

Background

Although vancomycin is commonly used to treat methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) infections, there are no clear guidelines for the optimal 24 h AUC24/MIC ratio. This study aimed to determine the target AUC24/MIC ratio associated with vancomycin-treated MRCoNS infection outcomes.

Methods

This multicentre retrospective cohort study included adult patients who received vancomycin for ≥5 days for bloodstream infections caused by MRCoNS between January 2018 and December 2023. Primary outcome was treatment success, defined as a composite of survival beyond 30 days, clinical success and microbiological eradication. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality, clinical success, microbiological eradication and nephrotoxicity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the AUC24/MIC cut-off for treatment success. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the association between AUC24/MIC and outcomes.

Results

This study included 147 patients. ROC analysis identified a target AUC24/MIC ≥373 for treatment success. The overall treatment success rate (70.1%) was significantly higher in the above-average AUC24/MIC cut-off group (83.1%) than that in the below AUC24/MIC cut-off group (57.9%). Multivariate analysis confirmed that AUC24/MIC ≥373 was an independent predictor (adjusted OR = 10.227; 95% CI = 3.585–29.171). The 30-day mortality and microbiological eradication rates differed significantly between the below- and above-cut-off groups, whereas nephrotoxicity rates were comparable among the groups.

Conclusions

In treating MRCoNS infections, vancomycin AUC24/MIC ratio ≥373 was independently associated with favourable treatment outcomes. However, further prospective studies are required to confirm this target owing to the retrospective nature of this study.
Effects of dichloromethane, nitrate, and sulfhemoglobin-induced substances on carboxyhemoglobin detection: a comprehensive review
Authors: Wu Jialin , Luan Yujing , Zhang Qingxia , Wang Fanglin , Rao Yulan
Published: December 2024

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a common gaseous toxin that causes severe poisoning symptoms. Accurate detection of the formation of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood is very important for the identification of CO poisoning. In this review, the effects of exogenous toxins, including dichloromethane (DCM), nitrite, and hydrogen sulfide, on the determination of COHb by spectrophotometry are summarized by comparing epidemiological data, case studies, and analytical methods. The mechanism of the effects of these exogenous poisons on COHb detection is described, and the extent of their influence on the clinical diagnosis and forensic identification of CO poisoning is discussed. We suggest that emergency medicine and forensic science practices need to improve the understanding of these toxins and optimize clinical diagnosis and evaluation strategies to address the effects of toxins on the determination of COHb.
The Place of Law in Technology Transitions: A Case Study from Chemical Risk Assessment
Authors: Čavoški Aleksandra , Holden Laura , Lee Robert
Published: December 2024

Chemical exposure can produce devasting harm to human health and the environment. The EU regulation requires the testing of substances to ascertain whether they exhibit hazards such that appropriate risk management measures must be applied. Traditionally, toxicity testing has involved using animals as a surrogate for humans. Over the years, the EU has adopted a long-standing policy commitment to comply with the 3Rs principle to Replace, Reduce and Refine the use of animals for the purposes of scientific testing with the aim of full replacement. However, the progress away from mammalian use in hazard assessment is painfully slow, notwithstanding the development of a variety of new approach methodologies (NAMs) central to the transition away from animal testing. This study employs insights from the literature on technology transitions to explore the limited take-up of NAMs into regulatory science. It argues that the development of NAMs is not a linear process and the change to NAMs is impacted not only by scientific barriers but more often by wider technical and social barriers to transition. Such barriers arise from different levels of interaction between various actors, aligning with the conceptual framework that is not technologically deterministic. This article focuses on legal and regulatory influences at the multi levels before suggesting that law may stifle rather than accommodate or facilitate beneficial and ethical technological development.
Fishbone perforation of the stomach into the lesser sac and pancreas with abscess, a fishy business
Authors: Arcia Alberto , Muñoz Gabriela Alexandra , Jimenez Galo E , Albuja Monica G , Yumbla Thais Suarez , Venegas Oswaldo H , Velasco Andrea G , Parrales Diana , Molina Gabriel A
Published: December 2024

Ingestion of foreign bodies is common in critical practice. Thankfully, most of these objects will pass without complications; however, sharp and metallic objects can cause severe complications like ulcers and perforation. Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract is rare; however, once it happens, prompt treatment is needed to prevent dreadful complications. We present the case of a 52-year-old patient who presented with abdominal pain and fever. A tomography detected a fishbone perforation of the stomach, which was in the lesser sac attached to the pancreas. After surgery, the patient successfully recovered.
Histidine limitation alters plant development and influences the TOR network
Authors: Guérin Amandine , Levasseur Caroline , Herger Aline , Renggli Dominik , Sotiropoulos Alexandros Georgios , Kadler Gabor , Hou Xiaoyu , Schaufelberger Myriam , Meyer Christian , Wicker Thomas , Bigler Laurent , Ringli Christoph
Published: December 2024

Plant growth depends on growth regulators, nutrient availability, and amino acid levels, all of which influence cell wall formation and cell expansion. Cell wall integrity and structures are surveyed and modified by a complex array of cell wall integrity sensors, including leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-extensins (LRXs) that bind RALF (rapid alkalinization factor) peptides with high affinity and help to compact cell walls. Expressing the Arabidopsis root hair-specific LRX1 without the extensin domain, which anchors the protein to the cell wall (LRX1ΔE14), has a negative effect on root hair development. The mechanism of this negative effect was investigated by a suppressor screen, which led to the identification of a sune (suppressor of dominant-negative LRX1ΔE14) mutant collection. The sune82 mutant was identified as an allele of HISN2, which encodes an enzyme essential for histidine biosynthesis. This mutation leads to reduced accumulation of histidine and an increase in several amino acids, which appears to have an effect on the TOR (target of rapamycin) network, a major controller of eukaryotic cell growth. It also represents an excellent tool to study the effects of reduced histidine levels on plant development, as it is a rare example of a viable partial loss-of-function allele in an essential biosynthetic pathway.
A case of Erdheim–Chester disease—a mimicker of IgG4-related disease and large vessel vasculitis
Authors: Miyagawa Ippei , Nakayamada Shingo , Nohara Hirotsugu , Kosaka Shumpei , Ueno Masanobu , Tanaka Yoshiya
Published: December 2024

The patient was a 57-year-old man who developed bilateral thigh pain and chest tightness 1 year ago. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed reticular shadows, thickened interlobular septa in both lung fields, and pericardial effusion. Three months ago, his symptoms worsened. A contrast CT scan revealed increased pericardial effusion, multiple masses in the right atrium, soft tissue shadows suggestive of retroperitoneal fibrosis, and soft tissue shadows around the thoracic and abdominal aorta. He visited University Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan suspecting IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) or large vessel vasculitis (LVV). Based on the involvement of various organs and bilateral thigh pain, Erdheim–Chester disease (ECD) was suspected, and an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) scan was performed. In addition to increased accumulation around the right ventricle, right coronary artery, and aorta, increased accumulation was confirmed in the distal femurs and proximal tibias on both sides, strongly suggesting ECD. A bone biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of ECD, showing bone fibrosis with CD68-positive and CD1a-negative foam cell infiltration, which is a characteristic of ECD. ECD is an extremely rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. ECD affects a wide variety of organs, and its imaging findings can sometimes resemble those of IgG4-related disease or LVV. However, bone lesions are characteristic of ECD and are a key finding for its diagnosis. When systemic organ lesions, including bone lesions, are present, ECD should be included in the differential diagnosis, and PET-CT should be considered.
A Behavioral Analysis of Factors That Influence Antibiotic Prescribing in Hospitals: A Metasynthesis of Reviews
Authors: Mabaya Gracia , Evans Jenna M , Longo Christopher J , Morris Andrew M
Published: December 2024

Antibiotic resistance is a global public health threat driven, in part, by antibiotic overprescription. Behavior change theories are increasingly used to try to modify prescriber behavior. A metasynthesis of 8 reviews was conducted to identify factors influencing antibiotic prescribing for adults in hospital settings and to analyze these factors using 4 behavior change frameworks. Forty-three factors were identified across 7 thematic categories and then mapped to the theoretical domains framework and capability-opportunity-motivation model of behavior. The behavior change wheel and behavior change techniques taxonomy were then used to identify appropriate interventions and their components. The domain “environmental context and resources” was coded the most often, followed by “social influences” and “beliefs about consequences,” revealing that prominent sources of antibiotic prescribing behavior are “physical opportunity” and “social opportunity.” Based on these results, suggested interventions include environmental prompts/cues, education on consequences of antibiotic overuse, social comparison and support, and incentives.
The physiological and molecular responses of potato tuberization to projected future elevated temperatures
Authors: Guillemette Abigail M , Hernández Casanova Guillian , Hamilton John P , Pokorná Eva , Dobrev Petre I , Motyka Václav , Rashotte Aaron M , Leisner Courtney P
Published: December 2024

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important food crops globally and is especially vulnerable to heat stress. However, substantial knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of the developmental mechanisms associated with tuber responses to heat stress. This study used whole-plant physiology, transcriptomics, and phytohormone profiling to elucidate how heat stress affects potato tuber development. When plants were grown in projected future elevated temperature conditions, abscisic acid (ABA) levels decreased in leaf and tuber tissues, whereas rates of leaf carbon assimilation and stomatal conductance were not significantly affected compared to those plants grown in historical temperature conditions. While plants grown in projected future elevated temperature conditions initiated more tubers per plant on average, there was a 66% decrease in mature tubers at the final harvest compared to those plants grown in historical temperature conditions. We hypothesize that reduced tuber yields at elevated temperatures are not due to reduced tuber initiation, but due to impaired tuber filling. Transcriptomic analysis detected significant changes in the expression of genes related to ABA response, heat stress, and starch biosynthesis. The tuberization repressor genes SELF-PRUNING 5G (StSP5G) and CONSTANS-LIKE1 (StCOL1) were differentially expressed in tubers grown in elevated temperatures. Two additional known tuberization genes, IDENTITY OF TUBER 1 (StIT1) and TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (StTOC1), displayed distinct expression patterns under elevated temperatures compared to historical temperature conditions but were not differentially expressed. This work highlights potential gene targets and key developmental stages associated with tuberization to develop potatoes with greater heat tolerance.
Applying an evolutionary perspective to assisted reproductive technologies
Authors: Evans Jonathan P , Garcia-Gonzalez Francisco
Published: December 2024

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are commonly used to address human infertility and to boost livestock production. During ART, procedures such as in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection introduce gametes and embryos to unnatural and potentially stressful conditions that can influence offspring health, often via epigenetic effects. In this perspective we summarize these key risks of ART for embryonic and longer-term offspring fitness, emphasizing the need for experimental research on animal models to determine causal links between ART and offspring fitness across multiple generations. We also highlight how ART can bypass a range of naturally and sexually selected mechanisms that occur in the female reproductive tract and/or via female secretions that ultimately determine which sperm fertilize their eggs. We further argue that this curtailment of female-modulated mechanisms of sperm selection may have important consequences for ART-conceived offspring. We encourage the development of ART methods that better mimic natural processes of sperm selection and embrace the fundamental principles of natural and sexual selection. Ultimately, the aim of this perspective is to encourage dialogue between the fields of evolutionary biology and applied areas of animal and human reproduction.
Energy input and food output: The energy imbalance across regional agrifood systems
Authors: Rasul Kajwan , Bruckner Martin , Mempel Finn , Trsek Stefan , Hertwich Edgar G
Published: December 2024

Biomass was the principal energy source in preindustrial societies; their agriculture provided more energy than it required. Thus, the energy return on energy investment (EROEI) needed to be >1. Recent studies have indicated that this may not be the case for modern industrialized agrifood systems (AFSs). Although the green revolution radically improved agricultural yields, it came at the expense of increased energy inputs, mainly in the form of fossil fuels. AFSs relying on external energy pose a food security risk, an economic issue for agricultural producers, and an environmental issue for all. Previous EROEI studies investigated mainly certain groups of commodities, typically at the local or national level. Here, a comprehensive global analysis shows that current AFSs have a lower EROEI than previously estimated. Globally, EROEI has increased from 0.68 in 1995 to 0.91 in 2019. In low-income regions, AFSs are still energy sources, but their EROEI has declined with increasing wealth, reflecting the growing utilization of fossil fuels. AFSs of high-income regions are energy sinks, although their EROEI has improved. Food processing is responsible for 40% of the total energy use in the global AFS, notably larger than fertilizer, which accounts for 17%. More than half of the energy use in food processing is for livestock products that also require disproportionate energy input through their inefficient conversion of (human-edible) feed. Livestock products use 60% of energy inputs while delivering <20% of food calories.
Large language models display human-like social desirability biases in Big Five personality surveys
Authors: Salecha Aadesh , Ireland Molly E , Subrahmanya Shashanka , Sedoc João , Ungar Lyle H , Eichstaedt Johannes C
Published: December 2024

Large language models (LLMs) are becoming more widely used to simulate human participants and so understanding their biases is important. We developed an experimental framework using Big Five personality surveys and uncovered a previously undetected social desirability bias in a wide range of LLMs. By systematically varying the number of questions LLMs were exposed to, we demonstrate their ability to infer when they are being evaluated. When personality evaluation is inferred, LLMs skew their scores towards the desirable ends of trait dimensions (i.e. increased extraversion, decreased neuroticism, etc.). This bias exists in all tested models, including GPT-4/3.5, Claude 3, Llama 3, and PaLM-2. Bias levels appear to increase in more recent models, with GPT-4’s survey responses changing by 1.20 (human) SD and Llama 3’s by 0.98 SD, which are very large effects. This bias remains after question order randomization and paraphrasing. Reverse coding the questions decreases bias levels but does not eliminate them, suggesting that this effect cannot be attributed to acquiescence bias. Our findings reveal an emergent social desirability bias and suggest constraints on profiling LLMs with psychometric tests and on this use of LLMs as proxies for human participants.
Injectable microspheres filled with copper-containing bioactive glass improve articular cartilage healing by regulating inflammation and recruiting stem cells
Authors: Gao Hua , Ning Eryu , Zhang Xiaoyu , Shao Zhiqiang , Hu Dan , Bai Lang , Che Hui , Hao Yuefeng
Published: December 2024

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent chronic illness in orthopedics that poses a major hazard to patient health. In situ cell therapy is emerging as a therapeutic option, but its efficacy is influenced by both the inflammatory milieu and the amount of stem cells, limiting its use. In this study, we designed a novel injectable porous microsphere (PM) based on microfluidic technology that can support in situ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy by combining polylactic–glycolic acid copolymer, kartogenin, polydopamine, stromal cell-derived factor-1, and copper-doped bioactive glass (CuBG). The ex vivo tests demonstrated that PMs@CuBG microspheres were biocompatible and facilitated the transformation of synovial macrophages from pro-inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes by releasing CuBG to reduce joint inflammation. At the same time, the microspheres are able to recruit MSCs into the joint cavity and encourage their differentiation into chondrocytes, thereby treating articular cartilage injury. The in vivo rat experimental results show that intra-articular injection of PMs@CuBG in rats with OA improves OARSI scores, aggrecan content and the ratio of col-2α-positive cells, indicating a reparative effect on damaged cartilage within the joint. As a result, PMs@CuBG microspheres are predicted to provide a novel and successful approach to in situ cell therapy for OA.
Factors associated with early clinical remission in patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis
Authors: Chao Yuyan , Li Rong , Shao Yuxia , Fei Yunyun , Zhou Jiaxin , Zhao Lidan
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) is a rare autoimmune-mediated condition characterized by fibro-inflammatory tissue development around the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries. Ureteral entrapment and hydronephrosis are the most common manifestations and acute renal failure or chronic renal insufficiency may occur as the consequence. Glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants may be effective but the therapeutic response and outcome are heterogeneous and hard to predict. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with early remission in patients with IRF.

Methods

This retrospective study included 91 IRF patients who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital between May 2013 and December 2023. Clinical data and outcomes were reviewed, and the time to remission was calculated.

Results

Over a median follow-up of 2.63 years (IQR, 1.29–3.41), 38 patients achieved remission within six months after treatment initiation. In multivariable analysis, male gender (OR 5.297, 95% CI 1.445–19.420, P=0.012) and higher baseline complement component 3 (C3) (OR 2.153, 95% CI 1.131–4.097, P=0.019) levels were significantly associated with early clinical remission (≤6 months). The time to remission was negatively associated with C3 levels (r =−0.243, P=0.014). Patients with high C3 levels (≥1.144 g/l) tended to achieve remission in a shorter time than their counterparts with low C3 levels(<1.144 g/l) (P=0.028). An effective nomogram model for predicting disease remission was constructed with gender and C3 (AUC=0.73, 95% CI 0.62–0.84).

Conclusion

Male gender and higher baseline C3 levels may act as potential predictors for achieving early remission in patients with IRF.