bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advances in portable, low-field magnetic resonance imaging in cerebrovascular disease
Authors: Zabinska Julia , de Havenon Adam , Sheth Kevin N.
Published: December 2024

Purpose of review

This review aims to describe recent advances in low-field (0.064 T) magnetic resonance imaging (LF-MRI) of cerebrovascular disease, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and white matter hyperintensities.

Recent findings

Since 2023, several studies have highlighted the rapidly changing landscape of portable, low-field MRI (LF-MRI) and its applications in stroke and cerebrovascular disease. The advantages of using LF-MRI in these settings are multifold: cheaper and dynamic imaging of this patient population confers closer observation during the acute and chronic stages of cerebrovascular disease. Initial deployments of the device span a variety of acute and emergency settings, including imaging around thrombolytic administration, endovascular reperfusion, intracerebral hemorrhage management, and cardiovascular intensive care. LF-MRI also has an important role in cerebrovascular disease monitoring and prevention, namely white matter hyperintensity (WMH) progression and vascular and Alzheimer's dementia. Early studies suggest reliable sensitivity and specificity for these pathologies. With further improvements to LF-MRI hardware, software and postprocessing on the horizon, we anticipate the device's ability to provide inexpensive and flexible neuroimaging to a wide array of healthcare settings that treat, prevent, and manage cerebrovascular disease.

Recent studies indicate that LF-MRI promotes rapid, cost-effective, and clinically useful neuroimaging at various clinical timepoints throughout stroke and cerebrovascular disease progression and management.
C2AM-Unet: Coordinate and Channel Attention Mixing Flexible Architecture for Retinal Vessel Segmentation
Authors: Zhang Jingling , Zheng Shuting , Zhang Wen , Gu Jia
Published: December 2024

Recently, CNN-based and Transformer-based network have become the de-facto standard for vessel segmentation, due to their strong feature representation capabilities. However, CNNs fall short in explicitly capturing global dependencies between different spatial locations, while Transformers require quadratic computation by virtue of the long sequences and lack fine-grained local correlations. Seeking to model both local correlations and long-range dependencies, our research revisits this issue and introduces a novel retinal vessel segmentation network based on U-Net, the Coordinate and Channel Attention Mixing Flexible Architecture (C2AM-Unet), a new lightweight network that combines the U-Net model with a multi-attention mechanism. Specifically, we present a core Dual Global Coordinate Attention (DGCA) module, which embeds two types of serial global spatial-specific property information: one with a direction-aware mechanism, responsible for encoding long-range dependencies and coordinate information in both horizontal and vertical directions, and another with a transformer-like coordinate module that focuses on the connections and interactions between each spatial location. Next, the C2AM feature maps are aggregated with the direction-aware feature maps to enhance their ability to represent the objects of interest. To further strengthen the long-distance semantic dependencies, we utilize the transformer-like channel attention model to capture the cross-channel communication of global information. To verify the effectiveness of our method, we also construct other similar variant components that can be flexibly applied to other networks. The experimental results on three retinal vessel and two coronary angiography datasets, including DRIVE, STARE, CHASE_DB1, DCA1 and CHUAC, demonstrate that C2AM-Unet achieves competitive scores compared to the state-of-the-art methods.
Synaptic acetylcholine induces sharp wave ripples in the basolateral amygdala through nicotinic receptors
Authors: Bratsch-Prince Joshua X. , Jones Grace C. , Warreni James W. , Mott David D.
Published: December 2024

While the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical in the consolidation of emotional memories, mechanisms underlying memory consolidation in this region are not well understood. In the hippocampus, memory consolidation depends upon network signatures termed sharp wave ripples (SWR). These SWRs largely occur during states of awake rest or slow wave sleep and are inversely correlated with cholinergic tone. While high frequency cholinergic stimulation can inhibit SWRs through muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, it is unclear how nicotinic acetylcholine receptors or different cholinergic firing patterns may influence SWR generation. SWRs are also present in BLAin vivo. Interestingly, the BLA receives extremely dense cholinergic inputs, yet the relationship between acetylcholine (ACh) and BLA SWRs is unexplored. Here, using brain slice electrophysiology in male and female mice, we show that brief stimulation of ACh inputs to BLA reliably induces SWRs that resemble those that occur in the BLAin vivo. Repeated ACh-SWRs are induced with single pulse stimulation at low, but not higher frequencies. ACh-SWRs are driven by nicotinic receptors which recruit different classes of local interneurons and trigger glutamate release from external inputs. In total, our findings establish a previously undefined mechanism for SWR induction in the brain. They also challenge the previous notion of neuromodulators as purely modulatory agents gating these events but instead reveal these systems can directly instruct SWR induction with temporal precision. Further, these results intriguingly suggest a new role for the nicotinic system in emotional memory consolidation.

Significance Statement

Sharp wave ripples represent a key network signature believed to be important in memory consolidation. These network events have been largely studied in the hippocampus and are suppressed by the basal forebrain cholinergic system. Sharp wave ripples also occur in the basolateral amygdala, a region critically involved in emotional memory consolidation. Here, we show a novel mechanism by which low frequency stimulation of synaptic acetylcholine in basolateral amygdala brain slices can reliably induce sharp wave ripples through a nicotinic receptor-mediated mechanism. These findings update the view of neuromodulatory systems in sharp wave ripple induction, moving past a purely modulatory role for these systems and instead establish a role where modulators, like acetylcholine, can directly drive SWRs with temporal precision.
Comparison of characteristics of bimanual coordinated movements in older adults with frailty, pre-frailty, and robust health
Authors: Fujikawa Shoya , Murata Shin , Goda Akio , Sawai Shun , Yamamoto Ryosuke , Shizuka Yusuke , Maru Takayuki , Nakagawa Kotaro , Nakano Hideki
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Introduction

Despite the growing concern regarding a potential increase in the number of older adults with frailty owing to an aging global population, the characteristics of bimanual coordination in such older adults remain unclear. This study aimed to compare bimanual coordinated movements among community-dwelling older adults with frailty, pre-frailty, and robust health and identify the specific characteristics of these movements in older adults with frailty.

Methods

Participants were divided into frail, pre-frail, and robust groups on the basis of Kihon Checklist scores; they performed in-phase (tapping the thumb and index finger together as fast as possible) and anti-phase (alternating the movement between the left and right fingers) bimanual coordination tasks, and the task parameters were then compared among the groups.

Results

The total travel distance during the anti-phase task in the frail group was significantly shorter than that in the robust group. However, all three groups showed lower finger dexterity during the anti-phase task than the in-phase task and in the left hand than in the right hand.

Conclusions

Older adults with frailty show less movement in bimanual coordination tasks than robust older adults, suggesting that bimanual coordination tasks may be useful tools for assessing frailty.
Asynchronous subunit transitions precede acetylcholine receptor activation
Authors: Thompson Mackenzie J. , Tessier Christian J.G. , Ananchenko Anna , Emlaw Johnathon R. , Dehez François , Zarkadas Eleftherios , daCosta Corrie J.B. , Nury Hugues , Baenziger John E.
Published: December 2024

Rapid communication at synapses is facilitated by postsynaptic receptors, which convert a chemical signal into an electrical response. In the case of ligand-gated ion channels, agonist binding triggers rapid transition through a series of intermediate states leading to a transient open-pore conformation. These transitions are usually framed in terms of a mechanism where agonist binding and channel activation are separate events. Here, we collect cryo-EM images over a range of agonist concentrations to define structures of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in unliganded, mono-liganded, and di-liganded states. We show that agonist binding to a single agonist site stabilizes an intermediate state where an entire principal agonist-binding subunit has transitioned to an active-like conformation, while the other unoccupied principal subunit remains inactive, albeit poised for activation. Binding of agonist to the second agonist site fully activates the remaining subunits leading to hydration of the ion pore. Uniting this cryo-EM derived intermediate structure with single-channel recordings leads to a model where individual acetylcholine receptor subunits asynchronously undergo conformational transitions, and thus a sequential activation mechanism that has implications for the entire superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels.
Creating Entangled Logical Qubits in the Heavy-Hex Lattice with Topological Codes
Authors: Hetényi Bence , Wootton James R.
Published: December 2024

Designs for quantum error correction depend strongly on the connectivity of the qubits. For solid-state qubits, the most straightforward approach is to have connectivity constrained to a planar graph. Practical considerations may also further restrict the connectivity, resulting in a relatively sparse graph such as the heavy-hexagonal (“heavy-hex”) architecture of current IBM Quantum devices. In such cases, it is hard to use all qubits to their full potential. Instead, in order to emulate the denser connectivity required to implement well-known quantum error-correcting codes, many qubits remain effectively unused. In this work, we show how this bug can be turned into a feature. By using the unused qubits of one code to execute another, two codes can be implemented on top of each other, allowing easy application of fault-tolerant entangling gates and measurements. We demonstrate this by realizing a surface code and a Bacon-Shor code on a 133-qubit IBM Quantum device. Using transversal controlled-X () gates and lattice surgery, we demonstrate entanglement between these logical qubits with code distance up to d=4 and five rounds of stabilizer-measurement cycles. The nonplanar coupling between the qubits allows us to simultaneously measure the logical XX, YY, and ZZ observables. With this, we verify the violation of Bell’s inequality for both the

d

=

2

case with postselection featuring a fidelity of 94% and the d=3 instance using only quantum error correction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The use of the UKU side effect rating scale for adults with intellectual disabilities in a clinical sample
Authors: Bakken Trine Lise , Hellerud Jane Margrete Askeland , Skaale Svein Eirik , Augustin Monica , Elvehaug Arne-Henrik
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The UKU Side Effect Rating Scale for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities (UKU-SERS-ID) was developed to detect side effects in patients with intellectual disabilities who receive psychotropic medication. The aim of the present study was to examine the frequency and distribution of the side effects of psychotropic medication in persons with intellectual disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 100 patients receiving in- and outpatient treatment participated in this study. The UKU-SERS-ID, encompassing 34 items, was scored for all participants at two time points. T1 was the baseline rating, and T2 was scored around two to four weeks after starting on new medication.

Findings

Mean scores on the psychological side effects scale were found to be substantially higher than on any other scale, especially the items tension/inner unrest and depressed mood. The patients most frequently received antipsychotic medication, as well as a combination of antipsychotic and antidepressants or antianxiety medication. The study sample was highly heterogeneous, and missing baseline information prevented assumptions being made about causality. The analyses revealed no increase or decrease from T1 to T2 for the side effects measured in the study group.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is necessary on the association between the side effects and specific groups of psychotropic medication.

Practical implications

The UKU-SERS-ID may be a feasible tool in clinical practice on an individual level.

Social implications

Monitoring of side effects for patients using psychotropic medication.

Originality/value

Studies of side effects from the use of psychotropic medication in people with ID is still sparse. This study may hopefully contribute to an increased interest in this topic.
Promoting proactive extra-role service behaviors through empowering leadership: the role of mindfulness
Authors: Albacete-Saez Carlos A. , Moreno-Marcial Adriana P. , Roldan Bravo María Isabel , Rescalvo-Martin Elisa , Llorens Montes Francisco Javier
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Based on conservation of resources theory, this study aims to understand how employees’ level of mindfulness serves as a boundary condition capable of negatively conditioning the process through which empowering leadership affects employees’ proactivity and extra-role service (ERS) behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 361 Spanish frontline employees in the hospitality sector collaborated in this research. We tested our hypotheses using a bootstrapping method to perform a regression study employing the PROCESS macro developed for Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

Findings

As expected, our results confirmed the direct and indirect positive effects between empowering leadership and ERS. However, these effects nearly disappeared when employees exhibited high levels of mindfulness.

Originality/value

Worker ERS behavior is a key way for hotels to distinguish themselves from competitors. Paradoxically, ERS is discretionary and not part of the employee’s formal duties. Although mindfulness is often promoted to enhance organizational functioning, our study highlights its drawbacks in hospitality. Hotel work requires proactive decision-making, and we found that mindfulness curbs this, thereby impeding ERS. This study suggests that mindfulness may act as an anchor in a service work environment.
Why do leaders reject employee voice: a job demands-resources and conservation of resources approach
Authors: Zong Shuwei , Han Yi , Yang Fu , Wang Qin
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Based on the job demands-resources model (JD-R model) and conservation of resources (COR) approach, this study aims to examine how role overload and leader–leader exchange (LLX) affect leaders’ voice rejection, and explore when the positive relationship between role overload and voice rejection is weakened.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used three-wave data from 205 leader–employee pairs and tested the hypothesized moderated mediation model using hierarchical regression and bootstrapping.

Findings

Results revealed that two parallel paths influence leaders’ voice rejection. The first path was “LLX → change self-efficacy → voice rejection”, and the second path was “role overload → emotional exhaustion → voice rejection”. LLX weakened the direct relationship between role overload and emotional exhaustion, and weakened the indirect relationship between role overload and voice rejection via emotional exhaustion.

Practical implications

Organizations need to provide team leaders with additional resources and reduce their workloads to enhance their effectiveness in fulfilling the role of voice managers.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive explanation, according to the JD-R model and COR theory, of how and when job demand and job resource influence leaders’ voice rejection, thereby enhancing our understanding of the formation. It provides new insights into leader voice rejection.
Digital era learner-centered leadership and teachers’ efficacy: the mediating role of teachers’ professional learning
Authors: Chan Pui Yee , Cheah Phaik Kin , Choong Yuen Onn
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This research aimed to investigate how learning-centered leadership influences teachers’ self-efficacy, with a focus on the mediating role of teachers’ professional learning in Malaysian national secondary schools. Given the continuously evolving educational environment and the integration of technology, teachers’ self-efficacy is of utmost importance.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were collected from a sample of 430 secondary school teachers in Malaysia, and the analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The research revealed significant relationships between variables: learning-centered leadership positively related to teachers’ professional learning, which, in turn, positively influences teachers’ self-efficacy. Interestingly, the study found that the direct relationship between learning-centered leadership and teachers’ self-efficacy was not significant. These findings highlight the crucial mediating role of teachers’ professional learning in the relationship between learning-centered leadership and teachers’ self-efficacy.

Originality/value

These findings provide important insights into the factors that enhance teachers’ self-efficacy and competence, especially within the dynamic environment of schools.
Organisational determinants of employees’ affective commitment in pharmaceutical multinationals: mediation by perceived corporate social responsibility
Authors: Ng Angeline , Raghavan Santhi , Ho Jo Ann
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This quantitative study aims to examine the mediating role of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) between organisational practices and affective commitment. Code of ethics, ethics training, transformational leadership and ethical climate were investigated as factors of perceived CSR.

Design/methodology/approach

This research model was evaluated using structural equation modelling and survey data from 184 employees of Malaysian pharmaceutical multinationals.

Findings

Perceived CSR mediated the relationship between code of ethics, transformational leadership, ethical climate and affective commitment.

Practical implications

The CSR investments aimed at developing an effective ethics programme, transformational leadership practices and ethical climate could improve organisational competitiveness by strengthening employees’ perceived CSR and affective commitment.

Originality/value

The systematic investigation of various organisational controls that establish a corporate environment of ethics and social responsibility sets a precedent for past piecemeal approaches. The existing body of knowledge is based on Western countries, which revealed insights unique to pharmaceutical multinationals in a transitional Asian economy.
Eighteenth‐Century Global Domesticity. The Collection of Don Luigi and Donna Caterina, Spanish Ambassadors
Authors: Viola Valeria
Published: December 2024

As a diplomat of the Spanish crown, Don Luigi Riggio et Branciforte, Prince of Campofiorito, travelled through Europe for 34 years with his wife, Donna Caterina Gravina, bringing with them a vast collection of assorted furnishings. This article explores the connections that the Riggio family interweaved with societies around them and investigates their role as cross‐agents in Sicily. Its intent is to investigate the relationship between their cross‐agency and the materiality around them, by considering the capacity of architecture, as a comprehensive space made of walls, floor, ceiling, furniture, frescoes, and so on, to actively affect people's attitudes and behaviours. The article argues that the eclectic collection, constructing the international trait of the couple, stressed their alignment with both the hybrid taste introduced by the Bourbon monarchs of Spain and the politics underlying this taste.
Geographies of discontent: Public service deprivation and the rise of the far right in Italy
Authors: Cremaschi Simone , Rettl Paula , Cappelluti Marco , De Vries Catherine E.
Published: December 2024

Electoral support for far‐right parties is often linked to geographies of discontent. We argue that public service deprivation, defined as reduced access to public services, plays an important role in explaining these patterns. By exploiting an Italian reform that reduced access to public services in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 residents, we show that far‐right support in national elections increased in municipalities affected by the reform compared to unaffected ones. We use geo‐coded individual‐level survey data and party rhetoric data to explore the mechanisms underlying this result. Our findings suggest that concerns about immigration are exacerbated by the reform, and that far‐right parties increasingly linked public services to immigration in their rhetoric after the reform. These demand and supply dynamics help us understand how public service deprivation shapes geographic patterns in far‐right support.
Personalized parathyroid hormone therapy for hypoparathyroidism: Insights from pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic modelling
Authors: Visscher Maira , Schuls‐Fouchier Manon , Berends Annika M. A. , Muller Kobold Anneke C. , Punt Nieko C. , Touw Daan J.
Published: December 2024

Aims

A 42‐year‐old male developed chronic primary hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy. Conventional therapy led to recurrent nephrolithiasis and therefore rhPTH(1‐84) (parathyroid hormone [PTH]) treatment was considered. According to the dosing guideline for PTH, calcium plasma levels are adequately controlled with once‐daily administration. However, the effect on urinary calcium excretion is only transient and hence does not lower the risk of nephrolithiasis. This raises the question of whether multiple‐daily or continuous administration of PTH is more effective in lowering urinary calcium excretion. We aimed to construct a pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic (PKPD) model to answer this question.

Methods

A single patient was treated with intermittent PTH followed by off‐label continuous infusion of PTH. PTH was measured in plasma, calcium and phosphate in plasma and urine. A one‐compartment PKPD model for PTH was developed with Edsim++. The effect of PTH was described by the relative clearance of calcium and phosphate.

Results

The PKPD model for PTH showed visually a marked effect on phosphate clearance, but less on calcium clearance. During the study, the patient also received medication that influenced calcium homeostasis but to a lesser extent phosphate homeostasis. Therefore, phosphate was chosen as the effect parameter, resulting in an EC50 of 6.3 pmol/L PTH.

Conclusions

The PKPD model for PTH was completed with the unique data of a single patient who received PTH according to various dosing regimens, including continuous infusion. Continuous administration of PTH is favoured because it permanently increases the phosphate clearance and therefore needs to be further investigated.
Iron overload in hereditary spherocytosis: Are genetic factors the cause?
Authors: Donaty Lucie , Giansily‐Blaizot Muriel , Bertchansky Ivan , Cunat Séverine , Azoury Vincent , Mahe Perrine , Aguilar Martinez Patricia
Published: December 2024

Non‐transfusional iron overload (IOL) in hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is poorly documented compared with other red blood cell disorders. We studied 13 HS adults with confirmed IOL to identify potential genetic factors. Using a next‐generation sequencing panel of 46 genes related to HS, anaemia and iron metabolism, we found no association between IOL and the genes involved in HS nor the HFE:p.(Cys282Tyr) variant responsible for hereditary haemochromatosis. However, potential genetic factors contributing to IOL were identified in some patients, including variants in HJV (haemojuvelin), SLC40A1 (ferroportin), PKLR (pyruvate kinase), ABCG5 and ABCB8, highlighting the need for larger studies.
Initial participant perspectives about participating in an online, semi‐supervised, cirrhosis‐specific nutrition and exercise intervention
Authors: Ismond Kathleen P. , McNeely Margaret L. , Spence John C. , Spiers Jude A. , Tandon Puneeta
Published: December 2024

Objectives

In chronic diseases, there have been issues with low levels of participant adherence and retention during well‐supported lifestyle behaviour change interventional studies. Theoretically informed, the objective was to explore the types of challenges participants are experiencing to inform future designs.

Design

We conducted an exploratory descriptive study in an adult cirrhosis population after the first 4–6 weeks of a 12‐week semi‐supervised nutrition and exercise online program.

Methods

Participants in the parent feasibility study, assessing the nutrition and exercise intervention (Heal‐Me), were eligible for this nested study. Heal‐Me is a multimodal program that is tailorable to a participant's abilities through regular interaction with the study's registered dietician and exercise specialist. Interviews (~60 min) with participants were recorded then analysed descriptively, guided by the capability, opportunity and motivational behaviour change model.

Results

The 20 participants preferred the expert‐led group online nutrition and exercise classes over independent activities such as protein tracking and the exercise videos. Social gamification (e.g., weekly polls on favourite things like movies or sports teams) contributed to the group experience. All except one person required program tailoring to address preferences, abilities and new onset health events. Findings led to the inclusion of 4 behaviour change techniques to the initial 17, whereas 2 others were expanded.

Conclusions

While program tailoring, awareness of cirrhosis nutrition and regular interactions with staff influenced participant retention and adherence in the first 4–6 weeks of the online program.
Social trust and formal institutions: How do they shape public debt?
Authors: Bagchi Sagnik , Majumder Sayantan Bandhu
Published: December 2024

This research investigates the impact of varying levels of social trust across economies on the development of effective formal institutions that serve to determine public debt. Analysing a sample of 95 economies from 2000 to 2020, our econometric results indicate that social trust is a pivotal determinant of public debt. The effect operates indirectly through the quality of various categories of legal system and property rights indicator. In particular, the results reveal that the relationship between social trust and economic‐judicial institutions are complementary to each other. In addition, we also find that countries with higher social trust tend to reduce their primary deficit in the face of higher debt, thereby reducing the likelihood of uncontrollable debt scenarios.
Time in Hegel's Preface to the Phenomenology
Authors: Sedgwick Sally
Published: December 2024

In the Preface to the Phenomenology, Hegel indicates that the “philosophical” or “scientific” mode of cognition that emerges from the journey of consciousness contrasts with its “mathematical” counterpart which ignores time. The task of this paper is to draw clues from the Preface to the role Hegel assigns temporality in the Phenomenology. The thesis defended is that underlying the rigidity he discovers in mathematical cognition is what he takes to be a mistaken view of the origin of concepts, and an insensitivity to their path. In effect, this insensitivity amounts for Hegel to an ignorance of their temporality.
Associations of socioeconomic status with cognitive function, language ability, and academic achievement in youth: a systematic review of mechanisms and protective factors
Authors: Rakesh Divyangana , Lee Paris Anne , Gaikwad Amruta , McLaughlin Katie A.
Published: December 2024

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is negatively associated with children's cognitive and academic performance, leading to long‐term educational and economic disparities. In particular, SES is a powerful predictor of executive function (EF), language ability, and academic achievement. Despite extensive research documenting SES‐related differences in these domains, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these associations and factors that may mitigate these relationships is limited. This systematic review aimed to identify the mediators and moderators in the association of SES with EF, language ability, and academic achievement. Our synthesis revealed stress, support, stimulation, and broader contextual factors at the school‐ and neighborhood level to be important mediators and protective factors in these associations. In particular, cognitive stimulation mediated the association of SES with EF, language ability, and academic achievement. Educational expectations, classroom and school environment, and teacher–student relationships also played a key role in the association of SES with academic achievement. In addition, factors such as preschool attendance, home learning activities, and parental support buffered the association between low SES and lower cognitive and language outcomes. We discuss these findings in the context of interventions that may help to reduce SES‐related cognitive and educational disparities.
Chromis tweddlei, a new deep‐water species of damselfish (Pomacentridae) from the Cargados Carajos Bank, southwestern Indian Ocean
Authors: Lisher Mark W. , Viana Sarah T. F. L. , Gon Ofer
Published: December 2024

Chromis tweddlei, a new species of damselfish, is described from seven specimens, 88.8–111.1 mm standard length (SL), collected during a 2008 expedition by the R.V. Dr. Fridtjof Nansen at 214–219 m depth (an unusually deep occurrence for the genus) on the Cargados Carajos Bank, Mascarene Plateau, southwestern Indian Ocean. Chromis tweddlei sp. nov. closely resembles Chromis axillaris, Chromis pelloura, and Chromis woodsi, the only congeners occurring in the western Indian Ocean (WIO) that share the character of having 14 dorsal‐fin spines and a dark caudal band. Chromis tweddlei sp. nov. can be distinguished from its regional congeners by having II,13–14 anal‐fin rays, 19–20 pectoral‐fin rays, 18–19 tubed lateral‐line scales, 4 scales above lateral line to the origin of dorsal fin, 29–32 total gill rakers, and colouration, including a caudal band that tapers anteriorly the full length of the caudal peduncle. A key to the 14 dorsal‐fin spine species of Chromis from the WIO is provided.
Comparison of antithrombogenic coated and uncoated flow diverters in ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms
Authors: Weiss Daniel , Vach Marius , Ivan Vivien L. , Muhammad Sajjad , Hofmann Björn B. , Neyazi Milad , Turowski Bernd , Kaschner Marius
Published: December 2024

Background and Purpose

Flow diversion has become a key treatment option for complex intracranial aneurysms. Recent advancements include coated flow diverters (FDs), designed to potentially reduce the need for dual antiplatelet therapy, thereby removing the associated secondary risks while maintaining patency and low complication rates. Comparing coated and uncoated FDs may offer insights into long‐term outcomes and treatment optimization.

Method

In this retrospective single‐center study, we investigated the data of 21 consecutive patients with cerebral aneurysms, treated between 2021 and 2023 with the coated Derivo 2heal Embolization Device and the uncoated Derivo Embolization Device (both Acandis). We described the procedure and analyzed clinical and radiological data, along with long‐term outcomes after 18 months of follow‐up.

Results

Nine patients (42.9%) had incidental, while 12 (57.1%) had symptomatic aneurysms, including 10 with World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies classification IV subarachnoid hemorrhages. Aneurysm locations included mostly the internal carotid (n = 9) and the vertebral artery (n = 7). All FDs were successfully deployed: 11 patients received the coated and 10 the uncoated device. After 18 months, 73.3% of patients had favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Score 0‐2). One coated FD occluded asymptomatically after 6 months, and one uncoated FD occluded immediately but could be recanalized.

Conclusions

We observed favorable occlusion rates for both coated and uncoated FDs. The role of dual antiplatelet therapy remains debated. Large multicenter studies are essential to evaluate the patency of coated compared to uncoated FDs and determine whether they can reduce thrombogenicity, potentially allowing for less or no antiplatelet therapy in emergencies.
CBCT Analysis of the Hyoid and Pharyngeal Airway Changes in Class III Patients With Orthognathic Surgery
Authors: Chen Si‐Mai , Cai Hua‐Yang , Yan Xing‐Zhi , Ni Jie‐Li , Wang Li‐Ran , Cai Chen‐Jie , Cai Qi , Wan Dong‐Dong , Qian Ya‐Jing , Fang Wei‐Wen , Lei Fan , Zhang Yang , Guo Shu‐Yu , Mossey Peter A.
Published: December 2024

Aim

This study was designed to investigate the response of the respiratory structures to orthognathic surgery in patients with Class III malocclusion, with a specific emphasis on the vertical placement of the hyoid bone. The correlations of these changes were also analysed, followed by further subgroup analyses based on preoperative conditions.

Materials and Methods

Dolphin software was used to obtain cephalometric landmarks, airway and hyoid bone measurements from pre‐ and postoperative CBCT scans of 31 patients. Statistical analyses included paired t‐tests and Pearson's correlation analysis.

Results

Stomatological mandibular values and the nasopharynx height showed significant changes. Pearson's correlation identified significant correlations between changes in B and H horizontal coordinates (p < 0.05), as well as between changes in H longitudinal coordinates and specific airway dynamics (p < 0.05). Patients with a lower preoperative hyoid position experienced a more pronounced decrease in hypopharyngeal airway volume after surgery compared to those with a higher preoperative hyoid position, as evidenced by the significant mean differences and p values (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Class III patients experienced airway constriction following orthognathic surgery, particularly those with a lower preoperative hyoid bone position, who showed a more significant decrease in hypopharyngeal airway volume postsurgery compared to those with a higher preoperative hyoid position. These findings underscored the importance of individualised surgical planning and highlighted the need for further research with dynamic assessments to optimise respiratory outcomes.
Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses uncover the key pathways of Limonium bicolor in response to salt stress
Authors: Zhu Zhihui , Zhou Yuqing , Liu Xiuyue , Meng Fanxia , Xu Chenhan , Chen Min
Published: December 2024

Salinity significantly inhibits plant growth and development. While the recretohalophyte Limonium bicolor can reduce its ion content by secreting salt, the metabolic pathways it employs to adapt to high salt stress remain unclear. This study aims to unravel this enigma through integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of L. bicolor under salt stress conditions. The results showed that compared to the control (S0), low salt treatment (S1) led to a significant increase in plant growth, photosynthesis efficiency and antioxidant enzyme activity but caused no significant changes in organic soluble substance and ROS contents. However, high salt treatments (S3 and S4) led to a significant decrease in plant growth, photosynthesis efficiency and antioxidant enzyme activity, accompanied by a significant increase in organic soluble substance and ROS contents. A significant increase in phenolic compounds, such as caffeoyl shikimic acid and coniferin, upon the treatments of S1, S3 and S4, and a decrease and increase in flavonoids upon the treatments of S1 and S3 were also observed, respectively. This study also demonstrated that the expression patterns of key genes responsible for the biosynthesis of these metabolites are consistent with the observed trends in their accumulation levels. These results suggest that under low salt stress conditions, the halophyte L. bicolor experiences minimal osmotic and oxidative stress. However, under high salt stress conditions, it suffers severe osmotic and oxidative stress, and the increase in organic soluble substances and flavonoids serves as a key response to these stresses and also represents a good strategy for the alleviation of them.
Local monodromy of Drinfeld modules
Authors: Mornev M.
Published: December 2024

Compared with algebraic varieties the local monodromy of Drinfeld modules appears to be hopelessly complex: the image of the wild inertia subgroup under Tate module representations is infinite save for the case of potential good reduction. Nonetheless, we show that Tate modules of Drinfeld modules are ramified in a limited way: the image of a sufficiently deep ramification subgroup is trivial. This leads to a new invariant, the local conductor of a Drinfeld module. We establish an upper bound on the conductor in terms of the volume of the period lattice. As an intermediate step we develop a theory of normed lattices in function field arithmetic including the notion of volume. We relate normed lattices to vector bundles on projective curves. With the aid of Castelnuovo–Mumford regularity this implies a volume bound on norms of lattice generators, and the conductor inequality follows. Last but not least we describe the image of inertia for Drinfeld modules with period lattices of rank $1$. Just as in the theory of local $\ell$-adic Galois representations this image is commensurable with a commutative unipotent algebraic subgroup. However, in the case of Drinfeld modules such a subgroup can be a product of several copies of $\mathbf {G}_a$.
Automatic detection and classification of beluga whale calls in the St. Lawrence estuary
Authors: Cotillard Tristan , Sécheresse Xavier , Aubin Jaclyn , Mikus Marie-Ana , Vergara Valeria , Gambs Sébastien , Michaud Robert , Martins Cristiane C. A. , Turgeon Samuel , Chion Clément , Roca Irene
Published: December 2024

The endangered beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) of the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLEB) faces threats from a variety of anthropogenic factors. Since belugas are a highly social and vocal species, passive acoustic monitoring has the potential to deliver, in a non-invasive and continuous way, real-time information on SLEB spatiotemporal habitat use, which is crucial for their monitoring and conservation. In this study, we introduce an automatic pipeline to analyze continuous passive acoustic data and provide standard and accurate estimations of SLEB acoustic presence and vocal activity. An object detector extracted vocalizations of beluga whales from an acoustic recording of beluga vocal activity. Then, two deep learning classifiers discriminated between high-frequency call types (40–120 kHz) and the presence of low-frequency components (0–20 kHz), respectively. Different algorithms were tested for each step and their main combinations were compared in time and performance. We focused our work on a high residency area, Baie Sainte-Marguerite (BSM), used for socialization and feeding by SLEB. Overall, this project showed that accurate continuous analysis of SLEB vocal activity at BSM could provide valuable information to estimate habitat use, link beluga behavior and acoustic activity within and between herds, and quantify beluga presence and abundance.
Breaking the glass
Authors: Moutinho Sofia
Published: December 2024

Latin America is a leader in nonprofit open-access journals. But it struggles to give them global visibility
Beneath Antarctica’s ice, a fiery future may await
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: December 2024

Researchers probe volcanoes’ response to a changing world
Death of the paediatric manikin: a scoping review
Authors: Apara Teleireoluwa , Hogan Tom , Peterson Jennifer L H
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Whether the manikin should die in simulation training is a controversial area, with some educators stating that manikin death is essential in providing realistic training, while others state that the psychological burden of manikin death could derail learning and impair psychological safety. This scoping review aims to explore the existing literature regarding death of the manikin in paediatric and neonatal simulation education.

Methods

The literature was searched for publications regarding paediatric and/or neonatal manikin death in simulation training. The same search strategy was used across MEDLINE (OVID), Embase (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO) and PsycInfo (OVID) databases. Articles were screened against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

810 articles were identified. 807 were excluded (duplicates/did not meet criteria). Three articles were suitable for inclusion in the final review. Included studies were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

Conclusions

There is a paucity of research in this important area of simulation training. From the limited research available, the following themes were identified: death of the paediatric manikin can increase scenario realism; participation in paediatric manikin death scenarios was not more stressful than participating in standard simulation; and the debrief has a crucial role in mitigating the potentially negative impacts of paediatric manikin death for learners.

Death of the paediatric and neonatal manikin can provide a beneficial educational experience for participants but requires considered and experienced facilitation.
Omega‐3 EPA and DHA From Algal Oil Improve Pacific White Shrimp Zootechnical Performance and Nutritional Quality Without Changing Sensory Quality
Authors: Santigosa Ester , Lemos Daniel , Coelho Rafael T. I. , Carr Ian
Published: December 2024

Although the benefits of incorporating algal oil (AO) in plant‐based aquafeeds have been established for most commercial fish species, knowledge on the effects of such incorporation in shrimp feeds is scarce. The present study assessed how AO inclusion at different levels in a plant‐based shrimp feed could promote growth and fatty acid (FA) deposition in the muscle. Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, were fed a reference diet with marine animal ingredients (F0) or a marine‐free plant‐based diet with vegetable oil (VO) alone (P0), or in combination with 1% (P1) or 2% (P2) AO. After 51 days of culture, zootechnical and nutritional performance of shrimp fed with AO supplemented diets was significantly improved. The sensory attributes of shrimp fed P1 and P2 were slightly improved relative to P0 while the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content was three to four times higher, thereby increasing the nutritional value of shrimp. Therefore, plant‐based feeds can sustain an efficient production of L. vannamei with controlled FA profiles, provided they are supplemented with AO. In addition, the use of AO eliminates the reliance of shrimp feeds on the limited supplies of marine ingredients while maintaining the forage fish dependency ratio for fish oil (FO) of zero and allows for the use of more flexible formulae based on different meals of nonmarine origin.
The Relationship Between Second Language Grit and Academic Achievement Among Chinese International Students: The Mediating Effect of Learning Engagement
Authors: He Lin , Pan Tao , Lu Haili , Yu Hao , Cui Jinming
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Grit is a crucial predictive factor for language learners to successfully master a second language (L2).

Method: Through random sampling, data analysis, and establishing structural equation models, this study explores the relationship between the grit level and academic achievements of international students in China, as well as the mediating effects of learning engagement factors (N = 186).

Results: (1) The demographic manifestations of L2‐Grit and academic achievements are significantly different, and perseverance of effort, consistency of interests, and learning engagement are all positively correlated with academic achievements; (2) within learning engagement, behavioral engagement and cognitive engagement play partial mediating roles between L2‐Grit and academic achievements, while emotional engagement does not produce a mediating effect; (3) the grit and learning engagement of Chinese language learners have an absolute predictive effect on academic achievements, and lack of engagement negatively affects academic achievements. From the perspective of positive psychology, the study confirms the importance of L2‐Grit, behavioral engagement, and cognitive engagement in enhancing academic achievements, providing more scientifically effective strategies and guidance for L2 teaching. It is suggested that future research includes factors such as cognitive load to further explore the functioning mechanisms of grit.
Enabling Circular Business Models: Preconditions and Key Performance Indicators for the Market Launch of Repurposed Second‐Life Lithium‐Ion Batteries From Electric Vehicles
Authors: Prenner Stefanie , Part Florian , Jandric Aleksander , Bordes Arnaud , Leonhardt Robert , Jung-Waclik Sabine , Huber-Humer Marion
Published: December 2024

With the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and thus lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), the number of end‐of‐life (EoL) LIBs after their first life in EVs is about to increase significantly. These end‐of‐first‐life (EoFL) EV LIBs still have sufficient energy density for less‐demanding second‐life applications like stationary battery energy storage systems (BESSs) or mobile applications (e.g., forklifts, tools). Repurposing EoFL EV LIBs extends their lifespan, offering sustainability benefits and supporting several United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, prevailing market entry barriers, such as high repurposing costs, little information on battery history and aging, or lacking performance indicators, hinder the widespread implementation of second‐life applications. Thus, this study aims to identify preconditions for considering and selecting useful EoFL LIBs and to determine key performance indicators (KPIs) to minimize economic risks for a successful second‐life market launch. KPIs were rated according to importance using a Likert scale, and reference values were introduced. A mixed‐methods approach, using expert interviews, an exploratory workshop, and an online survey, was applied. Twelve important preconditions were identified, with the “availability of information on battery specification” and “compliance with standards and regulations” considered very important. In addition, 12 KPIs were derived, covering six economic, three environmental, and three technical and safety‐related indicators. The KPIs “state of safety (SoS)” and “resource savings (Rsav)” were rated as highly important. Overall, the findings provide performance measurement guidance for repurposing companies, facilitating the market launch and adoption of second‐life applications. Future research can build on these results and investigate variations among different battery types, ultimately promoting a circular economy.
Supplementary Figure 5 from Discovery of RGT-018: A Potent, Selective, and Orally Bioavailable SOS1 Inhibitor for KRAS-Driven Cancers
Authors: Xiao Fei , Wang Kailiang , Wang Xinjuan , Li Huijuan , Hu Zhilong , Ren Xiaoming , Huang Wei , Feng Teng , Yao Lili , Lin Jing , Li Chunlai , Zhang Zhuanzhuan , Mei Liufeng , Zhu Xiaotian , Zhong Wenge , Xie Zhi
Published: December 2024

Supplementary Figure 5