bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dectin‐3‐targeted antifungal liposomes efficiently bind and kill diverse fungal pathogens
Authors: Choudhury Quanita J. , Ambati Suresh , Link Collin D. , Lin Xiaorong , Lewis Zachary A. , Meagher Richard B.
Published: October 2023

DectiSomes are anti‐infective drug‐loaded liposomes targeted to pathogenic cells by pathogen receptors including the Dectins. We have previously used C‐type lectin (CTL) pathogen receptors Dectin‐1, Dectin‐2, and DC‐SIGN to target DectiSomes to the extracellular oligoglycans surrounding diverse pathogenic fungi and kill them. Dectin‐3 (also known as MCL, CLEC4D) is a CTL pathogen receptor whose known cognate ligands are partly distinct from other CTLs. We expressed and purified a truncated Dectin‐3 polypeptide (DEC3) comprised of its carbohydrate recognition domain and stalk region. We prepared amphotericin B (AmB)‐loaded pegylated liposomes (AmB‐LLs) and coated them with this isoform of Dectin‐3 (DEC3‐AmB‐LLs), and we prepared control liposomes coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA‐AmB‐LLs). DEC3‐AmB‐LLs bound to the exopolysaccharide matrices of Candida albicans, Rhizopus delemar (formerly known as R. oryzae), and Cryptococcus neoformans from one to several orders of magnitude more strongly than untargeted AmB‐LLs or BSA‐AmB‐LLs. The data from our quantitative fluorescent binding assays were standardized using a CellProfiler program, AreaPipe, that was developed for this purpose. Consistent with enhanced binding, DEC3‐AmB‐LLs inhibited and/or killed C. albicans and R. delemar more efficiently than control liposomes and significantly reduced the effective dose of AmB. In conclusion, Dectin‐3 targeting has the potential to advance our goal of building pan‐antifungal DectiSomes.
Functional neurological disorder: A qualitative study exploring individuals' experiences of psychological services
Authors: Staton Amelia , Dawson David , Merdian Hannah , Tickle Anna , Walker Tammy
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Individuals with a diagnosis of FND report experiencing stigma in medical settings, however, there is a paucity of research exploring their experiences in psychological services. The aim of this research was to explore experiences of accessing UK psychological services, from the perspective of those with FND.

Methods

This study utilised a qualitative approach with data collected from semi‐structured interviews (n = 15) and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

One superordinate theme, ‘the stigmatised self within the therapeutic relationship’, and five interrelated subthemes were identified: ‘internalised stigma and self‐doubt’, ‘selective disclosure to professionals’, ‘perceptions of psychological explanations’, ‘having to educate the professionals’ and ‘attunement and trust within the therapeutic relationship’. Positive therapeutic relationships were perceived to mitigate the impact of these perceived barriers. The conceptualisation of FND and the perception of how this was responded to by services and professionals was a central tenet throughout the related themes.

Conclusions

Intra‐personal, interpersonal and organisational stigma impact access and engagement to psychological treatment. The findings of this study highlight the need for increased training provision for practitioners with a focus on actively challenging FND stigma within services at both an individual and systemic level.
Agent‐switching, plight inescapability and corporate agency
Authors: Leffler Olof
Published: October 2023

Realists about group agency, according to whom corporate agents may have mental states and perform actions over and above those of their individual members, think that individual agents may switch between participating in individual and corporate agency. My aim is, however, to argue that the inescapability of individual agency spells out a difficulty for this kind of switching – and, therefore, for realism about corporate agency. To do so, I develop Korsgaard's notion of plight inescapability. On my take, it suggests that individual agents are continuously faced with fully exercising their own individual agency (absent external limits at the time of its exercise). But then individual agents may not switch to acting as members of corporate agents, in the sense of taking on irreducible mental states that differ from their own. As it nevertheless is possible to participate fully in the action of a corporate entity, this incompatibility between individual and corporate mental states suggests a challenge for group agent realism.
Progress and perspective of trained immunity in teleost fish
Authors: You Xinwei , Yang Jin , Wang Zhuang , Wang Qiyao , Liu Qin , Zhang Yuanxing , Wiegertjes Geert F. , Yang Dahai
Published: October 2023

Trained immunity defines the long‐term memory of innate immunity based on innate immune signalling, metabolic changes and epigenetic rewiring of trained innate immune cells, which are characterised by elevated inflammatory responses towards secondary stimuli. The activation of this non‐specific protection‐mediated memory in innate immune cells was identified to benefit host defences as well as play a detrimental role in inflammatory diseases. In this review, we focused on summing up the current progress about the inducers, effector cells, molecular mechanisms and protective effects of trained immunity that have been identified in both mammals and teleost fish, and discussing the future research and application of trained immunity in aquaculture. Revealing the mechanisms of trained immunity will not only provide a novel aspect for understanding the evolution of innate immune memory and their longer‐term protections, but also contribute to the rational design and evaluation of immunopotentiators, adjuvants and potential vaccines in aquaculture.
A growth mindset intervention to improve mental health in adolescents during COVID‐19
Authors: Lipsey Nikolette P. , Burnette Jeni L. , Becker Whitney , Baker Levi R. , McCrimmon Jordyn , Billingsley Joseph
Published: October 2023

COVID‐19 poses a considerable threat to adolescent mental health. We investigated depression rates in teens from pre to post‐COVID. We also explored if leveraging a growth mindset intervention (“Healthy Minds”) could improve adolescent mental health outcomes during the pandemic, especially for adolescents experiencing the most distress. In Study 1, we recruited youth from schools in a rural southern community (N = 239) and used a pre‐post design. In Study 2, we recruited an online sample (N = 833) and used a longitudinal randomized control trial design to test the effectiveness of Healthy Minds. Across both studies, there is evidence of higher rates of depression in youth during COVID‐19, relative to pre‐pandemic numbers. In Study 1, the intervention effectively changed psychological and behavioral processes related to mental health, especially for adolescents experiencing greater COVID‐19 stress. However, in Study 2, the intervention failed to impact depression rates or symptoms at follow‐up.
The effects of liberal and illiberal world society on women's legislative representation, 1970–2018
Authors: Mejia Steven A.
Published: October 2023

Objective

This research investigates the impact of liberal and illiberal world society on women's legislative representation across a sample of developed and developing countries, and at the global level.

Methods

I estimate fixed effects panel regression models with robust standard errors clustered by country.

Results

I consistently find that liberal world society embeddedness helps explain cross‐national and longitudinal variations in women's legislative representation across all three country samples, while illiberal world society ties matter at the global level.

Conclusion

This analysis highlights the role of world culture in explaining the worldwide expansion of women's legislative representation across country development levels.
Gamma Power as an Index of Sustained Attention in Simulated Vigilance Tasks
Authors: Curley Taylor M. , Borghetti Lorraine , Morris Megan B.
Published: October 2023

Performance on the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT; Dinges & Powell, 1985)—a common index of sustained attention—is affected by the opposing forces of fatigue and sustained effort, where reaction times and error rates typically increase across trials and are sometimes offset by additional efforts deployed toward the end of the task (i.e., an “end‐spurt”; cf. Bergum & Klein, 1961). In ACT‐R (Adaptive Control of Thought‐Rational; Anderson et al., 2004), these influences on task performance have been modeled as latent variables that are inferred from performance (e.g., Jongman, 1998; Veksler & Gunzelmann, 2018) without connections to directly observable variables. We propose the use of frontal gamma (γ) spectral power as a direct measure of vigilant effort and demonstrate its efficacy in modeling performance on the PVT in both the aggregate and in individuals.
Complex Neck Loading and Injury Tolerance in Lateral Bending With Head Rotation From Human Cadaver Tests
Authors: Yoganandan Narayan , Baisden Jamie , Vedantam Aditya , Banerjee Anjishnu
Published: October 2023

Advancements in automated vehicles may position the occupant in postures different from the current standard posture. It may affect human tolerance responses. The objective of this study was to determine the lateral bending tolerance of the head-cervical spine with initial head rotation posture using loads at the occipital condyles and lower neck and describe injuries. Using a custom loading device, head-cervical spine complexes from human cadavers were prepared with load cells at the ends. Lateral bending loads were applied to prerotated specimens at 1.5 m/s. At the occipital condyles, peak axial and antero-posterior and medial-lateral shear forces were: 316–954 N, 176–254 N, and 327–508 N, and coronal, sagittal, and axial moments were: 27–38 N·m, 21–38 N·m, and 9.7–19.8 N·m, respectively. At the lower neck, peak axial and shear forces were: 677–1004 N, 115–227 N, and 178–350 N, and coronal, sagittal, and axial moments were: 30–39 N·m, 7.6–21.3 N·m, and 5.7–13.4 N·m, respectively. Ipsilateral atlas lateral mass fractures occurred in four out of five specimens with varying joint diastasis and capsular ligament involvements. Acknowledging that the study used a small sample size, initial tolerances at the occipital condyles and lower neck were estimated using survival analysis. Injury patterns with posture variations are discussed.
A Novel Design Method for the Knee Joint of the Exoskeleton Based on the Modular Wearable Sensor
Authors: Cao Jian , Wang Chang , Zhang Jianhua , Li Kexiang , Zhang Jianjun
Published: October 2023

This paper innovatively proposes an artificial knee joint customization design scheme based on modular wearable sensors. It aims to solve the compatibility and security problem of wearable devices for different individual knee joints. The method consists of two main parts: measurement and customization. A wearable sensor with three joints is proposed and analyzed. The sensor can measure the kinematic characteristics of human knee joints to obtain the customized design parameters of artificial joints. Designed a bionic four-link knee joint, and the parameters of the connecting rod were optimized by a genetic algorithm based on the measured data. In particular, the measuring device and knee joint are designed in a modular way, and they can be used on the same platform. The modular design method can be used to customize joints for different individuals, which simplifies the difficulty of customization and effectively reduces the cost. After the modular knee joint's optimized design, this paper mainly conducted a number of comparative tests. The comparative test results of three joints show that the dynamic tracking accuracy of customized joints is 54.9% higher than that of ordinary joints and 70.5% higher than that of hinge joints. The results show that personalized customization for individuals can improve human-machine coupling performance.
Unified Approach for Damping Rate of Transient Laminar Flow: Experiments, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and One-Dimensional, and Global Models
Authors: Martins Nuno M. C. , Covas Dídia I. C. , Capponi Caterina , Meniconi Silvia , Brunone Bruno
Published: October 2023

Pipe networks exhibit complex geometries and are equipped with electromechanical devices capable of generating hydraulic transients. Most of these devices are remotely controlled and managed through an integrated system that prioritizes network demands. This implies that potential hazardous pressure peaks, that may occur during each operation, may need to be taken into account. Consequently, when multiple operations take place in a short time interval, transient pressure waves, generated in different parts of the network and traveling back and forward, overlap and can be larger than the design maximum pressure. To address this concern, it is essential to evaluate the pressure-damping rate of critical maneuvers and to identify a “safe” time interval between maneuvers to prevent the risk of inappropriate pressure waves overlapping. With the aim of analyzing the damping rate of closure maneuvers, both numerical and laboratory experiments have been executed for a laminar flow in a reservoir-pipe-valve system. In this context, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics, a one-dimensional and global model, the latter based on a sinusoidal function, have been used. Guidelines are then presented for identifying the safe time interval between maneuvers.
Performance Characteristics of a Rotating Detonation Combustor Exiting Into a Pressurized Plenum to Simulate Gas Turbine Inlet
Authors: Talukdar Shaon , Langner Dalton , Gupta Apurav , Agrawal Ajay K.
Published: October 2023

The present study aims to experimentally characterize the performance of a rotating detonation combustion (RDC) system integrated with a pressurized downstream plenum to simulate the high-pressure inlet conditions of power-generating gas turbines. A thorough understanding of the operational behavior including wave mode behavior, static pressure profile along the combustor length, and dynamic features of pressure fluctuations is crucial for successful integration of RDC with the turbine. In this study, two RDC configurations are investigated, RDC with a constant area annulus and RDC with a converging nozzle. In both cases, the RDC flow exited into a plenum chamber kept at pressures varying from 155 kPa to 330 kPa. RDC was operated on methane and oxygen-enriched air to represent reactants used in land-based power generation. Experiments were conducted for the two RDCs configurations operated at three reactant mass flow rates (0.23, 0.32, and 0.46 kg/s). The RDC performance is characterized by time-averaged static pressure measurements, and wave velocity determined by ionization probes. In addition, dynamic pressure measurements were recorded both inside and near the exit of RDC channel to investigate wave interactions between RDC and downstream plenum. Results show that the RDC with the converging nozzle achieved superior performance while minimizing detrimental interactions with the reflected shock and/or acoustic waves from the downstream plenum.
Strong field vacuum birefringence in plane wave pulses
Authors: King B. , Heinzl T. , Blackburn T. G.
Published: October 2023

By combining an adiabatic approach based on a ‘locally monochromatic’ approximation with a local Hilbert transform, it is demonstrated how vacuum birefringence in the strong field regime can be calculated using a rate approach suitable for Monte Carlo simulation codes. Results for the flipping of the photon’s polarisation (helicity) are benchmarked with evaluation of exact expressions in a circularly (linearly) polarised plane wave of finite extent. For the circularly polarised case, the Heisenberg–Euler approach predicts a null result; an approximation similar to the ‘locally constant’ form is presented, which recovers the correct low-energy scaling. Example probabilities are given for typical experimental parameters.
Polarized Communities Search via Co-guided Random Walk in Attributed Signed Networks
Authors: Yang Fanyi , Ma Huifang , Yan Cairui , Li Zhixin , Chang Liang
Published: October 2023

Polarized communities search aims at locating query-dependent communities, in which mostly nodes within each community form intensive positive connections, while mostly nodes across two communities are connected by negative links. Current approaches towards polarized communities search typically model the network topology, while the key factor of node, i.e., the attributes, are largely ignored. Existing studies have shown that community formation is strongly influenced by node attributes and the formation of communities are determined by both network topology and node attributes simultaneously. However, it is nontrivial to incorporate node attributes for polarized communities search. Firstly, it is hard to handle the heterogeneous information from node attributes. Secondly, it is difficult to model the complex relations between network topology and node attributes in identifying polarized communities. To address the above challenges, we propose a novel method Co-guided Random Walk in Attributed signed networks (CoRWA) for polarized communities search by equipping with reasonable attribute setting. For the first challenge, we devise an attribute-based signed network to model the auxiliary relation between nodes and a weight assignment mechanism is designed to measure the reliability of the edges in the signed network. As to the second challenge, a co-guided random walk scheme in two signed networks is designed to explicitly model the relations between topology-based signed network and attribute-based signed network so as to enhance the search result of each other. Finally, we can identify polarized communities by a well-designed Rayleigh quotient in the signed network. Extensive experiments on three real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CoRWA. Further analysis reveals the significance of node attributes for polarized communities search.
From Digital Media to Empathic Spaces: A Systematic Review of Empathy Research in Extended Reality Environments
Authors: Paananen Ville , Kiarostami Mohammad Sina , Lik-Hang Lee , Braud Tristan , Hosio Simo
Published: October 2023

Recent advances in extended reality (XR) technologies have enabled new and increasingly realistic empathy tools and experiences. In XR, all interactions take place in different spatial contexts, all with different features, affordances, and constraints. We present a systematic literature survey of recent work on empathy in XR. As a result, we contribute a research roadmap with three future opportunities and six open questions in XR-enabled empathy research across both physical and virtual spaces.
Finding the
k
Shortest Simple Paths: Time and Space Trade-offs
Authors: Al Zoobi Ali , Coudert David , Nisse Nicolas
Published: October 2023

The
k
shortest simple path problem (
k
SSP) asks to compute a set of top-
k
shortest simple paths from a source to a sink in a digraph. Yen (1971) proposed an algorithm with the best-known polynomial time complexity for this problem. Since then, the problem has been widely studied from an algorithm engineering perspective. The most noticeable proposals are the
node-classification
(NC) algorithm (Feng, 2014) and the
sidetracks-based
(SB) algorithm (Kurz, Mutzel, 2016). The latest offers the best running time at the price of a significant memory consumption.

We first show how to speed up the SB algorithm using dynamic updates of shortest path trees resulting in a faster algorithm (SB*) with the same memory consumption. We then propose the
parsimonious SB
(PSB) algorithm that significantly reduces the memory consumption of SB at the cost of a small increase of the running time. Furthermore, we propose the
postponed node-classification
(PNC) algorithm that combines the best of the NC and the SB algorithms. It offers a significant speed up compared to the SB algorithm while using the same amount of memory as the NC algorithm.

Our experimental results on complex networks show that all the considered algorithms have low memory consumption, and that the PSB algorithm is the fastest. On road networks, the relative performances of the algorithms depend on the number
k
of requested paths. Indeed, when the number
k
of requested paths is small (i.e.,
k
≤ 20 in our experiments), the SB* algorithm is the fastest among the considered algorithms, but it suffers from a large memory consumption and it offers very bad performances on some queries. When the number of requested paths is large (i.e., larger than 20 according to our experiments), the PNC algorithm is the fastest among the considered algorithms on road networks and it has a low memory footprint. The PNC algorithm is therefore a better choice on road networks.
BRD_ESRNet and SRS-Based Channel Estimation
Authors: Yang Rifei , Yao Guohua , Hu Zhuhua
Published: October 2023

In wireless communication, the channel function estimated commonly has errors due to the influence of noise, so traditional channel estimation methods cannot accurately estimate the real channel function. Aiming at this problem, we propose a channel estimation method that combines sounding reference signal (SRS) remapping with the deep-learning network BRD_ESRNet. BRD_ESRNet consists of image denoising using a deep convolutional neural network with batch renormalization (BRDNet) and an expanded superresolution convolutional neural network (ESRCNN). At the transmitter side, we first map the SRS into four-box structures, and then, the four-box structures are scattered distribution throughout the time-frequency resource block. At the receiver side, we first perform the modified least squares (LS) estimation based on the four-box structure and place the result into the top-left resource unit of the four box. Then, we perform linear interpolation for the whole resource block. Finally, we equate the estimated channel matrix to a low-resolution image containing noise and input it to BRD_ESRNet. Thus, we obtain data with high resolution and achieve the purpose of reducing the estimation error of the channel function. The experimental results show that the proposed method in this paper has a significant improvement in performance compared to the methods of Soltani et al. and Nithya et al. In this paper, the methods of Soltani et al. and Nithya et al. are referred to as methods 1 and 2, respectively.
Analysis of Smart Grid Optimal Scheduling considering the Demand Response of Different EV Owners
Authors: Zhang Xiaohua , Liao Chongyang , Chen Xingrui , Deng Kuiheng , Chen Bolin , Gong Yibo
Published: October 2023

The escalating growth of electric vehicle (EV) load has emphasized the growing importance of effective scheduling strategies. Due to the discrepancies among EV owners, their responses to scheduling can differ significantly. Therefore, to achieve better scheduling results, it is crucial to consider the impact of these discrepancies on the optimal scheduling. This paper proposes a classified scheduling method for different types of EV owners. According to charging and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) data of EV owners, the K-means clustering algorithm (K-means) is used to classify EV owners, and the demand response (DR) model is established based on the classification results. The DR model is designed to account for the diverse responses of different EV owners, and the price elasticity, time gap elasticity, and preference time elasticity are important factors in the model. This paper adopts the maximization of smart grid’s revenue as the optimization objective through three approaches: (1) modifying the charging and V2G of EV; (2) obtaining V2G prices for all types of EV; and then (3) adjusting the power output of each unit. To evaluate the proposed method, the IEEE 10-unit system is employed for simulation, and the optimization problem is solved using the CPLEX solver. Compared to previous studies, the proposed classified scheduling method exhibits significant improvements in terms of revenue maximization, load distribution among different types of EVs, generation cost savings, and load variance reduction.
Dispersion Properties of Surface Waves Decaying in Red-Shifted and Blue-Shifted Gaps in Photonic Hypercrystals
Authors: Haider Hasnain , Zulfiqar Ali Munazza
Published: October 2023

The dispersion characteristics of surface waves for transverse electric and magnetic polarization modes of photonic hypercrystals (PHC) are theoretically explored. PHC are composed of a dielectric and hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) with thin layers of both metal and dielectric surface waves that decay inside red-shifted gaps have a negative group velocity, whereas surface waves that decay inside traditional blue-shifted gaps have more typical characteristics. Curve plotting is used to elucidate on how these surface waves depend on several other structural properties such as filling factor, widths of HMM and dielectric, frequency range and angle of incidence etc.
Endoscopic Endonasal Repair and Reconstruction of Traumatic Anterior Skull Base Defects
Authors: Williams Isabelle J. M. , Navaratnam Annakan V. , Wilson Mark , Ferguson Mark S.
Published: October 2023

Eighty percent of cerebrospinal fluid leaks (CSF) occur following trauma and complicate 12 to 13% percent of all basilar skull fractures (Prosser, Vender, and Solares, 2011). An endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) is often the preferred method of repair with greater than 90% success rates (Prosser, Vender, and Solares, 2011). We report a case of a 37-year-old man who presented to our regional level 1 trauma centre with multiple facial injuries. Initial cross-sectional imaging revealed multiple, continuous anterior skull base fractures with associated pneumocephalus. Though initially managed conservatively, the patient represented five days later with unilateral left-sided rhinorrhoea. An endoscopic endonasal repair with a multilayer fat, tensor fascia lata, free mucosal graft, and vascularised local flap reconstruction was undertaken. This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high level of suspicion for delayed CSF leak in traumatic base of skull injury. The EEA enables meticulous dissection and thorough inspection of the skull base, facilitating multilayered repair and reconstruction of defects.
Design and Analysis of a Low-Profile Dual-Band Circularly Polarized Monopole Antenna Based on Characteristic Mode Analysis
Authors: Obeng Kwakye Kingsford Sarkodie , Rasool Nouman , Oteng Gyasi Kwame , Abroquah Joseph , Ellis Mubarak Sani , Owusu Ohemeng Lord , Ahmed Abdul-Rahman , Kponyo Jerry John
Published: October 2023

This paper presents the design of a simple dual-band circularly polarized monopole antenna using characteristic mode analysis. First, a dual-band elliptically polarized “L”-shaped monopole antenna with a partial ground is designed; then, a rectangular stub and a parasitic structure on the ground plane are implemented to achieve dual-band CP operation. To enhance impedance bandwidth and generate circular polarization in the upper band, the rectangular stub is attached to the “L”-shaped strip. The parasitic structure is employed for simultaneous dual-band CP radiation. Characteristic mode analysis is undertaken to predict the performance of the antenna before excitation. The modal analysis which is undertaken before excitation shows the natural modes that can be excited by the antenna structure to generate a dual-band CP response. The analysis gives approximate bandwidths that can be achieved by the antenna even before excitation. The overall dimension of the antenna

is
 
0.379

λ

0

×
0.379

λ

0

×
0.015

λ

0

, where

λ

0

is the corresponding free-space wavelength at 5.7 GHz. The measured -10 dB impedance bandwidth (ZBW) is realized to be 75.9% (4.5 GHz–10 GHz). The measured 3 dB axial ratio bandwidths (ARBW) at the lower and upper bands are 6% (5.6 GHz–5.95 GHz) and 28% (6.65 GHz–8.82 GHz), respectively. The proposed antenna features a simple and compact structure for Wi-Fi, WLAN, WiMAX, and C band applications.
Correction of Class III Malocclusion Treated with Carriere® Motion™
Authors: Gentile Alberto , Ferrara Donatella , Maci Marta , Ciavarella Domenico
Published: October 2023

Class III malocclusion needs complex orthodontic treatment. This case report describes a 16-year-old male patient with skeletal class III malocclusion with a negative overjet and overbite. Upper incisors were proclined with the accentuated curve of Wilson. Treatment has changed the functional curve of Wilson that has improved functional dynamic occlusion. The patient was treated using a Carriere® Motion™ Class III (CM3) and SLX 3D Brackets system. After a 25-month treatment, the patient reached class I molars and canines relationships on both sides with good facial aesthetics and good functional occlusion. The result was also satisfactory for the patient. A one-year follow-up confirmed that the outcome was stable.
Placenta Accreta Spectrum with Ureteral Invasion due to Progression of Cesarean Scar Pregnancy
Authors: Yara Nana , Kinjyo Yoshino , Chinen Yukiko , Kinjo Tadatsugu , Mekaru Keiko
Published: October 2023

Expectant management is not recommended for cesarean scar pregnancies because they are often associated with placenta accreta, cesarean hysterectomy, and massive life-threatening hemorrhages during delivery. Herein, we report a case of placenta accreta spectrum with ureteral invasion due to the progression of a cesarean scar pregnancy. Case. A 41-year-old woman, with a history of three cesarean sections and two miscarriages, was referred to our hospital at 25 weeks of gestation with a diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum and bladder invasion. Although the gestational sac was located anterior to the lower uterine segment, a cesarean-scar pregnancy was not diagnosed. A cesarean hysterectomy was performed at 31 weeks of gestation with the placement of an aortic balloon. The placenta was found to adhere to the ureter with more than the expected parenchymal tissue displacement (FIGO Classification 3b). The ureter was not obstructed and was preserved by leaving the placenta slightly on the ureteral side. Postoperatively, a ureteral stent was placed because of the ureteral stricture in the area where the placenta had adhered. Two months after surgery, the ureteral stent was removed after observing an improvement in stenosis. An adherent placenta due to continued cesarean scar pregnancy should be managed by assuming placental invasion beyond the parenchyma into the ureter.
Predicting Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events Following Carotid Endarterectomy Using Machine Learning
Authors: Li Ben , Verma Raj , Beaton Derek , Tamim Hani , Hussain Mohamad A. , Hoballah Jamal J. , Lee Douglas S. , Wijeysundera Duminda N. , de Mestral Charles , Mamdani Muhammad , Al‐Omran Mohammed
Published: October 2023

Background

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a major vascular operation for stroke prevention that carries significant perioperative risks; however, outcome prediction tools remain limited. The authors developed machine learning algorithms to predict outcomes following CEA.

Methods and Results

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted vascular database was used to identify patients who underwent CEA between 2011 and 2021. Input features included 36 preoperative demographic/clinical variables. The primary outcome was 30‐day major adverse cardiovascular events (composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, or death). The data were split into training (70%) and test (30%) sets. Using 10‐fold cross‐validation, 6 machine learning models were trained using preoperative features. The primary metric for evaluating model performance was area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Model robustness was evaluated with calibration plot and Brier score. Overall, 38 853 patients underwent CEA during the study period. Thirty‐day major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 1683 (4.3%) patients. The best performing prediction model was XGBoost, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.90–0.92). In comparison, logistic regression had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.62 (95% CI, 0.60–0.64), and existing tools in the literature demonstrate area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values ranging from 0.58 to 0.74. The calibration plot showed good agreement between predicted and observed event probabilities with a Brier score of 0.02. The strongest predictive feature in our algorithm was carotid symptom status.

Conclusions

The machine learning models accurately predicted 30‐day outcomes following CEA using preoperative data and performed better than existing tools. They have potential for important utility in guiding risk‐mitigation strategies to improve outcomes for patients being considered for CEA.
Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors Are Stronger Related to Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness Than to Presence of Carotid Plaques in People Living With HIV
Authors: Blaauw Marc J. T. , Berrevoets Marvin A. H. , Vos Wilhelm A. J. W. , Groenendijk Albert L. , van Eekeren Louise E. , Vadaq Nadira , Weijers Gert , van der Ven Andre J. A. M. , Rutten Joost H. W. , Riksen Niels P.
Published: October 2023

Background

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV, who are at higher risk than the general population. We assessed, in a large cohort of people living with HIV, which cardiovascular, HIV‐specific, and lipoproteomic markers were associated with carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque presence. We also studied guideline adherence on lipid‐lowering medication in individuals with high and very high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Methods and Results

In 1814 individuals with a median (interquartile range) age of 53 (44–60) years, we found a carotid plaque in 909 (50.1%) and a median (interquartile range) intima‐media thickness of 0.66 (0.57–0.76) mm. Ultrasonography was used for the assessment of cIMT and plaque presence. Univariable and multivariable regression models were used for associations with cIMT and presence of plaques. Age, Black race, body mass index, type 2 diabetes, and smoking (pack years) were all positively associated with higher cIMT. Levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, specifically medium and large high‐density lipoprotein subclasses, were negatively associated with higher cIMT. Only age and prior myocardial infarction were positively related to the presence of a carotid plaque. Lipid‐lowering treatment was prescribed in one‐third of people living with HIV, who are at high and very high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions

Traditional cardiovascular risk factors were significantly associated with higher cIMT but not with carotid plaques, except for age. HIV‐specific factors were not associated with both ultrasound measurements. Future studies are needed to elucidate which factors contribute to plaque formation. Improvement of guideline adherence on prescription of lipid‐lowering treatment in high‐ and very high‐risk patients for cardiovascular disease is recommended.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03994835.
Effect of the Novel Myotrope Danicamtiv on Cross‐Bridge Behavior in Human Myocardium
Authors: Choi Joohee , Holmes Joshua B. , Campbell Kenneth S. , Stelzer Julian E.
Published: October 2023

Background

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) and danicamtiv both increase myocardial force output by selectively activating myosin within the cardiac sarcomere. Enhanced force generation is presumably due to an increase in the total number of myosin heads bound to the actin filament; however, detailed comparisons of the molecular mechanisms of OM and danicamtiv are lacking.

Methods and Results

The effect of OM and danicamtiv on Ca
2+
sensitivity of force generation was analyzed by exposing chemically skinned myocardial samples to a series of increasing Ca
2+
solutions. The results showed that OM significantly increased Ca
2+
sensitivity of force generation, whereas danicamtiv showed similar Ca
2+
sensitivity of force generation to untreated preparations. A direct comparison of OM and danicamtiv on dynamic cross‐bridge behavior was performed at a concentration that produced a similar force increase when normalized to predrug levels at submaximal force (pCa 6.1). Both OM and danicamtiv‐treated groups slowed the rates of cross‐bridge detachment from the strongly bound state and cross‐bridge recruitment into the force‐producing state. Notably, the significant OM‐induced prolongation in the time to reach force relaxation and subsequent commencement of force generation following rapid stretch was dramatically reduced in danicamtiv‐treated myocardium.

Conclusions

This is the first study to directly compare the effects of OM and danicamtiv on cross‐bridge kinetics. At a similar level of force enhancement, danicamtiv had a less pronounced effect on the slowing of cross‐bridge kinetics and, therefore, may provide a similar improvement in systolic function as OM without excessively prolonging systolic ejection time and slowing cardiac relaxation facilitating diastolic filling at the whole‐organ level.
A Racial Theory of Labour: Racial Capitalism from Colonial Slavery to Postcolonial Migration
Authors: De Genova Nicholas
Published: October 2023

A reconsideration of the crucial historical role of slavery in the consolidation of the global regime of capital accumulation provides a vital source of Marxian critique for our postcolonial present. The Atlantic slave trade literally transformed African men and women into human commodities. The reduction of human beings into human commodities, or ‘human capital’ – indeed, into labour and nothing but labour – which was the very essence of modern slavery, served as a necessary prerequisite for the consolidation and perfecting of what Marx called ‘labour in the abstract’, and requires us to re-situate enslaved labour as the defining and constitutive limit for how we comprehend labour as such under capitalism. The production of labour in the abstract, or labour ‘in general’, depended nonetheless upon concrete productions of sociopolitical difference, particularly the branding of race. The term ‘Black’, which was devised to literally and figuratively brand the flesh of enslaved people, was also contrived to signify their particular sociopolitical condition of brutal degradation as the ultimate limit for the subjugation of labour. Blackness names that limit. Thus, Blackness is in fact necessary for apprehending labour as such under capitalism. Marx’s scathing critique of wage labour is always haunted by the long shadow of slavery as its limit figure. If we comprehend labour to be the antithesis of capital, then to the extent that Blackness names the ultimate condition of labour’s subordination and subjection to capital, we need to recognise the tendency for all labour under capital to be pressed toward a sociopolitical condition of Blackness (or approximating Blackness), where Blackness does not name any kind of essential identity but the racialised sociopolitical condition of that subordination/subjection. Consequently, the labour theory of value – which has always been in fact, more accurately, a value theory of labour – must be complemented with what we might posit to be a racial theory of labour. Such an ostensibly historical perspective on the foundational role of slavery in the genesis of capitalism is no mere scholastic exercise in the historiography of ‘primitive accumulation’, however, but rather must be re-purposed toward the ends of elaborating what has remained an as-yet underdeveloped Marxian theory of migrant labour. Extrapolating key insights from Marx’s corpus for the formulation of a racial theory of labour, this essay is ultimately concerned with the ways that slavery supplies capitalism with a defining horizon for all labour, and thus how this insight might instructively serve to comprehend the racialised subordination of migrant labour within our global/postcolonial sociopolitical order.
Ibn Rushd in the Safavid Iran: “En Orient, après Averroès … ” Revisited
Authors: Ben Ahmed Fouad
Published: October 2023

Tracing the possible ways in which the thought of Ibn Rushd (Averroes, d. 595/1198) was transmitted within Muslim contexts can be such a “frustrating” and “depressing” task that it may have contributed to the near absence of his name in the lists of influential philosophers of Islam in the eastern part of the Islamic world. This article, through the consultation of original texts and manuscripts sets out to throw some light on this seeming absence. It offers a revision of Henry Corbin’s famous assertion about Ibn Rushd’s fate in the East by addressing the various receptions of Ibn Rushd’s texts in North Africa, Egypt, and the Levant, examining available manuscript catalogs of Ibn Rushd’s writings in Iran, and analyzing an important work by ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Lāhījī (d. 1072/1661–1662), one of the most famous philosophers of the 17th century.
From Canonry to Monastery: Changing Observances and the Agency of the Foundation’s Community at Eleventh-Century Hasungen
Authors: Winterhager Philipp
Published: October 2023

Interreligious endowments in the strict sense were beyond the imagination of medieval founders and churchmen alike. Among similar phenomena, however, Latin Christendom did experience changes of monastic observances, which were often shaped as refoundations. In the late eleventh century, when monastic reform movements became increasingly important, a number of canonries (communities of secular clerics) were reorganized as monasteries. Hasungen in Hesse is an interesting case, founded and refounded by the same bishop for spiritual, political and personal reasons. This paper looks at the reaction of the former canons. By analysing charters and narrative evidence, it asks about their agency in adapting to the change of observance. Although monastic “reform” had the potential to marginalize the former canons, they not only accepted the refoundation: during the eventful first decades of the new monastery, they managed to keep alive the memory of, and connections to, the social environment which their pre-monastic community had been rooted in.
Aijaz Ahmad and the Actuality of the National
Authors: Mallick Ayyaz
Published: October 2023

This is a short reflection essay on the work of the acclaimed Marxist critic Aijaz Ahmad, who passed away in March 2022. The essay focusses on the form and method of Ahmad's writing, while also considering his seminal interventions on nationalism, imperialism, and literary criticism.
Exploring Associations Between Abnormal Weight Classifications and Child Maltreatment Diagnoses
Authors: Esernio-Jenssen Debra , Morrobel Alfred , Hansen Susan E. , Kincaid Hope M.
Published: October 2023

Child maltreatment poses not only immediate danger, but as a type of toxic stress, it creates higher risk of biologic dysfunction later in life. Pediatricians are in a unique position to diagnose child maltreatment, but they need evidence-based guidance for when to initiate screening when injury is occult. In this retrospective cohort study of 855 pediatric patients diagnosed with child maltreatment, researchers explored whether type or number of diagnoses was associated with abnormal pediatric weight in either direction. Diagnoses and weight assessed at intake were extracted from medical records for analysis. Statistically significant associations were found between weight classification and child maltreatment type as well as diagnosis count. Neglect was most frequently diagnosed, and children with ≥2 diagnoses were more likely to be classified as underweight, overweight, or obese. Findings support abnormal pediatric weight as a biologic signal of adversity that warrants safety screening in the clinical setting.
Disparities in Sex-Specific Arrest Rates: Does Offense Type and Neighborhood Context Matter?
Authors: Chamberlain Alyssa W. , Boggess Lyndsay N.
Published: October 2023

We investigate differential effects of neighborhood structure on the arrest rates of men versus women. Given potential disparities in the use of discretion by offense severity, we disaggregate crime to aggravated assaults, burglaries, and drug offenses. We employ negative binomial regression models to predict the number of arrests by sex for each crime type, and test for significant differences within and between sex across offense severity. We find few differences within and across sex, however, levels of disorder and the racial composition of a neighborhood are important structural factors in understanding arrests by sex and across offense type. Neighborhood composition is associated with differential rates of arrest by sex and across offense severity, which has implications for gender disparities in the criminal justice system.
Revisiting India’s Export Potential: Modern Gravity Model Approach
Authors: Kelkar Hemangi K. , Dash Purujit
Published: October 2023

The high contribution of India’s exports to its gross domestic product underscores the vulnerability of macroeconomic shocks like the COVID-19 in terms of losses in export revenues, increased cost of import and slowdown in growth. The scale of impact also depends on the degree of trade concentration, geographical expansion, export potential and strategic relationship of a country with its trading partners. This article aims to examine these factors using the modern gravity model approach. It also intends to analyse the export intensity and export potential of India with its 25 major trading partners. The results are estimated by using the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood method for the period 1991–2020. The results show that the exports between two nations are remarkably impacted by the trade cost and combined economic size. Furthermore, variables like population and islands are introduced in the extended gravity model, which positively impacts India’s exports. The direction of India’s exports witnessed a reversal in trend towards the traditional export destinations in 2020 compared to emerging countries from 2010 onwards. The export potential index also explains that India has the scope to enhance the export potential with developed nations as advocated by the Heckscher–Ohlin model.

JEL Codes: F14, F49
Encountering creative climate change pedagogies: Cartographic interruptions
Authors: Nxumalo Fikile , Montes Pablo
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we highlight climate change pedagogies within the context of an Indigenous Summer Encounter for Latinx and Indigenous children led by Miakan-Band Elders, members of a Central Texas Coahuiltecan community. We focus on anticolonial cartographies activated through movement, sound and performance that enacted Indigenous fugitivity, futurity, and relationality; pedagogical attunements that remain undertheorized as approaches to climate change education. In engaging with these pedagogies as climate change education, we are interested in contributing to recent work that resists the disciplinary boundaries of what typically counts as climate education and invites expansive and interdisciplinary approaches to climate change education. This includes approaches that inquire into how climate change education can be a site to nurture reciprocal relations with the more than human world. In particular, we highlight the Summer Encounter as illustrating possibilities for anticolonial climate education that engages creative pedagogies in foregrounding Indigenous relational onto-epistemologies with young people. We discuss the potential of this work as climate change education that actualizes and dreams more livable futures.