bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agronomic responses and herbage nutritive value of elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) genotypes grown as monocrops and mixed with butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea)
Authors: Silva Pedro H. F. da , Santos Mércia V. F. dos , de Mello Alexandre C. L. , Silva Tafnes B. Sales , Neto Djalma E. Simões , da Silva Valdson J. , Dubeux José C. B. , Coelho Janerson J. , Souza Evaristo J. O. de , da Cunha Márcio V.
Published: April 2023

Context Introducing legumes into grass-based forage systems may increase herbage nutritive value while reducing the need for inorganic nitrogen fertilisation. Grass–legume intercrops may also enhance herbage yield stability. Aim We evaluated agronomic and nutritional traits of elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus Schum.) genotypes grown as monocrops and mixed with butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.). Methods Elephant grass genotypes, two tall (Elephant B and IRI-381) and two dwarf (Mott and Taiwan A-146 2.37), were grown as monocultures or intercropped with butterfly pea in a 2-year trial. Herbage accumulation, yield stability, botanical composition and chemical/bromatological variables were evaluated. Key results Herbage accumulation was highest (P < 0.001) in Elephant B under monocropping (21.9 t/ha.year); however, this treatment revealed the lowest yield stability over harvest times (σi2 5.59). All intercrops were more stable than grass monocrops (mean σi2 0.66 vs 2.55). Higher (P < 0.001) concentrations of herbage crude protein were found in intercrops than monocrops (mean 113 vs 90 g/kg). Intercrop herbage lignin contents (mean 57 g/kg) and protein fraction C (mean 61 g/kg) were higher than those in monocrops. Dwarf Mott had higher (P = 0.001) digestible dry matter concentration than dwarf Taiwan (755 vs 745 g/kg). Conclusions Dwarf Mott genotype has outstanding nutritive value because of its higher leaf:stem ratio. Butterfly pea legume added to elephant grass crop in cut-and-carry systems improves herbage yield stability by reducing seasonal effects. Implications Intercropping butterfly pea in grass-based systems enhances yield stability, allowing herbage harvest with good nutritive value.
Loss of soil carbon in a world heritage peatland following a bushfire
Authors: Carroll Rani , Wright Ian A. , Reynolds Jason K.
Published: April 2023

Background Climatic events can have rapid and widespread environmental impacts on peatlands. This is concerning because peatlands are restricted environments in Australia and are vulnerable to degradation. Aims This study aimed to investigate the loss of carbon from a burnt and eroded peatland. The cumulative effects of drought, bushfire and erosion events in south-eastern Australia was documented in a peatland in the Kings Tableland region within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area in New South Wales, Australia. Methods Following a fire and subsequent rain event, soil classification and the total export of soil materials and nutrients were quantified. Key results The fire and erosional events caused an estimated loss of 28.80 t of organic material and 3.46 t of carbon from this site in a single 3-month period. Conclusions Peatlands are slow-forming accretionary systems and this study highlights the potential for considerable loss of organic material and carbon from peatland systems due to rapid, climatic-driven changes. Implications Peatland degradation in world heritage areas can have implications for carbon accounting and soil erosional loss, which may impact downstream environments and the functioning of these sensitive systems.
Learning social navigation from demonstrations with conditional neural processes
Authors: Yildirim Yigit , Ugur Emre
Published: April 2023

Sociability is essential for modern robots to increase their acceptability in human environments. Traditional
techniques use manually engineered utility functions inspired by observing pedestrian behaviors to achieve social navigation.
However, social aspects of navigation are diverse, changing across different types of environments, societies, and population
densities, making it unrealistic to use hand-crafted techniques in each domain. This paper presents a data-driven navigation
architecture that uses state-of-the-art neural architectures, namely Conditional Neural Processes, to learn global and local
controllers of the mobile robot from observations. Additionally, we leverage a state-of-the-art, deep prediction mechanism to
detect situations not similar to the trained ones, where reactive controllers step in to ensure safe navigation. Our results
demonstrate that the proposed framework can successfully carry out navigation tasks regarding social norms in the data. Further,
we showed that our system produces fewer personal-zone violations, causing less discomfort.
Generic saturation-induced phase-error correction algorithm for phase-measuring profilometry
Authors: Wu Zebo , Lv Na , Tao Wei , Zhao Hui
Published: April 2023

Intensity saturation causes partial incorrect intensities in captured images, leading to obvious phase errors in high-dynamic-range phase-measuring profilometry. Most existing methods require numerous projected patterns or additional hardware equipment to retrieve the three-dimensional shape. This paper proposes a comprehensive saturation-induced phase-error correction method by combining an average-phase compensation method, applying four-step phase-shifting (PS) patterns, with a phase repair method employing a total variation minimization (TVM) model. The periodic characteristic of the saturation-induced phase error is analyzed. The phase error can be efficiently compensated by averaging the initial and auxiliary phase, which is calculated utilizing a set of PS patterns with a phase offset of

π

/4. Furthermore, a judgment condition is provided to detect invalid points in overexposed shiny areas where the initial calculated phases are wrong. The corrected phases are repaired utilizing the TVM model from the compensated phase information surrounding invalid points. Simulations and experiments show that the proposed method can simultaneously correct the phase in non-uniform, high-reflectivity scenes and shiny areas with high accuracy using relatively few images. The phase error is reduced by nearly 80%.
The trajectory monitoring method of hydrodynamic suspension bearing based on laser-ranging technology
Authors: Xing Guanying , Hong Tao , Xue Song , Ke Hanbing , Luo Xiaobing
Published: April 2023

Rotor trajectory monitoring, essential for the stability assessment and trouble diagnosis of rotating machines, has attracted extensive attention for a long time. Nevertheless, in the case of hydrodynamic suspension micropumps, whose rotating components are wrapped in motor windings with strong electromagnetic interference, it is challenging to monitor the trajectory of the rotor, and a contactless measurement scheme is yet to be developed. In this study, we proposed a promising approach to obtain the centre location of the rotor of a hydrodynamic suspension micropump based on laser displacement sensors and built a test bench. Through experiments at multiple rotating speeds, the rotor’s displacement and velocity variations in two orthogonal directions, as well as the trajectories of the rotor, were captured and analysed, making the evaluation of the rotor’s operational stability feasible. We reveal an improvement in suspension stability by increasing the rotating speed and elaborating on the corresponding mechanism. Simultaneously, the experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve less than 1.3% relative uncertainty. In this study, we allow for high-precision contactless anti-jamming rotor trajectory monitoring at the microscale and in electromagnetically variable situations.
Evaluation of cost-effective system designs for long axial field-of-view PET scanners
Authors: Surti Suleman , Werner Matthew E , Karp Joel S
Published: April 2023

Objective. Current commercial positron emission tomography (PET) scanners have excellent performance and diagnostic image quality primarily due to improvements in scanner sensitivity and time-of-flight (TOF) resolution. Recent years have seen the development of total-body PET scanners with longer axial field-of-view (AFOV) that increase sensitivity for single organ imaging, and also image more of the patient in a single bed position thereby enabling multi-organ dynamic imaging. While studies have shown significant capabilities of these systems, cost will be a major factor in their widespread adoption in the clinic. Here we evaluate alternative designs that achieve many advantages of long AFOV PET while utilizing cost-effective detector hardware. Approach. We utilize Monte Carlo simulations and clinically relevant lesion detectability metric to study the impact of scintillator type lutetium oxyorthosilicate or bismuth germanate (LSO or BGO), scintillator thickness (10–20 mm), and TOF resolution on resultant image quality in a 72 cm long scanner. Detector TOF resolution was varied based on current scanner performance, as well as expected future performance from detector designs that currently hold most promise for scaling into a scanner. Main results. Results indicate that BGO is competitive with LSO (both 20 mm thick) if we assume that it uses TOF (e.g. Cerenkov timing with 450 ps fwhm and Lorentzian distribution) and the LSO scanner has TOF resolution similar to the latest PMT-based scanners (∼500–650 ps). Alternatively, a system using 10 mm thick LSO with 150 ps TOF resolution can also provide similar performance. Both these alternative systems can provide cost savings (25%–33%) relative to a scanner using 20 mm LSO with ∼50% of effective sensitivity, but still 500%–700% higher than a conventional AFOV scanner. Significance. Our results have relevance to the development of long AFOV PET, where reduced cost of these alternative designs can provide wider accessibility for use in situations requiring imaging of multiple organs simultaneously.
Effect of geometric non-linearity and tip mass on the frequency bandwidth of a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester under tip excitation
Authors: Upendra B , Panigrahi B , GR Sabareesh
Published: April 2023

The research community is investigating a variety of approaches to convert mechanical energies to useful electrical energy in order to fulfil the ever-increasing demand for energy and fulfil the requirements of the various sectors. In this regard, numerous contributions toward increasing the capacity and efficiency of the various energy harvesting techniques have been proposed in recent times; one such promising technology is piezoelectric-based vibration energy harvesting. In the present work, the effect of geometric nonlinearity and tip mass is investigated on the operational frequency range of a cantilever nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester. The proposed mathematical model is based on an energy-based variational approach. The methodology is formulated for the piezoelectric patched cantilever beam and, eventually solved using an efficient numerical technique . An amplitude incremental iterative algorithm is used to solve the non-linear governing equations of motion for the proposed non-linear broadband harvester along with the experimental validation. Firstly, a parametric study is performed to determine the optimum piezoelectric patch dimensions. Subsequently, the attempt is made to increase the frequency bandwidth for optimum energy harvesting by taking advantage of geometrically non-linear behaviour. Additionally, a tip mass, appropriate for the excitation level, can be added to the harvester design to make it effective for lower excitation frequency. Increased frequency bandwidth for improved energy harvesting capacity with the hardening type nonlinearity and tip mass is meaningfully shown with the help of frequency-amplitude response. Furthermore, to interpret the efficacy of nonlinear harvesters in terms of frequency band-width, power spectral density plots with improved harvesting capability are presented and compared with the conventional linear vibration energy harvester.
Giant NLO response and ultraviolet transparency of superalakalis decorated C6O6Li6 complexes; a DFT perspective
Authors: Kosar Naveen , Zari Laraib , Ayub Khurshid , Gilani Mazhar Amjad , Mahmood Tariq
Published: April 2023

Materials having nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are the demand of optics and optoelectronics fields because of their widespread applications. Keeping in view the applications of NLO materials, some new superalkalis doped C6O6Li6 complexes are introduced in this study having remarkable NLO response. Thermodynamic stability of nonlinear optical materials (NLO) is prime requirement of experimentalists for practical applications. All the considered complexes have high thermodynamic stability. Furthermore, these superalkali doped complexes reveal fabulous electronic properties. Superalkalis shift their outer shell electrons towards the C6O6Li6 nanocluster, which act as diffuse excess electrons. The HOMO-LUMO gaps (H-L Egap) of superalkali doped complexes are effectively reduced due to shifting of electrons that reveals their conducting properties. NBO charge analysis confirmed electron charge transfer from superalkalis to C6O6Li6 surface. Linear and NLO properties of these complexes are estimated from first order polarizability (α
o) and hyperpolarizability (β
o) parameters. Among all complexes, C6O6Li6.K3O has the highest first hyperpolarizability (β
o = 6.02 × 105 au). TD-DFT analysis confirmed the ultraviolet transparency of doped complexes. Two level model is used to rationalize the trend of first hyperpolarizability and the internal factors responsible for the enhancement of NLO response.
A novel verifiable weighted threshold quantum secret sharing scheme
Authors: Dong Yumin , Luo Yi , Fu Yanying
Published: April 2023

Threshold quantum secret sharing is a cryptography technique for dividing and reconstructing secret information. The dealer shares a secret based on quantum mechanics principles, and a subset of participants cooperate to recover that secret. For example, in

k
,
n

quantum threshold scheme and

n
,
n

quantum threshold scheme, the former can only reconstruct the secret when at least k shares are collected. The latter requires all n shares to be collected to reconstruct the secret. However, in real scenarios, the priority of participant identities may vary. In order to meet the actual needs of participants with different rights, this paper proposes a

w
,
ω
,
n

quantum secret sharing (QSS) scheme. When the sum of participants’ weights w is greater than or equal to a threshold ω, they can cooperate to reconstruct the secret. In order to achieve this, this paper uses the entangled state of single particles and constructs a verifiable QSS scheme based on the Chinese remainder theorem. Significantly, in case of a dishonest participant, the dealer can delete the participant before recovering the secret to ensure the security of the communication. This scheme is more flexible than other threshold protocols. At the same time, it reduces the communication cost of the participants. In addition, security analysis shows that the scheme resists typical external and internal attacks.
From heterogeneous network to homogeneous network: the influence of structure on synergistic epidemic spreading
Authors: Lin Chang , Yan Zixiang , Gao Jian , Xiao Jinghua
Published: April 2023

Synergistic epidemic-like spreading phenomena in networked system occur in various forms in nature and human society. The networks’ structure characterized by its structural heterogeneity affects the synergistic spreading process dramatically. It was believed that the synergistic epidemic spreading follows a continuous transition on heterogeneous networks, but an explosive one on homogeneous networks. In this work, we adopt the model that interpolates between homogeneous and heterogeneous networks to generate a series of networks. By continuously changing the ratio of homogeneous structure α of the network, we numerically show that the interplay between the spreading transition and the structural heterogeneity of network is much more complicated. Although the explosive epidemic transition is likely to be hindered by structural heterogeneity, it could occur on completely heterogeneous network as long as the synergistic strength is sufficiently strong. The predictions of heterogeneous mean-field analysis agree with the numerical results, thus helping to understand the role of structural heterogeneity in affecting synergistic epidemic spreading.
Creation of waterproof, TLD probes for dose measurements to validate image-based radiopharmaceutical therapy dosimetry workflow
Authors: Adam David P , Hammer Clifford , Malyshev Julia Ziege , Culberson Wesley S , Bradshaw Tyler J , Grudzinski Joseph J , Harari Paul M , Bednarz Bryan P
Published: April 2023

Voxel-level dosimetry based on nuclear medicine images offers patient-specific personalization of radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) treatments. Clinical evidence is emerging demonstrating improvements in treatment precision in patients when voxel-level dosimetry is used compared to MIRD. Voxel-level dosimetry requires absolute quantification of activity concentrations in the patient, but images from SPECT/CT scanners are not quantitative and require calibration using nuclear medicine phantoms. While phantom studies can validate a scanner’s ability to recover activity concentrations, these studies provide only a surrogate for the true metric of interest: absorbed doses. Measurements using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) are a versatile and accurate method of measuring absorbed dose. In this work, a TLD probe was manufactured that can fit into currently available nuclear medicine phantoms for the measurement of absorbed dose of RPT agents. Next, 748 MBq of I-131 was administered to a 16 ml hollow source sphere placed in a 6.4 L Jaszczak phantom in addition to six TLD probes, each holding 4 TLD-100 1 × 1 × 1 mm TLD-100 (LiF:Mg,Ti) microcubes. The phantom then underwent a SPECT/CT scan in accordance with a standard SPECT/CT imaging protocol for I-131. The SPECT/CT images were then input into a Monte Carlo based RPT dosimetry platform named RAPID and a three dimensional dose distribution in the phantom was estimated. Additionally, a GEANT4 benchmarking scenario (denoted ‘idealized’) was created using a stylized representation of the phantom. There was good agreement for all six probes, the differences between measurement and RAPID ranged between −5.5% and 0.9%. The difference between the measured and the idealized GEANT4 scenario was calculated and ranged from −4.3% and −20.5%. This work demonstrates good agreement between TLD measurements and RAPID. In addition, it introduces a novel TLD probe that can be easily introduced into clinical nuclear medicine workflows to provide QA of image-based dosimetry for RPT treatments.
Liturgy and the Sublime
Authors: Wennemann Matthew
Published: April 2023

Experience of the sublime is most often discussed as a facet of the aesthetic experience of nature. In this paper, I argue that religious liturgy can be a source of sublimity and that experiences of the liturgically sublime are analogous to aesthetic experiences of nature and natural sublimity. Experiences of the liturgically sublime are not religious experiences, since the aesthetic experience of liturgy is not dependent upon any particular belief, such as belief in a deity, does not communicate specific information, and is fundamentally physical in its experience, since it is based upon sensory experiences of the physical environment. I conclude that, as aesthetic experiences of liturgy are similar in important ways to experiences of natural sublimity and can be fully appreciated by any attendant of a liturgy, so can anyone, regardless of belief set or religious background, experience and appreciate liturgical sublimity to the fullest degree.
Phenotypic and genotypic infidelity in B-lineage neoplasms, including transdifferentiation following targeted therapy: Report from the 2021 SH/EAHP Workshop
Authors: Goodlad John R , Xiao Wenbin , Amador Catalina , Cook James R , Happ Lanie , Thakkar Devang , Dave Sandeep , Dogan Ahmet , Duffield Amy , Nejati Reza , Ott German , Wasik Mariusz , Czader Magdalena
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Session 2 of the 2021 Society for Hematopathology and European Association for Haematopathology Workshop collected examples of lineage infidelity and transdifferentiation in B-lineage neoplasms, including after targeted therapy.

Methods

Twenty cases were submitted. Whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide RNA expression analysis were available on a limited subsample.

Results

A diagnosis of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) was rendered on at least 1 biopsy from 13 patients. There was 1 case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML); the remaining 6 cases were mature B-cell neoplasms. Targeted therapy was administered in 7 cases of B-ALL and 4 cases of mature B-cell neoplasms. Six cases of B-ALL underwent lineage switch to AML or mixed-phenotype acute leukemia at relapse, 5 of which had rearranged KMT2A. Changes in maturational state without lineage switch were observed in 2 cases. Examples of de novo aberrant T-cell antigen expression (n = 2) were seen among the mature B-cell lymphoma cohort, and their presence correlated with alterations in tumor cell gene expression patterns.

Conclusions

This cohort of cases enabled us to illustrate, discuss, and review current concepts of lineage switch and aberrant antigen expression in a variety of B-cell neoplasms and draw attention to the role targeted therapies may have in predisposing neoplasms to transdifferentiation as well as other, less expected changes in maturational status.
Invited Commentary: A Step Toward Safer and More Precise Management of Osteoarthritis Pain
Authors: Baker Joshua F
Published: April 2023

In this issue of the Journal, Wei et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2023;192(9):1432–1448); demonstrate the modification of effect of nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in the setting of aspirin use for the outcome of cardiovascular events. This study is distinctive in its aim to compare 2 similar therapies in the setting of 2 clinical scenarios (aspirin use vs. not) based on some mechanistic rationale. The use of an active comparator design with a prehypothesized evaluation of treatment heterogeneity can provide compelling evidence to support relevant clinical decisions for which clinical trial evidence is not likely or possible.
Scale-Up of Rifapentine and Isoniazid for Tuberculosis Prevention Among Household Contacts in 2 Urban Centers: An Effectiveness Assessment
Authors: Hussain Hamidah , Jaswal Maria , Farooq Saira , Safdar Nauman , Madhani Falak , Noorani Shehla , Shahbaz Sheikh Shumail , Salahuddin Naseem , Amanullah Farhana , Khowaja Saira , Manzar Shadab , Shah Jinsar Ali , Islam Zafar , Dahri Ali Akber , Shahzad Muddasser , Keshavjee Salmaan , Becerra Mercedes C , Khan Aamir J , Malik Amyn A
Published: April 2023

Background

Scaling up a shorter preventive regimen such as weekly isoniazid and rifapentine (3HP) for 3 months is a priority for tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT). However, there are limited data on 3HP acceptability and completion from high-burden-TB countries.

Methods

We scaled up 3HP from 2018 to 2021 in 2 cities in Pakistan. Eligible participants were household contacts of persons diagnosed with TB disease. Participants were prescribed 3HP after ruling out TB disease. Treatment was self-administered. We analyzed the proportion who completed 3HP.

Results

In Karachi, we verbally screened 22 054 household contacts of all ages. Of these, 83% were clinically evaluated and 3% were diagnosed with TB. Of household contacts without TB disease, 59% initiated the 3HP regimen, of which 69% completed treatment. In Peshawar, we verbally screened 6389 household contacts of all ages. We evaluated 95% of household contacts, of whom 2% were diagnosed with TB disease. Among those without TB disease, 65% initiated 3HP, of which 93% completed. Factors associated with higher 3HP completion included residence in Peshawar (risk ratio [RR], 1.35 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.32–1.37]), index patient being a male (RR, 1.03 [95% CI: 1.01–1.05]), and index patient with extrapulmonary TB compared to bacteriologically positive pulmonary TB (RR, 1.10 [95% CI: 1.06–1.14]). The age of the index patient was inversely associated with completion.

Conclusions

We observed a high level of acceptance and completion of 3HP in programs implemented in 2 cities in Pakistan, with differences observed across the cities. These findings suggest that 3HP can be effectively scaled up in urban settings to improve the reach and impact of TPT.
A combinatorial approach implementing new database structures to facilitate practical data curation management of QTL, association, correlation and heritability data on trait variants
Authors: Hu Zhi-Liang , Park Carissa A , Reecy James M
Published: April 2023

A precise description of traits is essential in genetics and genomics studies to facilitate comparative genetics and meta-analyses. It is an ongoing challenge in research and production environments to unambiguously and consistently compare traits of interest from data collected under various conditions. Despite previous efforts to standardize trait nomenclature, it remains a challenge to fully and accurately capture trait nomenclature granularity in a way that ensures long-term data sustainability in terms of the data curation processes, data management logistics and the ability to make meaningful comparisons across studies. In the Animal Quantitative Trait Loci Database and the Animal Trait Correlation Database, we have recently introduced a new method to extend livestock trait ontologies by using trait modifiers and qualifiers to define traits that differ slightly in how they are measured, examined or combined with other traits or factors. Here, we describe the implementation of a system in which the extended trait data, with modifiers, are managed at the experiment level as ‘trait variants’. This has helped us to streamline the management and curation of such trait information in our database environment.

Database URL  https://www.animalgenome.org/PGNET/
Old and new therapeutic solutions in the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Autore Camillo , Francia Pietro , Tini Giacomo , Musumeci Beatrice
Published: April 2023

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disease of the myocardium that is relatively common in the general population, with an autosomal dominant inheritance as a genetic basis. Clinical and natural history pathways can be very different among patients with HCM. Treatment strategies have made very important advances in the last two decades, especially reducing cases of sudden death through effective risk stratification and the use of implantable defibrillators. Heart failure has become the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with HCM, being responsible for as many as 60% of disease-related deaths. HCM is most often characterized by the presence of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, and this obstruction is the most frequent cause of impaired exercise tolerance in HCM and a strong independent predictor of heart failure progression and mortality. The different treatment strategies of LVOT obstruction in HCM are discussed below: surgical, invasive, and the more recent pharmacological.
Atrial fibrillation in heart failure: drugs or ablation?
Authors: Palmas Francesco , Noviello Cecilia , Bo Mario
Published: April 2023

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) frequently coexist and mutually exert negative influences with important clinical implications. Although there is evidence that restoring and maintaining sinus rhythm may have favourable clinical effects in patients with HF, there is no evidence of a survival benefit with pharmacological antiarrhythmic intervention compared with a heart rate control strategy. In these patients, transcatheter ablation (CA) of AF represents a procedure with an excellent safety profile in centres with expertise and a high volume of interventions. However, in the absence of definite evidence of benefit on major clinical end-points that can be generalized to the heterogeneous population with AF and HF, the option of CA should be discussed and shared with the patient, and mainly considered in patients with conditions that are associated with a greater prospect of clinical benefit, such as ‘young’ age (65–70 years), good health conditions and few or no comorbidities, recent onset of HF and AF (especially if with high heart rate), left atrial volume not excessively compromised (<55 mm in diameter), and without evidence of substantial fibrotic remodelling, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >25%, including HF with preserved EF (HFpEF).
Hypocholesterolaemic treatment in coronary unit: from statins to anti PCSK9 therapies and bempedoic acid
Authors: Ferri Nicola , Corsini Alberto , Ruscica Massimiliano
Published: April 2023

The knowledge that roughly 20% of survivors from an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event experience a subsequent ischaemic cardiovascular event within 24 months with a 5-year mortality range between 19 and 22% highlights the importance of the lipid-lowering strategies in the secondary prevention after ACS. In this framework, statin treatment significantly improves clinical outcome after ACS. Within this remit, in the present review we critically discuss the use of statin and non-statin lipid-lowering approaches (ezetimibe, evolocumab, alirocumab, inclisiran, and bempedoic acid) in the early management of ACS patients. Relative to this latter aspect, the knowledge that circulating proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels are raised during ACS could be a generating hypothesis justifying the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in ACS. Thus, in a field fraught of uncertainty, the main barrier to the widespread prescription of non-statin agents (e.g. PCSK9 inhibitors) relates to their costs when compared with other lipid-lowering agents (e.g. statins and ezetimibe).
Renal denervation and long-term results
Authors: Simonetti Fiorenzo , Piccolo Raffaele , Esposito Giovanni
Published: April 2023

Arterial hypertension is a condition with a high prevalence in the global population and represents a major risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events, including stroke and death. Non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions, with combination therapy as a standard strategy, are very effective in achieving optimal blood pressure (BP) goals. Nevertheless, in a non-negligible proportion of patients, drug therapy is ineffective at achieving BP targets or there is intolerance to specific anti-hypertensive medications. In this context, the use of invasive treatments for BP control, including renal denervation, represents a valuable therapeutic option. Renal denervation has experienced ups and downs over the years, with an initial growth period and a decline mainly linked to the initial negative results of a large, randomized trial. However, recent data from new trials and long-term follow-up of initial trials have confirmed the benefit and safety of the procedure by relaunching it in daily clinical practice. Additional research evaluating ablation methods other than radiofrequency are needed to be able to more clearly define the role of this procedure and the type of patients that can benefit most from it.
Sudden death in ischemic heart disease: looking for new predictors: polygenic risk
Authors: Boccanelli Alessandro , Scardovi Angela Beatrice
Published: April 2023

The phenomenon of sudden death (SD) occurs, in 70% of cases, in people who do not fall within the indications of the guidelines relating to the implantation of the defibrillator. There is a way of inheriting the risk condition by genetic means, the polygenic one, in which mutations are not found, but an increase in alleles of common variations called polymorphisms. The PRE-DETERMINE cohort study has the primary objective of determining whether biological markers, and electrocardiogram can be used to identify individuals more likely to experience SD. Within the study, we investigated the utility of the genome-wide polygenic score for coronary artery disease (GPSCAD) for SD risk stratification in an intermediate-risk population with stable coronary artery disease without severe systolic dysfunction and/or indication for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in primary prevention. Over a mean follow-up period of 8.0 years, patients in the top decile of GPSCAD were at higher absolute (8.0% vs. 4.8%; P < 0.005) and relative (29% vs. 16%; P < 0.0003) risk of SD compared to the rest of the cohort. No association was found between the highest decile of GPSCAD and other forms of death, cardiac, and non-cardiac. The data on the increase in absolute and relative terms of SD can be used, at this stage, only for a theoretical estimate on the possible efficacy of the defibrillator in the population with chronic coronary artery disease and moderately depressed left ventricular function as number needed to treat and possible reduction of mortality in high-risk patients (those included in the top decile of GPSCAD).
Less sodium and more potassium to reduce cardiovascular risk
Authors: Muiesan Maria Lorenza , Buso Giacomo , Agabiti Rosei Claudia
Published: April 2023

An increase in the dietary consumption of salt is associated with a progressive increase in blood pressure (BP) values, and with an increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Reducing the dietary intake of sodium in the population is a public health goal in many countries around the world. Numerous studies have described a linear relationship between high dietary salt intake and the development of arterial hypertension, as well as a negative association between high potassium intake and BP values. Furthermore, there is evidence that a reduction in salt consumption and an increase in potassium consumption can be associated with a decrease in BP values, improving the general state of health. Therefore, it would be desirable to further improve awareness of the risks associated with an excessive intake of salt and low potassium by maintaining public education campaigns and trying to overcome the numerous obstacles to a process of greater responsibility for people regarding nutrition.
Arrhythmic risk stratification in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Del Mestre Eva , Pio Loco Detto Gava Carola , Paldino Alessia , Gigli Marta , Rossi Maddalena , Lalario Andrea , Dal Ferro Matteo , Merlo Marco , Sinagra Gianfranco
Published: April 2023

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a primary disease of the heart muscle, which affects relatively young patients with a low comorbidity profile. It is characterized by structural and/or functional abnormalities leading to systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle or of both ventricles, often associated with dilatation, in the absence of an ischaemic, valvular, or pressure overload cause sufficient to explain the phenotype. Although the prognosis of the disease has greatly improved over the last few decades, prognostic stratification remains a fundamental objective, especially about the prediction of potentially life-threatening arrhythmic events. An accurate diagnostic work-up and an appropriate aetiopathogenetic characterization affect the patients’ outcome and represent the essential basis of an adequate prognostic stratification. It is necessary to adopt a multiparametric approach, especially when the aim is the prediction of arrhythmic risk; it includes an integration of medical history and physical examination with cardiac imaging and genetic testing, in order to obtain a personalized diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, the evaluation should be repeated at every clinical check-up, considering the dynamic trend of the pathology and the arrhythmic risk changes over time. This article aims to illustrate how, starting from an exhaustive aetiological and clinical–instrumental characterization, including all diagnostic methods available at present time, it is possible to obtain a tailored diagnostic evaluation and stratification of the arrhythmic risk as accurate as possible.
Challenges in cardiology: diagnosis of native and prosthetic valve endocarditis
Authors: Pepi Mauro , Muratori Manuele
Published: April 2023

New cardiovascular imaging technologies have strongly influenced the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis [infective endocarditis (IE)]. The clinical presentation of IE is polymorphic, which explains the difficulty of diagnosis and the delay in treatment. Symptoms such as fever, chills, loss of appetite and weight, and embolic phenomena strongly support the diagnosis of endocarditis, but are not always present, particularly in elderly or immuno-compromised patients. Moreover, subtle symptoms in patients at high risk for the development of IE, such as those with prosthetic valves or intracardiac devices, patients with congenital heart disease, and drug addicts should lead to the suspicion that a diagnosis of IE is highly probable. In this review, we will focus on the diagnosis of complex IE in native valves and prosthetic valves.
Sudden cardiac death in ischaemic heart disease: coronary thrombosis or myocardial fibrosis?
Authors: Prati Francesco , Gurguglione Giovanni , Biccire Flavio , Cipolloni Luigi , Ferrari Michela , Di Toro Alessandro , Arbustini Eloisa
Published: April 2023

The mechanisms underlying sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) caused by coronary atherosclerosis are not yet clarified. For decades, acute coronary causes have been sought as the main triggers of SCD in these patients. In fact, angiographic and pathological studies in cardiac arrest survivors and SCD victims, respectively, consistently show that acute plaque events occur in ∼50% of SCD of patients with IHD. Among the acute events, plaque rupture and erosion triggering acute coronary thrombosis remain the main substrates; however, a significant percentage of plaque haemorrhage (20%) is identified by pathological studies. Its role in acute coronary thrombosis is unknown and deserves future intravascular imaging developments. In the remaining 50% of SCD, the atherosclerotic coronary disease shows the characteristics of structural stability. More recent studies have focused attention not only on the coronary tree and on the search for acute complications of atherosclerotic plaques but also on myocardial tissue, identifying replacement and patchy fibrosis as the most frequent findings in the post-mortem hearts of these patients, a feature followed by cardiac hypertrophy, as assessed by the heart weight, usually associated with fibrosis. The possibility of characterizing myocardial fibrosis in vivo, besides confirming the pathological data, now offers new risk stratification perspectives to prevent SCD in IHD, alongside the consolidated secondary prevention criteria based on left ventricular dysfunction.
Nightmare in the ward: difficult Clostridioides infection
Authors: Tarasi Agapito
Published: April 2023

Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus. It is isolated in 80% of the stools of children and infants and in 3% of healthy adults. It causes gastrointestinal tract infections and affects patients who make prolonged use of antibiotics. It causes C. difficile colitis with symptoms ranging from diarrhoea to pseudomembranous colitis to toxic megacolon. The main virulence factors of C. difficile are toxin A, toxin B, and binary toxin. It is one of the most common nosocomial infections but in recent years, however, many infections have also been found at the community level. They are associated not only with a high risk of mortality but also with a prolongation of hospital stay. One of the critical aspects of C. difficile infections is also represented by the high frequency of relapses. Consequently, the economic impact is significant. Specific situations constitute risk factors for infection, such as exposure to antibiotic therapy in the previous months, in particular fluoroquinolones, third-generation cephalosporins, clindamycin, repeated hospitalizations in healthcare facilities, including long-term care, as well as the patient’s clinical conditions such as comorbidities, age >65, chemotherapy and immunosuppressive treatments, recent surgery of any type, and pump inhibitor therapy. Treatment protocols will be described in the paper.
Copy number variation of gasdermin D gene is associated with atrial fibrillation-related thromboembolic stroke
Authors: Huang Pang-Shuo , Cheng Jen-Fang , Li Guan-Wei , Chuang Eric Y , Chen Jien-Jiun , Chiu Fu-Chun , Wu Cho-Kai , Wang Yi-Chih , Hwang Juey-Jen , Tsai Chia-Ti
Published: April 2023

Aims

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major causes of ischaemic stroke. In addition to clinical risk evaluated by the CHA2DS2-VASC score, the impact of genetic factors on the risk of AF-related thromboembolic stroke has been largely unknown. We found several copy number variations (CNVs) in novel genes that were associated with thromboembolic stroke risk in our AF patients by genome-wide approach. Among them, the gasdermin D (GSDMD) gene was related to inflammation. We aimed to test whether GSDMD deletion was associated with AF-related stroke.

Methods and results

A total of 400 patients with documented non-familial AF were selected, of which 100 patients were diagnosed with ischaemic stroke. The baseline characteristics of age, sex, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were not statistically different between cases and controls. We found that individuals who carried GSDMD homozygous deletion genotype had a higher risk for ischaemic stroke (odds ratio 2.195; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–3.90; P = 0.007), even adjusted by CHA2DS2-VASc scores. We also validated the association of GSDMD with AF stroke in a large Caucasian population (UK Biobank).

Conclusion

We found a link between the homozygous deletion of the GSDMD gene and an increased risk of stroke in patients with AF. This may implicate the use of therapy targeting GSDMD in the prevention of ischaemic stroke for AF patients.
Parallel shifts in trout feeding morphology suggest rapid adaptation to alpine lake environments
Authors: Combrink Lucia L , Rosenthal William C , Boyle Lindsey J , Rick Jessica A , Mandeville Elizabeth G , Krist Amy C , Walters Annika W , Wagner Catherine E
Published: April 2023

Eco-evolutionary interactions following ecosystem change provide critical insight into the ability of organisms to adapt to shifting resource landscapes. Here we explore evidence for the rapid parallel evolution of trout feeding morphology following eco-evolutionary interactions with zooplankton in alpine lakes stocked at different points in time in the Wind River Range (Wyoming, USA). In this system, trout predation has altered the zooplankton species community and driven a decrease in average zooplankton size. In some lakes that were stocked decades ago, we find shifts in gill raker traits consistent with the hypothesis that trout have rapidly adapted to exploit available smaller-bodied zooplankton more effectively. We explore this morphological response in multiple lake populations across two species of trout (cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii, and golden trout Oncorhynchus aguabonita) and examine the impact of resource availability on morphological variation in gill raker number among lakes. Furthermore, we present genetic data to provide evidence that historically stocked cutthroat trout populations likely derive from multiple population sources, and incorporate variation from genomic relatedness in our exploration of environmental predictors of feeding morphology. These findings describe rapid adaptation and eco-evolutionary interactions in trout and document an evolutionary response to novel, contemporary ecosystem change.
Expression of retrotransposons contributes to aging in Drosophila
Authors: Schneider Blair K , Sun Shixiang , Lee Moonsook , Li Wenge , Skvir Nicholas , Neretti Nicola , Vijg Jan , Secombe Julie
Published: April 2023

Retrotransposons are a class of transposable elements capable of self-replication and insertion into new genomic locations. Across species, the mobilization of retrotransposons in somatic cells has been suggested to contribute to the cell and tissue functional decline that occurs during aging. Retrotransposons are broadly expressed across cell types, and de novo insertions have been observed to correlate with tumorigenesis. However, the extent to which new retrotransposon insertions occur during normal aging and their effect on cellular and animal function remains understudied. Here, we use a single nucleus whole genome sequencing approach in Drosophila to directly test whether transposon insertions increase with age in somatic cells. Analyses of nuclei from thoraces and indirect flight muscles using a newly developed pipeline, Retrofind, revealed no significant increase in the number of transposon insertions with age. Despite this, reducing the expression of two different retrotransposons, 412 and Roo, extended lifespan, but did not alter indicators of health such as stress resistance. This suggests a key role for transposon expression and not insertion in regulating longevity. Transcriptomic analyses revealed similar changes to gene expression in 412 and Roo knockdown flies and highlighted changes to genes involved in proteolysis and immune function as potential contributors to the observed changes in longevity. Combined, our data show a clear link between retrotransposon expression and aging.
Palaeomagnetic evidence of the deformation of the Pontides during the closure of the Intra-Pontide Ocean in the early Cretaceous
Authors: Cengiz Mualla
Published: April 2023

Several models exist concerning the deformation history of the Pontides in North Anatolia during the Cretaceous period, which vary depending on the positions of the Istanbul and Sakarya zones, the consumption of the northern branches of the Neotethys ocean and the rifting of several sub-basins. Notably, the early Cretaceous tectonic history of the Pontides involved the closure of the northern Neotethys ocean (Intra-Pontide ocean), and the collision between the Istanbul and Sakarya zones, producing thrust structures along the collisional front. The lack of palaeomagnetic data providing evidence for this deformation pattern demonstrates that further investigation is required, particularly focusing on the Lower Cretaceous strata in the Pontides. Thus, this study aimed to examine samples from a total of 78 sites from the Lower–Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, and Middle Eocene to Middle Miocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Results of this study indicated large counterclockwise rotations up to R±ΔR = −73.9°±9.1°, and small clockwise rotations of R±ΔR = 14.2°±12.2° in the Istanbul and Sakarya zones, during the Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous periods. These rotation patterns are accompanied by the closure of the Intra-Pontide ocean, and the collision between the Istanbul and Sakarya zones during the Early and Late Cretaceous periods. On the other hand, in the Middle Eocene, small counterclockwise rotations of R±ΔR = −6.4°±13.9° and 4.6°±12.9° along the western coastline of the Pontides indicated that the northern margin of the Pontides was stable during this period.