bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute kidney injury development is associated with mortality in Japanese patients with cirrhosis: impact of amino acid imbalance
Authors: Miwa Takao , Utakata Yuki , Hanai Tatsunori , Aiba Masashi , Unome Shinji , Imai Kenji , Takai Koji , Shiraki Makoto , Katsumura Naoki , Shimizu Masahito
Published: June 2024

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of cirrhosis. This study analyzed the prognostic effect of AKI in patients with cirrhosis and its risk factors, particularly in relation to amino acid imbalance.

Methods

This retrospective study reviewed 808 inpatients with cirrhosis at two institutes in Gifu, Japan. AKI was diagnosed according to the recommendations of the International Club of Ascites. Amino acid imbalance was assessed by measuring serum branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) levels, tyrosine levels, and the BCAA-to-tyrosine ratio (BTR). Factors associated with mortality and AKI development were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model with AKI as a time-dependent covariate and the Fine–Gray competing risk regression model, respectively.

Results

Of the 567 eligible patients without AKI at baseline, 27% developed AKI and 25% died during a median follow-up period of 4.7 years. Using a time-dependent covariate, AKI development (hazard ratio [HR], 6.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.98–9.80; p < 0.001) was associated with mortality in patients with cirrhosis independent of potential covariates. In addition, alcohol-associated/-related liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, Child–Pugh score, and BTR (subdistribution HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.63–0.96; p = 0.022) were independently associated with AKI development in patients with cirrhosis. Similar results were obtained in the multivariate model that included BCAA and tyrosine levels instead of BTR.

Conclusions

AKI is common and associated with mortality in Japanese patients with cirrhosis. An amino acid imbalance is strongly associated with the development of AKI in patients with cirrhosis.
Bemarituzumab plus mFOLFOX6 as first-line treatment in East Asian patients with FGFR2b-overexpressing locally advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer: subgroup of FIGHT final analysis
Authors: Kang Yoon-Koo , Qin Shukui , Lee Keun-Wook , Oh Sang Cheul , Kim In-Ho , Kim Jong Gwang , Li Yong , Yan Zhuchen , Li Jin , Bai Li-Yuan , Chan Catherine , Yusuf Akeem , Zahlten-Kümeli Anita , Taylor Kate , Yamaguchi Kensei
Published: June 2024

Background

In the FIGHT study (NCT03694522) bemarituzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody selective for fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b), plus mFOLFOX6 showed clinically meaningful efficacy in patients with FGFR2b-positive (2+/3+ membranous staining by immunohistochemistry) locally advanced unresectable/metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer (G/GEJC). A meaningful proportion of patients in FIGHT were enrolled in East Asia, reflecting global epidemiology of G/GEJC.

Methods

This subgroup analysis of the global, phase 2, double-blind FIGHT study included all patients enrolled in East Asian sites. Patients were randomized 1:1 to bemarituzumab-mFOLFOX6 (15 mg/kg and one 7.5 mg/kg dose on cycle 1, day 8) or matching placebo-mFOLFOX6. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate, and safety. Efficacy was evaluated after a minimum follow-up of 24 months.

Results

The East Asian subgroup comprised 89 patients (57% of overall study population); 45 were randomized to bemarituzumab-mFOLFOX6 and 44 to placebo-mFOLFOX6. Median PFS (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 12.9 months (8.8–17.9) with bemarituzumab-mFOLFOX6 and 8.2 months (5.6–10.3) with placebo-mFOLFOX6 (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29–0.87); median OS (95% CI) was 24.7 months (13.8–33.1) vs 12.9 months (9.3–21.4), respectively (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32–0.96). Treatment benefit was more pronounced in patients with FGFR2b-positive G/GEJC in ≥ 10% of tumor cells. No new safety signals were reported.

Conclusion

In East Asian patients with FGFR2b-positive advanced/metastatic G/GEJC enrolled in the global FIGHT study, bemarituzumab-mFOLFOX6 showed clinically meaningful outcomes over placebo-mFOLFOX6.
Is Time an Illusion? A Bootstrap Likelihood Ratio Test for Shock Transmission Delays in DSGE Models
Authors: Angelini Giovanni , Fanelli Luca , Sorge Marco M.
Published: June 2024

Several business cycle models exhibit a recursive timing structure, which enforces delayed propagation of exogenous shocks driving short-run dynamics. We propose a bootstrap-based empirical strategy to test for the relevance of timing restrictions and ensuing shock transmission delays in DSGE environments. In the presence of strong identification, we document how likelihood-based tests in bootstrap-resamples can be used to empirically assess short-run restrictions placed by informational structures on a given model’s equilibrium representation, thereby enhancing coherence between theory and measurement. We evaluate the size properties of our procedure in short time series by conducting a number of numerical experiments on a popular New Keynesian model of the monetary transmission mechanism. An empirical application to U.S. data from the Great Moderation period allows us to revisit and qualify previous findings in the field by lending support to the conventional (unrestricted) timing protocol, whereby inflation and output gap do respond on impact to monetary policy innovations.
Experimental Investigation of Water-Based Fire Suppression Systems on External Façade Fires
Authors: Meraner Christoph , Skilbred Ellen S. , Arsava Kemal S.
Published: June 2024

The use of external fire suppression systems can reduce the risk of fire spreading between buildings. This study investigated the effectiveness and efficiency of different externally placed water-based fire suppression systems on façade fire safety. A series of large-scale experiments comprising an SP Fire 105 setup equipped with sprinklers and high-pressure water mist nozzles have been performed. A combustible façade, consisting of 2.5 cm thick oriented strand board (OSB) plates, was installed to provide challenging conditions and allow a visual assessment of the post-fire damage. The temperature profile on the façade surface was measured with 34 thermocouples, while five heat flux gauges and two fast-response plate thermocouples were used to measure the heat flux on the façade surface and emitted to the ambient. The sprinklers and the high-pressure water mist system effectively suppressed the upwards flame migration and reduced the heat flux toward adjacent buildings. It was observed that the sprinklers acted as a water curtain and kept the façade wet during the fire, promoting minor damage (the burnt area is less than 1% of the total area). The temperature and heat flux measurements demonstrated that the sprinkler system was the most effective suppression system. However, the high-pressure water mist systems achieved similar effectiveness but a much higher efficiency concerning water consumption. The sprinkler nozzles used four times as much water as the high-pressure water mist nozzles.
Novel sound event and sound activity detection framework based on intrinsic mode functions and deep learning
Authors: Hajihashemi Vahid , Alavigharahbagh Abdorreza , Machado J. J. M. , Tavares João Manuel R. S.
Published: June 2024

The detection of sound events has become increasingly important due to the development of signal processing methods, social media, and the need for automatic labeling methods in applications such as smart cities, navigation, and security systems. For example, in such applications, it is often important to detect sound events at different levels, such as the presence or absence of an event in the segment, or to specify the beginning and end of the sound event and its duration. This study proposes a method to reduce the feature dimensions of a Sound Event Detection (SED) system while maintaining the system’s efficiency. The proposed method, using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs), and extraction of locally regulated features from different IMFs of the signal, shows a promising performance relative to the conventional features of SED systems. In addition, the feature dimensions of the proposed method are much smaller than those of conventional methods. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed features in SED tasks, two segment-based approaches for event detection and sound activity detection were implemented using the suggested features, and their effectiveness was confirmed. Simulation results on the URBAN SED dataset showed that the proposed approach reduces the number of input features by more than 99% compared with state-of-the-art methods while maintaining accuracy. According to the obtained results, the proposed method is quite promising.
The long-run effects of recessions on fertility
Authors: Zimmer David M.
Published: June 2024

Using large repeated cross-sections and a cohort-based econometric approach, this paper produces evidence that women who finish their formal education during periods of high unemployment have significantly, and persistently, lower fertility compared to women who graduate during more favorable economic conditions. In terms of magnitude, a woman who graduates into a market with a 3 percentage point higher unemployment rate experiences an approximate 14% reduction in birth probabilities about a half-decade later. The long-recognized negative effects of unemployment on marriage explain, at most, 30% of that reduction in fertility. Rather, graduating into high unemployment appears to exert its own influence on fertility, separate from its effect on marriage.
A logical challenge to correlationism: the Church–Fitch paradox in Husserl’s account of fulfilment, truth, and meaning
Authors: Bös Gregor E.
Published: June 2024

Husserl’s theory of fulfilment conceives of empty acts, such as symbolic thought, and fulfilling acts, such as sensory perceptions, in a strict parallel. This parallelism is the basis for Husserl’s semantics, epistemology, and conception of truth. It also entails that any true proposition can be known in principle, which Church and Fitch have shown to explode into the claim that every proposition is actually known. I assess this logical challenge and discuss a recent response by James Kinkaid. While Kinkaid’s proposal saves one direction of the parallel for semantics, it gives up the parallelism for truth. I spell out a different response which meshes naturally with Husserl’s account of meaning. If the parallelism is restricted to a class of basic propositions, the truth of non-basic propositions can be defined inductively, without leading to the paradox. I then discuss objections that have been raised against a similar proposal by Dummett. The result is that exegetically plausible and popular interpretations of Husserl’s correlationism are indeed challenged by Church and Fitch. But when taking into account the ‘logical adumbration’ of propositional blindspots, truth and possible fulfilment can be connected without paradox.
Analysis of the potential involvement of lncRNAs in embryogenic competence of Solanum betaceum Cav. (tamarillo) calli
Authors: Cordeiro Daniela , Camelo Alexandra , Pedrosa Ana Carolina , Brandão Inês , Santo Christophe Espírito , Canhoto Jorge , Correia Sandra
Published: June 2024

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a process by which somatic cells reprogram, acquire totipotency and embark on embryo formation. Although SE is a valuable tool for micropropagation in many crops, it presents specific challenges in woody species due to some bottlenecks, such as loss of embryogenic competence during subcultures and the often-low somatic embryo conversion into plantlets. Hence, great interest exists in exploring the regulatory networks involved on SE. As transcription modulators, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found essential in a wide range of biological processes. This work aimed to identify lncRNAs related to the embryogenic competence in Solanum betaceum Cav. (tamarillo). Nanopore® long-read sequencing was conducted in cell lines with distinct cell fates and, based on their coding potential, 60 transcripts were selected as lncRNA candidates. Similar expression patterns were found among embryogenic cell lines (EC) and cells that lost their embryogenic potential (herein long-term callus, LTC), whereas non-EC (NEC) showed differentially expressed lncRNAs. Whereas lncRNAs upregulated in EC and LTC were predicted to target embryogenesis-related genes, such as AGAMOUS-like 15 and WUSCHEL-related HOMEOBOX 2, lncRNAs upregulated in NEC were predicted to target mainly genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall formation, auxin and ethylene signalling pathways. Altogether, these results show the involvement of lncRNA in the process of somatic embryogenesis in S. betaceum, indicating that EC present a pattern of lncRNA expression that suggests its action on genes that directly modulate the morphogenic response in vitro, while in NEC the modulation through this type of RNAs seems to be predominantly reflected in genes more related to cellular physiology.

Graphical Abstract
Social Innovation and the Financial Risk of EMNCs - The Contingent Role of Institutional Legitimacy
Authors: Banna Hasanul , Mostafiz Md Imtiaz , Ahmed Farhad Uddin , Tarba Shlomo Y.
Published: June 2024

This paper examines the influence of social innovation on financial risk of emerging economy multinational corporations (EMNCs). Traditionally, research has focussed on Western MNCs’ and their financial performance implications. However, the growing involvement of EMNCs in social innovation—albeit in environments characterized by institutional voids—and its effects on financial risk necessitate an in-depth examination. Drawing on stakeholder theory, we explored how EMNCs balance their social innovation initiatives with financial risks. To this end, we first examine how social innovation reduces the financial risk of EMNCs. Second, we examine the association between excessive social innovation and EMNCs’ financial risk. In addition, borrowing insights from institutional theory, we assess the role played by institutional legitimacy in this process, acknowledging institutional legitimacy’s potential to mitigate the financial risks associated with social innovation in emerging economies. We test our hypotheses based on data drawn from 90 EMNCs in 14 emerging economies, applying a panel regression model with robust standard errors and a rigorous robustness propensity score matching test. Our findings show that social innovation reduces EMNC financial risk, and challenge the assertions made regarding the potential negative implications of excessive social innovation on financial risk. Our results also demonstrate the intricate moderating effects of institutional legitimacy in balancing social innovation, excessive social innovation, and EMNC financial risk. Finally, we proffer critical implications for managers and policymakers in emerging economies.
Height-diameter models for King Boris fir (Abies borisii regis Mattf.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Olympus and Pieria Mountains, Greece
Authors: Raptis Dimitrios I. , Papadopoulou Dimitra , Psarra Angeliki , Fallias Athanasios A. , Tsitsanis Aristides G. , Kazana Vassiliki
Published: June 2024

In forest science and practice, the total tree height is one of the basic morphometric attributes at the tree level and it has been closely linked with important stand attributes. In the current research, sixteen nonlinear functions for height prediction were tested in terms of their fitting ability against samples of Abies borisii regis and Pinus sylvestris trees from mountainous forests in central Greece. The fitting procedure was based on generalized nonlinear weighted regression. At the final stage, a five-quantile nonlinear height-diameter model was developed for both species through a quantile regression approach, to estimate the entire conditional distribution of tree height, enabling the evaluation of the diameter impact at various quantiles and providing a comprehensive understanding of the proposed relationship across the distribution. The results clearly showed that employing the diameter as the sole independent variable, the 3-parameter Hossfeld function and the 2-parameter Näslund function managed to explain approximately 84.0% and 81.7% of the total height variance in the case of King Boris fir and Scots pine species, respectively. Furthermore, the models exhibited low levels of error in both cases (2.310m for the fir and 3.004m for the pine), yielding unbiased predictions for both fir (−0.002m) and pine (−0.004m). Notably, all the required assumptions for homogeneity and normality of the associated residuals were achieved through the weighting procedure, while the quantile regression approach provided additional insights into the height-diameter allometry of the specific species. The proposed models can turn into valuable tools for operational forest management planning, particularly for wood production and conservation of mountainous forest ecosystems.
Stormwater runoff calculator for evaluation of low impact development practices at ground-mounted solar photovoltaic farms
Authors: Galzki Jake , Mulla David
Published: June 2024

Estimating runoff at ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations is challenging because of the disconnected nature of impervious solar panels and the pervious ground surface underneath and between panel rows. There is a need for improved tools to estimate how low impact development practices at these solar installations affect stormwater runoff. The objective of this study was to develop an innovative spreadsheet-based runoff calculator that rapidly estimates stormwater runoff from ground-mounted solar PV sites. The calculator is built on a 2-D hydrologic model (Hydrus-2D/3D) calibrated and validated using experimental data from five commercial solar farms in Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon. The Hydrus-2D/3D hydrologic model was then used to generate nomographs for stormwater runoff that were incorporated into an easy-to-use Excel-based solar farm runoff calculator. This calculator allows for rapid estimation of NRCS stormwater runoff curve number (CN) values at solar farms by considering several complex factors unique to PV installations including: soil and topographic characteristics, surface cover, disconnected impervious surface factors associated with various solar panel designs, and climatic factors. The solar farm runoff calculator quickly estimates runoff CN for pre- and post-construction scenarios, and can estimate actual depth of runoff based on a user-specified 24-h design storm depth. Factors that have the most significant impact on stormwater runoff include design storm return frequency, soil texture, soil bulk density, and soil depth. Ground surface cover has a moderate impact on stormwater runoff, and factors that have a lesser impact on stormwater runoff include slope and array size, spacing and orientation on the landscape. The runoff calculator allows for accurate estimates of runoff generated by disconnected impervious surfaces and low impact development practices at solar farms as affected by a wide range of site-specific conditions.
Liquid crystal waveguide film and its application to smart glasses
Authors: Tomono Takao , Yamaguchi Rumiko
Published: June 2024

Liquid crystal waveguide film that we can control through wide visible wavelength has been proposed. Recently, small optical system is needed for various industrial application. Among the application, liquid crystal is the material for controlling optical ray. The application includes optical switch and display by controlling birefringence. These applications include AR/VR display, for manufacturing, inspection, and so on. In this study, we have investigated liquid crystal (LC) waveguide film that light is emitted from the waveguide film on glasses toward the eye when the power is turned on. The cut-off of waveguide film is based on liquid crystal switch using refractive index anisotropy. We select smart glasses as one of the applications for AR/VR display. The potential of LC waveguide films is demonstrated by simulating the propagation characteristics of waveguides film, LC reorientations, and diffraction gratings in the field of RGB wavelength range. By using the waveguide structure, the film thickness can be configured to be less than 1 mm. We can expect the liquid crystal waveguide has much application to optical integrated circuit as other application except for smart glasses.
Controls on Dissolved Barium and Radium‐226 Distributions in the Pacific Ocean Along GEOTRACES GP15
Authors: Le Roy Emilie , Charette Matthew A. , Henderson Paul B. , Shiller Alan M. , Moore Willard S. , Kemnitz Nathaniel , Hammond Douglas E. , Horner Tristan J.
Published: June 2024

Radium‐226(226Ra) and barium (Ba) exhibit similar chemical behaviors and distributions in the marine environment, serving as valuable tracers of water masses, ocean mixing, and productivity. Despite their similar distributions, these elements originate from distinct sources and undergo disparate biogeochemical cycles, which might complicate the use of these tracers. In this study, we investigate these processes by analyzing a full‐depth ocean section of 226Ra activities (T1/2 = 1,600 years) and barium concentrations obtained from samples collected along the US GEOTRACES GP15 Pacific Meridional Transect during September–November 2018, spanning from Alaska to Tahiti. We find that surface waters possess low levels of 226Ra and Ba due to export of sinking particulates, surpassing inputs from the continental margins. In contrast, deep waters have higher 226Ra activities and Ba concentrations due to inputs from particle regeneration and sedimentary sources, with 226Ra inputs primarily resulting from the decay of 230Th in sediments. Further, dissolved 226Ra and Ba exhibit a strong correlation along the GP15 section. To elucidate the drivers of the correlation, we used a water mass analysis, enabling us to quantify the influence of water mass mixing relative to non‐conservative processes. While a significant fraction of each element's distribution can be explained by conservative mixing, a considerable fraction cannot. The balance is driven using non‐conservative processes, such as sedimentary, rivers, or hydrothermal inputs, uptake and export by particles, and particle remineralization. Our study demonstrates the utility of 226Ra and Ba as valuable biogeochemical tracers for understanding ocean processes, while shedding light on conservative and myriad non‐conservative processes that shape their respective distributions.
Towards knowledge-infused automated disease diagnosis assistant
Authors: Tomar Mohit , Tiwari Abhisek , Saha Sriparna
Published: June 2024

With the advancement of internet communication and telemedicine, people are increasingly turning to the web for various healthcare activities. With an ever-increasing number of diseases and symptoms, diagnosing patients becomes challenging. In this work, we build a diagnosis assistant to assist doctors, which identifies diseases based on patient–doctor interaction. During diagnosis, doctors utilize both symptomatology knowledge and diagnostic experience to identify diseases accurately and efficiently. Inspired by this, we investigate the role of medical knowledge in disease diagnosis through doctor–patient interaction. We propose a two-channel, knowledge-infused, discourse-aware disease diagnosis model (KI-DDI), where the first channel encodes patient–doctor communication using a transformer-based encoder, while the other creates an embedding of symptom-disease using a graph attention network (GAT). In the next stage, the conversation and knowledge graph embeddings are infused together and fed to a deep neural network for disease identification. Furthermore, we first develop an empathetic conversational medical corpus comprising conversations between patients and doctors, annotated with intent and symptoms information. The proposed model demonstrates a significant improvement over the existing state-of-the-art models, establishing the crucial roles of (a) a doctor’s effort for additional symptom extraction (in addition to patient self-report) and (b) infusing medical knowledge in identifying diseases effectively. Many times, patients also show their medical conditions, which acts as crucial evidence in diagnosis. Therefore, integrating visual sensory information would represent an effective avenue for enhancing the capabilities of diagnostic assistants.
Exploring short- and long-term meteorological drought parameters in the Vaippar Basin of Southern India
Authors: Muthiah Manikandan , Sivarajan Saravanan , Madasamy Nagarajan , Natarajan Anandaraj , Ayyavoo Raviraj
Published: June 2024

Evaluating drought parameters at the basin level is one of the fundamental processes for planning sustainable crop production. This study aimed to evaluate both short-term and long-term meteorological drought parameters within the Vaippar Basin, located in southern India, by employing the standardized precipitation index (SPI). Gridded rainfall values developed from 13 rain gauge stations were employed to calculate the SPI values. Drought parameters, encompassing occurrence, intensity, duration, frequency, and trends, were assessed for both short-term and long-term droughts. The study findings indicated that the occurrence of short-term drought was 51.7%, while that of long-term drought was 49.82%. Notably, the basin experienced extreme short-term droughts in 1980, 1998 and 2016 and long-term droughts in 1981, 2013, and 2017. Utilizing an innovative trend identification method for SPI values, a significant monotonic upwards trend was identified in October and December for short-term drought and in December for long-term drought. This study defined the minimum threshold rainfall, which represents the critical amount required to prevent short-term drought (set at 390 mm) and long-term drought (set at 635 mm). The drought severity recurrence curves developed in this study indicate that when the SPI values fall below − 1.0, short-term drought affects 25% of the basin area, while long-term drought impacts 50% of the basin area at a 20-year recurrence interval. Additionally, the drought hazard index (DHI), which combines drought intensity and severity, demonstrated higher values in the northwestern regions for short-term drought and in the southern areas for long-term drought. The study's findings, highlighting areas of drought vulnerability, severity, and recurrence patterns in the basin, direct the attention for timely intervention when drought initiates.
Trends and age-period-cohort effect on incidence of hepatitis B from 2008 to 2022 in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Zheng Zhiwei , Lin Xinqi , Huang Yong , Zhang Chunhuan , Zhang Zhoubin
Published: June 2024

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly prevalent in Guangzhou, China. This study aimed to examine the long-term trend of HB incidence from 2008 to 2022 and the independent impacts of age, period, and cohort on the trends. HBV data were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. Joinpoint regression was utilized to examine temporal trends, and an age-period-cohort model was employed to estimate the effects of age, period, and cohort. A total of 327,585 HBV cases were included in this study. The incidence of chronic and acute HB showed a decreasing trend in Guangzhou over the past 15 years, with an average annual percent change of − 4.31% and − 16.87%, respectively. Age, period, and cohort all exerted significant effects. The incidence of HB was higher in males than in females and non-central areas compared to central areas. Age groups of 0–4 years and 15–24 years were identified as high-risk groups. The period relative risks for chronic HB incidence decreased initially and then stabilized. Cohorts born later had lower risks. Chronic HB incidences remain high in Guangzhou, especially among males, younger individuals, and residents of non-central areas. More efforts are still needed to achieve hepatitis elimination targets.
Exercise pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis based on updated guidelines
Authors: Kanazawa Yu , Goda Ayumi , Mohri Takato , Takeuchi Shinsuke , Takeuchi Kaori , Kikuchi Hanako , Inami Takumi , Soejima Kyoko , Kohno Takashi
Published: June 2024

Recent European guidelines have introduced the concept of exercise pulmonary hypertension (ex-PH). However, the clinical characteristics of ex-PH in systemic sclerosis (SSc) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of exercise pulmonary hypertension (ex-PH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), which are unknown. We retrospectively examined 77 patients with SSc who underwent symptom-limited exercise testing using a cycle ergometer with right heart catheterization at our hospital. Nineteen patients with postcapillary PH were excluded. Fifty-eight patients (median age, 63 years; 55 women) were divided into the overt-PH (n = 18, mean pulmonary arterial pressure [PAP] > 20 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance > 2 Wood units at rest), ex-PH (n = 19, mean PAP/cardiac output slope > 3), and non-PH (n = 21) groups. Exercise tolerance and echocardiography results were compared among the groups. Peak oxygen consumption was high in the non-PH group, intermediate in the ex-PH group, and low in the overt-PH group (14.5 vs. 13.0 vs. 12.5 mL/kg/min, p = 0.043), and the minute ventilation/peak carbon dioxide production slope was also intermediate in the ex-PH group (32.2 vs. 32.4 vs. 43.0, p = 0.003). The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/systolic PAP ratio decreased from non-PH to ex-PH to overt-PH (0.73 vs. 0.69 vs. 0.55 mm/mmHg, p = 0.018). In patients with SSc, exercise PH may represent an intermediate condition between not having PH and overt PH, according to the new guidelines.
Optical fiber sensor for water velocity measurement in rivers and channels
Authors: Rodriguez Armando , Dieguez Pedro , Urroz Jose Carlos , Bravo Mikel , Lopez Javier , Lopez-Amo Manuel
Published: June 2024

In this work, optical fiber Bragg grating sensors were used to measure water velocity and examine how it was distributed in open channels. Several types of coatings were incorporated into the design of the sensors to examine their effects on the strain that the fibers experienced as a result of the water flow. Due to their low elastic coefficient, which reduced the hysteresis, the results indicated that the aluminum- and acrylate-coated fibers had the best performance. ANSYS-CFX V2020 R2 software was used to model the strain encountered by the fibers under various flow rates to assess the performance of the FBG sensors. The calculations and actual data exhibited good convergence, demonstrating the accuracy of the FBG sensors in determining water velocity. The study illustrated the usability of the proposal in both scenarios by contrasting its application in rivers and channels.
Identification of a risk model for prognostic and therapeutic prediction in renal cell carcinoma based on infiltrating M0 cells
Authors: Xin Shiyong , Su Junjie , Li Ruixin , Cao Qiong , Wang Haojie , Wei Zhihao , Wang Chengliang , Zhang Chengdong
Published: June 2024

The tumor microenvironment (TME) comprises immune-infiltrating cells that are closely linked to tumor development. By screening and analyzing genes associated with tumor-infiltrating M0 cells, we developed a risk model to provide therapeutic and prognostic guidance in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). First, the infiltration abundance of each immune cell type and its correlation with patient prognosis were analyzed. After assessing the potential link between the depth of immune cell infiltration and prognosis, we screened the infiltrating M0 cells to establish a risk model centered on three key genes (TMEN174, LRRC19, and SAA1). The correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between the risk score and various stages of the tumor immune cycle, including B-cell recruitment. Furthermore, the risk score was positively correlated with CD8 expression and several popular immune checkpoints (ICs) (TIGIT, CTLA4, CD274, LAG3, and PDCD1). Additionally, the high-risk group (HRG) had higher scores for tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) and exclusion than the low-risk group (LRG). Importantly, the risk score was negatively correlated with the immunotherapy-related pathway enrichment scores, and the LRG showed a greater therapeutic benefit than the HRG. Differences in sensitivity to targeted drugs between the HRG and LRG were analyzed. For commonly used targeted drugs in RCC, including axitinib, pazopanib, temsirolimus, and sunitinib, LRG had lower IC50 values, indicating increased sensitivity. Finally, immunohistochemistry results of 66 paraffin-embedded specimens indicated that SAA1 was strongly expressed in the tumor samples and was associated with tumor metastasis, stage, and grade. SAA1 was found to have a significant pro-tumorigenic effect by experimental validation. In summary, these data confirmed that tumor-infiltrating M0 cells play a key role in the prognosis and treatment of patients with ccRCC. This discovery offers new insights and directions for the prognostic prediction and treatment of ccRCC.
Seroprevalence study in humans and molecular detection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Thailand
Authors: Saba Villarroel Paola Mariela , Chaiphongpachara Tanawat , Nurtop Elif , Laojun Sedthapong , Pangpoo-nga Tassanee , Songhong Thanaphon , Supungul Dolruethai , Baronti Cécile , Thirion Laurence , Leaungwutiwong Pornsawan , de Lamballerie Xavier , Missé Dorothée , Wichit Sineewanlaya
Published: June 2024

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne virus with a mortality rate of up to 30%. First identified in China in 2009, it was later reported in other Asian countries, including Thailand in 2020. SFTSV has been detected in several tick species, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus, known for infesting dogs. We conducted a seroprevalence study of SFTSV in Bangkok and Nong Khai, Thailand, by analyzing 1162 human samples collected between 2019 and 2023. The testing method relied on IgG detection using ELISA and confirmed though a virus seroneutralization test. The results indicated that out of the participants, 12 (1.1%) tested positive for anti-SFTSV IgG antibodies; however, none exhibited positive results in the seroneutralization assay. Additionally, molecular detection of SFTSV, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Coxiella spp., Bartonella spp., and Rickettsia spp. was performed on 433 Rh. sanguineus ticks collected from 49 dogs in 2023 in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. No evidence of these pathogens was found in ticks. These findings highlight the importance of exploring viral cross-reactivity. Furthermore, it is important to conduct additional studies to isolate SFTSV from animals and ticks in order to identify the potential transmission routes contributing to human and animal infections in Thailand.
Surface modified niosomal quercetin with cationic lipid: an appropriate drug delivery system against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
Authors: Hemmati Jaber , Chiani Mohsen , Chegini Zahra , Seifalian Alexander , Arabestani Mohammad Reza
Published: June 2024

The Increase in infections caused by resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a formidable challenge to global healthcare systems. P. aeruginosa is capable of causing severe human infections across diverse anatomical sites, presenting considerable therapeutic obstacles due to its heightened drug resistance. Niosomal drug delivery systems offer enhanced pharmaceutical potential for loaded contents due to their desirable properties, mainly providing a controlled-release profile. This study aimed to formulate an optimized niosomal drug delivery system incorporating stearylamine (SA) to augment the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities of quercetin (QCT) against both standard and clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. QCT-loaded niosome (QCT-niosome) and QCT-loaded SA- niosome (QCT-SA- niosome) were synthesized by the thin-film hydration technique, and their physicochemical characteristics were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), zeta potential measurement, entrapment efficacy (EE%), and in vitro release profile. The anti-P. aeruginosa activity of synthesized niosomes was assessed using minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MICs/MBCs) and compared with free QCT. Additionally, the minimum biofilm inhibitory and eradication concentrations (MBICs/MBECs) were carried out to analyze the ability of QCT-niosome and QCT-SA-niosome against P. aeruginosa biofilms. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assay was conducted on the L929 mouse fibroblasts cell line to evaluate the biocompatibility of the formulated niosomes. FE-SEM analysis revealed that both synthesized niosomal formulations exhibited spherical morphology with different sizes (57.4 nm for QCT-niosome and 178.9 nm for QCT-SA-niosome). The EE% for cationic and standard niosomal formulations was reported at 75.9% and 59.6%, respectively. Both formulations showed an in vitro sustained-release profile, and QCT-SA-niosome exhibited greater stability during a 4-month storage time compared to QCT-niosome. Microbial experiments indicated that both prepared formulations had higher anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities than free QCT. Also, the QCT-SA-niosome exhibited greater reductions in MIC, MBC, MBIC, and MBEC values compared to the QCT-niosome at equivalent concentrations. This study supports the potential of QCT-niosome and QCT-SA-niosome as effective agents against P. aeruginosa infections, manifesting significant anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm efficacy alongside biocompatibility with L929 cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that optimized QCT-niosome with cationic lipids could efficiently target P. aeruginosa cells with negligible cytotoxic effect.
Microarray analysis demonstrates up-regulation of the endothelin-1 gene with compensatory down-regulation of the ETA receptor gene in human portal vein
Authors: Owen Nicola E. , Williams Thomas L. , Maguire Janet J. , Kuc Rhoda E. , Davenport Emma E. , Davenport Anthony P.
Published: June 2024

High blood pressure in the portal vein, portal hypertension (PH), is the final common pathway in liver cirrhosis regardless of aetiology. Complications from PH are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Current drug therapy to reduce portal pressure is mainly limited to β-adrenergic receptor blockade but approximately 40% of patients do not respond. Our aim was to use microarray to measure the expression of ∼20,800 genes in portal vein from patients with PH undergoing transplantation for liver cirrhosis (PH, n=12) versus healthy vessels (control, n=9) to identify potential drug targets to improve therapy. Expression of 9,964 genes above background was detected in portal vein samples. Comparing PH veins versus control (adjusted P-value < 0.05, fold change > 1.5) identified 548 up-regulated genes and 1,996 down-regulated genes. The 2,544 differentially expressed genes were subjected to pathway analysis. We identified 49 significantly enriched pathways. The endothelin pathway was ranked the tenth most significant, the only vasoconstrictive pathway to be identified. ET-1 gene (EDN1) was significantly up-regulated, consistent with elevated levels of ET-1 peptide previously measured in PH and cirrhosis. ETA receptor gene (EDNRA) was significantly down-regulated, consistent with an adaptive response to increased peptide levels in the portal vein but there was no change in the ETB gene (EDNRB). The results provide further support for evaluating the efficacy of ETA receptor antagonists as a potential therapy in addition to β-blockers in patients with PH and cirrhosis.
Memory for Conversation in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Feasibility Study and Preliminary Findings
Authors: Morrow Emily L. , Brown-Schmidt Sarah , Duff Melissa C.
Published: June 2024

Purpose:

Despite common clinical complaints about memory for conversation after traumatic brain injury (TBI), the nature and severity of this deficit are unknown. In this research note, we report feasibility and preliminary data from a new conversation memory study protocol.

Method:

Participants in this feasibility study were 10 pairs, each including an adult with chronic, moderate-to-severe TBI and their chosen familiar conversation partner. The experiment began with a naturalistic conversation between participants with TBI and their conversation partners. After a filled delay, participants next completed verbal recall for the conversation, which we transcribed and coded for their accuracy relative to the original conversation. Participants also read chosen statements from their original conversation and predicted what each partner would remember in a week. One week later, participants completed a posttest about who said each of the chosen statements, allowing direct comparison to their predictions.

Results:

We successfully collected conversation memory data from all 10 pairs, suggesting that this protocol is feasible for future study. In this preliminary sample, people with TBI and their conversation partners did not differ in the accuracy of their recall for the conversation about 20 min after it occurred. When asked to predict their partner's delayed memory, conversation partners were less accurate than participants with TBI because they underestimated how much their partners with TBI would remember.

Conclusion:

Measuring memory for conversation in TBI is feasible and may advance the characterization of cognitive-communication impairment in TBI, and its heterogeneity, in everyday contexts.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25927513
Frequency control of power systems under uncertain disturbances based on input‐output finite‐time stability
Authors: Zhu Lixuan , Yu Yiping , Ju Ping
Published: June 2024

In modern power systems, the uncertainty and volatility of generation and loads greatly increase the balance discrepancy between the power supply and demand, creating major potential security hazards. To limit out‐of‐bound frequencies, an effective frequency control method for power systems with interval uncertain disturbances is proposed. Based on the state space model of the system frequency response with delays, linear matrix inequalities are constructed based on the input‒output finite‐time stability of the system frequency. By searching for the output feedback gain and altering the time delay with the Padé approximation, the feasibility of the linear matrix inequalities is improved, and a frequency controller is designed. The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively control frequency deviations. When the closed‐loop system is disturbed by uncertain power fluctuations, its frequency will always remain within the allowable range to ensure the secure operation of the power system.
Numerical modeling of influence of defects and damages on bearing capacity of building structures
Authors: Saiyan Sergey Gurgenovich , Paushkin Alexander Glebovich
Published: June 2024

According to the Russian building codes, the numerical study of structures should be carried out taking into account the existing defects and damages. On the example of a U-shaped reinforced concrete frame containing damage, a comparative analysis of three cases of stress-strain state was carried out in comparison with the design scheme without damage. Also, a library of typical damages of reinforced concrete columns and proposed design models was compiled. The calculations were performed by the finite element method in LIRA-SAPR.
Modeling of deformation and fracture processes of unevenly heated round plate subjected to high-temperature hydrogen corrosion
Authors: Mavzovin V.S. , Ovchinnikov I.G.
Published: June 2024

The paper considers modeling of deformation and fracture processes of a round plate subjected to high-temperature hydrogen corrosion in a non-uniform temperature field. The influence of hydrogen-containing medium and temperature on the character of creep and fracture processes is taken into account in model building. The derivation of the solving differential equation of a non-uniformly heated circular plate is described.
Consider temperature and pressure dependences of the contact area
Authors: Abramov Valery Vasil’evich , Rakunov Yuriy Pavlovich
Published: June 2024

The dependence of contact as a function of temperature, pressure and microgeometry (roughness) of the surface of the original material, as well as the mechanical properties of the treated surfaces of the parts of road-building machinery and equipment production of building materials, products and structures. The nature of contact interaction of different crystal materials at the thermal strain effect has been discussed. The relationship of the kinetics and character of smoothing microprotrusion and kinetics of contact strength increase in pressure welding at heating has been established. The displacement microprotrusion mechanism for the second stage of the process compared to the first stage has been defined. Linear dimensions the activated surface parts and bundle slip bundle have been found by theory and confirmed by experiment enough reliably. Kinetic dependence of physical contact with the oppositely and dissimilar materials with sharply varying resistance to plastic deformation had been ascertained and determined. The mechanism crumple microprotrusions for the second stage of the process compared to the first stage has been defined. Linear dimensions of the activated surface parts and bundle slip packs have been found by theory and confirmed by experiment enough reliably.
Information and methodological support for real estate valuation in the context of economic transformation
Authors: Kruglyakova Victoriia M. , Mishchenko Valery Ya. , Akulova Inna I. , Popov Ivan I.
Published: June 2024

The article presents an analysis of the role of information and methodological support for the process of valuation of real estate objects in the general research procedure. In the context of modern regulation of valuation activities in the Russian Federation, the structure and content of general and special federal valuation standards are disclosed, as well as the main problems that have a negative impact on the scope and content of the study aimed at determining the value of assets. It is noted that the issues of the validity of the applied approaches and methods of real estate valuation are closely interconnected with the level of credibility, reliability and sufficiency of external, internal, analytical and regulatory information, on the basis of which various stages of calculating the value of objects are carried out. The proposed solution to the problems of information and methodological support for evaluation studies is aimed at increasing the level of reliability and validity of the final cost of objects. The authors propose a system of price-forming factors and indicators, the consideration of which, when implementing various assessment methods, is necessary in the context of the transformation of the national and regional economy.