bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of Local Conspecific Density Effects for Plant Diversity and Community Dynamics
Authors: LaManna Joseph A. , Hartig Florian , Myers Jonathan A. , Freckleton Robert P. , Detto Matteo , Surendra Akshay , Doolittle Cole J. , Bachelot Bénédicte , Bagchi Robert , Comita Liza S. , DeFilippis David M. , Huanca‐Nunez Nohemi , Hülsmann Lisa , Jevon Fiona V. , Johnson Daniel J. , Krishnadas Meghna , Magee Lukas J. , Mangan Scott A. , Milici Valerie R. , Murengera Aimé Lucky Barahebuza , Schnitzer Stefan A. , Smith Daniel J. B. , Stein Claudia , Sullivan Megan K. , Torres Ethan , Umaña María Natalia , Delavaux Camille S.
Published: October 2024

Conspecific density dependence (CDD) in plant populations is widespread, most likely caused by local‐scale biotic interactions, and has potentially important implications for biodiversity, community composition, and ecosystem processes. However, progress in this important area of ecology has been hindered by differing viewpoints on CDD across subfields in ecology, lack of synthesis across CDD‐related frameworks, and misunderstandings about how empirical measurements of local CDD fit within the context of broader ecological theories on community assembly and diversity maintenance. Here, we propose a conceptual synthesis of local‐scale CDD and its causes, including species‐specific antagonistic and mutualistic interactions. First, we compare and clarify different uses of CDD and related concepts across subfields within ecology. We suggest the use of local stabilizing/destabilizing CDD to refer to the scenario where local conspecific density effects are more negative/positive than heterospecific effects. Second, we discuss different mechanisms for local stabilizing and destabilizing CDD, how those mechanisms are interrelated, and how they cut across several fields of study within ecology. Third, we place local stabilizing/destabilizing CDD within the context of broader ecological theories and discuss implications and challenges related to scaling up the effects of local CDD on populations, communities, and metacommunities. The ultimate goal of this synthesis is to provide a conceptual roadmap for researchers studying local CDD and its implications for population and community dynamics.
Behavioural Thermoregulation of Flowers via Petal Movement
Authors: Koski Matthew H. , Heiling Jacob M. , Apland Jennifer S.
Published: October 2024

Widely documented in animals, behavioural thermoregulation mitigates negative impacts of climate change. Plants experience especially strong thermal variability but evidence for plant behavioural thermoregulation is limited. Along a montane elevation gradient, Argentina anserina flowers warm more in alpine populations than at lower elevation. We linked floral temperature with phenotypes to identify warming mechanisms and documented petal movement and pollinator visitation using time‐lapse cameras. High elevation flowers were more cupped, focused light deeper within flowers and were more responsive to air temperature than low; cupping when cold and flattening when warm. At high elevation, a 20° increase in petal angle resulted in a 0.46°C increase in warming. Warming increased pollinator visitation, especially under cooler high elevation temperatures. A plasticity study revealed constitutive elevational differences in petal cupping and stronger temperature‐induced floral plasticity in high elevation populations. Thus, plant populations have evolved different behavioural responses to temperature driving differences in thermoregulatory capacity.
Local anaesthetic delivery through indwelling retrobulbar catheters for ocular pain control in horses
Authors: Moody Leah M. , Hicks Sherri L. , Foote Braidee C. , Hendrix Diane V. , Ward Daniel A.
Published: October 2024

Background

Equine corneal disease is common and painful. Current pain mitigation strategies are often suboptimal, especially early in the disease.

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of local anaesthetic delivery via indwelling retrobulbar catheter on corneal sensitivity, pupil size, pupillary light responses (PLRs), and ocular motility in normal horses.

Study design

Randomised, controlled crossover experiment.

Methods

One eye was randomly selected from seven horses. A 20‐gauge catheter was placed in the retrobulbar space and injected with 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine or 0.9% saline. Cochet–Bonnet esthesiometry (CBE), pupil photogrammetry, PLRs, and oculocephalic reflexes were evaluated before injection (t = 0) and t = 0.25, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h after injection. Following a 7–14 day washout period, this procedure was repeated using the alternative injection solution. Corneal touch thresholds (CTTs) derived from CBE and pupillary areas (PA; as measured from photographs) were compared across time for each group. PLRs and oculocephalic reflexes were compared between groups at each evaluation time point.

Results

Saline did not affect CBE, PA, PLRs or oculocephalic reflexes at any time point. Bupivacaine reduced CTT compared with saline for 6 h, with maximum reduction at t = 1 h (bupivacaine: 0.08 ± 0.20 cm; saline: 4.21 ± 0.39 cm; p < 0.001). Bupivacaine increased PA compared with saline for 3 h, with maximum increase at t = 3 h (bupivacaine: 349.75 ± 84.80 mm2; saline: 194.65 ± 27.03 mm2; p = 0.04). Bupivacaine injection reduced PLRs for 9 h and oculocephalic reflexes for 3 h; saline had no effect. Mild adverse effects included chemosis, blepharoedema, and transiently reduced palpebral reflex.

Main limitations

Reduction in CTT may not directly translate to pain control in clinical horses with corneal disease. Adverse effects of repeated injections were not evaluated.

Conclusions

Injection of bupivacaine via an indwelling retrobulbar catheter in horses reduces corneal sensitivity and may be useful in reducing pain in horses with corneal disease.
TS‐Mixer: A lightweight text representation model based on context awareness
Authors: Tang Huanling , Wang Yulin , Zhang Yu , Dou Quansheng , Lu Mingyu
Published: October 2024

Large pre‐trained models (PTMs) have shown their powerful ability in multiple natural language processing tasks. However, using them in practical application remains a challenge due to the significant computational cost and memory requirements. In order to achieve the balance of computational cost and accuracy, MLP architecture can be used as an alternative to the self‐attention module, such as pNLP‐Mixer and Hyper‐Mixer. Experiments indicate that, MLP‐based models can attain competitive performance with low cost. They maintain the balance of computation cost and accuracy successfully, yet, this is at the expense of not being able to capture short‐range dependencies. In this paper, a novel MLP‐based model, termed TS‐Mixer, is proposed which can capture local dependencies by shifting operation. Compared with other MLP‐based models, the parameters of TS‐Mixer are decoupled from the sequence length, hence it has a smaller model size in long sequence tasks. In addition, TS‐Mixer has linear computational complexity, therefore it can be used as a lightweight alternative to the self‐attention model. Experiments show that the TS‐Mixer outperforms other MLP‐based models, which achieves higher accuracy with fewer parameters in multiple downstream tasks. Notably, compared with pre‐trained models, TS‐Mixer can reach more than 90% of their accuracy with 1% or even one thousandth of the parameters (0.174 ~ 1.2 M). These results demonstrate that TS‐Mixer can achieve a better balance between the computing resources and accuracy. Code is available at: https://github.com/wyl-privacy-project/TS-Mixer.
Robotic frameless brain biopsy system enhanced by facial mesh registration
Authors: Aydogmus Omur , Talu Muhammed Fatih
Published: October 2024

In this study, a new approach is presented that eliminates stereotactic frameworks and the use of markers, offering an alternative to traditional brain biopsy systems. The classical biopsy operation involves the registration of magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) information taken from the patient at different times. Typically, the surgeon's planning information, which takes an average of 4 h on MR, is transferred to CT, and the surgical operation commences. However, this approach necessitates two separate acquisitions (MR and CT), adversely affecting patient comfort and increasing the workload. In the proposed system, it is recommended to register MR‐Depth camera data instead of MR‐CT registration. To achieve this, a 3D face pattern is obtained from the data received from the depth camera attached to the robot arm and overlapped with the mesh obtained by segmentation of the MR. It was observed that registration with sub‐millimeter precision was achieved using the CMFreg surface registration technique.
Family‐centered creative arts therapies for children with autism: A configurative systematic review
Authors: Moo Janet Tein Ni , Ho Rainbow Tin Hung
Published: October 2024

Objective

This configurative systematic review analyzed family‐centered creative arts therapies for children with autism to understand why and how they are done.

Background

Creative arts therapies and family‐centered practice are both beneficial for children with autism. Research combining both approaches—that is, family‐centered creative arts therapies—is emerging, and reported findings are promising. A deeper understanding of the theoretical influences and mechanisms of these therapies may generate new ways of thinking and working with families with children with autism.

Methods

Following registration with PROSPERO and in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines, a literature search was performed, resulting in 17 studies. Thematic analysis considered the studies in terms of theoretical influences, creative arts therapy components, and family‐centered components.

Results

The development‐in‐context perspective was a key theoretical influence. In addition to music and singing, body movement/physical activity was a prominent component of creative arts therapies. Verbal support as well as modeling behaviors and strategies to parents were salient family‐centered components.

Conclusion

This systematic review reveals common principles, practices, and gaps in the existing literature and their relevance for families with children with autism.

Implications

These findings bear implications for families, therapists, Certified Family Life Educators, and other professionals working with families with children with autism.
Association between physical activity levels and mortality across adiposity: A longitudinal study of age‐specific Asian populations
Authors: Han Yunmin , Choi Younghwan , Kim Yeon Soo
Published: October 2024

Aim

This study investigated the association of physical activity (PA) levels with all‐cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risks stratified by adiposity and age.

Methods

Participants (36 703; mean age: 49.1; 57.1% women) were selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2013. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the association between PA and mortality across different adiposity categories and ages.

Results

Median follow‐up was 9.22 years; 2393 individuals died, including 538 with CVD. Compared with normal‐weight controls, underweight individuals had increased all‐cause mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33–1.79). The overweight and obese groups demonstrated reduced mortality risks (HRs: 0.75 [95% CI: 0.67–0.84] and 0.59 [95% CI: 0.51–0.67], respectively). Mortality risk based on abdominal obesity had an HR of 1.22 (95% CI: 1.08–1.37). PA protected against mortality risk most in the obese group performing more than 1000 MET‐min/week and was particularly significant among those who were underweight and obese aged 65 and older.

Conclusions

Overweight and obese Asian individuals (based on body mass index) had a lower mortality risk than those with normal body mass index, whereas obesity based on waist circumference was associated with increased mortality. PA protected against mortality across various weight categories, especially in individuals aged ≥65. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 1156–1164.
Bivalirudin as an anticoagulation strategy for acute hemodialysis in children: Two cases with a summary of recent literature
Authors: Viaene Tanguy , Dhont Evelyn , Vanommeslaeghe Floris , Eloot Sunny , De Somer Filip , De Rudder Jonathan , Mondelaers Veerle , Snauwaert Evelien
Published: October 2024

Unfractionated heparin is the most used anticoagulative agent for extracorporeal settings in children, including acute hemodialysis modalities. In certain situations, such as heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia, alternatives must be applied. The direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin has come forth as an attractive substitute. Bivalirudin is currently only approved for adult use in specific percutaneous coronary intervention settings. However, it has a growing off‐label popularity in different contexts for both adult and pediatric patients. Experience with bivalirudin in children is mainly limited to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ventricular assist devices and during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Literature about its use as anticoagulation strategy for pediatric hemodialysis is very scarce. Here, we present two pediatric cases where bivalirudin was used during acute hemodialysis, followed by a short summary of recent literature.
Downregulation of type I interferon signalling pathway by urate in primary human PBMCs
Authors: Badii Medeea , Nica Valentin , Straton Ancuța R. , Kischkel Brenda , Gaal Orsolya , Cabău Georgiana , Klück Viola , Hotea Ioana ,   HINT Consortium, Novakovic Boris , Pamfil Cristina , Rednic Simona , Netea Mihai G. , Popp Radu A. , Joosten Leo A. B. , Crișan Tania O.
Published: October 2024

Type I interferons (IFN1s) mediate innate responses to microbial stimuli and regulate interleukin (IL)‐1 and IL‐1 receptor antagonist (Ra) production in human cells. This study explores interferon‐stimulated gene (ISG) alterations in the transcriptome of patients with gout and stimulated human primary cells in vitro in relation to serum urate concentrations. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocytes of patients with gout were primed in vitro with soluble urate, followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Separately, PBMCs were stimulated with various toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands. RNA sequencing and IL‐1Ra cytokine measurement were performed. STAT1 phosphorylation was assessed in urate‐treated monocytes. Cytokine responses to IFN‐β were evaluated in PBMCs cultured with or without urate and restimulated with LPS and monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. Transcriptomics revealed suppressed IFN‐related signalling pathways in urate‐exposed PBMCs or monocytes which was supported by diminishment of phosphorylated STAT1. The stimulation of PBMCs with IFN‐β did not modify the urate‐induced inflammation. Interestingly, in vivo, serum urate concentrations were inversely correlated to in vitro ISG expression upon stimulations with TLR ligands. These findings support a deficient IFN1 signalling in the presence of elevated serum urate concentrations, which could translate to increased susceptibility to infections.
Nurses' Descriptions of Interdisciplinary Interactions in Stroke and Geriatric Rehabilitation Units: A Case Example of the Registered Practical Nurse
Authors: Masood Mehvish , Guitar Nicole A. , Connelly Denise M. , Nguyen Angela
Published: October 2024

Aim

To analyse how nurses describe their interactions with other interdisciplinary team members within stroke and geriatric rehabilitation.

Design

A secondary analysis of cross‐sectional ethnographic interview data was conducted using Elo and Kyngäs' (2008) deductive content analysis.

Methods

Between April 12 and July 25, 2022, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 31 registered practical nurses recruited through convenience sampling from three tertiary hospital sites in Southwestern Ontario. Interview transcripts were reviewed to identify described interactions between nurses and interdisciplinary team members and were coded for: who were the interdisciplinary team member(s) involved; what content was addressed; and where, when, and why the interaction occurred.

Results

Categories representing how nurses describe their interactions with interdisciplinary team members were as follows: (1) arising from the unique roles owned by either the nurse or interdisciplinary team member(s); (2) requiring open communication to achieve patient goals and improve patient care; (3) occurring within what is perceived to be either the therapists' or nurses' physical space; and (4) contributing to supportive team environments that are mutually beneficial.

Conclusions

While nurses view other interdisciplinary team members as ‘owning’ certain roles and physical spaces within rehabilitation, they also recognised their ‘owned’ spaces and roles. Unique contributions of all team members were valued as necessary to provide holistic, person‐centred patient care and positive team‐based support.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Nurses' descriptions of their interactions with interdisciplinary team members demonstrated their essential contributions to team‐based patient care and acknowledged nurse contributions to the rehabilitation process for patients.

Impact

Findings elucidate the nature of interprofessional interactions and ‘ownership’ within the rehabilitation process. Results are beneficial for policymakers, educators, and healthcare organisations aiming to optimise the nursing role within rehabilitation spaces.

Reporting Method

The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist (COREQ).

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Deep Hybrid Model for Pest Detection: IoT‐UAV‐Based Smart Agriculture System
Authors: Gokeda Vijayalakshmi , Yalavarthi Radhika
Published: October 2024

Modern technology is revolutionising traditional farming processes by introducing new and streamlined approaches. Despite these advancements, challenges such as disease identification, insect detection and weather forecasting persist. To address these issues, this work proposes a DHMPD‐based IoT‐UAV smart agriculture system focused on pest detection. The method involves several stages: data acquisition, preprocessing, data augmentation, segmentation, feature extraction and classification. During data acquisition, a ‘Pest data set’ is collected. Preprocessing includes Z‐score normalisation to produce better‐normalised images. Data augmentation involves rotating images to create different orientations. The segmentation stage uses an updated HDBSCAN process, which improves the distance calculation between pixels using hybridised Euclidean and Minkowski distances. Feature extraction retrieves various features from segmented images, including modified MBP features, colour‐based features and shape‐based features. After feature extraction, the classification phase is performed by a hybrid technique with DL approaches such as improved DBN and LSTM approaches. Finally, classification results are averaged to predict pest detection accurately. The approach's effectiveness is evaluated through various assessments, aiming to overcome current limitations and enhance smart agriculture systems. The proposed DHMPD method was compared with state‐of‐the‐art approaches and traditional classifiers, achieving a maximum accuracy of 0.936, outperforming conventional methods in accurately detecting pests. Hence, the proposed work holds immense promise to advance the capabilities of smart agriculture systems, offering practical solutions that can benefit farmers, agricultural researchers and industries involved in crop management and food production.
Effectiveness of Stem Rust Resistance Genes in Southern Russia
Authors: Volkova Galina V. , Gladkova Ekaterina V. , Kudinova Olga A. , Ignateva Olesya O.
Published: October 2024

Wheat stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici) is a damaging disease widespread in all grain‐producing regions of the world. In this work, the effectiveness of Sr genes was analysed under field conditions in the southern region of Russia (Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai and Rostov Oblast) during 2016‐2021. The data were obtained using a set of 46 isogenic lines and varieties with artificial inoculation. The Sr31 gene proved absolute effectiveness in the field. Effective (1R–10R) Sr genes were the following: 5, 12, 35 and 37; moderately effective (10MR–30MR) Sr genes: 1, 6, 9g, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33, 38 and WLD. Lines with Sr genes 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 9d, 9e, 9f, 16, 17, 19, 21, 26, 27, 29, 30, 36, 39, 40, 44, Dp2, Gt and Tmp were ineffective in the adult plant phase (30MS–70S). Polymorphism of infection types and disease severity was noted for most of these lines in different years. Ongoing analysis of the efficiency of Sr genes in the region is important to prevent the risk of epidemics, and lines with stem rust resistance genes that have shown efficiency can be used as donors in breeding programmes.
After us, together with us: Quality of life in adults with disabilities in an inclusive and sustainable future
Authors: Santilli Sara , Ginevra Maria Cristina , Bishop Courtney , Nota Laura
Published: October 2024

Due to economic and technological progress, life expectancy is constantly developing, thus the European senior generation is ever‐increasing. Such demographic modifications have far reached consequences on social protection systems and society. Specifically, the last 20 years have also seen a significant increase in life expectancy for people with disabilities and their elderly parents who care for them. Therefore, this contribution provides an overview of the quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities and their elderly parents. Specifically, this paper examines the notion of quality of life, especially in its relationship with sustainability, inclusion, and social justice. Lastly, it examines the contextual factors that contribute to promoting or hindering the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities and the impact on social inclusion, sustainability, and social justice.
Invisible crimes and punitive politics
Authors: Anderson John‐Paul
Published: October 2024

This article develops a reconceptualization of “invisible crimes” and their relation to punitive politics. Analysis and comparison of three cases of criminalization in the United States suggests that when legislation criminalizes easily concealed, pervasive, and morally ambiguous (nondirectly victimizing) behaviors, the negative consequences disproportionately impact poor, vulnerable, and marginalized groups, while benefitting comparatively powerful groups. Normative recommendations relating to the “rule of law” are discussed.
Naproxen adjunct to fluoxetine for moderate‐to‐severe obsessive‐compulsive disorder: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Shamabadi Ahmad , Motavalian Zahra , Farahmand Yalda , Farahmand Kimia , Arabzadeh Bahri Razman , Askari Sanaz , Ansari Sahar , Fallahzadeh Mohammadali , Shalbafan Mohammdreza , Akhondzadeh Shahin
Published: October 2024

Aim

Current treatments for obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) encounter resistance and limiting adverse events, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to investigate the benefits of naproxen, a medication with effects on inflammation and neuronal function, on OCD.

Methods

One hundred and four OCD outpatients with a Yale‐Brown Obsessive‐Compulsive Scale (Y‐BOCS) score of >21 were equally assigned to receive fluoxetine plus either naproxen 250 mg or matched placebo q12hr. Patients were assessed using the Y‐BOCS by recording the subscale scores at baseline and weeks 5 and 10 to evaluate efficacy. They were also assessed in terms of tolerability.

Results

Data from 96 patients were analyzed. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. There were significant time‐treatment interaction effects on the obsession subscale ( = 0.055) and total ( = 0.043) scores of Y‐BOCS. Reductions in the obsession subscale and total scores of Y‐BOCS were significantly greater in the fluoxetine plus naproxen group until the endpoint (Cohen's d = 0.560 and Cohen's d = 0.477, respectively). However, the difference in compulsion subscale score changes between the groups was not significant. Respondents with a reduction of ≥35% in Y‐BOCS total scores were significantly more in the fluoxetine plus naproxen group (80.0% versus 47.8%). The side effect frequencies were comparable between the groups.

Conclusion

Naproxen, adjunct to fluoxetine, outperformed adjunctive placebo in treating obsession and total symptoms of OCD patients in a safe and tolerable manner.

Clinical trial registration

The study protocol was registered and published in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir; registration number IRCT20090117001556N139).
What “V” of the big data influence SMEs' open innovation breadth and depth? An empirical analysis
Authors: Ferrigno Giulio , Barabuffi Saverio , Marcazzan Enrico , Piccaluga Andrea
Published: October 2024

The open innovation (OI) paradigm has garnered relevant attention in recent years. Against this backdrop, this study explores the impact of a relatively recent phenomenon, such as Big Data, in terms of Volume, Velocity, and Variety, on small and medium enterprises' (SMEs') OI search. In fact, while issues related to Big Data have been often examined in the context of high‐tech firms, the effects on SMEs' OI search strategies have not been extensively studied. This paper addresses this gap by developing a quantitative analysis on a sample of 123 Italian SMEs. The findings reveal that Big Data significantly influences SMEs' OI breadth, leading to increased external collaborations. In parallel, they do not affect SMEs' OI depth. Moreover, the impact varies among the different “3Vs” of Big Data, suggesting that some characteristics have a more pronounced effect on SMEs' OI strategies. Drawing on these insights, this study contributes to the understanding of the interplay between Big Data characteristics and SMEs' OI, offering hopefully valuable implications for both OI and Big Data literature and proposing avenues for further research and practice.
Emerging Contaminants Related to Brazilian Aquaculture
Authors: da Mota Juliana Barros , Neves Thiago de Alencar , da Costa Daniel Pereira , Starling Maria Clara Vieira Martins , de Amorim Camila Costa , Miranda‐Filho Kleber Campos
Published: October 2024

Research efforts around the world have focused on identifying the occurrence of emerging contaminants in aquaculture areas. In the Brazilian context, studies have aimed to identify emerging contaminants in water used for this activity. This systematic review covered studies published without a specific time frame with the following criteria: research conducted in aquaculture areas or with species and cultured water in Brazil and analysis of emerging contaminants. Out of the 42 studies identified, 132 emerging contaminants were observed. The Southeast and South regions accounted for most of these studies, with limited research conducted in the North and Northeast regions. Tilapia was the most studied species, followed by mollusks. In toxicity tests, animals showed several effects, such as decreased oxygen consumption and swimming patterns, histopathological changes, inhibition of sperm production, cardiac edema, spinal deformity, and antimicrobial resistance. In conclusion, advancements in research on emerging contaminants in Brazilian aquaculture are needed as the number of existing studies is lower compared to global numbers. Few studies have focused on analyzing cultivation sites to identify the contaminants present and their sources. Also noteworthy is the scarcity of work in the Northern region of Brazil and on native species. Characterizing these environments in terms of the types of contaminants and main sources of contamination is essential to finding ways to mitigate ecological and human health risks, as well as developing specific legislation for these contaminants because they are currently not part of routine monitoring programs and are therefore not regulated, especially in aquaculture environments.
Investigating the Influence of Protic Ionic Liquid on the Triboelectrical Properties of Trimethylolpropane Trioleate (TMPO)
Authors: Mohamed Ariffin Nur Aisya Affrina , Yeoh Sze Yun , Hamdan Siti Hartini , Lee Chiew Tin
Published: October 2024

Under triboelectric conditions, where tribocharging accelerates lubrication failure, lubricants with enhanced electrical properties are essential. Trimethylolpropane Trioleate (TMPO) oil, derived from esters that possess good lubricating properties and wear performance but is lacking in terms of electrical properties which can be further improved when blended with Ionic Liquid. This study blends 1 – 5 wt% of Protic Ionic Liquid (PIL) into TMPO and evaluate the frictional and wear performances of the blends under 1 – 2 A current conditions to understand the behaviour towards the tribological properties of different blends of material. Electric currents ranging around 1 – 2 A are implemented to the custom-designed ball-on-disc tribometer, with a constant 4.5 V voltage supply and the static resistance are measured. Mechanical wear properties are observed after the tribological test with different samples. The frictional properties of all concentrations of PIL in TMPO showed significant frictional improvements with 1%wt PIL showed 53% better results indicating improvements in frictional properties and wear performance under 2A current conditions, owing to its lowest film resistivity of 0.14 mΩ.
Evaluation of Autonomous Navigation and Path Accuracy for Unmanned Surface Vehicles Using IMU Sensor and GPS Data
Authors: Zainal Abidin Muhammad Irfan , Ismail Kamarulafizam , Mohd Zawawi Fazila , Ali Elabd Omar Ehab Saad , Abdelmetaal Abdalla , Mohd Nor Dr Nur Safwati
Published: October 2024

The development of autonomous systems for environmental monitoring is becoming increasingly important. This project focuses on creating a robotic marine vessel, Aqua Sense, for efficient water quality monitoring. Existing methods are often labour-intensive, time-consuming, and lack real-time data capability. The objective is to develop a robotic vessel with autonomous navigation for water quality applications. A comprehensive design approach, including a literature review and careful component selection, was employed. Key components include the Arduino Mega, Blue Robotics T200 thruster, GlobalSat BU-353N5 GPS sensor, BNO055 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and a Li-po 11.1v battery. In this paper, several field trials data collection is presented to evaluate the navigation algorithm. These findings validate the feasibility of Aqua Sense for real-world applications. The varying distance errors at points B and C demonstrate an error range, with a maximum error of approximately 1.130m at point B (about 0.11% of the target location) and a significant variation at point C, reaching up to 1.660m (approximately 0.15%).
Dynamic spectroscopic and optical characterization and modeling of bovine serum albumin corona during interaction with N-hydroxysulfo-succinimide-covalently functionalized gold nanourchins
Authors: Khosroshahi Mohammad E. , Woll-Morison Vaughan , Kim Kyungho
Published: October 2024

In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) is used as a globular protein model to examine the conformational changes that occur during the interaction of BSA with N-hydroxysulfo-succinimide (sodium salt)-functionalized gold nanourchins (GNUs), for which dynamic spectroscopic techniques are employed. The results showed that the absorbance of phosphate-buffered saline-BSA at 278 nm decreased when a GNU was added to the solution due to adsorption, and it decreased further when the GNU was increased. The intensity and width of the peak of local surface plasmon resonance increased, indicating the effect of corona formation. Dynamic UV-vis spectroscopy and scattering revealed a nonlinear behavior of BSA–GNU interaction. The bioplasmonic solution resulted in higher transmission and scattering than the BSA solution. Fourier transform-near-infrared spectra exhibited several bands due to overtones and combinations of the amide group and different proportions of α-helix and β-sheet components in BSA before and after the addition of the GNU. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated an initial increase in blueshifted emission, followed by a redshifted quenching of two major peaks of Tyr and tryptophan (Trp). The binding and dissociation constants were determined as Kb = 2.17 × 1010 M−1 and Kd = 4.6 × 10−11, respectively, using the Stern–Volmer relation. Both the dynamic CMOS-based imaging and the cadmium sulfide sensors demonstrated a nonlinear response of bioplasmonic solution. By increasing the GNU, the resistance of the solution decreased in the order of A > S1 > S3, where S3 exhibited the highest initial transmission with a longer desorption time. MATLAB modeling showed 80% surface coverage by the protein in 15 s at 0.05M, equivalent to a thickness of 1.7 nm, which was in agreement with the value determined by using the Stokes–Einstein relation.
Two draft genomes of fungal leaf endophytes from tropical gymnosperms
Authors: Villarreal Aguilar Juan Carlos , Meléndez Omayra , Bethancourt Rita , Bethancourt Ariadna , Rodríguez-Castro Lilisbeth , Mendieta Jorge , Durant Armando , Vargas Marta , Sedio Brian , Saltonstall Kristin
Published: October 2024

Two ascomycetes,
Neofusicoccum
sp. and
Xylaria
sp.
,
were isolated from healthy leaves of the tropical gymnosperms
Zamia pseudoparasitica
(Z2) and
Zamia nana
(Z50) from Panama. The two draft genomes possess a broad predicted repertoire of carbohydrate-degrading CAZymes, peptidases, and secondary metabolites, with more secondary metabolite clusters in the
Xylaria
isolate.
Draft genome sequence of
Nocardia
sp. strain JMUB6875 isolated from a patient with disseminated nocardiosis
Authors: Suzuki Takayuki , Watanabe Shinya , Seto Nayuta , Honjo Momori , Cui Longzhu , Hatakeyama Shuji
Published: October 2024

We report the draft genome sequence of the
Nocardia
sp. strain JMUB6875, isolated from a blood culture specimen of a patient with disseminated nocardiosis. This strain appears to be a potentially novel species closely related to
Nocardia concava
.
Supplemental Material: Phanerozoic emergence of global continental collision and onset of massive crustal eclogitization
Authors: Xia Bing , al. et
Published: October 2024

 Supporting text, figures, and tables.  
Synchronous presentation of recurrent intracranial solitary fibrous tumour and chronic myeloid leukaemia: a diagnostic challenge
Authors: Aggarwal Vikram , Kharidia Khush , Kim Han Wool , Steen Eric
Published: October 2024

Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) are both uncommon neoplasms with distinct chromosomal aberrations and clinical presentations. Here, we present a case of a male in his late 50s with a history of intracranial SFT who presented 8 years after subtotal resection and adjuvant radiotherapy with splenic infarcts, a white blood cell of 83 000 cells/mL, and liver masses. He was treated with dasatinib for CML and temozolomide/bevacizumab for SFT. This case emphasises the benefits of broad differential diagnoses that include multiple concurrent disease processes when confronted with unusual presentations. It highlights the need for interdisciplinary efforts and personalised approaches when managing patients with multiple primary malignancies.
Brodie’s abscess of the calcaneus due toSerratia marcescens
Authors: Muthukumarasamy Nirmal , Hodges Jacob , Sekar Poorani
Published: October 2024

Brodie’s abscess is a subacute or chronic osteomyelitis characterised by an intraosseous abscess. It may present months to years after the inciting event.Staphylococcus aureusis the most common causative organism of Brodie’s abscess, while Gram-negative bacteria are uncommon causative organisms. A combination of culture-directed antibiotics and surgical debridement is key to successful management. This case report describes a patient with a history of minor trauma preceding the development of Brodie’s abscess of the calcaneus caused bySerratia marcescens. This was managed successfully with surgical debridement, followed by oral antibiotics.
Near-fatal pheochromocytoma crisis after beta-blocker and tumour haemorrhage
Authors: Madhavarapu Divya , Asta Anthony , Reyhanoglu Gizem , Kafrouni Gerges Antoni
Published: October 2024

Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors characterised by the secretion of catecholamines and their metabolites. While some patients may be asymptomatic, they can also present with various symptoms including hypertensive crisis, headaches, palpitations, diaphoresis or other signs of catecholamine toxicity. Adrenal haemorrhage, though rare, is a potentially fatal complication that is often diagnosed during autopsy. In all patients with suspected pheochromocytoma, regardless of whether haemorrhagic conversion has occurred, prompt diagnosis is imperative. Early identification allows for the timely initiation of treatment, preventing potentially life-threatening complications. This case report details the haemorrhagic conversion of an undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in a female patient in her 30s.
Subtyping stage 3 epiretinal membrane: a comprehensive study of ectopic inner foveal layers architecture and its clinical implications
Authors: Huang Yanqiao , Wang Qiong , Li Xiaofang , Zhao Xiujuan , Huang Xinhua , Ma Wei , Yu Shanshan , Lu Lin , Ding Xiaoyan , Sun Limei
Published: October 2024

Aims

To evaluate the visual function and foveal architecture in patients with stage 3 idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM).

Methods

A cross-sectional observational study included 56 eyes of 52 patients with stage 3 iERM. The patients were classified into type A ectopic inner foveal layers (EIFL) and type B EIFL based on the presence of a continuous hyporeflective band. Visual function and foveal microarchitecture were assessed in enrolled eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), metamorphopsia scores, retinal sensitivity and optical coherence tomography (OCT)/OCT angiography features were compared between two subtypes.

Result

The BCVA in type A EIFL and type B EIFL was 0.22 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) (0.15 logMAR, 0.40 logMAR) and 0.53±0.23 logMAR, respectively (p=0.002). Type B EIFL had higher average metamorphopsia scores, especially horizontal metamorphopsia scores, than type A (p=0.013, p=0.007, respectively). Type B EIFL had worse central 2° foveal sensitivity than type A (p=0.034). Type B EIFL had thicker central foveal thickness and EIFL thickness (514.08±73.80 µm vs 444.41±56.57 µm, p=0.001; 159.75±78.30 µm vs 48.44±18.37 µm, p<0.0001; respectively). The foveal avascular zone area of type B EIFL was smaller than that of type A (0.042±0.022 mm2vs 0.077±0.039 mm2, p<0.0001). The vessel density and flow area of the superficial vascular complex in type B EIFL were larger than those in type A (both p=0.001).

Conclusions

Type B EIFL demonstrated significantly worse visual function than type A EIFL, along with marked differences in foveal microstructure and microvasculature. Our study complements the current staging of iERM and helps determine the optimal timing of iERM surgery.
Evaluation of a new classification system for measuring the progression of ocular cystinosis: an analysis of 64 patients
Authors: Liang Hong , Baudouin Christophe , Giordano Vincenzo
Published: October 2024

Aims

To analyse the correlation between the physician categories defined by the 3C classification (crystal-complication-compliance) and the ocular manifestations of nephropathic cystinosis.

Methods

The last visit data of 64 patients aged between 2 and 64 attending the centre for management of cystinosis were reviewed. Each patient had been placed into one of four categories by the clinician based on disease severity. The correlation between these categories and markers of the disease was assessed using Pearson’s correlation.

Results

Photophobia (0.647, p<0.001), visual acuity (−0.695, p<0.001), Gahl’s score (0.603, p<0.001), optical coherence tomography (OCT)% (0.713, p<0.001) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM)% (0.845, p<0.001), showed a strong, highly significant correlation between key signs and symptoms and the 3C classification. Corneal complications were strongly correlated with the 3C classification with scores of 0.802 (p<0.001), 0.634 (p<0.001), 0.726 (p<0.001) and 0.677 (p<0.001) for band keratopathy, keratitis, neovascularisation and corneal ulceration, respectively. 75% of those classified as most severe had all four complications. The use of artificial tears and ciclosporin strongly correlated with the categorisation, 0.574 (p<0.001) and 0.631 (p<0.001), respectively. With all cystinosis markers, the 3C classification showed a stronger correlation than age and crystal scores by Gahl’s and OCT. Category and age were strongly correlated (0.656, p<0.001). There was a moderate negative correlation with therapeutic compliance with cysteamine eye-drops and categorisation (−0.422, p<0.001). The compliance pattern observed may help to explain why the disease progresses in some patients.

Conclusion

3C classification is a reliable tool to categorise ocular cystinosis and can support clinical management decisions allowing more reliable comparison of datasets.
Sympathetic ophthalmia: epidemiology and cohort-based assessment of clinical outcomes
Authors: Patterson Tim J , Gu Weidong , Eliason David , Rojas-Carabali William , Lee Bernett , Mahendradas Padmamalini , Biswas Jyotrimay , Majumder Parthopratim Dutta , Agarwal Manisha , Pavesio Carlos , Gupta Vishali , Agrawal Rupesh , Blanch Richard James
Published: October 2024

Background

The purpose of this study was to report the incidence, time after inciting event, aetiology and risk after specific intraocular procedures and the visual outcomes associated with sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) occurrence.

Methods

This study reports data from multiple retrospective cohorts: retrospective population-based data were extracted from the TRICARE service network (between 2017 and 2021) and retrospective case-based data from the Ocular Autoimmune Systemic Inflammatory Infectious Study (OASIS) database (cohorts from the UK, South India and North India).

Results

There were 159 patients with SO identified. The length of time from sensitising event to SO occurrence was a median of 151 days (range: 6–9100 days).

In the TRICARE database, 2 patients developed SO after open globe trauma and primary repair (of 615 eyes, rate 0.33%; 95% CI 1.26% to 1.30%). None developed SO after vitrectomy (total of 23 903 events; 95% CI 0% to 0.012%). The combined North Indian and UK cohorts reported 78.6% (81 patients) after trauma, 18.45% (19 patients) after elective surgery.

Visual outcomes were reported in the OASIS database for 98.01% of patients (155 of 157 patients). The median presenting and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for the inciting eye were no perception of light, the median presenting and final BCVA for the sympathising eye were 0.65 and 0.3 logMAR, respectively.

Conclusion

This study identified 159 cases of SO. With poor visual outcomes in the inciting eye, early diagnosis and management are crucial for optimising visual outcomes in the sympathising eye.
Health literacy and cumulative social disadvantage are associated with survival and transplant in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective study
Authors: Nephew Lauren D. , Rawl Susan M , Carter Allie , Garcia Nicole , Monahan Patrick O , Holden John , Ghabril Marwan , Montalvan-Sanchez Eleazar , Patidar Kavish , Desai Archita P , Orman Eric , Chalasani Naga
Published: October 2024

Objective

To investigate how individual social determinants of health (SDOH) and cumulative social disadvantage (CSD) affect survival and receipt of liver transplant (LT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We enrolled 139 adult patients from two Indianapolis hospital systems between June 2019 and April 2022. Structured questionnaires collected SDOH and social risk factor data. We compared SDOH and CSD by race, gender and disease aetiology, assigning one point per adverse SDOH. Multivariable competing risk survival analysis assessed associations between SDOH, CSD, survival and LT receipt.

Results

Black patients experienced higher CSD than white patients in the cohort (5.4±2.5 vs 3.2±2.1, p<0.001). Black patients were significantly more likely to have household incomes <US$15 000 per year (52.6% vs 18.3%, p=0.003), to be insured by Medicaid (57.9% vs 33.0%, p=0.04), and to live in high Social Deprivation Index areas (68.4% vs 17.5%, p<0.001) than white patients. Patients with hepatitis C virus and alcohol-related liver disease had more adverse SDOH than those with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, while there were no significant differences by gender. On multivariable analysis, a higher health literacy score was a significant predictor of survival (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.19 to 5.43 CI, p=0.02) and higher CSD was associated with a lower probability of receipt of LT (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.95, p=0.01).

Conclusions

There are significant racial and aetiology-related differences in SDOH burden. Low health literacy and high CSD are linked to worse outcomes in HCC patients. Health literacy screening and targeted interventions for those with high CSD could improve LT access and survival rates.
Projected impact of climate change on human health in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
Authors: Bianco Gaia , Espinoza-Chávez Rocío M , Ashigbie Paul G , Junio Hiyas , Borhani Cameron , Miles-Richardson Stephanie , Spector Jonathan
Published: October 2024

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) contribute relatively little to global carbon emissions but are recognised to be among the most vulnerable parts of the world to health-related consequences of climate change. To help inform resilient health systems and health policy strategies, we sought to systematically analyse published projections of the impact of rising global temperatures and other weather-related events on human health in LMICs. A systematic search involving multiple databases was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify studies with modelled projections of the future impact of climate change on human health. Qualitative studies, reviews and meta-analyses were excluded. The search yielded more than 2500 articles, of which 70 studies involving 37 countries met criteria for inclusion. China, Brazil and India were the most studied countries while the sub-Saharan African region was represented in only 9% of studies. Forty specific health outcomes were grouped into eight categories. Non-disease-specific temperature-related mortality was the most studied health outcome, followed by neglected tropical infections (predominantly dengue), malaria and cardiovascular diseases. Nearly all health outcomes studied were projected to increase in burden and/or experience a geographic shift in prevalence over the next century due to climate change. Progressively severe climate change scenarios were associated with worse health outcomes. Knowledge gaps identified in this analysis included insufficient studies of various high burden diseases, asymmetric distribution of studies across LMICs and limited use of some climate parameters as independent variables. Findings from this review could be the basis for future research to help inform climate mitigation and adaptation programmes aimed at safeguarding population health in LMICs.