bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crystal violet removal using algae-based activated carbon and its composites with bimetallic Fe0-Cu
Authors: Abdel-Aziz A B , Mohamed Nora , El-taweel Reem M , Husien Sh , Hung Yung-Tse , Said Lobna A , Fahim Irene Samy , Radwan Ahmed G
Published: May 2024

The textile industry is considered a source of pollution because of the discharge of dye wastewater. The dye wastewater effluent has a significant impact on the aquatic environment. According to the World Bank, textile dyeing, and treatment contribute 17 to 20% of the pollution of water. This paper aims to prepare the bimetallic nano zero-valent iron-copper (Fe0-Cu), algae-activated carbon, and their composites (AC-Fe0-Cu), which are employed as adsorbents. In this paper, Synthetic adsorbents are prepared and examined for the adsorption and removal of soluble cationic crystal violet (CV) dye. The influence of synthetic adsorbents on the adsorption and removal of soluble cationic crystal violet (CV) dye is investigated using UV-V spectroscopy at different pH (3–10), time intervals (15–180) min, and initial dye concentrations (50–500 ppm). Raw algae exhibit an impressive 96.64% removal efficiency under the following conditions: pH 7, contact time of 180 min, rotational speed of 120 rpm, temperature range of 25 °C–30 °C, concentration of 300 ppm in the CV dye solution, and a dose of 4 g l−1 of raw algae adsorbent. The best removal efficiencies of Raw algae Fe0-Cu, and H3PO4 chemical AC-Fe0-Cu are 97.61 % and 97.46 %, respectively, at pH = 7, contact time = 150 min, rotational speed = 120 rpm, T = (25–30) °C, concentration = 75 ppm of CV dye solution, and 1.5 g l−1 doses of raw algae F e0-Cu adsorbent and 1 g l−1 dose of H3PO4 chemical AC-Fe0-Cu adsorbent. The maximum amounts (q
max) of Bi-RA and RA adsorbed for the adsorption process of CV are 85.92 mg g−1 and 1388 mg g−1, respectively. The Bi-H3A-AC model, optimized using PSO, demonstrates superior performance, with the highest adsorption capacity estimated at 83.51 mg g−1. However, the Langmuir model predicts a maximum adsorption capacity (q

e
) of 275.6 mg g−1 for the CV adsorption process when utilizing Bi-H3A-AC. Kinetic and isothermal models are used to fit the data of time and concentration experiments. DLS, zeta potential, FT-IR, XRD, and SEM are used to characterize the prepared materials. Response surface methodology (RSM) is used to model the removal efficiency and then turned into a numerical optimization approach to determine the ideal conditions for improving removal efficiency. An artificial neural network (ANN) is also used to model the removal efficiency.
Properties and microstructure regulation of electrodeposited ultra-thin copper foil in a simple additive system
Authors: Chen Haiyang , Chen Kaibin , Sheng Yinying , Qu Jiahui , Wang Xiaojian , You Deqiang , Shan Dayong
Published: May 2024

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) has been commonly used in a variety of complex formulations for acid copper plating. However, the roles of HEC acting in acid copper plating still lacks of systematic investigation. To explore the efficacy of HEC in the deposition of the ultra-thin electrodeposited copper foil (ED-Cu), we designed a simple formulation system, in which HEC was used as the single organic additive. Using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), microstructures of the prepared ED-Cu was comprehensively investigated. The results showed that the ED-Cu was characterized by a mixed distribution of columnar and equiaxed crystals. Grain morphology, dislocation density and crystal orientation of the ED-Cu could be regulated by HEC concentration. According to the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) results, the introduction of HEC between 0–200 ppm led to a polarizing effect, which marginally increased with the HEC concentration. Meanwhile, the increase of HEC concentration enhanced the nucleation rates of copper and reduced the grain size during instantaneous nucleation. The introduction of the HEC also altered the preferred orientation of the ED-Cu foil. Mechanical results showed that the optimum concentration of HEC addition was 125 mg l−1.
Congo red dye reduction mediated by the electron (e−) transfer route of BH4
− ions using synthesized NiCo2O4/rGO hybrid nanosheets
Authors: Govinda Varadhi , A Subba Reddy , Prasad Cheera , Sambasivam Sangaraju , Bahadur Indra , Katata-Seru Lebogang Maureen , Mohammad Faruq , Abedigamba Oyirwoth P , Choi Hyeong Yeol
Published: May 2024

The treatment of toxic organic pollutants is extremely important for the conservation of clean air, soil, and water. In this study, (reduced graphene oxide) NiCo2O4/ rGO hybrid nanocomposite was prepared by a facile hydrothermal technique and employed for organic dye adsorption from wastewater. The synthesized NiCo2O4/rGO hybrid nanocomposite was studied using FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, Raman spectroscopy, and UV–visible. The physical characterizations prove the deposition of NiCo2O4 particles on the rGO surface. The transmission electron microscope image demonstrated that the NiCo2O4 particles with an average size of ∼46 nm was dispersed on the rGO surface. The obtained nanoparticles show a higher specific surface area of 56.4 m2 g−1. Adsorption dynamics as investigated by time and concentration variation show that the adsorption data follows pseudosecond order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 106.2 mg g−1, indicating homogeneous physiochemical adsorption of CR dye on the adsorbent surface. Besides, the catalytic effectiveness of synthesized nanocomposite towards Congo red (CR) dye reduction mediated by the electron (e−) transfer route of BH4
− ions was explained in detail. The electrostatic interaction used between the NiCo2O4/rGO hybrid composite and Congo red increased the adsorption ion effectiveness of the dye sample.
Feasibility biomechanical study of injectable Biphasic Calcium Phosphate bone cement augmentation of the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) for the treatment of two intertrochanteric fractures using cadaveric femur
Authors: Tangkanjanavelukul Ponthep , Thaitalay Paritat , Srisuwan Sawitri , Petchwisai Pongpayap , Thasanaraphan Pornsak , Saramas Yotakarn , Nimarkorn Kittiphong , Warojananulak Woranat , Kanchanomai Chaosuan , Rattanachan Sirirat Tubsungnoen
Published: May 2024

This study evaluated the feasibility of the femoral bone after fixation using biphasic calcium phosphate cement-augmentation of the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) compared with PFNA without cement. This study presented to compare the stiffness, fatigue testing, and compressive strength between stable (AO31-A2.1) and unstable (AO31-A3.3) intertrochanteric fractures treated by cement augmented PFNA of the cadaveric femoral. Biphasic calcium phosphate cement was injected to align and compatible with PFNA and the reconstructive procedure was monitored the cement placement using x-ray imaging during operation. The testing demonstrated that the cement could be injected through a small needle (13 G, 16 cm length, 1.8 mm inner diameter) within a suitable operating time. The feasibility study of the biomechanical testing was divided into three tests: stiffness test, fatigue cyclic load, and compression test. The results showed that the cement-augmented specimens exhibited higher stiffness than the control specimens without cement. The cement-augmented specimens also showed lower strain energy during the fatigue test, resulting in higher compressive strength (4730.7 N) compared to the control specimens (3857.4 N). There is a correlation between BMD and fracture load and the increase in compression load of the cement-augmented femoral compared to the controls as well as an increase in strain energy of fatigue cyclic testing was found. Biphasic calcium phosphate cement-augmented of the PFNA biomechanically enhanced the cut-out resistance in intertrochanteric fracture. This procedure is especially efficient for unstable intertrochanteric fracture suggesting the potential benefits of using biphasic calcium phosphate cement in medical applications.
Structural and optical properties of polymer blend nanocomposites based on PVP/PVA incorporated AgNO3
Authors: Jalal Viyan J
Published: May 2024

In this study, polymer nanocomposite based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) has been prepared through chemical reduction rate and casting method for varying concentrations of AgNO3. The PVP/PVA blend consisted of 0.6 wt% PVP and 0.4 wt% PVA. Following that, polymer nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating different concentrations of AgNO3 (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt%) into the polymer blend. The effects of different concentrations of AgNO3 on the structural and optical properties of the PVP/PVA blend were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The XRD analysis demonstrated that increasing the concentration of AgNO3 results in a decrease in the degree of crystallinity from 53.73 in the PVP/PVA blend to 15.77 in the PVP/PVA nanocomposite containing 50 wt% AgNO3. UV–vis absorbance spectra were examined to determine optical properties such as the absorption coefficient, absorption edge, optical band gap, and tails of localized states. The results revealed that the increase in AgNO3 concentrations caused a reduction in the absorption edge and optical band gap, alongside an increase in Urbach energy.
Infrared image fault diagnosis based on dual-stream attention convolution network
Authors: Lu Dong , Yang Jing , Ming Lyu , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2024

The development of infrared image detection technology has improved the real-time performance and safety of fault diagnosis. To address the problem of insufficient features caused by the low resolution of infrared images, a fault diagnosis model for induction motor infrared images based on Dual-Stream Attention Convolutional (DSAC) is proposed. Firstly, this model employs a dual-stream convolutional neural network to extract spatial features in the X and Y directions of the infrared images separately. This dual-stream structure allows the network to simultaneously learn and utilize information from both X and Y directions, enabling a more comprehensive capture of temperature distribution and variation trends in the infrared images. Then, a convolutional attention mechanism is introduced to assign weights to the obtained features. The attention maps generated by the convolutional attention layer enhance key features while suppressing unimportant information, thereby enhancing the focusing performance of the DSAC model on critical features. Finally, the weighted dual-stream features are fused to achieve the goal of fault diagnosis for induction motor infrared images. The DSAC model is validated using the induction motor infrared image dataset from Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, demonstrating excellent diagnostic accuracy and speed on small sample datasets, providing a feasible solution for fault diagnosis of induction motor infrared images.
Quantum materials engineering by structured cavity vacuum fluctuations
Authors: Hübener Hannes , Boström Emil Viñas , Claassen Martin , Latini Simone , Rubio Angel
Published: May 2024

A paradigm shift in the research of optical cavities is taking place, focusing on the properties of materials inside cavities. The possibility to affect changes of material groundstates with or without actual photon population inside cavities is an avenue that promises a novel view of materials science and provides a new knob to control quantum phenomena in materials. Here, we present three theoretical scenarios where such groundstate quantum phase transitions are predicted by the coupling of the matter to mere vacuum fluctuations of the cavity, as a realizations of cavity materials engineering in the dark.
More than Justice
Authors: Wilson Ross
Published: May 2024

This chapter begins by noting the involvement literariness and persuasion in Hazlitt’s writing and develops two lines of interpretation from there. First, the chapter examines the importance of mobility—or, more specifically, the refusal of stasis—to Hazlitt’s conception of sound reasoning. Second, the chapter shows how this emphasis on cognitive movement entails a radical reconception of the ways in which balance may (or may not be) a virtue of judgment. Balance, for Hazlitt, is a dynamic, potentially precarious condition rather than a settled state to be achieved by means of rhetoric (as it had been, for instance, in the classical rhetorical tradition). The chapter discusses a number of Hazlitt’s works, including his A Letter to William Gifford and Political Essays, focusing in particular on his engagement with Edmund Burke; it opens by contextualizing the opposition between literariness and persuasion through recourse to comments by John Stuart Mill, W. B. Yeats, and Theodor W. Adorno.
Persuasion
Authors: Ferguson Frances
Published: May 2024

“Persuasion: Oratory and the Novel” opens by considering Adam Smith’s disparagement of Cicero for highlighting his own authority. While it is not clear that Samuel Richardson knew of Smith’s thinking at the time he was writing and publishing Clarissa, Smith’s discussion chimes with Richardson’s recessive authorship and promotion of the words of the characters themselves to centrality. Moreover, Richardson’s work as the printer of record for the House of Commons would have made him acquainted with the expansion of court reporting as Thomas Gurney launched it with shorthand in the Old Bailey, capturing the exact words of a range of different speakers. Shorthand technology, once a means for preserving the words of a few, became the means of preserving the exact words of many. It also forwarded Richardson in developing Clarissa as a high-water mark for the multi-voiced novel.
The Tone Police
Authors: McGrath Brian
Published: May 2024

In the Critique of Judgment, Immanuel Kant celebrates poetry and denigrates rhetoric. Unlike poetry, which expands the mind by setting the imagination free, rhetoric is artful trickery. Kant, however, recognizes that rhetoric cannot easily be eliminated and offers tone as a substitute for rhetoric. To take up the questions about persuasion after rhetoric central to this volume, this chapter begins with Kant’s embrace of tone as an alternative to rhetoric. After discussion of Kant’s critical writing, the chapter turns to the writing of James Baldwin, in particular his essay “The White Problem,” in which he imagines his audience interrupting him to ask, “But why are you so bitter?” In contemporary parlance, Baldwin imagines himself tone policed, and goes on to expose as fantasy the idea of a neutral tone. Given our contemporary awareness of what goes by the name “tone policing,” this chapter places Kant and Baldwin together to explore several related questions: why does tone emerge after rhetoric? What is it about tone that calls for policing? And what do efforts to police tone tell us about tone’s persuasive power?
Proof Possible
Authors: Stout Daniel
Published: May 2024

In our dominant story about modernity, the objective knowledge understood to be paradigmatic of the Enlightenment sweeps away other and older bodies of knowledge—among them the arts of rhetorical persuasion which emphasized context-specificity (e.g., decorum) and speaker-centered forms of authority (e.g., charisma). Once objective science is on the scene, a binary system of right and wrong or logical and illogical replaces the analog push-and-pull of persuasion. In a world of facts, there are many things to know—and nothing to be persuaded about. This essay argues that this view of modernity and its attendant ideas about rhetoric and persuasion are mistaken. An examination of two paradigmatically objectivist, veridical enterprises—natural science and the law—reveals not just persuasion’s continued relevance in the later eighteenth century but its indispensability. Neither natural science nor the law, it turns out, was in a position to limit its operations to the transcription of objective fact. Scientific atlases aimed to represent the truth of natural species, not individual specimens; and the law’s increasing emphasis on circumstantial evidence asked juries think in terms of probabilities (e.g., “more likely than not”) rather than objective facts and to weigh evidence against standards (e.g., “beyond reasonable doubt”) that are not susceptible to objective formalization.
Trans-Saharan Slave Trade
Authors: Austen Ralph A.
Published: May 2024

The almost two-millennium-long forced overland movement of several million Black Africans across the Sahara desert toward the continent’s Mediterranean coast was, at its base, an economic undertaking. On its receiving end, this commerce was driven by the demand for various forms of private and public services in Mediterranean as well as in Saharan societies; on the supply side it depended upon the willingness and capacity of Saharan and Sudanic forces to seize people and exchange them for imported goods. The basic technology and institution of trans-Saharan slave-trading—the cross-desert camel caravan—did not change radically during the many centuries of its existence, although it did undergo important transformations in specific times and places along its broad and ever-expanding landscape. The combination of regulations under Islamic law and the deployment of most slaves—the majority of them female—in domestic rather than agricultural labor allowed them to enjoy better prospects of manumission and even social advancement than the New World African plantation workers to which they are often compared. But, paradoxically, such relatively liberal treatment of the already enslaved produced an increased demand for new captives, all subjected to the harsh and often fatal transition of the great desert and, in the case of many young men, the additional ordeal of castration.
Case Study of the Federal District of Brasília: CAESB’s Experience With Condominial Sewerage
Authors: Martinele Feitosa Martins Maria , Rissoli César Augusto
Published: May 2024

Brasília, the capital of Brazil, which is located in the Federal District, has one of the highest sanitary sewerage connection rates in the country. More than 92% of its more than 3 million inhabitants are served by sewage collection and treatment systems, and Companhia de Saneamento Ambiental do Distrito Federal (CAESB), the local public sanitation company, is firmly committed to reaching universal coverage. A condominial sewerage system has been used by CAESB as a powerful tool to make universal coverage possible. The system offers advantages in reduced costs and guaranteed connections and a close partnership with the community. Installed throughout the Federal District beginning in the early 1990s, this system has provided effective service to more than 1.6 million inhabitants of all social classes, which has contributed to the resurgence of civic participation and improved the population’s quality of life.
eschatology, Jewish
Authors: Himmelfarb Martha
Published: May 2024

During the Hellenistic period Jewish texts began to discuss new ideas about the fate of the individual after death, including the immortality of the soul, bodily resurrection, and post-mortem reward and punishment. At about the same time Jews also developed a picture of history as leading to the end of the world as we know it, to be followed by an age of peace, prosperity, and sovereignty for the people of Israel. Both developments played an important role in the emergence of Christianity.
Politics of Preserving Democracy in a Diverse Society
Authors: Lewis Charles E.
Published: May 2024

Democracy is a fragile political system that empowers citizens to participate in decision-making to determine how their society is governed, how legislators and other governmental officials are elected or selected, how resources are distributed, and what rights will be accorded to the citizenry. This is often spelled out in a founding document such as a constitution. Diversity is a challenge because differences in race, ethnicity, culture, values, customs, religion, and ideology may lead to conflicting or competing aspirations. As a nation of immigrants and one of the world's most diverse societies, the United States has experienced challenges keeping a peaceful coexistence among its various factions. Influential leaders such as former President Donald Trump have turned to populism to capture the allegiance of large segments of the populace by catering to their views. Attacks on democratic institutions like the media, the courts, and free and fair elections can erode trust in government and lead to autocratic forms of government.
Chambers, Donald Everard
Authors: Canda Edward R.
Published: May 2024

Donald Everard Chambers (1929–2023) was an influential proponent of the systematic analysis of social policies and social programs. His personal life experiences and professional practice and education shaped his work. For example, he was born at the beginning of the Great Depression. Throughout childhood, he was mainly in the care of his mother, Ruth Swenson. Her work in human services led them to live in several Midwestern states in early childhood. She obtained a master’s in social work at New York University around 1938. Her subsequent work for United Service Organizations brought them to several other midwestern and western states, including California. During this period, Chambers gained experience living with people of various social classes impacted by economic hardship and World War II. He also learned to be flexible and adaptable to changing life circumstances and to challenge health and mental health inequities and injustices in social policies.

Chambers obtained a BA degree at Stanford University in biology and psychology in 1950 and an MSW at the University of Nebraska in 1952. He was a social work practitioner for about 15 years in the fields of rural social work, mental health, and health in Nebraska, Idaho, and Iowa.

Chambers attended Washington University’s Doctor of Social Work program, obtaining his degree in 1967. He was on the faculty of the University of Kansas from 1967 to 1996, where he taught graduate courses on social policy and program analysis. His research and service focused on issues of poverty, child welfare, and analysis of social programs and policies. In 1977–1978, he studied the British Workman’s Compensation system and social policy at the British Library in London. In 1990–1991, he studied child welfare and adoption in Central America as a Fulbright scholar. His most influential book was Social Policy and Social Programs: A Method for the Practical Public Policy Analyst.
The association of short-term increases in ambient PM2.5 and temperature exposures with stillbirth: racial/ethnic disparities among Medicaid recipients
Authors: Shupler Matthew , Huybrechts Krista , Leung Michael , Wei Yaguang , Schwartz Joel , Hernandez-Diaz Sonia , Papatheodorou Stefania
Published: May 2024

Racial/ethnic disparities in the association between short-term (eg, days, weeks), ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and temperature exposures and stillbirth in the United States have been understudied. A time-stratified, case-crossover design using a distributed lag nonlinear model (0- to 6-day lag) was used to estimate stillbirth odds due to short-term increases in average daily PM2.5 and temperature exposures among 118 632 Medicaid recipients from 2000 to 2014. Disparities by maternal race/ethnicity (Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian) and zip code–level socioeconomic status (SES) were assessed. In the temperature-adjusted model, a 10 μg m−3 increase in PM2.5 concentration was marginally associated with increased stillbirth odds at lag 1 (0.68%; 95% CI, −0.04% to 1.40%) and lag 2 (0.52%; 95% CI, −0.03 to 1.06) but not lag 0-6 (2.80%; 95% CI, −0.81 to 6.45). An association between daily PM2.5 concentrations and stillbirth odds was found among Black individuals at the cumulative lag (0-6 days: 9.26% 95% CI, 3.12%-15.77%) but not among other races or ethnicities. A stronger association between PM2.5 concentrations and stillbirth odds existed among Black individuals living in zip codes with the lowest median household income (lag 0-6: 14.13%; 95% CI, 4.64%-25.79%). Short-term temperature increases were not associated with stillbirth risk among any race/ethnicity. Black Medicaid enrollees, and especially those living in lower SES areas, may be more vulnerable to stillbirth due to short-term increases in PM2.5 exposure.

This article is part of a Special Collection on Environmental Epidemiology.
Endometrial cancer survival in populations of African descent
Authors: Medina Heidy N , Penedo Frank J , Deloumeaux Jacqueline , Joachim Clarisse , Koru-Sengul Tulay , Macni Jonathan , Bhakkan Bernard , Peruvien Jessica , Schlumbrecht Matthew P , Pinheiro Paulo S
Published: May 2024

To examine whether the endometrial cancer (EC) survival disadvantage among Black populations is US-specific, a comparison between African-descent populations from different countries with a high development index is warranted. We analyzed 28 213 EC cases from cancer registries in Florida (2005-2018) and the French Caribbean islands of Martinique (2005-2018) and Guadeloupe (2008-2018) combined. Kaplan-Meier and all-cause Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare survival. Models were stratified by EC histology type and the main predictor examined was race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White [NHW] and no-Hispanic Black [NHB] women in the United States versus Black women residing in the Caribbean). For endometrioid and nonendometrioid EC, after adjusting for age, histology, stage at diagnosis, receipt of surgery, period of diagnosis, and poverty level, US NHB women and Caribbean Black women had a higher risk of death relative to US NHW women. There was no difference between US NHB and Caribbean Black women (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07; 95% CI, 0.88-1.30) with endometrioid EC. However, Caribbean Black women with nonendometrioid carcinomas had a 40% higher risk of death (HR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.13-1.74) than US NHB women. The low EC survival among US Black women extends to foreign populations of African descent. For the aggressive nonendometrioid ECs, survival among Caribbean Black women outside of the United States is considerably worse.

This article is part of a Special Collection on Gynecological Cancers.
Academic neurology in the UK: a plea to turn away from the precipice
Authors: Devine Helen , Jabbari Edwin , Scott James , Mehta Arpan R , Dobson Ruth , Mead Simon
Published: May 2024

Devine et al. argue that recent changes to clinical neurology training in the UK have the potential to exacerbate an existing crisis in academic neurology, and discuss what might be done to remedy the situation.
The meso-connectomes of mouse, marmoset, and macaque: network organization and the emergence of higher cognition
Authors: Magrou Loïc , Joyce Mary Kate P , Froudist-Walsh Sean , Datta Dibyadeep , Wang Xiao-Jing , Martinez-Trujillo Julio , Arnsten Amy F T
Published: May 2024

The recent publications of the inter-areal connectomes for mouse, marmoset, and macaque cortex have allowed deeper comparisons across rodent vs. primate cortical organization. In general, these show that the mouse has very widespread, “all-to-all” inter-areal connectivity (i.e. a “highly dense” connectome in a graph theoretical framework), while primates have a more modular organization. In this review, we highlight the relevance of these differences to function, including the example of primary visual cortex (V1) which, in the mouse, is interconnected with all other areas, therefore including other primary sensory and frontal areas. We argue that this dense inter-areal connectivity benefits multimodal associations, at the cost of reduced functional segregation. Conversely, primates have expanded cortices with a modular connectivity structure, where V1 is almost exclusively interconnected with other visual cortices, themselves organized in relatively segregated streams, and hierarchically higher cortical areas such as prefrontal cortex provide top–down regulation for specifying precise information for working memory storage and manipulation. Increased complexity in cytoarchitecture, connectivity, dendritic spine density, and receptor expression additionally reveal a sharper hierarchical organization in primate cortex. Together, we argue that these primate specializations permit separable deconstruction and selective reconstruction of representations, which is essential to higher cognition.
Development of neonatal connectome dynamics and its prediction for cognitive and language outcomes at age 2
Authors: Xu Yuehua , Liao Xuhong , Lei Tianyuan , Cao Miao , Zhao Jianlong , Zhang Jiaying , Zhao Tengda , Li Qiongling , Jeon Tina , Ouyang Minhui , Chalak Lina , Rollins Nancy , Huang Hao , He Yong
Published: May 2024

The functional brain connectome is highly dynamic over time. However, how brain connectome dynamics evolves during the third trimester of pregnancy and is associated with later cognitive growth remains unknown. Here, we use resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data from 39 newborns aged 32 to 42 postmenstrual weeks to investigate the maturation process of connectome dynamics and its role in predicting neurocognitive outcomes at 2 years of age. Neonatal brain dynamics is assessed using a multilayer network model. Network dynamics decreases globally but increases in both modularity and diversity with development. Regionally, module switching decreases with development primarily in the lateral precentral gyrus, medial temporal lobe, and subcortical areas, with a higher growth rate in primary regions than in association regions. Support vector regression reveals that neonatal connectome dynamics is predictive of individual cognitive and language abilities at 2  years of age. Our findings highlight network-level neural substrates underlying early cognitive development.
Gray matter volume of functionally relevant primary motor cortex is causally related to learning a hand motor task
Authors: Cobia Derin , Haut Marc W , Revill Kate P , Rellick Stephanie L , Nudo Randolph J , Wischnewski Miles , Buetefisch Cathrin M
Published: May 2024

Variability in brain structure is associated with the capacity for behavioral change. However, a causal link between specific brain areas and behavioral change (such as motor learning) has not been demonstrated. We hypothesized that greater gray matter volume of a primary motor cortex (M1) area active during a hand motor learning task is positively correlated with subsequent learning of the task, and that the disruption of this area blocks learning of the task. Healthy participants underwent structural MRI before learning a skilled hand motor task. Next, participants performed this learning task during fMRI to determine M1 areas functionally active during this task. This functional ROI was anatomically constrained with M1 boundaries to create a group-level “Active-M1” ROI used to measure gray matter volume in each participant. Greater gray matter volume in the left hemisphere Active-M1 ROI was related to greater motor learning in the corresponding right hand. When M1 hand area was disrupted with repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS), learning of the motor task was blocked, confirming its causal link to motor learning. Our combined imaging and rTMS approach revealed greater cortical volume in a task-relevant M1 area is causally related to learning of a hand motor task in healthy humans.
Management of acute coronary syndromes requiring coronary angiography in patients with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome induced by iodinated contrast media: two case reports and narrative review
Authors: Griffith Brookles Carola , Bianco Matteo , Pizzimenti Stefano , Gobello Giulia , Biolè Carloalberto , Destefanis Paola , Cerrato Enrico , Chinaglia Alessandra
Published: May 2024

Background

Hypersensitivity reactions to iodinated contrast media (ICM) are frequently encountered in clinical practice. Severe manifestations, despite being infrequent, can be life-threatening and represent an issue when re-administration of ICM is required. Clear recommendations on prevention and management of relapses are still lacking.

Case summary

We present the cases of two patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome requiring urgent coronary angiography, with an anamnesis of ICM-induced drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome. Both patients safely underwent a coronary angiography with the use of a different ICM (iobitridol) to the one linked to hypersensitivity manifestations, after premedication with corticosteroids and H1 antagonists.

Discussion

Our experience highlights that in clinical situations in which the use of ICM is urgently needed, premedication with corticosteroids and H1 antagonists together with the choice of an alternative contrast agent (when the culprit is known) represents an effective strategy to perform a potentially life-saving procedure while avoiding serious systemic allergic reactions.
Long-term effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors on cardiovascular outcomes and death: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Soulaidopoulos Stergios , Terentes-Printzios Dimitrios , Ioakeimidis Nikolaos , Tsioufis Konstantinos P , Vlachopoulos Charalambos
Published: May 2024

Aims

Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5i), which are widely used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), have been found to exhibit systemic vascular benefits by improving endothelial function. In this context, we sought to evaluate the effects of PDE5i on long-term cardiovascular outcomes and mortality.

Methods and results

A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted up to 30 May 2023. Cohort studies comparing PDE5i treatment at any dose with other ED treatment, placebo or no treatment and minimum follow-up duration of 6 months were considered eligible. The primary endpoints were: (1) major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and (2) all-cause mortality. Pooled risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Sixteen studies were included (1 257 759 subjects—10.5% treated with PDE5i). The majority of patients (99.4%) were men [median age 61.5 years (range 30–72.8)]. The median follow-up duration was 4.3 years (range 6 months–7.5 years). PDE5i use was associated with a significant reduction in the composite of MACE (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.69–0.89). Moreover, the analysis of pooled data from 13 studies, demonstrated that the use of PDE5i was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56–0.87).

Conclusion

The use of PDE5i primarily in men with or without known coronary artery disease was associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular events and overall mortality. This information underlines that PDE5i could provide clinical benefit beyond ED treatment and could instigate the conduction of further, large-scale randomized clinical trials.
Utilizing genetics and proteomics to assess the role of antihypertensive drugs in human longevity and the underlying pathways: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Fan Bohan , Zhao Jie V
Published: May 2024

Background

Antihypertensive drugs are known to lower cardiovascular mortality, but the role of different types of antihypertensive drugs in lifespan has not been clarified. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods and Results

To minimize confounding, we used Mendelian randomization to assess the role of different antihypertensive drug classes in longevity and examined the pathways via proteins. Genetic variants associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) corresponding to drug-target genes were used as genetic instruments. The genetic associations with lifespan were obtained from a large genome-wide association study including 1 million European participants from UK Biobank and LifeGen. For significant antihypertensive drug classes, we performed sex-specific analysis, drug-target analysis, and colocalization. To examine the mediation pathways, we assessed the associations of 2291 plasma proteins with lifespan, and examined the associations of drug classes with the proteins affecting lifespan. After correcting for multiple testing, genetically proxied beta-blockers (BBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and vasodilators were related to longer life years (BBs: 2.03, 95% CI 0.78–3.28 per 5 mmHg reduction in SBP, CCBs: 3.40, 95% CI 1.47–5.33, and vasodilators: 2.92, 95% CI 1.08–4.77). The beneficial effects of BBs and CCBs were more obvious in men. ADRB1, CACNA2D2, CACNB3, CPT1A, CPT2, and EDNRA genes were related to extended lifespan, with CPT2 further supported by colocalization evidence. Eighty-six proteins were related to lifespan, of which four proteins were affected by CCBs. CDH1 may mediate the association between CCBs and lifespan.

Conclusions

Beta-blockers, CCBs, and vasodilators may prolong lifespan, with potential sex differences for BBs and CCBs. The role of CCBs in lifespan is partly mediated by CDH1. Prioritizing the potential protein targets can provide new insights into healthy aging.
Cardiac power output is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with preserved ejection fraction after transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Authors: Miyahara Daisuke , Izumo Masaki , Sato Yukio , Shoji Tatsuro , Yamaga Mitsuki , Kobayashi Yoshikuni , Kai Takahiko , Okuno Taishi , Kuwata Shingo , Koga Masashi , Tanabe Yasuhiro , Akashi Yoshihiro J
Published: May 2024

Aims

Cardiac power output (CPO) measures cardiac performance, and its prognostic significance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (EF) has been previously reported. However, the effectiveness of CPO in risk stratification of patients with valvular heart disease and post-operative valvular disease has not been reported. We aimed to determine the association between CPO and clinical outcomes in patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) EF after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods and results

This retrospective observational study included 1047 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis after TAVI. All patients were followed up for all-cause mortality and hospitalization for HF. CPO was calculated as 0.222 × cardiac output × mean blood pressure (BP)/LV mass, where 0.222 was the conversion constant to W/100 g of the LV myocardium. CPO was assessed using transthoracic echocardiography at discharge after TAVI. Of the 1047 patients, 253 were excluded following the exclusion criteria, including those with low LVEF, and 794 patients (84.0 [80.0–88.0] years; 35.8% male) were included in this study. During a median follow-up period of 684 (237–1114) days, the composite endpoint occurred in 196 patients. A dose-dependent association was observed between the CPO levels and all-cause mortality. Patients in the lowest CPO tertile had significantly lower event-free survival rates (log-rank test, P = 0.043). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that CPO was independently associated with adverse outcomes (hazard ratio = 0.561, P = 0.020). CPO provided an incremental prognostic effect in the model based on clinical and echocardiographic markers (P = 0.034).

Conclusion

CPO is independently and incrementally associated with adverse outcomes in patients with preserved LVEF following TAVI.
Malleability of Preferences for Honesty
Authors: Abeler Johannes , Falk Armin , Kosse Fabian
Published: May 2024

Reporting private information is a key part of economic decision-making. A recent literature has found that many people have a preference for honest reporting, contrary to usual economic assumptions. In this paper, we investigate whether preferences for honesty are malleable and what determines them. We experimentally measure preferences for honesty in a sample of children. As our main result, we provide causal evidence on the effect of the social environment by randomly enrolling children in a year-long mentoring programme. We find that, about four years after the end of the programme, mentored children are significantly more honest.
Time-series metaproteogenomics of a high-CO2 aquifer reveals active viruses with fluctuating abundances and broad host ranges
Authors: Moore Carrie Julia , Bornemann Till L V , Figueroa-Gonzalez Perla Abigail , Esser Sarah P , Moraru Cristina , Soares André Rodrigues , Hinzke Tjorven , Trautwein-Schult Anke , Maaß Sandra , Becher Dörte , Starke Joern , Plewka Julia , Rothe Lousia , Probst Alexander J
Published: May 2024

Ecosystems subject to mantle degassing are of particular interest for understanding global biogeochemistry, as their microbiomes are shaped by prolonged exposure to high CO2 and have recently been suggested to be highly active. While the genetic diversity of bacteria and archaea in these deep biosphere systems have been studied extensively, little is known about how viruses impact these microbial communities. Here, we show that the viral community in a high-CO2 cold-water geyser (Wallender Born, Germany) undergoes substantial fluctuations over a period of 12 days, although the corresponding prokaryotic community remains stable, indicating a newly observed “infect to keep in check” strategy that maintains prokaryotic community structure. We characterized the viral community using metagenomics and metaproteomics, revealing 8 654 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs). CRISPR spacer-to-protospacer matching linked 278 vOTUs to 32 hosts, with many vOTUs sharing hosts from different families. High levels of viral structural proteins present in the metaproteome (several structurally annotated based on AlphaFold models) indicate active virion production at the time of sampling. Viral genomes expressed many proteins involved in DNA metabolism and manipulation, and encoded for auxiliary metabolic genes, which likely bolster phosphate and sulfur metabolism of their hosts. The active viral community encodes genes to facilitate acquisition and transformation of host nutrients, and appears to consist of many nutrient-demanding members, based on abundant virion proteins. These findings indicate viruses are inextricably linked to the biogeochemical cycling in this high-CO2 environment and substantially contribute to prokaryotic community stability in the deep biosphere hotspots.
Polymorphism and the Red Queen: the selective maintenance of allelic variation in a deteriorating environment
Authors: Spencer Hamish G , Walter Callum B
Published: May 2024

Although allelic variation is ubiquitous in natural populations, our theoretical models are poor at predicting the existence and properties of these observed polymorphisms. In this study, inspired by Van Valen's Red Queen hypothesis, we modeled the effect of viability selection in a deteriorating environment on the properties of allelic variation in populations subject to recurrent mutation. In Monte Carlo simulations, we found that levels of polymorphism consistently built up over time. We censused the simulated populations after 10,000 generations of mutation and selection, revealing that, compared with models assuming a constant environment, the mean number of alleles was greater, as was the range of allele numbers. These results were qualitatively robust to the addition of genetic drift and to the relaxation of the assumption that the viabilities of phenogenotypes containing a new mutation are independent of each other (i.e. incorporating a model of generalized dominance). The broad range of allele numbers realized in the simulated populations—from monomorphisms to highly polymorphic populations—more closely corresponds to the observed range from numerous surveys of natural populations than previously found in theoretical studies. This match suggests that, contrary to the views of some writers, selection may actively maintain genetic variation in natural populations, particularly if the selective environment is gradually becoming harsher. Our simulations also generated many populations with heterozygote advantage, a mismatch with real data that implies that this selective property must arise extremely rarely in natural populations.
Laparoscopic ileocecal-sparing vs traditional right hemicolectomy for cancer of the hepatic flexure or proximal transverse colon: a dual-center propensity score-matched study
Authors: He Jinjie , Cao Yue , Kong Xiangxing , Dai Siqi , Li Jun , Xu Dong , Song Yongmao , Wang Jianwei , Sun Lifeng , Wang Zhanhuai , Xiao Qian , Ding Lei , Chen Lihao , Lei Cheng , Wang Jian , Wang Haijiang , Ding Kefeng
Published: May 2024

Background

Traditional right hemicolectomy (TRH) is the standard treatment for patients with nonmetastatic right colon cancer. However, the ileocecum, a vital organ with mechanical and immune functions, is removed in these patients regardless of the tumor location. This study aimed to evaluate the technical and oncological safety of laparoscopic ileocecal-sparing right hemicolectomy (LISH).

Method

Patients who underwent LISH at two tertiary medical centers were matched 1:2 with patients who underwent TRH by propensity score matching based on sex, age, body mass index, tumor location, and disease stage. Data on surgical and perioperative outcomes were collected. Oncological safety was evaluated in a specimen-oriented manner. Lymph nodes (LNs) near the ileocolic artery (ICA) were examined independently in the LISH group. Disease outcomes were recorded for patients who completed one year of follow-up.

Results

In all, 34 patients in the LISH group and 68 patients in the TRH group were matched. LISH added 8 minutes to the dissection of LNs around the ileocolic vessels (groups 201/201d, 202, and 203 LNs), without affecting the total operation time, blood loss, or perioperative adverse event rate. Compared with TRH, LISH had a comparable lymphadenectomy quality, specimen quality, and safety margin while preserving a more functional bowel. The LISH group had no cases of LN metastasis near the ICA. No difference was detected in the recurrence rate at the 1-year follow-up time point between the two groups.

Conclusion

In this dual-center study, LISH presented comparable surgical and oncological safety for patients with hepatic flexure or proximal transverse colon cancer.
Does Effective Population Size Govern Evolutionary Differences in Telomere Length?
Authors: Brown Lyda M , Elbon Mia C , Bharadwaj Ajay , Damle Gargi , Lachance Joseph
Published: May 2024

Lengths of telomeres vary by an order of magnitude across mammalian species. Similarly, age- and sex-standardized telomere lengths differ by up to 1 kb (14%) across human populations. How to explain these differences? Telomeres play a central role in senescence and aging, and genes that affect telomere length are likely under weak selection (i.e. telomere length is a trait that is subject to nearly neutral evolution). Importantly, natural selection is more effective in large populations than in small populations. Here, we propose that observed differences in telomere length across species and populations are largely due to differences in effective population sizes. In this perspective, we present preliminary evolutionary genetic evidence supporting this hypothesis and highlight the need for more data.