bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inheritance of Imaging Parameters of Arrhythmic Risk in Mitral Valve Prolapse: A Pedigree Study
Authors: Cristin Luca , Dixit Shalini , Bibby Dwight , Tang Janet J. , Fang Qizhi , Tastet Lionel , Rich Amy H. , Jhawar Rohit , Nagata Yasufumi , Higuchi Satoshi , Levine Robert A. , Hsia Henry H. , Tseng Zian H. , Schiller Nelson B. , Delling Francesca N.
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND:

A subset of patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a highly heritable condition, experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, the inheritance of phenotypic imaging features of arrhythmic MVP remains unknown.

METHODS:

We recruited 23 MVP probands, including 9 with SCA/SCD and 14 with frequent/complex ventricular ectopy. Participants underwent interviews, 2-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography, and 48-hour Holter/event monitoring. Each individual was categorized as having a normal mitral valve, MVP, or borderline MVP. We assessed mitral annular disjunction, curling, global longitudinal strain, segmental peak longitudinal strain, electrical/mechanical dispersion, and the postsystolic shortening index in family members and unrelated healthy controls.

RESULTS:

We enrolled 23 pedigrees (14 extended pedigrees, 4 trios, and 5 duos) with a total of 121 participants (mean age 45 years, 50% women). Multigenerational SCA/SCD occurred in 2 of 14 extended pedigrees (14%) with an SCA/SCD proband. Mitral annular disjunction was present in 2 generations among 3 families (13%) and absent in 3 of 9 (33%) SCA/SCD cases. Compared with nonarrhythmic cases, arrhythmic MVP cases had more bileaflet involvement, mitral annular disjunction, curling, and abnormal valvular-myocardial mechanics, as expressed by a higher mid-inferior/inferolateral postsystolic shortening index (
P
<0.05). Among arrhythmic MVP cases, those with SCA had the highest mechanical dispersion (
P
=0.04). Family members with normal valves had lower global longitudinal strain and greater mechanical dispersion compared with nonpedigree controls (both
P
<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

In the context of familial MVP, SCA/SCD is rarely observed in multiple generations and is not consistently linked to mitral annular disjunction. Instead, SCA may result from combination of abnormal valvular-myocardial mechanics and a substrate of increased mechanical/electrical dispersion. Family members with normal mitral valves also exhibit mildly abnormal global strain parameters, suggesting an underlying myopathy independent of MVP expression. Future studies are needed to determine whether SCA/SCD in MVP requires the concomitant presence of abnormal mechanics and a primary genetic myopathy.
FastSurfer-LIT: Lesion inpainting tool for whole-brain MRI segmentation with tumors, cavities, and abnormalities
Authors: Pollak Clemens , Kügler David , Bauer Tobias , Rüber Theodor , Reuter Martin
Published: January 2025

Resection cavities, tumors, and other lesions can fundamentally alter brain structure and present as abnormalities in brain MRI. Specifically, quantifying subtle neuroanatomical changes in other, not directly affected regions of the brain is essential to assess the impact of tumors, surgery, chemo/radiotherapy, or drug treatments. However, only a limited number of solutions address this important task, while many standard analysis pipelines simply do not support abnormal brain images at all. In this paper, we present a method to perform sensitive neuroanatomical analysis of healthy brain regions in the presence of large lesions and cavities. Our approach called “FastSurfer Lesion Inpainting Tool” (FastSurfer-LIT) leverages the recently emerged Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models (DDPM) to fill lesion areas with healthy tissue that matches and extends the surrounding tissue. This enables subsequent processing with established MRI analysis methods such as the calculation of adjusted volume and surface measurements using FastSurfer or FreeSurfer. FastSurfer-LIT significantly outperforms previously proposed solutions on a large dataset of simulated brain tumors (N = 100) and synthetic multiple sclerosis lesions (N = 39) with improved Dice and Hausdorff measures, and also on a highly heterogeneous dataset with lesions and cavities in a manual assessment (N = 100). Finally, we demonstrate increased reliability to reproduce pre-operative cortical thickness estimates from corresponding post-operative temporo-mesial resection surgery MRIs. The method is publicly available at https://github.com/Deep-MI/LIT and will be integrated into the FastSurfer toolbox.
Blood nulling versus tissue suppression: Enhancing integrated VASO and perfusion (VAPER) contrast for laminar fMRI
Authors: Chai Yuhui , Li Linqing , Stirnberg Rüdiger , Huber Laurentius , Stöcker Tony , Bandettini Peter A. , Sutton Bradley P.
Published: January 2025

Cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF)-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have proven to be more laminar-specific than blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast fMRI, but they suffer from relatively low sensitivity. In previous work, we integrated CBV and CBF into one contrast using DANTE (Delay Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation) pulse trains combined with 3D echo-planar imaging (EPI) to create an integrated blood volume and perfusion (VAPER)-weighted contrast (Chai et al., 2020). Building on this, we have now introduced a magnetization transfer approach to induce a tissue-suppression-based VASO (vascular space occupancy) effect and incorporated it with the VAPER technique to boost the overall sensitivity while maintaining superior laminar specificity, all without altering the original VAPER sequence timing scheme. This magnetization transfer (MT)–VAPER fMRI acquisition alternates between DANTE blood-nulling and MT-tissue-suppression conditions, generating an integrated VASO and perfusion contrast enhanced by MT. Both theoretical and experimental evaluation demonstrated an approximately 30% enhancement in VAPER sensitivity with MT application. This novel MT–VAPER method was empirically validated in human primary motor and visual cortices, demonstrating its superior laminar specificity and robust reproducibility, establishing it as valuable non-BOLD tool for laminar fMRI in human brain function research.
A Hybrid Adaptive Covariance Inflation Method for EnKF-Based ENSO Prediction
Authors: Gong Mengmeng , Zhang Liang , Gao Chuan , Wang Haiyan , Chen Xingrong , Zhang Xuefeng
Published: January 2025

The ensemble-based data assimilation method is usually used for the initialization of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) prediction. Because of sampling errors caused by a finite ensemble, imperfect physical parameterizations, and other factors, the multiplicative covariance inflation method is commonly employed in the standard ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to increase the prior variance and alleviate filter divergence. Given computational resource constraints, utilizing larger ensemble sizes to minimize sampling errors in high-dimensional oceanic or atmospheric models poses a challenge. The authors propose a new hybrid adaptive covariance inflation scheme in small ensembles and apply this method to an intermediate coupled model (ICM) used at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS), named the IOCAS ICM for ENSO prediction. Hybrid refers to performing both prior and posterior inflation. Results show that the hybrid t-X adaptive inflation scheme performs best within the ICM framework, which can reduce the analysis errors by 46% for the daily SST anomaly compared to the standard EnKF algorithm using the fixed multiplicative covariance inflation factor. The t-X adaptive algorithm enhances the standard EnKF’s forecasting ability by optimizing the initial forecast field and improving internal model errors. This method notably improves the prediction skill for the Niño-1 + 2 SST anomaly, particularly in phase transitions. Regarding SST anomaly prediction, the advantages of the hybrid t-X adaptive method over the standard EnKF scheme mainly occur in the equatorial eastern Pacific and south boundaries of the ICM.
Fiscal Centralization and Inequality in Children’s Economic Mobility
Authors: O’Brien Rourke , Schechtl Manuel , Parolin Zachary
Published: January 2025

Disparities in state and local government spending are key drivers of spatial inequality in social outcomes, including economic mobility. Yet beyond spending levels, the fiscal centralization of state and local governments—that is, the relative role of higher- versus lower-level governments in taxing, spending, and public employment—also differs substantially, traceable to place-specific founding circumstances and path dependent historical trajectories. In this study, we ask, in more centralized fiscal systems, is there less spatial inequality in the economic mobility outcomes of low-income children? To answer this, we construct a novel Fiscal Centralization Index for each state and each county using data from the U.S. Census of Governments. We then use place-based estimates of intergenerational economic mobility, provided by Opportunity Insights, to measure cross-census-tract variation in the mobility outcomes of children within each state and each county. We find that more centralized fiscal structures exhibit less spatial inequality in the economic mobility outcomes of low-income children, and this is driven by improving outcomes in lower-performing census tracts. Our findings motivate the fiscal sociology of place as a framework for revealing how historically conditioned fiscal systems are implicated in the production of place-based inequalities, with the potential to generate new insights and policy interventions.
Varieties of Populist Attitudes in Brexit Britain: Socio-Political and Psychological Correlates of a New Multi-dimensional Scale
Authors: Olivas Osuna José Javier , Martín Manuel , Barrada Juan Ramón , Moyano Manuel , Clari Enrique
Published: January 2025

Populism is usually understood as a complex multi-dimensional phenomenon that encompasses different manifestations. However, most studies on the demand-side adopt a parsimonious minimal definition approach that hinders the ability to capture different forms of populism and the variable weight of its components. This article tests a new multi-dimensional strategy to measure and compare populist and pluralist attitudes in the context of Brexit Britain. We explore the relationship between populism and Britons’ socio-political views – on borders, democracy, governance, identity, and the European Union – and psychological traits – such as conspiracy belief, social alienation, justification of political violence, and meaning in life—. Our new Multi-dimensional Populist Attitudes Scale (MPAS) reveals two varieties of populism, ‘aspirational/subversive’ and ‘identitarian/protective’, and a non-populist ‘moderate/pluralist’ archetype. The new items introduced in the MPAS can complement (or become an alternative to) extant scales especially in contexts where populist movements do not fully fit narrow conceptualisations of populism.
Unpacking Learners’ Global Perspective and Willingness to Communicate in English among Different English Proficiency University Students in China
Authors: Xiao Yuehai , Zhan Zehui
Published: January 2025

The correlation between students’ Global Perspective (GP) and Willingness to Communicate in a second language (L2 WTC), particularly in the context of China, remains an under-explored area. Additionally, few studies have compared the GP and WTC among students with varying English proficiency levels or examined whether there are specific similarities and differences among these students. This study aimed to bridge these gaps within the context of traditional and English Medium Instruction (EMI) universities in China. Data were collected through two online questionnaires ( n = 1061) and interviews ( n = 10). The analysis of the questionnaire data unveiled that there were significant differences regarding GP and WTC among participants of different English proficiency levels. Moreover, there was a moderate positive correlation between students’ GP and WTC. The findings of the interviews further unraveled that students with different English proficiency levels share similarities in terms of their interest in the news, motivation for studying abroad, frequency of English communication, communication partners, and their perceptions of the role of English. Conversely, these students with different English proficiency levels exhibit variations in their strong versus weak interests in foreign cultures, their preference for using mostly English versus Chinese to learn about foreign cultures, their approaches to addressing difficult classroom problems, and their levels of concern about their English speaking skills. The pedagogical and theoretical implications derived from these findings were discussed.
Time-Course physiopathology of Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii Envenomation in Swiss Webster Mice: Insights into Systemic Manifestations
Authors: Montealegre-Sánchez Leonel , Lima Mikael A. , Montoya-Gómez Alejandro , Solano-Redondo Luis , Silva Dayara O. , Alves Pereira Karuza M. , Lima Mota Mario R. , Silveira Edilberto Rocha , de Sousa Brasil Nilce Viana Gramosa Pompeu , Alves Filho Elenilson G. , Havt Alexandre , Jiménez-Charris Eliécer
Published: January 2025

Objective

The expansion of human activities in northern Colombia has increased human-snake encounters, particularly with venomous Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii. Given the limited knowledge of systemic envenomation effects and previous studies focusing only on early murine symptoms, this investigation aimed to describe the time-course physiopathology of P. lansbergii lansbergii envenomation following intramuscular injection in vivo.

Methods

Venom was inoculated in the gastrocnemius muscles of Swiss Webster mice, and blood, urine, and tissue samples were taken at different times to evaluate lethality and biochemical markers of renal function and oxidative stress.

Results

This study reports the first intramuscular LD50 for P. lansbergii lansbergii venom at 24.83 mg/Kg. Administering 80% of this LD50 induced early signs of renal injury, evidenced by urinary biomarkers over 24 h. The antioxidant activity was found at low levels in kidney tissue throughout the evaluated time post-envenomation. Malondialdehyde activity increased at the earliest point, while proinflammatory activity increased later. Urine metabolomics revealed elevated taurine and allantoin in the envenomed groups.

Discussion

Compensatory mechanisms in response to oxidative stress and tissue damage induced by the venom were evident in the envenomed mice over the evaluated time. However, histological analysis revealed evidence of pro-inflammatory processes occurring only at early times. Metabolomic analyses of urine samples identified taurine as a potential early biomarker of elevated oxidative stress and protein and creatinine levels.

Conclusions

P. lansbergii lansbergii venom induces alterations in murine renal tissue, affecting urinary biomarkers of kidney function within hours post-envenomation. Delayed proinflammatory effects may suggest an antioxidant imbalance in the envenomed mice, with unknown long-term effects. Further research on the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in renal structure and function following envenomation is necessary, emphasizing the need for prompt clinical management.
Remarkable results of energy consumption and CO2 emissions for gasoline and electric powered vehicle
Authors: Tetik Tugba , Karagoz Yasin
Published: January 2025

Increasing concerns about climate change and efforts on reducing reliance on fossil fuels have led to research on electric vehicles for sustainable solutions to increasing energy demands. This study comprehensively analyzes the impact of power plant emissions on the adoption of electric vehicles in relation to air pollution. The main pollutants emitted by power plants and the potential change in emissions with the deployment of electric vehicles are assessed. Energy consumption of the vehicles was calculated. A gasoline-powered and an electric vehicle are modelled in MATLAB Simulink software. The theoretical model results of the main pollutants are compared with the power plant emissions to analyze the effect on major pollutants. This investigation aims to identify the potential CO2 emission and power requirement by transitioning to electric vehicles. Results show that energy consumption and CO2 emissions can be 111% and 82% higher than GPVs depending on the electricity generation technologies.
The “Complex” Moral Urgency of Advocacy for Palestine: A Response to Dr. Mark Smith's Fall 2024 Convocation Address
Authors: Taylor Mark Lewis
Published: January 2025

Dr. Smith argues admirably for complex, non-binary thinking. In analyzing current attacks on Gaza, though, he fails to exhibit that complexity. He caricatures US pro-Palestinian movements and masks Israel's wildly disproportionate retaliation to Hamas's October 7 attack. Smith oversimplifies, first, with his own binary: “Israel, the United States and their supporters” versus “Hamas and its Palestinian allies” (including “Hezbollah and the Houthis”). Palestinian allies are rendered indistinct from those waging “terrible violence.” This misrepresents Palestinian allies as simply pro-Hamas, not as resisters to US-backed Israeli genocide. Smith's binary also forecloses seeing positive roles played by Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. In a second oversimplification, Smith pleas for remembering “the suffering of all parties,” but fails to see that doing so requires our giving an asymmetrical preference to Gazans suffering genocidal assault. Third, Smith sees “some of the animus” leading to encampments for Palestine as being antisemitic. Without acknowledging any virtue to the encampments, Smith's mention here of antisemitism reinforces reactive attacks on them as “antisemitic.” Fourth, Smith's concluding questions chastise encampments for neglecting other struggles, for Syria, the Sudan, Blacks, and LGBTQ + persons. This neglects the ways these struggles have been, in fact, vital to Palestinian activism.
Faculty Colloquium, 16 October 2024: Response to Mark Taylor
Authors: Smith Mark S.
Published: January 2025

This piece is a response to Mark Taylor's response to my Convocation address at the opening of this academic year this past September.
Squared Drinking: Use of Public Drinking Spaces among Marginalized People With a Greenlandic Background Living in Denmark
Authors: Nygaard-Christensen Maj , Bjerge Bagga
Published: January 2025

Public drinking practices among socially marginalized people remain highly stigmatized. Unlike public drinking practices among young people in Denmark, little attention has been put on the meanings and value attributed to such settings by people at the margins. In this paper, we examine public drinking practices of socially marginalized people with a Greenlandic background living in Denmark with attention to public squares where participants gathered. We introduce the concept of “squared drinking” to support a focus on emplaced public drinking that looks “beyond harm” and risk in understandings of stigmatized drinking practices. With “squared drinking” we seek to conceptualize public drinking as a particular socio-spatial phenomenon. With attention to the meanings attributed to such spaces by marginalized people with a Greenlandic background, we show how squared drinking practices serve to (1) anchor social connection in place and cultivate a space of belonging for individuals experiencing significant structural inequalities in the Danish welfare system. Moreover, (2) we approach public drinking squares as spatially confined settings where stigmatized populations process everyday experiences of marginalization and exclusion in the Danish welfare state and act upon emerging needs. Finally, (3) we show how, although public squares associated with drinking among marginalized communities are often portrayed as wild and unregulated settings beyond the reach of the welfare state, such settings simultaneously function as spatially bounded but excessively targeted sites of control and care. In conclusion, we thus suggest that it makes sense to understand “squared drinking” spaces as emerging not in spite of welfare regulation. Instead, such spaces might be understood as co-constituted by welfare practices, both as a result of excessive regulation and due to the interstices in Danish welfare provision to marginalized citizens.
A Systematic Literature Review of the Use of Voluntary Failure Theory: Toward a Future Research Agenda
Authors: Cheng Yuan (Daniel) , Deng Shuyi , Li Huafang , Banamah Ahmad , Parra Maggie
Published: January 2025

Despite voluntary failure theory (VFT)’s foundational role in public and nonprofit management scholarship, we do not know how it is used and evaluated. Our systematic literature review finds that scholars’ use of VFT centers on descriptive purposes, rather than providing theoretical propositions about the causes and consequences of government support to nonprofit organizations. Assessment of voluntary failure has also gone beyond the four types articulated by Salamon. We conclude by proposing a future research agenda centered on elucidating testable hypotheses, articulating the focal levels of analysis, and orienting voluntary failure by creating a broad set of public values.
How is research disseminated, accessed, and utilised in Irish schools?
Authors: Barrett Courtenay A , Prendergast Mark
Published: January 2025

In Ireland, as elsewhere, there has been growing recognition around the importance of using research evidence to inform educational policy and practice at both a national government and individual school level. Despite such importance, there is currently a dearth of empirical, peer-reviewed studies regarding the use of research evidence in the Irish education system. With this in mind, we conducted semi-structured interviews in Autumn 2023 with seven educational researchers based in higher education and ten teachers based in both primary and secondary schools. The purpose was to examine how research is utilised at both the individual- and systems-levels in Irish schools. In terms of findings, researchers and teachers noted there was insufficient dissemination, access, and utilisation of research in schools. Participants suggested that the use of research evidence in Ireland focused on the dissemination of the research process (e.g., how to conduct research as part of self-evaluation processes) rather than the dissemination of research findings (e.g., results from efficacy studies). However, all participants acknowledged that the use of research evidence to inform practice is nuanced and complex, and is dependent upon many factors such as the type of research (e.g., methodology, subject area) and the context (e.g., national policies in Ireland). Implications for research and practice, as well as potential pitfalls when using research to inform policymaking, are discussed.
Investigation of Al/Mg composite behaviour by the adaptation of SiC and Al2O3 nanoparticle via electromagnetic stir cast route
Authors: Mohanavel Vinayagam , Singh Ravindra Pratap , Sekar S , Venkatesh R , Vaidyanathan Ishwarya Mayiladuthurai , Ali Mohammed
Published: January 2025

Developing hybrid composite material has demonstrated various benefits, and conventional stir-cast composites have been found to exhibit microporosity and uneven particle distribution, leading to variations in mechanical behaviour. This study aims to synthesize, examine, and assess the mechanical and turning machining characteristics of Al/Mg alloy and its hybrid composite integrated with 5 weight percentages (wt%) of alumina (Al2O3) and varying wt% of silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC) using the electromagnetic stir cast process, which overcomes the challenges associated with traditional casting processes. Actions of Al2O3 and SiC and the processing on the structural and mechanical behaviour of Al/Mg composites are evaluated. Structural analysis indicates that the nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed, and X-ray analysis confirms the formation of a better crystalline structure. The composite HC3 (Al/Mg/5wt% Al2O3/6wt% SiC) exhibits superior tensile strength (234.2 MPa), reduced impact strength (7.19 J/mm2), and improved microhardness (145.2 HV) value. The turning process involves the use of a titanium carbonitride (TiCN) tool insert at different speeds (N), feed (f), and depth of cut (DOC). Influences of turning operation parameters on tool wear (TW), surface roughness (Ra), and temperature (T) of Al/Mg alloy nanocomposite were measured. By leveraging the ANOVA Taguchi L16 design, the optimal turning operation parameter combination was determined to achieve the lowest TW and Ra, represented by the L11 and L12 configurations in the array.
Cardiac return assist blanket (CRAB) safely increases central venous pressure
Authors: Mitchell Christopher , Jacques Angela
Published: January 2025

Objective

The cardiac return assist blanket (CRAB) has been designed to increase central venous pressure (CVP) to manage severe hypotension associated with anaphylaxis. This interventional study aimed to identify the relationship between CRAB pressure and CVP. CRAB pressure was also compared with the change in CVP associated with a straight leg raise (SLR), the Trendelenburg position, and 1 L of compound sodium lactate.

Methods

Sixteen healthy, fasted volunteers were exposed to CRAB pressure at 10, 20, 30, and 40 cmH2O, the SLR, and 15 degrees of the Trendelenburg position. The volunteers were then fed and hydrated with 1 L of CSL over 30 minutes and the protocol was repeated.

Results

The initial 10 cmH2O of CRAB pressure increased CVP by 3.7 mmHg (95% confidence interval 2.7, 4.7). Each subsequent 10-cmH2O rise in CRAB pressure increased CVP by 0.9 mmHg (95% confidence interval 0.55, 1.25). The SLR, Trendelenburg position, and 1 L of CSL increased CVP by 0.97 , 0.75 , and 0.69 mmHg, respectively.

Conclusions

The CRAB controllably increases CVP, and 40 cmH2O of CRAB pressure increases CVP by 6.41 mmHg. The effect of the CRAB is greater than that with the SLR, Trendelenburg position, or 1 L of CSL. This trial was registered with the ANZCTR (ACTRN12621000840886: https://www.anzctr.org.au ).
A Time-Series Analysis of News Media Coverage of Suicide in Canada from 2019 to 2023: Une analyse de séries chronologiques de la couverture responsable du suicide par les médias au Canada de 2019 à 2023
Authors: Careau Juliette , Bélair Justin , Whitley Rob
Published: January 2025

Objective

Evidence suggests that the media can play a role in preventing suicide, as well as contributing to suicide contagion. As such, the primary objective is to assess adherence to responsible reporting of suicide recommendations in news articles about suicide over time. A secondary objective is to assess whether reporting changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tertiary objective is to assess overall patterns regarding types of suicide reported.

Methods

We collected news articles with the keyword “suicide” from 47 Canadian news sources between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023. Articles were coded for adherence to key responsible reporting of suicide guidelines. Frequency counts and percentages of adherence were calculated for all key variables. Time series analyses using a Generalized Linear Autoregressive Moving Average model assessed for adherence trends over time, including measuring for any changes during the COVID-19 years.

Results

Study procedures resulted in 3,232 coded news articles. Overall, the results indicate that adherence to the guidelines has moderately improved over the course of the 4-year period. This is especially true for recommendations regarding avoiding putatively harmful content, such as detailed descriptions of the suicide method. Similar improvements were seen in adherence to guidelines related to the inclusion of putatively helpful content, with significantly more articles providing help-seeking information. However, in the final year of the study, less than a third of articles included educational content about suicide, help-seeking information, or quotes from suicide experts. Reporting of suicide during the COVID-19 period showed some positive improvements; however, these were not sustained after the pandemic ended.

Conclusions

On the plus side, adherence to responsible suicide reporting guidelines improved over the 4-year period, especially for recommendations concerning putatively helpful content. However, there remains room for improvement regarding the inclusion of putatively protective content such as including help-seeking information, educating about suicide, and quoting experts.
Commentary on the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety and Related Disorders: Evidence-Based Treatments Require Appropriate Systems of Care to Be Implemented
Authors: Boyce Philip
Published: January 2025

Plain Language Summary

This is a commentary of the CANMAT guideline

Key points about the CANMAT perinatal guidelines are commented on. The process of developing the guidelines was robust and there can be a high level of confidence in their recommendations. An important aspect is that services for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders need to put in place so that the range on evidence based treatments can be implemented.
Leszek Kolakowski and moral integration
Authors: Rojek Chris
Published: January 2025

How are consent and the rule of law possible in post-Enlightenment societies? The rule of law is necessary. But a rule of law based upon secular principles exposes various problems of relativism that compromise its validity. Leszek Kolakowski is a neglected social theorist in the West. One of his striking arguments on the question of the integration of society is that no valid moral principles exist in experience or logic. It is a position founded on his personal history which rejects both Marxism and capitalism. Kolakowski concludes that the moral integration of society requires a faith-based foundation. This article situates Kolakowski's position by identifying three stages in the development of his thought. It goes on to examine the role of phenomenological sociology in his outlook, especially the work of Husserl and Bergson. The faith-based conclusion that Kolakowski draws will be indigestible to many readers. Yet the questions that it raises about purposeful being and secure identity are especially pertinent in the fake news/post-truth climate of the present day.
Psychosocial Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Social Participation is Associated With Cognitive Performance in Multiple Domains
Authors: Rehan Sana , Phillips Natalie A.
Published: January 2025

Psychosocial function is associated with cognitive performance cross-sectionally and cognitive decline over time. Using data from the COMPASS-ND study, we examined associations between psychosocial and cognitive function in 126 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, an at-risk group for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Psychosocial function was measured using questionnaires about mental health, social support, and social engagement. Composite scores for five cognitive domains were derived using principal component analysis. Multiple linear regression models were used to test the effects of various psychosocial factors on cognitive performance, controlling for age, sex, education, MoCA scores, and living circumstances. We found that low current participation in one’s social networks, over other psychosocial factors, was associated with worse verbal fluency and processing speed scores than those endorsing normal or high social participation. Our findings provide groundwork for further psychosocial-cognitive analyses in individuals at-risk for AD to better understand the role of poor social engagement in cognitive decline.
Investigation of polyvinylpyrrolidone-catechol-derived chitosan nanoconjugates allowed for kidney-targeted treatment of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury and nursing care management
Authors: Chen Guixian
Published: January 2025

Acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting from cisplatin (Cs) chemotherapy presents a significant challenge in clinical management. The study aimed to fabricate a novel compound Polyvinylpyrrolidone-catechol-derived chitosan nanoconjugates (PCChi-NC) for targeting Cs-induced AKI. Characterization studies utilizing UV-visible spectrophotometry, FT-IR, XRD, and TEM revealed a spherical morphology with diameters ranging from 20 to 60 nm. In vitro assessments utilizing HEK 293 cell lines demonstrated the biocompatibility of PCChi-NC without eliciting toxic effects. Furthermore, PCChi-NC exhibited a notable reduction in Cs-induced cell death in kidney cells, as evidenced by biomarker analysis. Anti-inflammatory analysis of mouse kidney homogenates revealed a decrease in TNF-α and IL-1β levels, indicative of the therapeutic efficacy of PCChi-NC in mitigating Cs-induced kidney inflammation. Moreover, In vivo, experimental analysis was evidenced by stable body weight and histopathological changes in mice. Our findings highlight the potential of PCChi-NC as a promising candidate for targeted therapy in Cs-induced AKI, owing to its unique renal targeting capacity.
A Brief Online Intervention to Increase Use of Nonphysical Discipline Approaches: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Dukes Cassandra , Richardson Hilary , Damashek Amy
Published: January 2025

Moderate levels of child disruptive behavior are common and developmentally appropriate during toddlerhood. Caregiver discipline methods influence the development of regulatory strategies in children and the trajectory of behavior problems as children develop. Spanking is a commonly used discipline method in the United States that has been found to result in negative outcomes in childhood and adulthood. Given the high prevalence of child disruptive behaviors and frequency of caregivers’ reliance on spanking to manage child behavior, it is important to disseminate information about safe and effective alternatives, including timeout. Previous research has shown that Play Nicely, a brief online program, may be an efficacious approach to reduce caregivers’ positive attitudes toward spanking. However, investigators have yet to investigate whether Play Nicely may also influence caregivers’ use of alternative nonphysical discipline methods. This study is a follow-up of a randomized controlled trial that examined Play Nicely’s impact on attitudes toward and use of spanking. This study investigated whether Play Nicely increased reported use of nonphysical discipline methods among caregivers following intervention. Participants were 107 caregivers of 1- to 5-year-old children recruited from a pediatric primary care clinic and randomly assigned to participate in the Play Nicely program ( n = 49) or a control condition ( n = 58). Data on caregivers’ use of effective nonphysical discipline methods were collected using a self-report measure administered in a primary care clinic at baseline and at one month following intervention. Participants in the treatment group were significantly more likely than those in the control group to report using timeout following the intervention ( p < .05). Findings indicate that participation in Play Nicely may increase caregivers’ self-reported use of timeout, suggesting that further dissemination of this program may be an effective means of increasing caregivers’ use of alternatives to spanking.
Impact of a Multi-Component Home-Based Physical Therapy Intervention on Cognitive Outcomes: Results From the CAP Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gruber-Baldini Ann L. , Fortinsky Richard H. , Resnick Barbara , Magder Laurence S. , Beamer Brock A. , Mangione Kathleen , Orwig Denise , Binder Ellen F. , Terrin Michael , Magaziner Jay
Published: January 2025

Objective

Differences in cognitive outcomes for two home-based 16-week interventions after usual rehabilitative care post-hip fracture were examined.

Methods

Community Ambulation Project randomized controlled trial included 210 hip fracture participants. Interventions: Specific multi-component (PUSH) included strength-, balance-, function-, and endurance-based exercises; non-specific active control (PULSE) included seated range-of-motion exercises and sensory transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation. Cognitive measures: Modified Mini-Mental State Examination, plus Hooper Visual Organization Test and Trails A/B in an ancillary study (CAP-MP, n = 40), assessed pre-randomization and 16 and 40 weeks post-randomization.

Results

Over 16 weeks, PUSH-assigned participants became faster on Trails A (Δ = −6.3, 95% CI: −16.7, 4.2); those in PULSE became slower (Δ = 9.3, 95% CI: −1.7, 20.3, p = .04). At 40 weeks, PUSH-assigned participants became faster on Trails B (Δ = −21.5, 95% CI: −46.2, 3.3) while those in PULSE became slower (Δ = 15.2, 95% CI: −11.9, 42.3, p = .04). No other significant differences were found.

Discussion

Results suggest that multi-component exercise interventions like PUSH may prevent/delay decline or improve attention and psychomotor speed in patients with recent hip fracture.
Mechanical performance and ANN-based prediction of Co-Cr dental alloys with gyroid cellular structures produced by LPBF technology
Authors: Çalışkan Cemal İrfan , Şahin Meryem , Koca Aliihsan , Tarakçı Gürkan , Okbaz Abdulkerim , Dalkılıç Ahmet Selim
Published: January 2025

Gyroid structures exhibit significant potential in the fields of lightweight structural design, heat transfer, energy absorption, and biological applications. The use of gyroid for implants in dentistry is currently not sufficiently widespread. The research encompasses design, compression testing, cellular investigation using a digital microscope, and the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) using data gained from the compression test. The ANN study and the test phase in which gyroid geometries are addressed by dental three-point bending tests are novel in this field. In the field of dentistry, this study compares the usability of five distinct gyroid design characteristics, including one model without a gyroid structure. During the testing, we found that the m1 model had an average maximum strength of 600 N, while the m3 model achieved 230 N. The remaining models achieved an approximate strength of 200 N. In the mechanical performance evaluation of the samples, a 40% weight reduction was achieved. An ANN model has been developed to predict the force experienced by gyroid structures under certain deformations depending on the infill ratio. This model was trained with data obtained from a three-point bending test. Using grid search and Monte Carlo cross-validation, the optimal multilayer perceptron structure was determined to have 12 neurons in the hidden layer, a mini-batch size of 8, and a learning rate of 0.0001. The Adam optimization algorithm was used to train the ANN model, which was constructed using the TensorFlow library. Evaluation metrics were used to test the model’s performance, and the results showed strong generalization capability and high accuracy with coefficient of determination ( R2) of 0.997, mean squared error (MSE) of 3.337E-05 kN2, root mean square error of (RMSE) 0.005777 kN, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.003633 kN on the test dataset.
Robust trajectory tracking of an uncertain quadrotor with almost global finite-time convergence
Authors: Kumar Saurabh , Kumar Shashi Ranjan
Published: January 2025

This paper addresses the three-dimensional trajectory tracking control problem of quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the presence of modeling uncertainties and external disturbances. We propose two control strategies that steer the quadrotor onto its desired path within a finite time and maintain it thereafter for all future times. The proposed strategies use a cascaded control architecture, where the inner loop consists of the attitude dynamics and the outer loop consists of the translational dynamics of the quadrotor. The proposed strategies guarantee the global finite-time convergence of the tracking errors. Consequently, the quadrotor tracks its desired trajectory globally regardless of its initial engagement geometry with respect to the path. The first strategy draws motivation from the terminal sliding mode control. Meanwhile, in the second strategy, we modify the reaching law using an exponential function, which dynamically adapts to the variation of system states and guarantees a shorter reaching time with improved tracking performance. We demonstrate the robust performance of the proposed strategy in the presence of system lag and bounded external disturbances, which may emulate the effect of wind waves and other environmental imperfections neglected during the controller design.
Associations Between Anticipatory Grief and Post-Bereavement Depression and Post-Loss Grief of Family Members of Dying Patients With Cancer in Palliative Care Units: A Cohort Study
Authors: Gotoh Reina , Shimizu Yoichi , Hayashi Akitoshi , Isseki Maeda , Miura Tomofumi , Inoue Akira , Takano Mayuko , Masukawa Kento , Aoyama Maho , Morita Tatsuya , Kizawa Yoshiyuki , Tsuneto Satoru , Shima Yasuo , Miyashita Mitsunori
Published: January 2025

Objectives: Anticipatory grief is associated with post-bereavement grief; however, reports on the influence of pre-loss depression are limited. Therefore, we investigated the association between the anticipatory grief of family members and post-loss and post-depression grief adjusted for pre-loss depression. Methods: This cohort study included the family members of dying patients with cancer. Questionnaires were distributed to them during hospitalization in four inpatient palliative care units from 2016 to 2017. We also administered follow-up questionnaires after their bereavement in 2018. The pre-bereavement questionnaire consisted of three items from the Anticipatory Grief Scale for Families Caring for a Terminally Ill Person for assessing anticipated grief and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 for assessing depression. The Brief Grief Questionnaire was used to assess post-loss grief. Results: We distributed 181 pre-bereavement questionnaires to the family members; 112 (62%) responded to the pre-bereavement survey, out of which 71 (63%) responded to the post-bereavement survey. Anticipatory grief was significantly associated with pre-loss (ρ = 0.37, ρ < 0.001) and post-loss (ρ = 0.24, P = 0.009) depression and marginally associated with post-loss grief (ρ = 0.15, P = 0.10). Pre-loss depression was also significantly associated with post-loss depression (ρ = 0.50, P < 0.001) and post-loss grief (ρ = 0.41, P < 0.001). However, anticipatory grief was not significantly associated with post-loss depression ( P = 0.35) and post-loss grief ( P = 0.65) after adjusting for pre-loss depression. Significance of Results: Bereaved families who experienced anticipatory grief had worse post-bereavement depression. However, this association was not statistically significant after adjusting for pre-bereavement depression. Post-bereavement depression may be in a continuum with pre-loss depression, and anticipatory grief does not independently affect post-loss reactions.
Embodied Knowledge: A Reflexive Account of Negotiating and Integrating Insider–Researcher–Practitioner Identities During a Bereavement Study
Authors: Joy Karima
Published: January 2025

Embodied knowledge and grief are often unaddressed in academic training and education. This article presents a reflexive and critical account of the author’s experience conducting a qualitative study on bereavement accommodation as an insider, researcher, and practitioner. Approaching herself as an object of inquiry, she considers the way her identities engage with the knowledge being generated, and the discrepancy between the values she was promoting in her work and the pressures to replicate ideologies about productivity and autonomy. The author outlines a methodological approach that applies feminist ethics beyond the data to account for the researcher and research process. The implications of placing care at the center of the labor process are discussed, including: (a) attending to embodied knowledge, interdependence, responsibilities, and invisible labor, (b) developing, implementing, and evaluating a care plan, (c) distinguishing participant and researcher voices, and (d) contributing to collective efforts to enhance bereavement care and education.
The Effect of Challenge Characteristics on Teamwork and Affective States in ICE
Authors: Käosaar Andres , Burke C. Shawn
Published: January 2025

With increasing attention on Lunar and Martian missions, understanding the effects of Isolated, Confined, and Extreme (ICE) environments on human teams becomes critical. Conducting ecologically valid research on team dynamics within these contexts poses challenges due to the unique challenges they operate and stemming scarcity and inaccessibility of such teams. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, this study answers the call for more research to understand the nuances of teams operating in these conditions. Leveraging archival data collected from 36 Antarctic winteroverers, the relationships between challenge characteristics, team dynamics, affective states, and individual differences are investigated. The data’s nuanced nature shows the effect of task challenges on teamwork outcomes and the related increased negative affect. Furthermore, the strong effect of within-person factors on the ICE experience is illustrated in the qualitative and quantitative data. In line with this variability, the study reveals how both higher-level personality facets, as well as their subscales, influence individuals’ experiences in ICE environments. Exploring the connections between a set of challenges characteristics on three affective variables and eight discreet emotions, nine component variables of two latent teamwork constructs, and a suite of individual differences variables, the study contributes to the field by demonstrating the value of combining qualitative and quantitative data within small samples, allowing for in-depth insights into teamwork experiences in ICE. The manuscript also provides insight into temporal aspects of key relationships in ICE and how a set of individual differences relate to the use of journaling as a research methodology.
Assessing the Utility of DNA Methylation Profiling in the Classification of Myogenic Sarcomas of Bone
Authors: Bandhlish Anshu , Liu Yajuan J. , Fang He , Gandhi Jatin , Paulson Vera , Chen Eleanor Y.
Published: January 2025

The diagnosis of primary leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of bone is generally established based on integrative findings of morphologic features, immunohistochemical staining, and clinical and radiological findings. There are no specific genetic alterations that can be used to confirm the diagnosis of LMS in challenging diagnoses of bone sarcomas with myogenic differentiation. In this study, we assessed the utility of a DNA methylation-based classifier as an ancillary diagnostic tool for subclassifying bone sarcomas with myogenic differentiation. DNA methylation profiling using the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum classifier system was performed on 5 patients with available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. The original diagnosis of LMS was retained in 2 of 5 patients. Three patients were reclassified as having malignant giant cell tumor of the bone, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma/myxofibrosarcoma after integrating the results of the DNA methylation-based classifier with the clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and radiologic findings. While a DNA methylation-based classifier can serve as a useful ancillary tool for refining the subclassification of primary bone sarcomas with myogenic differentiation, especially for diagnostically challenging tumors, integrating clinical, histopathological, and radiological findings is essential for obtaining a final diagnosis.