bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Concluding Remarks: Themes in Rhodian Religion
Authors: Zachhuber Juliane 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe conclusion reflects on the value of local religious studies, and points to several themes that have emerged from the book that have a bearing on our broader understanding of Greek and Hellenistic religion. In turn, it considers how Rhodian religion informs us on the following themes: ‘polis religion’, epigraphic memory and sacred space, gender and religion, the sea and religion, and finally Hellenistic religion. An overarching conclusion is that this study of Rhodian religion in the Hellenistic period illustrates the continued vitality of polytheism, against the common perception of trends moving in the opposite direction. Other religious aesthetics can be seen to fit the Hellenistic mould better, albeit with their own idiosyncrasies.
Pattern of heterogeneity in normal brain ageing: screening for mild cognitive impairment and its risk of progression with a radiomics model
Authors: Yan Yuting , He Xiaodong , Xu Yuyun , Zhao Fanfan , Peng Jiaxuan , Shao Yuan 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to develop a normal brain ageing model based on magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics, therefore identifying radscore, an imaging indicator representing white matter heterogeneity and exploring the significance of radscore in detecting people’s cognitive changes.

Methods
Three hundred sixty cognitively normal (CN) subjects from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database and 105 CN subjects from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative database were used to develop the model. In ADNI, 230 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects were matched with 230 CN old-aged subjects to evaluate their heterogeneity difference. One hundred four MCI subjects with 48 months of follow-up were divided into low and high heterogeneity groups. Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis was used to observe the importance of heterogeneity results for predicting MCI progression.

Results
The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model in the training, internal test and external test sets was 0.7503, 0.7512 and 0.7514, respectively. There was a significantly positive correlation between age and radscore of CN subjects (r = 0.501; P &lt; .001). The radscore of MCI subjects was significantly higher than that of matched CN subjects (P &lt; .001). The median radscore ratios of MCI to CN from four age groups (66–70y, 71–75y, 76–80y and 81–85y) were 1.611, 1.760, 1.340 and 1.266, respectively. The probability to progression of low and high heterogeneity groups had a significant difference (P = .002).

Conclusion
When radscore is significantly higher than that of normal ageing, it is necessary to alert the possibility of cognitive impairment and deterioration.
Russell on Experience and Egocentricity
Authors: Wishon Donovan 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Neutral monism is the view that ‘mind’ and ‘matter’ are composed of, or grounded in, more basic elements of reality that are intrinsically neither mental nor material. Before adopting this view in 1918, Russell was a mind–matter dualist and a pointed critic of it. His most ‘decisive’ objection concerns whether it can provide an adequate analysis of egocentricity and our use of indexical expressions such as ‘I’, ‘this’, ‘now’, and so on. I argue that M. G. F. Martin (2024) and other recent interpreters cannot make proper sense of Russell’s shifting views about egocentricity because they misascribe to his early dualism the thesis that experience is in some sense ‘diaphanous’ or ‘transparent’. Against this, I make the case that (1) Russell rejected the diaphaneity of experience as a dualist, (2) this rejection played a key role in his early objections to neutral monism, and (3) several decades later Russell takes his neutral monism to have key resources for answering his prior objections.
Horkheimer, Habermas, Foucault as Political Epistemologists
Authors: Alcoff Linda Martín 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThis paper reorients the problematic of political epistemology to put power at the centre of analysis, through an analysis of writings on the relationship between power and knowledge by Horkheimer, Habermas and Foucault. In their work, political epistemology was pursued analogously to the development of political economy, which explored the background conditions and assumptions of economic research. I also show that Horkheimer, Habermas and Foucault each had normative aims intended to improve both epistemology and knowing practices. Though their approaches are distinct, the shared element was a concern with redefining truth.
Genetic variation mining of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) based on transcriptome data from public databases
Authors: Xu Yuanfeng , Yu Fan , Feng Wenrong , Wei Jia , Su Shengyan , Li Jianlin , Hua Guoan , Li Wenjing , Tang Yongkai 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
At present, public databases house an extensive repository of transcriptome data, with the volume continuing to grow at an accelerated pace. Utilizing these data effectively is a shared interest within the scientific community. In this study, we introduced a novel strategy that harnesses SNPs and InDels identified from transcriptome data, combined with sample metadata from databases, to effectively screen for molecular markers correlated with traits. We utilized 228 transcriptome datasets of Eriocheir sinensis from the NCBI database and employed the Genome Analysis Toolkit software to identify 96 388 SNPs and 20 645 InDels. Employing the genome-wide association study analysis, in conjunction with the gender information from databases, we identified 3456 sex-biased SNPs and 639 sex-biased InDels. The KOG and KEGG annotations of the sex-biased SNPs and InDels revealed that these genes were primarily involved in the metabolic processes of E. sinensis. Combined with SnpEff annotation and PCR experimental validation, a highly sex-biased SNP located in the Kelch domain containing 4 (Klhdc4) gene, CHR67-6415071, was found to alter the splicing sites of Klhdc4, generating two splice variants, Klhdc4_a and Klhdc4_b. Additionally, Klhdc4 exhibited robust expression across the ovaries, testes, and accessory glands. The sex-biased SNPs and InDels identified in this study are conducive to the development of unisexual cultivation methods for E. sinensis, and the alternative splicing event caused by the sex-biased SNP in Klhdc4 may serve as a potential mechanism for sex regulation in E. sinensis. The analysis strategy employed in this study represents a new direction for the rational exploitation and utilization of transcriptome data in public databases.
Fine-tuning protein embeddings for functional similarity evaluation
Authors: Dickson Andrew , Mofrad Mohammad R K 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Motivation
Proteins with unknown function are frequently compared to better characterized relatives, either using sequence similarity, or recently through similarity in a learned embedding space. Through comparison, protein sequence embeddings allow for interpretable and accurate annotation of proteins, as well as for downstream tasks such as clustering for unsupervised discovery of protein families. However, it is unclear whether embeddings can be deliberately designed to improve their use in these downstream tasks.

Results
We find that for functional annotation of proteins, as represented by Gene Ontology (GO) terms, direct fine-tuning of language models on a simple classification loss has an immediate positive impact on protein embedding quality. Fine-tuned embeddings show stronger performance as representations for K-nearest neighbor classifiers, reaching stronger performance for GO annotation than even directly comparable fine-tuned classifiers, while maintaining interpretability through protein similarity comparisons. They also maintain their quality in related tasks, such as rediscovering protein families with clustering.

Availability and implementation
github.com/mofradlab/go_metric
Minimally Invasive transCervical oEsophagectomy (MICE) for oesophageal cancer: prospective cohort study (IDEAL stage 2A)
Authors: Vercoulen Richard J M T , van Veenendaal Linde , Kramer Irene F , Hutteman Merlijn , Shiozaki Atsushi , Fujiwara Hitoshi , Rosman Camiel , Klarenbeek Bastiaan R 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Minimally invasive transcervical oesophagectomy is a surgical technique that offers radical oesophagectomy without the need for transthoracic access. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the minimally invasive transcervical oesophagectomy procedure and to report the refinement of this technique in a Western cohort.

Methods
A single-centre prospective cohort study was designed as an IDEAL stage 2A study. Patients with oesophageal cancer (cT1b–4a N0–3 M0) who were scheduled for oesophagectomy with curative intent were eligible for inclusion in the study. The main outcome parameter was the postoperative pulmonary complication rate and the secondary outcomes were the anastomotic leakage, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, and R0 resection rates, as well as the lymph node yield.

Results
In total, 75 patients underwent minimally invasive transcervical oesophagectomy between January 2021 and November 2023. Several modifications to the surgical technique were registered, evaluated, and implemented in the context of IDEAL stage 2A. A total of 12 patients (16%) had postoperative pulmonary complications, including pneumonia (4 patients) and pleural effusion with drainage or aspiration (8 patients). Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy was observed in 33 of 75 patients (44%), with recovery in 30 of 33 patients (91%). A total of 5 of 75 patients (7%) had anastomotic leakage. The median number of resected lymph nodes was 29 (interquartile range 22–37) and the R0 resection rate was 96% (72 patients).

Conclusion
Introducing minimally invasive transcervical oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer in a Dutch institution is associated with a low rate of postoperative pulmonary complications and a high rate of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.
Improved sliding-mode control for tracking global maximum power of triple-series–parallel ladder photovoltaic arrays under uneven shadowing
Authors: Alla RamaKoteswaraRao , Rajani Kandipati , Yadlapalli Ravindranath Tagore 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
This paper presents an innovative way to enhance the performance of photovoltaic (PV) arrays under uneven shadowing conditions. The study focuses on a triple-series–parallel ladder configuration to exploit the benefits of increased power generation while addressing the challenges associated with uneven shadowing. The proposed methodology focuses on the implementation of improved sliding-mode control technique for efficient global maximum power point tracking. Sliding-mode control is known for its robustness in the presence of uncertainties and disturbances, making it suitable for dynamic and complex systems such as PV arrays. This work employs a comprehensive simulation framework to comment on the performance of the suggested improved sliding-mode control strategy in uneven shadowing scenarios. Comparative analysis has been done to show the better effectiveness of the suggested method than the traditional control strategies. The results demonstrate a remarkable enhancement in the tracking accuracy of the global maximum power point, leading to enhanced energy-harvesting capabilities under challenging environmental conditions. Furthermore, the proposed approach exhibits robustness and adaptability in mitigating the effect of shading on the PV array, thereby increasing overall system efficiency. This research contributes valuable insights into the development of advanced control strategies for PV arrays, particularly in the context of triple-series–parallel ladder configurations operating under uneven shadowing conditions. Under short narrow shading conditions, the improved sliding-mode control method tracks the maximum power better compared with perturb & observe at 20.68%, incremental-conductance at 68.78%, fuzzy incremental-conductance at 19.8%, and constant-velocity sliding-mode control at 1.25%. The improved sliding-mode control method has 60% less chattering than constant-velocity sliding-mode control under shading conditions.
MRI resting-state signature of the propensity to experience meaningful coincidences: a functional coupling analysis
Authors: Rominger Christian , Koschutnig Karl , Fink Andreas , Perchtold-Stefan Corinna M 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
The propensity to experience meaningful patterns in random arrangements and unrelated events shows considerable interindividual differences. Reduced inhibitory control (over sensory processes) and decreased working memory capacities are associated with this trait, which implies that the activation of frontal as well as posterior brain regions may be altered during rest and working memory tasks. In addition, people experiencing more meaningful coincidences showed reduced gray matter of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which is linked to the inhibition of irrelevant information in working memory and the control and integration of multisensory information. To study deviations in the functional connectivity of the IFG with posterior associative areas, the present study investigated the fMRI resting state in a large sample of n = 101 participants. We applied seed-to-voxel analysis and found that people who perceive more meaningful coincidences showed negative functional connectivity of the left IFG (i.e. pars triangularis) with areas of the left posterior associative cortex (e.g. superior parietal cortex). A data-driven multivoxel pattern analysis further indicated that functional connectivity of a cluster located in the right cerebellum with a cluster including parts of the left middle frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, and the left IFG (pars opercularis) was associated with meaningful coincidences. These findings add evidence to the neurocognitive foundations of the propensity to experience meaningful coincidences, which strengthens the idea that deviations of working memory functions and inhibition of sensory and motor information explain why people experience more meaning in meaningless noise.
A case report of Löffler’s endocarditis with right ventricular outflow obstruction in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome: timely surgical intervention is crucial
Authors: Zeng Decai , Peng Ziyu , Guan Xuechun , Wu Ji 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Löffler’s endocarditis (LE) is a frequently encountered condition in hypereosinophilic syndrome and is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality rate.

Case Summary
A 22-year-old man presented with acute dyspnoea, recurring wheezing, and cough, leading to his hospital admission. Multimodal diagnostic imaging revealed a manifestation of eosinophil-mediated cardiac injury in the thrombus formation stage. Moreover, a mural thrombus and thickened endocardium had caused severe obstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and complete obliteration of the right ventricular apex, resulting in a significant reduction in right ventricular cardiac output. The patient received a diagnosis of LE and was treated with high-dose corticosteroids and anticoagulants. To alleviate the RVOT obstruction, an emergency surgical intervention was conducted through median sternotomy to the removal of the mural thrombus and resection of the thickened endocardium. Subsequently, eosinophil counts normalized within 1 month. Follow-up imaging examination demonstrated the existence of a residual section of thickened endocardium within the right ventricular free wall. Importantly, no mural thrombus was detected with complete relief of the RVOT obstruction. Notably, a transthoracic echocardiography examination at the 3-month postoperative unveiled a significant regression in right ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis. The patient’s condition exhibited tangible improvement, with no adverse events observed.

Discussion
Multimodal imaging is essential for the early diagnosis and accurate staging of LE. Timely surgical intervention, combined with corticosteroid therapy, is an effective therapeutic approach in selected patients with LE. This approach is crucial to achieve remission of acute phase symptoms and improve prognosis.
Left ventricular apical pacing-induced heart failure in a child after congenital heart surgery: a case report
Authors: De Wolf Rik , van der Palen Roel L F , ten Harkel Arend D J , Hazekamp Mark G , Blom Nico A 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Left ventricular apical pacing (LVAP) is considered to preserve left ventricular (LV) systolic function in both patients with and without congenital heart disease. However, sporadic LVAP-associated cardiac dysfunction in children with complex structural heart disease was recently reported. We present the case of a 2.5-year-old child with complex congenital heart disease and LVAP-induced cardiomyopathy.

Case summary
Corrective surgery for double outlet right ventricle, subpulmonary ventricular septal defect, and transposition of the great arteries was done at the age of 1.5 months. Late complete atrioventricular block occurred, necessitating VVI pacemaker insertion with LV apical epicardial leads. He presented with heart failure and dilated cardiomyopathy 1.5 years after pacemaker insertion and required persistent circulatory support with intravenous inotropes. Speckle tracking echocardiography identified an important LV apical to basal dyssynchrony. After excluding any coronary artery involvement, cardiac resynchronization therapy was performed. Speckle tracking echocardiography guided lead placement resulted in improved LV contraction synchrony. Cardiac function recovered progressively in combination with oral heart failure medication and is almost normal at 10-month follow-up.

Discussion
Right ventricular pacing is a well-known cause of pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. The LV apex and LV free wall are thought to be most optimal locations for ventricular pacing in children. However, LVAP can also be the cause of a pacing-induced cardiomyopathy and decreased systolic LV function in children with complex congenital heart disease due to lack of LV contraction synchrony. Cardiac resynchronization therapy can reverse this LV dysfunction and remodelling.
Estimated impact of guidelines-based initiation of dual antihypertensive therapy on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in 1.1 million individuals
Authors: Coca Antonio , Borghi Claudio , Stergiou George S , Khan Irfan , Koumas Alexandra , Blacher Jacques , Abdel-Moneim Mohamed 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Aims
Guidelines recommend initiation of dual combination antihypertensive therapy, preferably single-pill combination (SPC), in most patients with hypertension. Evidence on narrowing gaps in clinical practice relative to guidelines is limited.

Methods and results
Monte Carlo simulation was applied to 1.1 million patients qualifying for dual combination therapy from a previously conducted retrospective analysis of clinical practice, hospital statistics, and national statistics in the UK. We provide 10-year Kaplan–Meier event rates for the primary endpoint representing a composite of non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic), non-fatal heart failure hospitalization, or cardiovascular death. Cox model results from a previously conducted study were utilized to estimate baseline risk, together with evidence on risk reduction from the Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration (BPLTTC) meta-analysis and published evidence on blood pressure-lowering efficacy of antihypertensive therapies. In the overall population, estimated 10-year event rates for the primary endpoint in patients with 100% persistence in monotherapy were 17.0% for irbesartan and 17.6% for ramipril. These rates were only modestly better than those observed in clinical practice (17.8%). In patients with 100% persistence in dual therapy, estimated event rates were 13.6% for combinations of irbesartan + amlodipine [absolute risk reduction (ARR) = 8.7% compared with untreated] and 14.3% for ramipril + amlodipine (ARR = 8.0% compared with untreated). The absolute risk of the primary endpoint was reduced by 15.9% in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and 6.6% in those without ASCVD. Similarly, the absolute risk was reduced by 11.7% in patients with diabetes and 7.8% in those without diabetes.

Conclusions
This study represents the first to investigate guidelines-based treatment in hypertensive patients and demonstrates the opportunity for considerable risk reduction by ensuring recommended dual therapy in clinical practice, particularly in the form of SPC with high persistence, relative to no treatment or monotherapy.
Genetics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: established and emerging implications for clinical practice
Authors: Lopes Luis R , Ho Carolyn Y , Elliott Perry M 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Pathogenic variation in genes encoding proteins of the cardiac sarcomere is responsible for 30%–40% of cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The main clinical utility of genetic testing is to provide diagnostic confirmation and facilitation of family screening. It also assists in the detection of aetiologies, which require distinct monitoring and treatment approaches. Other clinical applications, including the use of genetic information to inform risk prediction models, have been limited by the challenge of establishing robust genotype–phenotype correlations with actionable consequences, but new data on the interaction between rare and common genetic variation, as well as the emergence of therapies targeting disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms, herald a new era for genetic testing in routine practice.
Global burden of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter and its attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2021
Authors: Cheng Siyuan , He JinZheng , Han Yuchen , Han Shaojie , Li Panpan , Liao Huanyan , Guo Jun 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Aims
To devise effective preventive measures, a profound understanding of the evolving patterns and trends in atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) burdens is pivotal. Our study was designed to quantify the burden and delineate the risk factors associated with AF and AFL across 204 countries and territories spanning 1990–2021.

Methods and results
Data pertaining to AF and AFL were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The burden of AF/AFL was evaluated using metrics such as incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), deaths, and their corresponding age-standardized rates (ASRs), stratified by age, sex, socio-demographic index (SDI), and human development index (HDI). The estimated annual percentage change was employed to quantify changes in ASRs. Population attributable fractions were calculated to determine the proportional contributions of major risk factors to age-standardized AF/AFL deaths. This analysis encompassed the period from 1990 to 2021. Globally, in 2021, there were 4.48 million incident cases [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 3.61–5.70], 8.36 million DALYs (95% UI: 6.97–10.13) and 0.34 million deaths (95% UI: 0.29–0.37) attributed to AF/AFL. The AF/AFL burden in 2021, as well as its trends from 1990 to 2021, displayed substantial variations based on gender, SDI quintiles, and geographical regions. High systolic blood pressure emerged as the leading contributor to age-standardized AF/AFL incidence, prevalence, death, and DALY rate globally among all potential risk factors, followed closely by high body mass index.

Conclusion
Our study underscores the enduring significance of AF/AFL as a prominent public health concern worldwide, marked by profound regional and national variations. Despite the substantial potential for prevention and management of AF/AFL, there is a pressing imperative to adopt more cost-effective strategies and interventions to target modifiable risk factors, particularly in areas where the burden of AF/AFL is high or escalating.