bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Statin initiation after myocardial infarction in patients with alcohol‐related liver disease: A nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Wester Axel , Jepsen Peter , Hagström Hannes 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackground and AimsSecondary prevention with statins improves clinical outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). We aimed to compare odds of statin initiation after MI in patients with co‐existing alcohol‐related liver disease (ALD) to the general population, and the association between statin initiation and mortality in the patients with ALD.MethodsAll statin‐naïve patients with ALD and a first‐time MI between 2006 and 2020 were identified from Swedish healthcare registers and matched for age, sex, and year of MI with up to ten ALD‐free general population controls with a first‐time MI. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for statin initiation within 30 days after MI for ALD patients versus controls. Cox regression was used in patients with ALD to compare mortality between statin initiators and non‐initiators.ResultsOf the 276 patients with a first‐time MI and ALD, 206 (74.6%) were male, the median age was 67 (interquartile range 62–72), 151 (54.7%) had cirrhosis, and 62 (22.5%) had decompensated cirrhosis. 1769 matched controls were included. Initiation of statins was less common in ALD patients (50.0%) than controls (89.2%, adjusted OR = .15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .10–.20). Among patients with ALD, statin initiators and non‐initiators were followed for a median of 3.9 (interquartile range = 1.8–7.7) and 1.9 years (interquartile range = .5–4.4), respectively. Statin initiators had lower mortality than non‐initiators (adjusted hazard ratio = .41, 95%CI = .28–.59).ConclusionsPatients with ALD less often initiated statins after MI than the general population. Statin initiation was associated with improved survival, suggesting that patients with ALD might be undertreated following MI.
How structural variants shape avian phenotypes: Lessons from model systems
Authors: Recuerda María , Campagna Leonardo 
Published: April 2024

AbstractDespite receiving significant recent attention, the relevance of structural variation (SV) in driving phenotypic diversity remains understudied, although recent advances in long‐read sequencing, bioinformatics and pangenomic approaches have enhanced SV detection. We review the role of SVs in shaping phenotypes in avian model systems, and identify some general patterns in SV type, length and their associated traits. We found that most of the avian SVs so far identified are short indels in chickens, which are frequently associated with changes in body weight and plumage colouration. Overall, we found that relatively short SVs are more frequently detected, likely due to a combination of their prevalence compared to large SVs, and a detection bias, stemming primarily from the widespread use of short‐read sequencing and associated analytical methods. SVs most commonly involve non‐coding regions, especially introns, and when patterns of inheritance were reported, SVs associated primarily with dominant discrete traits. We summarise several examples of phenotypic convergence across different species, mediated by different SVs in the same or different genes and different types of changes in the same gene that can lead to various phenotypes. Complex rearrangements and supergenes, which can simultaneously affect and link several genes, tend to have pleiotropic phenotypic effects. Additionally, SVs commonly co‐occur with single‐nucleotide polymorphisms, highlighting the need to consider all types of genetic changes to understand the basis of phenotypic traits. We end by summarising expectations for when long‐read technologies become commonly implemented in non‐model birds, likely leading to an increase in SV discovery and characterisation. The growing interest in this subject suggests an increase in our understanding of the phenotypic effects of SVs in upcoming years.
Anesthetic challenges in patients with multicompartmental lymphatic failure after Fontan palliation undergoing transcatheter thoracic duct decompression
Authors: Groody Kirsten R. , Nicolson Susan C. , Jobes David R. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLymphatic flow abnormalities are central to the development of protein losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, ascites and pleural effusions in patients palliated to the Fontan circulation. These complications can occur in isolation or multicompartmental (two or more). The treatment of multicompartmental lymphatic failure aims at improving thoracic duct drainage. Re‐routing the innominate vein to the pulmonary venous atrium decompresses the thoracic duct, as atrial pressure is lower than systemic venous pressure in Fontan circulation. Transcatheter thoracic duct decompression is a new minimally invasive procedure that involves placing covered stents from the innominate vein to the atrium. Patients undergoing this procedure require multiple general anesthetics, presenting challenges in managing the sequelae of disordered lymphatic flow superimposed on Fontan physiology. We reviewed the first 20 patients at the Center for Lymphatic Imaging and Intervention at a tertiary care children's hospital presenting for transcatheter thoracic duct decompression between March 2018 and February 2023. The patients ranged in age from 3 to 26 years. The majority had failed prior catheter‐based lymphatic intervention, including selective embolization of abnormal lympho‐intestinal and lympho‐bronchial connections to treat lymphatic failure in a single compartment. Fourteen had failure in three lymphatic compartments. Patients were functionally impaired (ASA 3–5) with significant comorbidities. Concurrent with thoracic duct decompression, three patients required fenestration closure for the resultant decrease in oxygen saturation. Ten patients had improvement in symptoms, seven had no changes and three have limited follow up. Five (25%) of these patients were deceased as of January 2024 due to non‐lymphatic complications from Fontan failure.
Assistive device utilization among disabled elderly in China: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Tang Rong , Zhang Xia , Yan Shu , Guan Bi , Li Yan , Luo Qing , Lai Rongmei , Wan Haiyan , Yang Yongxue , Zeng Liangnan 
Published: April 2024

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the characteristics of assistive device users and influencing factors among disabled elderly in China.MethodsA total of 13,510 disabled elderly in Sichuan Province were surveyed. Disability was assessed using the Barthel Activities of Daily Living Scale, mental status, sensory perception, and social engagement evaluation. Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were employed to identify the impact factors.ResultsThe prevalence of assistive device utilization among participants was 79.2% (10,700/13,510, 95% CI 78.5%–79.9%), with the wheelchair being the most commonly used device. Various factors were found to influence the usage of the device, including disability level, somatic disability, age, caregivers, income, caregiver fees, and living situation (p < .05). Additionally, several factors were identified associated with the frequency of device usage, such as somatic disability, education background, income, caregiver fees, living situation, access to acquire assistive devices, duration of assistive device usage, education on assistive devices, and satisfaction level (p < .05).ConclusionsThe use of assistive devices among elderly individuals in China is prevalent. There are many factors that affect the use of assistive devices, which can provide a reference for the formulation of policies in the field of assistive devices.
Choline Dehydrogenase Contributes to Salt Tolerance in Dunaliella through Betaine Synthesis
Authors: Chen Hao‐Hong , Pang Xiao‐Hui , Wang Qian‐Hui , Chen Rui‐Qi , Dai Ju‐Liang , Jiang Jian‐Guo 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIn Dunaliella tertiolecta, a microalga renowned for its extraordinary tolerance to high salinity levels up to 4.5 M NaCl, the mechanisms underlying its stress response have largely remained a mystery. In a groundbreaking discovery, this study identifies a choline dehydrogenase enzyme, termed DtCHDH, capable of converting choline to betaine aldehyde. Remarkably, this is the first identification of such an enzyme not just in D. tertiolecta but across the entire Chlorophyta. A 3D model of DtCHDH was constructed, and molecular docking with choline was performed, revealing a potential binding site for the substrate. The enzyme was heterologously expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3) and subsequently purified, achieving enzyme activity of 672.2 U/mg. To elucidate the role of DtCHDH in the salt tolerance of D. tertiolecta, RNAi was employed to knock down DtCHDH gene expression. The results indicated that the Ri‐12 strain exhibited compromised growth under both high and low salt conditions, along with consistent levels of DtCHDH gene expression and betaine content. Additionally, fatty acid analysis indicated that DtCHDH might also be a FAPs enzyme, catalyzing reactions with decarboxylase activity. This study not only illuminates the role of choline metabolism in D. tertiolecta's adaptation to high salinity but also identifies a novel target for enhancing the NaCl tolerance of microalgae in biotechnological applications.
Determinants of digital technologies' adoption in South African manufacturing: Evidence from a firm‐level survey
Authors: Avenyo Elvis Korku , Bell Jason F. , Nyamwena Julius 
Published: April 2024

AbstractDigital technologies and digitalisation are emerging as new drivers of structural transformation in developing countries. At the firm level, adopting advanced digital technologies offers prospects for improved productivity and competitiveness and, hence, digital industrialisation. However, the determinants of adopting digital technologies in manufacturing firms in developing countries remain anecdotal. This paper uses unique survey data on 516 manufacturing firms in South Africa and a multivariate probit model to examine the determinants of digital technology adoption in South African manufacturing firms. Our results show heterogeneity in the factors explaining digital technology adoption across business functions. Overall, the empirical results reveal that innovation, foreign ownership, exposure to export markets, and higher skilled human capital propel the adoption of digital technologies. In contrast, the lack of capital inhibits the adoption of digital technologies in sampled manufacturing firms in South Africa. We discuss the possible policy implications of these findings and how they fit into the South African Digital Skills policy discourse.
Empirical likelihood M‐estimation for the varying‐coefficient model with functional response
Authors: Zhou Xingcai , Kong Dehan , Pietrosanu Matthew Stephen , Kong Linglong , Karunamuni Rohana J. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis work is motivated by a gap in the functional data analysis literature, particularly in the context of neuroimaging, regarding the ability of functional models to robustly accommodate intra‐observation dependence. In response, we propose an M‐estimator based on generalized empirical likelihood for the varying‐coefficient model with a functional response. We develop statistical inference procedures, simultaneous confidence regions, and a global general linear hypothesis test for the model's functional coefficient. Our theoretical results establish the weak convergence of the log‐likelihood ratio process, a nonparametric version of Wilks' theorem for the log‐likelihood ratio, and asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator. Through a simulation study, we show that the proposed confidence sets have close‐to‐nominal coverage probabilities. In a real‐world application to a neuroimaging dataset, we show that mini‐mental state examination score and apolipoprotein E genotype have significant associations with fractional anisotropy, while associations with gender and age are only present at high quantile levels.
Clueless loneliness: Loneliness beyond frustrated pro‐attitudes
Authors: Li Qiannan 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAccording to Tom Roberts and Joel Krueger's frustrated pro‐attitude account of loneliness, loneliness is primarily characterized as an affective state in which individuals perceive certain social goods as unattainable. The frustration of pro‐attitudes, or the desire for social connections, plays a significant role in understanding the nature of loneliness. However, in this article, I argue that the frustrated pro‐attitude account falls short in explaining a specific type of loneliness known as clueless loneliness, wherein a person feels lonely without experiencing a salient frustration of pro‐attitude. By analyzing five cases of clueless loneliness—the case of desiring the wrong thing, the case of failing to form concrete desires, the case of having an illusion of desire fulfillment, the case of holding self‐deceptive beliefs about need fulfillment, and the case of lacking a desire for social goods—I propose a revised account that acknowledges the complexity of loneliness and the potential disconnect between perceived social goods and the actual fulfillment of one's need for connection. My objective in this article is to demonstrate that this revised understanding of loneliness provides a more comprehensive framework for examining the nature of loneliness and its impact on different groups of people within society.
Cardiac hemodynamics phenotypes and individual responses to training in coronary heart disease patients
Authors: Kirsch Marine , Vitiello Damien , Trachsel Lukas‐Daniel , Boidin Maxime , Lalongé Julie , Juneau Martin , Bherer Louis , Nigam Anil , Gayda Mathieu 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundIn patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), individualized exercise training (ET) programs are strongly recommended to optimize peak oxygen uptake (O2peak) improvement and prognosis. However, the cardiac hemodynamic factors responsible for a positive response to training remain unclear. The aim of this study was to compare cardiac hemodynamic changes after an ET program in responder (R) versus non‐responder (NR) CHD patients.MethodsA total of 72 CHD patients completed a 3‐month ET program and were assessed by cycle ergometer cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET: O2peak assessment) with impedance cardiography (ICG) for hemodynamic measurements before and after training. Cardiac hemodynamics (e.g., CO, CI, SV, ESV, EDV, and SVR) were measured by ICG during CPET. The R and NR groups were classified using the median change in O2peak (>the median for R and ≤the median for NR).ResultsIn the R group, O2peak (+17%, p < 0.001), CO, CI, SV, and HR increased by 17%, 17%, 13%, and 5%, respectively (p < 0.05) after the training program. In the NR group, O2peak, CO, CI, and SV increased by 0.5%, 5%, 8%, and 6%, respectively (p < 0.01). The SVR decreased in both groups (−19% in R and −11% in NR, p < 0.001).ConclusionAmong CHD patients, the R group showed a better improvement in peak cardiac output via an increase in peak stroke volume and heart rate and a reduced systemic vascular resistance than the NR group. Different cardiac phenotype adaptations and clinical individual responses were identified in CHD patients according to the aerobic fitness responder's status.
International trademark protection strength: 1990–2020
Authors: Chen Wantao , Yu Xiang , Yang Wei 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis paper presents a pioneering study that addresses the insufficient attention given to trademark rights in current indices that evaluate the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs). Our study sets itself apart from previous measures by defining the strength of trademark protection as the level of applicant friendliness within a country's trademark system. We introduce the innovative trademark protection strength (TPS) index, which focuses on 78 countries spanning from 1990 to 2020. Drawing on established theoretical components of the patent system, we deconstruct the TPS index into four distinct dimensions: international mechanisms, legislation, enforcement and administration. Our findings reveal the growth and subsequent stabilisation of global trademark protection strength, with reduced disparities observed after 2005. Importantly, we identify variations in improvement rates among countries with different income levels, thereby highlighting the influence of economic factors. By providing a detailed methodology and transparent construction of the TPS index, we ensure its replicability and potential for future expansion. The index's objective data and extended coverage facilitate the examination of various configurations of IPR systems, policy designs and their impact on the global economy.
Wrench Estimation and Friction Compensation Using Multiple Shooting Method for Tether Units Augmented to Remote Tendon-Driven Continuum Robots
Authors: Luen Chien Jer , Leong Clarissa , Liu Jingmin , Foong Shaohui 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Remote-actuated mechanisms that employ tendon sheaths or tether units can transmit mechanical force without directly connecting the actuators to the mechanism, but suffer from undesirable side effects like mechanical friction and induced external wrench disturbances on the distal side of the mechanism. In this work, a multiple shooting method is proposed as a superior method to the single shooting method to solve the Cosserat rod boundary value problems, to obtain the states of the system. With that, numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the difficulty of solving these boundary value problems, simultaneously showing the validity of the proposed approach. 2D reconstruction experiments were conducted to show shape reconstruction capabilities. In addition, friction loss and 6-degree-of-freedom wrench estimations were also experimentally validated with the proposed mathematical model with 0.1679N and 0.0401Nm for root-mean-squared error (RMSE) force estimation and torque estimation error, respectively, while achieving a 3% mean absolute percentage steady-state friction estimation error. Finally, a modified resolved rate controller was applied to steer a remote tendon-driven continuum robot to compensate for friction loss for 3.1-m long tether units.
Hydroplaning of Tires: A Review of Numerical Modeling and Novel Sensing Methods
Authors: Vilsan Alexandru , Sandu Corina 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This article represents an extensive literature on tire hydroplaning, specifically focusing on the assessment of real-time estimation methodologies and numerical modeling for both partial and total hydroplaning phenomenon. Hydroplaning still poses a significant challenge for contemporary passenger cars, even those equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems. The active safety features that equip the most technologically advanced passenger cars are unable to forecast and prevent the occurrence of hydroplaning. Total hydroplaning represents a phenomenon which occurs when the tire reaches a point where it can no longer expel the water from its tread grooves, leading to a complete control loss of the motor vehicle. This describes a scenario in which the entire contact patch is lifted from the ground due to the hydrodynamic forces generated at the contact between the tire and the layer of water formed on the road. Nevertheless, the decrease in contact between the tire and the road surface occurs gradually, a phenomenon which is presented in the literature as partial hydroplaning. The longitudinal speed that marks the transition from partial hydroplaning to total hydroplaning is defined as the critical hydroplaning speed. These principles are widely acknowledged among researchers in the hydroplaning field. Nonetheless, the literature review reveals variations for defining the critical hydroplaning speed threshold across different experimental investigations. In this article, past studies, and state-of-the-art research on tire hydroplaning has been reviewed, especially focusing on real-time estimation methodologies and numerical modeling of the partial and of the total hydroplaning phenomenon.
Investigation of the Impact-Sliding Fretting Behavior of 690 Alloy Tube Using the Finite Element Method
Authors: Yin Meigui , Zhang Lei , Huang Longxiang , Long Jiangqi 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Flow-induced vibration inevitably leads to fretting damage behavior on the surface of steam generator tubes. Impact-sliding fretting wear indicates that the alloy tube surface experiences a dynamic impact and a sliding shear behavior simultaneously. Finite element analysis was conducted to investigate the dynamic mechanical response of the Inconel 690 alloy tube, which is influenced by different impact-sliding fretting parameters under frictionless conditions. Results showed that the effects of sliding frequency and amplitude on the contact stress, elastic−plastic strain, and energy dissipation of the fretting interface were not directly proportional. Increasing the impact amplitude would enhance this dynamic behavior effect.
Action Mechanism of Film Extraction on Channel Impingement Cooling for Blade Leading Edge Using Large Eddy Simulation
Authors: Wang Huihui , Niu Xiying , Deng Qinghua , Feng Zhenping 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Various internal cooling techniques combined with external film cooling are applied to cool gas turbine blades, and the coolant extraction can cause variations in internal flow structures and cooling effectiveness. Effects of film extraction under different film hole diameters and coolant mass flow ratio on heat transfer and flow characteristics of channel impingement cooling are presented using large eddy simulation (LES) in this article. The current work was undertaken based on turbine blade dimensions and turbine operating conditions. The results indicate that film extraction coupled with the curvature-induced instability dominates flow patterns and heat transfer in the channel impingement cooling structure with a film hole, especially in the bend region corresponding to the leading edge of turbine blades. Film coolant extraction can disrupt the streamwise counterrotating flow circulation pair. The latter is caused by the curvature-induced instability and is also the major driver of multilongitudinal vortices. The hole edge vortex generated by coolant bleed amplifies heat transfer at the leading edge, and the effect is more significant as the film hole diameter increases. Conversely, heat transfer coefficient downstream of the cooling channel decreases due to a reduction in cooling air. The increasing film bleed flow increases overall total pressure loss, while flow loss in the cooling channel decreases because of the weakened flow circulations and reduced coolant mass flow. This work provides an in-depth insight into the cooling performance of channel impingement cooling with film extraction, contributing to designing film cooling for turbine blades with multichannel wall jet cooling.