bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the relationship between computed tomography angiography collateral scores and clinical outcome
Authors: Yabalak Ahmet , Ögün Muhammed Nur , Önalan Ayşenur , Yılmaz Murat , Tokmak Hilmiye , Ersoy Sadettin , Bilgili Fatma , Bakkal Tahsin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background The relationship between collateral circulation and prognosis after endovascular treatment in anterior circulation strokes has been reported in many studies.
Objective In this study, we aimed to compare the predictive power of clinical outcome by comparing five different collateral scores that are frequently used.
Methods Among the patients who underwent endovascular treatment in our clinic between November 2019 and December 2021, patients with premorbid mRS < 3, intracranial ICA and/or MCA M1 occlusion, and a pre-procedural multiphase CTA examination were included in the study. Demographic, technical, and duration information about the procedure, major events after the procedure, and clinical outcomes at 3 months were recorded. The mCTA, Tan, Maas, Miteff, and rLMC collateral scores of the patients were evaluated.
Results Clinical outcome at 3 months were good in 37 of the 68 patients included in the study (mRS ≤ 2). Only the mCTA and rLMC collateral scores were statistically significantly higher in those with a good clinical outcome. Significant correlation with 3-month mRS was detected only in mCTA and rLMC scores. Although rLMC and mCTA collateral scores showed a statistically significant association with prognosis, they were not sufficient to be an independent predictor of prognosis.
Conclusion mCTA and rLMC were found to have the highest predictive power of clinical outcome and the highest correlation with the 3-month clinical outcome. Our study suggests that it would be beneficial to develop a new scoring system over multiphase CTA, which combines regional and temporal evaluation, which are the strengths of both collateral scoring.
Fabrication and characterization of smart titanium alloy bolt based on high-frequency piezoelectric thin-film
Authors: Zhang Min , Liu Shuang , Zhan Huan , Sun Zhongrui , Qiu Wenping , Ren Guanpin , Li Ru , Xiang Xingjun , Wang Hai 
Published: March 2024

We reported here on the fabrication and characterization of a smart titanium alloy bolt based on a high-frequency piezoelectric thin-film sensor. The thin-film sensor was directly deposited on a titanium alloy bolt head with radio frequency magnetron sputtering and characterized by a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. The ultrasonic characteristics of the smart bolt, which include a pure and broad frequency spectrum peaked at 14.81 MHz, high measurement accuracy below 3%, and high repeatability free from some interference from bolt detection position change, were fully characterized. No obvious frequency shift was observed with the increase in axial preload. Based on the mono-wave method [TOF (time of flight) of longitudinal mode wave], TOF change increased linearly with preload force in the range of 0–20 kN. With the increase in temperature from 22 to 150 °C, the TOF linearly increases while the longitudinal wave velocity linearly decreases. The results indicate the prepared smart titanium alloy bolt is suitable as a smart aviation and automotive fastener.
The conductivity of Nb2O5 enhanced by the triple effect of fluorine doping, oxygen vacancy, and carbon modification for improving the lithium storage performance
Authors: Lin Yuda , Chen Yiheng , Qiu Liting , Zheng Shenghui 
Published: March 2024

In view of the inherent pseudocapacitance, rich redox pairs (Nb5+/Nb4+ and Nb4+/Nb3+), and high lithiation potential (1.0–3.0 V vs Li/Li+), Nb2O5 is considered a promising anode material. However, the inherent low electronic conductivity of Nb2O5 limits its lithium storage performance, and the rate performance after carbon modification is still unsatisfactory because the intrinsic conductivity of Nb2O5 has not been substantially improved. In this experiment, taking the improvement of the intrinsic electrical conductivity of Nb2O5 as the guiding ideology, we prepared F-doped Nb2O5@fluorocarbon composites (F–Nb2O5@FC) with a large number of oxygen vacancies by one-step annealing. As the anode electrode of lithium-ion batteries, the reversible specific capacity of F–Nb2O5@FC reaches 150 mA g−1 at 5 A g−1 after 1100 cycles, and the rate performance is particularly outstanding, with a capacity up to 130 mA g−1 at 16 A g−1, which is far superior to other Nb2O5@carbon-based anode electrodes. Compared with other single conductivity sources of Nb2O5@carbon-based composites, the electrical conductivity of F–Nb2O5@FC composites is greatly improved in many aspects, including the introduction of free electrons by F− doping, the generation of oxygen vacancies, and the provision of a three-dimensional conductive network by FC. Through analytical chemistry (work function, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and EIS) and theoretical calculations, it is proved that F–Nb2O5@FC has high electrical conductivity and realizes rapid electron transfer.
La construcción metafórica de una pandemia
Authors: Escribano Hernández Asunción 
Published: March 2024

Resumen
En el último siglo, la lingüística cognitiva ha llamado la atención sobre la relevancia de la metáfora como fenómeno cognitivo a la hora de comprender la realidad, a la vez que sobre su capacidad para proyectar una determinada imagen acerca de los conceptos de los que hablamos. De aquí la importancia de su papel en la construcción de los discursos políticos, ya que, con ella, puede mostrarse una visión interesada de lo transmitido. Conscientes de ello, en este estudio hemos analizado las metáforas cognitivas utilizadas por los distintos líderes políticos españoles en sus intervenciones en el Congreso de los Diputados durante la primera ola de la pandemia en 2020. Hemos estudiado las distintas metáforas cognitivas empleadas en sus discursos por los representantes de cada grupo político, y las hemos relacionado con su postura frente a la actuación llevada a cabo por el Gobierno como respuesta a la extensión del coronavirus en nuestro país, especialmente en relación con la declaración del estado de alarma. Así, hemos comprobado cómo los distintos usos de la metáfora se empleaban para legitimar por parte del Gobierno las decisiones tomadas, y por la oposición para estructurar las críticas vertidas frente a las propuestas gubernamentales.
A multi-dimensional analysis of graduate student writing in two applied science disciplines
Authors: Becker Kimberly 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
This article reports on a new Multi-dimensional model of graduate student coursework writing in two applied
science disciplines from a corpus containing 1,108 texts and 2,008,316 words. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed five
dimensions: (1) Conceptual Information vs. Process-Focused Actions (2) Human/Subjective- vs. Entity/Objective- Focus, (3)
Attitudinal Monoglossia vs. Precisely Measured Information, (4) Social vs. Physical Science Approaches, and (5) Speculative vs.
Finalized Events. The dimensions are analyzed functionally in terms of both register and discipline. The results demonstrate that
course papers exhibit distinct patterns of language use, often attributed to the varying purposes of the texts but also related to
disciplinary ways of knowing. Findings have implications for disciplinary writing research and representativeness of student
writing corpora while contributing to an exploration of register as a continuous construct. The research provides an enhanced
understanding of academic coursework writing for stakeholders such as professors, graduate students, writing consultants. (150
words)
Improving noise characteristics using a modified image pyramid with guided filtering and Bayesian shrinkage threshold in low-dose animal radiography
Authors: Kim Woosung , Shim Jiyong , Lim Younghwan , Cho Hyosung , Han Taehee 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Radiography is a commonly used diagnostic tool in animal practice to provide clinical
information. The recent market for animal radiography is rapidly growing owing to the increasing
awareness of the welfare of companion animals and the expansion of animal clinics. As the clinical
use of radiography in animal hospitals has grown rapidly, radiologists continuously seek ways to
reduce the radiation dose to animals. This study proposes an effective noise removal method using
a modified image pyramid with guided filtering and Bayesian shrinkage threshold for low-dose
animal radiography. This study aims to model a modified image pyramid-based denoising algorithm
and to confirm its applicability in an animal radiographic system. We conducted an experiment on a
companion dog and cat using a commercially-available veterinary radiographic system and
quantitatively evaluated the image quality using the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and
structural similarity (SSIM). The PSNR and SSIM values measured in the denoised image of the dog
using the proposed denoising algorithm were 39.54 and 0.96, respectively, which are improvements
of approximately 11.3% and 5.5% of the values obtained in the original noisy
image. Consequently, the proposed method is highly efficient in reducing image noise in animal
radiography, thereby improving the image quality.
Preliminary results from the Submarine Gamma Imager
Authors: Ntouskos V. , Tsironis V. , Spanos S. , Antoniou C. , Mallios A. , Karantzalos K. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
In this work, we present preliminary results of a novel Submarine Gamma Imager (SUGI) being developed based on pixelated CdZnTe detector modules. The instrument, mounted on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), has been tested in a series of field deployments performed at the hydrothermal fields on the island of Milos, Greece. The analysis of the collected data demonstrate the capabilities of the instrument, while comparison with a reference gamma detector confirms the validity of the results.
A grayscale compression method to segment bone structures for 2D-3D registration of setup images in non-coplanar radiotherapy
Authors: Song Zhiyue , Li Tantan , Zuo Lijing , Song Yongli , Wei Ran , Dai Jianrong 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the performance of an automated 2D-3D bone registration algorithm incorporating a grayscale compression method for quantifying patient position errors in non-coplanar radiotherapy. Methods. An automated 2D-3D registration incorporating a grayscale compression method to segment bone structures was proposed. Portal images containing only bone structures (

Portal

bone

) and digitally reconstructed radiographs containing only bone structures (

DRR

bone

) were used for registration. First, the portal image was filtered by a high-pass finite impulse response (FIR) filter. Then the grayscale range of the filtered portal image was compressed. Thresholds were determined based on the difference in gray values of bone structures in the filtered and compressed portal image to obtain

Portal

bone

.

Another threshold was applied to generate

DRR

bone

when the CT image uses the ray-casting algorithm to generate DRR images. The compression performance was assessed by registering the

DRR

bone

with the

Portal

bone

obtained by compressing the portal image into various grayscale ranges. The proposed registration method was quantitatively and visually validated using (1) a CT image of an anthropomorphic head phantom and its portal images obtained in different poses and (2) CT images and pre-treatment portal images of 20 patients treated with non-coplanar radiotherapy. Results. Mean absolute registration errors for the best compression grayscale range test were 0.642 mm, 0.574 mm, and 0.643 mm, with calculation times of 50.6 min, 42.2 min, and 49.6 min for grayscale ranges of 0–127, 0–63 and 0–31, respectively. For the accuracy validation (1), the mean absolute registration errors for couch angles 0°, 45°, 90°, 270°, and 315° were 0.694 mm, 0.839 mm, 0.726 mm, 0.833 mm, and 0.873 mm, respectively. Among the six transformation parameters, the translation error in the vertical direction contributed the most to the registration errors. Visual inspection of the patient registration results revealed success in every instance. Conclusions. The implemented grayscale compression method successfully enhances and segments bone structures in portal images, allowing for accurate determination of patient setup errors in non-coplanar radiotherapy.
The electrophysiologic effects of KCNQ1 extend beyond expression of IKs: evidence from genetic and pharmacologic block
Authors: Wada Yuko , Wang Lili , Hall Lynn D , Yang Tao , Short Laura L , Solus Joseph F , Glazer Andrew M , Roden Dan M 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Aims
While variants in KCNQ1 are the commonest cause of the congenital long QT syndrome, we and others find only a small IKs in cardiomyocytes from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) or human ventricular myocytes.

Methods and results
We studied population control iPSC-CMs and iPSC-CMs from a patient with Jervell and Lange-Nielsen (JLN) syndrome due to compound heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) KCNQ1 variants. We compared the effects of pharmacologic IKs block to those of genetic KCNQ1 ablation, using JLN cells, cells homozygous for the KCNQ1 LOF allele G643S, or siRNAs reducing KCNQ1 expression. We also studied the effects of two blockers of IKr, the other major cardiac repolarizing current, in the setting of pharmacologic or genetic ablation of KCNQ1: moxifloxacin, associated with a very low risk of drug-induced long QT, and dofetilide, a high-risk drug. In control cells, a small IKs was readily recorded but the pharmacologic IKs block produced no change in action potential duration at 90% repolarization (APD90). In contrast, in cells with genetic ablation of KCNQ1 (JLN), baseline APD90 was markedly prolonged compared with control cells (469 ± 20 vs. 310 ± 16 ms). JLN cells displayed increased sensitivity to acute IKr block: the concentration (μM) of moxifloxacin required to prolong APD90 100 msec was 237.4 [median, interquartile range (IQR) 100.6–391.6, n = 7] in population cells vs. 23.7 (17.3–28.7, n = 11) in JLN cells. In control cells, chronic moxifloxacin exposure (300 μM) mildly prolonged APD90 (10%) and increased IKs, while chronic exposure to dofetilide (5 nM) produced greater prolongation (67%) and no increase in IKs. However, in the siRNA-treated cells, moxifloxacin did not increase IKs and markedly prolonged APD90.

Conclusion
Our data strongly suggest that KCNQ1 expression modulates baseline cardiac repolarization, and the response to IKr block, through mechanisms beyond simply generating IKs.
Resolving syntactic–semantic conflicts: comprehension and processing patterns by deaf Chinese readers
Authors: Cheng Qi , Yan Xu , Yang Lujia , Lin Hao 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The current study combined sentence plausibility judgment and self-paced reading tasks to examine the comprehension strategies and processing patterns of Chinese deaf individuals when comprehending written Chinese sentences with syntactic–semantic cue conflicts. Similar to findings from previous crosslinguistic studies on deaf readers, the Chinese deaf readers showed great variability in their comprehension strategies, with only 38% robustly relying on syntactic cues. Regardless of their overall comprehension preferences, the deaf readers all showed additional processing efforts as reflected by longer reading time at the verb regions when they relied on the syntactic cues. Those with less robust reliance on syntactic cues also showed longer reading time at the verb regions even when they relied on the semantic cues, suggesting sensitivity to the syntactic cues regardless of the comprehension strategy. These findings suggest that deaf readers in general endure more processing burden while resolving conflicting syntactic and semantic cues, likely due to their overall high reliance on semantic information during sentence comprehension. Increased processing burden thus may contribute to an overall tendency of over-reliance on semantic cues when comprehending sentences with cue conflicts.
Unpacking Altercasting in Role Theory: The Biden Administration's Policy of Altercasting Germany into a Faithful Ally Role in Relations with China
Authors: Oppermann Kai 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The article contributes to scholarship on symbolic interactionist role theory in Foreign Policy Analysis, focusing on the concept of altercasting. Altercasting refers to verbal and non-verbal state behaviors in a role relationship to cast another state into roles that are complementary to its own roles. The article suggests putting more attention on the agency of the actor “doing” the altercasting to gain a better understanding of how altercasting works. To this purpose, the article develops a framework to unpack the agency of the altercasting actor. The framework addresses the preconditions for actors to engage in altercasting, the interplay of altercasting with domestic politics, and the available altercasting techniques. The article illustrates this framework in a case study on the efforts of the Biden administration to altercast Germany into a “faithful ally” role vis-à-vis China when the new German government transitioned into office in late 2021. Building on evidence from expert interviews among the U.S. foreign policy community, the case study demonstrates that the Biden administration had clear role expectations of Germany and understood the balance of opinion between the German coalition parties. The Biden administration used the altercasting techniques of self-presentation, signaling approval, and disapproval and making direct behavioral demands.
Habitat suitability maps for Australian flora and fauna under CMIP6 climate scenarios
Authors: Archibald Carla L , Summers David M , Graham Erin M , Bryan Brett A 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
Spatial information about the location and suitability of areas for native plant and animal species under different climate futures is an important input to land use and conservation planning and management. Australia, renowned for its abundant species diversity and endemism, often relies on modeled data to assess species distributions due to the country’s vast size and the challenges associated with conducting on-ground surveys on such a large scale. The objective of this article is to develop habitat suitability maps for Australian flora and fauna under different climate futures.

Results
Using MaxEnt, we produced Australia-wide habitat suitability maps under RCP2.6-SSP1, RCP4.5-SSP2, RCP7.0-SSP3, and RCP8.5-SSP5 climate futures for 1,382 terrestrial vertebrates and 9,251 vascular plants vascular plants at 5 km2 for open access. This represents 60% of all Australian mammal species, 77% of amphibian species, 50% of reptile species, 71% of bird species, and 44% of vascular plant species. We also include tabular data, which include summaries of total quality-weighted habitat area of species under different climate scenarios and time periods.

Conclusions
The spatial data supplied can help identify important and sensitive locations for species under various climate futures. Additionally, the supplied tabular data can provide insights into the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in Australia. These habitat suitability maps can be used as input data for landscape and conservation planning or species management, particularly under different climate change scenarios in Australia.
The economic costs and cost-effectiveness of HIV self-testing among truck drivers in Kenya
Authors: Mujwara Deo , Kelvin Elizabeth A , Dahman Bassam , George Gavin , Nixon Daniel , Adera Tilahun , Mwai Eva , Kimmel April D 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
HIV status awareness is critical for ending the HIV epidemic but remains low in high-HIV-risk and hard-to-reach sub-populations. Targeted, efficient interventions are needed to improve HIV test-uptake. We examined the incremental cost-effectiveness of offering the choice of self-administered oral HIV-testing (HIVST-Choice) compared with provider-administered testing only [standard-of-care (SOC)] among long-distance truck drivers. Effectiveness data came from a randomized-controlled trial conducted at two roadside wellness clinics in Kenya (HIVST-Choice arm, n = 150; SOC arm, n = 155). Economic cost data came from the literature, reflected a societal perspective and were reported in 2020 international dollars (I$), a hypothetical currency with equivalent purchasing power as the US dollar. Generalized Poisson and linear gamma regression models were used to estimate effectiveness and incremental costs, respectively; incremental effectiveness was reported as the number of long-distance truck drivers needing to receive HIVST-Choice for an additional HIV test-uptake. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of HIVST-Choice compared with SOC and estimated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using non-parametric bootstrapping. Uncertainty was assessed using deterministic sensitivity analysis and the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. HIV test-uptake was 23% more likely for HIVST-Choice, with six individuals needing to be offered HIVST-Choice for an additional HIV test-uptake. The mean per-patient cost was nearly 4-fold higher in HIVST-Choice (I$39.28) versus SOC (I$10.80), with an ICER of I$174.51, 95% CI [165.72, 194.59] for each additional test-uptake. HIV self-test kit and cell phone service costs were the main drivers of the ICER, although findings were robust even at highest possible costs. The probability of cost-effectiveness approached 1 at a willingness-to-pay of I$200 for each additional HIV test-uptake. HIVST-Choice improves HIV-test-uptake among truck drivers at low willingness-to-pay thresholds, suggesting that HIV self-testing is an efficient use of resources. Policies supporting HIV self-testing in similar high risk, hard-to-reach sub-populations may expedite achievement of international targets.
Complex clinical encounter series: osteoporosis presenting during pregnancy and lactation: wait and reassess
Authors: Kovacs Christopher S 
Published: March 2024

Vignette
Two months after her first pregnancy, a 35-yr-old exclusively breastfeeding woman bent to move her baby in the car seat and experienced sudden, severe pain from 5 spontaneous vertebral compression fractures. Genomic screen was negative but she had mild ankylosing spondylitis previously well controlled on etanercept. She was vegetarian with a high phytate intake. A lactation consultant had advised her to pump and discard milk between feeds, leading her to believe she produced twice as much milk as her baby ingested. She presented with a LS Z score of −3.6 and a TH Z score of −1.6. After 6 mo postweaning, she was treated with teriparatide (14 mo intermittently over 18 mo) and ultimately achieved a 50% increase in LS bone density and an 8% increase in TH bone density. Her fragility is explained by normal lactational bone loss amplified by excessive milk production and phytate-induced impairment of intestinal calcium absorption, ankylosing spondylitis, and the bend-and-lift maneuver. The marked increase in bone density resulted from the combined effects of spontaneous recovery and pharmacotherapy. Spontaneous recovery of bone mass and strength should occur during 12 mo after weaning in all women, including those who have fractured.