julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Whole-Body Perfusion in Neonates and Infants Undergoing Aortic Arch Surgery—Working Towards the New Standard
2024-10-16

Background: Neonatal aortic arch surgery remains one of the most challenging procedures in congenital cardiac surgery. In recent years, there has been a trend away from selective cerebral perfusion (SCP) and arrest of body circulation towards whole-body perfusion (WBP), a combination of SCP and lower-body perfusion (LBP), to facilitate arch surgery and preserve organ function. Methods: Retrospective, single-centre analysis was conducted of patients under one year of age undergoing aortic arch surgery from January 2014 until December 2022. SCP was used from January 2014—December 2017; WBP was implemented from January 2017—December 2022. Patients were separated according to the type of perfusion used during surgery, SCP or WBP. The cohort consisted of a total of 95 patients, 34 in the SCP group and 61 in the WBP group. Results: Patients in the WBP group showed significantly lower rates of intraoperative transfusions, namely red blood cells, fresh-frozen plasma and thrombocytes (p-value &lt; 0.01, &lt;0.01, and &lt;0.01, respectively). The WBP group showed significantly lower creatinine and higher urine output values 24 and 72 h after surgery (p-value = 0.02, &lt;0.01, respectively). The WBP group showed a significant lower incidence of major neurological complications (p-value 0.01). Binary logistic regression analyses showed favourable outcomes for the WBP group regarding 30-day mortality (OR = 0.03, CI = 0.003–0.391, p-value = &lt;0.01), multiorgan failure (OR = 0.002, CI = 0–0.275, p-value = 0.01), neurological complications (OR = 0.994, CI = 0.998–1, p-value = 0.06) and postoperative renal replacement therapy (RRT) (OR = 0.989, CI = 0.983–0.995, p-value = &lt;0.01). Conclusions: Patients with WBP received fewer intraoperative transfusions, showed improved postoperative renal function and suffered significantly fewer neurological complications.
Move, connect and go outside! A randomized controlled trial of two online interventions and analysis of helpful coping strategies in COVID‐19 “homestayers”
2024-10-16

Abstract The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a global health crisis and a significant increase in psychological distress and psychopathological symptoms. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two online interventions derived from positive psychology (PP) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in N = 138 “homestayers” during the first lock‐down period in Germany. PP exercises had a positive impact on anxiety scores, which decreased significantly during the intervention, particularly in participants without access to a garden. Direct or indirect social contact, movement/exercise, and exposure to nature were the most frequently reported helpful coping strategies. We conclude that low‐threshold online interventions with a focus on positive aspects of people's lives may be helpful to support mental health during pandemic crises. From a mental health perspective, the results also reinforce the approach of countries that allow their citizens to, for example, still go for walks during periods of contact restrictions, compared to full lock‐down conditions.
Beyond the traditional distinctions of genome editing: evaluating a vulnerability framework
2024-10-16

Over 40 years ago, the 1982 Splicing Life report outlined the two distinctions that have orientated much of the normative and legal landscape of genetic intervention or genome editing since – that of somatic versus germline (or heritable interventions) and medical versus non-medical (or enhancement) applications. During this time, these distinctions have been used to ethically prioritize some areas of research and potential application, such as somatic treatments, while considering others for prohibition, such as germline enhancements. Nevertheless, somatic interventions may also be done for controversial enhancement purposes while some germline interventions may be done with greater prima facie justification (e.g., the enhancement of athletic ability versus the avoidance of Tay-Sachs disease). Even with new somatic treatments that are generally lauded, exemplified with the case of Casgevy, many issues still arise – such as cost and access, particularly salient on a global level. The concerns over a dystopian future of genetic haves and have nots, as a result of enhancement and/or germline interventions, that perhaps may happen, should not distract us from a greater attention to what is happening in the here and now. In this paper, we will highlight the limits of the two distinctions in terms of moving from questions of “should a technology be used” to “how should a technology be used.” We argue that an additional focus on vulnerability and marginalization can be useful to support the attempt to better prioritize which interventions should be permitted or prohibited. We show how this can better dovetail with calls for effective (global) governance and reasonable consensus by focusing on the most urgent issues and developing policy accordingly, while leaving aside more abstract issues for further discussion.
Enhancing Fairness through Reweighting: A Path to Attain the Sufficiency Rule
2024-10-16

We introduce an innovative approach to enhancing the empirical risk minimization (ERM) process in model training through a refined reweighting scheme of the training data to enhance fairness. This scheme aims to uphold the sufficiency rule in fairness by ensuring that optimal predictors maintain consistency across diverse sub-groups. We employ a bilevel formulation to address this challenge, wherein we explore sample reweighting strategies. Unlike conventional methods that hinge on model size, our formulation bases generalization complexity on the space of sample weights. We discretize the weights to improve training speed. Empirical validation of our method showcases its effectiveness and robustness, revealing a consistent improvement in the balance between prediction performance and fairness metrics across various experiments. Code is available at https://github.com/zhaoxuan00707/Reweighting_for_sufficiency.
Numerical analysis of an evolving bulk–surface model of tumour growth
2024-10-16

Abstract This paper studies an evolving bulk–surface finite element method for a model of tissue growth, which is a modification of the model of Eyles, King and Styles (2019, A tractable mathematical model for tissue growth. Interfaces Free Bound, 21, 463–493). The model couples a Poisson equation on the domain with a forced mean curvature flow of the free boundary, with nontrivial bulk–surface coupling in both the velocity law of the evolving surface and the boundary condition of the Poisson equation. The numerical method discretizes evolution equations for the mean curvature and the outer normal and it uses a harmonic extension of the surface velocity into the bulk. The discretization admits a convergence analysis in the case of continuous finite elements of a polynomial degree at least 2. The stability of the discretized bulk–surface coupling is a major concern. The error analysis combines stability estimates and consistency estimates to yield optimal-order -norm error bounds for the computed tissue pressure and for the surface position, velocity, normal vector and mean curvature. Numerical experiments illustrate and complement the theoretical results.
Neurotoxic mixture effects of chemicals extracted from blood of pregnant women
2024-10-17

Human biomonitoring studies typically capture only a small and unknown fraction of the entire chemical universe. We combined chemical analysis with a high-throughput in vitro assay for neurotoxicity to capture complex mixtures of organic chemicals in blood. Plasma samples of 624 pregnant women from the German LiNA cohort were extracted with a nonselective extraction method for organic chemicals. 294 of &gt;1000 target analytes were detected and quantified. Many of the detected chemicals as well as the whole extracts interfered with neurite development. Experimental testing of simulated complex mixtures of detected chemicals in the neurotoxicity assay confirmed additive mixture effects at concentrations less than individual chemicals’ effect thresholds. The use of high-throughput target screening combined with bioassays has the potential to improve human biomonitoring and provide a new approach to including mixture effects in epidemiological studies.
Digital Afterlife and the Future of Collective Memory
2024-10-17

Abstract Digital technology increasingly addresses people dealing with dying, death and grief. The range of options now extends to ai -based forms of “digital afterlife”, in which the deceased are represented digitally in the form of a chatbot or avatar. Based on large amounts of personal data, they can simulate the person’s communicative behavior, including their visual appearance, thus enabling him or her to interact with users. The applications of the so-called Digital Afterlife Industry not only offer new possibilities in the fields of grief culture, the education sector, and the entertainment industry, but also raise ethical, legal and security-related questions that have so far received little attention. At the intersection of technological innovation (especially artificial intelligence), cultures of mourning and collective memory, this article discusses the (potential) social effects of a digital afterlife and its implication in terms of memory. We will particularly address the fact that more and more people in their everyday life are able to use a digital public representation, which continues after their death and with which users can interact.
The Crucible of Family, Money, and Conversion
2024-10-17

Abstract This article examines the evolution of the French government’s policy concerning Huguenot mobility by analyzing legal petitions, primarily passport requests, submitted by nouveaux convertis (new converts) and rémigrés (returning Huguenot refugees) from the Revocation period to the Regency of the duke of Orléans. While the French state closely scrutinized the passport applications of nouveaux convertis and rémigrés , local officials increasingly recognized the practicality of easing harsh restrictions on Huguenot mobility to curb their emigration to Protestant countries and their resistance to conversion efforts. Huguenot families also carefully crafted their petitions, strategically considering familial connections, financial concerns, and the necessity of conversion for obtaining passports. The intersection of family, money, and conversion, as manifested through these passport narratives, shows us how interactions between state actors and passport petitioners nudged the government toward a moderation of the severe Revocation policy.
Frontoparietal network integrity supports cognitive function in pre‐symptomatic frontotemporal dementia: Multimodal analysis of brain function, structure, and perfusion
2024-10-17

Abstract INTRODUCTION Genetic mutation carriers of frontotemporal dementia can remain cognitively well despite neurodegeneration. A better understanding of brain structural, perfusion, and functional patterns in the pre‐symptomatic stage could inform accurate staging and potential mechanisms. METHODS We included 207 pre‐symptomatic genetic mutation carriers and 188 relatives without mutations. The gray matter volume, cerebral perfusion, and resting‐state functional network maps were co‐analyzed using linked independent component analysis (LICA). Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship of LICA components to genetic status and cognition. RESULTS Pre‐symptomatic mutation carriers showed an age‐related decrease in the left frontoparietal network integrity, while non‐carriers did not. Executive functions of mutation carriers became dependent on the left frontoparietal network integrity in older age. DISCUSSION The frontoparietal network integrity of pre‐symptomatic mutation carriers showed a distinctive relationship to age and cognition compared to non‐carriers, suggesting a contribution of the network integrity to brain resilience. Highlights A multimodal analysis of structure, perfusion, and functional networks. The frontoparietal network integrity decreases with age in pre‐symptomatic carriers only. Executive functions of pre‐symptomatic carriers dissociated from non‐carriers.
Cationic Control of the Formation of Europium Carbodiimide Chlorides
2024-10-17

Abstract The solid‐state syntheses and the structures of three new europium carbodiimide chlorides are reported: Eu 4 (NCN) 3 Cl 3 =Eu (3+) Eu 3 (2+) (NCN) 3 Cl 3 ( 1 ), LiEu 2 (NCN)Cl 3 ( 2 ) and Na 2 Eu 14 (NCN) 3 Cl 24 ( 3 ). 1 is the second example of mixed‐valent rare‐earth carbodiimide after Eu 4 F 5 (NCN) 2 . 2 belongs to a group of mixed carbodiimide compounds related to the Bideauxite group. 3 being the first Na‐containing rare‐earth carbodiimide. Syntheses in the field of rare‐earth carbodiimides benefit from the usage of different alkali carbodiimides to direct reaction pathway into individual compounds. High‐yield syntheses of 1 – 3 , their crystal structures, and the photoluminescence properties of 3 are reported.
FLASHQuant: A Fast Algorithm for Proteoform Quantification in Top-Down Proteomics
2024-10-18

Accurate quantification of individual proteoforms is a crucial step in identifying proteome-wide alterations in different biological conditions. Intact proteoforms have been analyzed predominantly by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based top-down proteomics (TDP) and quantified primarily by the label-free quantification (LFQ) method, as it requires no additional costly labeling. In TDP, due to frequent coelution and complex signal structures, overlapping signals deriving from multiple proteoforms complicate accurate quantification. Here, we introduce FLASHQuant for MS1-level LFQ analysis in TDP, which is capable of automatically resolving and quantifying coeluting proteoforms. In benchmark tests performed with both spike-in proteins and proteome-level mixture data sets, FLASHQuant was shown to perform highly accurate and reproducible quantification in short runtimes of just a few minutes per LC-MS run. In particular, it was demonstrated that resolving overlapping proteoforms boosts the quantification accuracy. FLASHQuant is publicly available as platform-independent open-source software at https://openms.org/flashquant/, accompanied by the simple alignment algorithm ConsensusFeatureGroupDetector for multiple LC-MS runs.
The DLPFC is centrally involved in resolving Stroop conflicts, suppressing distracting sensory input within the auditory and visual system
2024-10-18

Introduction Cognitive control is a prerequisite for successful, goal-oriented behavior. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is assumed to be a key player in applying cognitive control; however, the neural mechanisms by which this process is accomplished are still unclear. Methods To further address this question, an audiovisual Stroop task was used, comprising simultaneously presented pictures and spoken names of actors and politicians. Depending on the task block, participants had to indicate whether they saw the face or heard the name of a politician or an actor (visual vs. auditory blocks). In congruent trials, both stimuli (visual and auditory) belonged to the same response category (actor or politician); in incongruent trials, they belonged to different categories. During this task, activity in sensory target regions was measured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG), respectively. Specifically, fNIRS was used to monitor activity levels within the auditory cortex, while the EEG-based event-related potential of the N170 was considered as a marker of FFA (fusiform face area) involvement. Additionally, we assessed the effects of inhibitory theta-burst stimulation—a specific protocol based on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)—over the right DLPFC. Non-invasive brain stimulation is one of the few means to draw causal conclusions in human neuroscience. In this case, rTMS was used to temporarily inhibit the right DLPFC as a presumed key player in solving Stroop conflicts in one of two measurement sessions; then, effects were examined on behavioral measures as well as neurophysiological signals reflecting task-related activity in the frontal lobes and sensory cortices. Results The results indicate a central role of the DLPFC in the implementation of cognitive control in terms of a suppression of distracting sensory input in both the auditory cortex and visual system (FFA) in high-conflict situations. Behavioral data confirm a reduced Stroop effect following previous incongruent trials (“Gratton effect”) that was only accomplished with an intact DLPFC (i.e., following placebo stimulation). Discussion Because non-invasive brain stimulation is uniquely suited to causally test neuroscientific hypotheses in humans, these data give important insights into some of the mechanisms by which the DLPFC establishes conflict resolution across different sensory modalities.
Focal Unspecific Bone Uptake on [18F]PSMA-1007 PET: Evaluation Analog PROMISE Criteria and Validation via PET/CT Follow-Up
2024-10-18

Background: Focal unspecific bone uptake (UBU) is common in [18F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT, yet its clinical significance remains unclear, causing uncertainty in treatment decisions. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 99 prostate cancer patients (age 69 ± 7) who underwent [18F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT scans (3 MBq/kg; uptake time 70 ± 14 min) for staging and follow-up (after 13.0 ± 7.2 months). Semiquantitative assessment using the miPSMA score, analogous to the PROMISE criteria, evaluated the prevalence of UBU and bone metastases. Results: In the initial PET/CT scan, 56 patients had 230 lesions classified as UBU. A total of 19 patients were found to have bone metastases and UBU, while 24 patients had no focal bone uptake. UBU distribution was as follows: ribs (50%), spine (30%), pelvis (15%), and other sites (5%). There were no significant differences in age, Gleason score, injected tracer dose, uptake time, SUVpeak of UBU, or SUVmean in the spleen and parotid gland between patients with and without UBU. Follow-up showed stable miPSMA-score and CT appearance in 44/56 patients with UBU (79%), minor changes in 5/56 patients (8%), and new bone metastases in 7/56 patients (12%). Patient-specific analysis indicated at least one bone metastasis initially classified as UBU in 3/56 patients (5%) and new bone metastases in 4/56 patients (7%). In total, 4 of the 24 patients (17%) without initial focal uptake developed osseous metastases at follow-up. Conclusions: No significant differences were found between patients with or without UBU. Only a small portion of UBU (2%) evolved into metastases, a lower rate than the development of new osseous metastases, which appears to be independent of UBU.
Interdependence of plasma membrane nanoscale dynamics of a kinase and its cognate substrate underlies Arabidopsis response to viral infection
2024-10-18

Abstract Plant viruses represent a risk to agricultural production and as only a few treatments exist, it is urgent to identify resistance mechanisms and factors. In plant immunity, plasma membrane (PM)-localized proteins play an essential role in sensing the extracellular threat presented by bacteria, fungi or herbivores. Viruses are intracellular pathogens and as such the role of the plant PM in detection and resistance against viruses is often overlooked. We investigated the role of the partially PM-bound Calcium-dependent protein kinase 3 (CPK3) in viral infection and we discovered that it displayed a specific ability to hamper viral propagation over CPK isoforms that are involved in immune response to extracellular pathogens. More and more evidence support that the lateral organization of PM proteins and lipids underlies signal transduction in plants. We showed here that CPK3 diffusion in the PM is reduced upon activation as well as upon viral infection and that such immobilization depended on its substrate, Remorin (REM1.2), a scaffold protein. Furthermore, we discovered that the viral infection induced a CPK3-dependent increase of REM1.2 PM diffusion. Such interdependence was also observable regarding viral propagation. This study unveils a complex relationship between a kinase and its substrate that contrasts with the commonly described co-stabilisation upon activation while it proposes a PM-based mechanism involved in decreased sensitivity to viral infection in plants.
Abstract choice representations during stable choice-response associations
2024-10-18

Perceptual decisions have long been framed in terms of the actions used to report a choice. Accordingly, studies of perceptual decision-making have historically relied on tasks with fixed choice-response mappings, in which choice and motor response are inextricably linked. Although several studies have since dissociated choice and response, they have typically involved dynamic switching of the choice-response mapping on a trial-by-trial basis. Thus, it remains unclear if abstract choice representations arise specifically when choice-response relationships change dynamically, or if they reflect a more general property of the decision-making process. Here, we show that in the human brain, choices are represented abstractly, even when the association between choice and motor response remains stable over time. We measured neural activity in humans using magnetoencephalography (MEG) while participants performed a motion discrimination task. Importantly, the associations between perceptual choice and motor response were balanced across experimental conditions and remained stable over many trials. We found neural information about the participants’ perceptual choice, independent of both the motor response and the visual stimulus. This abstract choice information increased during the stimulus period and peaked after the response had been made. Furthermore, choice and response information showed distinct cortical distributions, with strongest choice information in frontoparietal regions. Our results suggest that abstract choice representations are not restricted to action-independent contexts or those with dynamic choice-response associations and may therefore reflect a general role in perceptual decision-making.