bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural diversity uncoversP5CS1regulation and its role in drought stress tolerance and yield sustainability in barley
Authors: Shrestha Asis , Fendel Alexander , Nguyen Thuy H. , Adebabay Anteneh , Kullik Annika Stina , Benndorf Jan , Leon Jens , Naz Ali A.
Published: September 2022

Proline accumulation is one of the major responses of plants to many abiotic stresses. However, the significance of proline accumulation for drought stress tolerance remains enigmatic in crop plants. First, we examined the natural variation of the pyrolline‐5‐carboxylate synthase (P5CS1) among 49 barley genotypes. Allele mining identified a previously unknown allelic series that showed polymorphisms at 42cis‐elements across theP5CS1promoter. Selected haplotypes had quantitative variation inP5CS1gene expression and proline accumulation, putatively influenced by both  abscisic acid‐dependent and independent pathways under drought stress. Next, we introgressed theP5CS1allele from a high proline accumulating wild barley accession ISR42‐8 into cultivar Scarlett developing a near‐isogenic line (NIL‐143). NIL‐143 accumulated higher proline concentrations than Scarlett under drought stress at seedling and reproductive stages. Under drought stress, NIL‐143 showed less pigment damage, sustained photosynthetic health, and higher drought stress recovery compared to Scarlett. Further, the drought‐induced damage to yield‐related traits, mainly thousand‐grain weight, was lower in NIL‐143 compared with Scarlett in field conditions. Our data uncovered new variants of theP5CS1promoter and the significance of the increased proline accumulation regulated by theP5CS1allele of ISR42‐8 in drought stress tolerance and yield stability in barley.
Impact of multiorgan and kidney–pancreas allocation policies on pediatric kidney‐alone transplant candidates in the United States
Authors: Engen Rachel , Shepherd Danielle , Bradford Miranda C. , Foutz Julia , Bartosh Sharon M. , Smith Jodi M.
Published: September 2022

Background

The United States organ allocation policies prioritize kidney–pancreas and other multiorgan candidates above pediatric kidney‐alone candidates, but the effects of these policies are unclear.

Methods

We used OPTN data to describe trends in multiorgan and kidney–pancreas transplantation and identify 377 next‐sequential pediatric kidney‐alone candidates between 4/1/2015 and 10/31/2019 for individual‐level analysis.

Results

Eleven percent of all kidneys were allocated as part of a multiorgan or kidney–pancreas transplant and 6% of pediatric kidney candidates were impacted. Pediatric next‐sequential candidates accrued a median of 118 days (IQR 97–135 days) of additional wait time, and this was significantly longer for children who were Hispanic (p = .02), blood type B or O (p = .01), or had a cPRA ≥20% (p < .01). Eight pediatric next‐sequential candidates (2%) were removed from the waitlist due to death or “too sick to transplant.” 63% were transplanted with a kidney with a higher KDPI than the original multiorgan match (p < .01). Donor service areas with higher volumes of kidney–pancreas transplants had significantly longer additional wait times for pediatric next‐sequential candidates (p = .01).

Conclusions

Current allocation policy results in longer waiting times and higher KDPI kidneys for pediatric kidney candidates. As multiorgan transplant volume is increasing, further consideration of allocation policy is necessary to maximize equality and utility.
Partial dollarization and financial frictions in emerging economies
Authors: Gabriel Vasco J. , Levine Paul , Yang Bo
Published: September 2022

How do financial frictions affect macroeconomic volatility and monetary policy in emerging market economies? This article assesses the empirical relevance of such frictions by estimating a two‐bloc emerging market/rest‐of‐the‐world model containing two key features of emerging economies: partial transaction and liability dollarization, and financial frictions where capital financing is partially or totally in foreign currency. Our estimation employs the “one‐step approach” which allows us to be “agnostic” regarding nonstationarity in the data and simultaneously estimate structural and trend parameters. Using data for Peru and the US, we find substantial empirical support for both the financial accelerator and partial dollarization mechanisms. The data fit of the baseline model improves with the addition of each of these frictions, exogenous shocks are significantly amplified in their presence and our preferred model captures several important stylized facts of a small emerging open economy.
Internationalisation of Higher Education Policy: Implications on international student withdrawals from Malaysia
Authors: Sulong Norizan
Published: September 2022

This paper aims to present and briefly discuss policy documents focusing on the internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia and their implication on international student withdrawals. Numerous policies and guidelines have been developed by the Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia to propel Malaysia as education hub in this region. However, the current statistic does not seem to support national goal to increase international student enrolment to 200,000 by 2020 or be an education hub of excellence. Existing literature indicates that there has never been any research that studies in detail on the issue of international student withdrawals from pursuing higher education in Malaysian education institutions. Therefore, an in-depth study is needed to investigate the current policy development process and their implication on the phenomenon of international student withdrawals from Malaysian higher institutions.
The policy dynamics of Indonesia's science, technology, and innovation system (STI system): Current state of research and literature construction
Authors: Bhairawa Putera Prakoso
Published: September 2022

Policy dynamics is not merely a discussion encapsulating the policy cycle. Further, policy dynamics is widely applied to examine the evolution of policy, political dynamics, policy change, and policy development. In addition, policy dynamics have been implemented in a number of different topics and research areas. Discourses include changes in science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies in Indonesia in the last three years, gaining insight to be studied under policy dynamics. However an initial study with a bibliometric approach is required prior to conducting a review. This initial study aims to determine the current state of research and literature construction. This study employs bibliometric analysis by using VOSViewer. The results of this study include the mapping for several research on science, technology and innovation systems in Indonesia, in which the topics have been dominated by triple helix during 2010-2020, particularly in science Techno Park and innovation. In addition, approximately 55.7% of STI System in Indonesia topics are widely published in national publications such as national journals, and 44.3% are published internationally.
Stabilization of Low-NOx Hydrogen Flames on a Dual-Swirl Coaxial Injector
Authors: Leroy Maxime , Mirat Clément , Renaud Antoine , Vicquelin Ronan
Published: September 2022

Hydrogen-fueled carbon-free energy is a growing prospect for the future of several industries, including the aeronautical and energy generation sectors. However, the transition to hydrogen comes with several challenges: flame stabilization due to the unique combustion properties of hydrogen compared to conventional fuels and control of nitrogen oxides (NOx) production due to the higher combustion temperature. In addition, the high flammability of hydrogen poses an increased risk of flashback in premixed configurations commonly used to generate low-NOx flames. As a consequence, research into strategies for low-NOx hydrogen combustion is developing, and several technologies are being considered for industrial use. Among these technologies, we consider here a dual swirl coaxial injector operated in nonpremixed conditions. This setup enables the stabilization of multiple types of flame structures that are parametrically investigated for their NOx emissions. The flame structure is observed using OH* chemiluminescence images collected using an intensified CCD camera equipped with a bandpass filter. Exhaust gas species mole fractions of NO, NO2, and O2 are measured using NDIR gas detectors and a paramagnetic sensor. This investigation reveals that stabilization of hydrogen-air flames on the double swirl injector is possible and that varying the flow parameters induces changes in structure that affect NOx emissions, independently of swirl level, residence time, and temperature that also play a role. The study is carried out at atmospheric pressure.
Thermodynamic Assessment of the Conversion of a Typical CCGT Power Plant to a Fully E-Fuel Fired Unit
Authors: Rigaud Jérôme , De Paepe Ward , Laget Hannes
Published: September 2022

With the increasing need for flexibility in the electricity grid, combined with longer periods of low electricity prices due to an oversupply of renewable electricity, alternative solutions which include the production of carbon-free fuels in combination with the use of combined cycle power plants, are identified as a possible solution. These so-called power-to-gas-to-power solutions (P2G2P), with hydrogen and ammonia as fuel, require further research to determine their feasibility. Within this scope, the European collaborative project FLEXnCONFU aims at providing an answer toward this feasibility. The specific project idea is to recover excess grid power to produce hydrogen through proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Then, this hydrogen could be stored directly, or it could be fed in an ammonia synthesis process. Finally, the decarbonized fuels (ammonia and/or hydrogen) are burned in the gas turbine to produce electricity with no greenhouse gases (GHG) emission. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact of P2G2P system integration in a power plant. Different concepts have been applied to an existing ENGIE plant, based in Belgium, with the idea of installing all the technologies (electrolyzers, compressors, and storage, as well as ammonia fabrication units) on the power plant site. Simulations show that a considerable production time is needed to operate the plant for several hours using these e-fuels. Moreover, hydrogen storage requires an extremely huge footprint, hence it looks more reasonable to operate ammonia synthesis to store large quantities of decarbonized fuel, given the site space constraints. Additionally, Aspen plus models have been realized to evaluate the global efficiency of the P2G2P systems as well as the specific cooling requirements of the added technologies. The global efficiency for the P2H2P (with hydrogen) system is 32%. For the P2A2P (with pure ammonia) and power-to-amonia-to-hydrogen-to power (part of the produced ammonia is cracked to recover hydrogen, feeding the combustion chamber of the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) with a blend of 70% NH3 and 30% H2) systems, this global efficiency is reduced, respectively, to 24% and 19%. From these results, it is thus apparent that there remain still several challenges that need to be overcome to make P2G2P an efficient way to decarbonize electricity production. These main challenges are: Increase the efficiency of the transformation processes to limit the energy losses; Enhance hydrogen storage technologies to limit the footprint or develop an efficient hydrogen distribution; Reduce the cost of P2G technologies and especially of PEM electrolyzers; Progress on decarbonized fuels combustion and specifically limit NOx emission for the NH3 firing configuration.
A Reduction Technique for the Calculation of the Forced Response of Bladed Disks in the Presence of Contact Mistuning at Blade Root Joints
Authors: Pinto Valeria , Battiato Giuseppe , Firrone Christian Maria
Published: September 2022

The effect of differences in nominally equal sectors of a bladed disk (mistuning) is a well-known problem for designers since the forced response may show localized amplification of the blade response with respect to a cyclically symmetric (tuned) configuration. In order to perform a large number of simulations in a reasonable amount of time to characterize the highest blade response, corresponding to the worst mistuning pattern, reduction techniques have been developed, where the mistuning is introduced directly in a compact, reduced order model (ROM) obtained from very large finite element (FE) models. Typically, mistuning is introduced in the ROM in terms of natural frequency perturbations of the blade; nevertheless, a better insight is specifically required in order to correlate mistuning to a specific source (geometrical, material, contact mistuning). In this paper, a reduction technique is presented to take into account mistuning due to the contact uncertainties at the blade root joint, which can be caused by design tolerances, manufacturing process, assembly procedures, wear, etc. The technique takes its basis from the Craig–Bampton component mode synthesis (CB-CMS) applied to the uncoupled blade and disk sector, which is typically included in most of the FE software for easy implementation in standard industrial practice. The full set of master degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) at the random contacts are purposely reduced using an optimal local modal basis based on the Gram–Schmidt interface (GSI) technique developed by the authors. Experimental evidence of actual uncertain contact obtained during joint preloading is used to find an appropriate base to represent typical contact patterns.
Sintering Behavior of Lunar Soil Heated by Indirect and Direct Concentrated Sunlight
Authors: Biswas Diprajit , Cox Thomas , Lapp Justin L.
Published: September 2022

Construction material is one important need for long-term habitation on the moon. Solar radiation, when concentrated for high heat flux, can heat lunar soil, or regolith, until it sinters at temperatures above 900°C. The solid, sintered regolith can be used for construction material. This work explores the conditions which lead to effective sintering of lunar soil for both directly irradiated sintering and indirect sintering. Lunar soil simulants were sintered using concentrated light from a xenon-arc lamp with varying heat flux intensity. The resulting depth of sintering, amount of material sintered, and the compressive strength of the sintered material were recorded. A sintering range of 860°C–1140°C was identified. Limited compressive strength data showed higher strength for indirect sintering.
Preliminary Thermal and Structural Analysis of High Temperature Multilayered Thermal Energy Storage Bin in a Particle Heating Receiver Based Thermal Power Plants
Authors: Sarfraz Muhammad , Alaqel Shaker , Saleh Nader S. , Saeed Rageh , Djajadiwinata Eldwin , Alswaiyd Abdulelah , Repole Kenzo , Yeung Ryan , Danish Syed , El-Leathy Abdelrahman , Al-Suhaibani Zeyad , Almuthairi Zeyad , Jeter Sheldon , Al-Ansary Hany
Published: September 2022

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) bins are considered critical components in particle heating receiver-based concentrated solar thermal power (PHR-CSP) plants. Their reliability and efficiency play an integral part in ensuring the commercialization of particle-based CSP technology. Heat loss/leakage from TES walls, particle erosion, thermal and structural stresses during charging/discharging, and hot/cold startup are some of the roadblocks that need to be addressed adequately before commercializing the PHR-CSP technology. To achieve this target, our teams at King Saud University (KSU) and Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) have successfully demonstrated the multilayered TES bin in the past to store solid particles at a temperature of 700°C. To achieve a higher thermal efficiency of the plant, the particles are required to be heated at temperatures above 1000°C. This causes high thermal and structural stresses to the TES bin walls or layers. At such high particle temperatures, it is important to understand the material properties and interactions between different layers of the TES bin because each layer has different thermal conductivity and coefficient of linear thermal expansion. In this paper, the results of thermal and structural analysis on the TES bin design will be presented and interpreted as how the TES wall layers (insulating firebrick, insulating perlite concrete, expansion layer, and reinforced concrete) will interact with each other. This analysis is important to understand that how thermal and mechanical stresses affect, not only the materials but their interfaces as well. Moreover, it will provide an initial assessment of the TES bin’s thermal and structural integrity at high temperatures.
Green's functions in quantum mechanics courses
Authors: Herrera William J. , Vinck-Posada Herbert , Gómez Páez Shirley
Published: September 2022

The use of Green's functions is valuable when solving problems in electrodynamics, solid-state physics, and many-body physics. However, its role in quantum mechanics is often limited to the context of scattering by a central force. This work shows how Green's functions can be used in other examples in quantum mechanics courses. In particular, we introduce time-independent Green's functions and the Dyson equation to solve problems with an external potential. We calculate the reflection and transmission coefficients of scattering by a Dirac delta barrier and the energy levels and local density of states of the infinite square well potential.
Waving arms around to teach quantum mechanics
Authors: Hahn Kelby T. , Gire Elizabeth
Published: September 2022

Kinesthetic (or embodied) representations help students build intuition and deep understanding of concepts. This paper presents a series of kinesthetic activities for a spins-first undergraduate quantum mechanics course that supports students in reasoning and developing intuition about the complex-valued vectors of spin states. The arms representation, used in these activities, was developed as a tangible representation of complex numbers: Students act as an Argand diagram, using their left arm to represent numbers in the complex plane. The arms representation is versatile and can be expanded to depict complex-valued vectors with groups of students. This expansion enables groups of students to represent quantum mechanical state vectors with their arms. We have developed activities using the arms representation that parallel the progression of a spins-first approach by starting with complex numbers, then representing two- and three-state systems, considering time-dependence, and, eventually, extending to approximate wavefunctions. Each activity illustrates the complex nature of quantum states and provides a tangible manipulative from which students can build intuition about quantum phenomena.
Astronomy with Chaucer: Using an astrolabe to determine planetary orbits
Authors: Robinson Michael
Published: September 2022

Equipped with a home-made astrolabe and Kepler's laws, one can arrive at accurate estimates of the orbits of planets. Over the past three years, I have used an astrolabe to collect sightings of celestial bodies visible from my backyard. This paper shows that it is possible to measure one's latitude and longitude, the current time, locations of celestial bodies, and the sizes of the orbits of nearby planets. When the astrolabe is used to collect both daytime and nighttime observations of Venus, one can also demonstrate that Venus orbits the Sun.
Nonspeech sounds are not all equally good at being nonspeech
Authors: Stilp Christian E. , Shorey Anya E. , King Caleb J.
Published: September 2022

Perception of speech sounds has a long history of being compared to perception of nonspeech sounds, with rich and enduring debates regarding how closely they share similar underlying processes. In many instances, perception of nonspeech sounds is directly compared to that of speech sounds without a clear explanation of how related these sounds are to the speech they are selected to mirror (or not mirror). While the extreme acoustic variability of speech sounds is well documented, this variability is bounded by the common source of a human vocal tract. Nonspeech sounds do not share a common source, and as such, exhibit even greater acoustic variability than that observed for speech. This increased variability raises important questions about how well perception of a given nonspeech sound might resemble or model perception of speech sounds. Here, we offer a brief review of extremely diverse nonspeech stimuli that have been used in the efforts to better understand perception of speech sounds. The review is organized according to increasing spectrotemporal complexity: random noise, pure tones, multitone complexes, environmental sounds, music, speech excerpts that are not recognized as speech, and sinewave speech. Considerations are offered for stimulus selection in nonspeech perception experiments moving forward.
Retia mirabilia: Protecting the cetacean brain from locomotion-generated blood pressure pulses
Authors: Lillie M. A. , Vogl A. W. , Gerard S. G. , Raverty S. , Shadwick R. E.
Published: September 2022

Cetaceans have massive vascular plexuses (retia mirabilia) whose function is unknown. All cerebral blood flow passes through these retia, and we hypothesize that they protect cetacean brains from locomotion-generated pulsatile blood pressures. We propose that cetaceans have evolved a pulse-transfer mechanism that minimizes pulsatility in cerebral arterial-to-venous pressure differentials without dampening the pressure pulses themselves. We tested this hypothesis using a computational model based on morphology from 11 species and found that the large arterial capacitance in the retia, coupled with the small extravascular capacitance in the cranium and vertebral canal, could protect the cerebral vasculature from 97% of systemic pulsatility. Evolution of the retial complex in cetaceans—likely linked to the development of dorsoventral fluking—offers a distinctive solution to adverse locomotion-generated vascular pulsatility.
Quality assurance of hematopoietic stem cells by macrophages determines stem cell clonality
Authors: Wattrus Samuel J. , Smith Mackenzie L. , Rodrigues Cecilia Pessoa , Hagedorn Elliott J. , Kim Ji Wook , Budnik Bogdan , Zon Leonard I.
Published: September 2022

Tissue-specific stem cells persist for a lifetime and can differentiate to maintain homeostasis or transform to initiate cancer. Despite their importance, there are no described quality assurance mechanisms for newly formed stem cells. We observed intimate and specific interactions between macrophages and nascent blood stem cells in zebrafish embryos. Macrophage interactions frequently led to either removal of cytoplasmic material and stem cell division or complete engulfment and stem cell death. Stressed stem cells were marked by surface Calreticulin, which stimulated macrophage interactions. Using cellular barcoding, we found that Calreticulin knock-down or embryonic macrophage depletion reduced the number of stem cell clones that established adult hematopoiesis. Our work supports a model in which embryonic macrophages determine hematopoietic clonality by monitoring stem cell quality.
Treating early postnatal circuit defect delays Huntington’s disease onset and pathology in mice
Authors: Braz Barbara Yael , Wennagel Doris , Ratié Leslie , de Souza Diego Alves Rodrigues , Deloulme Jean Christophe , Barbier Emmanuel L. , Buisson Alain , Lanté Fabien , Humbert Sandrine
Published: September 2022

Recent evidence has shown that even mild mutations in the Huntingtin gene that are associated with late-onset Huntington’s disease (HD) disrupt various aspects of human neurodevelopment. To determine whether these seemingly subtle early defects affect adult neural function, we investigated neural circuit physiology in newborn HD mice. During the first postnatal week, HD mice have less cortical layer 2/3 excitatory synaptic activity than wild-type mice, express fewer glutamatergic receptors, and show sensorimotor deficits. The circuit self-normalizes in the second postnatal week but the mice nonetheless develop HD. Pharmacologically enhancing glutamatergic transmission during the neonatal period, however, rescues these deficits and preserves sensorimotor function, cognition, and spine and synapse density as well as brain region volume in HD adult mice.
CRISPR infusion eases symptoms in genetic disease
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: September 2022

Some patients no longer need drugs to prevent swelling
Regulation of the Sae Two-Component System by Branched-Chain Fatty Acids in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Pendleton Augustus , Yeo Won-Sik , Alqahtani Shahad , DiMaggio Dennis A. , Stone Carl J. , Li Zhaotao , Singh Vineet K. , Montgomery Christopher P. , Bae Taeok , Brinsmade Shaun R.
Published: September 2022

Two-component systems (TCSs) are an essential way that bacteria sense and respond to their environment. These systems are usually composed of a membrane-bound histidine kinase that phosphorylates a cytoplasmic response regulator.
Salmonella enterica Infections Are Disrupted by Two Small Molecules That Accumulate within Phagosomes and Differentially Damage Bacterial Inner Membranes
Authors: Villanueva Joseph A. , Crooks Amy L. , Nagy Toni A. , Quintana Joaquin L. J. , Dalebroux Zachary D. , Detweiler Corrella S.
Published: September 2022

Innovative strategies for developing new antimicrobials are needed. Combining our knowledge of host-pathogen interactions and relevant drug characteristics has the potential to reveal new approaches to treating infection.
Therapeutic Potential of Antimicrobial Peptide PN5 against Multidrug-Resistant E. coli and Anti-Inflammatory Activity in a Septic Mouse Model
Authors: Kang Da Dam , Park Jonggwan , Park Yoonkyung
Published: September 2022

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a global health concern. There is no effective treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and new alternatives are being suggested.
Recombinant Actifensin and Defensin-d2 Induce Critical Changes in the Proteomes of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans
Authors: Gbala Ifeoluwa D. , Macharia Rosaline W. , Bargul Joel L. , Magoma Gabriel
Published: September 2022

AMPs are considered essential alternatives to conventional antimicrobials because of their broad-spectrum efficacy and low potential for resistance by target cells. In this study, we established that the recombinant AMPs defensin-d2 and actifensin exert proteomic changes in
P. aeruginosa
and
C. albicans
within 1 h after treatment.
The End of the War in Afghanistan: The Defeat of the United States and the Consequences for Regional Security
Authors: Bobkin N. N.
Published: September 2022

The studies that have generated the present article have been sparked by a timely question: how does the waning of Western military presence in Afghanistan impact the wider region around this country? The implications of this process go far beyond the immediate effects of the reduction of forces by the U.S. and its allies in the coalition led by NATO. The states in close geographic proximity to Afghanistan, as well as other external powers, notably Russia, have interests in how the transformation of the regional security environment occurs. This article provides background information for understanding the Biden administration’s decision to complete the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, assesses the reaction of neighboring countries to the rise of the Taliban, and examines the political and military consequences of regime change in Afghanistan and their impact on regional security. Some additional lines of research are considered as needed. The article ends with considerations and conclusions regarding the possible impact of the current situation in Afghanistan on the subsequent US policy in the region.
Anaesthetic implications of a case of hyperthyroidism detected during the closure of an atrial septal defect
Authors: Jeevan Ram , Joshi Reesha , Ramesh Jayashree
Published: September 2022

A woman in her mid-20s who was clinically euthyroid presented with an ostium secondum atrial septal defect for closure. Preoperatively, heart rate ranged from 80 to 110 beats per minute. On the day of surgery, heart rate was 120 beats per minute, which settled after induction. During ultrasound guided central line access, a thyroid swelling was noticed. 20–30 min after commencement of the surgery, heart rate increased up to 130 beats per minute. Since other causes of tachycardia was ruled out, an intraoperative blood sample for thyroid function test was sent. Esmolol was kept ready in case the swelling turned out to be hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule. Post bypass, the patient again developed tachycardia. The thyroid function test showed elevated T3, T4 and a mildly elevated TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) value, consistent with an extrathyroid source. The patient is on long-term follow-up under an endocrinologist. Postoperatively, she is again euthyroid and heart rates have settled to less than 100 beats per minute.
Modifiable risk factors and long term risk of type 2 diabetes among individuals with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus: prospective cohort study
Authors: Yang Jiaxi , Qian Frank , Chavarro Jorge E , Ley Sylvia H , Tobias Deirdre K , Yeung Edwina , Hinkle Stefanie N , Bao Wei , Li Mengying , Liu Aiyi , Mills James L , Sun Qi , Willett Walter C , Hu Frank B , Zhang Cuilin
Published: September 2022

Objectives

To evaluate the individual and combined associations of five modifiable risk factors with risk of type 2 diabetes among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus and examine whether these associations differ by obesity and genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Nurses’ Health Study II, US.

Participants

4275 women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, with repeated measurements of weight and lifestyle factors and followed up between 1991 and 2009.

Main outcome measure

Self-reported, clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Five modifiable risk factors were assessed, including not being overweight or obese (body mass index <25.0), high quality diet (top two fifthsof the modified Alternate Healthy Eating Index), regular exercise (≥150 min/week of moderate intensity or ≥75 min/week of vigorous intensity), moderate alcohol consumption (5.0-14.9 g/day), and no current smoking. Genetic susceptibility for type 2 diabetes was characterised by a genetic risk score based on 59 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with type 2 diabetes in a subset of participants (n=1372).

Results

Over a median 27.9 years of follow-up, 924 women developed type 2 diabetes. Compared with participants who did not have optimal levels of any of the risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes, those who had optimal levels of all five factors had >90% lower risk of the disorder. Hazard ratios of type 2 diabetes for those with one, two, three, four, and five optimal levels of modifiable factors compared with none was 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.59 to 1.49), 0.61 (0.38 to 0.96), 0.32 (0.20 to 0.51), 0.15 (0.09 to 0.26), and 0.08 (0.03 to 0.23), respectively (Ptrend<0.001). The inverse association of the number of optimal modifiable factors with risk of type 2 diabetes was seen even in participants who were overweight/obese or with higher genetic susceptibility (Ptrend<0.001). Among women with body mass index ≥25 (n=2227), the hazard ratio for achieving optimal levels of all the other four risk factors was 0.40 (95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.91). Among women with higher genetic susceptibility, the hazard ratio of developing type 2 diabetes for having four optimal factors was 0.11 (0.04 to 0.29); in the group with optimal levels of all five factors, no type 2 diabetes events were observed.

Conclusions

Among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus, each additional optimal modifiable factor was associated with an incrementally lower risk of type 2 diabetes. These associations were seen even among individuals who were overweight/obese or were at greater genetic susceptibility.
Margin status and survival outcomes after breast cancer conservation surgery: prospectively registered systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bundred James R , Michael Sarah , Stuart Beth , Cutress Ramsey I , Beckmann Kerri , Holleczek Bernd , Dahlstrom Jane E , Gath Jacqui , Dodwell David , Bundred Nigel J
Published: September 2022

Objective

To determine if margin involvement is associated with distant recurrence and to determine the required margin to minimise both local recurrence and distant recurrence in early stage invasive breast cancer.

Design

Prospectively registered systematic review and meta-analysis of literature.

Data sources

Medline (PubMed), Embase, and Proquest online databases. Unpublished data were sought from study authors.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible studies reported on patients undergoing breast conserving surgery (for stages I-III breast cancer), allowed an estimation of outcomes in relation to margin status, and followed up patients for a minimum of 60 months. Patients with ductal carcinoma in situ only or treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy or by mastectomy were excluded. Where applicable, margins were categorised as tumour on ink (involved), close margins (no tumour on ink but <2 mm), and negative margins (≥2 mm).

Results

68 studies from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 2021, comprising 112 140 patients with breast cancer, were included. Across all studies, 9.4% (95% confidence interval 6.8% to 12.8%) of patients had involved (tumour on ink) margins and 17.8% (13.0% to 23.9%) had tumour on ink or a close margin. The rate of distant recurrence was 25.4% (14.5% to 40.6%) in patients with tumour on ink, 8.4% (4.4% to 15.5%) in patients with tumour on ink or close, and 7.4% (3.9% to 13.6%) in patients with negative margins. Compared with negative margins, tumour on ink margins were associated with increased distant recurrence (hazard ratio 2.10, 95% confidence interval 1.65 to 2.69, P<0.001) and local recurrence (1.98, 1.66 to 2.36, P<0.001). Close margins were associated with increased distant recurrence (1.38, 1.13 to 1.69, P<0.001) and local recurrence (2.09, 1.39 to 3.13, P<0.001) compared with negative margins, after adjusting for receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In five studies published since 2010, tumour on ink margins were associated with increased distant recurrence (2.41, 1.81 to 3.21, P<0.001) as were tumour on ink and close margins (1.44, 1.22 to 1.71, P<0.001) compared with negative margins.

Conclusions

Involved or close pathological margins after breast conserving surgery for early stage, invasive breast cancer are associated with increased distant recurrence and local recurrence. Surgeons should aim to achieve a minimum clear margin of at least 1 mm. On the basis of current evidence, international guidelines should be revised.

Systematic review registration

CRD42021232115.
Effects of zinc and vitamin A supplementation on prognostic markers and treatment outcomes of adults with pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wagnew Fasil , Alene Kefyalew Addis , Eshetie Setegn , Wingfield Tom , Kelly Matthew , Gray Darren
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Undernutrition is a major risk factor for tuberculosis (TB), which is estimated to be responsible for 1.9 million TB cases per year globally. The effectiveness of micronutrient supplementation on TB treatment outcomes and its prognostic markers (sputum conversion, serum zinc, retinol and haemoglobin levels) has been poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the effect of zinc and vitamin A supplementation on prognostic markers and TB treatment outcomes among adults with sputum-positive pulmonary TB.

Methods

A systematic literature search for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was performed in PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases. Meta-analysis with a random effect model was performed to estimate risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD), with a 95% CI, for dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively.

Results

Our search identified 2195 records. Of these, nine RCTs consisting of 1375 participants were included in the final analyses. Among adults with pulmonary TB, zinc (RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.03), vitamin A (RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.01) and combined zinc and vitamin A (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.08) supplementation were not significantly associated with TB treatment success. Combined zinc and vitamin A supplementation was significantly associated with increased sputum smear conversion at 2 months (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.32), serum zinc levels at 2 months (MD: 0.86 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.14 to 1.57), serum retinol levels at 2 months (MD: 0.06 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.08) and 6 months (MD: 0.12 μmol/L, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.14) and serum haemoglobin level at 6 months (MD: 0.29 μg/dL, 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.51), among adults with pulmonary TB.

Conclusions

Providing zinc and vitamin A supplementation to adults with sputum-positive pulmonary TB during treatment may increase early sputum smear conversion, serum zinc, retinol and haemoglobin levels. However, the use of zinc, vitamin A or both was not associated with TB treatment success.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021248548.
Institutionalising maternal and newborn quality-of-care standards in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Manu Alexander , Billah Sk Massum , Williams John , Kilima Stella , Yeji Francis , Matin Ziaul , Hussein Asia , Gohar Fatima , Wobil Priscilla , Baffoe Peter , Karim Farhana , Muganyizi Projestine , Mogela Deus , El Arifeen Shams , Vandenent Maya , Aung Kyaw , Shetye Mrunal , Dickson Kim Eva , Zaka Nabila , Pearson Luwei , Hailegebriel Tedbabe D
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Facility interventions to improve quality of care around childbirth are known but need to be packaged, tested and institutionalised within health systems to impact on maternal and newborn outcomes.

Methods

We conducted cross-sectional assessments at baseline (2016) and after 18 months of provider-led implementation of UNICEF/WHO’s Every Mother Every Newborn Quality Improvement (EMEN-QI) standards (preceding the WHO Standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities). 19 hospitals and health centres (2.8M catchment population) in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania were involved and 24 from adjoining districts served for ‘comparison’. We interviewed 43 facility managers and 818 providers, observed 1516 client–provider interactions, reviewed 12 020 records and exit-interviewed 1826 newly delivered women. We computed a 39-criteria institutionalisation score combining clinical, patient rights and cross-cutting domains from EMEN-QI and used routine/District Health Information System V.2 data to assess the impact on perinatal and maternal mortality.

Results

EMEN-QI standards institutionalisation score increased from 61% to 80% during EMEN-QI implementation, exceeding 75% target. All mortality indicators showed a downward trajectory though not all reached statistical significance. Newborn case-fatality rate fell significantly by 25% in Bangladesh (RR=0·75 (95% CI=0·59 to 0·96), p=0·017) and 85% in Tanzania (RR=0.15 (95% CI=0.08 to 0.29), p<0.001), but not in Ghana. Similarly, stillbirth (RR=0.64 (95% CI=0.45 to 0.92), p<0.01) and perinatal mortality in Tanzania reduced significantly (RR=0.59 (95% CI=0.40 to 0.87), p=0.007). Institutional maternal mortality ratios generally reduced but were only significant in Ghana: 362/100 000 to 207/100 000 livebirths (RR=0.57 (95% CI=0.33 to 0.99), p=0.046). Routine mortality data from comparison facilities were limited and scarce. Systematic death audits and clinical mentorship drove these achievements but challenges still remain around human resource management and equipment maintenance systems.

Conclusion

Institutionalisation of the UNICEF/WHO EMEN-QI standards as a package is feasible within existing health systems and may reduce mortality around childbirth. Critical gaps around sustainability must be fundamental considerations for scale-up.
Association of anesthesia and analgesia with long-term mortality after hip fracture surgery: an analysis of the Australian and New Zealand hip fracture registry
Authors: Lin D-Yin , Woodman Richard , Oberai Tarandeep , Brown Brigid , Morrison Craig , Kroon Hidde , Jaarsma Ruurd
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Hip fractures are a common frailty injury affecting a vulnerable geriatric population. It is debated if anesthetic and analgesic techniques are associated with altered risk for outcomes in hip fracture patients. This study aimed to determine the association of anesthesia and regional analgesia with all cause 12-month mortality and even longer-term mortality after hip fracture surgery in Australia and New Zealand.

Methods

Data from the Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry collected from 2016 to 2018, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months, were reviewed. Anesthesia type and use of regional nerve blocks were investigated. The primary outcome was all cause 12-month mortality.

Results

12-month mortality was 30.6% (n=5410) in a total of 17,635 patients. There was no difference in 12-month mortality between patients who received spinal or general anesthesia (p=0.238). The administration of a combination of general and spinal anesthesia for surgery to repair the fracture was an independent predictor of higher 12-month mortality (unadjusted complete case HR=1.17 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.31); p<0.001). Nerve blocks performed in both the emergency department (ED) and the operating theater (OT) were associated with reduced long-term mortality (median follow-up 21 months) with an unimputed unadjusted HR=0.86 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.96; p=0.043).

Conclusion

There was no difference in the association of 12-month mortality between general and spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. However, there was an association with a higher risk of 12-month mortality in patients who received both general and spinal anesthesia for the same surgery. Patients who received a regional nerve block in both the ED and the OT had a lower association of 12-month and longer-term mortality risk. The reasons for these findings remain unknown and should be the subject of further research investigation.
Petroleum-based and biodegradable microplastics alter tissue structure and fecundity in the eastern mudsnail (Ilyanassa obsoleta)
Authors: Hewins Ben , Gibson Glenys
Published: September 2022

Microplastics are hazardous to aquatic life. Most experiments focus on the effects of a single type of microbead, while in the environment, organisms are exposed to irregularly shaped fragments belonging to several chemical groups. The effects of biodegradable plastics are unknown. We tested the effects of mixed-source (MS) petroleum-based and biodegradable (polylactic acid, PLA) microplastics on the intertidal eastern mudsnail, Ilyanassa obsoleta (Say, 1822), a benthic grazer. MS plastics were collected from local coastal areas (polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate, combined) and were tested at three exposures, including one similar to concentrations found locally (2250 particles/kg sediment). Plastics were milled to be similar in size to the biofilm–sediment mix provided to the snails as food (32.94 µm2 for sediment, 137.99 µm2 for MS, and 31.16 µm2 for PLA). Locally relevant exposures of MS microplastics disrupted digestive gland histology, while extreme exposures additionally increased the number of hemocytes and reduced fecundity. Effects of PLA were similar to those of MS microplastics, at the extreme exposure tested here. These results indicate that both petroleum-based and biodegradable microplastics disrupt the structure of the digestive gland and that environmentally relevant exposures induce “hidden” tissue-level changes that are invisible without specialized techniques.
A non-Fourier heat and mass mathematical model for unsteady double diffusion flow with inclined radiative effects
Authors: Batool Samina , Al-Khaled Kamel , Khan Sami Ullah , Ul-Hassan Qazi Mahmood , Abbas Tasawar , Khan M. Ijaz , Guedri Kamel , Galal Ahmed M.
Published: September 2022

The double diffusion heat transfer phenomenon for the unsteady viscous fluid has been focused subject to the non-Fourier relations. The thermal radiation impact along the inclined direction has also been utilized. The non-Fourier analysis for the heating phenomenon is performed using the Cattaneo–Christov and Fick’s mathematical models. The transformed systems due to similarity variables are analytically predicted via HAM scheme and also with the assistance of BVP4C solver. The convergence of the method to justify a solution is also observed. Also, the effect of involved physical parameters on the given model is explained through graphs and tables. The observations are compared with the available literature with a fine agreement. The numerical representation and quantitative analysis for drag force, heat transfer and mass transfer rates are worked out.
Creating a revolutionary academic program
Authors: Ramachandran Umakishore , Galil Zvi
Published: September 2022

Overcoming the inherent challenges.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Justice-Centered Computing Education, Part 2
Authors: Ryoo Jean J. , Santo Rafi , Lachney Michael
Published: September 2022

This introduction welcomes readers to the second volume of an
ACM TOCE
special issue on justice-centered computing education. Here we reflect on the ways both the first volume and this current volume expand our notions of justice. More specifically, the first volume explored topics such as intersectionality, transformational justice, intercultural computing, ethnocomputing, translanguaging, socially responsible computing, and institutional theory. This volume continues the conversation with its focus on decolonization, racial literacy with white computing educators, youth agency and voice in computing and media production, learning pathways focused on justice issues for a rural Mexican American youth, and Universal Design for Learning in CS education. We end with discussing the important issues, topics, and voices that are missing from these two volumes, and potential future directions for dialogue in our community.
A Hybrid Incentive Mechanism for Decentralized Federated Learning
Authors: Qi Minfeng , Wang Ziyuan , Chen Shiping , Xiang Yang
Published: September 2022

Federated Learning (FL) presents a privacy-compliant approach by sharing model parameters instead of raw data. However, how to motivate data owners to participate in and stay within an FL ecosystem by continuously contributing their data to the FL model remains a challenge. In this article, we propose a hybrid incentive mechanism based on blockchain to address the above challenge. The proposed mechanism comprises two primary smart contract-based modules, namely the reputation module and the reverse auction module. The former is used to dynamically calculate the reputation score of each FL participant. It employs a trust-jointed reputation scheme to balance the weights between trust values of parameters and bid prices. The latter is responsible for initiating FL auction tasks, calculating price rankings, and assigning corresponding token rewards. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed mechanism against the three typical threats. Experimental results indicate that our mechanism can successfully reduce incentive costs while preventing participants from colluding and over-bidding in the data sharing auction.