bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wind Power-Photovoltaic-Hydropower Optimization in Watershed Based on Wind Power-Photovoltaic Cluster Convergence
Authors: Liu Juan , Zhao Yuanyuan , Zhao Shuang , Wang Zhimin , Chen Yu , Wang Lingyi
Published: September 2023

With the construction of wind power-photovoltaic-hydropower (WVH-system) clean energy base in the river basin, the complex geographical distribution characteristics of WVH-system along the river basin and the randomness and fluctuation of their output bring challenges to the basin on a large scale. How to consider the complementary characteristics of wind-photovoltaic (WV-power) output and cluster effect to smooth the WV-power output curve is an important way to solve this challenge. For this reason, a WVH-system bundling optimization method based on WV-power cluster convergence is proposed in this paper. Considering the complementary coupling characteristic of wind power and photovoltaic output, the output characteristic index of the WV-power cluster is constructed to evaluate the output complementarity, output stationarity and load tracking characteristics of the WV-power cluster. Based on the characteristic index, the clustering method of the WV-power cluster is constructed to divide the WV-power power cluster along the river basin. A basin WVH-system bundling optimization model is developed based on the division of clusters and efficient utilization of pumped storage units’ regulation capacity. Finally, the WVH-system data of a river basin in southwest China are taken as an example to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Multi-objective Capacity Planning for Expressway Microgrid Considering Photovoltaic Panel Dust Removal Maintenance
Authors: Liao Guangrong , Yang Xiaojuan , Lou Suhua , Qin Weijie , Liu Jin , Hong Xuanjiao
Published: September 2023

The increasing passenger volume and the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry make the electricity consumption of the expressway service area grow day by day. It is of great significance to study the planning and design method of the microgrid in the expressway service area. This paper established a wind-photovoltaic-storage capacity planning model for the microgrid in expressway service areas, which considered the dust removal maintenance of photovoltaic panels. The multi-objective optimization problem was solved by the improved fast non-dominated sorted genetic algorithm (NSGA II) with the aim of minimizing the total system investment, and operating cost and maximizing the self-consistent rate of electricity consumption of the microgrid. The Pareto optimal solution frontier with uniform distribution and wide range is obtained, and the capacities of PV, wind power, energy storage, and contact line are obtained under different self-consistent rates of electricity consumption. This method can not only make full use of distributed PV resources that can be developed on the expressway to improve the self-consistent level of energy but also comprehensively evaluate the economy of the microgrid system and meet the requirements of power supply reliability.
Study on forecasting model of transmission line failure rate and outage time
Authors: Liu Jie , Zhang Zhimeng , Zheng Xiongwei
Published: September 2023

Given the complex problem of transmission line failure and outage and the difficulty of predicting the failure rate and outage time of the transmission line with certainty, the accident prediction information is provided for power grid managers. This paper proposes a three-order fundamental Fourier function fault rate prediction model based on a monthly time scale. This method does not rely on any strict assumptions and is driven by the real transmission line fault data in a province. The fitting results reflect the monthly bimodal fault characteristic distribution law of the transmission line fault rate. On this basis, the historical outage time is analyzed and counted, the probability density distribution characteristics of forced outage time are proposed, and the ExpGro function is used to fit it. The results show that the prediction results of the model proposed in this paper have good sharpness and reliability, which has a guiding significance for actual maintenance work.
Systematic effects in the search for a muon electric dipole moment using the frozen-spin technique
Authors: Dutsov Chavdar , Giovanozzi Massimo , Hume Timothy , Schmidt-Wellenburg Philipp ,   the muonEDM collaboration
Published: September 2023

At the Paul Scherrer Institute we are developing a high precision instrument to measure
the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the muon. The salient feature of the experiment is the use of
the frozen-spin technique to suppress the anomalous precession of the muon spin, allowing for a
sensitivity that cannot be achieved with conventional g-2 muon storage rings. With this technique,
the expected statistical sensitivity for the EDM after one year of data taking is
6 × 10-23 e · cm with a p = 125 MeV/c muon beam available at PSI.

Reaching this goal necessitates a comprehensive analysis on spurious effects that mimic the EDM signal. This work discusses a quantitative approach to study systematic effects for the frozen-spin technique when searching for the muon EDM with a focus on the kinematics of decay positrons in the context of this experiment, which operates at muon momenta well below the ultrarelativistic limit.
Comparative evaluation of radiation detection capabilities of CsPbI2Br and CsPbIBr2 materials for the development of QA relative dosimeter for brachytherapy
Authors: Yang S.W. , Kim J.Y. , Cho S.J. , Kim K.H. , Park S.K.
Published: September 2023

High-dose-rate brachytherapy is a cancer treatment that intensively irradiates tumors by inserting radioactive isotopes with high dose rates into the body. For this treatment, it is necessary to deliver an appropriate dose to the tumor tissue through an accurate treatment plan but only deliver the minimum dose to the normal tissue. Therefore, it is imperative to verify the positional accuracy of the source through accurate quality assurance (QA) in clinical practice. However, in clinical practice, the position of the source is visually determined using rulers, automatic radiographers, video monitors, and other devices, yielding inaccurate results. In this study, a semiconductor dosimeter using either CsPbI2Br or CsPbIBr2 was manufactured. The radiation detectability of both materials was tested and compared to evaluate which of the two materials would be more suitable as the QA relative dosimeter for brachytherapy. The reproducibility, linearity, and percentage interval distance (PID) of the two materials were analyzed to evaluate the radiation detectability and applicability of the relative dosimeter. In the reproducibility evaluation, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of CsPbI2Br was 0.98%, and the RSD of CsPbIBr2 was 3.45%. In the linearity evaluation, the coefficient of determination (R2) of CsPbI2Br was 0.9998, and the R2 of CsPbIBr2 was 0.9994. In the PID evaluation, both materials showed an exponential and constant decrease in measured signal sizes as the distance from the source increased. As a result of the evaluations, the CsPbI2Br dosimeter showed greater stability in detecting radiation and satisfied the evaluation criteria. In conclusion, CsPbI2Br shows promise as a digital relative dosimeter for brachytherapy QA.
Quantification of systematic errors in the electron density and temperature measured with Thomson scattering at W7-X
Authors: Nelde P. , Fuchert G. , Pasch E. , Beurskens M.N.A. , Bozhenkov S.A. , Brunner K.J. , Höfel U. , Kwak S. , Meineke J. , Scott E.R. , Wolf R.C. ,   and W7-X team
Published: September 2023

The electron density and temperature profiles measured with Thomson scattering at the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X show features which seem to be unphysical, but so far could not be associated with any source of error considered in the data processing.
A detailed Bayesian analysis reveals that errors in the spectral calibration cannot explain the features observed in the profiles.
Rather, it seems that small fluctuations in the laser position are sufficient to affect the profile substantially.
The impact of these fluctuations depends on the laser position itself, which, in turn, provides a method to find the optimum laser alignment in the future.
Entropy change reversibility in MnNi1−x
Co
x
Ge0.97Al0.03 near the triple point
Authors: Samanta Tapas , Taake Chris , Bondzio Laila , Caron Luana
Published: September 2023

The nature of the phase transition has been studied in MnNi1−x
Co
x
Ge0.97Al0.03 (x= 0.20–0.50) through magnetization, differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction measurements; and the associated reversibility in the magnetocaloric effect has been examined. A small amount of Al substitution for Ge can lower the structural phase transition temperature, resulting in a coupled first-order magnetostructural transition (MST) from a ferromagnetic orthorhombic to a paramagnetic hexagonal phase in MnNi1−x
Co
x
Ge0.97Al0.03. Interestingly, a composition-dependent triple point (TP) has been detected in the studied system, where the first-order MST is split into an additional phase boundary at higher temperature with a second-order transition character. The critical-field-value of the field-induced MST decreases with increasing Co concentration and disappears at the TP (x= 0.37) resembling most field-sensitive MST among the studied compositions. An increase of the hexagonal lattice parameter a
hex near the TP indicates a lattice softening associated with an enhancement of the vibrational amplitude in the Ni/Co site. The lattice softening leads to a larger field-induced structural entropy change (structural entropy change≫ magnetic entropy change, for this class of materials) with the application of a lower field, which results in a larger reversibility of the low-field entropy change (|ΔS
rev| = 6.9 J kg−1 K for Δμ
0
H = 2 T) at the TP.
Computational fluid dynamics-based PDMS-graphene triboelectric nanogenerator ‘PG-TENG’ blue energy harvester
Authors: Memon Muzamil Hussain , Abro Zeeshan Ali
Published: September 2023

Developing cost-effective and efficient energy harvesting technologies is critical with the rising demand for clean and sustainable energy. In this research paper we presents a CFD-based study on a PDMS-Graphene Triboelectric Nanogenerator (PG-TENG) for blue energy harvesting. Our study focuses on the vertical (contact-separation) mode of the PG-TENG and investigates the effect of TENG’s varying size on its electrical output performance. To optimize the properties and performance of the PG-TENG system, we used COMSOL Multiphysics for mathematical-modeling and simulations. The outcomes show that the varying size of the PG-TENG significantly impacts its electrical output capabilities, with larger PG-TENGs exhibiting higher current and voltage outputs. Moreover, we compared our outcomes to other studies on graphene-based TENGs and highlighted the advantages of our PG-TENG in terms of durability, performance, and mechanical stability. Our research contributes to the field of blue energy generation by providing insights into the design and optimization of PG-TENGs for low-cost, effective, and efficient energy harvester devices.
Polynomial differentiation decreases the training time complexity of physics-informed neural networks and strengthens their approximation power
Authors: Suarez Cardona Juan-Esteban , Hecht Michael
Published: September 2023

We present novel approximates of variational losses, being applicable for the training of physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). The formulations reflect classic Sobolev space theory for partial differential equations (PDEs) and their weak formulations. The loss approximates rest on polynomial differentiation realised by an extension of classic Gauss–Legendre cubatures, we term Sobolev cubatures, and serve as a replacement of automatic differentiation. We prove the training time complexity of the resulting Sobolev -PINNs with polynomial differentiation to be less than required by PINNs relying on automatic differentiation. On top of one-to-two order of magnitude speed-up the Sobolev-PINNs are demonstrated to achieve closer solution approximations for prominent forward and inverse, linear and non-linear PDE problems compared to established PINNs.
Neighborhood-scale air quality, public health, and equity implications of multi-modal vehicle electrification
Authors: Visa Maxime A , Camilleri Sara F , Montgomery Anastasia , Schnell Jordan L , Janssen Mark , Adelman Zachariah E , Anenberg Susan C , Grubert Emily A , Horton Daniel E
Published: September 2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) constitute just a fraction of the current U.S. transportation fleet; however, EV market share is surging. EV adoption reduces on-road transportation greenhouse gas emissions by decoupling transportation services from petroleum, but impacts on air quality and public health depend on the nature and location of vehicle usage and electricity generation. Here, we use a regulatory-grade chemical transport model and a vehicle-to-electricity generation unit electricity assignment algorithm to characterize neighborhood-scale (∼1 km) air quality and public health benefits and tradeoffs associated with a multi-modal EV transition. We focus on a Chicago-centric regional domain wherein 30% of the on-road transportation fleet is instantaneously electrified and changes in on-road, refueling, and power plant emissions are considered. We find decreases in annual population-weighted domain mean NO2 (−11.83%) and PM2.5 (−2.46%) with concentration reductions of up to −5.1 ppb and −0.98 µg m−3 in urban cores. Conversely, annual population-weighted domain mean maximum daily 8 h average ozone (MDA8O3) concentrations increase +0.64%, with notable intra-urban changes of up to +2.3 ppb. Despite mixed pollutant concentration outcomes, we find overall positive public health outcomes, largely driven by NO2 concentration reductions that result in outsized mortality rate reductions for people of color, particularly for the Black populations within our domain.
Finiteness for Hecke algebras of 𝑝-adic groups
Authors: Dat Jean-François , Helm David , Kurinczuk Robert , Moss Gilbert
Published: September 2023

Let

G
G

be a reductive group over a non-archimedean local field

F
F

of residue characteristic

p
p

. We prove that the Hecke algebras of

G
(
F
)

G(F)

, with coefficients in any noetherian

Z

ℓ

\mathbb {Z}_{\ell }

-algebra

R
R

with

ℓ
≠
p

\ell \neq p

, are finitely generated modules over their centers, and that these centers are finitely generated

R
R

-algebras. Following Bernstein’s original strategy, we then deduce that “second adjointness” holds for smooth representations of

G
(
F
)

G(F)

with coefficients in any

Z

[

1
p

]

\mathbb {Z}[\frac {1}{p}]

-algebra. These results had been conjectured for a long time. The crucial new tool that unlocks the problem is the Fargues-Scholze morphism between a certain “excursion algebra” defined on the Langlands parameters side and the Bernstein center of

G
(
F
)

G(F)

. Using this bridge, our main results are representation theoretic counterparts of the finiteness of certain morphisms between coarse moduli spaces of local Langlands parameters that we also prove here, which may be of independent interest.
Hensel lifting algorithms for quadratic forms
Authors: Brandhorst Simon , Veniani Davide
Published: September 2023

We provide an algorithm to compute generators of the orthogonal group of the discriminant group associated to an integral quadratic lattice over the integers. We give a closed formula for its order.
Cartan calculus in string topology
Authors: Naito Takahito
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we investigate a Cartan calculus on the homology of free loop spaces which is introduced by Kuribayashi, Wakatsuki, Yamaguchi and the author [Cartan calculi on the free loop spaces, Preprint, arXiv:2207.05941, 2022]. In particular, it is proved that the Cartan calculus can be described by the loop product and the loop bracket in string topology. Moreover, by using the descriptions, we show that the loop product behaves well with respect to the Hodge decomposition of the homology of free loop spaces.
Rotund Gâteaux smooth norms which are not locally uniformly rotund
Authors: De Bernardi Carlo Alberto , Somaglia Jacopo
Published: September 2023

We provide, in every infinite-dimensional separable Banach space, an average locally uniformly rotund (and hence rotund) Gâteaux smooth renorming which is not locally uniformly rotund. This solves an open problem posed in a recent monograph by A.J. Guirao, V. Montesinos, and V. Zizler.
A note on narrow operators on complex Riesz spaces
Authors: Popov Mikhail
Published: September 2023

The present paper continues investigation of narrow operators on complex vector lattices started in a recent paper by Dzhusoeva, Huang, Pliev and Sukochev. We answer their questions and strengthen one of their main results by proving that the extension

T

C

:

E

C

→

F

C

T_{\Bbb {C}}\colon E_{\Bbb {C}}\to F_{\Bbb {C}}

of a linear operator

T
:
E
→
F

T \colon E \to F

acting from a Dedekind complete real Riesz space

E
E

to a real Banach lattice

F
F

to their complexifications is narrow if and only if

T
T

is.
Newton polygons and resonances of multiple delta-potentials
Authors: Datchev Kiril , Marzuola Jeremy , Wunsch Jared
Published: September 2023

We prove explicit asymptotics for the location of semiclassical scattering resonances in the setting of

h
h

-dependent delta-function potentials on

R

\mathbb {R}

. In the cases of two or three delta poles, we are able to show that resonances occur along specific lines of the form

Im
⁡
z
∼
−
γ
h
log
⁡
(
1

/

h
)
.

\operatorname {Im}z \sim -\gamma h \log (1/h).

More generally, we use the method of Newton polygons to show that resonances near the real axis may only occur along a finite collection of such lines, and we bound the possible number of values of the parameter

γ
.

\gamma .

We present numerical evidence of the existence of more and more possible values of

γ
\gamma

for larger numbers of delta poles.
Hexagonal lattice diagrams for complex curves in ℂℙ²
Authors: Zupan Alexander
Published: September 2023

We demonstrate that the geometric, topological, and combinatorial complexities of certain surfaces in

C
P

2

\mathbb {CP}^2

are closely related: We prove that a positive genus surface

K

\mathcal {K}

in

C
P

2

\mathbb {CP}^2

that minimizes genus in its homology class is isotopic to a complex curve

C

d

\mathcal {C}_d

if and only if

K

\mathcal {K}

admits a hexagonal lattice diagram, a special type of shadow diagram in which arcs meet only at bridge points and tile the central surface of the standard trisection of

C
P

2

\mathbb {CP}^2

by hexagons. There are eight families of these diagrams, two of which represent surfaces in efficient bridge position. Combined with a result of Lambert-Cole relating symplectic surfaces and bridge trisections, this allows us to provide a purely combinatorial reformulation of the symplectic isotopy problem in

C
P

2

\mathbb {CP}^2

. Finally, we show that that the varieties
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="script upper V Subscript d Baseline equals StartSet left-bracket z 1 colon z 2 colon z 3 right-bracket element-of double-struck upper C double-struck upper P squared colon z 1 z 2 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline plus z 2 z 3 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline plus z 3 z 1 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline equals 0 EndSet">

V

d

=
{
[

z
1

:

z
2

:

z
3

]
∈

C
P

2

:

z
1

z
2

d
−
1

+

z
2

z
3

d
−
1

+

z
3

z
1

d
−
1

=
0
}

\mathcal {V}_d = \{[z_1:z_2:z_3] \in \mathbb {CP}^2 : z_1z_2^{d-1} + z_2z_3^{d-1} + z_3z_1^{d-1} = 0\}

and
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="script upper V prime Subscript d Baseline equals StartSet left-bracket z 1 colon z 2 colon z 3 right-bracket element-of double-struck upper C double-struck upper P squared colon z 1 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline z 2 plus z 2 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline z 3 plus z 3 Superscript d minus 1 Baseline z 1 equals 0 EndSet">

V

d
′

=
{
[

z
1

:

z
2

:

z
3

]
∈

C
P

2

:

z
1

d
−
1

z
2

+

z
2

d
−
1

z
3

+

z
3

d
−
1

z
1

=
0
}

\mathcal {V}’_d = \{[z_1:z_2:z_3] \in \mathbb {CP}^2 : z_1^{d-1}z_2 + z_2^{d-1}z_3 + z_3^{d-1}z_1 = 0\}

are in efficient bridge position with respect to the standard Stein trisection of

C
P

2

\mathbb {CP}^2

, and their shadow diagrams agree with the two families of efficient hexagonal lattice diagrams. As a corollary, we prove that two infinite families of complex hypersurfaces in

C
P

3

\mathbb {CP}^3

admit efficient Stein trisections, partially answering a question of Lambert-Cole and Meier.
Prognostic microRNA signature for estimating survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yerukala Sathipati Srinivasulu , Aimalla Nikhila , Tsai Ming-Ju , Carter Tonia , Jeong Sohyun , Wen Zhi , Shukla Sanjay K , Sharma Rohit , Ho Shinn-Ying
Published: September 2023

Objective

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading cancer types with increasing annual incidence and high mortality in the USA. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as valuable prognostic indicators in cancer patients. To identify a miRNA signature predictive of survival in patients with HCC, we developed a machine learning-based HCC survival estimation method, HCCse, using the miRNA expression profiles of 122 patients with HCC.

Methods

The HCCse method was designed using an optimal feature selection algorithm incorporated with support vector regression.

Results

HCCse identified a robust miRNA signature consisting of 32 miRNAs and obtained a mean correlation coefficient (R) and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.87 ± 0.02 and 0.73 years between the actual and estimated survival times of patients with HCC; and the jackknife test achieved an R and MAE of 0.73 and 0.97 years between actual and estimated survival times, respectively. The identified signature has seven prognostic miRNAs (hsa-miR-146a-3p, hsa-miR-200a-3p, hsa-miR-652-3p, hsa-miR-34a-3p, hsa-miR-132-5p, hsa-miR-1301-3p and hsa-miR-374b-3p) and four diagnostic miRNAs (hsa-miR-1301-3p, hsa-miR-17-5p, hsa-miR-34a-3p and hsa-miR-200a-3p). Notably, three of these miRNAs, hsa-miR-200a-3p, hsa-miR-1301-3p and hsa-miR-17-5p, also displayed association with tumor stage, further emphasizing their clinical relevance. Furthermore, we performed pathway enrichment analysis and found that the target genes of the identified miRNA signature were significantly enriched in the hepatitis B pathway, suggesting its potential involvement in HCC pathogenesis.

Conclusions

Our study developed HCCse, a machine learning-based method, to predict survival in HCC patients using miRNA expression profiles. We identified a robust miRNA signature of 32 miRNAs with prognostic and diagnostic value, highlighting their clinical relevance in HCC management and potential involvement in HCC pathogenesis.
The UAE’s energy system and GHG emissions: pathways to achieving national goals by 2050
Authors: Hummieda Ammar , Bouabid Ali , Moawad Karim , Mayyas Ahmad
Published: September 2023

In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has developed strategies to increase renewable power generation and reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Electricity generation and energy-intensive industries (EII) have the largest potentials for emission reduction. Therefore, an up-to-date inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and a study of the pathways to achieving the 2050 targets are essential. This study focuses on power production and EII (aluminium, steel and cement). The structure of these sectors is modelled and simulated up to 2050 using a system dynamics (SD) methodology. The SD model is validated to reflect the real-world state of the system using the emissions inventory projections as reference modes. Nineteen mitigation policies are considered in the selected sectors and four policy scenarios were simulated. The results show that implementing the Energy Strategy 2050 in the power sector can result in a reduction of 63.5% in emissions in that sector, which translates into a reduction of 33.5% overall by 2050. Additionally, implementing all identified mitigation strategies to full utilization in EII yields a 94% reduction in that sector, which translates into a 78% reduction overall. Decarbonizing the aluminium industry yields the highest emissions reductions, followed by power production, then cement and finally steel. In the best-case scenario, 22.1% of the business-as-usual emissions are still released and further decarbonization—mainly in the power sector—will be required. This is achievable given the trajectory of the UAE’s successful nuclear energy programme and the prospect of utilizing carbon capture, utilization and storage even further.
Mitigation of the impacts of electric vehicle charging on energy-star ratings for residential buildings in India
Authors: Dalal Rakesh , Kumar Saini Devender
Published: September 2023

The star-labelling programme for residential buildings was introduced by India in 2020 and applies to all residential buildings with no lower limit on the built-up area or electrical demand. The energy-star label for a residential building is awarded against the notified standard by the regulatory body and electric vehicles (EVs) have not been accommodated as a load for residential buildings. The energy consumption of an existing residential building is taken from a study already carried out and compared with the requirement of the Indian residential star-labelling programme with an EV as a plugged-in load. An annual energy gap of 6060 kWh for the existing residential buildings considered in this study for five-star building energy labels increases to 7784 kWh if the EV load is added to the building load. The residential building will lose two energy stars if it caters to the EV load and, to bridge this energy gap, the replacement of existing electrical appliances with five-star-rated energy appliances, employing grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) and retrofit of the building envelope are considered. The techno-economic potential of rooftop solar PV and building envelope retrofitting for existing residential buildings is explored using RETScreen® and eQUEST software, respectively. The study establishes that the installation of rooftop solar PV can accommodate the additional load of EVs and can bridge half and three-quarters of the energy gap to achieve five energy stars for an existing building with and without EVs, respectively. It is the most economical option among the options explored in this study. The target Energy Performance Index is achievable by high-end energy consumers (12 000 kWh/year) by additional measures, the replacement of inefficient electrical appliances and building envelope retrofitting in addition to the installation of rooftop solar PV.
Emergence of novel non-aggregative variants under negative frequency-dependent selection in Klebsiella variicola
Authors: Nucci Amandine , Janaszkiewicz Juliette , Rocha Eduardo P C , Rendueles Olaya
Published: September 2023

Klebsiella variicola is an emergent human pathogen causing diverse infections, some of which in the urinary tract. However, little is known about the evolution and maintenance of genetic diversity in this species, the molecular mechanisms and their population dynamics. Here, we characterized the emergence of a novel rdar-like (rough and dry) morphotype which is contingent both on the genetic background and the environment. We show that mutations in either the nitrogen assimilation control gene (nac) or the type III fimbriae regulator, mrkH, suffice to generate rdar-like colonies. These morphotypes are primarily selected for the reduced inter-cellular aggregation as a result of MrkH loss-of-function which reduces type 3 fimbriae expression. Additionally, these clones also display increased growth rate and reduced biofilm formation. Direct competitions between rdar and wild type clones show that mutations in mrkH provide large fitness advantages. In artificial urine, the morphotype is under strong negative frequency-dependent selection and can socially exploit wild type strains. An exhaustive search for mrkH mutants in public databases revealed that ca 8% of natural isolates analysed had a truncated mrkH gene many of which were due to insertions of IS elements, including a reported clinical isolate with rdar morphology. These strains were rarely hypermucoid and often isolated from human, mostly from urine and blood. The decreased aggregation of these mutants could have important clinical implications as we hypothesize that such clones could better disperse within the host allowing colonisation of other body sites and potentially leading to systemic infections.
Incidence and determinants of out-of-pocket health expenditure in Ethiopia 2012–16
Authors: Zewde Israel Fekade , Kedir Abbi , Norheim Ole F
Published: September 2023

This study assesses the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and identifies the significant factors that expose households to higher levels of out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure. Data from the fifth and the sixth Ethiopian National Health Accounts household surveys, which were conducted in 2012–13 and 2015–16, respectively, are used. The incidence of CHE is estimated using both the capacity-to-pay and the budget share approaches. To ensure the robustness of our findings, both unconditional and conditional quantile estimators are adopted as multivariate regression techniques to estimate the impact of socio-economic variables on the distribution of households’ OOP expenditure. Our findings show that the incidence of CHE in Ethiopia ranges from 1.7% to 4.7% depending on the approach and the threshold adopted. Larger families, the unemployed, the extremely poor, those who seek care at private-owned providers and families with members affected by chronic illness face higher OOP expenditure. Hence, policy should target those with these identified socio-economic characteristics in the provision of financial risk protection such as fee waiver systems and subsidies.
Public health practitioners as policy advocates: skills, attributes and development needs
Authors: Sykes Susie , Watkins Megan , Wills Jane
Published: September 2023

Effecting policy change is a key strategy in tackling wider determinants of health. In England, public health sits within Local Authorities (LAs) and responsibility for ensuring health is considered across directorates increasingly falls to public health practitioners. While international professional standards expect competence in understanding policy processes, the advocacy role has been under-explored. This paper explores the professional skills, role characteristics and learning needs of practitioners advocating for the restriction of advertising high-fat, salt and sugar products in a region of England. A series of three interviews were conducted at three time points over 10 months with policy advocates leading this policy change from four LAs. Three focus groups were also held with 12 public health advocates from 10 LAs at the end of the 10-month period of data collection. Data were transcribed and analysed retroductively. Data showed that practitioners felt inexperienced as policy advocates and saw this work as different from other public health approaches. Successful advocates required interpersonal skills, knowledge of policy-making and local governance, determination, resilience, confidence, belief in their work’s value and leadership. These skills were difficult to acquire through formal education, but advocacy training, mentorship and role modelling were seen as important for professional development. To successfully implement a Health in all Policies approach and address wider determinants of health, public health practitioners need to be equipped and supported as policy advocates. The advocacy role and the complex skills required need to be more fully understood by the public health profession and prioritized within workforce development at both local and national levels.
Are health promotion activities and preventive health practices predictors of adolescent eHealth literacy?
Authors: Yilmazel Gülay
Published: September 2023

Adolescents’ general health status and health behaviors have been closely monitored in recent years. It is estimated that adolescents comprise one-sixth of the world’s population.

This study examined whether eHealth literacy was predicted via health promotion activities and preventive health practices among Turkish adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2022 with 706 adolescents in Çorum, Turkey. A face-to-face questionnaire form was used, including socio-demographic characteristics, preventive health practices, eHealth literacy scale and Adolescent Health Promotion Scale. The data of the research were analyzed with the SPSS 22.0 program. Percentage, mean, Pearson Correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used in the analyzes. The p < 0.05 value was considered statistically significant in the evaluations.

In the study, 55.8% were female, and the mean age of the whole group was 16.09 ± 2.63 years. The mean score on the eHealth literacy scale was 29.40 ± 6.29. The mean of the total scores obtained from the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale was 137.97 ± 21.87. There was a significant positive correlation between eHealth literacy and the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict eHealth literacy using the variables of Adolescent Health Promotion and preventive health practices. eHealth literacy positively and significantly predicts health promotion activities (β = 0.27, t (695) = 7.54, p < 0.001). eHealth literacy increased annual weight measurement by more than 0.13 (β = 0.13), annual blood iron measurement by more than 0.16 (β = 0.16) and annual dental examination by more than 0.11 (β = 0.11).

Developing eHealth literacy interventions will be necessary for environments with a high concentration of adolescents (schools and courses). Also, primary health care services should be integrated with the school environment.
Estimates of Hepatitis C Seroprevalence and Viremia in State Prison Populations in the United States
Authors: Spaulding Anne C , Kennedy Shanika S , Osei Jeffery , Sidibeh Ebrima , Batina Isabella V , Chhatwal Jagpreet , Akiyama Matthew J , Strick Lara B
Published: September 2023

Background

Prior studies demonstrate that eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States (US) heavily depends on treating incarcerated persons. Knowing the scope of the carceral HCV epidemic by state will help guide national elimination efforts.

Methods

Between 2019 and 2023, all state prison systems received surveys requesting data on hepatitis C antibody and viremic prevalence. We supplemented survey information with publicly available HCV data to corroborate responses and fill in data gaps.

Results

Weighting HCV prevalence by state prison population size, we estimate that 15.2% of the US prison population is HCV seropositive and 8.7% is viremic; 54.9% of seropositive persons have detectable RNA. Applying prevalence estimates to the total prison population at year-end 2021, 91 090 persons with HCV infection resided in a state prison.

Conclusions

With updated and more complete HCV data from all 50 states, HCV prevalence in state prisons is nearly 9-fold higher than the US general population. The heterogeneity in HCV prevalence by state prison system may reflect variable exposure before arrest and/or differences in treatment availability during incarceration. Elimination of HCV in the country depends on addressing the carceral epidemic, and one of the first steps is understanding the size of the problem.
Two Artificial Tears Outbreak-Associated Cases of Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Detected Through Whole Genome Sequencing–Based Surveillance
Authors: Sundermann Alexander J , Rangachar Srinivasa Vatsala , Mills Emma G , Griffith Marissa P , Waggle Kady D , Ayres Ashley M , Pless Lora , Snyder Graham M , Harrison Lee H , Van Tyne Daria
Published: September 2023

We describe 2 cases of extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection caused by a strain of public health concern, as it was recently associated with a nationwide outbreak of contaminated artificial tears. Both cases were detected through database review of genomes in the Enhanced Detection System for Hospital-Associated Transmission (EDS-HAT), a routine genome sequencing–based surveillance program. We generated a high-quality reference genome for the outbreak strain from an isolate from our center and examined the mobile elements encoding blaVIM-80 and bla­GES-9 carbapenemases. We used publicly available Pseudomonas aeruginosa genomes to explore the genetic relatedness and antimicrobial resistance genes of the outbreak strain.
Interactive Leader Psychology and the Ebb and Flow of Interstate Rivalry
Authors: Foster Dennis M , Keller Jonathan W
Published: September 2023

A great deal of scholarship links leaders’ psychological traits to their monadic tendency to use force abroad, but virtually no work considers how the interaction of leadership psychology influences the systematic likelihood of dyadic interstate conflict. We develop and test several competing explanations of how the interactive conceptual complexity of leaders—a psychological trait that consistently predicts monadic conflict propensity—might affect the ebb and flow of conflict within rivalries. Our time-series analyses of the US–Soviet Cold War rivalry, utilizing the leadership trait analysis coding scheme, demonstrate that, in accordance with the monadic logic, increases in the interactive conceptual simplicity between US presidents and Soviet premiers predict a significantly higher incidence of militarized interstate dispute initiation and a greater volume of conflictual dyadic (COPDAB, conflict and peace data bank) behavior. At the same time, however, the least conflict-prone pairing is one in which a conceptually complex leader interacts with a conceptually simplistic counterpart. This suggests that the presence of even one complex leader can increase empathy and diminish the aggressive misperception and retaliatory “downward spirals” that haunt rivalries.
GPT-4 Underperforms Experts in Detecting IV Fluid Contamination
Authors: Spies Nicholas C , Hubler Zita , Roper Stephen M , Omosule Catherine L , Senter-Zapata Michael , Roemmich Brittany L , Brown Hannah Marie , Gimple Ryan , Farnsworth Christopher W
Published: September 2023

Background

Specimens contaminated with intravenous (IV) fluids are common in clinical laboratories. Current methods for detecting contamination rely on insensitive and workflow-disrupting delta checks or manual technologist review. Herein, we assessed the utility of large language models for detecting contamination by IV crystalloids and compared its performance to multiple, but variably trained healthcare personnel (HCP).

Methods

Contamination of basic metabolic panels was simulated using 0.9% normal saline (NS), with (n = 30) and without (n = 30) 5% dextrose (D5NS), at mixture ratios of 0.10 and 0.25. A multimodal language model (GPT-4) and a diverse panel of 8 HCP were asked to adjudicate between real and contaminated results. Classification performance, mixture quantification, and confidence was compared by Wilcoxon rank sum.

Results

The 95% CIs for accuracy were 0.57–0.71 vs 0.73–0.80 for GPT-4 and HCP, respectively, on the NS set and 0.57–0.57 vs 0.73–0.80 on the D5NS set. HCP overestimated severity of contamination in the 0.10 mixture group (95% CI of estimate error, 0.05–0.20) for both fluids, while GPT-4 markedly overestimated the D5NS mixture at both ratios (0.16–0.33 for NS, 0.11–0.35 for D5NS). There was no correlation between reported confidence and likelihood of a correct classification.

Conclusions

GPT-4 is less accurate than trained HCP for detecting IV fluid contamination of basic metabolic panel results. However, trained individuals were imperfect at identifying contaminated specimens implying the need for novel, automated tools for its detection.
A rare presentation of a gastric volvulus in an adult Bochdalek hernia: a case report
Authors: Azhar Anith , Karim Zeti R A , Aripin Yahya M , Abid Amir Muhammad
Published: September 2023

A Bochdalek hernia is a common congenital diaphragmatic defect in infants. A late presentation during adulthood is rare with misleading signs and symptoms, resulting in misdiagnosis and errors in treatment. We describe a 30-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain and chronic choking sensation, which was previously treated as peptic ulcer disease. During the present admission, radiological imaging performed revealed loops of bowel and a gastric volvulus in the left hemithorax. The patient underwent a successful emergency surgery and repair of a Bochdalek hernia. Due to its rarity and ambiguous presentation, a symptomatic Bochdalek hernia in an adult is commonly misdiagnosed. A comprehensive evaluation is pertinent for early diagnosis and treatment, to prevent complications arising from obstruction and strangulation of herniated intraabdominal contents.
Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence captures the effects of elevated ozone on canopy structure and acceleration of senescence in soybean
Authors: Wu Genghong , Guan Kaiyu , Ainsworth Elizabeth A , Martin Duncan G , Kimm Hyungsuk , Yang Xi
Published: September 2023

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) provides an opportunity to rapidly and non-destructively investigate how plants respond to stress. Here, we explored the potential of SIF to detect the effects of elevated O3 on soybean in the field where soybean was subjected to ambient and elevated O3 throughout the growing season in 2021. Exposure to elevated O3 resulted in a significant decrease in canopy SIF at 760 nm (SIF760), with a larger decrease in the late growing season (36%) compared with the middle growing season (13%). Elevated O3 significantly decreased the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation by 8–15% in the middle growing season and by 35% in the late growing stage. SIF760 escape ratio (fesc) was significantly increased under elevated O3 by 5–12% in the late growth stage due to a decrease of leaf chlorophyll content and leaf area index. Fluorescence yield of the canopy was reduced by 5–11% in the late growing season depending on the fesc estimation method, during which leaf maximum carboxylation rate and maximum electron transport were significantly reduced by 29% and 20% under elevated O3. These results demonstrated that SIF could capture the elevated O3 effect on canopy structure and acceleration of senescence in soybean and provide empirical support for using SIF for soybean stress detection and phenotyping.
Prevalence, antibiotic resistance profile, MBLs encoding genes, and biofilm formation among clinical carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolated from patients in Mohammed VI University Hospital Centre, Morocco
Authors: Ilham Dilagui , Souad Loqman , Asmae Lamrani Hanchi , Kawtar Nayme , Mohammed Timinouni , Nabila Soraa
Published: September 2023

Enterobacterales are frequently a major cause of human infections. The emergence of carbapenem resistance as well as the biofilm formation complicate their management. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antibiogram, carbapenemase genes, and biofilm production among Enterobacterales. For this purpose, 18 172 clinical specimens from hospitalized patients at Mohammed VI University Hospital were collected over two years (2018–2019). The bacteriological investigation was performed to isolate Enterobacterales. Subsequently, BD-Phoenix and MALDI-TOF-MS were used for bacterial identification. The production of ESBLs and carbapenemases was assessed using phenotypic tests and PCR. The biofilm formation was eventually carried out. Out of 195 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales strains, 190 were carbapenemase producers, and 74 Enterobacterales produced metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs). The PCR results revealed that blaNDM was the most common carbapenemase gene, present in 62 cases, followed by the co-existence of blaNDM and blaOXA-48 in 12 cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequently identified species among the 74 New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) isolates and the XDR resistance phenotype was the most prevalent with 58.10%. Additionally, all 74 NDM-positive Enterobacterales were able to form biofilms, with 82.4% being strong producers. This study highlights the need for rapid detection of carbapenemase and biofilm production in our hospital to manage this health concern.
Colonic stem cell from severe ulcerative colitis maintains environment-independent immune activation by altering chromatin accessibility and global m6A loss
Authors: Liu Chuandong , Li Jie , Jin Hua , Zhao Qian , Li Fangle , Huang Zurui , Mei Boyuan , Gong Wenxuan , Wang Xia , Han Dali
Published: September 2023

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of colon, which is characterized by cryptarchitectural distortion. Alternation of colonic stem cell (CoSC) contributed to the occurrence of UC, yet the regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate the dysregulation of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, we performed RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and m6A meRIP-seq analysis of the cultured CoSCs that were isolated from UC patients. The transcriptome analysis revealed distinct expression signatures of UC patients in mild and severe stages. We observed abnormal activation of immune and extracellular matrix-related genes in patients affected by severe UC. The chromatin accessibility at the promoter regions of these genes was also specifically increased in the severe stage. In addition, we identified that a global loss of RNA m6A modification in the severe stage was accompanied by higher expression of the m6A demethylase FTO. The aberrant activation of a large number of immune and extracellular matrix-related genes, including IL4R, HLA-DPA1, and COL6A1, was related to both the gain of chromatin accessibility and the loss of m6A in severe UC patients. Our finding revealed an environment-independent immune activation of CoSCs in UC and provided FTO as a potential therapeutic target.
Reevaluating the role of information in transit migration: the case of Central American migrants crossing Mexico
Authors: Ghys Tuur , Inzunza-Acedo Beatriz
Published: September 2023

The idea that information campaigns can stop migrants from engaging in troublesome journeys has been criticized in recent years on the basis that migrants are aware of the risks of their travel. This article intervenes in the discussion on the relevance of information by arguing for a more nuanced view that looks at what information migrants have, how they understand risks, and what types of information are relevant to the journey itself. This argument is illustrated with the case of high-risk transit migration from Central America through Mexico toward the USA, drawing on data from 60 interviews with migrants collected during 2017–18, a period during which transit migration came with extreme risks and a low chance of success. Our findings show that while most migrants are indeed aware that migration involves risks, they often do not understand (or believe) the exact dimensions of these risks, nor are they well informed on the journey as a whole. Besides the decision to depart or not, access to information is shown to be relevant in various aspects of migration.