bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Slip of styrene–butadiene rubbers: The effects of pressure and viscous heating
Authors: Georgantopoulos Christos K. , Zhang Ziyue , Pollard Michael A. , Causa Andrea , Kádár Roland , Wilhelm Manfred , van Ruymbeke Evelyne , Hatzikiriakos Savvas G.
Published: January 2024

During the processing of elastomeric compounds under high flow rates, significant pressure drops (106–108 Pa) are encountered. Under such conditions, the viscosity of these compounds is significantly affected by pressure and viscous heating. Moreover, strong flow rates may cause these systems to slip at the wall, violating the classical no-slip boundary condition of fluid mechanics. To determine the slip velocity by the well-known Mooney method, the effects of pressure and viscous heating should be considered. In this work, an experimental methodology is developed to determine the slip velocity of styrene–butadiene compounds in capillary flow corrected for the effects of pressure and viscous heating. First, the temperature increase due to viscous heating is measured during the extrusion process and accounted for in correcting the experimental data to infer the slip velocity. Consequently, the corrected experimental data for the effects of pressure and viscous heating are used to calculate the slip velocity from the deviation of the linear viscoelastic behavior (deviation from the Cox–Merz rule). The Mooney method is also used to confirm the calculated slip velocity of the elastomeric compounds.
Structure and function of the hippocampal CA3 module
Authors: Sammons Rosanna P. , Vezir Mourat , Moreno-Velasquez Laura , Cano Gaspar , Orlando Marta , Sievers Meike , Grasso Eleonora , Metodieva Verjinia D. , Kempter Richard , Schmidt Helene , Schmitz Dietmar
Published: January 2024

The hippocampal formation is crucial for learning and memory, with submodule CA3 thought to be the substrate of pattern completion. However, the underlying synaptic and computational mechanisms of this network are not well understood. Here, we perform circuit reconstruction of a CA3 module using three dimensional (3D) electron microscopy data and combine this with functional connectivity recordings and computational simulations to determine possible CA3 network mechanisms. Direct measurements of connectivity schemes with both physiological measurements and structural 3D EM revealed a high connectivity rate, multi-fold higher than previously assumed. Mathematical modelling indicated that such CA3 networks can robustly generate pattern completion and replay memory sequences. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that the connectivity scheme of the hippocampal submodule is well suited for efficient memory storage and retrieval.
Systematic analysis of nonprogrammed frameshift suppression in
E. coli
via translational tiling proteomics
Authors: Springstein Benjamin L. , Paulo Joao A. , Park Hankum , Henry Kemardo , Fleming Eleanor , Feder Zoë , Harper J. Wade , Hochschild Ann
Published: January 2024

The synthesis of proteins as encoded in the genome depends critically on translational fidelity. Nevertheless, errors inevitably occur, and those that result in reading frame shifts are particularly consequential because the resulting polypeptides are typically nonfunctional. Despite the generally maladaptive impact of such errors, the proper decoding of certain mRNAs, including many viral mRNAs, depends on a process known as programmed ribosomal frameshifting. The fact that these programmed events, commonly involving a shift to the –1 frame, occur at specific evolutionarily optimized “slippery” sites has facilitated mechanistic investigation. By contrast, less is known about the scope and nature of error (i.e., nonprogrammed) frameshifting. Here, we examine error frameshifting by monitoring spontaneous frameshift events that suppress the effects of single base pair deletions affecting two unrelated test proteins. To map the precise sites of frameshifting, we developed a targeted mass spectrometry–based method called “translational tiling proteomics” for interrogating the full set of possible –1 slippage events that could produce the observed frameshift suppression. Surprisingly, such events occur at many sites along the transcripts, involving up to one half of the available codons. Only a subset of these resembled canonical “slippery” sites, implicating alternative mechanisms potentially involving noncognate mispairing events. Additionally, the aggregate frequency of these events (ranging from 1 to 10% in our test cases) was higher than we might have anticipated. Our findings point to an unexpected degree of mechanistic diversity among ribosomal frameshifting events and suggest that frameshifted products may contribute more significantly to the proteome than generally assumed.
Surveying L2 Shakespeare studies in Canadian secondary schools
Authors: Fogal Gary G.
Published: January 2024

The study of Shakespeare in secondary school literature classes remains a global phenomenon across L2 contexts.
Understanding said spaces is important, as the study of Shakespeare is known to expand learner knowledge of normative conventions
of academic literacy – this, in service of building the cultural and linguistic capital necessary for learners to succeed on their
own terms. However, little is known about how best to research this context so as to assist language learners with their academic
literacy needs. To address this gap, this study employs thought modeling – an analytic tool informed by complex dynamic systems
theory – to investigate the teaching and learning environment of seven secondary school ESL programs in the Canadian province of
Ontario. Mining the educational experiences of 106 participants, this research explores five primary components of the educational
landscape: conditions, timescales, interactions, artifacts, and agents. Thematic analyses and descriptive statistical analyses
were performed on a dataset comprised of surveys and interviews. This study initiates a framework for continuing research into L2
secondary school Shakespeare studies by identifying and describing substantive avenues of research (i.e., control parameters)
informing conditions for best practice and highlights thought modeling as an effective analytic framework for understanding
educational dynamics.
Maintaining continuity in the fruit growing sector in the context of the war in Ukraine
Authors: Udovychenko Kateryna , Grynyk Igor , Budzanivska Irena , Garkava-Gustavsson Larisa , Yareshchenko Oleksandr
Published: January 2024

This study assesses the impact of ongoing Russian full-scale aggression in Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022, on the fruit growing sector by examining damages, losses, and the broader consequences for the industry. The methodology of the research includes the analysis of open access reports and publications of specialized state and international institutions and expert and analytical reviews. Various aspects observed as the impacts of war actions, including the destruction of orchards, agricultural machinery, and storage facilities, are described. Indirect effects, such as market destabilization, increased production costs, and disruptions in export routes, were also explored. The study delves into the challenges faced by farmers, from shortages in labor to the decrease in the production of certified planting material. Despite these adverse factors, the Ukrainian fruit growing sector exhibits resilience and adaptability. The study also discusses ongoing recovery efforts, state grant programs, and international collaborations that offer prospects for growth, emphasizing the potential for recovery and adaptation amid the ongoing conflict.
Current state and ways to increase the dairy productivity of camels in the south-western region of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Alibaev Nuradin , Abdullaev Konysbay , Abuov Galymzhan , Yermakhanov Meirambek , Azhibekov Bakytzhan
Published: January 2024

Increasing the dairy productivity of camels is an urgent task for many countries where these animals are of great importance as a source of dairy and meat. The purpose of the study was to evaluate and select heavy milk-producing camels for breeding by genotyping, studying the genealogical structure, and selecting related groups with high productivity. To achieve this goal, the number of camel herds in the south-western region of Kazakhstan was monitored during 2020–2022 to study their external characteristics, live weight dynamics, and milk productivity. As a result, it was found that in female camels for 12 months of lactation, the average daily milk yields of the Arvana breed were 7.4 kg, with milk yield for lactation of 2682.8 kg of milk, and in the Bactrian breed with average daily milk yields of 5.8 kg of milk, milk yield for lactation was 1186.3 kg. It was also revealed that the herds of Arvana camels have 15 breeders, and the herds of Bactrian camels have 14 breeders, which are characterised by a sufficient number of offspring for selection and breeding to improve the productive qualities of animals. In addition, it was found that in the herds of Arvana camels, the descendants of the breeders of “Tekele-lek”, “Kara-lek”, “Zhana-lek”, “Mayakum-lek”, “Yrys-lek” and “Shilikti-lek”, and in the herds of Bactrian camels, “Bal-bura”, “Kulsary-bura”, “Zhas-bura”, “Taushyk-II-bura”, “Sakon-bura”, “Konai-bura”, and “Kulandy-bura” noted high milk productivity. It was found that in the milk of camels of the Arvana breed, the content of nonfat milk solids was 8.3%, the density was 27.66 g/cm
3
, the acidity was 19
0
T, in the milk of the Bactrian breed, these indicators were, respectively: 8.23%, 27.81 g/cm,
3
and 19
0
T. The results obtained are of great practical importance, as they can be applied to create new methods and technologies for managing camel herds that will help increase their dairy productivity.
Two-center resonant photoionization-excitation driven by combined intra- and interatomic electron correlations
Authors: Kim S , Steinhäuser S , Voitkiv A B , Müller C
Published: January 2024

Ionization-excitation of an atom induced by the absorption of a single photon in the presence of a neighboring atom is studied. The latter is, first, resonantly photoexcited and, afterwards, transfers the excitation energy radiationlessly to the other atom, leading to its ionization with simultaneous excitation. The process relies on the combined effects of interatomic and intraatomic electron correlations. Under suitable conditions, it can dominate by several orders of magnitude over direct photoionization-excitation and even over direct photoionization. In addition, we briefly discuss another kind of two-center resonant photoionization with excitation where the ionization and residual excitation in the final state are located at different atomic sites.
Time graph sub-domain adaption adversarial for fault diagnosis
Authors: Sun Kuangchi , Yin Aijun , Lu Shiao , Chen Shuhui , Sun Zhaoyi
Published: January 2024

Graph neural network (GNN)-based fault diagnosis has attracted widespread attention. However, the existing measure metrics of domain distribution discrepancy always is single, the weight of different domains is unknown, and the scale of GNN-based feature extractor is unknown. To address these issues, a time graph sub-domain adaption adversarial (TGSDAA) for fault diagnosis is proposed in this paper. Firstly, a multi-scale time connection layer is proposed to extract the feature of the signal. Specifically, an encode layer is proposed to construct the undirected graph. Next, a multi-receptive field cluster-graph convolution neural network is proposed to extract features of the graph. Finally, a sub-domain alignment with adversarial adaption is proposed to align different domains and achieve fault diagnosis. Two different datasets are used to verify the effectiveness of TGSDAA. The experimental results show that the average diagnosis accuracy of TGSDAA can improve 4% than other methods.
Thickness and surface estimation of thin porous media based on 3D image data
Authors: Frank Florian , Glatt Erik , Linden Sven , Wiegmann Andreas
Published: January 2024

Measuring the thickness of thin porous materials provides valuable insights into their structure, properties, and performance, including key properties such as porosity and permeability, and is highly beneficial for a range of industrial applications, particularly for ensuring effective quality control processes. A novel approach for estimating the thickness of porous media and their surfaces is proposed based on voxel sets of 3D images, such as 3D scans and segmented scan data. Initially, the solid volume fraction (SVF) is computed for each voxel layer perpendicular to the through direction. Then, fitting functions consisting of piecewise linear segments are chosen to ensure an accurate representation of the layer data. Each function is associated with various thickness regions of the medium, including the medium itself and its surface. An optimization problem is then solved to find the best-fitting function based on the squared area between the SVF and the fitting function. The thickness of the medium and its surfaces is determined based on the identified optimal fit. This robust, reliable, and fast approach aims to provide not only a non-intrusive method for thickness estimation of porous media represented by voxel sets but also a precise alternative to existing methodologies.
Analysis of the relationship between the transferred charge signal and the particle collision in pneumatic transport based on CFD-DEM
Authors: Jia Lin , Chi Lei , Su Xujun , Yu Guibo
Published: January 2024

The measurement of gas–solid two-phase flow based on the transferred charge method takes advantage of the charge transferred phenomenon generated during the contact between particles and electrodes, which is of great significance to the measurement of gas–solid flow parameters. However, the charge transfer mechanism is very complex, so far there is no mature theoretical model to explain it completely. By using the computational fluid dynamics-discrete element model (CFD-DEM) coupling simulation method, the particle collision model is introduced into the process of flow field simulation. In the CFD-DEM coupling simulation, the modified gas–solid rolling force model and the particle tangential stiffness model are introduced in this paper, and the relationship between the particle-electrode collision and the superficial gas velocity vg
, the particle mass flow rate Ms
is simulated. In the gas–solid two-phase flow experiment, the accuracy of the simulation model is verified by the experimental data of pressure drop signals. The distribution factor Ti
of the transferred charge signal for the array electrostatic sensor is proposed. When Ms
is fixed, the transferred charge signal of the particles increases exponentially with vg
. When vg
is fixed, the transferred charge signal of the particle increases in proportion to Ms
. With the increase of vg
. or Ms
, the Ti
of No. 9 electrode at the bottom of the pipe is the largest. Ti
can help to characterize the flow parameters of pneumatic conveying.
Probabilities of true and false decisions in conformity assessment of a finite sample of items
Authors: Pennecchi F , Kuselman I
Published: January 2024

Probability of conforming items of a finite sample of items is evaluated when conformity assessment (CA) of each item is based on comparison of measured item property values with their acceptance and/or tolerance limits. Two models of probabilities of false decisions on conformity of the whole sample are developed. The first model considers a specific sample of items that already underwent a CA process. A Poisson binomial distribution is applied to calculate the number of the sample items having good (conforming) true property values. The second model, applying a multinomial distribution, treats a generic sample of items potentially drawn from a common population. This model allows evaluating probabilities of false decisions on conformity of the sample items (false positives and negatives), as well as probabilities of correct decisions (true positives and negatives). Applicability of both the models is demonstrated using data of simulated and experimental case studies. These methods extend the existing framework for evaluation of probabilities of true and false decisions in the CA of individual items to the whole sample. The proposed approach provides quality indexes for such a sample, that can be applied in quality inspection and CA of products and objects in industry and trade, environmental monitoring, and other fields. In particular, this approach may be helpful for solving the inspection problem of a production lot, when the minimal number of non-conforming items in a sample for rejecting the whole lot is to be determined.
Review on sensors for electric fields near power transmission systems
Authors: Hortschitz W , Kainz A , Beigelbeck R , Schmid G , Keplinger F
Published: January 2024

Due to the necessary transition to renewable energy, the transport of electricity over long distances will become increasingly important, since the sites of sustainable electricity generation, such as wind or solar power parks, and the place of consumption can be very far apart. Currently, electricity is mainly transported via overhead AC lines. However, studies have shown that for long distances, transport via DC offers decisive advantages. To make optimal use of the existing route infrastructure, simultaneous AC and DC, or hybrid transmission, should be employed. The resulting electric field strengths must not exceed legally prescribed thresholds to avoid potentially harmful effects on humans and the environment. However, accurate quantification of the resulting electric fields is a major challenge in this context, as they can be easily distorted (e.g. by the measurement equipment itself). Nonetheless knowledge of the undisturbed field strengths from DC up to several multiples of the fundamental frequency of the power-grid (up to 1 kHz) is required to ensure compliance with the thresholds. Both AC and DC electric fields can result in the generation of corona ions in the vicinity of the line. In the case of pure AC fields, the corona ions generated typically recombine in the immediate vicinity of the line and, therefore, have no influence on the field measurement further away. Unfortunately, this assumption does not hold for DC fields and hybrid fields, where corona ions can be transported far away from the line (e.g. by wind), and potentially interact with the measurement equipment yielding incorrect measurement results. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art technologies and methods which have been developed to address the problems of measuring the electric field near hybrid power lines.
A method combining laser and vision detection for on-line measurement of small modules gears
Authors: Yu Bo , Li Zhenggao , Sun Yanqiang , Shi Zhaoyao
Published: January 2024

Intelligent production of small modulus powder metallurgy gearing requires rapid and accurate measurement to ensure product quality. Currently, the contact measurement method exemplified by gear measuring centers lack efficiency and require gear mounting reference, which prevent them from meeting the requirements for on-line inspection of small modulus gears. Therefore, an optical method of gears was intensively researched. It combined the advantages of laser and vision inspection, which meet the requirements for accuracy and efficiency in on-line inspection. Based on the measurement principle of the line laser sensor and vision camera, a model of the measurement system was established; a standard block was designed to calibrate the system. The surface data of tooth flank were acquired by laser scanning and evaluated to analysis the accuracy. The result of method was validated by comparison with the gear measurement center. Both are of good agreement. Sufficient experiments verify the feasibility of proposed method for on-line inspection.
Backpropagation in hyperbolic chaos via adjoint shadowing
Authors: Ni Angxiu
Published: January 2024

To generalise the backpropagation method to both discrete-time and continuous-time hyperbolic chaos, we introduce the adjoint shadowing operator

S

acting on covector fields. We show that

S

can be equivalently defined as:

S

is the adjoint of the linear shadowing operator S;

S

is given by a ‘split then propagate’ expansion formula;

S

(
ω
)

is the only bounded inhomogeneous adjoint solution of ω.

By (a),

S

adjointly expresses the shadowing contribution, a significant part of the linear response, where the linear response is the derivative of the long-time statistics with respect to system parameters. By (b),

S

also expresses the other part of the linear response, the unstable contribution. By (c),

S

can be efficiently computed by the nonintrusive shadowing algorithm in Ni and Talnikar (2019 J. Comput. Phys.
395 690–709), which is similar to the conventional backpropagation algorithm. For continuous-time cases, we additionally show that the linear response admits a well-defined decomposition into shadowing and unstable contributions.
Advanced momentum sampling and Maslov phases for a precise semiclassical model of strong-field ionization
Authors: Carlsen Mads Brøndum , Hansen Emil , Madsen Lars Bojer , Maxwell Andrew Stephen
Published: January 2024

Recollision processes are fundamental to strong-field physics and attoscience, thus models connecting recolliding trajectories to quantum amplitudes are a crucial part in furthering understanding of these processes. We report developments in the semiclassical path-integral-based Coulomb quantum-orbit strong-field approximation model for strong-field ionization by including an additional phase known as Maslov’s phase and implementing a new solution strategy via Monte-Carlo-style sampling of the initial momenta. In doing so, we obtain exceptional agreement with solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for hydrogen, helium, and argon. We provide an in-depth analysis of the resulting photoelectron momentum distributions for these targets, facilitated by the quantum-orbits arising from the solutions to the saddle-point equations. The analysis yields a new class of rescattered trajectories that includes the well-known laser-driven long and short trajectories, along with novel Coulomb-driven rescattered trajectories. By virtue of the precision of the model, it opens the door to detailed investigations of a plethora of strong-field phenomena such as photoelectron holography, laser-induced electron diffraction and high-order above threshold ionization.
Alternate attractor chimeralike states on rings of chaotic Lorenz-type oscillators
Authors: Zhang Hao , Chen Zhili , Liu Fei , Lei Zhao , Zheng Zhigang , Qian Yu
Published: January 2024

An interesting alternate attractor chimeralike state can self-organize to emerge on rings of chaotic Lorenz-type oscillators. The local dynamics of any two neighboring oscillators can spontaneously change from the chaotic butterfly-like attractors to the two symmetric and converse ones, which forms alternate attractors on the ring. This is distinctly different from the traditional chimera states with unique local attractor. An effective driven-oscillator approach is proposed to reveal the mechanism in forming this new oscillation mode and predict the critical coupling strengths for the emergence of the new oscillation mode. The existence of a pair of converse focus solutions with respect to the external drive is found to be the key factor responsible for the alternate attractor chimeralike state. The linear feedback control scheme is introduced to control the suppression and reproduction of alternate attractor chimeralike state. These findings may shed light on a new perspective of the studies and applications of chimera dynamics in complex systems.
Quantum correlations and coherence in a mixed spin-
(12,1)
Heisenberg dimer under intrinsic decoherence
Authors: Oumennana Mansoura , Mansour Mostafa
Published: January 2024

This research delves into the dynamical behavior of quantum correlations and coherence within a mixed Heisenberg dimer system under the intrinsic decoherence. Our approach involves the application of logarithmic negativity, local quantum uncertainty, and the ℓ
1 norm-based coherence as quantifiers for entanglement, skew information correlations, and quantum coherence in this qubit-qutrit model. Our primary objective is to explore the impact of various factors on the dynamics of quantum correlations and quantum coherence. These factors encompass the initial density matrix and its mixing parameter, the intrinsic decoherence rate (γ), the external magnetic field, as well as intrinsic system parameters, notably the XXZ and uniaxial single-ion anisotropies. Our results demonstrate that the introduction of intrinsic decoherence (ID) significantly erodes quantum resources. Particularly, for high values of the ID rate (γ), excessive damping occurs, leading to the absence of oscillations or a rapid decay of quantum resources, ultimately stabilizing in steady states. Furthermore, the presence of an external homogeneous magnetic field further diminishes quantum resources within the system. However, despite the degradation induced by the combined influence of intrinsic decoherence and high external magnetic field intensities, the judicious selection of the initial density matrix and precise adjustment of the uniaxial single-ion anisotropy enable the preservation of quantum resources within the mixed spin-(1/2, 1) Heisenberg dimer.
Implementing quantum anonymous multi-party ranking: the influence and application of the law of large numbers
Authors: Wang Qingle , Liu Jiawei , Li Guodong , Luo Bin , Yu Fangyi
Published: January 2024

Secure multi-party ranking is not only a pivotal component within the domain of secure multi-party computation but also holds extensive real-world applicability, given its efficacy in safeguarding the integrity and privacy of data. In this paper, we propose a verifiable quantum anonymous multi-party ranking protocol, which leverages the power of multi-particle entangled states in conjunction with the law of large numbers. The protocol achieves the secure ranking of participants’ private data while verifying their identities through the assistance of a semi-honest third party. We prove that the protocol is resistant to different types of attacks from internal or external attackers. In addition, the proposed protocol employs qubits as the information carriers, which improves the feasibility of the protocol. We demonstrate the feasibility of the protocol by using the online analog quantum computer of IBM Corporation placed on the cloud. Our research represents an innovative initiative that merges the realms of quantum cryptography and statistical analysis to address pertinent practical challenges.
Probing quantum entanglement from quantum correction to newtonian potential energy
Authors: Belhaj A , Ennadifi S E , Jebli L
Published: January 2024

Inspired by string theory ideas, we probe quantum entanglement from the gravitational potential energy. Concretely, we reconsider the study of quantum corrections to the Newtonian potential energy by treating a massive two-particle system m
1 and m
2 with size dimensions r
1 ad r
2 where the two particles separated by a distance d are under only their mutual classical gravitational interaction

V

r

r

1

,

r

2

. Exploring such a size-dependent gravitational behavior and taking the limit r
1, r
2 ≪ d, we investigate the associated quantum biparticle state and express its evolution after an interaction time τ. Among others, we show that the two masses cannot be separable due to the induced gravitational entanglement in terms of the accumulated quantum phase δ
ϕ = δ
V

g

τ/ℏ. By analogy with the classical gravity, we derive the expression of the resulting extremely weak entanglement force from the corresponding gravitational entanglement energy. Then, we provide certain entanglement diagnostics.
NSClean: An Algorithm for Removing Correlated Noise from JWST NIRSpec Images
Authors: Rauscher Bernard J.
Published: January 2024

NSClean is an algorithm and python package for removing faint vertical banding and “picture frame noise” from JWST Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) images. NSClean uses known dark areas to fit a background model to each exposure in Fourier space. When the model is subtracted, it removes nearly all correlated noise. Compared to simpler strategies like subtracting the rolling median, NSClean is more thorough and uniform. NSClean has been developed and tested for NIRSpec IFU mode data, although it can be used on other NIRSpec modes as well. NSClean is computationally undemanding, requiring only a few seconds to clean an image on a typical laptop. The NSClean package is freely available from the NASA JWST website.
Biomimetic short fiber reinforced 3-dimensional scaffold for bone tissue regeneration
Authors: Sun Liangqiang , Liu Mingming , Li Yaqiang , Zhang Shuhua , Zhu Tonghe , Du Juan , Khan Atta Ur Rehman
Published: January 2024

Bone defects caused by diseases and trauma are considered serious clinical challenges. Autologous and allogeneic transplantations are the most widely used methods to mitigate bone defects. However, transplantation poses risks such as secondary trauma, immune rejection, and disease transmission to patients. Preparing a biologically active bone tissue engineering scaffold as a bone substitute can overcome this problem. In the current study, a PLGA/gelatin (Gel) short fiber-reinforced composite three-dimensional (3D) scaffold was fabricated by electrospinning for bone tissue defect repair. A hybrid scaffold adding inorganic materials hydrotalcite (CaAl-LDH) and osteogenic factors deferoxamine (DFO) based on PLGA and Gel composite filaments was prepared. The structure, swelling, drug release, and compressive resilience performance of the 3D scaffolds in a wet state were characterized and the osteogenic effect of the crosslinked scaffold (C-DLPG) was also investigated. The scaffold has shown the optimum physicochemical attributes which still has 380 kPa stress after a 60% compression cycle and sustainedly released the drug for about twenty days. Moreover, a promising In vivo osteogenic performance was noted with better tissue organization. At 8 weeks after implantation, the C-DLPG scaffold could fill the bone defect site, and the new bone area reached 19 mm2. The 3D microfiber scaffold, in this study, is expected to be a promising candidate for the treatment of bone defects in the future.
The utilization and contribution of timber and non-timber forest products to livelihoods under a changing climate in the Limpopo River Basin
Authors: Mugari Ephias , Nethengwe Nthaduleni S , Gumbo Anesu Dion
Published: January 2024

Forest products contribute immensely to rural livelihoods and household income. However, their contribution to climate change adaptation in semi-arid areas, and the limited ecosystem management capacities of rural communities are poorly examined. We examined the influence and challenges of cash income derived from forest products on livelihoods and climate change adaptation using data from 130 household surveys, 20 participatory mapping exercises, several in-depth interviews, and field observations in the Limpopo Basin of Botswana. Households derived livelihoods and/or income from Mopane caterpillars, firewood, timber, palm plants, wild fruits, thatch, medicinal plants, natural dyes, natural pastures, and game meat. Mopane caterpillars, firewood, and other forest products featured in the top ten sources of household income and contributed weighted monthly income of BWP 1,647.27 ± 1,519.04, BWP 1,110.02 ± 1,980.05, and BWP 780.56 ± 1,360.32, respectively (US$1 ≈ BWP13.4). A higher proportion of households (62.3%) were in the low-income category, earning income below BWP5,000/month. Income derived from Mopane caterpillars and firewood made a significant difference between low-income and high-income households (p = 0.006). Generally, higher proportions of high-income households adopted climate change adaptation measures than proportions in the low-income category, indicating the influence of cash income on household adaptations. However, significant differences were only observed in cropland expansion, purchasing of supplementary livestock feed, drilling boreholes/wells, and use of drip irrigation (p < 0.05). We discuss the potential threats, such as the unsustainable harvesting of forest products, caused by an increasing need for cash incomes and the interconnectedness with distant urban markets. Such threats add to the institutional and biophysical challenges, further limiting prospects for effective adaptation in the Limpopo Basin of Botswana. We call on the government to capacitate and strengthen traditional authorities—as custodians of local resources—in the regulation, management, and conservation of forest products to make them more sustainable adaptation options.
Health-system specialty pharmacist intervention types, acceptance, and associated actions for patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: El-Khouri Alexis C , Giavatto Carly , Hickman Amanda , Fitzpatrick Casey , Mourani Jessica , Tiger Kipp , Rees Megan , Lopez-Medina Ana I
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Health-system specialty pharmacy (HSSP) pharmacists play an integral role in the care of patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) by facilitating medication access, providing counseling, improving adherence, and decreasing provider workload. However, current literature detailing pharmacist interventions and their acceptance rates in this population is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify the types and acceptance rate of clinical interventions completed by pharmacists for PwMS.

Methods

To evaluate the acceptance rate of HSSP pharmacist interventions, we conducted a retrospective, multicenter, observational, descriptive study for the period from October 2019 to August 2022. Intervention types were categorized into reasons for intervention, recommendations from the pharmacists, and their acceptance rates.

Results

For 225 patients enrolled in HSSP services, 449 interventions were completed, with an average of 2.0 interventions per patient. Most interventions identified were associated with medication adherence (28.7%), medication regimen (27.6%), adverse drug reaction (ADR) (20.7%), and laboratory values (15.1%). The average adherence, defined by the proportion of days covered, was 94%. The most common recommendations were to continue therapy (14.9%), schedule laboratory tests (12.7%), and follow up with providers (11.8%). Recommendations had an acceptance rate of 85.3%, with 3.8% of recommendations declined and 10.9% requiring follow-up with providers.

Conclusion

Pharmacists impact patient outcomes through the completion of clinical interventions that improve adherence, identify medication regimen problems, manage ADRs, and coordinate proper laboratory testing. Pharmacist recommendations were most often accepted for interventions related to medication regimen and ADRs. Proper identification and management of medication regimen concerns, as well as tolerability of medications, can positively impact adherence and improve overall patient outcomes.
Targeting CD20-expressing malignant melanoma cells augments BRAF inhibitor killing
Authors: Mukhtar Abdullahi B , Morgan Huw J , Gibbs Alex , Davies Gemma E , Lovatt Charlotte , Patel Girish K
Published: January 2024

Background

Mutant BRAF targeted therapies remain a standard of care for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma (MM); however, high initial response rates are tempered by the persistence of residual MM cells that eventually lead to disease recurrence and mortality. As MM recurrence during targeted therapy can present with the simultaneous occurrence of multiple tumour nodules at the original body sites, we hypothesized the presence of an intrinsically resistant MM cell subpopulation.

Objectives

To identify an MM cell subpopulation that is intrinsically resistant to targeted therapy and possibly responsible for MM recurrence.

Methods

Using melanoma cell lines, we defined culture conditions for the reproducible three-dimensional growth of melanospheres to investigate putative cancer stem cell populations. We undertook RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to characterize cell populations between adherent and nonadherent culture, and cells expressing or not expressing CD20. Furthermore, we defined an in vitro assay to evaluate the killing of melanoma cancer stem cells as a therapeutic test using combination therapies targeting driver mutation and CD20.

Results

We described the culture conditions that promote MM cells to form melanospheres with a reproducible colony-forming efficiency rate of 0.3–1.3%. RNA sequencing of melanosphere vs. conventional MM cell cultures (n = 6), irrespective of the BRAF mutation status, showed that melanosphere formation was associated with growth and differentiation transcriptional signatures resembling MM tumours. Importantly, melanosphere formation also led to the emergence of a CD20+ MM cell subpopulation, similar to that observed in primary human MM tumours. CD20+ MM cells were resistant to BRAF inhibitor therapy and, consistent with this finding, demonstrated a Forkhead box protein M1 transcriptomic profile (n = 6). Combining BRAF inhibitor and anti-CD20 antibody treatment led to the additional killing of previously resistant CD20+  BRAF mutant MM cells.

Conclusions

In patients with MM that harbour a CD20+ subpopulation, combined therapy with BRAF inhibitor and anti-CD20 antibody could potentially kill residual MM cells and prevent disease recurrence.
Survival of patients with kidney failure awaiting transplantation stratified by age and ethnicity: population-based cohort analysis
Authors: Chaudhry Daoud , Evison Felicity , Sharif Adnan
Published: January 2024

Background

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for people living with kidney failure who are suitable for surgery, but survival benefits for older and/or ethnic minority candidates are unclear. To inform decision-making, the survival of patients on a waiting list for kidney transplantation was assessed.

Methods

A retrospective study was undertaken of registry data for patients with kidney failure listed for transplantation in the UK. From 1 January 2000 until 30 September 2019, all patients listed for a first kidney-alone transplant were included. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. After testing for violations of the proportional hazards assumption, an extended Cox regression model factoring in transplantation as a time-dependent variable according to the intention-to-treat principle was developed.

Results

The study cohort included 47 917 patients on a waiting list for kidney transplantation, of whom 34 558 (72.1%) subsequently received a transplant. Transplantation compared with remaining on dialysis was associated with an overall survival benefit (HR 0.17, 95% c.i. 0.16 to 0.18; P < 0.001), occurring immediately within 30 days, and observed regardless of ethnicity. For White kidney transplant candidates aged at least 65 or at least 70 years, a significant survival benefit was observed within 6 months (HR 0.49, 0.29 to 0.82) and 1 year (HR 0.45, 0.25 to 0.79) after transplantation respectively, which contrasted with 3 years after kidney transplantation for candidates from ethnic minorities aged at least 65 years (HR 0.53, 0.36 to 0.78) or at least 70 years (HR 0.53, 0.36 to 0.78).

Conclusion

Although time-to-survival benefits are stratified by age and ethnicity, all kidney transplant candidates on the waiting list are better off with transplantation compared with remaining on dialysis. The absence of any early postoperative mortality suggests that some high-risk patients with kidney failure may not be receiving transplantation opportunities.
Prolonged myelin deficits contribute to neuron loss and functional impairments after ischaemic stroke
Authors: Cheng Yong-Jie , Wang Fei , Feng Jie , Yu Bin , Wang Bin , Gao Qing , Wang Teng-Yue , Hu Bo , Gao Xing , Chen Jing-Fei , Chen Yu-Jie , Lv Sheng-Qing , Feng Hua , Xiao Lan , Mei Feng
Published: January 2024

Ischaemic stroke causes neuron loss and long-term functional deficits. Unfortunately, effective approaches to preserving neurons and promoting functional recovery remain unavailable. Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells in the CNS, are susceptible to oxygen and nutrition deprivation and undergo degeneration after ischaemic stroke. Technically, new oligodendrocytes and myelin can be generated by the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). However, myelin dynamics and their functional significance after ischaemic stroke remain poorly understood. Here, we report numerous denuded axons accompanied by decreased neuron density in sections from ischaemic stroke lesions in human brain, suggesting that neuron loss correlates with myelin deficits in these lesions.

To investigate the longitudinal changes in myelin dynamics after stroke, we labelled and traced pre-existing and newly-formed myelin, respectively, using cell-specific genetic approaches. Our results indicated massive oligodendrocyte death and myelin loss 2 weeks after stroke in the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mouse model. In contrast, myelin regeneration remained insufficient 4 and 8 weeks post-stroke. Notably, neuronal loss and functional impairments worsened in aged brains, and new myelin generation was diminished.

To analyse the causal relationship between remyelination and neuron survival, we manipulated myelinogenesis by conditional deletion of Olig2 (a positive regulator) or muscarinic receptor 1 (M1R, a negative regulator) in OPCs. Deleting Olig2 inhibited remyelination, reducing neuron survival and functional recovery after tMCAO. Conversely, enhancing remyelination by M1R conditional knockout or treatment with the pro-myelination drug clemastine after tMCAO preserved white matter integrity and neuronal survival, accelerating functional recovery. Together, our findings demonstrate that enhancing myelinogenesis is a promising strategy to preserve neurons and promote functional recovery after ischaemic stroke.
Characterization of cortico-meningeal translocator protein expression in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Herranz Elena , Treaba Constantina A , Barletta Valeria T , Mehndiratta Ambica , Ouellette Russell , Sloane Jacob A , Ionete Carolina , Babu Suma , Mastantuono Marina , Magon Stefano , Loggia Marco L , Makary Meena M , Hooker Jacob M , Catana Ciprian , Kinkel Revere P , Nicholas Richard , Klawiter Eric C , Magliozzi Roberta , Mainero Caterina
Published: January 2024

Compartmentalized meningeal inflammation is thought to represent one of the key players in the pathogenesis of cortical demyelination in multiple sclerosis. PET targeting the 18 kDa mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) is a molecular-specific approach to quantifying immune cell-mediated density in the cortico-meningeal tissue compartment in vivo. This study aimed to characterize cortical and meningeal TSPO expression in a heterogeneous cohort of multiple sclerosis cases using in vivo simultaneous MR-PET with 11C-PBR28, a second-generation TSPO radioligand, and ex vivo immunohistochemistry.

Forty-nine multiple sclerosis patients (21 with secondary progressive and 28 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis) with mixed or high affinity binding for 11C-PBR28 underwent 90-min 11C-PBR28 simultaneous MR-PET. Tracer binding was measured using 60–90 min normalized standardized uptake value ratios sampled at mid-cortical depth and ∼3 mm above the pial surface. Data in multiple sclerosis patients were compared to 21 age-matched healthy controls. To characterize the nature of 11C-PBR28 PET uptake, the meningeal and cortical lesion cellular expression of TSPO was further described in post-mortem brain tissue from 20 cases with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and five age-matched healthy donors.

Relative to healthy controls, patients with multiple sclerosis exhibited abnormally increased TSPO signal in the cortex and meningeal tissue, diffusively in progressive disease and more localized in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. In multiple sclerosis, increased meningeal TSPO levels were associated with increased Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (P = 0.007, by linear regression). Immunohistochemistry, validated using in situ sequencing analysis, revealed increased TSPO expression in the meninges and adjacent subpial cortical lesions of post-mortem secondary progressive multiple sclerosis cases relative to control tissue. In these cases, increased TSPO expression was related to meningeal inflammation. Translocator protein immunostaining was detected on meningeal MHC-class II+ macrophages and cortical-activated MHC-class II+ TMEM119+ microglia. In vivo arterial blood data and neuropathology showed that endothelial binding did not significantly account for increased TSPO cortico-meningeal expression in multiple sclerosis.

Our findings support the use of TSPO-PET in multiple sclerosis for imaging in vivo inflammation in the cortico-meningeal brain tissue compartment and provide in vivo evidence implicating meningeal inflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Synthesis of 10H-di(1-benzothiopheno)[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]pyrrole: re-investigation of the Cadogan cyclization route
Authors: Tanioka Yuma , Mori Shigeki , Takase Masayoshi , Uno Hidemitsu
Published: January 2024

The reaction of 2-nitro-3,3′-bi(1-benzothiophene) bearing ester groups at 7- and 7′-positions under the Cadogan cyclization conditions (PPh3, o-C6H4Cl2, refl.) afforded the targeted 10H-di(1-benzothiopheno)[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]pyrrole-1,8-dicarboxylate derivative in a low yield accompanied with a byproduct. On the other hand, the Cadogan reaction of 2-nitro-3,3′-bi(1-benzothiophene) without ester groups did not provide the corresponding pyrrole but gave a mixture of thiophene-ring-opening products, from which dibenzothiophenothiopyrans were isolated. The structures of these ring-opening products were fully characterized by spectroscopic and X-ray analyses and the generation mechanism giving the byproducts was deduced. Pristine 10H-di(1-benzothiopheno)[2,3-b:3′,2′-d]pyrrole could be prepared via another route, namely nitrosation followed by cyclization and reduction.
Associations between coagulation factors and livedoid vasculopathy and the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in patients with livedoid vasculopathy: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhao Chenjing , Yu Meiwen , Cheng Xianfeng , Li Suo , Feng Suying
Published: January 2024

Background

The mechanism of livedoid vasculopathy (LV) remains unknown.

Objectives

To investigate the association between coagulation factors and LV and to assess the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in the treatment of patients with LV.

Methods

From May 2019 to July 2022, 89 patients with LV and 35 healthy controls were included in a cross-sectional cohort to measure the levels of coagulation factors. In addition, 55 patients with LV treated with rivaroxaban were included in a treatment cohort to assess the complete remission rate of ulcers (n = 44) and retiform purpura (n = 11) within 12 weeks.

Results

In the cross-sectional cohort, the activities of coagulation factor X in patients with LV were significantly higher than those in healthy controls: median 110.5% [interquartile range (IQR) 97.5–127.0%] vs. 101.3% (IQR 91.6–115.6); P = 0.05. In addition, coagulation factor X activities in the progressive stage were higher than at the stable stage: median 111.6% (IQR 102.3–132.5) vs. 105.4% (IQR 92.9–118.8); P = 0.04. Moreover, coagulation factor X activities were higher at the progressive stage than at the stable stage in a subgroup of 20 patients with LV (P = 0.04). In the treatment cohort taking rivaroxaban, 91% (40/44) of patients with ulcers achieved complete remission within 12 weeks, and 73% (8/11) of patients with retiform purpura achieved complete remission within 12 weeks. Mild side-effects occurred in 25% of patients (14/55), including menorrhagia (n = 10), gingival bleeding (n = 3) and haemorrhage (n = 1).

Conclusions

Coagulation factor X was associated with the incidence and severity of LV in this study. In addition, rivaroxaban was an effective and safe treatment for ulcers and retiform purpura in people with LV.