bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspergillus Species Causing Invasive Fungal Disease in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Stewart Adam G. , Isler Burcu , Simos Peter , Farquhar Drew , George Narelle , Golmayo Mila , Heney Claire
Published: April 2023

Background

Aspergillus species are important causes of invasive fungal disease, particularly among those with an impaired immune system. Increasing reports have revealed a rising incidence of antifungal drug resistance among Aspergillus spp., particularly among cryptic species. Understanding local antifungal susceptibility patterns is paramount to delivering optimal clinical care.

Methods

Aspergillus spp. recovered from clinical specimens between 2000 and 2021 from Pathology Queensland were collected. Aspergillus spp. were identified routinely morphologically, and where there was ambiguity or a lack of sporulation, by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. All Aspergillus spp. that underwent antifungal susceptibility testing according to the CLSI M38-A3 method and were recorded and included in the study. Amphotericin B, voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole, micafungin, caspofungin, and anidulafungin were tested. Pathology Queensland services all public healthcare facilities in Queensland, Australia.

Results

236 Aspergillus spp. were identified from clinical specimens during the study period. The most frequent species identified were Aspergillus section Fumigati (n = 119), Aspergillus section Flavi (n = 35), Aspergillus terreus (n = 32) and Aspergillus niger (n = 29). Overall, MIC50/90 values for voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and isavuconazole were 0.25/1, 0.25/0.5, 0.25/0.5, and 0.5/2 mg/L respectively. Echinocandins demonstrated low MIC values overall with micafungin and anidulafungin both having an MIC50/90 of 0.015/0.03 mg/L. A total of 15 cryptic species were identified; high triazole MIC values were observed with a voriconazole MIC50/90 of 2/8 mg/L. From 2017 to 2021 we observed an increase in incidence of isolates with high voriconazole MIC values. There was no difference in voriconazole MIC values between Aspergillus spp. acquired in North Queensland when compared to Southeast Queensland, Australia.

Conclusion

Increasing reports of antifungal resistance among Aspergillus spp. is concerning and warrants further investigation both locally and worldwide. Active surveillance of both the emergence of different Aspergillus spp. and changes in antifungal susceptibility patterns over time is crucial to informing clinicians and treatment guidelines.
Phoenix dactylifera in vitro culture and transformation of Thio-60 antifungal gene via chitosan nanoparticle
Authors: Allah Kholoud Wagih Abd , Alabasey Ezz El Din Gadalla Hussein , Ahmed Kasem Zaki , Hussien Eman Tawfik , Razik Ashraf Bakry Abdel
Published: April 2023

The date palm, or Phoenix dactylifera L., is one of the world’s oldest fruit trees. The entire date palm tree is used to produce a variety of goods, including food, clothing, fibre, and shelter. Tissue culture is one of the most recent methods used to multiply date palms and produce disease-free offspring. Plant tissue culture technology has advantages over conventional methods of propagation for the quick and extensive multiplication of significant plants in vitro, regardless of the season, and disease-free. This is because it preserves space and time. For this study, three different cultivars were used (Barhy, Sakkoti, and Shamia). For the three cultivars, ¾ MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/L indole butyric acid IBA and 0.25 mg/l activated charcoal (AC) provided the optimal in vitro culture conditions. Plant gene function research and cultivar development are now both possible thanks to the advancement of plant transformation technologies. Date palm plants were given the AT1G12660 “Thio-60” gene to make them resistant to fungus infection. Utilizing chitosan nanoparticles for genetic transformation, the gene was introduced into three cultivars of dates (Barhy, Sakkoti, and Shamia). Run a conventional PCR to verify genetic fusion into all three cultivars. The fungal infection with Fusarium oxysporum was used to determine the resistance of the transgenic cultivar lines after it was established that the thionin gene had been transferred into transgenic date palm cultivars. Date crop transgenic lines showed strong resistance and a decline in the percentage of fungal infection-induced inhibition.
Item analysis of G8 screening in uro-oncologic geriatric patients
Authors: Bouzan J. , Nellas S. , Stoilkov B. , Willschrei P. , Horstmann M.
Published: April 2023

Introduction/background

The G8 score is a widespread screening tool for geriatric frailty in oncology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the scores and relevance of G8 items in a standard screening of geriatric patients with uro-oncologic diseases to better understand the results of the assessment.

Methods

Eighty-two consecutive uro-oncologic geriatric patients aged 75 years and older were evaluated. All patients underwent a G8 screening that consisted of 8 items. Patients with a G8 score above 14 were considered geriatric “fit”, while others were considered to be “frail”. Overall results and single item scores were evaluated. Clinical data were gathered from patients’ charts.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 82 years (min. 75–max. 102). In 36 of the patients, the G8 score indicated “no-frailty”, and in 46 patients, the G8 score indicated “frailty”. The mean G8 score was 12.9 (min 4–max 17 pts). Item analysis revealed that points were most often lost in items H (polypharmacy), P (comparison of health status to peers) and Age. Fifty-nine, 56 and 52 patients lost points on item Age, item H and item P, respectively. In contrast, the majority of patients reached the maximum score for nutritional items [i.e., items A (food intake), B (weight loss) and F (body mass index (BMI))]. For item A, 73 patients reached the maximum score; for item B, 62 patients reached the maximum score; and for item F, 72 patients reached the maximum score. There were no differences in this distribution pattern when comparing tumour entities, sex, and patients with local vs. metastatic disease.

Conclusion

The present study revealed a high percentage of suspicious test results. Potential reasons for these findings include the low threshold of the G8 overall score and the fact that in some items, points were easily lost. Modifications of the test should be considered.
The P2X7 receptor in mucosal adaptive immunity
Authors: Grassi Fabio , Marino Rebecca
Published: April 2023

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a widely distributed cation channel activated by extracellular ATP (eATP) with exclusive peculiarities with respect to other P2XRs. In recent years, P2X7R has been shown to regulate the adaptive immune response by conditioning T cell signaling and activation as well as polarization, lineage stability, cell death, and function in tissues. Here we revise experimental observations in this field, with a focus on adaptive immunity at mucosal sites, particularly in the gut, where eATP is hypothesized to act in the reciprocal conditioning of the host immune system and commensal microbiota to promote mutualism. The importance of P2X7R activity in the intestine is consistent with the transcriptional upregulation of P2xr7 gene by retinoic acid, a metabolite playing a key role in mucosal immunity. We emphasize the function of the eATP/P2X7R axis in controlling T follicular helper (Tfh) cell in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and, consequently, T-dependent secretory IgA (SIgA), with a focus on high-affinity SIgA-mediated protection from enteropathogens and shaping of a beneficial microbiota for the host.
Occlusion-robust scene flow-based tissue deformation recovery incorporating a mesh optimization model
Authors: Chen Jiahe , Hara Kazuaki , Kobayashi Etsuko , Sakuma Ichiro , Tomii Naoki
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Tissue deformation recovery is to reconstruct the change in shape and surface strain caused by tool-tissue interaction or respiration, which is essential for providing motion and shape information that benefits the improvement of the safety of minimally invasive surgery. The binocular vision-based approach is a practical candidate for deformation recovery as no extra devices are required. However, previous methods suffer from limitations such as the reliance on biomechanical priors and the vulnerability to the occlusion caused by surgical instruments. To address the issues, we propose a deformation recovery method incorporating mesh structures and scene flow.

Methods

The method can be divided into three modules. The first one is the implementation of the two-step scene flow generation module to extract the 3D motion from the binocular sequence. Second, we propose a strain-based filtering method to denoise the original scene flow. Third, a mesh optimization model is proposed that strengthens the robustness to occlusion by employing contextual connectivity.

Results

In a phantom and an in vivo experiment, the feasibility of the method in recovering surface deformation in the presence of tool-induced occlusion was demonstrated. Surface reconstruction accuracy was quantitatively evaluated by comparing the recovered mesh surface with the 3D scanned model in the phantom experiment. Results show that the overall error is 0.70 ± 0.55 mm.

Conclusion

The method has been demonstrated to be capable of continuously recovering surface deformation using mesh representation with robustness to the occlusion caused by surgical forceps and promises to be suitable for the application in actual surgery.
Pyrene-naphthalimide Schiff base as a fluorescent pigment in water-based security ink
Authors: Bhagya R. S. , Muthamma Kashmitha , Sunil Dhanya , Shetty Prakasha , Kulkarni Suresh D.
Published: April 2023

Fluorescence-based materials that are affordable and easy to use for commercial anti-counterfeiting applications are in high demand. While exploring new fluorescent pigments, a pyrene-naphthalimide Schiff base, 5-hydroxy-2-((pyren-1-ylmethylene)amino)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione (NHPY) with yellow fluorescence under UV light was synthesized. An eco-friendly flexographic ink prepared with NHPY as the pigment was coated on a UV dull paper and further printed on security paper as well as packaging papers and boards. When exposed to UV light, the printed samples showed yellow fluorescence. The light fastness, gloss, colorimetric results, and abrasion resistance of the printed samples proved that NHPY is a suitable fluorescent pigment for security printing applications.
Robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy: time to expand indications?
Authors: Rossi Leonardo , De Palma Andrea , Fregoli Lorenzo , Papini Piermarco , Ambrosini Carlo Enrico , Becucci Chiara , Gjeloshi Benard , Morganti Riccardo , Marco Puccini , Materazzi Gabriele
Published: April 2023

In 2016, the American Thyroid Association published a statement on remote-access thyroid surgery claiming that it should be reserved to patients with thyroid nodule ≤ 3 cm, thyroid lobe < 6 cm and without thyroiditis. We retrospectively enrolled all patients who underwent robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy between February 2012 and March 2022. We compared surgical outcomes between patients who presented a thyroid gland with a nodule ≤ 3 cm, thyroid lobe < 6 cm and without thyroiditis (Group A) and patients without these features (Group B). The rate of overall complications resulted comparable (p = 0.399), as well as the operative time (p = 0.477) and the hospital stay (p = 0.305). Moreover, bleeding resulted associated to thyroid nodule > 3 cm (p = 0.015), although all bleedings but one occurred in the remote-access site from the axilla to the neck. In experienced hands, robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy is feasible and safe even in patients with large thyroid nodules or thyroiditis.
Capture of wild and marked Agriotes obscurus in pheromone traps according to distance, wind direction and date of trapping
Authors: van Herk Willem G. , Vernon Robert S.
Published: April 2023

A study was conducted to determine rates of recapture of marked Agriotes obscurus (AO) males released in a grassy field on four occasions in the centre of pheromone trap squares with traps spaced 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 m apart. Concurrent catches of naturally occurring and naturally dispersed (wild) AO were also recorded. Catch of marked AO was highest during peak emergence when maximum weekly temperatures ranged from 15.7 to 17 °C, and rainfall was light. Mean catch in the 2.5–10.0 m trap squares was, respectively, 82.0, 79.0, 77.0 and 65.0%, which occurred within one week of release. Catch of marked AO were lower (range in 2.5–10.0 m squares: 74.5–50.5%) when released early in the activity period, due to lower temperatures and higher rainfall, and catch was protracted over 3 weeks. Catch during two releases under favourable weather late in the activity period was also reduced (range: 25–58%), likely due to loss of AO vigour and/or pheromone trap efficacy. Catch of wild AO was highest in traps spaced 7.5 or 10.0 m apart, suggesting independence of these traps, and between-trap competition at 2.5 and 5.0 m spacings. From these data, we estimated that an effective spacing for traps in mass trapping arrays would be approximately 6 m. Significantly higher catch of marked or wild AO occurred in traps that were upwind in all trap squares, indicating wind direction should be considered in structuring the placement of trap arrays in mass trapping programs in non-farmed headland areas.
An ellagitannin-loaded CS-PEG decorated PLGA nano-prototype promotes cell cycle arrest in colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Abd-Rabou Ahmed A. , Shalby Aziza B. , Kotob Soheir E.
Published: April 2023

Colorectal cancer is associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Egypt, as a developing country, has a high-rise incidence of cancer. The current study objective was to investigate the antitumor influences of ellagitannin-loaded CS-PEG-decorated PLGA nano-prototypes against human colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT 116 as well as Caco-2) in vitro. Doxorubicin (DOX), punicalin (PN), and punicalagin (PNG)-encapsulated chitosan-polyethylene glycol-decorated PLGA (PLGA-CS-PEG) nanoparticles (NPs) were described. The cytotoxicity of each preparation was evaluated using MTT assays in HCT 116 as well as Caco-2 cells during G0, G1, S, and G2 cell cycle phases. Cell cycle-related gene expression and protein levels were measured after treatment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were also measured. Both PN and PNG PLGA-CS-PEG NPs induce colon cancer cell death with cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in vitro. Caco-2 cells were more sensitive to the nano-therapy than HCT 116 cells. Upon treatment, the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 expression was increased following nano-therapy, with increased levels of Cas-3 and decreased expression of Bcl-2, PI3k, and NF-ĸB compared to control. The nitric oxide level (NO), a marker of ROS, was increased following nano-therapy compared to control. In conclusion, ROS-mediated cell cycle arrest can be induced by PN as well as PNG nano-therapy in cell lines of colorectal cancer.
Applications of Nijenhuis Geometry III: Frobenius Pencils and Compatible Non-homogeneous Poisson Structures
Authors: Bolsinov Alexey V. , Konyaev Andrey Yu. , Matveev Vladimir S.
Published: April 2023

We consider multicomponent local Poisson structures of the form $${\mathcal {P}}_3 + {\mathcal {P}}_1$$

P
3

+

P
1

, under the assumption that the third-order term $${\mathcal {P}}_3$$

P
3

is Darboux–Poisson and nondegenerate, and study the Poisson compatibility of two such structures. We give an algebraic interpretation of this problem in terms of Frobenius algebras and reduce it to classification of Frobenius pencils, i.e. linear families of Frobenius algebras. Then, we completely describe and classify Frobenius pencils under minor genericity conditions. In particular,we show that each Frobenuis pencil is a subpencil of a certain maximal pencil. These maximal pencils are uniquely determined by some combinatorial object, a directed rooted in-forest with edges and vertices labelled by numerical marks. They are also naturally related to certain pencils of Nijenhuis operators. We show that common Frobenius coordinate systems admit an elegant invariant description in terms of the corresponding Nijenhuis pencils.
Unilateral Galactocele in a 2-Year-Old Boy: the Role of GATA-3
Authors: Arredondo Montero Javier , Bronte Anaut Mónica , Ayuso González Lidia , Hernández-Martín Sara , Ruiz de Azúa-Ciria Yerani
Published: April 2023

Galactoceles are benign lesions formed at the expense of breast glandular tissue. Its occurrence in boys is exceptional, with isolated reports in the scientific literature. We present the case of a 2-year-old boy who debuted with a unilateral breast enlargement of 18 months of evolution, with no other associated symptoms. Initial hormonal study showed no alterations. Ultrasonography showed the presence of a homogeneous 5-cm retroareolar cyst. Surgical excision was indicated. During the procedure, abundant milk drained from the lesion. The histopathological study, supported by GATA-3 immunohistochemical staining, confirmed the diagnosis of galactocele. The range of possible differential diagnoses for unilateral or bilateral breast enlargement in boys is wide and includes neoplastic, vascular, and hormonal etiologies. Galactocele, which is an exceptional entity in this group, should be considered. Immunohistochemical techniques such as GATA-3, characteristic of the breast epithelium, can contribute to the diagnosis.
Power aggregation operators based on Yager t-norm and t-conorm for complex q-rung orthopair fuzzy information and their application in decision-making problems
Authors: Wu Xiaoming , Ali Zeeshan , Mahmood Tahir , Liu Peide
Published: April 2023

The complex q-rung orthopair fuzzy (CQ-ROF) set can describe the complex uncertain information. In this manuscript, we develop the Yager operational laws based on the CQ-ROF information and Yager t-norm and t-conorm. Furthermore, in aggregating the CQ-ROF values, the power, averaging, and geometric aggregation operators have played a very essential and critical role in the environment of fuzzy set. Inspired from the discussed operators, we propose the CQ-ROF power Yager averaging (CQ-ROFPYA), CQ-ROF power Yager ordered averaging (CQ-ROFPYOA), CQ-ROF power Yager geometric (CQ-ROFPYG), and CQ-ROF power Yager ordered geometric (CQ-ROFPYOG) operators. These operators are the modified version of the Power, Yager, averaging, geometric, and the combination of these all based on fuzzy set (FS), intuitionistic FS, Pythagorean FS, q-rung orthopair FS, complex FS, complex intuitionistic FS, and complex Pythagorean FS. Moreover, we also discuss the main properties of the proposed operators. Additionally, we develop a multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) method based on the developed operators. To show the supremacy and validity of the proposed method, the comparison between the proposed method and some existing methods is done by some examples, and results show that the proposed method is better than the others in terms of generality and effectiveness.
First application of plutonium in soil erosion research on terraces
Authors: Guan Yong-Jing , Chen Wu , Wang Shen-Zhen , Hua Yu-Xin , Jing Qiao-Yan , Liu Zhi-Yong , Huang Chun-Ping , Wang De-Yu , Wang Hui-Juan , He Xian-Wen , De Cesare Mario , Cui Liang-Jia , He Hua , Fan Kai-Di , Guo Zi-Chen
Published: April 2023

The spatial distributions of 239+240Pu and 137Cs in soils from Longji Rice Terraces were investigated to evaluate soil erosion. The activity concentrations of 239+240Pu and 137Cs in the surface soils of the paddy fields were in the range of 0.089–0.734 and 1.80–7.88 mBq/g, respectively. The activities of 239+240Pu and 137Cs showed very similar distribution trends, first increasing and then decreasing with increasing elevation. The 240Pu/239Pu atom ratios in the surface soils ranged from 0.162 to 0.232. The activities of 239+240Pu and 137Cs in the soil cores tended to be uniformly distributed within the plowed layer and declined exponentially below this depth. The mean soil erosion rates of Longji Rice Terraces estimated by 239+240Pu and 137Cs tracer methods were 5.44 t/(ha·a) and 5.16 t/(ha·a), respectively, which demonstrated that plutonium can replace 137Cs as an ideal tracer for soil erosion research in the future. Landform features are the main factors affecting the distribution of plutonium and 137Cs as well as soil erosion in the Longji Rice Terraces.
Path planning for graded concrete element fabrication
Authors: Blagojevic Boris , Sawodny Oliver
Published: April 2023

The technology of functionally graded concrete (FGC) is a new methodology in the field of concrete construction, striving for mass savings by adjusting the elements interior design. A promising approach herein is meso-gradation, where concrete hollow spheres are placed inside the formwork before casting the element; this allows up to 50% mass savings without a loss in load-bearing capacity, whilst also ensuring recyclability compared to e.g. bubble decks. In order to prevent damage/displacement of the spheres during automated fabrication, the extruded concrete flow must avoid the spheres, whilst neatly covering the elements area in order to prevent cavities. Both requirements formulate a complex path planning problem that must be solved in order to achieve automated fabrication. In this paper, we propose a method for solving this problem, which is based on theoretical findings on Hamiltonian triangulations. Our approach is based on the idea that the elements area is triangulated, such that all sphere centers are corners of triangles. For each triangle, a smooth path can be planned straightforwardly on a consideration of the geometry, such that the global path is made of a sequence of local ones. This necessitates finding a triangulation that is hamiltonian, i.e. a sequence where all triangles are visited exactly once. To this end, we first present a new class of triangulations and proof their hamiltonicity, followed by an algorithm that generates such triangulations on certain FGC element geometries. This is followed by the local path planning problem, whose special structure with start/end tangential and curvature constraints facilitates the use of a polar coordinate approach.
Seminal Calbindin 2 in Infertile Men With Varicocele: A Prospective Comparative Study
Authors: GamalEl Din Sameh Fayek , Zeidan Ashraf , Salam Mohamed Ahmed Abdel , El Kader Noha Abd EL Hafeez Abd , Mohamed Sara Ahmed , Azmy Mohamed Farag
Published: April 2023

The present study compared seminal calbindin 2 (CALB 2) levels and semen parameters in men with and without varicocele. CALB 2 is also known as calretinin and 29 kDa calbindin. The study was a case-control study conducted from April (2021) to March (2022) in the andrology department at Beni-Suef University hospital. The study included four matched groups: group (I) were controls (fertile normozoospermic men without varicocele) (n=24). Group (II) were fertile normozoospermic men with varicocele (n=24). Group (III) were infertile oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) men without varicocele (n=24). Group (IV) were infertile OAT men with varicocele (n=24). The lowest levels of seminal CALB 2 were found in patients with severe oligozoospermia which showed a statistically significant difference when compared to seminal CALB 2 in patients with normal, mildly low, or moderately low sperm counts. There were significant negative correlations between sperm concentration, sperm motility and percentage of normal sperm forms and seminal CALB 2. Seminal plasma CALB 2 may play a role in the negative impact of varicocele on the semen parameters especially sperm concentration, sperm motility and percentage of sperm normal forms. Future studies are needed to verify these findings.
The role of the strengthening phases on the HAZ liquation cracking in a cast Ni-based superalloy used in industrial gas turbines
Authors: Rakoczy Łukasz , Grudzień-Rakoczy Małgorzata , Rutkowski Bogdan , Cygan Rafał , Hanning Fabian , Cios Grzegorz , Habisch Stefan , Andersson Joel , Mayr Peter , Zielińska-Lipiec Anna
Published: April 2023

This work presents the influence of microstructural constituents on liquation crack formation in the cast Ni-based superalloy, René 108. The investigation was divided into three parts: characterisation of the material's microstructure in pre-weld condition, hot ductility studies and analysis of liquation cracking induced by the gas tungsten arc welding process. Using advanced electron microscopy techniques it is shown that the base material in pre-weld condition is characterised by a complex microstructure. The phases identified in René 108 include γ matrix, γ' precipitates, MC and M23C6 carbides, and M5B3 borides. Based on Gleeble testing, it was found that René 108 is characterised by high strength at elevated temperatures with a maximum of 1107 MPa at 975 °C. As a result of constitutional liquation, the superalloy’s strength and ductility were significantly reduced. The nil strength temperature was equal to 1292 °C, while the nil ductility temperature was 1225 °C. The low ductility recovery rate (32.1), ratio of ductility recovery (36.2) and hot cracking factor (Rf = 0.05) values confirmed the low weldability of Renѐ 108. In the heat-affected zone (HAZ) induced by welding, constitutional liquation of mainly γ' precipitates, with a contribution of M23C6 carbides and M5B3 borides, was observed. The thin non-equilibrium liquid film, which formed along high-angle grain boundaries, led to crack initiation and their further propagation during cooling. The eutectic γ–γ' re-solidification products are visible on the crack edges.
Wrist Arthrodesis Using a Trapezoidal Wedge Graft from the Distal Radius and a Low-Profile Reconstruction Plate
Authors: Bhat Anil K. , Pai G. Mithun , Acharya Ashwath M. , Manohar Amruth
Published: April 2023

Background

Various intramedullary or dorsally based fusions have been utilised to perform wrist arthrodesis. Although the dorsal plate is rigid and well constructed, the standard of care was replenishing the arthrodesis site with an iliac crest bone graft. Due to the high morbidity of the donor site, alternatives such as distal radius bone grafts have gained popularity. In this study, wrist arthrodesis was performed with a locally accessible trapezoidal wedge graft from the distal radius and a low-profile reconstruction plate to evaluate the radiological and functional outcome.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 22 wrists, 14 brachial plexus injuries, 4 post-traumatic injuries, and 4 rheumatoid arthritis patients, with a mean follow-up of 31 months. Union was evaluated on radiography. The functional outcomes were evaluated using a visual analog scale incorporated into a questionnaire.

Results

All 22 fusions united successfully, with a mean duration of 12 weeks and a wrist position of an average 17.5 degrees of extension and 6 degrees of ulnar deviation. The aesthetics of the wrist showed the most significant change, and overall satisfaction levels increased.

Conclusions

A locally accessible cortico-cancellous graft from the dorsum of the radius is a reliable alternative to an iliac crest or carpal bone graft with high potential for the union. It also serves as a stable strut in our construct, allowing us to use a low-profile reconstruction plate. The Reconstruction (3.5 System) plate can be used safely with excellent results and a low implant prominence or breakage risk.
Das Körperverständnis von Heranwachsenden im Kontext der Mediatisierung
Authors: Pürgstaller Esther
Published: April 2023

Gegenstand dieses Beitrages sind Körperverständnisse in juvenilen, digital-ästhetischen Körperpraktiken in sozialen Medien. Der Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, welche Körperverständnisse in (re)präsentierenden Körperbild-Praktiken verhandelt werden, und inwiefern diese Praktiken für bewegungsbezogene Vermittlungspraktiken wie den Kinder- und Jugendsport(unterricht) bedeutsam sind, in deren Mittelpunkt der Körper steht.
Artificial intelligence, superefficiency and the end of work: a humanistic perspective on meaning in life
Authors: Knell Sebastian , Rüther Markus
Published: April 2023

How would it be assessed from an ethical point of view if human wage work were replaced by artificially intelligent systems (AI) in the course of an automation process? An answer to this question has been discussed above all under the aspects of individual well-being and social justice. Although these perspectives are important, in this article, we approach the question from a different perspective: that of leading a meaningful life, as understood in analytical ethics on the basis of the so-called meaning-in-life debate. Our thesis here is that a life without wage work loses specific sources of meaning, but can still be sufficiently meaningful in certain other ways. Our starting point is John Danaher’s claim that ubiquitous automation inevitably leads to an achievement gap. Although we share this diagnosis, we reject his provocative solution according to which game-like virtual realities could be an adequate substitute source of meaning. Subsequently, we outline our own systematic alternative which we regard as a decidedly humanistic perspective. It focuses both on different kinds of social work and on rather passive forms of being related to meaningful contents. Finally, we go into the limits and unresolved points of our argumentation as part of an outlook, but we also try to defend its fundamental persuasiveness against a potential objection.
Difficulties experienced by older adults when not using assistive devices
Authors: Prajapati Gayatri , Sharmila Khwairakpam
Published: April 2023

Background

Assistive Devices are those external tools created, manufactured, or modified to help a person do a specific task. Many people, especially the elderly, rely on assistive devices to do daily tasks, engage fully and successfully in social interactions, and enhance their quality of life. Older age people face many difficulties in their day-to-day activities. If they require but do not have or use assistive devices, they may experience significant impairment and difficulty. Assistive devices make a tremendous difference in the lives of the elderly.

Objective

To assess the difficulties experienced by the elderly when not using assistive devices.

To study the relationship between age and difficulties experienced by the elderly when not using assistive devices.

Methods

A self-structured checklist on the difficulties experienced by elderly who were not using assistive devices and the analysis of data in percentage, frequency, t-test, and ANOVA.

Results

We found that various problems such as mobility difficulties, vision and hearing problems, dementia, and inability to do activities of daily living were experienced by the elderly when not using assistive devices. Among all the problems, using communication devices and vision problems were the difficulties faced by the majority of respondents.
NetGO 3.0: Protein Language Model Improves Large-Scale Functional Annotations
Authors: Wang Shaojun , You Ronghui , Liu Yunjia , Xiong Yi , Zhu Shanfeng
Published: April 2023

As one of the state-of-the-art automated function prediction (AFP) methods, NetGO 2.0 integrates multi-source information to improve the performance. However, it mainly utilizes the proteins with experimentally supported functional annotations without leveraging valuable information from a vast number of unannotated proteins. Recently, protein language models have been proposed to learn informative representations [e.g., Evolutionary Scale Modeling (ESM)-1b embedding] from protein sequences based on self-supervision. Here, we represented each protein by ESM-1b and used logistic regression (LR) to train a new model, LR-ESM, for AFP. The experimental results showed that LR-ESM achieved comparable performance with the best-performing component of NetGO 2.0. Therefore, by incorporating LR-ESM into NetGO 2.0, we developed NetGO 3.0 to improve the performance of AFP extensively. NetGO 3.0 is freely accessible at https://dmiip.sjtu.edu.cn/ng3.0.
Handling, inspection and repair of aircraft composites: a pilot study on the awareness of maintenance personnel
Authors: Jong C. M. , Comer A. J. , Chatzi A. V. , Kourousis K. I.
Published: April 2023

Composite materials are enjoying an increasing use in aircraft structures. As more fleets transition from metal to more composite aircraft, the practice of maintenance is also adjusting. Handling, inspection and repair of aircraft composites following non-visible or barely visible damage are among the areas of concern, due to associated cost and safety implications. A pilot study was performed to explore the level of awareness and understanding of aviation maintenance practitioners around these issues. In addition, this research project sought to identify factors related to the technical/engineering judgement capacity of the personnel working with composites and to gauge the need for specialised education and training. A questionnaire survey was administered to a group of 40 professionals working for an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisation. Descriptive statistics in conjunction with analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the results. The sources of impact and common areas affected on the aircraft have been identified, with situational awareness suggested as the most important mitigator against impact damage. Over 70% of the participants would refer to their engineering manager for instructions on how to handle composite damage. The need for higher standardisation for composites’ maintenance, repair and handling issues emerged as a common theme across different sections of the survey. Almost all respondents agree on the need for specialised knowledge and training for the handling, repair and inspection of composites.
Agritourism and direct sales clusters in the United States
Authors: Schmidt Claudia , Tian Zheng , Goetz Stephan J. , Hollas Chadley R. , Chase Lisa
Published: April 2023

Agritourism and direct-to-consumer sales are increasingly used as diversification strategies to generate additional farm revenue streams. Yet despite their growing importance, the impacts, interactions, and adoption of these strategies remain poorly understood. Here we use univariate and bivariate local Moran’s I statistics to identify agritourism and direct-to-consumer sales hotspots in the United States and a Seemingly-Unrelated-Regression Spatial Durbin Model to examine the association between agritourism and direct farm sales to consumers. We find that agritourism and direct sales reinforce each other within the same county but not consistently across neighboring counties.
Advances in understanding subglacial meltwater drainage from past ice sheets
Authors: Simkins Lauren M. , Greenwood Sarah L. , Winsborrow Monica C. M. , Bjarnadóttir Lilja R. , Lepp Allison P.
Published: April 2023

Meltwater drainage beneath ice sheets is a fundamental consideration for understanding ice–bed conditions and bed-modulated ice flow, with potential impacts on terminus behavior and ice-shelf mass balance. While contemporary observations reveal the presence of basal water movement in the subglacial environment and inferred styles of drainage, the geological record of former ice sheets, including sediments and landforms on land and the seafloor, aids in understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of efficient and inefficient drainage systems and their impact on ice-sheet behavior. We highlight the past decade of advances in geological studies that focus on providing process-based information on subglacial hydrology of ice sheets, how these studies inform theory, numerical models and contemporary observations, and address the needs for future research.
Are researchers in academic medicine flourishing? A survey of midcareer Ph.D. and physician investigators
Authors: Pololi Linda H. , Evans Arthur T. , Civian Janet T. , Cooper Lisa A. , Gibbs Brian K. , Ninteau Kacy , Dagher Rada K. , Bloom-Feshbach Kimberly , Brennan Robert T.
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Midcareer research faculty are a vital part of the advancement of science in U.S. medical schools, but there are troubling trends in recruitment, retention, and burnout rates.

Methods:

The primary sampling frame for this online survey was recipients of a single R01 or equivalent and/or K-award from 2013 to 2019. Inclusion criteria were 3–14 years at a U.S. medical school and rank of associate professor or two or more years as assistant professor. Forty physician investigators and Ph.D. scientists volunteered for a faculty development program, and 106 were propensity-matched controls. Survey items covered self-efficacy in career, research, work-life; vitality/burnout; relationships, inclusion, trust; diversity; and intention to leave academic medicine.

Results:

The majority (52%) reported receiving poor mentoring; 40% experienced high burnout and 41% low vitality, which, in turn, predicted leaving intention (P < 0.0005). Women were more likely to report high burnout (P = 0.01) and low self-efficacy managing work and personal life (P = 0.01) and to be seriously considering leaving academic medicine than men (P = 0.003). Mentoring quality (P < 0.0005) and poor relationships, inclusion, and trust (P < 0.0005) predicted leaving intention. Non-underrepresented men were very likely to report low identity self-awareness (65%) and valuing differences (24%) versus underrepresented men (25% and 0%; P < 0.0005). Ph.D.s had lower career advancement self-efficacy than M.D.s (P < .0005).

Conclusions:

Midcareer Ph.D. and physician investigators faced significant career challenges. Experiences diverged by underrepresentation, gender, and degree. Poor quality mentoring was an issue for most. Effective mentoring could address the concerns of this vital component of the biomedical workforce.
Co-spectral radius of intersections
Authors: FRACZYK MIKOLAJ , VAN LIMBEEK WOUTER
Published: April 2023

We study the behavior of the co-spectral radius of a subgroupHof a discrete group$\Gamma $under taking intersections. Our main result is that the co-spectral radius of an invariant random subgroup does not drop upon intersecting with a deterministic co-amenable subgroup. As an application, we find that the intersection of independent co-amenable invariant random subgroups is co-amenable.
Stability and receptivity analyses of mixed convection in unstably stratified horizontal boundary layers
Authors: Hamada Gabriel Y.R. , Wolf William R. , Pitz Diogo B. , Alves Leonardo S. de B.
Published: April 2023

A linear stability analysis is employed to investigate thermal effects in shear flows. The cases analysed consist of unstably stratified horizontal boundary layers under a mixed convection regime, where forced and free convection mechanisms compete. Governing equations are given by the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with the Oberbeck–Boussinesq approximation, where the base flow comes from their boundary layer approximation. Modal and non-modal analyses are used to investigate the behaviour of small-amplitude disturbances superposed to this base flow. An evaluation of the inertial, shearing and buoyancy mechanisms in the mixed convection boundary layer stability is performed through variations in the Reynolds, Prandtl and Richardson numbers. On the one hand, the spectra lead to the parametric conditions for the time-asymptotic onset of instability, which is still caused by Tollmien–Schlichting (TS) waves as in the traditional Blasius case. However, thermal effects have a destabilizing effect on them, more so for liquids than gases. On the other hand, the pseudospectra obtained from a resolvent analysis indicate the existence of transient growth at this same onset. However, contrary to the traditional Blasius case, thermal effects cause it to be dominated by the continuous frequency spectrum instead of the discrete TS modes. In order to elucidate this qualitative change, a componentwise input–output analysis is employed to quantify the receptivity to specific external disturbances. It shows that thermal effects directly impact the conversion of thermal to kinetic linear disturbance energy, causing a strong amplification of the flow response due to the non-normality of the linear operator. Results reveal that heating from below causes the forcing and response modes of the input–output analysis to have a free-stream spatial support due to non-modal excitation of the continuous spectrum. Such a behaviour suggests that the unstably stratified boundary layer is susceptible to free-stream thermal disturbances, which can potentially impact bypass transition.
Physical and morphological properties of first-year Antarctic sea ice in the spring marginal ice zone of the Atlantic-Indian sector
Authors: Johnson Siobhan , Audh Riesna R. , de Jager Wayne , Matlakala Boitumelo , Vichi Marcello , Womack Ashleigh , Rampai Tokoloho
Published: April 2023

This study presents the first dataset of physical and textural properties of sea ice collected in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean sector of the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ). Observations of sea ice from this region in the austral spring 2019, including sea-ice core temperature, salinity, crystal size, texture, oxygen isotopes and stratigraphy, were used in conjunction with a Lagrangian back-tracking algorithm and atmospheric reanalyses. This method relates the reconstructed synoptic conditions to sea-ice growth along the transect. A significant difference was found between the stratigraphy of consolidated pack ice samples collected at the same latitude and spanning over 550 km eastwards. The eastward group was found to have more disturbances in their stratigraphy which is attributed to the highly variable atmospheric and sea-ice conditions together with varying wave penetration through the sea-ice pack, notably during the passage of an intense polar cyclone, while the westward group showed no signs of disturbance or deformation. These results indicate that consolidated Antarctic sea-ice floes of similar thickness and from the same latitude in the MIZ have distinct stratigraphic properties, which will influence their physical and biogeochemical features.
Alarming decline of the Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax in one of its two population strongholds in Sardinia, Italy
Authors: Santangeli Andrea , Cardillo Alberto , Pes Michele , Aresu Mauro
Published: April 2023

Farmland biodiversity is declining worldwide, and especially in Western countries largely owing to the large-scale intensification of agricultural practices. The Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax is a steppe bird adapted to agro-pastoral ecosystems in Western Europe, and is one of those many farmland species declining due to changes in agricultural production systems. In the EU, the majority of the extant population of this species is concentrated in the Iberian Peninsula. In Italy, the species has now disappeared from the mainland and is currently present only in Sardinia, where two populations, in the central-western areas, hold about two-thirds of the whole island’s numbers, with the rest scattered across numerous smaller nuclei. While there are indications and anecdotal information suggesting a possible population decline during recent decades, robust monitoring across different time periods that would allow a comparison of numbers is lacking in Sardinia. Here we repeated a Little Bustard survey performed in 2008 in two areas of western Sardinia: Abbasanta, which is one of the two strongholds for the species in Sardinia, and Campeda, which holds a small population (about 10 territorial males). Using the same methodology as in the past survey, we assessed current population size and density, and quantified changes over time. We found alarming declines, at a rate of around 30% in 14 years in both areas, with an estimated current population of 87 males in Abbasanta and 8 males in Campeda. We highlight current and emerging threats, such as the downsizing of the Special Protection Area of Abbasanta, and the encroachment of solar power plants within the same area.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in San Forager Theories of Disease, and Its Implications for Understanding Images of Conflict in Southern African Rock Art
Authors: Skinner Andrew , Challis Sam
Published: April 2023

San forager populations in nineteenth-century southern Africa were forced to adapt to greatly destructive aspects of the colonial project. Forging new societies from heterogeneous sources, they engaged in prolonged armed insurgency, recording their exploits, presence and beliefs in the rock-art archive of the Maloti-Drakensberg. These images reference conflict and trauma, conventionally interpreted as visions of spiritual warfare. However, viewed through the lens of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), deeper dimensions emerge. PTSD is the culturally subjective experience of generalizable neuropathologies which develop following a traumatic event. Diagnosable in diverse communities worldwide, it nonetheless requires insider idioms to understand its local expressions. We explore how PTSD manifested in this historic and cultural context; how its symptomatic social dysfunctions would have been understood in forager aetiology, and how its intrusive flashbacks would have intruded on altered-state experiences induced to heal the consequences of violence. We find that the artists were not passive victims of trauma, but rather used art symbolically to reconsolidate individual and collective understandings of traumatic events.
Do-It-Yourself Socialism: Home Construction Credits, Private Property and the Introduction of the Self-Build Programme in Hungary, 1954–1956
Authors: Radi Szinan
Published: April 2023

Ideology and state ownership are supposed to have characterised socialist housing. This article argues that economic and monetary constraints were also dominant in shaping housing policy in early socialist Hungary. These factors increasingly compelled the regime to promote private home ownership through state-subsidised credits. Despite high public interest in the programme, however, neither wealth, personal connections nor ideology alone could condition the outcome of home-build applications due to severe shortages. This impasse put the regime at a crossroads of whether to pursue needs-based housing or to introduce ‘profitability’ considerations in credit checks for self-build. This article argues that the Nagy government's pursuit of the latter option increasingly undermined the ideological basis of communism. The scheme's failure not only made citizens receptive to radical change in 1956 but also put the regime on a new trajectory where private wealth accumulation and self-provisioning became inseparable from the economic legitimacy of communism in Hungary.