bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of ultrasonic surface rolling process on the impact wear behavior of Inconel 690 alloy at 25 °C and 300 °C
Authors: Yin Meigui , Yin Haiyan , Long Jiangqi
Published: March 2022

As an important nuclear power material, Inconel 690 alloy always need to suffer various harsh impact wear behaviors during its service period. Therefore, how to further enhance its surface wear resistance and objectively reveal its fretting wear mechanism under various conditions have vital scientific values for improving its service performance. This study first applies specific ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP) to treat the Inconel 690 alloy surface with two and four times separately. And then a controllable impact kinetic energy wear test rig is used to comparative investigate the impact wear behaviors of as-received and USRP treated samples at 25 °C and 300 °C temperature. Results indicate that USRP can effectively improve the near surface Nano-hardness, residual compressive stress and other mechanical properties of Inconel 690 alloy, thereby increasing its impact wear resistance. The impact wear mechanism at 25 °C is plastic deformation causes fatigue spalling, and some adhesion wear are found at the 300 °C wear condition.
Influence of marine sand as fine aggregate on mechanical and durability properties of cement mortar and concrete
Authors: Ganesan Karthikeyan , Kanagarajan Vijai , Dominic Jerlin Regin Joseph
Published: March 2022

Concrete is commonly manufactured using river sand and manufactured sand (M-Sand) as fine aggregates. As river sand has more scarcity, M-Sand is now the preferred fine aggregate. For reduce the consumption and extraction of natural aggregate (river sand), this paper presents washed marine sand (MS) as an alternative fine aggregate that can replace M-Sand. The purpose of this research is to examine the mechanical, micro-structural and durability properties of concrete and cement mortar made with MS as a fine aggregate in partial replacement of M-Sand from 20% to 100%. For better understanding the characteristics of MS and M-Sand, physical properties of MS and M-Sand, as well as the chemical properties of washed and unwashed marine sand are compared. The experimental tests for mechanical properties of compressive strength, elastic modulus, split tensile strength and flexural strength, durability properties of RCPT, sorptivity, acid resistance, alkali attack and water absorption are investigated for cement mortar and concrete. According to this result, 60% of MS meets the desired durability and strength properties. Furthermore, microstructural properties such as EDX and SEM analysis are also carried out to further verify that MS as an alternate fine aggregate.
Microstructure and texture of a novel hot-stamped high-density Ni-Co-W alloy
Authors: Xie Yali , Zhao Xin , Zheng Lei , Chen Leng
Published: March 2022

Ni-Co-W alloy is expected to be a potential material for applications in national defense, military industry and petroleum exploration. Texture has a significant influence on alloy properties. In the present work, a 44Ni-37W-19Co alloy was prepared by vacuum melting and annealed at 1200 °C for 1h after forging, baring and hot stamping. The microstructure and texture at different positions were analyzed by optical micrographs (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) technique. The alloy presents equiaxial grains with an average size of ~90 μm and a nearly random texture. All the average pole intensity levels at surface, sub-surface and center are ~2. The anisotropy degree along the circumferential direction is less than that along the normal direction. The maximum and minimum differences of the radial pole intensity are 0.44 and 0.04, respectively. It is expected that this work will contribute to the controllable effects of microstructure and texture to improve the properties of hot-stamped high-density Ni-Co-W alloys.
Particle simulations on propagation and resonance of lower hybrid wave launched by phased array antenna in linear devices
Authors: ZHU Guanghui , LI Qing , SUN Xuan , XIAO Jianyuan , ZHENG Jiangshan , LI Hang
Published: March 2022

In this work, we performed first-principles electromagnetic-kinetic simulations to study a phased antenna array and its interaction with deuterium plasmas within the lower hybrid range of frequency. We first gave wave accessibility and resonance results, which agree well with theoretical prediction. In addition, we further investigated the antenna power spectrum with different antenna phases in the presence of the plasma and compared it with that in a vacuum, which directly indicates wave coupling and plasma absorption. Furthermore, for the case with zero phasing difference, our simulation results show that, albeit the launch is away from the accessibility region, tunneling effect and mode conversion occurred, which enhanced coupling and absorption. Moreover, consistent interactions between the injected wave and the plasma concerning various antenna phase differences are shown. We presented the inchoate response of the plasma in terms of the launching directions. Our results could be favorable for the engineering design of wave heating experiments with a tunable phased antenna array in linear devices, such as simple magnetic mirrors or tandem mirrors.
Space-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet spectroscopy for measuring impurity emission from divertor region of EAST tokamak
Authors: HE Liang , SHEN Yongcai , ZHANG Hongming , LYU Bo , BAE Cheonho , JI Huajian , LI Chaoyang , FU Jia , DU Xuewei , WANG Fudi , WANG Qiuping , YIN Xianghui , WAN Shunkuan , BIN Bin , LI Yichao , DAI Shuyu
Published: March 2022

The measurement of impurity distribution in the divertor region of tokamaks is key to studying edge impurity transport. Therefore, a space-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer is designed to measure impurity emission in the divertor region on EAST. For good spectral resolution, an eagle-type VUV spectrometer with 1 m long focal length with spherical holograph grating is used in the system. For light collection, a collimating mirror is installed between the EAST plasma and the VUV spectrometer to extend the observing range to cover the upper divertor region. Two types of detectors, i.e. a back-illuminated charge-coupled device detector and a photomultiplier-tube detector, are adopted for the spectral measurement and high-frequency intensity measurement for feedback control, respectively. The angle between the entrance and exit optical axis is fixed at 15°. The detector can be moved along the exit axis to maintain a good focusing position when the wavelength is scanned by rotating the grating. The profile of impurity emissions is projected through the space-resolved slit, which is set horizontally. The spectrometer is equipped with two gratings with 2400 grooves/mm and 2160 grooves/mm, respectively. The overall aberration of the system is reduced by accurate detector positioning. As a result, the total spectral broadening can be reduced to about 0.013 nm. The simulated performance of the system is found to satisfy the requirement of measurement of impurity emissions from the divertor area of the EAST tokamak.
Low collision energy mutual neutralization reaction of He+ and H−
Authors: Nkambule Sifiso M , Zwane Sibusiso N , Mabuza Oscar N
Published: March 2022

A Semi-classical Landau-Zener model is employed to theoretically study mutual neutralization in the collisions of 4He+ and H−/D−. The model includes ten covalent states and an ion-pair state of 2Σ+ symmetry for the HeH molecular system. Here the assumption is that only two states are interacting at a given internuclear position. In the diabatic representation, the nuclear dynamics relevant for mutual neutralization is modelled for collision energies below 100 eV. The mutual neutralization reaction cross section and final states distribution are computed and compared with previous theoretical and experimental results.
Customizing cardboard as a binder for ecofriendly lightweight building materials
Authors: Ahmed Saddam M
Published: March 2022

Recycling paper and cardboard wastes are becoming important to maintaining a green world. In 2018 manufacturing building materials and their constructions account for 39% of global emissions (13.5 billion tons of CO2). This danger alarm requires immediate action towards seeking for alternatives like traditional materials that have less impact on the environment. Therefore, the current study suggests using new combinations to develop lightweight green building materials. The current research proposes to conduct experimental studies to examine the optimal method for customizing cardboard as a binder for ecofriendly building materials. 17 different mixes were considered in the experimental program; none of these mixes contained cement or consumed any kind of energy. The aim is to develop sustainable lightweight construction materials. Experimental strength results showed a higher strength (up to 7.5 MPa) for some developed substances 22% higher than the strength of traditional mud samples and simultaneously reduction in their weights (dry density 1600 to 1600 kg m−3) in between 13%–16% with superior outdoor durability performance. With these promising results and advantages, the current study can be considered as a primary step towards production of ecofriendly building materials.
EEG functional connectivity and deep learning for automatic diagnosis of brain disorders: Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia
Authors: Alves Caroline L , Pineda Aruane M , Roster Kirstin , Thielemann Christiane , Rodrigues Francisco A
Published: March 2022

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. The first step in treating these conditions is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Machine learning algorithms can provide a possible solution to this problem, as we describe in this work. We present a method for the automatic diagnosis of mental disorders based on the matrix of connections obtained from EEG time series and deep learning. We show that our approach can classify patients with Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia with a high level of accuracy. The comparison with the traditional cases, that use raw EEG time series, shows that our method provides the highest precision. Therefore, the application of deep neural networks on data from brain connections is a very promising method for the diagnosis of neurological disorders.
Solving Newton’s equations of motion with large timesteps using recurrent neural networks based operators
Authors: Kadupitiya J C S , Fox Geoffrey C , Jadhao Vikram
Published: March 2022

Classical molecular dynamics simulations are based on solving Newton’s equations of motion. Using a small timestep, numerical integrators such as Verlet generate trajectories of particles as solutions to Newton’s equations. We introduce operators derived using recurrent neural networks that accurately solve Newton’s equations utilizing sequences of past trajectory data, and produce energy-conserving dynamics of particles using timesteps up to 4000 times larger compared to the Verlet timestep. We demonstrate significant speedup in many example problems including 3D systems of up to 16 particles.
Protective or harmful? A qualitative exploration of older people’s perceptions of worries about falling
Authors: Ellmers Toby J , Wilson Mark R , Norris Meriel , Young William R
Published: March 2022

Background

worries about falling are common in older people. It has been suggested that these worries can reduce balance safety by acting as a distracting dual-task. However, it is also possible that worries may serve a protective purpose. The present work adopted a qualitative approach to conduct an in-depth exploration of older people’s experiences of worries about falling.

Methods

semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 community-dwelling older people (mean age = 79 years; males = 5/17) who reported experiencing worries about falling. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

experiencing a fall—or otherwise recognising one’s balance limitations—brought the physical realities of participants’ ageing bodies to the forefront of their awareness. This led to the recognition of their susceptibility for an injurious fall, which triggered worries about falling in situations that threatened their balance. When preventing the subject of their worries (i.e. an injurious fall) was perceived to be within the individual’s locus of control, worries led to protective adaptations to behaviour. In contrast, when the subject of their worries was perceived to be outside their control, worries triggered feelings of panic—leading to unhelpful changes in behaviour.

Conclusion

these findings provide novel insight into the development and consequences of worries about falling in older people. They highlight the importance of considering an individual’s perception of control before deciding to clinically intervene to reduce worries about falling.
rbioapi: user-friendly R interface to biologic web services’ API
Authors: Rezwani Moosa , Pourfathollah Ali Akbar , Noorbakhsh Farshid
Published: March 2022

Many packages serve as an interface between R language and the Application Programming Interface (API) of databases and web services. There is usually a ‘one-package to one-service’ correspondence, which poses challenges such as consistency to the users and scalability to the developers. This, among other issues, has motivated us to develop a package as a framework to facilitate the implementation of API resources in the R language. This R package, rbioapi, is a consistent, user-friendly and scalable interface to biological and medical databases and web services. To date, rbioapi fully supports Enrichr, JASPAR, miEAA, PANTHER, Reactome, STRING and UniProt. We aim to expand this list by collaborations and contributions and gradually make rbioapi as comprehensive as possible.

Availability and implementation

rbioapi is deposited in CRAN under the https://cran.r-project.org/package=rbioapi address. The source code is publicly available in a GitHub repository at https://github.com/moosa-r/rbioapi/. Also, the documentation website is available at https://rbioapi.moosa-r.com.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
MorphoTools2: an R package for multivariate morphometric analysis
Authors: Šlenker Marek , Koutecký Petr , Marhold Karol
Published: March 2022

The package MorphoTools2 is intended for multivariate analyses of morphological data. Commonly used tools are missing or scattered across several R packages. The new package, in order to make the workflow convenient and fast, wraps available statistical and graphical tools and provides a comprehensive framework for checking and manipulating input data, core statistical analyses and a wide palette of functions designed to visualize results.

Availability and implementation

Stable version is available from CRAN: https://cran.r-project.org/package=MorphoTools2. The development version is available from the following GitHub repository: https://github.com/MarekSlenker/MorphoTools2. The software is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence (v.3).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Social Media Analysis of Customer Emotions in Pizza Industry
Authors: Nasir Muhammad Umar , Rehmat Urva , Ahmad Imran
Published: March 2022

In current century, big number of people adopting social media very fastly because social media is very reliable, fast and easy to use. So, many big industries adopting social media also, like Facebook to analyze their customers’ reviews, analyze customers’ emotions and to understand their behavior, which is very helpful in providing facilities to customers. Nowadays bulk of data available is on social media. To increase competitive benefits and assess competitive environment of industries, companies need to analyze social media data as well as customer generated data. To guide large industries in understanding how they may use social media to understand customer emotion and use social media marketing approaches into their marketing strategies to get customer engagement. This paper describes in-depth analysis of pizza industry of United Kingdom to understand their customers’ emotions and get data for analysis from Facebook. We are using January 2018–December 2018 data of five largest pizza chains in United Kingdom: Papa John, Prezzo, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut and Dominos. The results disclose the power of sentimental analysis and social media competitive analysis will put positive impact on business value. At the end of this paper we will provide some recommendations to enhance marketing strategies.
Case report: DSP truncation variant p. R1951X leads to arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chen Vincent , Knight Bradley P , McNally Elizabeth M
Published: March 2022

Background

Standardized diagnostic criteria for arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC) have been recently proposed. The criteria emphasize structural left ventricle (LV) myocardial change on contrast-enhanced imaging and require the identification of gene variants associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Case summary

A 21-year-old man presented for evaluation of exertional syncope and was found to have monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) and an episode of polymorphic VT that degenerated to ventricular fibrillatory cardiac arrest. Documented premature ventricular contractions were of left bundle branch block, inferior axis morphology. Ventricular arrhythmias were successfully suppressed with β-blockade, amiodarone, and lidocaine, and a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated normal-appearing right ventricle, reduced LV ejection fraction, and sub-epicardial scarring of basal-anterior and anterolateral LV segments. Endomyocardial biopsy showed lymphocytic myocarditis, and genetic testing revealed a pathogenic truncating mutation in the DSP gene, which encodes desmoplakin; this variant was also identified in the patient’s mother who carried a diagnosis of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of ALVC.

Discussion

The clinical presentation of ALVC can be very dramatic. The differential for sub-epicardial LV myocardial fibrosis includes myocarditis, sarcoidosis, and in those with a suspicious family history or characteristic electrocardiogram findings, genetic cardiomyopathy. Prompt referral to a genetic counsellor can be lifesaving to patients and their family members.
Congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries associated with interrupted aortic arch type A: a case report of an unusual association
Authors: Montaña-Jimenez Lina Paola , Gutiérrez Jaiber , Mejia Mauricio , Mosquera Walter
Published: March 2022

In this article, we report the third case, to our knowledge, of a congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries associated with an interrupted aortic arch. This is a more complex and rare presentation than dextro-transposition of great arteries with interrupted aortic arch. The child ultimately succumbed to sepsis before the surgical repair was possible. We focus on an image modality report and propose what could be a brief embryologic explanation for this rare case
‘Keeping the plates spinning’: a qualitative study of the complexity, barriers, and facilitators to caregiving in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Pearson Clare R , Forsyth Faye , Khair Eva , Sowden Emma , Borja Boluda Susana , Deaton Christi ,   Optimise HFpEF Investigators, Chakravorty Mollika , Maclachlan Sophie , Kane Edward , Odone Jessica , Thorley Natasha , Borja-Boluda Susana , Wellwood Ian , Sowden Emma , Blakeman Thomas , Chew-Graham Carolyn , Hossain Muhammed , Sharpley John , Gordon Brain , Taffe Joanna , Long Aaron , Aziz Affan , Swayze Hannah , Rutter Heather , Schramm Chris , MacDonald Sine , Papworth Helena , Smith Julie , Needs Craig , Cronk David , Newark Chris , Blake Duncan , Brown Alistair , Basuita Amman , Gayton Emma , Glover Victoria , Fox Robin , Crawshaw Jonathan , Ashdown Helen , A’Court Christine , Ayerst Rachael , Hernandez-Diaz Basilio , Knox Kyle , Wooding Nick , Wanninayake Shamila , Keast Christopher , Jones Adam , Brown Katherine , Matthew Gaw , Thomas Nick , Dixon Sharon , Angeleri-Rand Elisabetta
Published: March 2022

Aims

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for 50% of all heart failure cases; yet remains poorly understood, diagnosed, and managed, which adds complexity to the carer role. No study to date has investigated the experiences of informal carers of people with HFpEF. The aim of this study was to explore the role and experiences of informal carers of people with HFpEF.

Methods and results

A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews involving carers alone, patients alone, or carer/patient dyads. The interviews were part of a larger programme of research in HFpEF. Participants were recruited from three regions of England. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. Twenty-two interviews were conducted with 38 participants, 17 were informal carers. Three inter-related themes were identified: Theme 1, the complex nature of informal caregiving (‘spinning plates’); Theme 2, the barriers to caregiving (‘the spinning falters’); and Theme 3, the facilitators of caregiving (‘keeping the plates spinning’).

Conclusions

Informal carers play an important role in supporting people with HFpEF. The experience of caregiving in HFpEF is similar to that described for Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction, but complicated by challenges of limited information and support specific to HFpEF, and high burden of multi-morbidity. Healthcare providers should assess the needs of informal carers as part of patient care in HFpEF. Carers and patients would benefit from improved information and co-ordinated management of HFpEF and multi-morbidities. Helping carers ‘keep the plates spinning’ will require innovative approaches and co-ordination across the care continuum.
Patient-reported outcome is associated with health care costs in patients with ischaemic heart disease and arrhythmia
Authors: Mols Rikke E , Borregaard Britt , Løgstrup Brian B , Rasmussen Trine B , Thrysoee Lars , Thorup Charlotte B , Christensen Anne V , Ekholm Ola , Rasmussen Anne A , Eiskjær Hans , Risør Bettina W , Berg Selina K
Published: March 2022

Aims

Systematic use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have the potential to improve quality of care and reduce costs of health care services. We aimed to describe whether PROs in patients diagnosed with heart disease are directly associated with health care costs.

Methods and results

A national cross-sectional survey including PROs at discharge from a heart centre with 1-year follow-up using data from national registers. We included patients with either ischaemic heart disease (IHD), arrhythmia, heart failure (HF), or valvular heart disease (VHD). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the heart-specific quality of life, the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire, and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale were used. The economic analysis was based on direct costs including primary, secondary health care, and medical treatment. Patient-reported outcomes were available from 13 463 eligible patients out of 25.241 [IHD (n = 7179), arrhythmia (n = 4322), HF (n = 987), or VHD (n = 975)]. Mean annual total direct costs in all patients were €23 228 (patients with IHD: €19 479, patients with arrhythmia: €21 076, patients with HF: €34 747, patients with VDH: €48 677). Hospitalizations contributed overall to the highest part of direct costs. For patients discharged with IHD or arrhythmia, symptoms of anxiety or depression, worst heart-specific quality of life or health status, and the highest symptom burden were associated with increased economic expenditure. We found no associations in patients with HF or VHD.

Conclusion

Patient-reported outcomes at discharge from a heart centre were associated with direct health care costs in patients with IHD and arrhythmia.

Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01926145.
ComammoxNitrospirabacteria outnumber canonical nitrifiers irrespective of electron donor mode and availability in biofiltration systems
Authors: Vilardi Katherine J , Cotto Irmarie , Sevillano Maria , Dai Zihan , Anderson Christopher L , Pinto Ameet
Published: March 2022

Complete ammonia oxidizing bacteria coexist with canonical ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria in a wide range of environments. Whether this is due to competitive or cooperative interactions, or a result of niche separation is not yet clear. Understanding the factors driving coexistence of nitrifiers is critical to manage nitrification processes occurring in engineered and natural ecosystems. In this study, microcosm-based experiments were used to investigate the impact of nitrogen source and loading on the population dynamics of nitrifiers in drinking water biofilter media. Shotgun sequencing of DNA followed by co-assembly and reconstruction of metagenome assembled genomes revealed clade A2 comammox bacteria were likely the primary nitrifiers within microcosms and increased in abundance over Nitrosomonas-like ammonia and Nitrospira-like nitrite oxidizing bacteria irrespective of nitrogen source type or loading. Changes in comammox bacterial abundance did not correlate with either ammonia or nitrite oxidizing bacterial abundance in urea-amended systems, where metabolic reconstruction indicated potential for cross-feeding between strict ammonia and nitrite oxidizers. In contrast, comammox bacterial abundance demonstrated a negative correlation with nitrite oxidizers in ammonia-amended systems. This suggests potentially weaker synergistic relationships between strict ammonia and nitrite oxidizers might enable comammox bacteria to displace strict nitrite oxidizers from complex nitrifying communities.
The effect of antifungal resistance development on the virulence of Candida species
Authors: Bohner Flora , Papp Csaba , Gácser Attila
Published: March 2022

In recent years, the relevance of diseases associated with fungal pathogens increased worldwide. Members of the Candida genus are responsible for the greatest number of fungal bloodstream infections every year. Epidemiological data consistently indicate a modest shift toward non-albicans species, albeit Candidaalbicans is still the most recognizable species within the genus. As a result, the number of clinically relevant pathogens has increased, and, despite their distinct pathogenicity features, the applicable antifungal agents remained the same. For bloodstream infections, only three classes of drugs are routinely used, namely polyenes, azoles and echinocandins. Antifungal resistance toward all three antifungal drug classes frequently occurs in clinical settings. Compared with the broad range of literature on virulence and antifungal resistance of Candida species separately, only a small portion of studies examined the effect of resistance on virulence. These studies found that resistance to polyenes and echinocandins concluded in significant decrease in the virulence in different Candida species. Meanwhile, in some cases, resistance to azole type antifungals resulted in increased virulence depending on the species and isolates. These findings underline the importance of studies aiming to dissect the connections of virulence and resistance in Candida species.
Does Context Count? The Association Between Quality of Care and Job Characteristics in Residential Aged Care and Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hodroj Batoul , Way Kïrsten A , Scott Theresa L , Wright April L , Manchha Asmita
Published: March 2022

Background and Objectives

Within residential aged care settings, reduced quality of care (QoC), abuse, and neglect have been global phenomena which require urgent intervention. As the reported rate of these problems is much higher in aged care compared to hospital settings, we investigated whether differing job design characteristics between the 2 settings might explain the difference.

Research Design and Methods

We used a meta-analysis to compare differences in the relationships between high job demands, low job resources, and job strain with QoC and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) across aged care and hospital settings.

Results

Data were extracted from 42 studies (n = 55 effects). QoC was negatively correlated with high job demands (ρ¯ = −0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.29, −0.15, k = 7), low job resources (ρ¯ = −0.40, 95% CI: −0.47, −0.32, k = 15), and job strain (ρ¯ = −0.32, 95% CI: −0.38, −0.25, k = 22), CWBs had a positive relationship with job demands (ρ¯ = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.59, k = 3) and job strain (ρ¯ = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.56, k = 6). The association between poor QoC and low job resources was stronger in aged care (r = −0.46, 95% CI: −0.55, −0.36, k = 8) than in hospital settings (r = −0.30, 95% CI: −0.41, −0.18, k = 7).

Discussion and Implications

Our findings suggest that relationships between low job resources and poor QoC are exacerbated in residential aged care contexts. To improve care outcomes, stakeholders should improve job resources such as skill discretion, supervisory supports, and increased training and staffing levels in residential aged care.
Structure–function relationship of a novel fucoside-binding fruiting body lectin from Coprinopsis cinerea exhibiting nematotoxic activity
Authors: Bleuler-Martinez Silvia , Varrot Annabelle , Olieric Vincent , Schubert Mario , Vogt Eva , Fetz Céline , Wohlschlager Therese , Plaza David Fernando , Wälti Martin , Duport Yannick , Capitani Guido , Aebi Markus , Künzler Markus
Published: March 2022

Lectins are non-immunoglobulin-type proteins that bind to specific carbohydrate epitopes and play important roles in intra- and inter-organismic interactions. Here, we describe a novel fucose-specific lectin, termed CML1, which we identified from fruiting body extracts of Coprinopsis cinerea. For further characterization, the coding sequence for CML1 was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Feeding of CML1-producing bacteria inhibited larval development of the bacterivorous nematode Caenorhabditis tropicalis, but not of C. elegans. The crystal structure of the recombinant protein in its apo-form and in complex with H type I or Lewis A blood group antigens was determined by X-ray crystallography. The protein folds as a sandwich of 2 antiparallel β-sheets and forms hexamers resulting from a trimer of dimers. The hexameric arrangement was confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). One carbohydrate-binding site per protomer was found at the dimer interface with both protomers contributing to ligand binding, resulting in a hexavalent lectin. In terms of lectin activity of recombinant CML1, substitution of the carbohydrate-interacting residues His54, Asn55, Trp94, and Arg114 by Ala abolished carbohydrate-binding and nematotoxicity. Although no similarities to any characterized lectin were found, sequence alignments identified many non-characterized agaricomycete proteins. These results suggest that CML1 is the founding member of a novel family of fucoside-binding lectins involved in the defense of agaricomycete fruiting bodies against predation by fungivorous nematodes.
Expanding the molecular spectrum of pathogenicSHOC2variants underlying Mazzanti syndrome
Authors: Motta Marialetizia , Solman Maja , Bonnard Adeline A , Kuechler Alma , Pantaleoni Francesca , Priolo Manuela , Chandramouli Balasubramanian , Coppola Simona , Pizzi Simone , Zara Erika , Ferilli Marco , Kayserili Hülya , Onesimo Roberta , Leoni Chiara , Brinkmann Julia , Vial Yoann , Kamphausen Susanne B , Thomas-Teinturier Cécile , Guimier Anne , Cordeddu Viviana , Mazzanti Laura , Zampino Giuseppe , Chillemi Giovanni , Zenker Martin , Cavé Hélène , den Hertog Jeroen , Tartaglia Marco
Published: March 2022

We previously molecularly and clinically characterized Mazzanti syndrome, a RASopathy related to Noonan syndrome that is mostly caused by a single recurrent missense variant (c.4A > G, p.Ser2Gly) in SHOC2, which encodes a leucine-rich repeat-containing protein facilitating signal flow through the RAS-mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. We also documented that the pathogenic p.Ser2Gly substitution causes upregulation of MAPK signaling and constitutive targeting of SHOC2 to the plasma membrane due to the introduction of an N-myristoylation recognition motif. The almost invariant occurrence of the pathogenic c.4A > G missense change in SHOC2 is mirrored by a relatively homogeneous clinical phenotype of Mazzanti syndrome. Here, we provide new data on the clinical spectrum and molecular diversity of this disorder and functionally characterize new pathogenic variants. The clinical phenotype of six unrelated individuals carrying novel disease-causing SHOC2 variants is delineated, and public and newly collected clinical data are utilized to profile the disorder. In silico, in vitro and in vivo characterization of the newly identified variants provides evidence that the consequences of these missense changes on SHOC2 functional behavior differ from what had been observed for the canonical p.Ser2Gly change but converge toward an enhanced activation of the RAS-MAPK pathway. Our findings expand the molecular spectrum of pathogenic SHOC2 variants, provide a more accurate picture of the phenotypic expression associated with variants in this gene and definitively establish a gain-of-function behavior as the mechanism of disease.
Does early surgery result in improved long-term survival compared to watchful waiting in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic regurgitation with preserved ejection fraction?
Authors: Heuts Samuel , Kawczynski Michal J , Maessen J G , Bidar Elham
Published: March 2022

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: In patients with asymptomatic severe aortic regurgitation with preserved ejection fraction, is early surgery superior to watchful waiting in terms of long-term survival? Altogether, 648 papers were found using the reported search, 3 of which represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question (all level III evidence). The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. The 3 included studies comprised 469 patients. All 3 studies attempted to correct for potential baseline differences by different matching methods. As a result, a predominantly beneficial effect of early surgery on long-term survival in patients with severe asymptomatic AR and preserved LV function was observed, whereas none of the studies demonstrated a disadvantageous effect. Still, because many of the initially conservatively treated patients eventually proceed to surgery, longer term follow-up is warranted. Of note, older patients especially seem to adapt more poorly to chronic volume overload due to aortic regurgitation, making them potential candidates for a more aggressive approach. However, when a justified watchful waiting strategy is applied, close, extensive monitoring seems to be imperative, because the development of class I and II triggers seems to lead to improved survival.
Schubert Polynomials, the Inhomogeneous TASEP, and Evil-Avoiding Permutations
Authors: Kim Donghyun , Williams Lauren K
Published: March 2022

Consider a lattice of n sites arranged around a ring, with the $n$ sites occupied by particles of weights $\{1,2,\ldots ,n\}$; the possible arrangements of particles in sites thus correspond to the $n!$ permutations in $S_n$. The inhomogeneous totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (or TASEP) is a Markov chain on $S_n$, in which two adjacent particles of weights $i<j$ swap places at rate $x_i - y_{n+1-j}$ if the particle of weight $j$ is to the right of the particle of weight $i$. (Otherwise, nothing happens.) When $y_i=0$ for all $i$, the stationary distribution was conjecturally linked to Schubert polynomials [18], and explicit formulas for steady state probabilities were subsequently given in terms of multiline queues [4, 5]. In the case of general $y_i$, Cantini [7] showed that $n$ of the $n!$ states have probabilities proportional to double Schubert polynomials. In this paper, we introduce the class of evil-avoiding permutations, which are the permutations avoiding the patterns $2413, 4132, 4213,$ and $3214$. We show that there are $\frac {(2+\sqrt {2})^{n-1}+(2-\sqrt {2})^{n-1}}{2}$ evil-avoiding permutations in $S_n$, and for each evil-avoiding permutation $w$, we give an explicit formula for the steady state probability $\psi _w$ as a product of double Schubert polynomials. (Conjecturally, all other probabilities are proportional to a positive sum of at least two Schubert polynomials.) When $y_i=0$ for all $i$, we give multiline queue formulas for the $\textbf {z}$-deformed steady state probabilities and use this to prove the monomial factor conjecture from [18]. Finally, we show that the Schubert polynomials arising in our formulas are flagged Schur functions, and we give a bijection in this case between multiline queues and semistandard Young tableaux.
Drug concentration at the site of disease in children with pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Lopez-Varela Elisa , Abulfathi Ahmed A. , Strydom Natasha , Goussard Pierre , van Wyk Abraham C. , Demers Anne Marie , Deventer Anneen Van , Garcia-Prats Anthony J. , van der Merwe Johannes , Zimmerman Matthew , Carter Claire L. , Janson Jacques , Morrison Julie , Reuter Helmuth , Decloedt Eric H. , Seddon James A. , Svensson Elin M. , Warren Rob , Savic Radojka M. , Dartois Véronique , Hesseling Anneke C.
Published: March 2022

Background

Current TB treatment for children is not optimized to provide adequate drug levels in TB lesions. Dose optimization of first-line antituberculosis drugs to increase exposure at the site of disease could facilitate more optimal treatment and future treatment-shortening strategies across the disease spectrum in children with pulmonary TB.

Objectives

To determine the concentrations of first-line antituberculosis drugs at the site of disease in children with intrathoracic TB.

Methods

We quantified drug concentrations in tissue samples from 13 children, median age 8.6 months, with complicated forms of pulmonary TB requiring bronchoscopy or transthoracic surgical lymph node decompression in a tertiary hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Pharmacokinetic models were used to describe drug penetration characteristics and to simulate concentration profiles for bronchoalveolar lavage, homogenized lymph nodes, and cellular and necrotic lymph node lesions.

Results

Isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide showed lower penetration in most lymph node areas compared with plasma, while ethambutol accumulated in tissue. None of the drugs studied was able to reach target concentration in necrotic lesions.

Conclusions

Despite similar penetration characteristics compared with adults, low plasma exposures in children led to low site of disease exposures for all drugs except for isoniazid.
A video-based SlowFastMTB model for detection of small amounts of smoke from incipient forest fires
Authors: Choi Minseok , Kim Chungeon , Oh Hyunseok
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes a video-based SlowFast model that combines the SlowFast deep learning model with a new boundary box annotation algorithm. The new algorithm, namely the MTB (i.e., the ratio of the number of Moving object pixels To the number of Bounding box pixels) algorithm, is devised to automatically annotate the bounding box that includes the smoke with fuzzy boundaries. The model parameters of the MTB algorithm are examined by multifactor analysis of variance. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, a case study is provided that examines real video clips of incipient forest fires with small amounts of smoke. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with those of existing deep learning models, including convolutional neural network (CNN), faster region-based CNN (faster R-CNN), and SlowFast. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach achieves enhanced detection accuracy, while reducing false negative rates.
Inversion of horizontal in situ stress field based on wide-azimuth seismic data
Authors: Yang Jingyang , Zhang Fanchang , Li Chuanhui
Published: March 2022

In situ stress is a significant rock mechanics parameter, which is widely used in many aspects of the petroleum industry. Horizontal in situ stress is an important part of in situ stress. Hence, how to obtain accurate information as to horizontal stress can vary with azimuth has been widely explored. A new prediction method for in situ stress on a horizontal plane is proposed here. This new method analyses the relationship between seismic data, fracture orientation and a horizontal in situ stress field. Through a series of actual data, it is found that azimuth seismic data and azimuth elastic modulus can effectively point out the direction of the horizontal stress. Meanwhile, the magnitude of horizontal stress is shown to be closely related to a combination of rock elastic modulus and seismic amplitude according to a further analysis of log and wide-azimuth seismic data. Under this premise, an objective function of horizontal in situ stress field inversion using azimuth seismic data is established. Finally, the inversion of a horizontal in situ stress field based on wide-azimuth seismic data is realized. This inversion method can simultaneously invert the maximum horizontal stress, minimum horizontal stress and their orientations, which optimizes the prediction process of a horizontal in situ stress field and establish a new method for the prediction of horizontal in situ stress fields. The application of actual data also verifies the prediction accuracy of this method.
Nutritive Value of Wheat Bran Diets Supplemented With Fresh Carrots and Wet Brewers’ Grains in Yellow Mealworm
Authors: Fasce B , Ródenas L , López M C , Moya V J , Pascual J J , Cambra-López M
Published: March 2022

We evaluated the effect of supplementation of a wheat bran (WB) diet with fresh carrots (FC) or wet brewer’s grains (WBG) on the growth performance and chemical composition of Tenebrio molitor larvae. Additionally, a digestibility trial was performed to determine the nutritional value of the raw materials used. The control diet was based on WB-only. Two other diets were formulated in which WB was supplemented with FC (FC diet) or with WBG (WBG diet). The experiment was conducted in trays (12 per treatment) and lasted 90 d. Larval weight, feed intake, and excreted feces were controlled in each tray the experiment. The digestibility trial was performed from 48 to 62 d post-hatch. Results showed digestibility coefficients of ashes, crude protein, and gross energy were significantly higher in FC diet compared with the other diets. Consequently, both digestible energy (DE) and digestible protein (DP) contents of FC were also significantly higher than those obtained for WB and WBG diets (on av. +1.12 megajoule [MJ] DE and +9.15 g DP per kg dry matter [DM]; P < 0.003). Mealworms fed FC diet showed significantly higher final weight and average daily gain than those fed the WBG diet (+12.4%), being higher in WBG than in WB diet (+3.5%). Dietary treatment did not affect DM, ashes, ether extract, and crude protein content of mealworms obtained. Some dietary effects on amino acid and fatty acid composition were observed. This study provides novel data and a unique experimental approach to assess the nutritional value of raw materials in mealworms.
Medial Gap: A Structural Factor at the Arterial Bifurcation Aggravating Hemodynamic Insult
Authors: Chen Bo , Tao Wengui , Li Shifu , Zeng Ming , Zhang Liyang , Huang Zheng , Chen Fenghua
Published: March 2022

Previous studies have reported that intracranial aneurysms frequently occur adjacent to the medial gap. However, the role of the medial gap in aneurysm formation is controversial. We designed this study to explore the potential role of the medial gap in aneurysm formation. Widened artery bifurcations with or without medial gaps were microsurgically created and pathologically stained in the carotid arteries of 30 rats. Numerical artery bifurcation models were constructed, and bidirectional fluid-solid interaction analyses were performed. Animal experiments showed that the apexes of widened bifurcations with a medial gap were prone to being insulted by blood flow compared to those without a medial gap. The bidirectional fluid-solid interaction analyses indicated that artery bifurcations with the medial gap exhibited higher wall shear stress (WSS) and von Mises stress (VMS) at the apex of the bifurcation. The disparity of stress between the gap and no-gap model was larger for widened bifurcations, peaking at 180° with a maximum of 1.9 folds. The maximum VMS and relatively high WSS were located at the junction between the medial gap and the adjacent arterial wall. Our results suggest that the medial gap at the widened arterial bifurcation may promote aneurysm formation.
Bad for business: the construction of modern slavery and the reconfiguration of sovereignty
Authors: Fudge Judy
Published: March 2022

Although the UN calls on governments to end modern slavery, Walk Free, a private foundation connected to the faith-based abolitionist movement, leads the private-public network to eliminate slavery from transnational supply chains. Examining the network’s governance techniques reveals how scale and governance are reconfiguring sovereignty beyond the territory of the nation state and aligning it with neoliberal governmentality.
Digital emotivescapes: Everyday media practices of Sahrawi refugee diasporic women in Spain and Mauritania
Authors: Almenara-Niebla Silvia
Published: March 2022

This article evaluates the concept of ‘emotivescapes’ as a way of addressing digitally emotional processes of belonging among conflict-generated diasporas. It examines the empirical potential of the concept based on the Sahrawi refugee diaspora in Spain and Mauritania and the connection of its members with their ‘home-camps’ in Algeria. To this end, the article explores everyday digital media practices that reveal the circulation of emotions among the Sahrawi community outside of the refugee camps at the intersection of intimate, community, and national spheres. The research focuses on the experiences of 32 women, considers Sahrawi gender roles, and argues for enriching emotional debates in the diaspora space. The findings demonstrate how female media practices in protracted situations of displacement are negotiated through emotional attachments in not only direct social interactions but also memories and imaginations that are reformulated from the intimate to the national levels.