bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cropping patterns of shifting cultivation farming in Palasa Highlands, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Syafruddin  , Suwitra I Ketut , Wahyuni Andi Nirma , Rahayu Heni SP , Saidah
Published: December 2022

The research stages consist of identification on potential application of agricultural technology and study on cropping patterns, namely cropping pattern of shallot-shallot-shallot and shallot-peanut- shallot. The research was carried out from November to October 2017 in mountainous area that many farmers were engaged in nomadic farming. The study aims to identify problems and potential land use for the application of agricultural technology and study appropriate cropping patterns to increase income for shifting cultivation. The results showed that the condition of the land was less fertile, very steep slope with traditional existing farming technology, so the risk of crop failure was very high and the land quality decreased very quickly due to the erosion. The results of the analysis of farming feasibility and Marginal Benefit Cost Ratio (MBCR) in the introduction of cropping patterns is very feasible to be developed with B/C and MBCR values more than 1.
A three-dimensional numerical study on the effect of geometric asymmetry on arcjet thruster performance
Authors: NANDYALA Hari Prasad , KUMAR Amit , THANKAPPAN Jayachandran
Published: December 2022

In an arcjet thruster, the cathode and constrictor degrade with time, and the electrical arc discharge may become unsymmetrical. In this work, a three-dimensional numerical model of a hydrogen plasma arcjet is developed and validated to study the effect of unsymmetrical electric arc discharge on thruster performance. The unsymmetrical arc discharge is realized by introducing a radial shift of the cathode so that the cathode tip offset is 80 μm (25% of the constrictor radius). Simulations are conducted for both axially centered cathode (coaxial) and off-centered cathode (non-coaxial) configurations with identical propellant flow rates and input current. Simulations show asymmetrical arc discharge in the non-coaxial cathode configuration, resulting in azimuthally asymmetric Joule heating, species concentrations, and velocity field. This asymmetry continues as the plasma expands in the divergent section of the nozzle. Temperature, species concentrations, and axial velocity exhibit asymmetric radial distribution at the nozzle exit. The computed Joule heating was found to reduce with cathode shift, and consequently, the thrust and specific impulse of the thruster was decreased by about 6.6%. In the case of the non-coaxial cathode, geometric asymmetry also induces a small side thrust.
Two stars theorems for traces of the Zygmund space
Authors: Brudnyi A.
Published: December 2022

For a Banach space

X
X

defined in terms of a big-

O
O

condition and its subspace x defined by the corresponding little-

o
o

condition, the biduality property (generalizing the concept of reflexivity) asserts that the bidual of x is naturally isometrically isomorphic to

X
X

. The property is known for pairs of many classical function spaces (such as

(

ℓ
∞

,

c
0

)

(\ell _\infty , c_0)

, (BMO, VMO), (Lip, lip), etc.) and plays an important role in the study of their geometric structure. The present paper is devoted to the biduality property for traces to closed subsets

S
⊂

R

n

S\subset \mathbb {R}^n

of a generalized Zygmund space

Z
ω

(

R

n

)

Z^\omega (\mathbb {R}^n)

. The method of the proof is based on a careful analysis of the structure of geometric preduals of the trace spaces along with a powerful finiteness theorem for the trace spaces

Z
ω

(

R

n

)

|

S

Z^\omega (\mathbb {R}^n)|_S

.
Frequency and clinical outcomes of pharmacist-driven switching from warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants in an underserved patient population: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Bartholomew Rebekah R , Noble Brie N , Stanislaw Jennifer J , Viehmann Megan , Herink Megan C , Furuno Jon P
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) medications have improved safety, efficacy, and laboratory monitoring requirements compared to warfarin. However, available data are limited on the frequency and clinical outcomes of pharmacist-driven warfarin-to-DOAC switches. We aimed to quantify the frequencies and rationale of warfarin-to-DOAC switches in an underserved population. We also assessed clinical outcomes and compliance with recommended laboratory monitoring after switches.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included adult (age 18 years or older) patients on warfarin who were assessed by a clinical pharmacist for switch appropriateness to a DOAC. Study data were collected via manual chart review and included demographics, comorbid illnesses, switch status, the rationale for or against switching, incidence of thromboses and bleeds within 6 months of the switch assessment, and the time to the first complete blood count and renal and hepatic function tests after the switch. Statistical analysis utilized descriptive statistics, including the mean and SD, median and interquartile range, and frequencies and percentages.

Results

Among 189 eligible patients, 108 (57%) were switched from warfarin to a DOAC. The primary rationales for switching were less monitoring (64%) and labile international normalized ratio (32%). The main reason against switching was DOAC inappropriateness (53%), such as in morbid obesity (14%). Patient preference was commonly cited in both groups (54% and 36%, respectively). The overall incidence of thrombotic events (9%) and bleeds (15%) after switch assessment was low. Laboratory monitoring after switches was consistent with current recommendations.

Conclusion

No increase in harm was observed 6 months after switch assessment when pharmacists at a family medicine clinic switched underserved patients from warfarin to DOACs.
Genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns of the dioecious palmChamaedorea tepejilote(Arecaceae) in Costa Rica: the role of mountain ranges and possible refugia
Authors: Fuchs Eric J , Cascante-Marín Alfredo , Madrigal-Brenes Ruth , Quesada Mauricio
Published: December 2022

Gene flow connects populations and is necessary to sustain effective population sizes, and genetic diversity. In the Lower Central American (LCA) region, the complex topographic and climatic history have produced a wide variety of habitats resulting in high biodiversity. Phylogeographic studies of plants from this area are scarce, and to date none have been conducted on palms. We used SSR and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) markers to study the genetic diversity and structure of populations of the understory palm Chamaedorea tepejilote in Costa Rica. We found that populations of C. tepejilote have moderate to high nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) genetic diversity, likely due to large population sizes and its outcrossing mating system. Habitat loss and fragmentation may have contributed to increased genetic structure within slopes. High-elevation mountain ranges appeared to be a significant barrier for gene flow among populations in the Caribbean and Pacific slopes; however, ranges are permeable through low-elevation passes. In contrast, most populations had a single distinct cpDNA haplotype, supporting the hypothesis of several isolated populations that experienced decline that likely resulted in eroded cytoplasmic genetic diversity within populations. The haplotype network and Bayesian analysis linked populations in the Caribbean and the southern Pacific coast, suggesting that gene flow between Pacific and Caribbean populations may have occurred through the southern extreme of the Talamanca Mountain range in Panama, a colonization pathway not previously suggested for LCA plants. This is one of the first phylogeographic studies conducted on tropical palms in the LCA region and the first in the genus Chamaedorea, which sheds light on possible gene flow and dispersal patterns of C. tepejilote in Costa Rica. Our results also highlight the importance of mountain ranges on shaping gene flow patterns of Neotropical plants.
Behind the veil: the effect of banning the Islamic veil in schools
Authors: Maurin Éric , Navarrete H Nicolás
Published: December 2022

The Islamic veil is a subject of intense controversy in many Western countries. In particular, it remains an open question whether banning the veil in schools prevents female Muslim students from engaging in normal schooling, or whether it is a policy that promotes their integration. We shed light on this question by exploring the effects of the 1994 ministerial circular that required French schools to ban Islamic veils. We show that the ban coincided with a significant improvement in the educational attainment of female students of Muslim origin, as well as a rise in mixed marriages.
Peak Expiratory Flow Predicts Incident Dementia in a Representative Sample of U.S. Older Adults: The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS).
Authors: Donahue Patrick T , Xue Qian-Li , Carlson Michelle C
Published: December 2022

Background

Dementia is an increasingly important public health problem with various risk factors. Respiratory function, measured via peak expiratory flow (PEF), may be a modifiable dementia risk factor.

Methods

We investigated the association between PEF and incident dementia in 5 935 older adults from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) from 2011 to 2014. Baseline PEF, expressed as a standardized residual (SR) percentile, was analyzed as a predictor of incident dementia using discrete-time proportional hazards models, while controlling for several health and sociodemographic covariates.

Results

After 14 332 person-years of follow-up, 9.0% (N = 536) had incident cases of dementia. Compared to the lowest PEF category (SR-percentile < 10%), the highest PEF category (SR-percentile ≥ 80%) had 49% lower risk of incident dementia (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.37, 0.71]), and the second highest PEF category (SR-percentile 50%–80%) had 25% lower risk of incident dementia (HR = 0.75; 95% CI [0.56, 1.00]). A sensitivity analysis using multiple imputation to account for missing PEF measurements yielded similar associations with incident dementia.

Conclusion

These associations suggest a dose–dependent relationship such that higher PEF categories were more protective against incident dementia. PEF may be considered as an easily administered, low-cost measure of respiratory function and a potentially modifiable dementia risk factor. Improving PEF may reduce dementia risk through vascular mechanisms, such as increased brain oxygenation. Future research should explore potential causal pathways between PEF and dementia.
Age Differences in Prosocial Behavior Depend on Effort Costs
Authors: Byrne Kaileigh A , Lockwood Patricia L , Ghaiumy Anaraky Reza , Liu Yizhou
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study examined age differences in willingness to engage in effortful and effortless prosocial behavior for a fully anonymous recipient.

Method

Participants were recruited through the Prolific online recruitment platform. In Experiment 1, older (N = 46) and younger (N = 65) adults completed the “pay-it-forward” effortful decision-making task with fixed effort demands and a version of the Dictator Game, an effortless prosocial decision-making task. In Experiment 2, older (N = 38) and younger (N = 42) adults completed the Dictator Game and a modified pay-it-forward decision-making task in which effort demands were calibrated to one’s ability.

Results

In both Experiments 1 and 2, older adults were more prosocial than younger adults on the effortless Dictator Game. In Experiment 1, older adults were less prosocial across all trials of the effortful pay-it-forward task. However, when the task was more achievable in Experiment 2, older adults were only less prosocial when the probability of a reward was low.

Discussion

In everyday life, many prosocial contexts depend on effort expenditure. When prosocial activities are effortful, older adults are less willing to engage in prosocial behavior, particularly when reward likelihood is low, and instead focus on resource conservation. In the absence of such effort costs, older adults are more prosocial than younger adults. This work suggests that older adults may prefer to engage in prosocial behavior more than younger adults, but physical resource constraints may limit their ability to engage in such effortful prosocial activities.
Martingale product estimators for sensitivity analysis in computational statistical physics
Authors: Plecháč Petr , Stoltz Gabriel , Wang Ting
Published: December 2022

We introduce a new class of estimators for the linear response of steady states of stochastic dynamics. We generalize the likelihood ratio approach and formulate the linear response as a product of two martingales, hence the name ‘martingale product estimators’. We present a systematic derivation of the martingale product estimator, and show how to construct such estimator so that its bias is consistent with the weak order of the numerical scheme that approximates the underlying stochastic differential equation. Motivated by the estimation of transport properties in molecular systems, we present a rigorous numerical analysis of the bias and variance for these new estimators in the case of Langevin dynamics. We prove that the variance is uniformly bounded in time and derive a specific form of the estimator for second-order splitting schemes for Langevin dynamics. For comparison, we also study the bias and variance of a Green–Kubo (GK) estimator, motivated, in part, by its variance growing linearly in time. We compare on illustrative numerical tests the new estimators with results obtained by the GK method.
Tomographic Alcock–Paczynski method with redshift errors
Authors: Xiao Liang , Huang Zhiqi , Zheng Yi , Wang Xin , Li Xiao-Dong
Published: December 2022

The tomographic Alcock–Paczynski (AP) method is a promising method that uses the redshift evolution of anisotropic clustering in redshift space to calibrate cosmology. It extends the applicable range of the AP method to substantially nonlinear scales, yielding very tight cosmological constraints. For future stage-IV slitless spectroscopic surveys, non-negligible redshift errors might reduce the advantage of the tomographic AP method by suppressing the resolution of the nonlinear structure along the line of sight. The present work studies how redshift errors propagate to cosmological parameters in tomographic AP analysis. We use a formula σz = σ(1 + z)α to model the redshift errors, with σ varying from 0.001 to 0.006 and α varying from 0.5 to 1.5. The redshift errors produce a signal of anisotropic clustering that is similar to a strong Finger-of-God effect, which smears out both the AP signal and the contamination caused by redshift-space distortions (RSD). For the target precision of the Chinese Space Station Telescope optical survey (σ ≲ 0.002), the decrement of constraining power on the dark energy equation of state is mild ($\lesssim 50{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$), and the suppression of RSD contamination leads to a smaller bias-to-signal ratio. Our results indicate that the tomographic AP method will remain a useful and complementary tool for analyses of future slitless spectroscopic surveys.
The galaxy morphology–density relation in the EAGLE simulation
Authors: Pfeffer Joel , Cavanagh Mitchell K , Bekki Kenji , Couch Warrick J , Drinkwater Michael J , Forbes Duncan A , Koribalski Bärbel S
Published: December 2022

The optical morphology of galaxies is strongly related to galactic environment, with the fraction of early-type galaxies increasing with local galaxy density. In this work, we present the first analysis of the galaxy morphology–density relation in a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation. We use a convolutional neural network, trained on observed galaxies, to perform visual morphological classification of galaxies with stellar masses $M_\ast \gt 10^{10} \, \rm {M}_{\odot }$ in the EAGLE simulation into elliptical, lenticular and late-type (spiral/irregular) classes. We find that EAGLE reproduces both the galaxy morphology–density and morphology–mass relations. Using the simulations, we find three key processes that result in the observed morphology–density relation: (i) transformation of disc-dominated galaxies from late-type (spiral) to lenticular galaxies through gas stripping in high-density environments, (ii) formation of lenticular galaxies by merger-induced black hole feedback in low-density environments, and (iii) an increasing fraction of high-mass galaxies, which are more often elliptical galaxies, at higher galactic densities.
COMET: Clustering observables modelled by emulated perturbation theory
Authors: Eggemeier Alexander , Camacho-Quevedo Benjamin , Pezzotta Andrea , Crocce Martin , Scoccimarro Román , Sánchez Ariel G
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we present COMET, a Gaussian process emulator of the galaxy power spectrum multipoles in redshift space. The model predictions are based on one-loop perturbation theory and we consider two alternative descriptions of redshift-space distortions: one that performs a full expansion of the real- to redshift-space mapping, as in recent effective field theory models, and another that preserves the non-perturbative impact of small-scale velocities by means of an effective damping function. The outputs of COMET can be obtained at arbitrary redshifts, for arbitrary fiducial background cosmologies, and for a large parameter space that covers the shape parameters ωc, ωb, and ns, as well as the evolution parameters h, As, ΩK, w0, and wa. This flexibility does not impair COMET’s accuracy, since we exploit an exact degeneracy between the evolution parameters that allows us to train the emulator on a significantly reduced parameter space. While the predictions are sped up by two orders of magnitude, validation tests reveal an accuracy of $0.1\, {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for the monopole and quadrupole ($0.3\, {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ for the hexadecapole), or alternatively, better than $0.25\, \sigma$ for all three multipoles in comparison to statistical uncertainties expected for the Euclid survey with a tenfold increase in volume. We show that these differences translate into shifts in mean posterior values that are at most of the same size, meaning that COMET can be used with the same confidence as the exact underlying models. COMET is a publicly available python package that also provides the tree-level bispectrum multipoles and Gaussian covariance matrices.
Interacting galaxies in the IllustrisTNG simulations − IV: enhanced supermassive black hole accretion rates in post-merger galaxies
Authors: Byrne-Mamahit Shoshannah , Hani Maan H , Ellison Sara L , Quai Salvatore , Patton David R
Published: December 2022

We present an analysis of the instantaneous supermassive black hole (SMBH) accretion rates in a collection of 1563 post-merger galaxies drawn from the IllustrisTNG simulation. Our sample consists of galaxies that have experienced a merger in the last simulation snapshot (within ∼ 160 Myrs of coalescence) in the redshift range 0 < z < 1, with merger stellar mass ratios >1: 10 and post-merger stellar masses >1010M⊙. We find that, on average, the accretion rates of the post-mergers are ∼1.7 times higher than in a control sample and that post-mergers are three to four times more likely to experience a luminous active galactic nuclei (AGN) phase than isolated galaxies. SMBH accretion rate enhancements persist for ∼2 Gyrs after coalescence, significantly exceeding the ∼500 Myr lifetime of star formation rate enhancements. We find that the presence of simultaneous enhancements in both the star formation and SMBH accretion rates depends on both the mass ratio of the merger and on the gas mass of the post-merger galaxy. Despite these accretion rate enhancements, only ∼35 per cent of post-mergers experience a luminous AGN (Lbol > 1044erg/s) within 500 Myrs after coalescence, and fewer than 10 per cent achieve a luminosity in excess of Lbol > 1045erg/s. Moreover, only ∼10 per cent of the highest luminosity (Lbol > 1045erg/s) AGN in the IllustrisTNG galaxy sample are recent mergers. Our results are therefore consistent with a picture in which mergers can (but do not always) trigger AGN activity, but where the majority of galaxies hosting high luminosity AGN are not recent mergers.
Dust contribution to the panchromatic galaxy emission
Authors: Triani Dian P , Croton Darren J , Sinha Manodeep , Taylor Edward N , Pacifici Camilla , Dwek Eli
Published: December 2022

We have developed a pipeline called mentari to generate the far-ultraviolet to far-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) of galaxies from the Dusty SAGEsemi-analytic galaxy formation model. Dusty SAGEincorporates dust-related processes directly on top of the basic ingredients of galaxy formation like gas infall, cooling, star formation, feedback, and mergers. We derive a physically motivated attenuation model from the computed dust properties in Dusty SAGE, so each galaxy has a self-consistent set of attenuation parameters based on the complicated dust physics that occurred across the galaxy’s assembly history. Then, we explore several dust emission templates to produce infrared spectra. Our results show that a physically-motivated attenuation model is better for obtaining a consistent multiwavelength description of galaxy formation and evolution, compared to using a constant attenuation. We compare our predictions with a compilation of observations and find that the fiducial model is in reasonable agreement with: (i) the observed z= 0 luminosity functions from the far-ultraviolet to far-infrared simultaneously, and hence (ii) the local cosmic SED in the same range, (iii) the rest-frame K-band luminosity function across 0 < z< 3, and (iv) the rest-frame far-ultraviolet luminosity function across 0 < z< 1. Our model underproduces the far-ultraviolet emission at z= 2 and z= 3, which can be improved by altering the AGN feedback and dust processes in Dusty SAGE, However, this combination thus worsens the agreement at z= 0, which suggests that more detailed treatment of such processes is required.
How long do high redshift massive black hole seeds remain outliers in black hole versus host galaxy relations?
Authors: Scoggins Matthew T , Haiman Zoltán , Wise John H
Published: December 2022

The existence of 109 M⊙ supermassive black holes (SMBHs) within the first billion years of the Universe remains a puzzle in our conventional understanding of black hole formation and growth. Several suggested formation pathways for these SMBHs lead to a heavy seed, with an initial black hole mass of 104–106 M⊙. This can lead to an overly massive BH galaxy (OMBG), whose nuclear black hole’s mass is comparable to or even greater than the surrounding stellar mass: the black hole to stellar mass ratio is Mbh/M* ≫ 10−3, well in excess of the typical values at lower redshift. We investigate how long these newborn BHs remain outliers in the Mbh − M* relation, by exploring the subsequent evolution of two OMBGs previously identified in the Renaissance simulations. We find that both OMBGs have Mbh/M* > 1 during their entire life, from their birth at z ≈ 15 until they merge with much more massive haloes at z ≈ 8. We find that the OMBGs are spatially resolvable from their more massive, 1011 M⊙, neighbouring haloes until their mergers are complete at z ≈ 8. This affords a window for future observations with JWST and sensitive X-ray telescopes to diagnose the heavy-seed scenario, by detecting similar OMBGs and establishing their uniquely high black hole-to-stellar mass ratio.
A spectrophotometric analysis of cool white dwarfs in the Gaia and pan-STARRS footprint
Authors: Caron Alexandre , Bergeron P , Blouin Simon , Leggett S K
Published: December 2022

We present a spectrophotometric analysis of 2880 cool white dwarfs within 100 pc of the Sun and cooler than Teff ∼ 10 000 K, with grizy Pan-STARRS photometry and Gaia trigonometric parallaxes available. We also supplement our data sets with near-infrared JHK photometry, when available, which is shown to be essential for interpreting the coolest white dwarfs in our sample. We perform a detailed analysis of each individual object using state-of-the-art model atmospheres appropriate for each spectral type, including DA, DC, DQ, DZ, He-rich DA, and the so-called IR-faint white dwarfs. We discuss the temperature and mass distributions of each subsample, as well as revisit the spectral evolution of cool white dwarfs. We find little evidence in our sample for the transformation of a significant fraction of DA stars into He-atmosphere white dwarfs through the process of convective mixing between Teff = 10 000 and ∼6500 K, although the situation changes drastically in the range Teff = 6500–5500 K where the fraction of He-atmosphere white dwarfs reaches ∼45 per cent. However, we also provide strong evidence that at even cooler temperatures (Teff ≲ 5200 K), most DC white dwarfs have H atmospheres. We discuss a possible mechanism to account for this sudden transformation from He- to H-atmosphere white dwarfs involving the onset of crystallization and the occurrence of magnetism. Finally, we also argue that DQ, DZ, and DC white dwarfs may form a more homogeneous population than previously believed.
Comparing the Effects of the EU- Versus the US-JUUL Pod in a Sample of UK Smokers: Nicotine Absorption, Satisfaction, and Other Nicotine-Related Subjective Effects
Authors: Kimber Catherine , Zaidell Lisa , Hunter Steve , Cox Sharon , Notley Caitlin , Dawkins Lynne
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Pod Vaping Devices (PVD) such as JUUL have become extremely popular in the United States although their uptake and use in the United Kingdom remain lower. A key difference between the United States and the United Kingdom is the nicotine strength legally permitted, typically 59 mg/mL in the United States but capped at 20 mg/mL in the United Kingdom and European Union. This may limit the ability of EU vaping devices to deliver satisfactory nicotine levels. The primary aim was to compare the EU- (18 mg/mL nicotine strength) with the U.S.-JUUL (59 mg/mL) on daily smokers’ subjective experiences, craving relief, and blood nicotine levels.

Aims and Methods

Double-blind, counterbalanced within-participants design with two conditions: 18 mg/mL versus 59 mg/mL. On two separate occasions, UK smokers (N =19, 10 males, 9 females) vaped ad libitum for 60 mins and provided blood samples at baseline 5, 15, 30, and 60 min. Subjective effects (incl. satisfaction) were measured at 10 and 60 min and, craving and withdrawal symptoms (WS) at baseline, 10 and 60 min.

Results

Satisfaction did not differ between conditions. There was a significant interaction between Time and Nicotine concentration for Nicotine Hit (p = .045). Mean self-report of Nicotine Hit increased under the use of the 59 mg/mL from 10 to 60 min and decreased under the 18 mg/mL. Participants reported higher Throat Hits following use of the 59 mg/mL (p = .017). There were no differences in other subjective effects including craving, WS relief (ps > .05). Liquid consumption was doubled under the 18 versus the 59 mg/mL (p = .001) and nicotine boost was significantly higher in the 59 mg/mL at all time-points (p ≤ .001).

Conclusions

The results did not support our hypotheses that satisfaction, craving, and withdrawal reduction would be higher with the 59 mg/mL JUUL. This could be because of the doubling of liquid consumption in the 18 mg/mL. Whether satisfaction and craving relief persist over the longer-term outside of the lab remains to be determined.

Implications

In a 60-min ad-lib vaping session, the EU-JUUL was found to produce comparable satisfaction, craving- and withdrawal relief as the U.S.-JUUL in this sample of UK smokers. These findings could suggest that the higher nicotine concentrations available in PVDs in the United States are not necessary for providing satisfaction and improving craving and WS. However, this was at the expense of a considerable increase in liquid consumption indicative of compensatory puffing.
Applied Mathematics without Numbers
Authors: Himelright Jack
Published: December 2022

In this paper, I develop a “safety result” for applied mathematics. I show that whenever a theory in natural science entails some non-mathematical conclusion via an application of mathematics, there is a counterpart theory that carries no commitment to mathematical objects, entails the same conclusion, and the claims of which are true if the claims of the original theory are “correct”: roughly, true given the assumption that mathematical objects exist. The framework used for proving the safety result has some advantages over existing nominalistic accounts of applied mathematics. It also provides a nominalistic account of pure mathematics.
Massive fermion between two parallel chiral plates
Authors: Rohim Ar , Adam Apriadi Salim , Yamamoto Kazuhiro
Published: December 2022

We study the system of a massive fermion field confined between two parallel plates, where the properties of both plates are discussed under chiral MIT boundary conditions. We investigate the effects of the chiral angle on the Casimir energy for a massive fermion field with the general momentum. We find that the Casimir energy as a function of the chiral angle is generally symmetric, and the attractive Casimir force in the chiral case is stronger than that in the nonchiral case. In addition, we investigate the approximate Casimir energy for light and heavy mass cases. The behavior of the discrete momentum and changes of spin orientation are also discussed.
POLYETHYLENE FILTER FOR THE TNF2 THERMAL NEUTRON FACILITY
Authors: Astuto Achilles , Patrão Karla C S , Fonseca Evaldo S , Pereira Walsan W , Lopes Ricardo T
Published: December 2022

The Standard Thermal Neutron Flux Unit, TNF2, in (LNMRI/IRD)(1,  2), was built for neutron detector and survey meter calibrations. The facility’s fluence is achieved by moderation of four 241Am-Be with a graphite core and paraffin/graphite blocks surrounding it. Due to the small channel dimensions, it is impossible to calibrate personal dosemeters and survey meters for thermal neutrons. A polyethylene filter construction was carried out to allow the external irradiation of personal dosemeters and neutron survey meters. The polyethylene filter was constructed with 29 stacked discs with diameters ranging from 5 to 34 cm. Different thicknesses were simulated to provide the desired effect. This new irradiation configuration was also experimentally tested and compared with simulation results with MCNPX(3).
Gender Balance on State Boards in Ireland: To the Forefront of Progress or Concealing the Status Quo?
Authors: Berkery Elaine , Murphy Caroline , Cross Christine
Published: December 2022

In this article, we examine female appointments to government-owned corporations, called State Sponsored Boards (SSBs), in Ireland over a twenty-eight-year period, to analyze the extent to which gender parity has been achieved using voluntary gender targets. Using data from thirty-four SSBs, we found that overall figures relating to the achievement of gender parity on SSBs are masking the reality of female representation on these boards. We have demonstrated that the high concentration of females on particular boards is increasing the overall average gender representation figures, and as a result, a high proportion of boards are not meeting their gender targets. This research provides evidence of the importance of taking a more nuanced approach to examining gender diversity on boards as a whole.
Tc17 cells in autoimmune diseases
Authors: Peng Yong , Deng Xiang , Zeng Qiuming , Tang Yandan
Published: December 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a pathologically similar disease used to model MS in rodents, are typical CD4+ T cell-dominated autoimmune diseases. CD4+ interleukin (IL)17+ T cells (Th17 cells) have been well studied and have shown that they play a critical role in the pathogenesis of MS/EAE. However, studies have suggested that CD8+IL17+ T cells (Tc17 cells) have a similar phenotype and cytokine and transcription factor profiles to those of Th17 cells and have been found to be crucial in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including MS/EAE, psoriasis, type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, the evidence for this is indirect and insufficient. Therefore, we searched for related publications and attempted to summarize the current knowledge on the role of Tc17 cells in the pathogenesis of MS/EAE, as well as in the pathogenesis of other autoimmune diseases, and to find out whether Tc17 cells or Th17 cells play a more critical role in autoimmune disease, especially in MS and EAE pathogenesis, or whether the interaction between these two cell types plays a critical role in the development of the disease.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma holds unique features to form an immunosuppressive microenvironment: a narrative review
Authors: Zhou Qiang , Chen Dan , Zhang Junfeng , Xiang Jifeng , Zhang Tao , Wang Huaizhi , Zhang Yanyan
Published: December 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type and composes about 90% of pancreatic cancer featured with high intra-tumoral heterogeneity and poor prognosis, which has been considered the least immunogenic cancer for decades. However, this characterization might be over-simplistic, and more sophisticated approaches are needed to develop effective treatment strategies. In this review, we aim to summarize studies involving PDAC immunity in different aspects to provide a multidimensional recognition and comprehensively understanding of the mechanisms underlying the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC. A database search of peer-reviewed articles published in English between 2003 and 2022 in PubMed and the Web of Science was performed. Original articles and review articles relevant to the topic were selected. We emphasized the importance of investigating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in pancreatic cancer, especially focusing on CD8+T cells, along with indicating potential therapeutic strategies to turn the immune-cold PDACs into the immune-hot ones.
Integrating primary palliative care into hidradenitis suppurativa management
Authors: Shih Terri , Zell Monica , Karlin Daniel , De Devea R. , Smogorzewski Jan , Shi Vivian Y. , Hsiao Jennifer L.
Published: December 2022

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, often debilitating skin condition that disproportionately impacts women in the United States and other Western nations. Dermatologists should consider incorporating palliative care principles into HS management to optimize care. Primary palliative care principles include utilizing evidence-based frameworks in serious illness communication, acknowledging and addressing physical and psychosocial suffering, recognizing and validating the burden of disease in partners, families, and caregivers, and engaging in collaborative care coordination. Certain patients may also benefit from outpatient, or sometimes inpatient, palliative care specialist collaboration, such as those with refractory HS and superimposed challenging psychosocial dynamics and symptom burden. Through integration of these palliative care domains into HS care, dermatologists can optimize their ability to provide comprehensive and compassionate care for patients suffering with this disease.
Chronic Hypertrophic Herpes Simplex Infection: A 13-Year Delay
Authors: Maia Angelina Farias , Rodrigues Aldejane Gurgel , Sarmento Ayane Cristine Alves , Takano Daniela Mayumi , Baptista Pedro Vieira , Gonçalves Ana Katherine
Published: December 2022

Hypertrophic herpes is a rare and often missed diagnosis that significantly compromises quality of life.
No Differences in Surgical and Patient-reported Outcomes Between Alloderm, Surgimend, and Dermacell for Prepectoral Implant-based Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Asaad Malke , Morris Natalie , Selber Jesse C. , Liu Jun , Clemens Mark W. , Adelman David M. , Chang Edward I. , Butler Charles E.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Prepectoral implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) has recently become the standard of care for many reconstructive surgeons and is often supplemented with coverage using acellular dermal matrix(ADM). However, more clinical data examining the use of ADM in breast reconstruction are needed. The present study compares complications and patient-reported outcomes(PROs) between three different types of ADM used in IBR.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent immediate prepectoral IBR from January 2018 through December 2019. Surgical outcomes and PROs (using the BREAST-Q) were compared between the Alloderm, Surgimend, and Dermacell ADMs.

Results:

Overall, 557 breasts (383 patients) were included (78.6% Alloderm, 14% Surgimend, and 7.4% Dermacell). Patients in the Dermacell group were older (p=0.001) and more likely to have diabetes mellitus (p=0.001) compared to Alloderm and Surgimend patients. Other patient characteristics were similar between the three groups. The overall complication rate was equivalent between the three ADM groups (Alloderm 27% vs. Surgimend 33% vs. Dermacell 39%; p=0.209). Multivariable frailty models demonstrated that the type of ADM was not significantly associated with overall complications, infection, major complications, or device explantation. BREAST-Q satisfaction with the breast, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being were also similar between the three ADM groups (p=0.109, p=0.439, p=0.152, respectively).

Conclusions:

We found that three of the most commonly used ADMs in the United States have similar surgical outcomes and PROs when used for prepectoral IBR. No significant differences in infection, overall complication, and device removal rates were identified between Alloderm, Surgimend, and Dermacell.
Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir Use With Tacrolimus in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Single-center Case Series
Authors: Dewey Katherine W. , Yen Bo , Lazo Jose , Seijo Leslie , Jariwala Ripal , Shah Rupal J. , Quan David , Carpenter Bethanne , Paul Singer Jonathan , Breen Karen , Hays Steven , Florez Rebecca
Published: December 2022

Background.

Limited data and guidelines exist for using nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in solid organ transplant recipients stabilized on tacrolimus for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease. Concern exists regarding the impact of utilizing a 5-d course of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir with calcineurin inhibitors because of significant drug–drug interactions between ritonavir, a potent cytochrome P450 3A inhibitor, and other cytochrome P450 3A substrates, such as tacrolimus.

Methods.

We report the successful use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in 12 outpatient lung transplant recipients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection stabilized on tacrolimus immunosuppression. All patients stopped tacrolimus and started nirmatrelvir/ritonavir 10 to 14 h after the last dose of tacrolimus. Tacrolimus was withheld and then reinitiated at a modified dose 48 h following the completion of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy. Tacrolimus trough levels were checked during nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy and tacrolimus reinitiation.

Results.

Ten (10/12) patients were able to resume their original tacrolimus dose within 4 d of completing nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy and maintain therapeutic levels of tacrolimus. No patients experienced tacrolimus toxicity or acute rejection during the 30-d postcompletion of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy.

Conclusions.

In this cohort of lung transplant recipients on tacrolimus, we demonstrated that nirmatrelvir/ritonavir can be safely used with close monitoring of tacrolimus levels and appropriate dose adjustments of tacrolimus. Further confirmatory studies are needed to determine the appropriate use of therapeutic drug monitoring and tacrolimus dose following completion of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in the solid organ transplant population.
Lung Transplantation for COVID-19 Pulmonary Sequelae
Authors: Kehara Hiromu , Mangukia Chirantan , Sunagawa Gengo , Iturra Sebastian A. , Yanagida Roh , Kashem Mohammed , Persidsky Yuri , Shenoy Kartik , Mamary Albert J. , Marchetti Nathaniel , Cordova Francis , Criner Gerard J. , Toyoda Yoshiya , Shigemura Norihisa
Published: December 2022

Background.

The role of lung transplantation for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related lung failure is evolving as the pandemic persists.

Methods.

From January 2021 to April 2022, 20 patients (median age 62 y; range 31–77) underwent lung transplantation for COVID-related lung failure at our institution. We reviewed their clinical and intraoperative characteristics and early outcomes including postoperative complications.

Results.

Eleven patients (55%) had chronic lung disease when they contracted COVID-19. All 20 patients required hospitalization for antivirus treatment. Median lung allocation score was 74.7 (33.1–94.0). Thirteen patients (65%) underwent single-lung transplants, and 7 patients (35%) underwent double-lung transplants. Concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery was performed in 2 (10%) patients because of severe coronary artery disease. Postoperatively, venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was needed in 3 patients (15%) because of severe primary graft dysfunction; all were eventually weaned. Ten patients (50%) experienced deep venous thrombosis, and 1 eventually developed a major pulmonary embolus. The median intensive care unit stay and hospital stays were 6.5 d (3–44) and 18 d (7–77), respectively. During a median follow-up of 201 d (47–418), we experienced 1 late mortality due to COVID-19–related myocarditis. Among the 13 patients with single-lung transplant, 5 demonstrated improvement in their native lungs.

Conclusions.

Lung transplantation yielded favorable early outcomes in a heterogeneous patient cohort that included older patients, obese patients, and patients with coronary artery disease or preexisting chronic lung disease. Our data also shed light on the transforming role of lung transplantation for the pulmonary sequelae of a complex multisystem COVID-19 disorder.
Paenibacillus agilis sp. nov., Paenibacillus cremeus sp. nov. and Paenibacillus terricola sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere soils
Authors: Kim Jiyoun , Chhetri Geeta , Kim Inhyup , So Yoonseop , Seo Taegun
Published: December 2022

Members of the genus

Paenibacillus

are well known for their metabolic versatility and great application potential in plant growth promotion. Three novel bacterial strains, designated N4T, JC52T and PR3T, were isolated from rhizosphere soils and characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic and phylogenomic analysis revealed that the three strains belonged to the genus

Paenibacillus

and formed three independent branches distinct from all reference strains. The results of DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analyses between the three strains and their relatives further demonstrated that the three strains represented different novel genospecies. Strain N4T exhibited the highest similarity, ANI and digital DDH values with

Paenibacillus assamensis

DSM 18201T (99.0/87.5/33.9 %) and

Paenibacillus insulae

DS80T (97.2/–/18.2±1.2 %). Values for JC52T with

Paenibacillus validus

NBRC 15382T were 96.9, 73.3 and 19.6 %, and with

Paenibacillus rigui

JCM 16352T were 96.1, 72.1 and 19.3 %. Values for PR3T with

Paenibacillus ginsengiterrae

DCY89T were 98.2, – and 31.8±1.5 %, with

Paenibacillus cellulosilyticus

ASM318225v1T were 97.8, 83.3 and 26.7 %, and with

Paenibacillus kobensis

NBRC 15729T were 97.6, 75.7 and 20.4 %. Cells of the three novel bacterial strains were Gram-positive, spore-forming, motile and rod-shaped. The novel species contained anteiso-C15 : 0 and MK-7 as the predominant fatty acid and menaquinone, respectively. The novel strains have numerous similar known clusters of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases, siderophores, lanthipeptide, lassopeptide-like bacillibactin, paeninodin and polyketide-like chejuenolide A/B lankacidin C. Based on the distinct morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic differences from their closest phylogenetic neighbours, we propose that strains N4T, JC52T and PR3T represent novel species of the genus

Paenibacillus

, with the names Paenibacillus agilis sp. nov. (=KACC 19717T=JCM 32775T), Paenibacillus cremeus sp. nov. (=KACC 21221T=NBRC 113867T) and Paenibacillus terricola sp. nov. (=KACC 21455T=NBRC 114385T), respectively.
Evaluating the drop test method in measuring colistin susceptibility of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Iglesias Llorente Laura , Acero Laura Alonso , Chamizo López Francisco Javier , Floren Laura
Published: December 2022

Introduction. Colistin is an antibiotic used to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections, particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Hypothesis/Gap Statement. The broth microdilution (BMD) reference method is the recommended protocol for detecting colistin susceptibility; however, it is laborious and expensive and cannot be performed in all laboratories.

Aim. To evaluate the colistin susceptibility in

Klebsiella pneumoniae

,

Escherichia coli

and

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

using an alternative method, which has been referred to as the drop test.

Methodology. A 16 µg ml−1 colistin solution was deposited on a Mueller–Hinton agar plate previously swabbed with the strain and incubated overnight, and the presence or absence of an inhibition zone was observed.

Results. The categorical agreement (CA) of the drop test with respect to BMD was 100 % when 190 Enterobacterales (19

E. coli

and 171

K

.

pneumoniae

) were used, and no major errors (MEs) or very major errors (VMEs) were detected. The CA of the drop test with respect to the BMD was 99.2 % for 119

P

.

aeruginosa

isolates, while no ME was detected and only 1 VME (6.7%) was observed.

Conclusion. The drop test is an alternative method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of colistin against

K. pneumoniae

and

E. coli

. It is an adequate method for detecting resistant strains of

P. aeruginosa

, but susceptible isolates should be confirmed using BMD. The drop test is a simpler alternative to the BMD that does not require additional equipment and allows for the testing of numerous isolates in a short period of time.
Blue light promotes ascorbate synthesis by deactivating the PAS/LOV photoreceptor that inhibits GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase
Authors: Bournonville Céline , Mori Kentaro , Deslous Paul , Decros Guillaume , Blomeier Tim , Mauxion Jean-Philippe , Jorly Joana , Gadin Stéphanie , Cassan Cédric , Maucourt Mickael , Just Daniel , Brès Cécile , Rothan Christophe , Ferrand Carine , Fernandez-Lochu Lucie , Bataille Laure , Miura Kenji , Beven Laure , Zurbriggen Matias , Pétriacq Pierre , Gibon Yves , Baldet Pierre
Published: December 2022

Ascorbate (vitamin C) is one of the most essential antioxidants in fresh fruits and vegetables. To get insights into the regulation of ascorbate metabolism in plants, a mutant producing ascorbate-enriched fruits was studied. The causal mutation, identified by a mapping-by-sequencing strategy, corresponded to a knock-out recessive mutation in a new class of photoreceptor named PAS/LOV protein (PLP, Solyc05g07020), which acts as a negative regulator of ascorbate biosynthesis in tomato. This trait was confirmed by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and further found in all plant organs, including fruit that accumulated 2-3 times more ascorbate than in the WT. The functional characterization revealed that PLP interacted with the two isoforms of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP), known as the controlling step of the L-galactose pathway of ascorbate synthesis. The interaction with GGP occurred in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, but was abolished when PLP was mutated. These results were confirmed by an optogenetic approach using an animal cell system, which additionally demonstrated that blue light modulated the PLP-GGP interaction. Assays performedin vitrowith heterologously expressed GGP and PLP showed that PLP is a non-competitive inhibitor of GGP that is inactivated after blue light exposure. This discovery sheds light on the light-dependent regulation of ascorbate metabolism in plants.