bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed-Method study exploring barriers and facilitators to midwives’ mental health in Ontario
Authors: Darling Elizabeth K. , Grenier Lindsay N. , MacKenzie Rachel K. , Ramlogan-Salanga Claire , Cates Elizabeth C. , Graybrook Riley , Wilson-Mitchell Karline
Published: February 2023

Background:There is a paucity of information regarding the mental health of midwives working in Ontario, Canada. Many studies have investigated midwives’ mental health around the world, but little is known about how the model of midwifery care in Ontario contributes to or negatively impacts midwives’ mental health. The aim of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of factors that contribute to and negatively impact Ontario midwives’ mental health.Methods:We employed a mixed-methods, sequential, exploratory design, which utilized focus groups and individual interviews, followed by an online survey. All midwives in Ontario who had actively practiced within the previous 15 months were eligible to participate.Findings:We conducted 6 focus groups and 3 individual interviews, with 24 midwives, and 275 midwives subsequently completed the online survey. We identified four broad factors that impacted midwives’ mental health: 1) the nature of midwifery work, 2) the remuneration model, 3) the culture of the profession, and 4) external factors.Discussion:Based on our findings and the existing literature, we have five broad recommendations for improving Ontario midwives’ mental health: 1) provide a variety of work options for midwives; 2) address the impacts of trauma on midwives; 3) make mental health services tailored for midwives accessible; 4) support healthy midwife-to-midwife relationships; and 5) support improved respect and understanding of midwifery.Conclusion: As one of the first comprehensive investigations into midwives’ mental health in Ontario, this study highlights factors that contribute negatively to midwives’ mental health and offers recommendations for how midwives’ mental health can be improved systemically.
Combining whole-exome sequencing with clinical data for genotype–phenotype correlation in patients with congenital hypothyroidism that include the DUOX2 gene variation
Authors: Liu Shuang , Wang Ying , Zheng Qin , Tang Xinxin , Cui Dandan , Men Shuai , Yu Bin , Long Wei , Wang Leilei
Published: February 2023

Background: Clinical expression of DUOX2 gene variants is differential in patients with congenital hypothyroidism (CH). We investigated whether the molecular etiology of DUOX2 gene variants in CH patients can predict disease outcome, drug dosage, and follow-up period. Potential pathogenic variants were detected in 98 CH patients using whole-exome sequencing. Differences in diagnostic indicators and sustained Levothyroxine (L-T4)therapeutic dose between biallelic and monoallelic groups were compared.
Results: The variant detection rate was 77.55%, and 149 variants were identified across 9 genes. Variants in the DUOX2 gene were of 50 types and showed the highest detection rate, with a frequency of 74.50% (111/149). Variants of interest were p.R1110Q (17.12%, 19/111) and p.K530* (16.22%, 18/111), where the former had a higher incidence of permanent hypothyroidism (PCH; 75%, 9/12). Patients with variants in the ferric oxidoreductase domain are more likely to develop PCH. Heel blood thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the monoallelic group (176.50 [111.68, 272.50] mIU/L) were higher than those of the biallelic group (57.50 [15.30, 112.25] mIU/L; P = 0.001). The L-T4 doses of the monoallelic group at 1 and 3 years of age (36.83 ± 8.23 and 39.18 ± 15.71 µg/day, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the biallelic group (25.87 ± 9.05 and 25.38 ± 9.30 µg/day; P = 0.008 and P = 0.030, respectively).
Conclusions: Patients with the p.R1110Q variant are more likely to develop PCH. Relatively high heel blood TSH levels in patients with normal-sized in situ glands harboring monoallelic DUOX2 variant evidenced increased doses and follow-up frequency during treatment.
Potential injury mechanisms in ulnar collateral ligament injuries; magnitude and variability of elbow load in repetitive baseball pitching
Authors: Trigt Bart van , Hogerwou Thomas van , Leenen Antonius , Hoozemans Marco , Helm Frans van der , Veeger DirkJan
Published: February 2023

A common overuse injury in baseball pitching is the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) injury, due to high and repetitive loading of the medial side of the elbow. This repetitive loading (i.e. external valgus torque), caused by pitching a high number of balls in a practice session or during a game, is resisted by the UCL and counteracted by the elbow muscles. The elbow muscles have the potential to shield the UCL from the full external load and were active in all fifteen participants during pitching. To understand the injury mechanisms, we investigated the effect of repetitive pitching on the elbow load magnitude and variability. In addition, we explored whether repetitive pitching affects elbow muscle activation during pitching. On a group level, the linear mixed models showed no significant associations of repetitive pitching with valgus torque magnitude and variability and elbow muscle activity. Significant large differences exist between pitchers in their individual courses in elbow valgus torque and muscle activity with repetitive pitching. This shows the importance of individuality in relation to repetitive pitching. To arrive at effective elbow injury prevention in baseball pitching, individual characteristics of changes in elbow load and muscle activity in relation to the development of UCL injuries should be investigated.
Revealing eRNA interactions: TF dependency and convergent cooperativity
Authors: Lee Seungha Alisa , Kristjánsdóttir Katla , Kwak Hojoong
Published: February 2023

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are non-coding RNAs produced from transcriptional enhancers that are highly correlated with their activities. Using capped nascent RNA sequencing (PRO-cap) dataset in human lymphoblastoid cell lines across individuals, we identified inter-individual variation of expression in over 80 thousand transcribed transcriptional regulatory elements (tTREs), in both enhancers and promoters. Co-expression analysis of eRNAs from tTREs across individuals revealed how enhancers interact with each other and with promoters. Mid-to-long range interactions showed distance-dependent decay, which was modified by TF occupancy. In particular, we found a class of ‘bivalent’ TFs, including Cohesin, which both facilitates and insulates the interaction between enhancers and/or promoters depending on the topology. In short ranges, we observed strand specific interactions between nearby eRNAs in both convergent or divergent orientations. Our finding supports a cooperative convergent eRNA model, which is compatible with eRNA remodeling neighboring enhancers rather than interfering with each other. Therefore, our approach to infer functional interactions from co-expression analyses provided novel insights into the principles of enhancer interactions depending on the distance, orientation, and the binding landscapes of TFs.
Supporting Learners in Prison Healthcare Work-Integrated Learning Settings Through Simulation: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Needham Judith , Beggs Rhonda , de Mortel Thea van
Published: February 2023

Background
Nursing students and nurse preceptors indicate that a comprehensive orientation is vital to successful work-integrated learning placements in Prison Health Services. The aim of this study was to implement and evaluate a Prison Health Service orientation package that included innovative asynchronous online video simulations with branched decision-making and feedback opportunities to stimulate learning and improve students’ feelings of preparedness for a placement in this setting.
Methods
A cross-sectional pre and post design was used to evaluate the resource. Students were given access to the package and invited to complete a pre-placement survey evaluating the resource and their feelings of preparedness for placement. Following placement, they re-evaluated the resource in terms of how well it prepared them for the placement and how well prepared they felt. Third year Australian undergraduate nursing students from one university who completed a Prison Health Service work-integrated learning placement in 2018, 2021, and 2022 were invited to participate. Placements were unavailable in 2019 and 2020. Independent t-tests were used to determine differences in scale means and level of preparedness between pre- and post-survey responses.
Results
Twenty-three of 40 (57.5%) eligible nursing students completed the pre-placement survey and 13 (32.5%) completed the post placement survey. All respondents to the pre-placement survey indicated that they felt satisfactorily, well, or very well prepared after completing the orientation package prior to their clinical placement. Students were significantly more likely to consider themselves well prepared by the package after they had attended placement (p < .001). All students post placement indicated that overall, the simulation resources and the specific simulation scenario about personal boundaries and management of manipulative behaviours was useful for their placement. The majority of students would recommend the orientation package to other students. Suggestions for improvement included streamlining the resource to reduce the time to complete it.
Conclusions
Asynchronous online simulation with the capacity for branched decision making and feedback along with a comprehensive online orientation package were perceived as useful to prepare undergraduate students for placement in the Prison Health Service work-integrated learning setting.
Supernormal enrichment of cadmium in sphalerite via coupled hydrothermal dissolution-reprecipitation process
Authors: Duan Hongyu , Wang Changming , Hu Rong , Zhu Jiaxuan , Deng Jun
Published: February 2023

The supernormal enrichment of cadmium, as well as other critical elements are frequently observed in the sphalerite of sedimentary-hosted zinc deposits. However, the physico-chemical processes that are responsible for their mineralization is still poorly understood. Here we display a coupled dissolution-reprecipitation model that could explain the occurrence of cadmium from solid solutions up to several wt.%, sulfide nanoparticles, and independent mineral inclusions in sphalerite. The selective dissolution by oxidative acidic fluids causes depletion of zinc and concentration of cadmium in the lattice of primarily formed sphalerite, especially at interface of structural defects, such as low-angle tilt boundaries. Further dissolution triggers reprecipitation of cadmium-poor sphalerite nanocrystals as relics, followed by deposition of amorphous cadmium-rich sulfide nanoparticles as fillings in dissolution pores by reaction between cadmium ions and released reduced sulfur from sphalerite lattice. The cadmium is derived from both dissolution of primary Cd-rich sphalerite and re-supply by highly-evolved oxidative acidic fluid rich in cadmium. Growth and/or passivation of these amorphous nanoparticles finally forms greenockite blebs and/or nanocrystals in sphalerite. This model provides insights for critical-element redistribution and mineralization via hydrothermal processes. Similar mechanisms may also have broad implications in synthesis of sulfide nanomaterials used in green energy technologies.
Recommend What to Cache: a Simple Self-supervised Graph-based Recommendation Framework for Edge Caching Network
Authors: Sun Aijing , Wang Guoqing , Han Qi
Published: February 2023

The edge caching network based on deep learning can more accurately infer what to cache while driven by data from the user's historical content request, thus greatly relieving the burden of the backbone network. However, the inherent cold-start problem in deep learning may limit the performance of the history-based caching strategies. Due to the mobile and dynamic nature of the wireless network, the base station usually does not have enough data to accurately estimate the user's demand and cache the possible requested data. In this backdrop, we adopt self-supervised learning (SSL) into the caching strategy and propose a Simple Self-supervised Graph-based Recommendation framework for edge caching network (SimSGR). The SSL could alleviate the cold-start problem by generating extra training supervised signals from the raw data. To further optimize the performance of SSL, we propose two new network layers: Mixing and Conversion: the former replaces the data augmentation of the SSL paradigm to avoid destroying the semantic loss, while the latter greatly simplifies the loss function, which is helpful to light the model structure and facilitate deployment on edge caching network. Extensive experiments show that our model yields competitive or better performance than state-of-the-art methods sensitive to augmentation hyperparameters, especially when trained in the cold-start environment.
B cell convergence to distinct broadly reactive epitopes following
vaccination with chimeric influenza virus hemagglutinins
Authors: Guthmiller Jenna , Lan Linda Yu-Ling , Li Lei , Henry Carole , Stamper Christopher , Utset Henry , Freyn Alec , Han Julianna , Stovicek Olivia , Wang Jiaolong , Zheng Nai-Ying , Huang Min , Dugan Haley , Tepora Micah , Zhu Xueyong , Chen Yao-Qing , Palm Anna-Karin , Shaw Dustin , Loganathan Madhumanthi , Francis Benjamin , McNair Mia , Mead Philip , Wilson Ian , Garcia-Sastre Adolfo , Nachbagauer Raffael , Palese Peter , Ward Andrew , Coughlan Lynda , Krammer Florian , Wilson Patrick
Published: February 2023

In a phase I clinical trial, the chimeric hemagglutinin (cHA) immunogen induced antibody responses against the conserved HA stalk domain. However, the landscape of the B cell specificities and subsets induced by this vaccine remain undetermined. Here, we paired single cell RNA-sequencing and B cell receptor repertoire sequencing to analyze the relationship between transcriptome and B cell specificity following cHA immunization. We show that the cHA inactivated vaccine with a squalene-based adjuvant induced a robust activated B cell and memory B cell phenotype against two broadly neutralizing epitopes of the stalk domain. The overall specificities of the acute plasmablast and memory B cell responses were distinct, with the plasmablast compartment largely targeting non-neutralizing epitopes of the HA stalk. Altogether, these data indicate the B cell landscape following cHA vaccination includes diverse B cell subsets that are differentially induced by distinct vaccine formulations, including memory and de novo B cell responses against diverse broadly conserved epitopes.
Smallholder Farmer Resilience to Extreme Weather Events in Global Food Value Chains
Authors: Thompson William J , Varma Varun , Joerin Jonas , Bonilla-Duarte Solhanlle , Bebber Daniel P , Blaser-Hart Wilma , Kopainsky Birgit , Späth Leonhard , Curcio Bianca , Six Johan , Krütli Pius
Published: February 2023

Extreme weather events have severe impacts on food systems, especially for smallholders in global food value chains (GFVCs). There is an urgent need to understand a) how climate shocks manifest in food systems, and b) what strategies can enhance food system resilience. Integrating satellite, household and trade data, we investigate the cascading impacts after two consecutive hurricanes on banana farmers in Dominican Republic, and determinants of their recovery. We found that farmers experienced an “all-or-nothing” pattern of damage, where 75% of flooded farmers lost >90% of production. Recovery of regional production indicators took ca. 450 days. However, farm-level recovery-times were highly variable, with both topographic and human capital factors determining recovery. Utilizing this globally representative example, we show that engaging in a GFVC impeded recovery via “double exposure” of production loss and losing market access. Our results suggest that solutions to enhance resilience in GFVCs should promote trader loyalty, facilitate basin-scale collaboration and expand risk-targeted training.
Thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism under general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass: a case report
Authors: Li Jun , Liu Jie
Published: February 2023

Background
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a kind of pulmonary circulatory failure caused by endogenous or exogenous emboli blocking the pulmonary artery or its branches. Giant embolic pulmonary embolism can cause acute right heart failure, acute respiratory failure, and even sudden death. For patients with a large number of PE and hemodynamic instability, thrombolytic therapy, inferior vena cava filter placement, or thrombectomy are usually considered. This paper reports a case of pulmonary artery thrombectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient had pulmonary thrombosis caused by deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities and underwent pulmonary artery thrombectomy under general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass.
Case presentation:
A 59-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to chest tightness and shortness of breath for half a month, which worsened for 3 days.Pulmonary hypertension (moderate). Color Doppler ultrasound of both lower extremities demonstrated deep venous thrombosis in the left lower limb (the percentage diameter stenosis was about 100%), and no thrombosis was found in the right lower limb. Physical examination revealed swelling of the left lower limb, skin temperature and color, and dorsalis pedis artery. The patient was treated with inferior vena cava filter implantation and heparin anticoagulant before operation. After definite surgical indications, pulmonary artery thrombectomy was performed under general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass. After median thoracotomy induced by general anesthesia, the innominate vein ruptured and bled, followed by circulatory failure and cardiac arrest, and emergency cardiopulmonary bypass was established under intracardiac compression. Pulmonary embolectomy and tricuspid valvuloplasty were performed under cardiopulmonary bypass. After the operation, the patient’s blood coagulation function was poor; 11 pieces of developing gauze were filled in the pericardium to stop bleeding, and chest closure was delayed. The patient died of disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemorrhagic shock, and non-infectious multiple organ dysfunction syndrome early in the morning of the next day.
Learning purpose:
The etiology and treatment of patients with this kind of pulmonary embolism need to be further discussed.
Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of the mechanisms underlying the role of the CCT3 gene in breast cancer
Authors: Xu Gang , Wang Quan , Li Yuming , Wang Hao , Liu Hailong , Ge Hong
Published: February 2023

Background Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the most common cancer in the world. Our previous research showed that silencing the expression of the CCT3 gene significantly decreased the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells, but the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated CCT3 gene and protein expression by transcriptomics and proteomics to explore the mechanism underlying its function.
Methods MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with CCT3-siRNA to knock down the expression of the CCT3 gene. qRT‒PCR was used to measure the efficiency of the suppression. We used RNA-seq and tandem mass tag proteomics analysis to identify differentially expressed genes and proteins, respectively. The possible biological consequences were determined by bioinformatics analysis.
Results The mRNA expression of CCT3 decreased by 87.6% in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with shCCT3 lentivirus. RNA-seq identified 449 differentially expressed genes after transfection with shCCT3, including 240 upregulated genes and 209 downregulated genes, and 61 differentially expressed proteins (33 upregulated and 28 downregulated) were identified by TMT proteomics analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment revealed the biological and molecular functions in CCT3-knockdown cells. Conjoint analysis revealed the expression of several genes and proteins, such as RPUSD4, LUC7L3, HELLS, ARL1, and SPINT2.
Conclusions We explored the molecular mechanism by which the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells are promoted after the expression of CCT3 is inhibited through transcriptomics and proteomics, and we initially identified several key genes and proteins. The functional verification of these genes requires further research.
Exploring the gelling properties of Plantago ovata-based Arabinoxylan: Fabrication and optimization of a topical emulgel using response surface methodology
Authors: Mahmood Arshad , Erum Alia , Tulain Ume Ruqia , Malik Nadia Shamshad , Saleem Aneeqa , Alqahtani Mohammed S , Malik Muhammad Zubair , Siddiqui Mahwish , Safdar Asif , Malik Abdul
Published: February 2023

Prime objective of the current research was to develop a stable nimesulide emulgel with the help of arabinoxylan, a natural gelling agent extracted from Plantago ovata. The response surface methodology was used by a Design Expert 10 software to formulate and optimize the emulgel. The experimental design approach evaluated the impact of independent and dependent variables. Independent variables were different concentrations of arabinoxylan, span 80 and tween 20, whereas, dependent variables were viscosity, pH, and content uniformity. FTIR demonstrated the compatibility of nimesulide with the excipients. Stability study indicated no phase separation and no change in pH for formulation F1, F3 and F4. The negative values of zeta potential revealed the excellent stability of emulgel. Viscosity, spreadability and extrudability values were in desired range. Ex-vivo release studies illustrated 86%, 55% and 66% release of the drug over a period of 24 h from the formulations F1, F3 and F4, respectively. Analgesic effect of the optimized emulgel was significantly higher in test group as compared to control and did not produce any sort of irritation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the newly developed emulgel based on arabinoxylan, as gelling agent, appear to be an effective drug delivery system.
The response of zooplankton network indicators to winter water warming using shallow artificial reservoirs as model case study
Authors: Goździejewska Anna Maria , Kruk Marek
Published: February 2023

To predict the most likely scenarios, the consequences of the rise in water surface temperature have been studied using various methods. We tested the hypothesis that winter water warming significantly alters the importance and nature of the relationships in zooplankton communities in shallow reservoirs. These relationships were investigated using network graph analysis for three thermal variants: warm winters (WW), moderate winters (MW) and cold winters (CW). The CW network was the most cohesive and was controlled by eutrophic Rotifera and Copepoda, with a corresponding number of positive and negative interspecific relationships. An increase in water temperature in winter led to a decrease in the centrality of MW and WW networks, and an increase in the importance of species that communicated with the highest number of species in the subnetworks. The WW network was the least cohesive, controlled by psammophilous and phytophilous rotifers, and littoral cladocerans. Adult copepods were not identified in the network and the importance of antagonistic relationships decreased, indicating that the WW network structure was weak and unstable. This study can serve as a model for generalisations of zooplankton community response to the disappearance of long winter periods of low temperatures, as predicted in global climate change projections.
Association between frailty and the risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among cancer patients
Authors: Zhai Chongya , Yin Luxi , Shen Jiaying , Dong Jie , Zheng Yu , Pan Hongming , Han Weidong
Published: February 2023

Background
Cancer patients are vulnerable to frailty. While few studies have focused on its association with the mortality risk among cancer patients, the current study aims to reveal this association.
Methods
In this cohort study, 4723 cancer patients were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES, 1999–2018). Frailty status was quantified using the 53-item frailty index. Death outcomes were linked to National Death Index Mortality data (as of December 31, 2019). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate HR (95% CI).
Results
The median (IQR) of the frailty score was 0.190 (0.132, 0.277). During the median follow-up of 6.7 years, 1775 all-cause deaths (including 581 cancer deaths and 385 cardiac deaths) were documented. Compared to the lowest tertile of frailty score, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for the highest tertile were 2.698 (2.224, 3.272) in all-cause mortality (P trend < 0.001), 2.145 (1.547, 2.973) in cancer mortality (P trend < 0.001), and 3.735 (2.231, 6.251) in cardiac mortality (P trend < 0.001). Moreover, a positive dose-response association between frailty score and mortality risk was determined. Per-unit increment of frailty score (natural logarithm transformed) was found to increase all-cause mortality by 159% (P < 0.001), cancer mortality by 103% (P < 0.001), and cardiac mortality by 256% (P < 0.001). The consistent result was shown when stratifying by age, gender, race, body mass index, and type of cancer.
Conclusion
This study suggested that the frailty index was positively associated with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality (including cancer and cardiac) among cancer patients.
Incipient carbonate melting drives precious metal and sulfur mobilisation in the mantle
Authors: Ezad Isra , Saunders Martin , Scheka Syatoslav , Fiorentini Marco , Gorojovsky Lauren , Foerster Michael , Foley Stephen
Published: February 2023

We present results from high-pressure, high-temperature experiments that generate incipient carbonate melts at mantle conditions (~90km depth and temperatures between 900 - 1050℃). We show that these melts can effectively sequester sulfur, in its oxidised form of sulfate, platinum group elements, and first-row transition metals from mantle lithologies of peridotite and pyroxenite. These primitive oxidised melts may be effective agents to dissolve, redistribute and concentrate sulfur as well as chalcophile metals within the mantle, and from the mantle to shallower regions within the Earth, where localised dynamic physio-chemical processes can lead to ore genesis at various crustal depths. It is proposed that these carbonate-sulfur rich melts may be more widespread than previously thought, and may play a first order role in the metallogenic enhancement of localised and predictable lithospheric domains.
A Novel Ev Fleet Energy Management Strategy for Smart Micro Grids Considering Multiple Objectives: Techno Economic Perspective
Authors: A Sudhakar , B Mahesh Kumar
Published: February 2023

Rapid advancements in battery technologies led to dramatic growth in adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV) all over the world. On the other hand, ever increasing renewable energy sources (RES) in micro grids (MG) posing numerous challenges ahead. In this context, EVs can be used as virtual storage units to confront the intermittency aspect of RES in MG scenarios. This work proposes a novel EV fleet control strategy to implement a three-layer Energy Management System: optimal storage distribution (OSD), optimal power exchange (OPE) and smart EV ranking (SER). The key objectives are: minimizing grid dependency, energy cost, EV battery degradation and to maximize EV storage usage. Water filling Algorithm is used to obtain OSD and Multi Objective Optimization Problem is formulated and solved by e-constraint method to obtain OPE. SER is implemented using Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) where number of decision variables are involved. EV battery degradation has been considered through SER by including a key decision variable, EV usage Probability (EUP). EUP has been obtained using a probabilistic approach that accounts all possible state transitions of each EV in the given time interval. An ON-Grid MG scenario with EV fleets and RES is considered to implement the proposed EMS.
Seismic performance and damage properties of flexure-shear critical RC columns with various loading cycles
Authors: Zhang Qin , Chen Ming-Hui , Li Wen-Jie , Gu Xiang-Lin , Gong Jin-Xin
Published: February 2023

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of loading cycles on seismic behavior and damage properties for flexure-shear critical reinforced concrete columns. Two groups of circular columns (including 8 specimens) with different shear span ratios were tested under quasi-static loads with various cycles, and the numbers of load cycle were designed as 0 (i.e., monotonic loading), 3, 10, and 20 cycles, respectively. The failure modes, load-deformation curves, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the flexure-shear critical columns with various loading cycles were explored. Test results revealed that the shear effects and cumulative damage effects induced by cyclic loading are intensified with the increase of the loading cycles, which demonstrated that the columns are prone to occur the flexure-shear failure with the increase of the cycles. The study examined that the ultimate deformation is the most crucial factor affecting the damage properties of flexure-shear critical columns. The ultimate displacement diminishes with the loading cycles increase, and it reduces by 38%, 50%, and 62%, respectively, when the loading cycles increase from 0 to 3, 10, and 20 cycles. Additionally, the damage properties of flexure-shear critical columns are also pertinent to cumulative energy dissipation. The cumulative energy dissipation of column specimens increases obviously after yielding and increases with the loading cycles increase. An new two-parameter seismic damage model considering ultimate deformation and energy dissipation that including the effects of loading cycles was proposed, and the model could optimally analyze the damage properties of flexure-shear critical columns subjected to seismic excitation.
An experimental study on near-field tip vortex of an elliptical hydrofoil using tomographic particle image velocimetry
Authors: Zhao Hang , Tu Han , She Wenxuan , Gao Qi , Cao Yantao , Peng Xiaoxing , Shao Xueming
Published: February 2023

Volumetric measurement for the non-cavitating tip vortex in the near field of an elliptical hydrofoil is conducted using tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV), which provides a fully three-dimensional diagnose of the vortex formation and development. The wandering motion and flow properties of the near-field tip vortex under different incident angles and Reynolds numbers are investigated in detail. Unlike in the far field, the wandering motion in the near field is mainly subject to the local flow unsteadiness rather than the flow condition. By the "re-centered" post-processing, the deviations introduced by the wandering motion can be technically corrected, and more accurate vortex properties can be thus obtained. In the near field, a turning point of the vortex center trajectory is detected, the position of which is basically independent of the flow condition. By investigating the local flow properties, it is found that this turning point is the position where the tip vortex completely leaves the trailing edge of hydrofoil and enters the wake region. At this turning point, the external supply to the vortex core starts to be restricted, and the vortex circulation reaches a rather constant value. Further according to the local flow properties, the development process of the near-field tip vortex can be divided into three stages: vortex-attached stage, vortex-lifting stage and vortex-detached stage, which are found to be closely relevant to the hydrofoil configuration.
Development and Implementation of The Frog-In-Maze Game to Study Upper limb Movement in People with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Kemp Aaron S. , Pillai Lakshmi , Glover Aliyah , Spencer Horace , Larson-Prior Linda , Virmani Tuhin
Published: February 2023

Background
Upper-limb bradykinesia occurs early in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is required for diagnosis. Methods to quantify upper-limb bradykinesia in salient movement tasks could help remotely monitor PD progression.
Objectives
To develop, implement and validate a game “walking” a frog through a maze using bimanual, alternating finger-tapping movements.
Methods
Twenty-five people with PD and 16 non-PD participants played a frog-in-maze game we developed. Responses on 5 different mazes were quantified and compared to spatiotemporal gait parameters and standard disease metrics in these participants.
Results
Intertap interval on maze 2, which included turns, was related to stride length and stride velocity as well as motor UPDRS scores. Levodopa decreased intertap interval in PD participants on maze 2. Participants with freezing of gait had longer inter-tap intervals on maze 2.
Conclusion
The responses quantified on maze 2 were related to disease severity and gait stride-length, were levodopa responsive, and were worse in people with freezing of gait, suggesting that this maze could be used to quantify motor dysfunction in PD. Further development of our frog-in-maze game onto a remotely distributable platform could provide a tool to monitor disease progression and therapeutic response in people with PD, including during clinical trials.
Oviposition Behavior of the Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)
Authors: Crawley Sydney E. , Haynes Kenneth F. , Borden John H.
Published: February 2023

Female bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, in strains from three widely separated geographic regions were evaluated for diel and daily periodicity in oviposition, as well as for the duration of oviposition per se and apparent egg marking behavior. Females that were mated and fed for the first time and laying their first clutch of eggs and females fed a second time before laying their second clutch of eggs both oviposited preferentially in the scotophase of a 14:10 L:D cycle. Oviposition began before the photophase ended, indicating it was not induced by onset of darkness and suggesting it was governed by a circadian rhythm. First-clutch females began to oviposit closer to onset of darkness and 1-2 days later than second-clutch females, respectively suggesting that first-clutch females were more strictly entrained to the L:D cycle and were still undergoing reproductive maturation. In all cases, oviposition of one clutch was finished by day 10, but the frequency distributions of eggs laid daily by first-clutch and second-clutch females, as well as those of females from the three different strains were all significantly different. The acts of oviposition and subsequent apparent egg marking behavior (a novel observation) lasted mean durations of 4.7 sec and 24.1 sec, respectively. During apparent egg marking, a female would repeatedly touch the abdominal cuticle in the region of the scent glands with her metathoracic tarsi and then touch the newly laid egg, while concurrently waving the tip of her abdomen back and forth across the surface of the egg.
Experimental study of relationship between uniaxial compression strength and CaCO 3 bonding strength of a biogrouted rock-like material
Authors: Pan Xiaohua
Published: February 2023

Biogrout is a promising soil/rock improvement method in which CaCO3 crystals are formed in between sand grains or rock fractures through a microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) process. One of the limitations of biogrout is that it is not effective to be applied to coarse sand or rock fractures with broad aperture (i.e., fracture width is larger than 1mm), as a number of rounds of treatments are required to produce sufficient amount of CaCO3 in soil pore spaces or rock fractures. A new biogrouting method using biogrout containing bioslurry has been proposed to overcome this difficulty. Bioslurry contains pre-formed urease active CaCO3 crystals. The use of bioslurry will reduce considerably the number of treatment. However, the mechanical properties of sand treated with biogrout containing bioslurry, a type of rock-like material are more complicated as bioslurry may not contribute to microbial bonding strength as much as pure biogrout. The objective of this study is to investigate the micro-mechanisms of strength improvement behind the use of biogrout containing bioslurry as well as the relationship between the uniaxial compression (UC) strength and CaCO3 bonding strength based on a series of biogrouting experiments on various sand. A new method to evaluate the bonding strength of biogrouted sand using the acoustic emission (AE) technique is proposed. By detecting AE hits and AE energy of bonding damages during a UC test, the relationship between AE energy and elastic strain energy that induces bonding damage is established. The experimental results indicate the bonding strength of the specimen treated by biogrout containing bioslurry is weaker than that by pure biogrout and the UC strength of biogrouted sand is primary controlled by the mean bonding strength. The higher the mean bonding strength, the greater the UC strength.
GS6.1 controls kernel size and plant architecture in rice
Authors: Zhao Hongyuan , Fu Yu , Zhang Guiquan , Luo Yingqin , Yang Weifeng , Liang Xiaoya , Yin Lin , Zheng Zhenwu , Wang Yijun , Li Zhan , Zhu Haitao , Huang Jinyan , Tan Quanya , Bu Suhong , Liu Guifu , Wang Shaokui , Liu Zupei
Published: February 2023

Kernel size and plant architecture are critical agronomic traits that greatly influence kernel yield in rice. We identified a novel quantitative trait locus (QTL), named GS6.1, which regulates kernel size and plant architecture in rice. Near isogenic line-GS6.1 (NIL-GS6.1) produces long and narrow kernels by regulating cell length and width in the hull, thus increasing the 1000-kernel weight. Compared with the control, the plant height, panicles per plant, panicle length, kernels per plant, and secondary branches per panicle of NIL-GS6.1 are increased. In addition, GS6.1 regulates the kernel filling rate. GS6.1 controls kernel size at least in part through regulating the transcription levels of EXPA13, EXPA19, EXPB14, GS2, GS3, GL3, GL6, OML4, GL7, and GL10. These results indicate that GS6.1 might be beneficial for improving kernel yield and plant architecture in rice breeding by molecular design.
The long-term effects of reproductive health education among primary and secondary school students: A longitudinal quasi-experimental study in rural Tanzania
Authors: Shimpuku Yoko , Hirose Naoki , Chen Sanmei , Mwakawanga Dorkasi L. , Madeni Niko , Madeni Frida , Komada Mariko , Teshima Ayaka , Morishima Mayu , Ando Yasunobu , Takahama Koji , Nishida Atsushi
Published: February 2023

Background: Adolescent pregnancy remains a major global health issue, increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth in mothers and babies. In Tanzania, adolescent pregnancy threatens girls’ education and makes it difficult for them to obtain a proper job; hence, the majority fall into poverty. Previous studies have developed and conducted reproductive health education for adolescent students; however, they evaluated only the effect immediately after education. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of reproductive health education on attitudes and behaviors toward reproductive health among adolescent girls and boys one year after the intervention in rural Tanzania.
Methods: A longitudinal quasi-experimental study was conducted with 3295 primary and secondary students (2123 in the intervention group, 1172 in the control group) from three purposefully selected wards in Korogwe District. In the intervention group, the students received reproductive health education. We used paper-based questionnaires to evaluate the effect of the adolescent education program on attitudes and behaviors toward reproductive health education. To analyze the association between the intervention and each outcome, mixed-effect multiple regression analyses was conducted.
Results: The mean age, primary school proportion, and female proportion of the intervention and the control group was 13.05 (standard deviation (SD) 1.59), 14.14 (SD 1.7), 77.9% and 34.3%, and 54.2% and 52.6%, respectively. There was no statistically significant effect of reproductive health education on adolescent health attitudes and behaviors in the multiple regression analyses (coefficient: -0.24 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.98-0.50), coefficient: 0.01 (95%CI: -0.42-0.43)).
Conclusion: A statistically significant effect of reproductive health education on adolescent health attitudes and behaviors was not found. An effective reproductive health education intervention to improve the attitude and behaviors of reproductive health among Tanzania adolescents in the long term remain to be determined, particularly in real-world settings.
Trial registration: the National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania (NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol. IX988)
Nonlinear Adaptive Controller Design to Stabilize Constant Power Loads connected-DC Microgrid using Disturbance Accommodation Technique
Authors: Rai Ila , Anand R , Lashab Abderezak , Guerrero Josep M.
Published: February 2023

The DC microgrid is comprised of a considerable number of electronically regulated power electronic loads that act as constant power loads (CPLs). These power electronic devices have a high bandwidth regulation capability as well as a high-power conversion efficiency. Specifically, the high bandwidth control for the output of the converter load, when paired with the system's filtering components, results in negatively damped oscillations. These features, even if needed, may cause system instability and, finally, system failure if not avoided. To achieve effective power flow control in a DC microgrid, it is crucial to eliminate the undesired behaviour of the CPLs. The control objective requires the assessment of the power for uncertain loads, which vary with time. This paper proposes an adaptive controller linked to a cubature Kalman filter(CKF) for a DC microgrid with time-varying non-ideal CPLs. The controller utilises the neuro-fuzzy inference system(ANFIS) to make the design adaptive. The CKF method is used to determine the instantaneous value of time-varying load power. The assessed power is afterward sent to an ANFIS-based controller, which aims to modify the energy storage systems (ESS) injected current adaptively. The suggested controller not only maintains overall stability when the CPLs vary significantly, but it has a rapid dynamic response and accurate tracking across a wide operating range as well. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed adaptive controller can improve the DC microgrid's transient response while also increasing the stability margin.
Effects of mating, artificial insemination and intravaginal deposition of raw semen or seminal plasma on vaginal and uterine blood flow in German Holstein cows
Authors: Elmetwally Mohammed A , Meinecke-Tillmann Sabine , Herzog Kathrin , Bollwein Heinrich
Published: February 2023

Aim:The present study was performed in order to characterize and compare the perfusion of vaginal and uterine arteries after challenging the reproductive tract of dairy cows via natural mating, artificial insemination (AI), or intravaginal deposition (vaginal fundus) of different biological fluids or a placebo.Material and methods:In a double-blind study, six German Holstein cows were administered PGF2α during diestrus and 48 h later treated with GnRH. Intravaginal or intrauterine treatments were carried out 12 h after GnRH was administered. Animals served as their own controls, using a cross-over design with an interval of 14 days between experiments. Corresponding time intervals were chosen for the untreated control estrus. Blood flow volume (BFV) in the uterine (u) and vaginal (v) arteries ipsilateral to the ovary bearing the preovulatory follicle was determined using transrectal Doppler sonography.Results:All animals exhibited estrus and ovulated between 30 h and 36 h after GnRH. Transient increases (P < 0.05) in vaginal blood flow occurred between 3 and 12 h following mating as well as 3 to 9 h after deposition of raw semen and seminal plasma, respectively. The most distinct increases (199%) in vBFV occurred 6 h after mating compared to values immediately before mating (= time 0 h). Neither AI nor deposition of a placebo into the vagina affected vBFV (P>0.05). Only mating and deposition of either raw semen, seminal plasma or AI increased (P<0.0.003) UBFV. The greatest rise in uBFV occurred after natural mating. Maximum uBFV values were detected 9 h after mating when values were 79 % greater (P < 0.05) than at 0h.Conclusions:The natural mating, deposition of raw semen or seminal plasma and conventional AI affects vaginal and/ or uterine blood flow to different degrees. The factors responsible for these alterations in blood flow and their effects on fertility remain to be clarified in future studies.
Clinical significance of serum antinuclear antibodies in patients with autoimmune hepatitis and comorbidity
Authors: Liu Hui , Wang Yuqi , Wang Peng , Wang Xin , Yi Yunyun , Li Xin
Published: February 2023

Background & Aims: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is often complicated with immune diseases, which greatly affected the course and clinical outcome of AIH. We aimed to systematically assess clinical characteristics, prognosis in autoimmune hepatitis accompanied by immune diseases.
Methods: Clinical records of 358 patients with AIH from Beijing Ditan Hospital in China were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical features of AIH with immune diseases were compared retrospectively, including clinical characteristics, prognosis and outcome.
Results: Prevalence of immune diseases in patients with AIH was 26.5%. Connective tissue disease (CTD) was the commonest immune diseases associated with AIH (33/358, 9.2%), and the incidence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and thyroid dysfunction (TD) was low (4.7% and 8.5%, respectively). At diagnosis, AIH-PBC patients had higher IgM and ALP, lower weight, Hgb, ALT and AFP (P<0.05). Meanwhile, AIH-CTD patients had lower mean platelet volume, serum K and triglyceride (P<0.05). AIH-TD patients had a lower proportion of ANA positive (P<0.05). The overall survival time of AIH-TD was significantly shorter than AIH patients (P=0.0011), but there were no differences in AIH-PBC and AIH-CTD. Furthermore, ANA negative (HR:0.21, 95%CI 0.13-0.35, P<0.001) can be a factor to predict the poor prognosis of AIH, and also in AIH-TD patients.
Conclusions: About 26.5% of AIH patients had at least one immune disease，and TD coexisted with AIH impaired patients’ survival. ANA negative can be used as an independent indicator to predict the poor prognosis of AIH and AIH-TD.
Preparation of superhydrophobic coating with excellent abrasion resistance and anti-icing properties using Al2O3/PVDF composites with different Al2O3 particle sizes
Authors: Samsun Didem , Alkan Sena , Basaran Neslihan , Selli Neslihan Tamsu
Published: February 2023

Considering the application areas of ceramic materials (ceramic sinks, toilet bowls, washing areas, ceramic tiles tableware), the demand for improving dirt and water repellent properties is increasing day by day with the perception of hygiene and cleanliness that affects the whole world. In this study, super-hydrophobic solutions were prepared and applied to ceramic substrates by adding alumina particles with different particle size distributions into the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. Alumina powders added to the PVDF matrix at four different rates to obtain composite materails. Alumina powders with two different particle sizes, coarse and fine, was used and the effect of grain size on the properties was investigated. The adhesion performance of the coatings was determined by brush tests. In addition, surface roughness values, colour variation after coating, and anti-icing performance were also evaluated. It was observed that the coating with the (PVDF:Al2O3) ratio (1:0.25) had the highest contact angle and adhesion property.