bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A neurophysiological profiling of the heartbeat‐evoked potential in severe acquired brain injuries: A focus on unconsciousness
Authors: Liuzzi Piergiuseppe , Cassioli Tiziano , Secci Sara , Hakiki Bahia , Scarpino Maenia , Burali Rachele , di Palma Azzurra , Toci Tanita , Grippo Antonello , Cecchi Francesca , Frosini Andrea , Mannini Andrea
Published: May 2024

Unconsciousness in severe acquired brain injury (sABI) patients occurs with different cognitive and neural profiles. Perturbational approaches, which enable the estimation of proxies for brain reorganization, have added a new avenue for investigating the non‐behavioural diagnosis of consciousness. In this prospective observational study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the topological patterns of heartbeat‐evoked potentials (HEP) between patients experiencing a prolonged disorder of consciousness (pDoC) and patients emerging from a minimally consciousness state (eMCS). A total of 219 sABI patients were enrolled, each undergoing a synchronous EEG‐ECG resting‐state recording, together with a standardized consciousness diagnosis. A number of graph metrics were computed before/after the HEP (Before/After) using the R‐peak on the ECG signal. The peak value of the global field power of the HEP was found to be significantly higher in eMCS patients with no difference in latency. Power spectrum was not able to discriminate consciousness neitherBeforenorAfter. Node assortativity and global efficiency were found to vary with different trends at unconsciousness. Lastly, the Perturbational Complexity Index of the HEP was found to be significantly higher in eMCS patients compared with pDoC. Given that cortical elaboration of peripheral inputs may serve as a non‐behavioural determinant of consciousness, we have devised a low‐cost and translatable technique capable of estimating causal proxies of brain functionality with an endogenous, non‐invasive stimulus. Thus, we present an effective means to enhance consciousness assessment by incorporating the interaction between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and central nervous system (CNS) into the loop.
Cardiovascular safety of dihydroergotamine mesylate delivered by precision olfactory delivery (INP104) for the acute treatment of migraine
Authors: Dafer Rima M. , Tietjen Gretchen E. , Rothrock John F. , Vann Robert E. , Shrewsbury Stephen B. , Aurora Sheena K.
Published: May 2024

Objective

To report the cardiovascular (CV) safety of dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE) administered by precision olfactory delivery (INP104) from two clinical trials.

Background

Although the absolute risk is low, migraine is associated with an increased risk of CV events. DHE is a highly effective acute treatment for migraine, but due to its theoretical risk of promoting arterial vasoconstriction, DHE is contraindicated in patients with CV disease or an unfavorable risk factor profile. The INP104 is a novel drug‐device combination product approved for acute treatment of migraine that delivers DHE to the upper nasal space using precision olfactory delivery (POD®).

Methods

The STOP 101 was a Phase 1 open‐label study that assessed the safety, tolerability, and bioavailability of INP104 1.45 mg, intravenous DHE 1.0 mg, and MIGRANAL (nasal DHE) 2.0 mg in healthy participants. The STOP 301 was a pivotal Phase 3, open‐label study that assessed the safety, tolerability, and exploratory efficacy of INP104 1.45 mg over 24 and 52 weeks in patients with migraine. In both studies, active or a history of CV disease, as well as significant CV risk factors, were exclusion criteria.

Results

In STOP 101, 36 participants received one or more doses of investigational product. Treatment with intravenous DHE, but not INP104 or nasal DHE, resulted in clinically relevant changes from baseline in systolic blood pressure (BP; 11.4 mmHg, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9–15.0) and diastolic BP (13.3 mmHg, 95% CI 9.4–17.1) at 5 min post‐dose, persisting up to 30 min post‐dose for systolic BP (6.3 mmHg; 95% CI 3.0–9.5) and diastolic BP (7.9 mmHg, 95% CI 3.9–11.9). None of the treatments produced any clinically meaningful electrocardiogram (ECG) changes. In STOP 301, 354 patients received one or more doses of INP104. Over 24 weeks, five patients (1.4%) experienced a non‐serious, vascular treatment‐emergent adverse event (TEAE). Minimal changes were observed for BP and ECG parameters over 24 or 52 weeks. Off‐protocol concomitant use of triptans and other ergot derivatives did not result in any TEAEs.

Conclusion

In two separate studies, INP104 demonstrated a favorable CV safety profile when used in a study population without CV‐related contraindications.
Disentangling the attractiveness of telework to employees: A factorial survey experiment
Authors: MOENS Eline , VERHOFSTADT Elsy , VAN OOTEGEM Luc , BAERT Stijn
Published: May 2024

This article analyses the attractiveness of telework using a factorial survey experiment in which employees evaluate job offers with diverging characteristics, including a wide variation in the possibility to telework. This allows us to show that the relationship between the possibility to telework and job attractiveness is approximately linear: 10 percentage points (pp) more telework hours yield a rise of 2.2 pp in attractiveness and, therefore, the willingness to forego a 2.2 pp wage increase in the new job. Our experimental design also allows us to investigate the underlying mechanisms and moderators of this relationship structurally and extensively.
The roles of essential trace elements in T cell biology
Authors: Lan Linbo , Feng Zhao , Liu Xiaobin , Zhang Baojun
Published: May 2024

T cells are crucial for adaptive immunity to regulate proper immune response and immune homeostasis. T cell development occurs in the thymus and mainly differentiates into CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets. Upon stimulation, naive T cells differentiate into distinct CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, which mediate immunity homeostasis and defend against pathogens or tumours. Trace elements are minimal yet essential components of human body that cannot be overlooked, and they participate in enzyme activation, DNA synthesis, antioxidant defence, hormone production, etc. Moreover, trace elements are particularly involved in immune regulations. Here, we have summarized the roles of eight essential trace elements (iron, zinc, selenium, copper, iodine, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt) in T cell development, activation and differentiation, and immune response, which provides significant insights into developing novel approaches to modulate immunoregulation and immunotherapy.
Geometric growth of the normal human craniocervical junction from 0 to 18 years old
Authors: Raoul‐Duval Juliette , Ganet Angèle , Benichi Sandro , Baixe Pauline , Cornillon Clara , Eschapasse Lou , Geoffroy Maya , Paternoster Giovanna , James Syril , Laporte Sébastien , Blauwblomme Thomas , Khonsari Roman H. , Taverne Maxime
Published: May 2024

The craniocervical junction (CCJ) forms the bridge between the skull and the spine, a highly mobile group of joints that allows the mobility of the head in every direction. The CCJ plays a major role in protecting the inferior brainstem (bulb) and spinal cord, therefore also requiring some stability. Children are subjected to multiple constitutive or acquired diseases involving the CCJ: primary bone diseases such as in FGFR‐related craniosynostoses or acquired conditions such as congenital torticollis, cervical spine luxation, and neurological disorders. To design efficient treatment plans, it is crucial to understand the relationship between abnormalities of the craniofacial region and abnormalities of the CCJ. This can be approached by the study of control and abnormal growth patterns. Here we report a model of normal skull base growth by compiling a collection of geometric models in control children. Focused analyses highlighted specific developmental patterns for each CCJ bone, emphasizing rapid growth during infancy, followed by varying rates of growth and maturation during childhood and adolescence until reaching stability by 18 years of age. The focus was on the closure patterns of synchondroses and sutures in the occipital bone, revealing distinct closure trajectories for the anterior intra‐occipital synchondroses and the occipitomastoid suture. The findings, although based on a limited dataset, showcased specific age‐related changes in width and closure percentages, providing valuable insights into growth dynamics within the first 2 years of life. Integration analyses revealed intricate relationships between skull and neck structures, emphasizing coordinated growth at different stages. Specific bone covariation patterns, as found between the first and second cervical vertebrae (C1 and C2), indicated synchronized morphological changes. Our results provide initial data for designing inclusive CCJ geometric models to predict normal and abnormal growth dynamics.
CAD/CAM versus traditional complete dentures: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of patient‐ and clinician‐reported outcomes and costs
Authors: Jafarpour Dana , Haricharan Praveen Bhoopathi , de Souza Raphael Freitas
Published: May 2024

Statement of Problem

Computer‐aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) have been increasingly used to enhance the patient and clinician experiences with removable complete dentures (CDs). Yet, evidence from systematic reviews is lacking to validate the clinical significance of these digital prostheses.

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review was to compare CAD/CAM CDs with the traditional ones in terms of patient and clinician‐reported outcomes, post‐insertion adjustment visits and costs.

Materials and Methods

An electronic search of four databases [Medline (Ovid), Embase, Scopus and Cochrane CENTRAL; last update: May 2022] was performed to retrieve clinical studies comparing CAD/CAM and traditional CDs. Two independent reviewers screened the articles, extracted data (methods and outcomes) and assessed risk of bias of the included studies. The following outcomes underwent meta‐analysis (random‐effects model): overall patient and clinician satisfaction, oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL), number of post‐insertion adjustment visits, as well as laboratory and total costs.

Results

This review included 11 studies. Meta‐analysis revealed that CAD/CAM CDs are comparable to the traditional CDs in terms of overall patient satisfaction and OHRQoL. Clinician‐reported data depended on the manufacturing technique: whereas milled CDs performed better than traditional CDs in terms of clinician satisfaction and number of adjustments, 3D printed and traditional CDs were similar. Fabrication of CAD/CAM CDs required significantly less laboratory and overall costs than the traditional CDs.

Conclusions

There is some evidence showing that CAD/CAM CDs are at least comparable to traditional CDs. Further well‐designed randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate the performance of specific CAD/CAM approaches for manufacturing CDs, however.
Which emotion regulation strategy is efficient for whom? Reappraisal and suppression efficiency for adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles
Authors: Trentini Elena , Dan‐Glauser Elise
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aimed to explore the efficiency of different emotion regulation strategies, specifically reappraisal and suppression, in relation to adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles.

Background

Personality conditions emotions and influences emotion regulation. Of the available regulation strategies, reappraisal (reinterpreting the situation) is described as an efficient strategy, whereas suppression (not displaying the experienced emotion) carries higher physiological and cognitive costs. Little is known, however, about the influence of personality on these efficiencies.

Method

We tested the personality structure of 102 participants (Meanage = 20.75, SDage = 2.15), based on the Five‐Factor Model and the Maladaptive Personality Trait Model. Experience, expressivity, and physiological arousal were recorded during the viewing of emotionally charged positive and negative images while participants reappraised, suppressed, or viewed the images without regulating their emotions.

Results

We identified two clusters for adaptive personality (“Adaptive Resilient” and “Anti‐resilient”) and two for maladaptive personality (“Maladaptive Resilient” and “Under‐controlled”). The major finding was for emotional experience in maladaptive personalities, where reappraisal was efficient in the Maladaptive Resilient profile, while none of the strategies brought relief in the Under‐controlled profile.

Conclusion

This study, which systematically contrasts personality and efficiency of emotion regulation strategies, is one of the first attempts to refine the understanding of how personality influences the emotional regulation process.
Social security, bequests, and social comparisons
Authors: Borissov Kirill , Kalk Andrei
Published: May 2024

We examine the long‐run impact of unfunded social security on capital stock and wealth inequality in an overlapping generations (OLG) model where newborn individuals differ in their inheritance. In our model, individuals' decisions are subject to social comparisons, which can lead to overspending on personal consumption and result in zero bequests left within poor families. In this scenario, unfunded social security increases long‐run wealth inequality by redistributing wealth from poor to rich families, who always leave bequests. However, it increases long‐run capital stock, too. We also show that when none or all of the families leave bequests in the long run, our model predicts negative and neutral effects of social security on capital accumulation, in line with the standard OLG models of Diamond and Barro. Thus, our results emphasize the need to account for heterogeneity in bequest behavior in the analysis of social security.
Chemoreceptors in Sinorhizobium meliloti require minimal pentapeptide tethers to provide adaptational assistance
Authors: Agbekudzi Alfred , Scharf Birgit E.
Published: May 2024

Sensory adaptation in bacterial chemotaxis is mediated by posttranslational modifications of methyl‐accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). In Escherichia coli, the adaptation proteins CheR and CheB tether to a conserved C‐terminal receptor pentapeptide. Here,we investigated the function of the pentapeptide motif (N/D)WE(E/N)F in Sinorhizobium meliloti chemotaxis. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed stronger affinity of the pentapeptides to CheR and activated CheB relative to unmodified CheB. Strains with mutations of the conserved tryptophan in one or all four MCP pentapeptides resulted in a significant decrease or loss of chemotaxis to glycine betaine, lysine, and acetate, chemoattractants sensed by pentapeptide‐bearing McpX and pentapeptide‐lacking McpU and McpV, respectively. Importantly, we discovered that the pentapeptide mediates chemotaxis when fused to the C‐terminus of pentapeptide‐lacking chemoreceptors via a flexible linker. We propose that adaptational assistance and a threshold number of available sites enable the efficient docking of adaptation proteins to the chemosensory array. Altogether, these results demonstrate that S. meliloti effectively utilizes a pentapeptide‐dependent adaptation system with a minimal number of tethering units to assist pentapeptide‐lacking chemoreceptors and hypothesize that the higher abundance of CheR and CheB in S. meliloti compared to E. coli allows for ample recruitment of adaptation proteins to the chemosensory array.
Ecological niche modelling of Culicoides imicola and future range shifts under climate change scenarios in Italy
Authors: Del Lesto Irene , Magliano Adele , Casini Riccardo , Ermenegildi Arianna , Rombolà Pasquale , De Liberato Claudio , Romiti Federico
Published: May 2024

Culicoides imicola is the main vector of viral diseases of livestock in Europe such as bluetongue (BT), African horse sickness and epizootic haemorrhagic disease. Climatic factors are the main drivers of C. imicola occurrence and its distribution might be subject to rapid shifts due to climate change. Entomological data, collected during BT surveillance, and climatic/environmental variables were used to analyse ecological niche and to model C. imicola distribution and possible future range shifts in Italy. An ensemble technique was used to weigh the performance of machine learning, linear and profile methods. Updated future climate projections from the latest phase of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project were used to generate future distributions for the next three 20‐year periods, according to combinations of general circulation models and shared socioeconomic pathways and considering different climate change scenarios. Results indicated the minimum temperature of the coldest month (BIO 6) and precipitation of the driest‐warmest months (BIO 14) as the main limiting climatic factors. Indeed, BIO 6 and BIO 14 reported the two highest values of variable importance, respectively, 9.16% (confidence interval [CI] = 7.99%–10.32%), and 2.01% (CI = 1.57%–2.44%). Under the worst‐case scenario of climate change, C. imicola range is expected to expand northward and shift away from the coasts of central Italy, while in some areas of southern Italy, environmental suitability will decrease. Our results provide predictions of C. imicola distribution according to the most up‐to‐date future climate projections and should be of great use to surveillance management at regional and national scales.
Ecosystem functioning during biodiversity loss and recovery
Authors: Clare David S. , Garcia Clement , Bolam Stefan G.
Published: May 2024

Anthropogenic biodiversity loss can impair ecosystem functioning. Human activities are often managed with the aim of reversing biodiversity loss and its associated functional impacts. However, it is currently unknown whether biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) relationships observed during biodiversity recovery are the same as those observed during biodiversity loss. This will depend on how species extirpation and recolonisation sequences compare and how different species influence ecosystem functioning. Using data from a marine benthic invertebrate community, we modelled how bioturbation potential – a proxy for benthic ecosystem functioning – changes along biodiversity loss and recovery sequences governed by species' sensitivity to physical disturbance and recolonisation capability, respectively. BEF relationships for biodiversity loss and recovery were largely the same despite species extirpation and recolonisation sequences being different. This held true irrespective of whether populations were assumed to exhibit compensatory responses as species were removed or added. These findings suggest that the functional consequences of local biodiversity loss can be reversed by alleviating its drivers, as different species present at comparable levels of species richness during biodiversity loss and recovery phases have similar functional effects. Empirically verifying and determining the generality of our model‐based results are potential next steps for future research.
The promise and peril of interpersonal political communication
Authors: Settle Jaime E.
Published: May 2024

At present, the field of political psychology lacks an effective framework to conceptually organize the findings from the voluminous literature assessing whether interpersonal political interaction makes democracy better or worse. Historically, the scholarship examining various styles of interactions has remained siloed; scholars have not designed their studies to facilitate comparisons across different styles, so the accumulation of knowledge about one style often fails to influence how knowledge is accumulated about other styles. Moreover, the approaches used to study interpersonal political interaction bundle together constituent facets of discussion in a way that makes it difficult to unpack the relationship between the structural features and attitudinal outcomes of that interaction. In this review, I seek to develop a conceptual framework with two goals: (1) to encourage research design that intentionally examines why and how particular features of interpersonal interactions are linked to particular kinds of attitudinal outcomes, regardless of the style of interaction and (2) to facilitate communication between academic researchers and practitioners in order to strengthen the theory‐to‐practice pipeline for interpersonal political interaction research.
Understanding the role of boron in plant adaptation to soil salinity
Authors: Qu Mei , Huang Xin , García‐Caparrós Pedro , Shabala Lana , Fuglsang Anja Thoe , Yu Min , Shabala Sergey
Published: May 2024

Soil salinity is a major environmental constraint affecting the sustainability and profitability of agricultural production systems. Salinity stress tolerance has been present in wild crop relatives but then lost, or significantly weakened, during their domestication. Given the genetic and physiological complexity of salinity tolerance traits, agronomical solutions may be a suitable alternative to crop breeding for improved salinity stress tolerance. One of them is optimizing fertilization practices to assist plants in dealing with elevated salt levels in the soil. In this review, we analyse the causal relationship between the availability of boron (an essential metalloid micronutrient) and plant's adaptive responses to salinity stress at the whole‐plant, cellular, and molecular levels, and a possibility of using boron for salt stress mitigation. The topics covered include the impact of salinity and the role of boron in cell wall remodelling, plasma membrane integrity, hormonal signalling, and operation of various membrane transporters mediating plant ionic and water homeostasis. Of specific interest is the role of boron in the regulation of H+‐ATPase activity whose operation is essential for the control of a broad range of voltage‐gated ion channels. The complex relationship between boron availability and expression patterns and the operation of aquaporins is also discussed.
Exploring the limits of collaboration and the fragility of its outcomes: The case of community policing
Authors: Headley Andrea M. , Kalesnikaite Vaiva
Published: May 2024

Understanding collaboration between the government and community leaders or organizations is essential for effectively delivering services and creating public value. Interorganizational collaboration is particularly salient in communities of color when considering how historic exclusions of marginalized voices have inhibited equity. This study draws upon 88 in‐depth, semistructured interviews on collaboration (and its limits) between the police and community in Hartford, Connecticut, US. Using this context, the findings highlight the limits of collaborative community policing with regard to resources, reach, expectations, implementation, and power balances. Moreover, even after overcoming challenges, the translation of collaborative actions (e.g., community policing) into social outcomes (e.g., police–community relations) is fragile. For instance, leadership or critical incidents can influence whether community policing activities actually lead to gains in police–community relations. Taken as a whole, this study demonstrates how collaboration unfolds with community organizations, how it impacts police–community relations in communities of color, and the limitations thereof.
MicroRNA‐2285f regulates milk fat metabolism by targeting MAP2K2 in bovine mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Zhang Di , Wang HuiJun , Chen YaFei , Cai ZhengYun , Yu BaoJun , Liu JiaMin , Feng XiaoFang , Wang ChuanChuan , Gu YaLing , Zhang Juan
Published: May 2024

In this study, Holstein dairy cows raised in Ningxia were selected as the research object. Mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) were extracted from the milk of eight Holstein cows with significantly different milk fat expression rates and transcribed for sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was used to analyse the correlation of fat milk percentage, and the critical miR‐2285f regulating milk fat was screened out. The target gene binding sites were predicted, and 293T cells and mammary epithelial cells were used as miRNA and target gene models for functional verification in vitro. The tissue difference of miR‐2285f Holstein cows was quantitatively analysed by transfecting miR‐2285f mimic and inhibitor. Assay (dual luciferase reporter gene assay) and quantitative real‐time PCR (quantitative real‐time PCR, qRT‐PCR), triglyceride (TAG) detection, oil red O detection of lipid droplets, Western Blot assay, Edu and Flow cytometry, The molecular regulatory effects of miR‐2285f and target gene MAP2K2 on milk fat metabolism of Holstein dairy cows were studied. The wild‐type vector and mutant vector of map2k2‐3′utr were constructed, and double luciferase reporting experiments were conducted to verify that MAP2K2 was one of the target genes of miR‐2285f. According to qRT‐PCR and Western Blot analysis, miR‐2285f mainly regulates the expression of MAP2K2 protein in BMECs at the translation level. Bta‐miR‐2285f can promote cell proliferation and slow cell apoptosis by regulating MAP2K2. Bta‐miR‐2285f can promote triglyceride (TAG) and lipid droplet accumulation in mammary epithelial cells by targeting MAP2K2. Bta‐miR‐2285f can regulate protein levels of fat milk marker gene PPARG by targeting MAP2K2. In conclusion, miR‐2285f can target the expression of the MAP2K2 gene, promote the proliferation of dairy mammary epithelial cells, inhibit cell apoptosis and regulate the milk fat metabolism in dairy mammary epithelial cells. The results of this study revealed the function of miR‐2285f in regulating the differential expression of fat milk in Holstein dairy cows at the cellular level. They provided a theoretical and experimental basis for analysing the regulation network of milk fat synthesis of Holstein dairy cows and the molecular breeding of dairy cows.
Once upon a Time in Parenthood: Adolescents' Attitudes Toward Parents' Time with Children, 1991–2019
Authors: Young S. Abby , Beutel Ann M.
Published: May 2024

Recent decades have seen increases in parents' time with children and their endorsement of time‐intensive parenting, but little is known about adolescents' attitudes regarding the time that parents in general (i.e., not their own parents specifically) spend with children. We analyze separate attitudinal measures of fathers' time and mothers' time with children using data from the eighth and tenth grade Monitoring the Future surveys for 1991 to 2019. Overall, the majority of adolescents agree that most fathers and mothers, but especially fathers, should spend more time with their children than they do. Black girls are the most likely to agree that fathers and mothers should spend more time with their children while white boys are the least likely. The largest increases in agreement that fathers and mothers should spend more time with their children are found for white girls. Exploring parental education and mother's employment as potential mechanisms for these trends, we find that attitudes about the time most fathers and mothers should spend with children have converged across parental education levels and maternal employment statuses over the years of our study.
Minimal varieties of graded PI‐algebras over abelian groups
Authors: Argenti Sebastiano , Vincenzo Onofrio Mario Di
Published: May 2024

Let be a field of characteristic zero and a finite abelian group. In this paper, we prove that an affine variety of ‐graded PI‐algebras is minimal if and only if it is generated by a graded algebra of upper block triangular matrices where are finite‐dimensional ‐simple algebras.
Inferring Human Control Intent Using Inverse Linear Quadratic Regulator With Output Penalty Versus Gain Penalty: Better Fit but Similar Intent
Authors: Yu Heejin , Ramadan Ahmed , Cholewicki Jacek , Popovich John M. , Reeves N. Peter , You Joshua (Sung) H. , Choi Jongeun
Published: May 2024

To identify the underlying mechanisms of human motor control, parametric models are utilized. One approach of employing these models is the inferring the control intent (estimating motor control strategy). A well-accepted assumption is that human motor control is optimal; thus, the intent is inferred by solving an inverse optimal control (IOC) problem. Linear quadratic regulator (LQR) is a well-established optimal controller, and its inverse LQR (ILQR) problem has been used in the literature to infer the control intent of one subject. This implementation used a cost function with gain penalty, minimizing the error between LQR gain and a preliminary estimated gain. We hypothesize that relying on an estimated gain may limit ILQR optimization capability. In this study, we derive an ILQR optimization with output penalty, minimizing the error between the model output and the measured output. We conducted the test on 30 healthy subjects who sat on a robotic seat capable of rotation. The task utilized a physical human–robot interaction with a perturbation torque as input and lower and upper body angles as output. Our method significantly improved the goodness of fit compared to the gain-penalty ILQR. Moreover, the dominant inferred intent was not statistically different between the two methods. To our knowledge, this work is the first that infers motor control intent for a sample of healthy subjects. This is a step closer to investigating control intent differences between healthy subjects and subjects with altered motor control, e.g., low back pain.
Topology Optimization for the Design of Manufacturable Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Using Dual-Moving Morphable Component Method
Authors: Zhang Weisheng , Lai Qi , Guo Xu , Youn Sung-Kie
Published: May 2024

This paper presents a new topology optimization scheme for the manufacturable piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs). Most of the existing topology optimization schemes for the design of PEHs are difficult to cope with manufacturing constraints producing design results that pose serious challenges for the local poling of the piezoelectric materials. In this work, dual-moving morphable component (dual-MMC) scheme for explicit topology optimization for the design of PEHs is presented. In dual-MMC scheme, two independent sets of MMC are employed to describe the structural topology of the PEH and polarization profile in piezoelectric material in an explicit manner. With the use of the scheme, the shape of electrodes and the opposite polarization directions in the local poling process can be effectively treated as a constraint making the realization of the PEH an easy task. Several examples of the design of cantilever-type PEH are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Furthermore, a designed PEH actually manufactured for demonstration of the production process.
The role of
cis
-zeatin in enhancing high-temperature resistance and fucoxanthin biosynthesis in
Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Fan Sizhe , Li Yixuan , Wang Qi , Jin Mengjie , Yu Mange , Zhao Hejing , Zhou Chengxu , Xu Jilin , Li Bing , Li Xiaohui
Published: May 2024

Phaeodactylum tricornutum
a prominent source of industrial fucoxanthin production, faces challenges in its application due to its tolerance to high-temperature environments. This study investigates the physiological responses of
P. tricornutum
to high-temperature stress and its impact on fucoxanthin content, with a specific focus on the role of
cis
-zeatin. The results reveal that high-temperature stress inhibits
P. tricornutum
’s growth and photosynthetic activity, leading to a decrease in fucoxanthin content. Transcriptome analysis shows that high temperature suppresses the expression of genes related to photosynthesis (e.g.,
psbO
,
psbQ
, and
OEC
) and fucoxanthin biosynthesis (e.g.,
PYS
,
PDS1
, and
PSD2
), underscoring the negative effects of high temperature on
P. tricornutum
. Interestingly, genes associated with
cis
-zeatin biosynthesis and cytokinesis signaling pathways exhibited increased expression under high-temperature conditions, indicating a potential role of
cis
-zeatin signaling in response to elevated temperatures. Content measurements confirm that high temperature enhances
cis
-zeatin content. Furthermore, the exogenous addition of cytokinesis mimetics or inhibitors significantly affected
P. tricornutum
’s high-temperature resistance. Overexpression of the
cis-zeatin
biosynthetic enzyme gene
tRNA DMATase
enhanced
P. tricornutum
’s resistance to high-temperature stress, while genetic knockout of
tRNA DMATas
e reduced its resistance to high temperatures. Therefore, this research not only uncovers a novel mechanism for high-temperature resistance in
P. tricornutum
but also offers a possible alga species that can withstand high temperatures for the industrial production of fucoxanthin, offering valuable insights for practical utilization.

IMPORTANCE

This study delves into
Phaeodactylum tricornutum
’s response to high-temperature stress, specifically focusing on
cis
-zeatin. We uncover inhibited growth, reduced fucoxanthin, and significant
cis
-zeatin-related gene expression under high temperatures, highlighting potential signaling mechanisms. Crucially, genetic engineering and exogenous addition experiments confirm that the change in
cis
-zeatin levels could influence
P. tricornutum
’s resistance to high-temperature stress. This breakthrough deepens our understanding of microalgae adaptation to high temperatures and offers an innovative angle for industrial fucoxanthin production. This research is a pivotal step toward developing heat-resistant microalgae for industrial use.
Puzzling encounter of idiopathic pasteurella bacteraemia
Authors: Utpat Nishka , Dikengil Cem , Utpat Kaanchi
Published: May 2024

Pasteurella multocidais a gram-negative coccobacillus that is commonly transmitted through animal bites including cats and dogs. The degree of infection can be worrisome in the immunosuppressed population with a stark correlation in patients with cirrhosis. However, taking that population into account, only 13 cases ofP. multocidabacteraemia have been recorded with the majority of those cases having cirrhotic liver disease along with multiple comorbidities. Here, we present an elderly patient with only pertinent medical history of mixed hyperlipidaemia who presents after a mechanical fall with acute renal failure and septic shock secondary toP. multocidabacteraemia.
Clinical features and 1-year outcomes of variable obstruction in participants with preserved spirometry: results from the ECOPD study in China
Authors: Wu Fan , Li Haiqing , Deng Zhishan , Yang Huajing , Zheng Youlan , Zhao Ningning , Dai Cuiqiong , Peng Jieqi , Lu Lifei , Wang Zihui , Wen Xiang , Xiao Shan , Zhou Kunning , Wu Xiaohui , Tang Gaoying , Wan Qi , Sun Ruiting , Cui Jiangyu , Yang Changli , Chen Shengtang , Huang Jianhui , Yu Shuqing , Zhou Yumin , Ran Pixin
Published: May 2024

Background

There are limited data on the clinical features and longitudinal prognosis of variable obstruction, particularly among never smokers and different variable obstruction types. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the participants with variable obstruction and determine the relationship between variable obstruction and the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the decline of lung function in a community-dwelling study of Chinese, especially among never smokers and different variable obstruction subtypes.

Methods

Participants with preserved spirometry (postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ≥0.70) at baseline from the Early COPD cohort were included in our analysis. Participants with variable obstruction (prebronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.70) were compared with those without variable obstruction (prebronchodilator FEV1/FVC ≥0.70). We performed subgroup analyses in never smokers, former and current smokers, and different variable obstruction types (postbronchodilator FVC <prebronchodilator FVC or postbronchodilator FVC ≥prebronchodilator FVC).

Results

The final analysis included 1140 participants with preserved spirometry (169 in the variable obstruction group) at baseline. Participants with variable obstruction were older, had lower lung function and had greater severe emphysema and computed tomography-defined air trapping than participants without variable obstruction. Participants with variable obstruction had a significantly increased risk of incident spirometry-defined COPD (relative risk: 3.22, 95% confidence interval 2.23 to 4.64, p <0.001) than those without variable obstruction after adjustment for covariates. These findings remained consistent among both former and current smokers, never smokers, and different variable obstruction types. Additionally, participants with variable obstruction had a faster decline in postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC (2.3±0.5%/year vs 0.9±0.4%/year, mean difference: 1.4 (95% confidence interval 0.5 to 2.3), p=0.002) than participants without variable obstruction after adjustment for covariates.

Conclusions

The results of our study revealed that variable obstruction can identify individuals who are at risk for the development of COPD and accelerated postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC decline in preserved spirometry.
Global, regional and national burdens of occupational injuries, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Authors: Lai Jianqiang , Li Xianmin , Liu Wei , Liufu Qian , Zhong Chengfan
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Occupational injuries pose a significant challenge to global health and development. This study aimed to quantify the international and regional burdens of occupational injuries from 1990 to 2019, stratified by specific causes.

Methods

We analysed global trends in deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) and age-standardised DALY rates (ASDR) related to occupational injuries. Specific injuries, including animal contact, drowning, mechanical forces, falls, fire, heat, hot substances, foreign bodies, poisoning and road injuries, were evaluated. Age-stratified and regional analyses were also performed.

Results

Globally, the number of deaths, DALYs, ASMR and ASDR related to occupational injuries declined from 1990 to 2019. The middle Socio-demographic Index (SDI) region exhibited the highest burden, whereas the high SDI region showed the least burden. China and India had the highest occupational injury-related death rates in 2019. Males, particularly those aged 25–44 years, were found to be more vulnerable. Road injuries were the leading cause of death in all age groups. Compared with 1990, mortality numbers and rates decreased significantly by 2019, with the highest burdens experienced in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Conclusion

The global decline in occupational injuries is promising; however, certain regions and demographics remain disproportionately affected. Targeted interventions in high-burden areas are crucial to further reduce the impact of occupational injuries.
Ectogestation for men: why aren't we talking about it?
Authors: Räsänen Joona
Published: May 2024

Andrea Bidoli argues that ectogestation could be seen as an emancipatory intervention for women. Specifically, she claims that ectogestation would create unique conditions to reevaluate one’s reproductive preference, address certain specific negative social implications of gestation and childbirth, and that it is unfair to hold ectogestation to a higher standard than other innovations such as modern contraceptives and non-medical egg freezing. In this commentary, I claim that Bidoli—like so many others—unjustly bypasses men and their reproductive desires. For a long time, the discussion of the ethics of ectogenesis has focused on women and their reproductive liberation. However, since in many countries, an increasing number of men in reproductive age face difficulties in finding a partner and lack access to other forms of assisted reproduction, it is men who need ectogestation the most.
An alternative theoretical approach to develop a new conception about pain in people with dementia
Authors: Morgner Christian , Dening Karen Harrison , Dening Tom , Gibson Barry
Published: May 2024

The theoretical approach presented in this paper describes a novel experimental-theoretical methodology to conceptualise pain in people with dementia. Existing procedures for assessment of pain rely on subjective self-report using pain questionnaires and rating scales that have proven to be highly problematic where a person has dementia. Consequently, pain in people with dementia can be undetected and/or undertreated. To address that, we have developed an alternative experimental approach that builds on theoretical and methodological precedents from the arts, humanities and social sciences, for instance, visual thinking strategies, creative thinking or two-step flow of communication. Based on this approach, we designed an experimental workshop setting to ingrate these methodologies to explore pain and its expression in people with dementia. This had led to a new definition of pain as an interruption of the socially mediated process of bodily meaning-making. Furthermore, our experimental methodology could equally well be applied as a training method, where professional staff can intervene into existing implicit meanings and understandings of medical issues. These results emphasise that the future of pain research needs to consider the relational aspects of pain more seriously.
From the womb to the world: a study of pregnancy narratives by celebrity moms in India
Authors: Pramanik Pratyusha , Mishra Ajit K
Published: May 2024

This article examines how celebrity moms in India are self-constructing their public persona through their pregnancy narratives. As a form of personal narrative, pregnancy narratives provide important insights into the unnarrated private world of pregnancy and its nuanced experiences. Although pregnancy and motherhood are glorified in India, it is subjected to a regime of cultural control thereby influencing women’s disclosure of pregnancy behaviour and their narrative freedom. Despite being a life-altering event for women, pregnancy experiences and their narrativisation in India have largely been confined to the domestic spaces. However, some recent developments suggest the modernisation of maternity in India and point towards the emergence of a new cultural phenomenon as celebrity mothers through their pregnancy narratives are questioning the traditional beliefs and scientific practices which restrict women and their narrative freedom during pregnancy and childbirth. They are also documenting their obstetric violence, postpartum changes and the alternative means adopted by them to give birth. Through a narrative analysis of Kareena Kapoor’sPregnancy Bible(2021), Tahira Kashyap’sThe 7 Sins of Being a Mother(2021) and Kalki Koechlin’sThe Elephant in the Womb(2021), this article examines how modern maternity is being constructed in India and how it is entering popular discourse through personal narratives. In the process, it investigates how these celebrity mothers, to make themselves more acceptable, subvert the existing discourse of maternity and modernise it while retaining its necessary traditionalism. Most importantly, the article develops an understanding of the role of these narratives in encouraging the performance of maternity beyond the domestic setup.
Interactions between ENDS and cigarette use: evidence from a 2022 national telephone survey in South Africa
Authors: van der Zee Kirsten , Van Walbeek Corné
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) may serve as a cessation tool for people who smoke cigarettes. However, for people who do not smoke, ENDS may be a gateway to nicotine addiction and cigarette use. This paper aims to quantify these behaviours in South Africa.

Methods

We analysed a nationally representative telephone survey of 21 263 South Africans living in urban areas. For those respondents who had used both products (N=771), we developed a typology that describes the sequence in which cigarette and ENDS initiation occurred. ‘On-rampers’ describe people who used ENDS first and later initiated cigarette smoking. ‘Off-rampers’ describe people who used cigarettes first, took up ENDS and later quit cigarettes while still using ENDS. ‘Failed off-rampers’ describe people who started using ENDS while smoking cigarettes but later quit using ENDS. ‘Continuing dual consumers’ describe people still using both products at the time of the interview.

Results

Of the overall sample (N=21 263), 1.7% used or had used ENDS but had no history of using cigarettes. Of dual consumers (N=771), 8.8% were classified as ‘on-rampers’, 13.9% as ‘off-rampers’, 20.9% as ‘failed off-rampers’ and 56.4% as ‘continuing dual consumers’. Roughly half of those classified as off-rampers, failed off-rampers or continuing dual consumers stated that they started using ENDS to help them quit cigarettes.

Conclusions

The typology reveals a multifaceted relationship between ENDS and cigarette use in South Africa. Policy interventions should aim to minimise on-ramping and maximise off-ramping. Given the high prevalence of continued dual use and failed off-ramping, targeted cessation support should be provided for people who use ENDS and are trying to quit cigarettes.
Self-interacting scalar field in (2+1) dimensions Einstein gravity with torsion
Authors: Kaya R. , Özçelik H. T.
Published: May 2024

We study a massless real self-interacting scalar field $$\varphi $$
φ
non-minimally coupled to Einstein gravity with torsion in (2+1) space-time dimensions in the presence of a cosmological constant. The field equations with a self-interaction potential $$V(\varphi )$$

V
(
φ
)

including $$\varphi ^{n}$$

φ
n

terms are derived by a variational principle. By numerically solving these field equations with the 4th Runge–Kutta method, the circularly symmetric rotating solutions for (2+1) dimensions Einstein gravity with torsion are obtained. Exact analytical solutions to the field equations are derived for the proposed metric in the absence of both torsion and angular momentum. We find that the self-interacting potential only exists for $$n=6$$

n
=
6

, as requested by conformal symmetry. We also study the motion of massive and massless particles in (2+1) Einstein gravity with torsion coupled to a self-interacting scalar field. The effect of torsion on the behavior of the effective potentials of the particles is analyzed numerically.
HCCNet: Hybrid Coupled Cooperative Network for Robust Indoor Localization
Authors: Zhang Li , Zhou Xu , Li Danyang , Yang Zheng
Published: May 2024

Accurate localization of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is critical for navigation in GPS-denied regions, which remains a highly challenging topic in recent research. This article describes a novel approach to multi-sensor hybrid coupled cooperative localization network (HCCNet) system that combines multiple types of sensors including camera, ultra-wideband (UWB), and inertial measurement unit (IMU) to address this challenge. The camera and IMU can automatically determine the position of UAV based on the perception of surrounding environments and their own measurement data. The UWB node and the UWB wireless sensor network (WSN) in indoor environments jointly determine the global position of UAV, and the proposed dynamic random sample consensus (D-RANSAC) algorithm can optimize UWB localization accuracy. To fully exploit UWB localization results, we provide an HCCNet system which combines the local pose estimator of visual inertial odometry (VIO) system with global constraints from UWB localization results. Experimental results show that the proposed D-RANSAC algorithm can achieve better accuracy than other UWB-based algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed HCCNet method is verified by a mobile robot in real world and some simulation experiments in indoor environments.