bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrable Multi-Hamiltonian Systems from Reduction of an Extended Quasi-Poisson Double of $${\text {U}}(n)$$
Authors: Fairon M. , Fehér L.
Published: July 2023

We construct a master dynamical system on a $${\text {U}}(n)$$

U
(
n
)

quasi-Poisson manifold, $${\mathcal {M}}_d$$

M
d

, built from the double $${\text {U}}(n) \times {\text {U}}(n)$$

U
(
n
)
×
U
(
n
)

and $$d\ge 2$$

d
≥
2

open balls in $$\mathbb {C}^n$$

C

n

, whose quasi-Poisson structures are obtained from $$T^* \mathbb {R}^n$$

T
∗

R

n

by exponentiation. A pencil of quasi-Poisson bivectors $$P_{\underline{z}}$$

P

z
̲

is defined on $${\mathcal {M}}_d$$

M
d

that depends on $$d(d-1)/2$$

d
(
d
-
1
)
/
2

arbitrary real parameters and gives rise to pairwise compatible Poisson brackets on the $${\text {U}}(n)$$

U
(
n
)

-invariant functions. The master system on $${\mathcal {M}}_d$$

M
d

is a quasi-Poisson analogue of the degenerate integrable system of free motion on the extended cotangent bundle $$T^*\!{\text {U}}(n) \times \mathbb {C}^{n\times d}$$

T
∗

U

(
n
)

×

C

n
×
d

. Its commuting Hamiltonians are pullbacks of the class functions on one of the $${\text {U}}(n)$$

U
(
n
)

factors. We prove that the master system descends to a degenerate integrable system on a dense open subset of the smooth component of the quotient space $${\mathcal {M}}_d/{\text {U}}(n)$$

M
d

/
U

(
n
)

associated with the principal orbit type. Any reduced Hamiltonian arising from a class function generates the same flow via any of the compatible Poisson structures stemming from the bivectors $$P_{\underline{z}}$$

P

z
̲

. The restrictions of the reduced system on minimal symplectic leaves parameterized by generic elements of the center of $${\text {U}}(n)$$

U
(
n
)

provide a new real form of the complex, trigonometric spin Ruijsenaars–Schneider model of Krichever and Zabrodin. This generalizes the derivation of the compactified trigonometric RS model found previously in the $$d=1$$

d
=
1

case.
What it takes to have a high‐grade pivot shift—focus on bony morphology
Authors: Dadoo Sahil , Ozbek Emre Anil , Nukuto Koji , Runer Armin , Keeling Laura E. , Grandberg Camila , Kuroda Ryosuke , Zaffagnini Stefano , Karlsson Jon , Hughes Jonathan D. , Irrgang James J. , Musahl Volker
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Variations in femoral and tibial bony morphology have been associated with higher clinical grading and increased quantitative tibial translation, but not tibial acceleration, during the pivot shift test following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of femoral and tibial bony morphology, including a measurement influenced by both parameters (the Lateral Tibiofemoral Articular Distance (LTAD)), on the degree of quantitative tibial acceleration during the pivot shift test and rates of future ACL injury.

Methods

All patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction from 2014 to 2019 by a senior orthopedic surgeon with available quantitative tibial acceleration data were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent a pivot shift examination under anesthesia with a triaxial accelerometer. Measurements of femoral and tibial bony morphology were performed by two fellowship‐trained orthopedic surgeons using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and lateral radiographs.

Results

Fifty‐one patients were included at a mean follow‐up of 4.4 years. The mean quantitative tibial acceleration during the pivot shift was 13.8 m/s2 (range: 4.9–52.0 m/s2). A larger Posterior Condylar Offset Ratio (r = 0.30, p = 0.045), smaller medial‐to‐lateral width of the medial tibial plateau (r = − 0.29, p = 0.041), lateral tibial plateau (r = − 0.28, p = 0.042), and lateral femoral condyle (r = − 0.29, p = 0.037), and a decreased LTAD (r = − 0.53, p < 0.001) significantly correlated with increased tibial acceleration during the pivot shift. Linear regression analysis demonstrated an increase in tibial acceleration of 1.24 m/s2 for every 1 mm decrease in LTAD. Nine patients (17.6%) sustained ipsilateral graft rupture and 10 patients (19.6%) sustained contralateral ACL rupture. No morphologic measurements were associated with rates of future ACL injury.

Conclusion

Increased convexity and smaller bony morphology of the lateral femur and tibia were significantly associated with increased tibial acceleration during the pivot shift. Additionally, a measurement, termed the LTAD, was found to have the strongest association with increased tibial acceleration. Based on the results of this study, surgeons can utilize these measurements to preoperatively identify patients at risk of increased rotatory knee instability.

Level of evidence

Level IV.
Formation of highly ordered TiO2 nanotubes on Ti6Al4V alloys manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF)
Authors: Ocampo Robinson Aguirre , Bedoya Ochoa Nicolás , Tamayo José A. , Botero Carlos , Vargas Carlos Andrés , Gómez Maryory , Castaño Juan Guillermo , Zuleta Gil Alejandro A.
Published: July 2023

Highly ordered TiO2 nanotubes were obtained by anodization on Ti6Al4V substrates manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF). Effects of anodization parameters such as anodizing time, stirring, fluoride concentration, and water content were analyzed in an organic electrolyte (ethylene glycol) that contains ammonium fluoride. The ordering of the nanotubes was measured by regularity ratio calculations based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) from SEM images. It was found that for the processed specimens, the highest ordering of the TiO2 nanotubes was reached at 30 V for 5000 s with a concentration of 9 vol% H2O and 0.4 wt.% NH4F, exhibiting nanotubes free of delamination, cracks, and coral-like structures with a regularity ratio (RR) of 1.91. This work offers a simple method for creating homogeneous and organized TiO2 nanotubes on Ti6Al4V substrates manufactured by E-PBF which potentially improves its functionality in diverse industrial applications such as nanosensors, controlled-release substances, solar cells, water splitting, electrochromic devices, and Li-ion battery anodes.

Graphical Abstract
Manufacturing constrained shape optimisation of variable width flat web formed channels
Authors: Gong Jie , Ghabraie Kazem , Weiss Matthias , Sreenivas Achuth , Rolfe Bernard
Published: July 2023

The trend in automotive manufacturing towards lower volumes and an increased number of car variants combined with the need for forming higher strength metals to reduce weight has led to the implementation of alternative and flexible manufacturing methods. These have new manufacturing constraints compared to conventional stamping that change the part shapes that can be formed. This requires new methods for part shape optimisation. This study proposes a novel parametrisation for shape design that allows: 1) implementation of a gradient-based optimisation approach; and 2) taking manufacturing constraints into account. Our novel parameterisation can describe most long automotive structural parts using only a small number of design variables. The parts are described using multiple series of straight and curved connected profiles. We have uniquely conducted a detailed sensitivity analysis on the profiles to determine analytical solutions for the first order derivatives of the design variables with respect to the surface area/mass of a generic part. The profiles are also used to determine the final manufacturing strains in a part based on ideal forming. These ideal manufacturing strains can be compared to manufacturing process strain limits to determine the potential manufacturability of the part. The proposed parametrisation is applied to optimise a variable width channel formed by flexible roll forming. The channel is optimised to maximise the stiffness while maintaining both mass and manufacturability. In detail, the effectiveness and the general applicability of the established parametrisation technique and shape optimisation platform are demonstrated using three case studies of a flexible roll formed automotive S-rail channel part subjected to compression and bending loads. Furthermore, the manufacturability of the optimised structure is demonstrated by a forming model of the flexible roll forming process, where the model has been previously validated against experimental data. These examples show that the presented parametrisation and the associated shape optimiser can be successfully applied to increase part stiffness while reducing weight and maintaining manufacturability. The range of problems analysed demonstrates the flexibility and capability of the newly developed optimisation platform.
Cuff meshoma post-laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy: vaginal-endoscopic mesh excision
Authors: Mikos Themistoklis , Theodoulidis Iakovos , Kioussis George , Karalis Tilemachos , Papaioannou Sofia , Grimbizis Grigoris F.
Published: July 2023

Introduction and hypothesis

The objective was to present endoscopic images of a meshoma and describe the complete excision of a complicated mesh after sacrocolpopexy (SCP) using a combined vaginal-endoscopic technique.

Methods

We present a video documentation of an innovative technique. A 58-year-old woman was referred with painless, foul-smelling vaginal discharge and recurrent vaginal mesh erosions. She had undergone a laparoscopic SCP 12 years ago and her symptoms had begun 5 years ago. A pre-operative MRI scan revealed a cuff meshoma and an inflammatory sinus around the mesh extending from the cuff to the sacral promontory. Under general anesthesia, a 30° hysteroscope was inserted transvaginally into the sinus, where the retained mesh was seen in the form of a shrunken meshoma, and then the mesh arms were recognized extending cephalad into a sinus tract. Under direct endoscopic visualization, the mesh was carefully mobilized at its highest point with the use of laparoscopic grasping forceps. Then, the mesh was dissected with hysteroscopic scissors in close proximity to the bone. No peri-operative complications were recognized.

Results

A combined vaginal-endoscopic approach was successfully used to remove an eroded mesh and cuff meshoma after SCP.

Conclusion

This procedure offers a minimally invasive, low-morbidity, and rapid-recovery approach.
Genomic characterisation of the overlap of endometriosis with 76 comorbidities identifies pleiotropic and causal mechanisms underlying disease risk
Authors: McGrath Isabelle M. ,   International Endometriosis Genetics Consortium, Montgomery Grant W. , Mortlock Sally
Published: July 2023

Comorbid conditions can be driven by underlying pleiotropic and causal mechanisms that can provide insights into shared molecular and biological processes contributing to disease risk. Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting one in nine women of reproductive age and poses many challenges including lengthy diagnostic delays and limited treatment efficacy owing to poor understanding of disease aetiology. To shed light on the underlying biological mechanisms and to identify potential risk factors, we examine the epidemiological and genomic relationship between endometriosis and its comorbidities. In the UK Biobank 292 ICD10 codes were epidemiologically correlated with endometriosis diagnosis, including gynaecological, immune, infection, pain, psychiatric, cancer, gastrointestinal, urinary, bone and cardiovascular traits. A subset of the identified comorbidities (n = 76) underwent follow-up genetic analysis. Whilst Mendelian randomisation suggested causality was not responsible for most comorbid relationships, 22 traits were genetically correlated with endometriosis, including pain, gynaecological and gastrointestinal traits, suggestive of a shared genetic background. Pleiotropic genetic variants and genes were identified using gene-based and colocalisation analysis. Shared genetic risk factors and potential target genes suggest a diverse collection of biological systems are involved in these comorbid relationships including coagulation factors, development of the female reproductive tract and cell proliferation. These findings highlight the diversity of traits with epidemiological and genomic overlap with endometriosis and implicate a key role for pleiotropy in the comorbid relationships.
Seasonality of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Authors: Zach Heidemarie , Retter David , Schmoeger Michaela , Rommer Paulus , Willinger Ulrike , Schwarz Felix K. , Wiest Gerald
Published: July 2023

Background

Although benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo in clinical practice, factors influencing the pathophysiology remain not fully understood.

Objective

Here we aim to investigate possible seasonal influences on the occurrence of BPPV in Vienna, a city located in a Central European country with pronounced seasonal fluctuations.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated data from 503 patients presenting with BPPV to the outpatient clinics of the Medical University of Vienna between 2007 and 2012. Analyses included age, gender, type of BPPV, seasonal assignment, as well as daylight hours and the temperature in Vienna at symptom onset.

Results

Out of 503 patients (159 male, 344 female, ratio 1:2.2; mean age 60 ± 15.80 years), most patients presented with posterior (89.7%) and left-sided (43.1%) BPPV. There was a significant seasonal difference (χ2p = 0.036) with the majority of symptoms occurring in winter seasons (n = 142), followed by springtime (n = 139). Symptom onset did not correlate with the average temperature (p = 0.24) but on the other hand very well with daylight hours (p < 0.05), which ranged from 8.4 h per day in December, to an average of 15.6 h in July.

Conclusion

Our results show a seasonal accumulation of BPPV during winter and springtime, which is in line with previous studies from other climatic zones, suggesting an association of this seasonality with varying vitamin D levels.
Diagnostic performance of CT with Valsalva maneuver for the diagnosis and characterization of inguinal hernias
Authors: Ghafoor S. , Tognella A. , Stocker D. , Hötker A. M. , Kaniewska M. , Sartoretti T. , Euler A. , Vonlanthen R. , Bueter M. , Alkadhi H.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Inguinal hernias are mainly diagnosed clinically, but imaging can aid in equivocal cases or for treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CT with Valsalva maneuver for the diagnosis and characterization of inguinal hernias.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study reviewed all consecutive Valsalva-CT studies between 2018 and 2019. A composite clinical reference standard including surgery was used. Three blinded, independent readers (readers 1–3) reviewed the CT images and scored the presence and type of inguinal hernia. A fourth reader measured hernia size. Interreader agreement was quantified with Krippendorff’s α coefficients. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Valsalva-CT for the detection of inguinal hernias was computed for each reader.

Results

The final study population included 351 patients (99 women) with median age 52.2 years (interquartile range (IQR), 47.2, 68.9). A total of 381 inguinal hernias were present in 221 patients. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 85.8%, 98.1%, and 91.5% for reader 1, 72.7%, 92.5%, and 81.8% for reader 2, and 68.2%, 96.3%, and 81.1% for reader 3. Hernia neck size was significantly larger in cases correctly detected by all three readers (19.0 mm, IQR 13, 25), compared to those missed by all readers (7.0 mm, IQR, 5, 9; p < 0.001). Interreader agreement was substantial (α = 0.723) for the diagnosis of hernia and moderate (α = 0.522) for the type of hernia.

Conclusion

Valsalva-CT shows very high specificity and high accuracy for the diagnosis of inguinal hernia. Sensitivity is only moderate which is associated with missed smaller hernias.
Prevalence of imbedded and ingested shot gun pellets in breeding sea ducks in the Baltic Sea—possible implications for future conservation efforts
Authors: Liljebäck Niklas , Sørensen Iben Hove , Sterup Jacob , Haas Fredrik , Petersen Ib Krag , Månsson Johan
Published: July 2023

Several sea duck species in Europe face dwindling population numbers with following increased conservation focus. Shot gun practices may put extra pressure on populations not only by direct hunting mortality but also crippling and lead poisoning from ingestion of pellets. In this study, we examined three sea duck species breeding in the Swedish Archipelago of the Baltic Sea by x-raying trapped incubating females to detect prevalence of imbedded and ingested shot gun pellets. The study was carried out during the 2021 and 2022 breeding seasons and designed to aid our understanding of the role of physical restraints of putative pellets to breeding performance at our study site. A total of 205 individual females of common eider (n = 113), velvet scoter (n = 57), and red-breasted merganser (n = 35) were x-rayed without finding any imbedded or ingested pellets. For this study, a combination of decreasing hunting pressure, remoteness of study site, improved hunters’ shooting performance along the flyway and depletion of crippling rates due to life-long negative effects of carrying imbedded pellets may explain our finding on non-detection. For common eider, specific interventions to reduce the negative impacts of shotgun practices have been reported successful, and our data suggest a continuing positive trend. Based on our findings, we advise future conservation efforts for the three species, breeding in this part of the flyway, to focus on other factors that may have negative impact on incubating female survival and reproduction.
Advances in Preparation Methods and Conductivity Properties of Graphene-based Polymer Composites
Authors: Tarhini Ali , Tehrani-Bagha A. R.
Published: July 2023

Graphene-based polymer composites with improved physical properties are of great interest due to their lightweight, conductivity, and durability. They have the potential to partially replace metals and ceramics in several applications which can reduce energy and cost. The obtained properties of graphene-based polymer composites are often linked to the way graphene is dispersed in the polymer matrix. Preparation techniques like solution mixing, melt blending, and in-situ polymerization have been used to obtain graphene-based polymer composites. Dispersing and aligning graphene fillers within the composite is a key factor in enhancing the thermal and electrical conductivity values of the composites due to graphene’s anisotropic properties. The effect of the preparation methods of these composites on their physical-chemical properties is discussed in this review where we presented the advances that were achieved so far in the preparation techniques used showing the highest values ever achieved for electrical and thermal conductivity for these graphene-based polymer composites. Also, we presented the possible applications where graphene-based composites can be utilized.
Fabry-Pérot etalons in solar astronomy. A review
Authors: Bailén F. J. , Orozco Suárez D. , del Toro Iniesta J. C.
Published: July 2023

During the last decades, the use of Fabry-Pérot etalons as filtergraphs has become frequent in solar instruments. The main reason is that they stand out for offering quasi-monochromatic, two-dimensional fields of view much higher than those provided by conventional slit-based spectrographs in a given time interval. Unfortunately, they also present several drawbacks. The number of etalons employed, the chosen way to illuminate them and the material they are made of have a large influence on the performance of the instrument. In this work we review and discuss the main results obtained by some of the most relevant studies in the design of etalon-based instruments. We present the general properties of etalons and their particularities when employed in solar instruments. We examine the (common) use of systems of several etalons to increase the free spectral range and to narrow down the filter transmission width. We compare the advantages and drawbacks of the two most common configurations —collimated and telecentric— paying special attention to their limitations. Finally, we also inspect the properties of crystalline etalons and their use in solar astronomy.
Environmentalism, a flirt with eco-authoritarianism and the robustness of ordoliberalism
Authors: Enninga Justus
Published: July 2023

More and more citizens around the world do not believe that market liberal democracies are up to the challenge of climate change. Instead, they favour radical solutions. Important parts of the environmentalist literature build on this fertile ground, reject liberal democracy and markets, and openly flirt with authoritarian solutions to environmental challenges. In my paper I ask whether it is correct that liberalism is not up to environmental challenges. I concentrate on ordoliberalism as a variety of liberal alternatives and test whether it provides a robust institutional framework to address the issue of climate change. The research agenda of Robust Political Economy analyses the performance of institutional orders under conditions where human agents are neither perfectly rational and informed nor perfectly altruistic. I point at two institutional features of green ordoliberalism as source of its robustness: First, I point at the green ordoliberal focus on the market economy as (1) a driver of technology, (2) a driver of coordination and (3) a driver of community. Second, I point at the green ordoliberal focus on universalizable political rules which decrease the likelihood of environmental government failure through (1) higher transparency, (2) less rent-seeking, and (3) the predictability of state action. While the political solutions favoured by ordoliberals exhibit serious shortcomings, ordoliberalism offers a liberal institutional alternative to solve environmental problems in a less than ideal world.
The Entangled Intersection of Children’s and Educators’ Engagement in the Educational Environment of a Preschool
Authors: Magnusson Lena O , Elm Annika
Published: July 2023

The study presented in this article shows some aspects of how children between the ages of three and five and their educators perceive and describe the educational environment in early childhood education in Sweden. The data is generated using pedagogical walk-throughs with the educators and camera tours together with the children. The study is conducted as a case study with three municipalities as cases and shows how materiality, places and relationships appear in the intersection of the educators’ and children’s verbal and visual descriptions of the indoor educational environment. We put diffractive readings to work to follow the entangled inter-connections and the intra-acting agency of the sociomaterial assemblages. These assemblages consist of different types of materiality, spatial conditions, the educators’ verbal descriptions, the children’s photographs and their verbal and bodily actions when using the cameras. The findings suggest that children and educators use, engage in and relate to the educational environment and materiality in both different and similar ways. Moreover, the children transform the educational setting organised by the educators as place changers, while materiality constructs places as placemaking materiality.
Linkages between pelagic and benthic biota in a deteriorated coastal lake after restoration, Maruit, Egypt
Authors: Mitwally Hanan , Rashidy Hoda El , Montagna Paul
Published: July 2023

Until the 1960s, Lake Maruit was one of Egypt’s most productive coastal brackish lakes. Continuous polluted discharge from Alexandria city resulted in long-term deterioration. The Egyptian government started a lake restoration program in 2010. Biological linkages between pelagic and benthic communities were assessed in November 2012 using parasitism and predation. This study examined ectoparasites infesting tilapia fish from 300 samples. The platyhelminth ectoparasite, Monogenea, and parasitic-copepodErgasilus lizaewere detected. Platyhelminthes parasitizedOreochromis niloticusandOreochromis aureus, whereas the crustacean parasitizedCoptodon zillii. The parasitic prevalence was low forCichlidogyrussp. andErgasilus lizae. Benthic biotas were similar across basins. Fish abundance does not respond directly to benthic biotic components. Phytoplankton and benthic microalgae were not the main fish diet. Data on Halacaridae and fish clustered, indicating that either Halacaridae responds to their environment like fish or fish prey upon them because of their size. Linear correlations between pelagic, benthic biota, and parasite-infected fish indicate parasites may control their hosts. Some bioindicators indicate that stressed ecosystems differ from unstressed ecosystems. Fish species and biota abundances were low. Inconsistency in the food web and an absence of direct interactions between prey and predators are bioindicators of disturbed ecosystems. The low prevalence of ectoparasites and lack of heterogenous distribution of the various examined biota are bioindicators of habitat rehabilitation. Ongoing biomonitoring to better understand habitat rehabilitation is suggested.
Government debt: the impact of fiscal rules at the European and national level
Authors: Kraemer Robert , Lehtimäki Jonne
Published: July 2023

As Europe and the world surface from the pandemic of 2020–2021, public debt levels have risen substantially, the review of the European Union (EU) economic governance framework is underway and the general escape clause of the stability and growth pact (SGP) is planned to be deactivated at the end of 2023. Against this background, it is important to better understand the dynamics of public debt in the EU. This paper studies how European institutions and sectoral national fiscal rules have affected the formation of public debt. The results suggest that over the last 25 years, the SGP has been an effective tool for lowering government debt levels, at least on average. The establishment of the SGP has been the most effective at lowering government debt, while reforms of the SGP have only had limited effects. The effects of national fiscal rules are heterogenous across different rules and public sector classifications, but it seems that national fiscal rules have at least some effects beyond the SGP in all studied cases. This implies that the EU fiscal framework and EU-level fiscal policies should take into account potential interactions with national fiscal rules and both can be used to increase the effectiveness of fiscal policymaking.
Religious Coping and Mental Adjustment to Cancer Among Polish Adolescents
Authors: Puchalska-Wasyl Małgorzata M. , Małaj Magdalena
Published: July 2023

Adults suffering from chronic illnesses are more likely to look to God for support (positive religious coping; PRC) than to fight against God (negative religious coping; NRC). What about when cancer occurs during adolescence—a period of questioning the worldview and values, and at the same time searching for the sacred? Our study aimed to establish the relationships between PRC, NRC, and mental adjustment to cancer among youth and determine support’s role in these relationships. The study was conducted in Poland and included 88 adolescent cancer patients who completed the Brief RCOPE and the Mini-MAC. Additionally, general well-being and support were assessed. We found that PRC was positively related to constructive adjustment style (CAS), whereas NCR was related to destructive adjustment style (DAS). Adolescents with cancer were higher in PRC than in NRC and were higher in CAS than in DAS. In young women, CAS was higher than in men. Finally, at a level of received support rated as very high, PRC promoted fighting spirit and well-being.
The Nuclear Localization Signal of NF-κB p50 Enters the Cells via Syndecan-Mediated Endocytosis and Inhibits NF-κB Activity
Authors: Letoha Annamária , Hudák Anett , Bozsó Zsolt , Vizler Csaba , Veres Gábor , Szilák László , Letoha Tamás
Published: July 2023

It is well established that cationic peptides can enter cells following attachment to polyanionic membrane components. We report that the basic nuclear localization signal (NLS) of the NF-κB p50 subunit is internalized via lipid raft-dependent endocytosis mediated by heparan sulfate proteoglycans and exerts significant NF-κB inhibitory activities both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro uptake experiments revealed that the p50 NLS peptide (CYVQRKRQKLMP) enters the cytoplasm and accumulates in the nucleus at 37 °C. Depleting cellular ATP pools or decreasing temperature to 4 °C abolished peptide internalization, confirming the active, energy-dependent endocytic uptake. Co-incubation with heparan sulfate or replacing the peptide’s basic residues with glycines markedly reduced the intracellular entry of the p50 NLS, referring to the role of polyanionic cell-surface proteoglycans in internalization. Furthermore, treatment with methyl-β-cyclodextrin greatly inhibited the peptide’s membrane translocation. Overexpression of the isoforms of the syndecan family of transmembrane proteoglycans, especially syndecan-4, increased the cellular internalization of the NLS, suggesting syndecans’ involvement in the peptide’s cellular uptake. In vitro, p50 NLS reduced NF-κB activity in TNF-α-induced L929 fibroblasts and LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. TNF-α-induced ICAM-1 expression of HMEC-1 human endothelial cells could also be inhibited by the peptide. Fifteen minutes after its intraperitoneal injection, the peptide rapidly entered the cells of the pancreas, an organ with marked syndecan-4 expression. In an acute pancreatitis model, an inflammatory disorder triggered by the activation of stress-responsive transcription factors like NF-κB, administration of the p50 NLS peptide reduced the severity of pancreatic inflammation by blocking NF-κB transcription activity and ameliorating the examined laboratory and histological markers of pancreatitis.
Sedges on the edge: new agronomic and research opportunities?
Authors: Barrett Russell L.
Published: July 2023

Background

The paper by Tan and co-authors in this issue of Plant and Soil explores feedback mechanisms between functional traits and soil nutrient responses in tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.), with emphasis on their growth in marginal agricultural lands.

Scope

Many of the world’s top food species belong to the order Poales, specifically the family Poaceae. Cyperaceae, also Poales, are recognised for their ecological importance, yet currently provide only minor contributions to global food security.

Conclusions

Wide ecological tolerance and naturally weedy tendencies may provide a unique niche for a significant increase in the production of tiger nuts as a global food resource. Further research on the ecology and agronomic potential of Cyperaceae is advocated.
Precision nutrition for targeting pathophysiology of cardiometabolic phenotypes
Authors: Shannon Christopher E. , Ní Chathail Méabh B. , Mullin Sinéad M. , Meehan Andrew , McGillicuddy Fiona C. , Roche Helen M.
Published: July 2023

Obesity is a heterogenous disease accompanied by a broad spectrum of cardiometabolic risk profiles. Traditional paradigms for dietary weight management do not address biological heterogeneity between individuals and have catastrophically failed to combat the global pandemic of obesity-related diseases. Nutritional strategies that extend beyond basic weight management to instead target patient-specific pathophysiology are warranted. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the tissue-level pathophysiological processes that drive patient heterogeneity to shape distinct cardiometabolic phenotypes in obesity. Specifically, we discuss how divergent physiology and postprandial phenotypes can reveal key metabolic defects within adipose, liver, or skeletal muscle, as well as the integrative involvement of the gut microbiome and the innate immune system. Finally, we highlight potential precision nutritional approaches to target these pathways and discuss recent translational evidence concerning the efficacy of such tailored dietary interventions for different obesity phenotypes, to optimise cardiometabolic benefits.
Gibt es Unterschiede beim Impfstatus und dem Impfverhalten von Medizinstudierenden und Hebammenschülerinnen?
Authors: Kramer Luise Lotte , Voigt Karen , Bergmann Antje , Balogh Erika , Faubl Nóra Klára , Birkás Bela , Riemenschneider Henna
Published: July 2023

Hintergrund

Medizinstudierende und Hebammenschüler:innen beeinflussen im späteren Beruf die Impfentscheidungen ihrer Patient:innen. Bereits während der Ausbildung haben sie Patientenkontakt. Zur Patientensicherheit und zum Selbstschutz ist ein vollständiger Impfstatus als Schutz vor impfpräventablen Erkrankungen für medizinisches Personal unerlässlich. Studien zum Impfstatus und -verhalten von Medizinstudierenden liegen vor, die Datenlage für Hebammenschüler:innen ist jedoch unzureichend.

Fragestellung

Gibt es Unterschiede bezüglich des Impfstatus sowie der Bewertung der Impfnotwendigkeit zwischen Medizinstudierenden und Hebammenschülerinnen? Sind die Einstellungen zu der jeweiligen Indikation und der angegebene Impfstatus kongruent?

Methoden

Mittels Fragebogens „Health Survey 2018“ wurde untersucht, ob zwischen Medizinstudierenden und Hebammenschülerinnen Unterschiede im Impfstatus und in der Bewertung der Impfnotwendigkeit von jeweils 13 Impfindikationen bestehen. Daten von 177 Medizinstudierenden und 80 Hebammenschülerinnen aus Sachsen (Responserate: je 67 % und 100 %) wurden mittels χ2-Test und logistischer Regression analysiert.

Ergebnisse

Der berichtete vollständige Impfstatus für Mumps, Masern und Röteln unterschied sich nicht signifikant zwischen Hebammenschülerinnen und Medizinstudierenden (88,6–91,1 % vs. 95,4–96,0 %), bei anderen Impfindikationen gab es signifikante Unterschiede (z. B. Tetanus: 39,2 % vs. 76,4 %; Pertussis: 40,5 % vs. 75,7 %; p < 0,001). Signifikant mehr Hebammenschülerinnen als Medizinstudierende gaben an, dass Impfungen nicht notwendig/gefährlich seien (z. B. Röteln: 7,8 % vs. 0 %; HPV: 30,1 % vs. 2,9 %; Influenza: 62,7 % vs. 21,5 %; p < 0,001).

Schlussfolgerung

Mehr Hebammenschülerinnen als Medizinstudierende berichteten einen unzureichenden Impfstatus und bewerteten Impfungen als nicht notwendig/gefährlich, was aufgrund des Kontakts und der Beratung werdender Mütter und Neugeborenen besonders problematisch ist. Für beide Kohorten besteht dringender Sensibilisierungs- und Handlungsbedarf bereits während der Ausbildung, des Studiums und der Weiterbildung.
Die Nationale Forschungsdateninfrastruktur – eine Lösung infrastruktureller Bedarfe für die Inhaltsanalyse?
Authors: Heft Annett , Jünger Jakob , Niemann-Lenz Julia , Possler Daniel
Published: July 2023

Obwohl die Inhaltsanalyse eine zentrale Stellung in der Kommunikations- und Medienforschung besitzt, existieren kaum Forschungsinfrastrukturen für diese Methode. Gleichzeitig werden in Deutschland seit 2018 große Dateninfrastrukturen in den 27 Konsortien der Nationalen Forschungsdateninfrastruktur (NFDI) aufgebaut. In diesem Beitrag gehen wir aus Perspektive der Forschenden der Frage nach, inwiefern die NFDI-Konsortien Lösungen für die infrastrukturellen Anforderungen in Bezug auf Inhaltsanalysen bieten. Zunächst beleuchten wir diese Anforderungen entlang des Forschungsdaten-Lebenszyklus und identifizieren Leerstellen. Dann explorieren wir, welche Bedarfe die NFDI-Konsortien decken können. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Konsortien, die sich auf die Sammlung und Aufbereitung von Text oder multimodalen Daten konzentrieren: KonsortSWD, BERD@NFDI, Text+, NFDI4Memory, NFDI4Culture und NFDI4DataScience. Unsere Untersuchung zeigt, dass die Konsortien bereits viele der Bedarfe abdecken. Allerdings gibt es weder ein Konsortium, in dem Kommunikationswissenschaftler:innen treibende Kräfte sind, noch wird die Inhaltsanalyse explizit berücksichtigt. Wir diskutieren, wie sich Forschungsinfrastrukturen für die Inhaltsanalyse durch die NFDI-Strukturen weiterentwickeln ließen.
Chemical inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDKi) improve pancreatic endocrine differentiation of iPS cells
Authors: Ning Heming , Horikawa Ayumi , Yamamoto Takayoshi , Michiue Tatsuo
Published: July 2023

Islet transplantation, including pancreatic beta cells, has become an approved treatment for type I diabetes. To date, the number of donors limits the availability of treatment. Induction of pancreatic endocrine cells from pluripotent stem cells including iPSCs in vitro offers promise as a solution, but continues to face problems including high reagent costs and cumbersome differentiation procedures. In a previous study, we developed a low-cost, simplified differentiation method, but its efficiency for inducing pancreatic endocrine cells was not sufficient: induction of endocrine cells is non-uniform, resulting in colonies containing relatively high ratio of non-pancreatic-related cells. Here, we applied cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKi) within a specific time window, which improved the efficiency of pancreatic endocrine cell induction. CDKi treatment reduced the prevalence of multi-layered regions and enhanced expression of the endocrine progenitor–related marker genes PDX1 and NGN3 resulting in enhanced production of both INSULIN and GLUCAGON. These findings support a step forward in the field of regenerative medicine of pancreatic endocrine cells.
Experiences of using a supported digital intervention for cancer survivors in primary care: a qualitative process evaluation
Authors: Smith Jazzine , Essery Rosie , Yardley Lucy , Richardson Alison , Slodkowska-Barabasz Joanna , Chavlet Cassandra , Foster Claire , Watson Eila , Grimmett Chloe , Geraghty Adam W. A. , Little Paul , Sharman Geoffrey , Burford Tamsin , Bacon Roger , Turner Lesley , Bradbury Katherine
Published: July 2023

Background

Increasing healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity) can improve cancer survivors’ quality of life. Renewed is a digital intervention developed to provide behaviour change advice with brief healthcare practitioner support. A three-arm randomised controlled trial (Renewed, Renewed with support or a control condition) suggested that prostate cancer survivors in the supported arm had slightly greater estimates of improvements in quality of life compared to other cancer survivors. This study explored participants’ experiences using Renewed to understand how it might have worked and why it might have provided greater benefit for prostate cancer survivors and those in the supported arm.

Methods

Thirty-three semi-structured telephone interviews with cancer survivors’ (breast, colorectal, prostate) from the Renewed trial explored their experiences of using Renewed and their perceptions of the intervention. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Some participants only used Renewed modestly but still made behaviour changes. Barriers to using Renewed included low perceived need, joining the study to advance scientific knowledge or ‘to give back’, or due to perceived availability of support in their existing social networks. Prostate cancer survivors reported less social support outside of Renewed compared to participants with other cancers.

Conclusion

Renewed may support healthy behaviour changes among cancer survivors even with limited use. Interventions targetting individuals who lack social support may be beneficial.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Cancer survivors’ experiences may inform the development of digital interventions to better serve this population.
Stratified Hilbert Modules on Bounded Symmetric Domains
Authors: Upmeier Harald
Published: July 2023

We analyze the “eigenbundle” (localization bundle) of certain Hilbert modules over bounded symmetric domains of rankr,  giving rise to complex-analytic fibre spaces which are stratified of length$$r+1.$$r+1.The fibres are described in terms of Kähler geometry as line bundle sections over flag manifolds, and the metric embedding is determined by taking derivatives of reproducing kernel functions. Important examples are the determinantal ideals defined by vanishing conditions along the various strata of the stratification.
Cultural Framing and the Impact On Acute Pain and Pain Services
Authors: Rogger Rahel , Bello Corina , Romero Carolina S. , Urman Richard D. , Luedi Markus M. , Filipovic Mark G.
Published: July 2023

Purpose of review

Optimal treatment requires a thorough understanding of all factors contributing to pain in the individual patient. In this review, we investigate the influence of cultural frameworks on pain experience and management.

Recent Findings

The loosely defined concept of culture in pain management integrates a predisposing set of diverse biological, psychological and social characteristics shared within a group. Cultural and ethnic background strongly influence the perception, manifestation, and management of pain. In addition, cultural, racial and ethnic differences continue to play a major role in the disparate treatment of acute pain.

A holistic and culturally sensitive approach is likely to improve pain management outcomes, will better cover the needs of diverse patient populations and help reduce stigma and health disparities. Mainstays include awareness, self-awareness, appropriate communication, and training.
Photodynamic Inactivation of Botrytis cinerea Spores by Curcumin—Effect of Treatment Factors and Characterization of Photo-generated Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Seididamyeh Maral , Netzel Michael E. , Mereddy Ram , Harmer Jeffrey R. , Sultanbawa Yasmina
Published: July 2023

Botrytiscinerea is the main cause of gray mold in a wide range of fresh produce, which causes huge losses in pre- and/or post-harvest stages and is therefore considered the second major plant pathogen globally. Since the application of synthetic fungicides is not allowed in postharvest conditions, alternative natural approaches are required to reduce the resulting spoilage. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of photodynamic treatment in inactivating B. cinerea spores in vitro, for which the interactive effect of influential treatment parameters on curcumin phototoxicity was studied using an I-optimal design. Results showed that the antifungal activity of the treatment was significantly dependent on solvent, curcumin concentration, and irradiance, except for light dose. A complete photoinactivation of spores was obtained in an aqueous ethanolic environment (optimum condition: 13 μM, 31.75 mW cm−2, 19.05 J cm−2), compared to when curcumin was dissolved in medium-chain-triglyceride (MCT) oil. Furthermore, the photogeneration of superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals was demonstrated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, which indicates the occurrence of a type-I photodynamic reaction. These findings suggest that curcumin-based photosensitization can inhibit/reduce fungal infection, which can be employed in pre/post-harvest stages to reduce the waste caused by spoilage.
Mild Cognitive Impairment in Relation to Alzheimer’s Disease: An Investigation of Principles, Classifications, Ethics, and Problems
Authors: Lee Joseph
Published: July 2023

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a diagnostic category indicating cognitive impairment which does not meet diagnostic criteria for dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. There are public health concerns about Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prompting intervention strategies to respond to predictions about the impacts of ageing populations and cognitive decline. This relationship between MCI and AD rests on three interrelated principles, namely, that a relationship exists between AD and MCI, that MCI progresses to AD, and that there is a reliable system of classification of MCI. However, there are also several ethical issues and problems arising in the AD/MCI relationship. These include early diagnosis and interventions, the effects on people with MCI, and the newer neuroimaging and neuropharmacological approaches used in diagnosis and treatment. All these issues pose questions about the principles of MCI in relation to AD, with implications for how MCI is understood, diagnosed, treated, and experienced by patients. This article analyses four challenging areas for neuroethics: the definition and diagnosis of MCI; MCI in relation to AD; clinical implications of MCI for ethical disclosure, diagnosis, and treatment; and the research implications of MCI. The significant connections between these areas are often overlooked, together with uncertainties overall. Patients, healthcare systems and society are best served by informed clinicians, academics and researchers. After 35 years, the store of MCI knowledge is expanding and evolving.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Azo-Sulfa-Based Disperse Dyes and Their Application in Polyester Printing
Authors: Abd El Salam Hayam A. , Abdel-Aziz Mohamed S. , El-Sawy Eslam Reda , Shaban Elkhabiry
Published: July 2023

For conjugating sulfa drug moieties with Schiff’s bases scaffold in the same build through an azo linker to take advantage of the bioactive feature of both motifs, we designed and synthesized a series of bioactive disperse dyes. The target disperse dyes, methyl 2-(E-2-hydroxy-5-((E)-(4-sulfa-derivative) diazenyl)benzylidene) hydrazine-1-carbodithioates 4a–e have been synthesized via the acidic reaction of azo dyes 3a–e with methyl hydrazine carbodithioate. Structures of the synthesized dyes were clarified based on their spectral and elemental analyses. The effectiveness of the dyes was initially tested as an antibacterial toward Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538-P and Escherichia coli ATCC 25933. Dyes that were proven to be effective against bacteria have been used as disperse dyes to print polyester fabrics. The color properties of the dyes and their fastness properties counting washing, perspiration, light, rubbing, and sublimation fastness were also examined. The printed polyester fabrics were evaluated for their antibacterial activity via colony-forming unit (CFU) technique. Fabric samples treated with 4c, 4d, and 4b had promising anti-Gram-positive activities against S. aureus. Whereas 4c-, 4d-, and 4b-treated fabrics exhibited moderate anti-Gram-negative activities against the test bacterium E. coli.
Geochemistry of Jutogh Metasediments, Lesser Himachal Himalaya, India, and their Implications in Source Area Weathering, Provenance, and Tectonic Setting during Paleoproterozoic Nuna Assembly
Authors: Hifzurrahman  , Nasipuri Pritam , Joshi Kumar Batuk
Published: July 2023

This paper reports the results of the geochemical study of the Jutogh metasedimentary rocks that occur as a tectonic window between the Lesser and the Higher Himalaya. The Jutogh Group of rocks are mostly mica-schists of different metamorphic grade. The weathering intensity parameters, such as chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA), and index of compositional variability (ICV), range from 81 to 65 (mean = 72), 97 to 68 (mean = 84), and 1.9 to 0.6 (mean = 1.2), respectively indicating low to moderate degrees of weathering. Transition element ratios [Ni/Co (6.98 to 2.88), and V/Ni (2.32 to 1.27)], and major and trace element geochemistry imply recycled, felsic to intermediate, Archean to post-Archean are the sources for Jutogh rocks. The tectonic discrimination diagram implies an active continental margin setting for the deposition of the Jutogh metasediments. The geochemical data from the Jutogh rocks, when combined with the S-type Paleoproterozoic granite magmatism, imply the existence of an active tectonic setting during the deposition of the Jutogh sediments at the northern margin of the Indian continent during Nuna assembly.