bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the implementation of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4) in three rehabilitation settings in Quebec: a mixed-methods study protocol
Authors: Kengne Talla Pascaline , Thomas Aliki , Ataman Rebecca , Auger Claudine , McKerral Michelle , Wittich Walter , Poncet Frédérique , Ahmed Sara
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, placing an immense burden on patients and the health system. Timely access to rehabilitation services can improve stroke survivors’ quality of life. The use of standardised outcome measures is endorsed for optimising patient rehabilitation outcomes and improving clinical decision-making. This project results from a provincially mandated recommendation to use the fourth version of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI-4) to measure changes in social participation of stroke survivors and to maintain commitment to evidence-informed practices in stroke care. This protocol outlines the implementation process of the MPAI-4 for three rehabilitation centres. The objectives are to: (a) describe the context of MPAI-4 implementation; (b) determine clinical teams’ readiness for change; (c) identify barriers and enablers to implementing the MPAI-4 and match the implementation strategies; (d) evaluate the MPAI-4 implementation outcomes including the degree of integration of the MPAI-4 into clinical practice and (e) explore participants’ experiences using the MPAI-4.

Methods and analysis

We will use a multiple case study design within an integrated knowledge translation (iKT) approach with active engagement from key informants. Each case is a rehabilitation centre implementing MPAI-4. We will collect data from clinicians and programme managers using mixed methods guided by several theoretical frameworks. Data sources include surveys, focus groups and patient charts. We will conduct descriptive, correlational and content analyses. Ultimately, we will analyse, integrate data from qualitative and quantitative components and report them within and across participating sites. Results will provide insights about iKT within stroke rehabilitation settings that could be applied to future research projects.

Ethics and dissemination

The project received Institutional Review Board approval from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal. We will disseminate results in peer-reviewed publications and at local, national and international scientific conferences.
Effect of rectus sheath anaesthesia versus thoracic epidural analgesia on postoperative recovery quality after elective open abdominal surgery in a French regional hospital: the study protocol of a randomised controlled QoR-RECT-CATH trial
Authors: Maury Thomas , Elnar Arpiné , Marchionni Sandra , Frisoni Romain , Goetz Christophe , Bécret Antoine
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols increase patient well-being while significantly reducing mortality, costs and length-of-stay after surgery. A key component is multimodal analgesia that prevents postoperative pain and facilitates early refeeding and mobilisation. Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) was long the gold standard for locoregional anaesthesia in anterior abdominal wall surgery. However, newer wall-block techniques such as rectus-sheath block (RSB) may be preferable because they are less invasive and may provide equivalent analgesia with fewer side effects. Since the evidence base remains limited, the Quality Of Recovery enhanced by REctus sheat CATHeter (QoR-RECT-CATH) randomised controlled trial (RCT) was designed to assess whether RSB elicits better postoperative rehabilitation than TEA after laparotomy.

Methods and analysis

This open-label parallel-arm 1:1-allocated RCT will determine whether RSB is superior to TEA in 110 patients undergoing scheduled midline laparotomy in terms of postoperative rehabilitation quality. The setting is a regional French hospital that provides opioid-free anaesthesia for all laparotomies within an ERAS programme. Recruited patients will be ≥18 years, scheduled to undergo laparotomy, have American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score 1–4 and lack contraindications to ropivacaine/TEA. TEA-allocated patients will receive an epidural catheter before surgery while RSB-allocated patients will receive rectus sheath catheters after surgery. All other pre/peri/postoperative procedures will be identical, including multimodal postoperative analgesia provided according to our standard of care. Primary objective is a change in total Quality-of-Recovery-15 French-language (QoR-15F) score on postoperative day (POD) 2 relative to baseline. QoR-15F is a patient-reported outcome measure that is commonly used to measure ERAS outcomes. The 15 secondary objectives include postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, functional recovery measures and adverse events.

Ethics and dissemination

The French Ethics Committee (Sud-Ouest et Outre-Mer I Ethical Committee) gave approval. Subjects are recruited after providing written consent after receiving the information provided by the investigator. The results of this study will be made public through peer-reviewed publication and, if possible, conference publications.

Trial registration number

NCT04985695.
Hospital readmissions and mortality following discharge against medical advice: a five-year retrospective, population-based cohort study in Veneto region, Northeast Italy
Authors: Saia Mario , Salmaso Laura , Bellio Stefania , Miatton Andrea , Cocchio Silvia , Baldovin Tatjana , Baldo Vincenzo , Buja Alessandra
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine the odds of readmission and mortality after discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy, drawing on data from the regional archives of emergency department records and hospital discharge records.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Hospital discharges, Veneto region, Italy.

Participants

All patients discharged after being admitted to a public or accredited private hospital between January 2016 and 31 January 2021 in the Veneto region were considered. A total of 3 574 124 index discharges were examined for inclusion in the analysis.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Readmission and overall mortality at 30 days after the index discharge against admission.

Results

In our cohort, 7.6‰ of patients left hospital against their doctor’s advice (n=19 272). These DAMA patients were more likely to be younger (mean age: 45.5 vs 55.0), foreign (22.1% vs 9.1%). The adjusted odds of readmission after DAMA was 2.76 (CI 95% 2.62–2.90) at 30 days (9.5% DAMA vs 4.6% not-DAMA), and the highest readmission rate was recorded in the first 24 hours after the index discharge. Mortality was higher for DAMA patients after adjusting for patient-level and hospital-level characteristics (with adjusted ORs of 1.40 for in-hospital mortality and 1.48 for overall mortality).

Conclusions

The present study shows that DAMA patients are more likely to die and to need hospital readmission than patients discharged by their doctors. DAMA patients should be more committed to a proactive and diligent postdischarge care.
Neuroblastoma-derived v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral related oncogene orMYCNgene
Authors: Bhardwaj Neha , Das Gargi , Srinivasan Radhika
Published: May 2023

TheMYCNgene belongs to the MYC family of transcription factors. Amplification ofMYCN, first discovered in neuroblastoma cells, ushered in the era of cancer genomics. TheMYCNgene and MYCN protein are extensively studied in the context of neuroblastoma. As demonstrated in transgenic mouse models,MYCNgene shows a restricted spatiotemporal expression predominantly in the neural crest cells which explains the associated neoplasms including neuroblastoma and central nervous system tumours. In neuroblastoma,MYCNamplification is a marker of aggressive tumours with poor prognosis and survival and forms the basis of risk stratification classifications.

MYCNdysregulated expression occurs by several mechanisms at the transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels. These include massive gene amplification which occurs in an extrachromosomal location, upregulated transcription and stabilisation of the protein increasing its half-life. MYCN protein, a basic loop-helix-loop leucine zipper transcription factor, has many regions which bind to several proteins foremost of which is MAX forming the MYC:MAX heterodimer. Overall, MYCN controls multiple aspects of cell fate, foremost of which is cellular proliferation besides cell differentiation, apoptosis and cellular metabolism, all of which are the focus of this brief review. In addition to amplification, other mechanisms of MYCN overexpression include activating missense mutations as reported in basal cell carcinoma and Wilms tumour. A better understanding of this molecule will help in the discovery of novel strategies for its indirect targeting to improve the outcomes of patients with neuroblastoma and other MYCN-associated neoplasms.
Longitudinal decline in striatal dopamine transporter binding in Parkinson’s disease: associations with apathy and anhedonia
Authors: Costello Harry , Yamamori Yumeya , Reeves Suzanne , Schrag Anette-Eleonore , Howard Robert , Roiser Jonathan P
Published: May 2023

Background

Motivational symptoms such as apathy and anhedonia are common in Parkinson’s disease (PD), respond poorly to treatment, and are hypothesised to share underlying neural mechanisms. Striatal dopaminergic dysfunction is considered central to motivational symptoms in PD but the association has never been examined longitudinally. We investigated whether progression of dopaminergic dysfunction was associated with emergent apathy and anhedonia symptoms in PD.

Methods

Longitudinal cohort study of 412 newly diagnosed patients with PD followed over 5 years as part of the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative cohort.

Apathy and anhedonia were measured using a composite score derived from relevant items of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and part I of the MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Dopaminergic neurodegeneration was measured using repeated striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging.

Results

Linear mixed-effects modelling across all contemporaneous data points identified a significant negative relationship between striatal DAT specific binding ratio (SBR) and apathy/anhedonia symptoms, which emerged as PD progressed (interaction:β=−0.09, 95% CI (−0.15 to -0.03), p=0.002). Appearance and subsequent worsening of apathy/anhedonia symptoms began on average 2 years after diagnosis and below a threshold striatal DAT SBR level. The interaction between striatal DAT SBR and time was specific to apathy/anhedonia symptoms, with no evidence of a similar interaction for general depressive symptoms from the GDS-15 (excluding apathy/anhedonia items) (β=−0.06, 95% CI (−0.13 to 0.01)) or motor symptoms (β=0.20, 95% CI (−0.25 to 0.65)).

Conclusions

Our findings support a central role for dopaminergic dysfunction in motivational symptoms in PD. Striatal DAT imaging may be a useful indicator of apathy/anhedonia risk that could inform intervention strategies.
Coverage, completion and outcomes of COVID-19 risk assessments in a multi-ethnic nationwide cohort of UK healthcare workers: a cross-sectional analysis from the UK-REACH Study
Authors: Martin Christopher A , Woolf Katherine , Bryant Luke , Goss Charles , Gogoi Mayuri , Lagrata Susie , Papineni Padmasayee , Qureshi Irtiza , Wobi Fatimah , Nellums Laura , Khunti Kamlesh , Pareek Manish
Published: May 2023

Introduction

There are limited data on the outcomes of COVID-19 risk assessment in healthcare workers (HCWs) or the association of ethnicity, other sociodemographic and occupational factors with risk assessment outcomes.

Methods

We used questionnaire data from UK-REACH (UK Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers), an ethnically diverse, nationwide cohort of UK HCWs. We derived four binary outcomes: (1) offered a risk assessment; (2) completed a risk assessment; (3) working practices changed as a result of the risk assessment; (4) wanted changes to working practices after risk assessment but working practices did not change.

We examined the association of ethnicity, other sociodemographic/occupational factors and actual/perceived COVID-19 risk variables on our outcomes using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

8649 HCWs were included in total. HCWs from ethnic minority groups were more likely to report being offered a risk assessment than white HCWs, and those from Asian and black ethnic groups were more likely to report having completed an assessment if offered. Ethnic minority HCWs had lower odds of reporting having their work change as a result of risk assessment. Those from Asian and black ethnic groups were more likely to report no changes to their working practices despite wanting them.

Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower odds of being offered a risk assessment and having adjustments made to working practices.

Discussion

We found differences in risk assessment outcomes by ethnicity, other sociodemographic/occupational factors and actual/perceived COVID-19 risk factors. These findings are concerning and warrant further research using actual (rather than reported) risk assessment outcomes in an unselected cohort.
Investigating patterns and extent of predation of hatchery-reared juvenile Nechako white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) by North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) in the Nechako River, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Babey Cale N. , Gantner Nikolaus , Shrimpton J. Mark
Published: May 2023

Predation of fish released as part of conservation aquaculture programs may undermine conservation goals. Identification of factors influencing predation, therefore, can inform management decisions that minimize predation losses. For the endangered Nechako white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1836), the survival of individuals released as part of a conservation aquaculture program is threatened by river otter ( Lontra canadensis (Schreber, 1777)) predation. Through the recovery of sturgeon passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags from otter latrines, we set out to quantify the extent of predation, identify spatial patterns in predation including identifying predation hotspots, and understand the timing of predation. The recovery of 3.9% of PIT tags from the hatchery-released sturgeon represents a minimum predation estimate based on several identified factors. The distribution of predation hotspots varied by release cohort, with some consistent hotspots among cohorts. An apparent decrease in predation in recent years was seen in conjunction with fewer live captures and lower release numbers, suggesting some level of density-dependent predation. Results from this study can be used to contribute to management decisions related to Nechako white sturgeon recovery efforts, inform further research needs, and contribute to a growing knowledge of sturgeon predation.
Simulation tumor growth in heterogeneous medium based on diffusion equation
Authors: Polyakov Maxim V. , Ten Valeria V.
Published: May 2023

In this paper, the diffusion equation is used to model the spatio-temporal dynamics of a tumor, taking into account the heterogeneity of the medium. This approach allows us to take into account the complex geometric shape of the tumor when modeling. The main purpose of the work is to demonstrate the applicability of this approach by comparing the results obtained with the data from clinical observations. We use an algorithm based on an explicit finite-difference approximation of differential operators to solve the diffusion equation. The ranges of possible values that can take the input parameters of the model to match the results of clinical observations are obtained. On the basis of the data of clinical observations, the relative error of the results of computational experiments was determined, which lies in the range from 1.8% to 14.6%. It is concluded that the heterogeneity of the physical parameters of the model, in particular the diffusion coefficient, has a significant effect on the shape of the tumor.
MPCNet: Smart Contract-Based Multiparty Computing Network for Federated Learning
Authors: Huang Guoquan , Li Junxue , Yin Jinchun , Zhang Yong , Zhou Chan , Wang Hua , Ning Li
Published: May 2023

Stepping into the era of big data, with more resources shared, the machine learning algorithms are more likely to derive a better solution, and those complicated computations can be finished in a shorter time. The existing works about multiparty computing mainly focus on how to perform the computation when the involved partners are given, but hardly consider the process during which the partners find each other. In this work, we proposed a framework of the multiparty computing network (MPCNet) for the agents propose and collaborate, where R3 Corda is harnessed to establish a blockchain platform where the convener is able to look for some other partners, and a crowdsourcing process is performed to verify the validity of the conveners proposal and the partners applications. Furthermore, a reward mechanism is proposed in order to motivate the verifiers to participate. Once all the agents joining the computing task are confirmed, they communicate with each other to perform the computing task, following the plan that is mentioned in the proposed smart contract. Experimental results demonstrated the feasibility, usability, and scalability of our proposed approach.
Resonance and Bragg band frequencies coupling of lossy sonic crystals based on nonuniform resonators and lattice
Authors: Panda Debasish , Mohanty Amiya Ranjan
Published: May 2023

Traditional sonic crystals (SCs) are based on scatterers or resonators distributed periodically that attenuate sound waves in different bands of frequencies. Recently, we adopted an improved design of SC, namely, the gradient-based sonic crystal (GBSC), designed with a gradient in the geometric parameters using nonuniform resonators and lattices. The finite element (FE) study on the GBSCs indicated that the gradient induces better attenuation than the traditional periodic SCs. This work is an extension of our previous work with experimental and new FE studies on different parameters of the GBSC in an attempt to improve the attenuation of the GBSCs. It was found that the gradient of the geometry enhances the Bragg scattering and resonance in the array, creating a large number of band frequencies. When designed properly by manipulating their gradient, GBSCs were found to target particular frequency bands over other GBSCs of identical filling ratios by coupling the resonant frequencies or the resonant and Bragg frequencies. It was also found that the thickness of the GBSC can be reduced by removing some specific columns from the array without significantly affecting the attenuation by the GBSC. Similarly, it was also found that the relative position of the resonator columns in a GBSC affects the band frequencies, and swapping the columns may also improve the attenuation by the GBSC.
Graph-Based Root Cause Localization in Microservice Systems with Protection Mechanisms
Authors: Tian Wei , Zhang Haitao , Yang Neng , Zhang Yepeng
Published: May 2023

Service anomalies are difficult to locate accurately due to their propagation through service dependencies in microservice systems. Besides, the protection mechanisms are introduced into the microservice systems to ensure the stable operation of services. However, the existing approaches ignore the impact of protection mechanisms on the root cause localization of abnormal services. Specifically, the circuit breaking and rate limiting mechanisms can refuse service requests and thus change the way of anomaly propagation. Moreover, the different service request frequencies and latency make service dependencies change dynamically, resulting in the different probabilities of anomaly propagation among services. In this paper, we propose a novel framework named MicroGBPM to locate the root cause of abnormal services. We model the anomaly propagation among services as a dynamically constructed service attributed graph with metrics and traces when a failure occurs. To eliminate the impact of the protection mechanisms, we design a two-stage dynamic calibration strategy to adjust the probability of anomaly propagation among services. Then, we propose a random walking approach to calculate the root cause results by using the PageRank algorithm. The experimental results show that MicroGBPM improves the accuracy of root cause localization compared to other approaches in the microservice systems with protection mechanisms.
Observational constraints on transit reconstructed Tsallis f(T) gravity
Authors: Shekh S. H. , Mustafa G. , Caliskan A. , Güdekli E. , Pradhan A.
Published: May 2023

At present, we are aware that some recent changes in the cosmos cannot be explained by the standard interpretation of general relativity. In order to do so, we used the reconstruction scheme for recently proposed [Formula: see text] gravity to look into the universe’s accelerated expansion. Here, we define the transit scale factor (TSF), a scale factor used to explain several geometrical and physical aspects. Then, using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, we estimate the best fit values for the model parameters imposed from data from Hubble’s, Standard candles and Uncorrelated BAO. The cosmos is moving from the deceleration phase into the acceleration phase, according to the evolution of the deceleration parameter. Also, we review the statefinder’s diagnostic elements [Formula: see text]. We came to the conclusion that the reconstructed [Formula: see text] models indicate that the universe is in an accelerating phase at [Formula: see text] and acts like quintessence models, and that it approaches [Formula: see text]CDM models at [Formula: see text] which seem to be in good accord with the observations.
A constructive proof of the Fulkerson–Ryser characterization of digraphic sequences
Authors: mukhopadhyay Asish , John Daniel
Published: May 2023

Analogous to the Erdos–Gallai inequalities that give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a graph on [Formula: see text] vertices with prescribed vertex degrees, the Ryser–Fulkerson inequalities give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a digraph on [Formula: see text] vertices with prescribed indegrees and outdegrees of the vertices. In this note, we give a short constructive proof of the sufficiency of the Ryser–Fulkerson inequalities.
The Burmese Jade Mines belt: origins of jadeitites, serpentinites, and ophiolitic peridotites and gabbros
Authors: Searle M. P. , Palin R. M. , Gardiner N. J. , Htun Kyi , Wade J.
Published: May 2023

Ophiolitic peridotites in Myanmar (Burma) occur along three major tectonic zones: the Kaleymyo–Nagaland suture along the Indo-Burman Ranges, the Jade Mines belt and the Tagaung–Mytkyina belt. These belts all show harzburgite–lherzolite–dunite peridotites, but the Hpakan-Taw Maw region (Jade Mines belt) also hosts jadeitites, including pure jadeite, mawsitsit (Cr-rich jadeite) kosmochlore (Cr-rich clinopyroxene) and albitite. Jadeitites with high Na and Al contents require either very unusual Al-rich, Si-poor protoliths or extensive fluid metasomatism, or both. The Hpakan jadeitites formed by Na-, Al- (and Si-) metasomatic alteration of pyroxenite–wehrlite intrusions into harzburgite–dunite from widespread fluid alteration. The fluids could have been derived from a mid-Jurassic intermediate pressure subduction event during ophiolite formation and emplacement. In the Lake Indawgyi area, normal ophiolitic peridotites, including harzburgite and dunite with pyroxenite veins, have not been jadeitized. Gabbros related to the Jade Mines ophiolite gave a U–Pb zircon age of 169.71 ± 1.3 Ma (MSWD 2.2), a similar timing to the Myitkyina ophiolite (173 Ma) to the east, suggesting that the ophiolite belts were originally continuous. The jade ‘boulders’ in the Uru conglomerate beds at Hpakan have also resulted from normal
in situ
serpentinization weathering processes, followed by limited fluvial mass transport processes along the Uru River.

Supplementary material:
U–Pb zircon data are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6655269
Tiling with Squares and Packing Dominos in Polynomial Time
Authors: Aamand Anders , Abrahamsen Mikkel , Ahle Thomas D. , Rasmussen Peter M. R.
Published: May 2023

A polyomino is a polygonal region with axis-parallel edges and corners of integral coordinates, which may have holes. In this paper, we consider planar tiling and packing problems with polyomino pieces and a polyomino container
P
. We give polynomial-time algorithms for deciding if
P
can be tiled with
k
×
k
squares for any fixed
k
which can be part of the input (that is, deciding if
P
is the union of a set of non-overlapping
k × k
squares) and for packing
P
with a maximum number of non-overlapping and axis-parallel
2 × 1
dominos, allowing rotations by 90°. As packing is more general than tiling, the latter algorithm can also be used to decide if
P
can be tiled by 2 × 1 dominos.

These are classical problems with important applications in VLSI design, and the related problem of finding a maximum packing of 2 × 2 squares is known to be NP-hard [
6
]. For our three problems there are known pseudo-polynomial-time algorithms, that is, algorithms with running times polynomial in the
area
or
perimeter
of
P
. However, the standard, compact way to represent a polygon is by listing the coordinates of the corners in binary. We use this representation, and thus present the first polynomial-time algorithms for the problems. Concretely, we give a simple
O(n
log
n
)-time algorithm for tiling with squares, where
n
is the number of corners of
P
. We then give a more involved algorithm that reduces the problems of packing and tiling with dominos to finding a maximum and perfect matching in a graph with
O
(
n
3
) vertices. This leads to algorithms with running times

\(O(n^3 \frac{\log ^3 n}{\log ^2\log n})\)

and

\(O(n^3 \frac{\log ^2 n}{\log \log n})\)

, respectively.
LightGyro: A Batteryless Orientation Measuring Scheme Based on Light Reflection
Authors: Guo Qing , Xie Lei , Lu Xinran , Bu Yanling , Wang Chuyu , Ye Baoliu , Lu Sanglu
Published: May 2023

In industrial production, the orientation of facility components can indicate whether the facility is on a regular operating track. For example, when a component gets loose, the orientation variation of the component would exceed the normal range. A common approach for orientation measurement is to attach an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to the target device. However, the IMU requires additional power maintenance. This article presents LightGyro, a cheap and efficient batteryless scheme to measure the orientation, in which we attach a reflective film to the target device and use a camera to capture the light spot on the reflective film. The basic idea of LightGyro is to extract the light spots in the captured frame and use their pixel coordinates to infer the orientation. It is difficult to recognize a single light spot, because the spot lacks distinctive features. To solve the problem, we switch light sources on and off to regulate the appearance of light spots and utilize frame subtraction to extract light spots. The depth of field of light spot is lost in the process of camera projection, which is necessary for the orientation measurement. To address the issue, we propose a light array-based reflection model to extract the depth of field from the relative positions of multiple light spots. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to utilize reflection to measure orientation. Experiment results show that the orientation error of LightGyro decreases with the increasing length of the reflection route and the orientation error can achieve less than 1
ˆ
.
A Brain-Inspired Hardware Architecture for Evolutionary Algorithms Based on Memristive Arrays
Authors: Wang Zilu , Shi Xinming , Yao Xin
Published: May 2023

Brain-inspired computing takes inspiration from the brain to create energy-efficient hardware systems for information processing, capable of performing highly sophisticated tasks. Systems built with emerging electronics, such as memristive devices, can achieve gains in speed and energy by mimicking the distributed topology of the brain. In this work, a brain-inspired hardware architecture for evolutionary algorithms is proposed based on memristive arrays, which can realize sparse and approximate computing as a result of the parallel analog computing characteristic of the memristive arrays. On this basis, an efficient evolvable brain-inspired hardware system is implemented. We experimentally show that the approach can offer at least a four orders of magnitude speed improvement. We also use experimentally grounded simulations to explore fault tolerance and different parameter settings in the implemented hardware system. The experimental results show that the evolvable hardware system, implemented based on the proposed hardware architecture, can continuously evolve toward a better system even if there are failures or parameter changes in the memristive arrays, demonstrating that the proposed hardware architecture has good adaptability and fault tolerance.
Kitaviruses: A Window to Atypical Plant Viruses Causing Nonsystemic Diseases
Authors: Ramos-González Pedro Luis , Dias Arena Gabriella , Tassi Aline Daniele , Chabi-Jesus Camila , Watanabe Kitajima Elliot , Freitas-Astúa Juliana
Published: May 2023

Kitaviridae is a family of plant-infecting viruses that have multiple positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genomic segments. Kitaviruses are assigned into the genera Cilevirus, Higrevirus, and Blunervirus, mainly on the basis of the diversity of their genomic organization. Cell-to-cell movement of most kitaviruses is provided by the 30K family of proteins or the binary movement block, considered an alternative movement module among plant viruses. Kitaviruses stand out for producing conspicuously unusual locally restricted infections and showing deficient or nonsystemic movement likely resulting from incompatible or suboptimal interactions with their hosts. Transmission of kitaviruses is mediated by mites of many species of the genus Brevipalpus and at least one species of eriophyids. Kitavirus genomes encode numerous orphan open reading frames but RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and the transmembrane helix-containing protein, generically called SP24, typify a close phylogenetic link with arthropod viruses. Kitaviruses infect a large range of host plants and cause diseases of economic concern in crops such as citrus, tomato, passion fruit, tea, and blueberry.
Atropine facilitates water-evoked swallows via central muscarinic receptors in anesthetized rats
Authors: Nakajima Yuta , Tsujimura Takanori , Tsutsui Yuhei , Chotirungsan Titi , Kawada Satomi , Dewa Nozomi , Magara Jin , Inoue Makoto
Published: May 2023

Atropine facilitated the distilled water (DW)-evoked swallows in anesthetized rats. Atropine decreased the swallowing threshold evoked by electrical stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve, which is a primary sensory nerve for the initiation of DW-evoked swallows. Atropine facilitated the swallows evoked by N-methyl-d-aspartate microinjection into the lateral region of the nucleus of the solitary tract, which is involved in the DW-evoked swallows. We speculate that atropine facilitates the DW-evoked swallows via central muscarinic receptor actions.
Shaped Omnidirectional Reflector Fed by a Dielectric Lens Associated with a Coaxial Feed Horn
Authors: Bergmann J. R. , Patinos L. S.
Published: May 2023

The paper explores an omnidirectional antenna configuration composed of a reflector fed by a shaped dielectric lens associated with a coaxial TEM horn. A simple formula describes the lens shape obtained by applying Fermat’s principle to control the rays’ caustic emerging from the dielectric interface. Based on geometrical optics (GO) principles, a synthesis technique defines the reflector shape to control the antenna radiation pattern in the vertical plane. Concatenated conic describes the reflector generatrix. The study employs a full-wave analysis to validate the designs and explores the proposed configuration to attend two distinct far-field specifications.
Data Mining-Based Design Space Exploration and Optimization for Tandem Airfoils
Authors: Shi Yayun , Lan Xiayu , Wang Yiwen , Yang Tihao , Liu Yan
Published: May 2023

The joined-wing configuration has great technical appeal for the development of next-generation SensorCraft. Research based on the simplified tandem airfoil system can improve understanding of the joined-wing configuration’s aerodynamic characteristics. We combine the adjoint-based aerodynamic shape optimization and self-organizing map- (SOM-) based data mining technology to reveal the flow interactions of tandem airfoils and aerodynamic characteristics from the perspective of the entire aerodynamic design space. The SOM is used to explore the correlation between relative position parameters and aerodynamic force coefficients of tandem airfoil systems. Results show that the drag coefficient at the defined range of lift coefficients has obviously positive linear correlation and greatly dependents on the value of decalage. The tandem airfoils with negative decalage around -2.7° have the smallest drag coefficients. Due to variations in the aerodynamic interaction strength, the drag coefficient of each airfoil changes from a linear law to a nonlinear law as airfoils approach each other. We then perform single-point aerodynamic shape optimization based on two sets of relative position parameters with different aerodynamic interaction strengths, and 1.8% and 1.28% drag reductions are obtained, respectively. Based on optimized airfoils, the SOM is used to reveal the distribution of drag variation in the design space constructed by relative position parameters. Results illustrate that the aerodynamic interference strength between the front and rear airfoils significantly affects the drag reduction mechanism, which results in the different distribution patterns of drag variation in design space.
Adapting a Dental Anxiety Measure to Encourage Empathy
Authors: Tajirian Margaret , Juarez Benjamin , Martinez Tomas
Published: May 2023

Introduction. The aim of this study was to improve upon the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) by developing the empathy-based International-Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (I-MDAS). This new measure was then utilized to compare the dental anxiety of patients cross-culturally. Methodology. This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study adapting the MDAS into the I-MDAS by adding the International scale. The study surveyed 465 participants from a dental clinic, SurveySwap, and distributed flyers. Data was collected through Qualtrics through the self-administered I-MDAS and analyzed through the SPSS computer software version 28. Participants were categorized into two subgroups where 41.3% received dental care only within the United States and are termed the domestic population, and 58.7% received dental care outside of the United States and are labeled the nondomestic population. Information about demographics, past negative dental experiences, and current dental anxiety was collected. The conducted analyses utilized an independent sample t-test to compare the subgroups’ anxiety levels, a bivariate correlation to find the Pearson correlation, a Cronbach’s coefficient α, and a one way ANOVA test to compare the genders’ I-MDAS scores. Results. There was no significant difference in dental anxiety levels between the domestic population (M = 12.73, SD = 5.13) and the nondomestic population (M = 12.76, SD = 5.06); t (463) = −0.58,

p
=
0.95

). The I-MDAS shows evidence of validity and reliability. There was a significant and positive relationship between the International scale items and the MDAS scale items (r (463) = 0.60,

p
<
0.001

), indicating the criterion validity of the I-MDAS. Content validity was strengthened by expanding the inquired topics in the new measure. The Cronbach’s α value of 0.85 shows that the I-MDAS is reliable for clinical applications. Conclusions. The I-MDAS improves upon the MDAS by providing dentists with a tool for encouraging empathy. Dental clinicians across nations can use the I-MDAS to combat the vicious cycle of dental anxiety.
Reasons and Resolutions for Inconsistent Variant Interpretation
Authors: Lin Liling , Pan Hong , Qi Yu , Ma Yinan , Qiu Ling
Published: May 2023

In the postgenomic era, variant interpretation is crucial for diagnosing monogenic diseases, which is the premise of precision medicine. The bottleneck and difficulty of genetic disease diagnosis have switched from the inaccessibility of detection technology to the interpretation of sequencing results. Multiple studies have suggested that the inconsistency rate of interlaboratory variant interpretation is approximately 10~40%. However, many clinicians have not paid enough attention to this area at present. In this review, we summarized the reasons for inconsistency, including classification methodology, information obtained by the interpreter, evidence application, and expert judgement. For clinicians, genetic counsellors, and molecular pathologists, it is necessary to reevaluate genetic reports, especially those supported by old literature and databases in clinical practice. For unresolvable cases, pedigree analysis, collaboration with research labs for functional experiments, and long-term follow-up to combine advanced clinical presentations with updated data and literature are needed.
Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of AZ31D Alloy by Reinforcing Nanosilicon Carbide/Graphite
Authors: Veeranjaneyulu Itha , Chittaranjan Das Vemulapalli , Karumuri Srikanth
Published: May 2023

Magnesium-based alloys were more prevalent in automobile applications owing to their mechanical properties, low mass, and density. However, its poor mechanical properties are restricting its applications. Therefore, the present study focuses on improving the mechanical properties of AZ31D alloy by reinforcing silicon carbide (SiC) and graphite (Gr) nanoparticles with weight fractions of 2%, 4%, and 6% using stir-casting technique. The microstructure analysis was performed using a scanning electron microscope. The elemental analysis was confirmed using energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction was used to study various phases in the nanocomposites. Further, the mechanical properties, such as microhardness, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and compression strength of the nanocomposites, were significantly improved by 53%, 59%, 62%, and 82%, respectively, as compared with base alloy.
Automated Pixel-Level Detection of Expansion Joints on Asphalt Pavement Using a Deep-Learning-Based Approach
Authors: He Anzheng , Dong Zishuo , Zhang Hang , Zhang Allen A. , Qiu Shi , Liu Yang , Wang Kelvin C.P. , Lin Zhihao
Published: May 2023

Pixel-level detection of expansion joints on complex pavements is significant for traffic safety and the structural integrity of highway bridges. This paper proposed an improved HRNet-OCR, named as expansion joints segmentation network (EJSNet), for automated pixel-level detection of the expansion joints on asphalt pavement. Different from the high-resolution network (HRNet), the proposed EJSNet modifies the residual structure of the first stage by conducting a Conv. + BN + ReLU (convolution + batch normalization + rectified linear unit) operation for each shortcut connection, which can avoid the network degradation. The feature selection module (FSM) and receptive field block (RFB) module are incorporated into the proposed EJSNet model to learn and extract the contexts at different resolution levels for enhanced latent representations. The convolutional block attention module (CBAM) is introduced to enhance the adaptive feature refinement of the network. Moreover, the shared multilayer perceptron (MLP) architecture of the channel attention module (CAM) is also modified in this paper. Experimental results demonstrate that the F-measure and intersection-over-union (IOU) attained by the proposed EJSNet model on 500 testing image sets are 95.14% and 0.9036, respectively. Compared with four state-of-the-art models for semantic segmentation (i.e., SegNet, DeepLabv3+, dual attention network (DANet), and HRNet-OCR), the proposed EJSNet model can yield higher detection accuracy on both private and public datasets.
Effects of Dietary Protein-to-Energy Ratios on Growth, Immune Response, Antioxidative Capacity, Liver and Intestinal Histology, and Growth-Related Gene Expression in Hybrid Yellow Catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco
♀
× Pelteobagrus vachelli
♂
)
Authors: Taj Sehrish , Han Quan , Wu Xiaoyi , Yin Haoran , Tian Lixia , Yang Huijun , Liu Yongjian , Huang Junwa
Published: May 2023

This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of dietary protein-to-energy ratios on the growth, immunological response, antioxidative capacity, liver and intestinal histology, and growth-related gene expression of hybrid yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco ♀ × Pelteobagrus vachelli ♂). Eight diets were formulated to form different protein/energy ratios of 84, 88, 90, 93, 95, 96, 99, and 103 mg/kcal (P/E84, P/E88, P/E90, P/E93, P/E95, P/E96, P/E99, and P/E103), respectively. These diets contain different levels of gross energy (GE), ranging from 4.13 to 4.76 kcal g-1. Seven hundred and twenty healthy fish (

17.15
±
0.02

 g) were randomly dispersed into 24 rectangular fiberglass tanks with 8 treatments in triplicate groups. The fish fed a P/E ratio of 95 mg/kcal demonstrated the best growth and feed utilization. A significant (

P
<
0.05

) increase in percent weight gain (WG%) and specific growth rate (SGR) was seen as the dietary P/E ratio ameliorated from P/E84 to P/E95, followed by a decreased pattern in these parameters. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and daily feed intake (DFI) were significantly impacted by dietary P/E ratios (

P
<
0.05

). Additionally, an optimum P/E ratio improved intestinal morphology. However, low or high P/E ratio diets can cause oxidative stress, impaired liver function, and significantly reduced nonspecific immunity. The expression of target of rapamycin (TOR) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) genes in the liver was considerably influenced by dietary protein-to-energy ratios (

P
<
0.05

). Based on the statistical analysis of WG% against the dietary P/E ratio, the optimal P/E ratio for the studied species was estimated to be 92.92 mg/kcal.
On‐Board Digital Twin Based on Impedance and Model Predictive Control for Aerial Robot Grasping
Authors: Qahmash Ayman , Al-Darraji Izzat , Khadidos Adil O. , Tsaramirsis Georgios , Khadidos Alaa O. , Alghamdi Mohammed
Published: May 2023

Aerial manipulation of objects has a number of advantages as it is not limited by the morphology of the terrain. One of the main problems of the aerial payload process is the lack of real‐time prediction of the interaction between the gripper of the aerial robot and the payload. This paper introduces a digital twin (DT) approach based on impedance control of the aerial payload transmission process. The impedance control technique is implemented to develop the target impedance based on emerging the mass of the payload and the model of the gripper fingers. Tracking the position of the interactional point between the fingers of gripper and payload, inside the impedance control, is achieved using model predictive control (MPD) approach. The developed on‐board DT offered a model where interaction with the unknown payload and aerial robot dynamics is informed. Beside this, the results showed the ability of the introduced DT to foretell the conditions of the forces acting on the payload which helped to predict the situation of aerial manipulation process. Additionally, the results showed that the DT model could detect real‐time errors in the physical asset.
Field Synopsis of Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors of Sporadic Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer and Advanced Adenoma
Authors: Zhang Rongqi , Boakye Daniel , Yang Nan , Zhou Xuan , Zhou Yajing , Jiang Fangyuan , Yu Lili , Wang Lijuan , Sun Jing , Yuan Shuai , Chen Jie , Hamilton Ashleigh C. , Coleman Helen G. , Larsson Susanna C. , Little Julian , Dunlop Malcolm G. , Giovannucci Edward L. , Theodoratou Evropi , Li Xue
Published: May 2023

Background:

To systematically appraise and synthesize available epidemiologic evidence on the associations of environmental and genetic factors with the risk of sporadic early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) and early-onset advanced colorectal adenoma (EOCRA).

Methods:

Multiple databases were comprehensively searched to identify eligible observational studies. Genotype data from UK Biobank were incorporated to examine their associations with EOCRC in a nested case–control design. Meta-analyses of environmental risk factors were performed, and the strength of evidence was graded based on predefined criteria. Meta-analyses of genetic associations were conducted using the allelic, recessive, and dominant models, respectively.

Results:

A total of 61 studies were included, reporting 120 environmental factors and 62 genetic variants. We found 12 risk factors (current overweight, overweight in adolescence, high waist circumference, smoking, alcohol, sugary beverages intake, sedentary behavior, red meat intake, family history of colorectal cancer, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome) and three protective factors (vitamin D, folate, and calcium intake) for EOCRC or EOCRA. No significant associations between the examined genetic variants and EOCRC risk were observed.

Conclusions:

Recent data indicate that the changing patterns of traditional colorectal cancer risk factors may explain the rising incidence of EOCRC. However, research on novel risk factors for EOCRC is limited; therefore, we cannot rule out the possibility of EOCRC having different risk factors than late-onset colorectal cancer (LOCRC).

Impact:

The potential for the identified risk factors to enhance the identification of at-risk groups for personalized EOCRC screening and prevention and for the prediction of EOCRC risk should be comprehensively addressed by future studies.
In Synergy: Optimizing CAR T Development and Personalizing Patient Care Using Single-Cell Technologies
Authors: Barboy Oren , Katzenelenbogen Yonatan , Shalita Rotem , Amit Ido
Published: May 2023

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapies hold immense promise to revolutionize cancer treatment. Nevertheless, key challenges, primarily in solid tumor settings, continue to hinder the application of this technology. Understanding CAR T-cell mechanism of action, in vivo activity, and clinical implications is essential for harnessing its full therapeutic potential. Single-cell genomics and cell engineering tools are becoming increasingly effective for the comprehensive research of complex biological systems. The convergence of these two technologies can accelerate CAR T-cell development. Here, we examine the potential of applying single-cell multiomics for the development of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies.

Significance:

Although CAR T-cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable clinical results in treating cancer, their effectiveness in most patients and tumor types remains limited. Single-cell technologies, which are transforming our understanding of molecular biology, provide new opportunities to overcome the challenges of CAR T-cell therapies. Given the potential of CAR T-cell therapy to tip the balance in the fight against cancer, it is important to understand how single-cell multiomic approaches can be leveraged to develop the next generations of more effective and less toxic CAR T-cell products and to provide powerful decision-making tools for clinicians to optimize treatment and improve patient outcomes.