bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the synthesis of nanostructures with increased photoluminescence obtained by depositing ultrathin layers of ZnO to the surface of porous silicon
Authors: Begunov M , Zhapakov R , Murzalinov D , Seredavina T , Dmitriyeva E , Ibraimova S , Serikkanov A , Yerubayev Y
Published: December 2023

Determining the features of the formation of hierarchical structures based on the interactions of elementary particles is a promising area of research. The deposition of 20 and 25 layers of zinc oxide by spray pyrolysis on the Si surface with stepped porosity led to the formation of ZnO particles of various sizes. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy revealed zinc-containing compounds in thin formed layers. The maximum photoluminescence intensity and peaks characteristic of nanosized zinc oxide were found for a sample with 25 film layers. The mechanism of nanocrystal formation includes the capture of charges on oxygen vacancies.
Microstructure, mechanical properties and biomedical application of medical implantable extruded Mg-Zn-Zr-Ca alloy
Authors: Huang Ying-Ting , Lee Chen-Jie , Hung Fei-Yi , Yen Chen-Wei
Published: December 2023

This study added Zn, Zr and Ca as alloying elements of magnesium alloy (ZKX500) and produced fine grain structure by extrusion process. After 2 h of homogenization, abnormal grain growth was avoided, stress relief, improvement of stability and reduction of element segregation are achieved. In addition, application of phosphate coating on homogenized ZKX500, the mechanism of coating degradation and mechanical properties after degradation were accomplished and determined that the corrosion resistance of ZKX500 can be enhanced by homogenization and phosphate coating. To further enclose clinical-applying condition, ZKX500 screw undergoes 2 h of homogenization and phosphate coating, then immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF). The degradation rate of ZKX500 screw meets application requirement, which demonstrated homogenization and phosphate coating improved degradation behavior and mechanical properties of ZKX500 screws and exhibited its potential of clinical application.
Therapeutic potential of electron beam and gamma irradiation synthesized selenium nanoparticles for health care
Authors: Kiet Vo Anh , Thi Bich Ngoc Truong , Thi Thanh Ngoc Tran , Duy Nguyen Ngoc , Thi Phuong Thao Dang , Thuoc Tran Linh , Tuan Phan Dinh , Khanh Vu Le Van
Published: December 2023

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) attract more and more interest due to good bioavailability and low toxicity, accompanied by various bioactivities consisting of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activity. SeNPs could be generated by physical, chemical, or biological methods and their potential depends on the particle diameter, homogeneity, coating agents, etc Up to now, there has been no previous work reporting on the activities of SeNPs produced by electron beam yet. In our work, SeNPs created by electron beam (SeNP/EB) or gamma irradiation (SeNP/G), stabilized by gum arabic were evaluated for the anticancer capacity by MTT assay, the antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging assay, and the antibacterial ability by agar well diffusion assay. The results showed that SeNP/EB and SeNP/G displayed growth inhibition on HeLa cervical cancer cells with IC50 values of 2.83 and 1.54 μg ml−1, while the values on MCF7 breast cancer cells were 27.70 and 38.80 μg ml−1 respectively. The SeNPs affected HeLa cancer cells more selectively than normal fibroblasts as evidenced by the high selectivity index of 7.98 and 26.25. Notably, the results demonstrated that SeNP/G is much safer than SeNP/EB when applying for cancer treatment in the future. Regarding the DPPH assay, SeNPs of both synthetic methods exhibited potential IC50 values (13.5 and 12 μg ml−1) compared with that of ascorbic acid (8.4 μg ml−1). In comparison to previous studies, our results sugessted that gamma and electron beam irradiation methods, accompanied by coating with gum arabic could be novel approaches in SeNP synthesis to enhance the antioxidant activity of the SeNPs. Besides, SeNPs also caused an inhibition towards Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, which was verified by the inhibition-zone diameter of approximately 8–12 mm, through inducing oxidative stress in bacterial cells. In conclusion, along with the advantages of physical methods such as time-saving, eco-friendly processes, SeNPs in our work could be a promising candidate for the research and development of healthcare products.
On readout and initialisation fidelity by finite demolition single shot readout
Authors: Zahedian Majid , Keller Max , Kwon Minsik , Javadzade Javid , Meinel Jonas , Vorobyov Vadim , Wrachtrup Jörg
Published: December 2023

Ideal projective quantum measurement makes the system state collapse in one of the observable operator eigenstates

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ϕ
α

⟩

, making it a powerful tool for preparing the system in the desired pure state. Nevertheless, experimental realisations of projective measurement are not ideal. During the measurement time needed to overcome the classical noise of the apparatus, the system state is often (slightly) perturbed, which compromises the fidelity of initialisation. In this paper, we propose an analytical model to analyse the initialisation fidelity of the system performed by the single-shot readout. We derive a method to optimise parameters for the three most used cases of photon counting based readouts for NV colour centre in diamond, charge state, nuclear spin and low temperature electron spin readout. Our work is of relevance for the accurate description of initialisation fidelity of the quantum bit when the single-shot readout is used for initialisation via post-selection or real-time control.
Extending the variational quantum eigensolver to finite temperatures
Authors: Selisko Johannes , Amsler Maximilian , Hammerschmidt Thomas , Drautz Ralf , Eckl Thomas
Published: December 2023

We present a variational quantum thermalizer (VQT), called quantum-VQT (qVQT), which extends the variational quantum eigensolver to finite temperatures. The qVQT makes use of an intermediate measurement between two variational circuits to encode a density matrix on a quantum device. A classical optimization provides the thermal state and, simultaneously, all associated excited states of a quantum mechanical system. We demonstrate the capabilities of the qVQT for two different spin systems. First, we analyze the performance of qVQT as a function of the circuit depth and the temperature for a one-dimensional Heisenberg chain. Second, we use the excited states to map the complete, temperature dependent phase diagram of a two-dimensional J1–J2 Heisenberg model. Numerical experiments on both quantum simulators and real quantum hardware demonstrate the efficiency of our approach, which can be readily applied to study various quantum many-body systems at finite temperatures on currently available noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices.
Can Large Language Models Generate Outpatient Clinic Letters at First Consultation That Incorporate Complication Profiles From UK and USA Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Associations?
Authors: Roberts Richard H R , Ali Stephen R , Dobbs Thomas D , Whitaker Iain S
Published: December 2023

The importance of written communication between clinicians and patients, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court case of Montgomery vs Lanarkshire, has led to a shift toward patient-centric care in the United Kingdom. This study investigates the use of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google Bard in enhancing clinic letters with gold-standard complication profiles, aiming to improve patients’ understanding and save clinicians’ time in aesthetic plastic surgery. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of LLMs in integrating complication profiles from authoritative sources into clinic letters, thus enhancing patient comprehension and clinician efficiency in aesthetic plastic surgery. Seven widely performed aesthetic procedures were chosen, and complication profiles were sourced from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). We evaluated the proficiency of the ChatGPT4, ChatGPT3.5, and Google Bard in generating clinic letters which incorporated complication profiles from online resources. These letters were assessed for readability using an online tool, targeting a recommended sixth-grade reading level. ChatGPT4 achieved the highest compliance in integrating complication profiles from BAAPS and ASPS websites, with average readability grades between eighth and ninth. ChatGPT3.5 and Google Bard showed lower compliance, particularly when accessing paywalled content like the ASPS Informed Consent Bundle. In conclusion, LLMs, particularly ChatGPT4, show promise in enhancing patient communications in aesthetic plastic surgery by effectively incorporating standard complication profiles into clinic letters. This aids in informed decision making and time saving for clinicians. However, the study underscores the need for improvements in data accessibility, search capabilities, and ethical considerations for optimal LLM integration into healthcare communications. Future enhancements should focus on better interpretation of inaccessible formats and a Human in the Loop approach to combine Artifical Intelligence capabilities with clinician expertise.

Level of Evidence: 3
xQTLbiolinks: a comprehensive and scalable tool for integrative analysis of molecular QTLs
Authors: Ding Ruofan , Zou Xudong , Qin Yangmei , Gong Lihai , Chen Hui , Ma Xuelian , Guang Shouhong , Yu Chen , Wang Gao , Li Lei
Published: December 2023

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of disease-associated non-coding variants, posing urgent needs for functional interpretation. Molecular Quantitative Trait Loci (xQTLs) such as eQTLs serve as an essential intermediate link between these non-coding variants and disease phenotypes and have been widely used to discover disease-risk genes from many population-scale studies. However, mining and analyzing the xQTLs data presents several significant bioinformatics challenges, particularly when it comes to integration with GWAS data. Here, we developed xQTLbiolinks as the first comprehensive and scalable tool for bulk and single-cell xQTLs data retrieval, quality control and pre-processing from public repositories and our integrated resource. In addition, xQTLbiolinks provided a robust colocalization module through integration with GWAS summary statistics. The result generated by xQTLbiolinks can be flexibly visualized or stored in standard R objects that can easily be integrated with other R packages and custom pipelines. We applied xQTLbiolinks to cancer GWAS summary statistics as case studies and demonstrated its robust utility and reproducibility. xQTLbiolinks will profoundly accelerate the interpretation of disease-associated variants, thus promoting a better understanding of disease etiologies. xQTLbiolinks is available at https://github.com/lilab-bioinfo/xQTLbiolinks.
Robust knowledge-guided biclustering for multi-omics data
Authors: Zhang Qiyiwen , Chang Changgee , Long Qi
Published: December 2023

Biclustering is a useful method for simultaneously grouping samples and features and has been applied across various biomedical data types. However, most existing biclustering methods lack the ability to integratively analyze multi-modal data such as multi-omics data such as genome, transcriptome and epigenome. Moreover, the potential of leveraging biological knowledge represented by graphs, which has been demonstrated to be beneficial in various statistical tasks such as variable selection and prediction, remains largely untapped in the context of biclustering. To address both, we propose a novel Bayesian biclustering method called Bayesian graph-guided biclustering (BGB). Specifically, we introduce a new hierarchical sparsity-inducing prior to effectively incorporate biological graph information and establish a unified framework to model multi-view data. We develop an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to conduct posterior sampling and inference. Extensive simulations and real data analysis show that BGB outperforms other popular biclustering methods. Notably, BGB is robust in terms of utilizing biological knowledge and has the capability to reveal biologically meaningful information from heterogeneous multi-modal data.
CellWalker: a user-friendly and modular computational pipeline for morphological analysis of microscopy images
Authors: Khare Harshavardhan , Dongo Mendoza Nathaly , Zurzolo Chiara
Published: December 2023

The implementation of computational tools for analysis of microscopy images has been one of the most important technological innovations in biology, providing researchers unmatched capabilities to comprehend cell shape and connectivity. While numerous tools exist for image annotation and segmentation, there is a noticeable gap when it comes to morphometric analysis of microscopy images. Most existing tools often measure features solely on 2D serial images, which can be difficult to extrapolate to 3D. For this reason, we introduce CellWalker, a computational toolbox that runs inside Blender, an open-source computer graphics software. This add-on improves the morphological analysis by seamlessly integrating analysis tools into the Blender workflow, providing visual feedback through a powerful 3D visualization, and leveraging the resources of Blender's community. CellWalker provides several morphometric analysis tools that can be used to calculate distances, volume, surface areas and to determine cross-sectional properties. It also includes tools to build skeletons, calculate distributions of subcellular organelles. In addition, this python-based tool contains ‘visible-source’ IPython notebooks accessories for segmentation of 2D/3D microscopy images using deep learning and visualization of the segmented images that are required as input to CellWalker. Overall, CellWalker provides practical tools for segmentation and morphological analysis of microscopy images in the form of an open-source and modular pipeline which allows a complete access to fine-tuning of algorithms through visible-source code while still retaining a result-oriented interface.

Availability and implementation

CellWalker source code is available on GitHub (https://github.com/utraf-pasteur-institute/Cellwalker-blender and https://github.com/utraf-pasteur-institute/Cellwalker-notebooks) under a GPL-3 license.
LMdist: Local Manifold distance accurately measures beta diversity in ecological gradients
Authors: Hoops Susan L , Knights Dan
Published: December 2023

Motivation

Differentiating ecosystems poses a complex, high-dimensional problem constrained by capturing relevant variation across species profiles. Researchers use pairwise distances and subsequent dimensionality reduction to highlight variation in a few dimensions. Despite popularity in analysis of ecological data, these low-dimensional visualizations can contain geometric abnormalities such as “arch” and “horseshoe” effects, potentially obscuring the impact of environmental gradients. These abnormalities appear in ordination but are in fact a product of oversaturated large pairwise distances.

Results

We present Local Manifold distance (LMdist), an unsupervised algorithm which adjusts pairwise beta diversity measures to better represent true ecological distances between samples. Beta diversity measures can have a bounded dynamic range in depicting long environmental gradients with high species turnover. Using a graph structure, LMdist projects pairwise distances onto a manifold and traverses the manifold surface to adjust pairwise distances at the upper end of the beta diversity measure’s dynamic range. This allows for values beyond the range of the original measure. Not all datasets will have oversaturated pairwise distances, nor will capture variation that resembles a manifold, so LMdist adjusts only those pairwise values which may be undervalued in the presence of a sampled gradient. The adjusted distances serve as input for ordination and statistical testing. We demonstrate on real and simulated data that LMdist effectively recovers distances along known gradients and along complex manifolds such as the Swiss roll dataset. LMdist enables more powerful statistical tests for gradient effects and reveals variation orthogonal to the gradient.

Availability and implementation

Available on GitHub at https://github.com/knights-lab/LMdist.
Can robots ‘get’ vulval dermatoses?
Authors: Tummon Olga , Roche Lisa , Finnegan Paula , Murphy Michelle
Published: December 2023

This letter explores artificial intelligence as it intersects with dermatology as a speciality. While we may readily imagine a dermatoscope that picks up melanoma, how will the robots fare with vulval dermatoses? We explore the current landscape and make suggestions for how we can control what the future looks like.
Real-world Cohort Study on the Effectiveness and Safety of Filgotinib Use in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Gros Beatriz , Goodall Mairi , Plevris Nik , Constantine-Cooke Nathan , Elford Alexander T , O’Hare Claire , Noble Colin , Jones Gareth-Rhys , Arnott Ian D , Lees Charlie W
Published: December 2023

Background

Filgotinib is a small molecule with preferential inhibition of Janus kinase type 1, approved for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in Scotland in May 2022. We present the first real-world experience on its use in clinical practice.

Methods

In this retrospective, observational, cohort study we assessed patients with active ulcerative colitis who received filgotinib in NHS Lothian, Scotland. Baseline demographic, phenotype, and follow-up data were collected via review of electronic medical records.

Results

We included 91 patients with median treatment duration of 39 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 23-49). Among the cohort, 67% [61/91] were biologic- and small molecule-naïve, and 20.9% [19/91] had failed one and 12.1% [11/91]  two or more classes of advanced therapy. Of the biologic- and small molecule-naïve patients, 18% [11/61] were also thiopurine-naïve. Clinical remission [partial Mayo score <2] was achieved in 71.9% [41/57] and 76.4% [42/55] of patients at Weeks 12 and 24 respectively. Biochemical remission [C reactive protein ≤5 mg/L] was achieved in 87.3% [62/71] at Week 12 and 88.9% [40/45] at Week 24. Faecal biomarker [calprotectin <250 µg/g] remission was achieved in 82.8% [48/58] at Week 12 and 79.5% [35/44] at Week 24. At the end of follow-up, median 42 weeks [IQR 27-50], 82.4% [75/91] of patients remained on filgotinib. Severe adverse events leading to drug discontinuation occurred in 2.2% [2/91] and there were 8.8% [8/91] moderate adverse events that required temporary discontinuation.

Conclusion

These are the first reported data on the real-world efficacy and safety of filgotinib in ulcerative colitis. Our findings demonstrate that filgotinib is an effective and low-risk treatment option for these patients.
Myocardial work indices in bileaflet mitral valve prolapse patients
Authors: Muthukumar Lakshmi , Jahangir Arshad , Ashraf Muddasir , Schweitzer McKenzie , Pesek Kelly , Galazka Patrycja , Umland Matt , Khandheria Bijoy K , Tajik A Jamil
Published: December 2023

Aims

Mechanisms underlying left ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmogenesis in bileaflet mitral valve prolapse (BMVP) patients are not well defined. Myocardial work index (MWI) is a non-invasive assessment that correlates with myocardial oxygen consumption. We aimed to compare global and regional MWI in BMVP patients with normal controls.

Methods and results

In this retrospective study, we calculated MWI in BMVP patients and controls using GE EchoPAC (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA) software. Of 147 BMVP patients (59% women, mean age 54 ± 15 years), 16 had a flail mitral leaflet. There was regional heterogeneity in MWIs, with increased posterolateral trident myocardial work (2099 ± 271 vs. 1895 ± 321 mm Hg%, P = 0.039), constructive work (2831 ± 366 vs. 2257 ± 338 mm Hg%, P < 0.001), wasted work [87 (52–194) vs. 71 (42–103) mm Hg%, P = 0.015], peak systolic strain (−23.0 ± 2.4 vs. −19 ± 3%, P < 0.001), and reduction in myocardial work efficiency [95.00 (93.50–97.75) vs. 96.75 (95.00–97.75) %, P = 0.020] in 100 BMVP patients compared with age- and sex-matched controls. BMVP patients’ basal septal wall MWIs were lower than those of controls. The higher work indices in patients with BMVP were reduced in those who developed flail leaflets. No significant differences in work indices were seen between ventricular arrhythmia and non-arrhythmia BMVP patients.

Conclusion

Regional differences in MWIs were noted in the BMVP patients compared with controls, with overall reduced myocardial efficiency in the posterolateral trident and basal septal regions. In cross-sectional analysis, MWIs were not different in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Impact of MWI on long-term prognosis needs to be determined.
Conservative News Media and Criminal Justice: Evidence from Exposure to the Fox News Channel
Authors: Ash Elliott , Poyker Michael
Published: December 2023

Local exposure to conservative news causes judges to impose harsher criminal sentences. Our evidence comes from an instrumental variable analysis, where randomness in television channel positioning across localities induces exogenous variation in exposure to the Fox News Channel. These treatment data on news viewership are taken to outcome data on almost seven million criminal sentencing decisions in the United States for the years 2005–17. Higher Fox News viewership increases incarceration length, and the effect is stronger for Black defendants and for drug-related crimes. We can rule out changes in the behaviour of police, prosecutors or potential offenders as significant drivers. Consistent with changes in voter attitudes as the key mechanism, the effect on sentencing harshness is observed for elected (but not appointed) judges. Fox News viewership also increases self-reported beliefs about the importance of drug crime as a social problem.
The Evolution of Monitoring: Evidence from Text Analysis of Election Monitoring Reports
Authors: Yukawa Taku , Sakamoto Takuto
Published: December 2023

After the Cold War, election monitoring activities increased significantly, and research on the topic has risen sharply in the last ten years. These are valuable contributions, but we believe one point requires further consideration: empirically clarifying how monitoring has changed over time. This is because fraudsters have begun to shift election manipulation from the day of the election to other times in order to adapt to election monitoring. If fraudsters have evolved over time, have monitors kept pace with this evolution? Employing an original dataset of election monitoring reports published by major monitoring organizations, this study performs large-scale text analysis of these reports to show that the criteria used by monitoring teams have indeed changed over time. Specifically, although election monitoring groups have been criticized for their bias in emphasizing manipulation on election day more than other factors, we demonstrate that such bias has declined over time.
Medical advice lines offering on-demand access to providers reduced emergency department visits
Authors: Tran Linda Diem , Rose Liam , Suzuki Ken , Urech Tracy , Vashi Anita
Published: December 2023

Instant access to clinicians through virtual care is designed to allow patients to receive care they need while avoiding high-cost visits in acute-care settings. This study investigates the effect of offering patients the option to instantly connect with emergency care providers instead of being referred to the emergency department (ED) following calls to a medical advice line. We used a staggered rollout design to assess the effects of implementing this program on key outcomes among Veterans Affairs enrollees. Analyzing over 1 million calls from 2019 to 2022, we found that access to a provider reduced the proportion of patients who subsequently visited the ED compared with those with access to the standard medical advice line (38% vs 36%). There was no significant difference observed in subsequent inpatient admissions or 30-day mortality. We found that a majority of callers (65%) achieved issue resolution or were directed to lower acuity settings for further evaluation. Although substantial direct cost savings were not evident, our findings demonstrate that on-demand access to a virtual provider can effectively decrease ED visits.
German Captors, Jewish POWs: Segregation of American and British Jewish POWs in German Captivity in the Second World War
Authors: Linenberg Yorai
Published: December 2023

The radicalization of Germany’s antisemitic policies that eventually led to the murder of six million Jews, went on in parallel to the radicalization of its POW policies. And yet, while Soviet Jewish POWs were murdered, and French, Polish, and Yugoslavian Jewish POWs were mostly segregated from their non-Jewish comrades, American and British Jewish POWs were rarely segregated in POW camps. This article suggests that a combination of different reasons during different stages of the war—such as the German fear of reprisals, protests of POWs against the segregations, and self-preservation of the German POW chain of command—helped make American and British Jewish POWs the most protected Jews in Nazi Europe.
Identification of Josef Mengele’s Noma Experiment Victims
Authors: Shalvey Aisling
Published: December 2023

This research note analyzes Josef Mengele’s experiment on sixty-three victims in Auschwitz suffering from noma, a rare and often fatal disease that results in the erosion of oral facial tissue. The author examines Mengele’s noma experiment, the treatments imposed on the victims, and the retention of specimens from the Nazi era. Through a comprehensive chart, the author includes biographical information on all known victims of the experiment.
Climate adaptation depends on rebalancing flexibility and rigidity in US fisheries management
Authors: Golden Abigail S , Baskett Marissa L , Holland Dan , Levine Arielle , Mills Kathy , Essington Timothy
Published: December 2023

Fisheries face unprecedented environmental change. An important aspect of resilience to this change is the adaptive capacity of managers and stakeholders to respond to new conditions. A growing academic literature has demonstrated the value of fostering this adaptive capacity and highlighted key elements of fisheries social-ecological systems that can promote it. However, it is unclear to what extent these abstract academic ideas around adaptive capacity are relevant and valuable to on-the-ground resource managers, and if so, whether there are aspects of the literature that particularly resonate with their needs. Here, we compare academic concepts of adaptive capacity to the ways that management practitioners conceptualize and implement these ideas in practice, elicited through interviews with key professionals in United States federal fishery management bodies. Practitioners overwhelmingly cited flexibility to respond to change as the most consistently important element of adaptive capacity. Yet, they also detailed how the U.S. fishery management system routinely limits and constrains the flexibility of managers and stakeholders. Seeking out opportunities that enhance flexibility without jeopardizing other key aspects of adaptive capacity could increase management’s adaptive capacity to global change in the USA and elsewhere.
Model-informed classification of broadband acoustic backscatter from zooplankton in an in situ mesocosm
Authors: Dunn Muriel , McGowan-Yallop Chelsey , Pedersen Geir , Falk-Petersen Stig , Daase Malin , Last Kim , Langbehn Tom J , Fielding Sophie , Brierley Andrew S , Cottier Finlo , Basedow Sünnje L , Camus Lionel , Geoffroy Maxime
Published: December 2023

Classification of zooplankton to species with broadband echosounder data could increase the taxonomic resolution of acoustic surveys and reduce the dependence on net and trawl samples for ‘ground truthing’. Supervised classification with broadband echosounder data is limited by the acquisition of validated data required to train machine learning algorithms (‘classifiers’). We tested the hypothesis that acoustic scattering models could be used to train classifiers for remote classification of zooplankton. Three classifiers were trained with data from scattering models of four Arctic zooplankton groups (copepods, euphausiids, chaetognaths, and hydrozoans). We evaluated classifier predictions against observations of a mixed zooplankton community in a submerged purpose-built mesocosm (12 m3) insonified with broadband transmissions (185–255 kHz). The mesocosm was deployed from a wharf in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, during the Arctic polar night in January 2022. We detected 7722 tracked single targets, which were used to evaluate the classifier predictions of measured zooplankton targets. The classifiers could differentiate copepods from the other groups reasonably well, but they could not differentiate euphausiids, chaetognaths, and hydrozoans reliably due to the similarities in their modelled target spectra. We recommend that model-informed classification of zooplankton from broadband acoustic signals be used with caution until a better understanding of in situ target spectra variability is gained.
Finite Multiplicities Beyond Spherical Spaces
Authors: Aizenbud Avraham , Gourevitch Dmitry
Published: December 2023

Let $G$ be a real reductive algebraic group, and let $H\subset G$ be an algebraic subgroup. It is known that the action of $G$ on the space of functions on $G/H$ is “tame” if this space is spherical. In particular, the multiplicities of the space ${\mathcal {S}}(G/H)$ of Schwartz functions on $G/H$ are finite in this case. In this paper, we formulate and analyze a generalization of sphericity that implies finite multiplicities in ${\mathcal {S}}(G/H)$ for small enough irreducible representations of $G$.
Prevalence and determinants of defensive medicine among physicians: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zheng Junyao , Lu Yongbo , Li Wenjie , Zhu Bin , Yang Fan , Shen Jie
Published: December 2023

Defensive medicine, characterized by physicians’ inclination toward excessive diagnostic tests and procedures, has emerged as a significant concern in modern healthcare due to its high prevalence and detrimental effects. Despite the growing concerns among healthcare providers, policymakers, and physicians, comprehensive synthesis of the literature on the prevalence and determinants of defensive medicine among physicians has yet been reported. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify eligible studies published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2022, utilizing six databases (i.e. Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library). A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence and determinants of defensive medicine. Of the 8892 identified articles, 64 eligible studies involving 35.9 thousand physicians across 23 countries were included. The overall pooled prevalence of defense medications was 75.8%. Physicians engaged in both assurance and avoidance behaviors, with the most prevalent subitems being increasing follow-up and avoidance of high-complication treatment protocols. The prevalence of defensive medicine was higher in the African region [88.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 80.4%–95.8%] and lower-middle-income countries (89.0%; 95% CI: 78.2%–99.8%). Among the medical specialties, anesthesiologists (92.2%; 95% CI: 89.2%–95.3%) exhibited the highest prevalence. Further, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) of the nine factors at the individual, relational, and organizational levels were calculated, and the influence of previous experience in medical-legal litigation (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.13–2.18) should be considered. The results of this study indicate a high global prevalence of defensive medicine among physicians, underscoring the necessity of implementing targeted interventions to reduce its use, especially in certain regions and specialties. Policymakers should implement measures to improve physicians’ medical skills, enhance physician–patient communication, address physicians’ medical-legal litigation fears, and reform the medical liability system. Future research should focus on devising and assessing interventions to reduce the use of defensive medicine and to improve the quality of patient care.
Large-Scale Scientific Study Led by a Professional Organization during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Operations, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Ondracek Caitlin R , Melanson Stacy E F , Doan Loretta , Schulz Karen M , Kleinman Stefanie , Zhao Zhen , Kumanovics Attila , Wu Alan H B , Wiencek Joesph , Meng Qing H , Apple Fred S , Koch David , Vesper Hubert , Pokuah Fidelia , Bryksin Janetta , Myers Gary L , Christenson Robert H , Zhang Y Victoria
Published: December 2023

In 2021, the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) (formerly the American Association for Clinical Chemistry [AACC]) developed a scientific study that aimed to contribute to the understanding of SARS-CoV-2 immunity during the evolving course of the pandemic. This study was led by a group of expert member volunteers and resulted in survey data from 975 individuals and blood collection from 698 of those participants. This paper describes the formulation and execution of this large-scale scientific study, encompassing best practices and insights gained throughout the endeavor.
A volatilized pyrethroid insecticide from a mosquito repelling device does not impact honey bee foraging and recruitment
Authors: Couvillon Margaret J , Ohlinger Bradley D , Bizon Connor , Johnson Lindsay E , McHenry Laura C , McMillan Benjamin E , Schürch Roger
Published: December 2023

Because nontarget, beneficials, like insect pollinators, may be exposed unintentionally to insecticides, it is important to evaluate the impact of chemical controls on the behaviors performed by insect pollinators in field trials. Here we examine the impact of a portable mosquito repeller, which emits prallethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, on honey bee foraging and recruitment using a blinded, randomized, paired, parallel group trial. We found no significant effect of the volatilized insecticide on foraging frequency (our primary outcome), waggle dance propensity, waggle dance frequency, and feeder persistency (our secondary outcomes), even though an additional deposition study confirmed that the treatment device was performing appropriately. These results may be useful to consumers that are interested in repelling mosquitos, but also concerned about potential consequences to beneficial insects, such as honey bees.
Oxalic acid application method and treatment intervals for reduction of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) populations in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies
Authors: Prouty Cody , Abou-Shaara Hossam F , Stanford Branden , Ellis James D , Jack Cameron
Published: December 2023

Oxalic acid (OA) is a popular miticide used to control Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies. Our aim was to investigate which method of OA application (dribbling, fogging, or vaporizing) was the most effective at reducing V. destructor infestations (Experiment 1) and to improve upon this method by determining the treatment interval that resulted in the greatest V. destructor control (Experiment 2). We used the product Api-Bioxal (97% OA) and maintained 40 honey bee colonies (10/treatment) in both experiments. In Experiment 1, the treatments included (i) dribbling 50 ml of 3% OA solution, (ii) vaporizing 4 g of solid OA, (iii) using an insect fogger supplied with 2.5% OA dissolved in ethyl alcohol, and (iv) an untreated control. After 3 weeks, only the vaporization method reduced V. destructor infestations (from 9.24 mites/100 bees pretreatment to 3.25 mites/100 bees posttreatment) and resulted in significantly increased brood amounts and numbers of adult bees over those of the controls. In Experiment 2, all colonies were treated with 4 applications of OA via vaporization at a constant concentration of 4 g OA/colony. In this experiment, the groups were separated by treatment intervals at either 3-, 5-, or 7-day intervals. We observed that 5- and 7-day treatment intervals significantly reduced V. destructor populations from pretreatment levels over that of the controls and 3-day intervals. Our data demonstrate the efficacy of OA in reducing V. destructor infestation, particularly vaporizing 4 g every 5–7 days as the most effective method of application.
Probiotics and in-hive fermentation as a source of beneficial microbes to support the gut microbial health of honey bees
Authors: Rodríguez María A , Fernández Leticia A , Daisley Brendan A , Reynaldi Francisco J , Allen-Vercoe Emma , Thompson Graham J
Published: December 2023

Managed populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) are regularly exposed to infectious diseases. Good hive management including the occasional application of antibiotics can help mitigate infectious outbreaks, but new beekeeping tools and techniques that bolster immunity and help control disease transmission are welcome. In this review, we focus on the applications of beneficial microbes for disease management as well as to support hive health and sustainability within the apicultural industry. We draw attention to the latest advances in probiotic approaches as well as the integration of fermented foods (such as water kefir) with disease-fighting properties that might ultimately be delivered to hives as an alternative or partial antidote to antibiotics. There is substantial evidence from in vitro laboratory studies that suggest beneficial microbes could be an effective method for improving disease resistance in honey bees. However, colony level evidence is lacking and there is urgent need for further validation via controlled field trials experimentally designed to test defined microbial compositions against specific diseases of interest.
Pathologically relevant aldoses and environmental aldehydes cause cilium disassembly via formyl group-mediated mechanisms
Authors: Li Te , Liu Min , Yu Fan , Yang Song , Bu Weiwen , Liu Kai , Yang Jia , Ni Hua , Yang Mulin , Yin Hanxiao , Hong Renjie , Li Dengwen , Zhao Huijie , Zhou Jun
Published: December 2023

Carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMDs), such as diabetes, galactosemia, and mannosidosis, cause ciliopathy-like multiorgan defects. However, the mechanistic link of cilia to CMD complications is still poorly understood. Herein, we describe significant cilium disassembly upon treatment of cells with pathologically relevant aldoses rather than the corresponding sugar alcohols. Moreover, environmental aldehydes are able to trigger cilium disassembly by the steric hindrance effect of their formyl groups. Mechanistic studies reveal that aldehydes stimulate extracellular calcium influx across the plasma membrane, which subsequently activates the calmodulin–Aurora A–histone deacetylase 6 pathway to deacetylate axonemal microtubules and triggers cilium disassembly. In vivo experiments further show that Hdac6 knockout mice are resistant to aldehyde-induced disassembly of tracheal cilia and sperm flagella. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for formyl group-mediated cilium disassembly in the complications of CMDs.
Self-sampling tools to increase cancer screening among underserved patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Moss Jennifer L , Entenman Juliette , Stoltzfus Kelsey , Liao Jiangang , Onega Tracy , Reiter Paul L , Klesges Lisa M , Garrow George , Ruffin Mack T
Published: December 2023

Background

Screening can reduce cancer mortality, but uptake is suboptimal and characterized by disparities. Home-based self-sampling can facilitate screening for colorectal cancer (with stool tests, eg, fecal immunochemical tests) and for cervical cancer (with self-collected human papillomavirus tests), especially among patients who face barriers to accessing health care. Additional data are needed on feasibility and potential effects of self-sampling tools for cancer screening among underserved patients.

Methods

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial with patients (female, ages 50-65 years, out of date with colorectal and cervical cancer screening) recruited from federally qualified health centers in rural and racially segregated counties in Pennsylvania. Participants in the standard-of-care arm (n = 24) received screening reminder letters. Participants in the self-sampling arm (n = 24) received self-sampling tools for fecal immunochemical tests and human papillomavirus testing. We assessed uptake of screening (10-week follow-up), self-sampling screening outcomes, and psychosocial variables. Analyses used Fisher exact tests to assess the effect of study arm on outcomes.

Results

Cancer screening was higher in the self-sampling arm than the standard-of-care arm (colorectal: 75% vs 13%, respectively, odds ratio = 31.32, 95% confidence interval = 5.20 to 289.33; cervical: 79% vs 8%, odds ratio = 72.03, 95% confidence interval = 9.15 to 1141.41). Among participants who returned the self-sampling tools, the prevalence of abnormal findings was 24% for colorectal and 18% for cervical cancer screening. Cancer screening knowledge was positively associated with uptake (P < .05).

Conclusions

Self-sampling tools can increase colorectal and cervical cancer screening among unscreened, underserved patients. Increasing the use of self-sampling tools can improve primary care and cancer detection among underserved patients.

Clinical Trials Registration Number

STUDY00015480.
The consequences of ISO 45001: preliminary analysis of cases in Korea
Authors: Joo Ikhyun , Baek Kyungmin
Published: December 2023

Objectives: Using cases in the Korean workplace, this study preliminarily investigated whether ISO 45001-certified and non-certified workplaces differ in 4 aspects of occupational safety and health (OSH) management.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2021 Survey on the Status of Safety and Health in the Workplace in Korea. This study used a matched-pair analysis of certified and non-certified workplaces.

Results: The results suggest that although ISO 45001-certified workplaces have a more safety-friendly internal institutional context than non-certified workplaces, there is no significant difference in the number of injuries and fatalities.

Conclusions: The results indicate that ISO 45001-certified workplaces do not achieve better OSH performance than non-certified workplaces because ISO 45001 remains in the early stages of expansion, and certification does not require the achievement of OSH performance. A longitudinal analysis is needed to confirm the accurate outcomes of ISO 45001 certification.
Epistemic injustice through transformative learning
Authors: Fairbairn Fran
Published: December 2023

In this paper, I argue that epistemic injustice can result from transformative learning. Transformative learning causes a radical change in the structure of a student’s personal epistemic resources to bring them in line with the structure of a discipline’s shared epistemic resources. When those shared epistemic resources are biased, this transformation prevents students from retaining aspects of their personal epistemic resources which it is strongly in their interests (as well as in the interests of the broader epistemic community) to retain. In these cases, transformative learning causes epistemic injustice in the form of inferential injustice.
Successful treatment of a painful os peroneum using conservative measures, infiltration therapy, and shock waves
Authors: Andresen Julian Ramin , Puchner Stephan , Radmer Sebastian
Published: December 2023

Lateroplantar foot pain may be caused by various entities, whereby painful os peroneum syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis. Physical examination and multimodal imaging enable a definitive diagnosis. We report on a 59-year-old man with severe, load-dependent pain, corresponding to an os peroneum syndrome, triggered by a pes planovalgus with consecutively induced focal inflammation and tendovaginitis of the tendon of the peroneus longus muscle. Multifactorial conservative measures including infiltration and shockwave therapy finally led to a restoration of the original condition.
The phenomenon of spontaneous tumor regression in breast cancer
Authors: Qureshi Abid , Gollamudi Sindhuri , Qureshi Shahar , Sondhi Nisha , Nabi Shahzaib , Genato Romulo , Xiao Philip , Asarian Armand
Published: December 2023

Spontaneous tumor regression is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon of partial or complete disappearance of primary tumor tissue or associated metastases in the absence of therapeutic intervention. Cases of spontaneous regression have been established in malignant tumors, such as testicular germ cell tumor, renal cell cancer, melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, neuroblastoma, colon cancer, breast cancer, as well as metastases. Breast cancer has increasingly been reported to have a higher rate of spontaneous regression than previously thought. Immunologic response is cited as the forefront of spontaneous regression phenomenon, with the focus on immunologic cell death. This report brings awareness to a case of spontaneous regression observed in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast and how disruption of the tumor microenvironment can take a variable course even in malignant disease.
Urethral reconstruction using amniotic membrane allograft in hereditary androgen insensitivity syndrome: a case series
Authors: Mansour Marah , Raya Maria , Jrdy Abd Alrahman , Sires Abdoul Majid , Wardeh Jad Alhaq , Alsbekhan Almoataz Ballah , Faour Sabah , Kanas Mahmoud , Safadi Mhd Firas , Alrebdawi Khaled
Published: December 2023

Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome is a rare X-linked disorder. While most cases are sporadic, familial cases are less frequent. The management of this syndrome follows a multidisciplinary approach involving hormone substitution, psychological counseling, and surgical procedures. We present a case series of three young siblings with familial partial androgen insensitivity syndrome who presented with a female phenotype. All of them were managed with hormonal treatment for 6 months followed by surgical reconstruction. The operative procedure involved phalloplasty and urethroplasty using amniotic membrane transplant, which is considered a novel technique in this group of patients. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed and good results were achieved within 2 years of follow-up.