bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of partial pressure CO2 change in the dialyzer blood inlet during hemodialysis as a measure of vascular access recirculation
Authors: Rotondi Silverio , Perrotta Adolfo , Pintus Giovanni , Capasso Laura , Pasquali Marzia , Farcomeni Alessio , Paoloni Emanuela , Mazzaferro Sandro , Tartaglione Lida
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Vascular access recirculation during hemodialysis is associated with reduced effectiveness and worse survival outcomes. To evaluate recirculation, an increase in pCO2 in the blood of the arterial line during hemodialysis (threshold of 4.5 mmHg) was proposed. The blood returning from the dialyzer in the venous line has significantly higher pCO2, so in the presence of recirculation, pCO2 in the arterial blood line may increase (ΔpCO2) during hemodialysis sessions. The aim of our study was to evaluate ΔpCO2 as a diagnostic tool for vascular access recirculation in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Methods

We evaluated vascular access recirculation with ΔpCO2 and compared it with the results of a urea recirculation test, which is the gold standard. ΔpCO2 was obtained from the difference in pCO2 in the arterial line at baseline (pCO2T1) and after 5 min of hemodialysis (pCO2T2). ∆pCO2 = pCO2T2–pCO2T1.

Findings

In 70 hemodialysis patients (mean age: 70.52 ± 13.97 years; hemodialysis vintage of 41.36 ± 34.54, KT/V 1.4 ± 0.3), ∆pCO2 was 4 ± 4 mmHg, and urea recirculation was 7% ± 9%. Vascular access recirculation was identified using both methods in 17 of 70 patients, who showed a ∆pCO2 of 10 ± 5 mmHg and urea recirculation of 20% ± 9%; time in months of hemodialysis was the only difference between vascular access recirculation and non‐vascular access recirculation patients (22 ± 19 vs. 46 ± 36, p: 0.05). In the non‐vascular access recirculation group, the average ΔpCO2 was 1.9 ± 2 (p: 0.001), and the urea recirculation % was 2.8 ± 3 (p: 0.001). The ΔpCO2 correlated with the urea recirculation % (R: 0.728; p < 0.001).

Discussion

ΔpCO2 in the arterial blood line during hemodialysis is an effective and reliable diagnostic tool for identifying recirculation of the vascular access but not its magnitude. The ΔpCO2 test application is simple and economical and does not require special equipment.
Porphyromonas gingivalis exacerbates alcoholic liver disease by altering gut microbiota composition and host immune response in mice
Authors: Gao Yuting , Zhang Peng , Wei Yiming , Ye Chaolin , Mao Daqing , Xia Dasheng , Luo Yi
Published: June 2023

Aim

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a major periodontal pathogen, increases the risk of systemic diseases. P. gingivalis infection is closely associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of P. gingivalis in the pathogenesis of ALD.

Materials and Methods

An ALD mouse model was established using a Lieber‐DeCarli liquid diet, and C57BL/6 mice were treated with P. gingivalis to detect the pathological indicators of ALD.

Results

Oral administration of P. gingivalis exacerbated alcohol‐induced alterations in the gut microbiota, leading to gut barrier dysfunction and inflammatory response and disruption of the T‐helper 17 cell/T‐regulatory cell ratio in the colon of ALD mice. Furthermore, P. gingivalis worsened liver inflammation in ALD mice by increasing the protein expression of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and p65, increasing the mRNA expression of interleukins‐6 (IL‐6) and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and up‐regulating the transforming growth factor‐beta 1 (TGF‐β1) and galectin‐3 (Gal‐3) production.

Conclusions

These results indicate that P. gingivalis accelerates the pathogenesis of ALD via the oral–gut–liver axis, necessitating a new treatment strategy for patients with ALD complicated by periodontitis.
Biopsychosocial characteristics of children admitted with failure to thrive
Authors: Tiwari Mudita , Khan Wafa Kulsoom , Poulton Alison , Dikshit Nikhil , Gandham Sowmya , Liu Anthony , Bhurawala Habib
Published: June 2023

Aims

The aim of this study was to characterise and compare the biopsychosocial characteristics of children admitted with failure to thrive (FTT), subdivided into those with underlying medical complexities (categorised as organic FTT – OFTT) and those with none (categorised as non‐organic FTT – NOFTT), with a focus on the medical, nutritional, feeding skills and psychosocial domains.

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records was conducted in children admitted with FTT from January 2010 to December 2020. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.

Results

A total of 353 children were included, with the mean age of presentation 0.82 ± 2.05 years (OFTT 1.16 ± 2.50 years, NOFTT 0.49 ± 1.41 years, P = 0.002). Approximately, half of the children were classified as having OFTT. These children had lower birth weights, were more likely to have a history of intrauterine growth restriction and had longer hospital stays. The NOFTT group had significantly more abnormal feeding strategies identified in their caregivers, whereas the OFTT group had more delayed feeding skills and oral aversion. There was no significant difference in psychosocial domains, with both groups having a comparably high risk of abuse and neglect.

Conclusions

The classification of FTT as non‐organic or organic based purely on psychosocial parameters did not reflect the complex nature of FTT within our local population. These groups had different medical variables, and caregiver feeding strategies. A multidisciplinary team approach is recommended for the assessment and intervention for children with FTT to address these domains and the complex interactions between them.
The ontology and epistemology shaping our understanding of inclusion: A critical review of the research literature on disability and inclusion
Authors: Spivakovsky Claire , McVilly Keith , Zirnsak Ms Tessa‐May , Ainsworth Susan , Graham Lorraine , Harrison Matthew , Sojo Victor , Gale Lindsey , Genat Anna
Published: June 2023

People with disability continue to face barriers to substantive and meaningful inclusion in accommodation and community settings. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the characteristics of the literature on ‘inclusion’, ‘integration’, ‘exclusion’, and ‘segregation’ for people with disability in accommodation and community settings. This literature is important because it provides the evidence base that informs policy and practice. We identified 457 articles that primarily related to the experiences of people with intellectual disability and psycho‐social disability. We found: (1) the volume of publications relating to the ‘inclusion’, ‘integration’, ‘exclusion’ and ‘segregation’ of people with disability in accommodation and community living settings has increased each year since 2006; (2) high‐income western countries were overrepresented in research outputs; (3) most research has been undertaken in the health sciences; (4) only 30% of literature directly engaged with people with disability; (5) less than 50% of the publications we reviewed (223 out of 457 manuscripts) identified inclusion, integration, exclusion and segregation as their primary focus; (6) ‘inclusion’, ‘integration’, ‘exclusion’ and ‘segregation’ were predominantly used in the context of specific populations—psycho‐social disability and intellectual disability; (7) there is great variation in the attention paid to the experiences of different communities of people with disability; and (8) the notable absence of current scholarly literature on the experiences and outcomes of people with disability living at home with parents and/or siblings. Each of these findings have important implications for the research agenda, policy, and practice.
Military managers and earnings management
Authors: Lai Li , Wang Zhi , Tian Hanyi , Yu Frank
Published: June 2023

In a developing market, where the ownership is highly concentrated and the central governance issue is the conflict between majority and minority shareholders, how do managers with previous military experience (military managers) affect the quality of financial reporting? We use a sample of Chinese listed firms over period 2006–2016, with a total of 16,010 firm‐year observations. Our results suggest that firms with military managers are associated with higher levels of earnings management, through both accrual‐based and real‐activities manipulations. Those firms are more susceptible to financial restatements, qualified audit opinions, and penalties for violation. To alleviate endogeneity problems, we use both the instrumental variable regression and propensity score matching, and our results are robust. In addition, the effect of military managers is more pronounced in state‐owned firms and firms with weak internal control systems. These findings improve our understanding of the link between managerial traits and financial reporting decisions, in an environment where the major governance issue is the conflict between majority and minority shareholders.
Thematic separation in light of sentence comprehension
Authors: Husband E. Matthew
Published: June 2023

Thematic relations are traditionally analysed as projecting into derivations of sentence meanings from the lexical content of verbs. Thematic separation, a natural outgrowth of event semantics, proposes an alternative to this tradition: thematic relations are introduced into derivations by verb‐independent elements and are, therefore, grammatically separate from the lexical content of verbs. Although critical to theories of meaning and lexical representation, the evidence for thematic separation has not been reckoned with widely in linguistic theory, and the consequent implications for psycholinguistic theories have not received proper consideration. This is surprising as the representations permitted by thematic separation comport quite well with evidence for pre‐verbal thematic interpretation during real‐time sentence comprehension. Psycholinguistic theories, therefore, stand to benefit from engagement with separationist alternatives to thematic relations, and may, in turn, shed light on the representations semantic theory should provide. After briefly defending the utility of events in semantic representation, this paper motivates thematic separation with evidence from the cumulative interpretations and adnominal modal adverbs; two cases where a semantic operator intervenes between a thematic relation and a verbal predicate. Psycholinguistic results investigating pre‐verbal thematic interpretation then follow, where thematic separation is argued to furnish theories with coherent incremental representations without commitment to specific verbal predicates. The timecourse of verb predictability is also shown to intersect with ongoing debates on the granularity of thematic relations, suggesting further connections between semantic and psycholinguistic theory to be explored.
Repeatability and agreement of central corneal thickness measurements with a new handheld non‐contact pachymeter
Authors: Lawrenson John G. , Gill Simranjit , Masuid Isra , Rashid Fardip
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To compare the repeatability of central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements taken with a new handheld pachymeter (Occuity PM1 pachymeter) and to assess its agreement with ultrasound biometry and two commercially available optical biometers in participants with normal eyes.

Methods

Three consecutive CCT measurements of the right eye of 105 participants with normal corneas were acquired by the PM1 pachymeter, Lenstar LS 900 and Oculus Pentacam HR in a random order. This was followed by three measurements with a handheld ultrasound pachymeter (UP) (Pachmate 2). Repeatability and the repeatability limit were calculated for each device and Bland–Altman limits of agreement (LoA) were determined for the PM1 pachymeter compared to the other devices.

Results

The mean CCT (±SD) was 551.04 ± 33.43, 558.62 ± 31.46, 549.41 ± 31.00 and 539.73 ± 29.50 μm for the PM1 pachymeter, UP, Lenstar and Pentacam, respectively. The repeatability limits (expressed as the within subject SD for repeat measurements) were 14.02, 13.68, 4.99 and 9.90 μm, respectively. The closest agreement was between the PM1 and Lenstar (mean difference = −1.63 μm with LoA 10.72 μm below and 13.97 μm above the readings obtained with the Lenstar). The PM1 underestimated CCT compared to UP (mean difference = 7.58 μm, LoA 24.63 μm below and 9.47 μm above UP). The agreement was lowest between the PM1 and Pentacam (mean difference = −11.30 μm, LoA between 4.29 and 26.89 μm).

Conclusions

The PM1 pachymeter shows excellent precision for CCT measurements across a range of corneal thicknesses in normal eyes and provides a safe and easy‐to‐use alternative to ultrasound pachymetry.
Do bureaucratic appointees change their minds? Preference stability at the NLRB
Authors: Nixon David C.
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Questions of attitude stability for appointed decisionmakers are vital to our understanding of democracy. I test the assumption of bureaucratic preference stability that is widespread in formal and empirical analyses of the U.S. executive branch.

Methods

The study presents a qualitative analysis of quantitative voting data for members of the National Labor Relations Board from 1948 to 1988

Results

Analysis reveals a few clear cases of permanent and important preference change and some evidence of change at the very beginning or very end of a few board members' careers. But overall there is remarkable stability in the relative levels of support for labor exhibited by board members as their careers unfold.

Conclusions

With some notable exceptions, an independent regulatory board member's revealed preferences tend to remain stable and consistent with the expectations that any observer would have had at the time of their initial appointment.
Performance Optimization of a Microfluidic Virus Detection Cartridge: A Numerical and Experimental Study
Authors: Şenel Enes Burak , Kizilelma Bilal , Tamdoğan Enes , Yorulmaz Mustafa
Published: June 2023

Detection and imaging of viruses in a complex solution is particularly significant for virology and requires a comprehensive understanding of biosensors. While lab-on-a-chip systems are used in virus detection as biosensors, analysis and optimization of these systems are especially challenging due to the size of the system to be used in the certain application. The system of interest for virus detection is required to be cost efficient and is also needed to be able to easily operable with a simple setup. Moreover, the detailed analysis of these microfluidic systems should be made with precision in order to predict the capabilities and the efficiency of the system accurately. This paper reports on the use of a common commercial computational fluid dynamics (cfd) software for the analysis of a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip virus detection cartridge. This study evaluates the problems commonly encountered during microfluidic applications of cfd softwares particularly in the area of reaction modeling of the antigen–antibody interaction. cfd analysis is later validated and combined with experiments to optimize the amount of dilute solution used in the tests. Thereafter, the geometry of the microchannel is also optimized and optimal test conditions are set for a cost efficient and effective virus detection kit using light microscopy.
Development of a New Heat Transfer Correlation for Flow of Supercritical Steam in Spiral Tubes Under Deteriorated Heat Transfer Regime
Authors: Kanungo Deepak Kumar
Published: June 2023

Heat transfer to supercritical steam flowing inside spiral tube under deteriorated heat transfer regime is investigated in this work using three-dimensional numerical simulations. The numerical solver is first validated with experimental results and subsequently multiple simulation cases are formulated with spiral tube by varying the flow and thermal conditions. The wall temperature and heat transfer coefficient of spiral tubes are compared with the same of straight tubes. Over the parameters range considered, the heat transfer coefficient is improved by 88% when straight tube is replaced with spiral tube, for similar flow and thermal conditions. Most significantly, the deteriorated heat transfer regime, which is otherwise witnessed in straight tubes is completely avoided by using spiral tubes, for the similar flow conditions. Tangential velocity, which arise due to centrifugal force is the primary reason of enhanced heat transfer in spiral tubes. Three standard heat transfer correlations are tested for spiral geometry under deteriorated heat transfer regime and it is found that none of those can predict the heat transfer coefficient accurately. Using the simulation results along with Buckingham π-theorem, a new correlation for heat transfer coefficient is proposed for spiral tubes carrying supercritical steam and operating under deteriorated heat transfer regime. The new correlation can predict the wall temperature and heat transfer coefficient accurately. The correlation has an error band of ±25%.
Effect of a Sinusoidal Temperature Profile on Entropy Generation Due to Double-Diffusive Natural Convection in a Square Partly Porous Cavity
Authors: Omara Abdeslam , Bourouis Abderrahim , Bouchair Rabah
Published: June 2023

In this paper, entropy generation due to double-diffusive natural convection inside a partly porous enclosure under sinusoidal wall heating is numerically analyzed. The resulting dimensionless coupled partial differential equations are discretized using the finite volume method (FVM), while the pressure–velocity coupling is handled using the SIMPLE algorithm. To ensure the validity of the results obtained from the in-house FORTRAN code, a comparison is made with previous numerical and experimental works. The results of the study indicate that the dimensionless thickness of the porous layer (Δ), the thermal conductivity ratio (Rk), the angle of inclination of the cavity (α), and the buoyancy ratio (N) are critical factors in determining local distribution and global maximum value of entropy generation due to heat transfer and fluid friction. In contrast, their effect on entropy generation induced by concentration is insignificant, except for the buoyancy ratio parameter, where an enhancement of the global maximum of entropy generation is observed by increasing N. Moreover, it is found that Sψ (max) experiences a sharp decline as Δ varies from 0.2 to 0.8, resulting in a reduction of about 67% for the case with N=10 and 83% for the case with N=1. These results highlight the importance of carefully controlling system parameters to minimize energy losses and maximize system efficiency in heat transfer and fluid flow systems.
Leadfree SnAgCu Solder Materials Characterization at High Strain Rates at Low Test Temperatures and Drop and Shock Simulation Using Input-G Method
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Yadav Vikas , Suhling Jeff , Locker David
Published: June 2023

Electronics will experience high and low working temperatures during operations, handling, and storage in severe environments applications such as download drilling, aircraft, and transportation. Temperatures in the vehicle underhood applications can range from −65 °C to +200 °C. Lead-free solder materials continue to evolve under varying thermal workloads. Material characteristics may deteriorate if operating conditions are harsh or heavy. Nonetheless, lead-free solders are susceptible to high strains, which can lead to electronic device failure. A better understanding of solder alloys is needed to ensure reliable operation in harsh environments. New doped solder alloys have recently been created by adding Ni, Co, Au, P, Ga, Cu, and Sb to SnAgCu (SAC) solder alloys to improve mechanical, thermal, and other qualities. SAC-Q has recently been made using Sn–Ag–Cu and the addition of Bi (SAC+Bi). It was discovered that adding dopants to SAC alloys may enhance mechanical characteristics and reduce aging damage. There is no published data on SAC solder alloys after prolonged storage at high strain rates and low functioning temperatures. The materials characterization of SAC (SAC105 and SAC-Q) solder after extended storage at low working temperatures (−65 °C–0 °C) and high strain rates (10–75 per sec) is investigated in this article. To characterize the material constitutive behavior, the Anand viscoplastic model was utilized to derive nine Anand parameters from recorded Tensile data. The generated nine Anand parameters were used to validate the Anand model's reliability. A strong correlation was established between experimental data and Anand's predicted data. The Anand parameters were used in a finite element framework to simulate drop events for a ball-grid array package on printed circuit board assembly to calculate hysteresis loop and plastic work density. The plastic work per shock event measures the damage progression of the solder interconnects. Thermal aging effects have been studied in terms of the hysteresis loop and the evolution of PWD.
Determining the oxygen detection limit with magnetic sector dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)
Authors: Merkulov A.
Published: June 2023

Dynamic SIMS is often used in evaluating the concentration of impurities in solids because of its high sensitivity and depth profiling capabilities with good depth resolution and high throughput. Continuous ion beam sputtering with a high-density primary beam provides high sensitivity and reduced background contribution from residual gases within the analytical chamber. Numerical simulations along with the data acquired in the real depth profiling experiment show a good agreement of the simple model, assuming that the surface uptake of the oxygen under Cs bombardment depends on the Cs surface retention concentration. In cases where high depth resolution is desired, requiring a low primary ion beam energy, a background subtraction option will help provide better detection limits. It is proposed to perform the background subtraction based on the difference between the continuous and interleaving sputtering modes of dynamic SIMS. The experiments performed on different instruments using different sputtering rate conditions (and different impact energies) show the power function dependence of oxygen detection limit on the reversed sputter rate variation or sputtering beam density. The proposed detection limit dependence curve can be used for analytical specifications benchmarking in most magnetic sector SIMS instruments.
Gullies on Mars could have formed by melting of water ice during periods of high obliquity
Authors: Dickson J. L. , Palumbo A. M. , Head J. W. , Kerber L. , Fassett C. I. , Kreslavsky M. A.
Published: June 2023

Gullies on Mars resemble water-carved channels on Earth, but they are mostly at elevations where liquid water is not expected under current climate conditions. It has been suggested that sublimation of carbon dioxide ice alone could have formed Martian gullies. We used a general circulation model to show that the highest-elevation Martian gullies coincide with the boundary of terrain that experienced pressures above the triple point of water when Mars’ rotational axis tilt reached 35°. Those conditions have occurred repeatedly over the past several million years, most recently ~630,000 years ago. Surface water ice, if present at these locations, could have melted when temperatures rose >273 kelvin. We propose a dual gully formation scenario that is driven by melting of water ice followed by carbon dioxide ice sublimation.
Hexasome-INO80 complex reveals structural basis of noncanonical nucleosome remodeling
Authors: Zhang Min , Jungblut Anna , Kunert Franziska , Hauptmann Luis , Hoffmann Thomas , Kolesnikova Olga , Metzner Felix , Moldt Manuela , Weis Felix , DiMaio Frank , Hopfner Karl-Peter , Eustermann Sebastian
Published: June 2023

Loss of H2A–H2B histone dimers is a hallmark of actively transcribed genes, but how the cellular machinery functions in the context of noncanonical nucleosomal particles remains largely elusive. In this work, we report the structural mechanism for adenosine 5′-triphosphate–dependent chromatin remodeling of hexasomes by the INO80 complex. We show how INO80 recognizes noncanonical DNA and histone features of hexasomes that emerge from the loss of H2A–H2B. A large structural rearrangement switches the catalytic core of INO80 into a distinct, spin-rotated mode of remodeling while its nuclear actin module remains tethered to long stretches of unwrapped linker DNA. Direct sensing of an exposed H3–H4 histone interface activates INO80, independently of the H2A–H2B acidic patch. Our findings reveal how the loss of H2A–H2B grants remodelers access to a different, yet unexplored layer of energy-driven chromatin regulation.
Frozen in time
Authors: Cornwall Warren
Published: June 2023

Scientists are learning how to cryopreserve living tissues, organs, and even whole organisms, then bring them back to life
Draft Genome Sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” Strain GZQL4, from Guizhou, China
Authors: Liu Kehong , Bai Ziqin , Cui Xuejin , Lin Qian
Published: June 2023

Here, we announce the draft genome sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” strain GZQL4, which was collected from Guizhou, China. The GZQL4 strain has a genome size of 1,234,029 bp, a G+C content of 36.5%, 1,204 predicted open reading frames, and 53 RNA genes.
Supplemental Material: Eclogite in the East Kunlun Orogen, Northwestern China: A record of the Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia and early Paleozoic continental subduction
Authors: Xiong Lu , Zhang Guibin , et al.
Published: June 2023

Table S1 to S6, Figures S1 to S5.
Osteoporosis care through an Integrated, People-Centred Health Services framework lens: a hybrid qualitative analysis of international patient experiences
Authors: Verdonck Caroline , Willems Ruben , Liesbeth Borgermans
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Globally, patients with osteoporosis have unmet needs in terms of care accessibility, patient-centredness and care comprehensiveness. The WHO developed the Integrated, People-Centred Health Services (IPCHS) framework to reorient and integrate healthcare systems using 5 interdependent strategies and 20 substrategies. Patients’ perspectives with regard to these strategies are poorly understood. We sought to relate patient-experienced gaps in osteoporosis care to the IPCHS strategies and identify key strategies to guide osteoporosis care reforms.

Design, setting and participants

Qualitative online study of the experiences of international patients with osteoporosis.

Procedure

Two researchers conducted semi-structured interviews in English, Dutch, Spanish and French that were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Patients were categorised according to their countries’ healthcare systems (universal, public/private and private) and fracture status. A hybrid (sequential theory-driven and data-driven) analysis was performed, with the IPCHS framework used for the theory-driven analysis.

Results

Thirty-five patients (33 women) from 14 countries participated. Twenty-two patients had universal healthcare and 18 had experienced fragility fractures. Prioritised substrategies overlapped among healthcare systems, with reported shortcomings related primarily to ‘empowering and engaging individuals and families’ and ‘coordinating care’ (at varying levels). Patients with all healthcare types prioritised ‘reorienting care’, with different substrategies prioritised. Patients with private healthcare called for ‘improving funding and reforming payment systems’. Substrategy prioritisation did not differ between those receiving primary and secondary fracture prevention.

Conclusion

Patients’ experiences with osteoporosis care are universal. Given the current care gaps and associated patient burdens, policymakers should make osteoporosis a(n) (inter)national health priority. Integrated osteoporosis care reforms should focus on patient-reported experiences with and be guided by priorities in IPCHS strategies, taking into account the healthcare system context.
Respite care: qualitative arts-based findings on the perspectives and experiences of families of children and youth with special healthcare needs residing in Manitoba, Canada
Authors: Woodgate Roberta L , Isaak Corinne , Kipling Ardelle , Kirk Sue , Keilty Krista
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Respite for families of children and youth with special healthcare needs (CYSHCN) is essential for sustaining a family care environment. Lacking is an understanding of families’ respite experiences who reside in Canada. We sought to understand experiences of the use of respite services by families with CYSHCN with the aim to help improve respite services. This paper reports on the qualitative arts-based findings.

Design

Qualitative methods including open-ended interviews combined with the arts-based methods of ecomaps and the photovoice process were used. Analysis involved delineating units of meaning from the data, clustering units of meaning to form thematic statements and extracting themes.

Setting

Manitoba, a western Canadian province.

Participants

Thirty-two families (including 38 parents and 13 siblings) of CYSHCN.

Results

We identified six themes surrounding challenges experienced by families’ in their journeys accessing, acquiring and navigating the respite care system, and sustainment of respite care for their families, leading to familial burn-out and breakdown, financial stress, unemployment and unaddressed mental health struggles. Families provided multipronged recommendations to address these challenges.

Conclusions

Through the lens of Canadian families of children with a range of complex care needs, the qualitative arts-based portion of the study underscores the challenges with accessing, navigating and sustaining respite care, which has implications for CYSHCN, their clinicians and the potential for long-term costs for government and society. This study identifies the state of the current Manitoba respite care system as an issue, presenting actionable recommendations from families that can assist policymakers and clinicians in advocating for and implementing a collaborative, responsive, family-centred system of respite care.
Circulating biomarkers associated with aortic diameter in male and female patients with thoracic aortic disease: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Meccanici Frederike , Thijssen Carlijn G E , Dekker Silvy , Bons Lidia R , Gökalp Arjen L , de Rijke Yolanda B , Takkenberg Johanna J M , Mokhles Mostafa M , Bekkers Jos A , Boersma Eric , Bouwens Elke , van der Bosch Annemien E , van Kimmenade Roland R L , Roos-Hesselink Jolien W
Published: June 2023

Objective

As thoracic aortic disease (TAD) is generally asymptomatic, biomarkers are needed to provide insight into early progression. We aimed to examine the association between circulating blood biomarkers and the maximal thoracic aortic diameter (TADmax).

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, consecutive adult patients with a thoracic aortic diameter ≥40 mm and/or genetically proven hereditary TAD (HTAD) visiting our specialised outpatient clinic between 2017 and 2020 were prospectively included. Venous blood sampling and CT angiography and/or transthoracic echocardiography of the aorta were performed. Linear regression analyses were performed and estimates were presented as mean difference in TADmax in mm per doubling of standardised biomarker level.

Results

In total, 158 patients were included (median age 61 (50.3–68.8) years, 37.3% female). HTAD diagnosis was confirmed in 36 of 158 (22.7%) patients. TADmax was 43.9±5.2 mm in men vs 41.9±5.1 in women (p=0.030). In unadjusted analysis, significant associations with TADmax were found for interleukin-6 (1.15 (95% CI 0.33 to 1.96), p=0.006), growth differentiation factor-15 (1.01 (95% CI 0.18 to 1.84), p=0.018), microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) (−0.88 (95% CI −1.71 to 0.05), p=0.039) and triiodothyronine (T3) (−2.00 (95%CI −3.01 to 0.99), p<0.001). The association of MFAP4 with TADmax was stronger in women (p for interaction=0.020) and for homocysteine, an inverse association with TADmax was observed when compared with men (p for interaction=0.008). When adjusted for age, sex, hyperlipidaemia and HTAD, total cholesterol (1.10 (95% CI 0.27 to 1.93), p=0.010) and T3 (−1.20 (95% CI −2.14 to 0.25), p=0.014) were significantly associated with TADmax.

Conclusions

Circulating biomarkers indicative of inflammation, lipid metabolism and thyroid function might be associated with TAD severity. Possible distinct biomarker patterns for men and women warrant further investigation.
A decision framework for the management of established biological invasions
Authors: Robichaud C.D. , Rooney R.C. , Larson B.M.H. , Wolfe S.E. , Nyssa Z. , Kowalski K. P. , Braun H.
Published: June 2023

In some cases, managing an established invasive species may do more harm to an ecosystem than allowing the invader to persist. Given limited resources available to land managers and the realities of conservation triage, we recognized the need for systematic guidance for management decisions made at the “late end” of the invasion curve. We gathered an interdisciplinary group of experts and practitioners to address the question of “under what circumstances is the active management of an established aquatic invasive species warranted?” Our working group identified three key dimensions to this question: (1) the efficacy of available management options; (2) the net benefits of management actions weighed against the null scenario of no control; and (3) the socio-ecological context that defines management goals, a manager’s ability to achieve said goals, and perceptions of management outcomes. These considerations were used to structure a consensus decision tree that supports a multi-criteria approach to decision-making. Our approach promotes interdisciplinarity and systems thinking and emphasizes the need to consider costs and benefits comprehensively, for example by considering the persistence or reversibility of impacts from both the invasive species and from efforts to suppress or eradicate it.
Quantum encryption in phase space with displacement operators
Authors: Kuang Randy , Chan Adrian
Published: June 2023

In photonic computing, the quantum systems consist of coherent states and squeezed coherent states. Common quantum gates found in these systems are: phase shift, displacement, and squeezing gates. These gates are all unitary and reversible. Outside of quantum systems, coherent states also plays a significant role in coherent optical communications with speeds of hundreds of gigabits per second. Secure optical communications is generally implemented at the data layer with classical symmetric encryption such as Advanced Standard Encryption or AES. This inevitably allows any wiretapping to capture the transmitted data either in the plaintext mode or in the encrypted ciphertext mode in the optical infrastructure. The recent and rapid developments in Quantum computing further lift up the need for quantum secure communications in the optical infrastructure. This paper proposes a novel quantum encryption in the coherent optical domain utilizing a displacement operator and implementing with IQ-MZM optical modules, called Quantum Encryption in Phase Space or QEPS. The communication peers share a secret used to seed cryptographic pseudo random number generators to produce a synchronized random number at both the transmitter and receiver. The synchronized random numbers are used to establish displacement operators to encrypt the coherent states at the transmission and decrypt the cipher coherent states at the receiver. Therefore, malicious parties tapping along the fibre line would not extract the message in transit from optical domain due to a high Bit Error Rate or BER. The optimal displacement operator is split into a standard 16-QAM and a random phase shift operator to enhance the transmission security. We analysis the transmission security with the wiretap channel model for semantic security. We have simulated the QEPS encryption and decryption for two data modulation schemes: QPSK and 16-QAM over 80 km for transmission speeds of 56 Gbps for QPSK and 112 Gbps for 16-QAM.
Rank of the Nijenhuis tensor on parallelizable almost complex manifolds
Authors: Sillari Lorenzo , Tomassini Adriano
Published: June 2023

We study almost complex structures on parallelizable manifolds via the rank of their Nijenhuis tensor. First, we show how the computations of such rank can be reduced to finding smooth functions on the underlying manifold solving a system of first order PDEs. On specific manifolds, we find an explicit solution. Then we compute the Nijenhuis tensor on curves of almost complex structures, showing that there is no constraint (except for lower semi-continuity) to the possible jumps of its rank. Finally, we focus on [Formula: see text]-nilmanifolds and the associated Lie algebras. We classify which [Formula: see text]-dimensional, nilpotent, real Lie algebras admit almost complex structures whose Nijenhuis tensor has a given rank, deducing the corresponding classification for invariant structures on [Formula: see text]-nilmanifolds. We also find a topological upper-bound for the rank of the Nijenhuis tensor for invariant almost complex structures on solvmanifolds of any dimension, obtained as a quotient of a completely solvable Lie group. Our results are complemented by a large number of examples.
Turaev–Viro invariants and cabling operations
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Melby Joseph M.
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we study the variation of the Turaev–Viro invariants for [Formula: see text]-manifolds with toroidal boundary under the operation of attaching a [Formula: see text]-cable space. We apply our results to a conjecture of Chen and Yang which relates the asymptotics of the Turaev–Viro invariants to the simplicial volume of a compact oriented [Formula: see text]-manifold. For [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] coprime, we show that the Chen–Yang volume conjecture is stable under [Formula: see text]-cabling. We achieve our results by studying the linear operator [Formula: see text] associated to the torus knot cable spaces by the Reshetikhin–Turaev [Formula: see text]-Topological Quantum Field Theory (TQFT), where the TQFT is well-known to be closely related to the desired Turaev–Viro invariants. In particular, our utilized method relies on the invertibility of the linear operator for which we provide necessary and sufficient conditions.
Modeling and numerical analysis of micropolar hybrid-nanofluid flow subject to entropy generation
Authors: Subhani Maryam , Ullah Naeem , Nadeem Sohail , Aziz Arsalan , Sardar Humara
Published: June 2023

The regulation of energy associated with heat transfer is the most important problem in the food processing, chemical and biomedical engineering industries. Therefore, this investigation explores the heat transfer qualities of micropolar hybrid-nanofluid also considering entropy generation which has recently become central focus of research in the field of heat transfer processes. The purpose of this analysis is to explore the influence of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), viscous dissipation, and heat radiation on the flow of hybrid-nanofluid with micropolar properties above an exponentially shrinking/stretching sheet. A mathematical model is constructed and the solution is acquired by utilizing numerical technique bvp-4c in MATLAB. The befitting usage of the second law of thermal physics helped in conducting the entropy production analysis. The study obtains numerical results for the governing equations, which reveal dual solutions when analyzing a shrinking sheet, contrary to a stretching sheet. The paper presents graphical depictions of the influence of different attributes upon micro-rotation, velocity, surface-friction, temperature, Nusselt number and also the entropy generation plus the Bejan number. Moreover, a comparison of heat transfer rates between conventional nanomaterial and hybrid-nanofluid is provided. The study concludes that dual solutions appear and the wall shear stress coefficient decreases as the values of micropolar parameter [Formula: see text] increase with critical values of [Formula: see text] being [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Also thermal irreversibility, which results from fluid friction near the sheet rather than far from it, is more dominant than total entropy generation.
SURFACE MODIFICATION AND SURFACE COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES FOR BIOCOMPATIBLE AND BIODEGRADABLE ALLOYS
Authors: SONIA PANKAJ , JAIN JINESH K , SAXENA KULDEEP KUMAR , MALIK VINAYAK
Published: June 2023

The degradation control of implants has now become a most critical factor for investigation. The rapid degradation or uncontrolled degradation of metals causes allergic reaction and implants failure. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of biometals are essential properties for the development of bioimplants. The biodegradation is the chemical reaction of implants metal with the surrounding body fluids. The gradual dilution of metal oxide with the body fluid is considered as a degradation. Magnesium, zinc, and iron metals are biodegradable metals. The biodegradability of as-cast metals is not capable of fulfilling the need of patients, therefore, degradation of implants is required to be in control. Many more research articles have been published on improvement of corrosion resistive implant surface by coating, passivation oxide layer, plasma spraying, electropolishing, blasting, chemical etching, laser treatment, heat treatment, severe plastic deformation (SPD), alloying, and development of surface composites. This paper critically reviewed the surface modification and surface composite fabrication techniques to improve the biodegradability, biocompatibility, and strength of implants.
4K × 4K CCD Imager for the 3.6 m DOT: Recent Up-gradations and Results
Authors: Pandey S. B. , Kumar Amit , Reddy B. K. , Yadav S. , Nanjappa N. , Aryan Amar , Gupta Rahul , Panwar Neelam , Yadav R. K. S.
Published: June 2023

The 4K × 4K CCD Imager is the first light instrument for the 3.6[Formula: see text]m Devasthal Optical Telescope and is producing broad-band imaging observations of many Galactic and extra-galactic sources since 2015–2016. Capabilities of the CCD Imager are demonstrated recently through several publications using the well-calibrated multi-band deep photometric results as expected from other similar facilities globally. In this paper, we summarize some of the recent up-gradations made to improve the Imager, i.e. mounting the new filter wheel casing, replacing stray light baffles and discussing the fringe pattern corrections in redder filters. Some of the new science initiatives like galaxy-embedded faint point sources including WR stars and the observations of low surface brightness galaxy clusters are also discussed.
Intent-Satisfaction Modeling: From Music to Video Streaming
Authors: Bénédict Gabriel , Odijk Daan , de Rijke Maarten
Published: June 2023

Logged behavioral data is a common resource for enhancing the user experience on streaming platforms. In music streaming, Mehrotra et al. have shown how complementing behavioral data with user intent can help predict and explain user satisfaction. Do their findings extend to video streaming? Compared to music streaming, video streaming platforms provide relatively shallow catalogs. Finding the right content demands more active and conscious commitment from users than in the music streaming setting. Video streaming platforms, in particular, could thus benefit from a better understanding of user intents and satisfaction level. We replicate Mehrotra et al.’s study from music to video streaming and extend their modeling framework on two fronts: (i) improved modeling accuracy (random forests), and (ii) interpretability (Bayesian models).

Like the original study, we find that user intent affects behavior and satisfaction itself, even if to a lesser degree, based on data analysis and modeling. By proposing a grouping of intents into decisive and explorative categories we highlight a tension: decisive video streamers are not as keen to interact with the user interface as exploration-seeking ones. Meanwhile, music streamers explore by listening. In this study, we find that in video streaming, unsatisfied users provide the main signal: intent influences satisfaction levels together with behavioral data, depending on our decisive vs. explorative grouping.
Post-COVID-19 Vaccination CNS Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ghaderi Sadegh , Mohammadi Sana , Heidari Mehrsa , Sharif Jalali Seyedeh Shadi , Mohammadi Mahdi
Published: June 2023

Objective. This systematic review aims to synthesize and analyze the available literature on central nervous system (CNS) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in individuals who have received COVID-19 vaccinations. Our objective is to enhance understanding of potential neurological side effects, inform clinical practice, and guide future research on the neurological implications of COVID-19 vaccination. Methods. In this systematic review, we conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from January 2020 to April 2023, using terms related to COVID-19 vaccination and CNS MRI findings. We evaluated the quality of the study, extracted relevant data, and included 89 eligible studies that covered various vaccines, demographics of patients, symptoms, and MRI findings to provide a thorough understanding of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination-related CNS problems. Results. We investigated CNS MRI findings following COVID-19 vaccination across various vaccine types. Common diseases associated with post-vaccination CNS MRI findings included cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), acute myelitis, autoimmune encephalitis (AE), and others. Patients presented with diverse onset symptoms and neurological manifestations. Abnormalities identified in CNS MRI findings included white matter (WM) hyperintensity. Our analysis offers a comprehensive overview of the current literature on post-vaccination CNS MRI findings. Discussion. We highlight a range of post-COVID-19 vaccination CNS MRI findings, including CVST, with a higher incidence in individuals receiving the ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) vaccine. Other notable observations include cases of ADEM, myelitis or transverse myelitis (TM), Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), and acute encephalopathy following COVID-19 vaccination. The incidence of these neurological complications is extremely rare, and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. The reviewed studies were primarily case reports or case series, and thus large-scale epidemiological studies and controlled clinical trials are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and risk factors associated with these neurological complications following COVID-19 vaccination.