bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Interaural Time Difference for High-Pass Filtered Noise and Its Relationship With Brainstem Dysfunction and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Srinivasan Vignesh Sangu , Krishna Rajalakshmi , Munirathinam Bhoopathy Rangappan
Published: September 2023

Purpose:

Just noticeable difference for interaural time difference (JND-ITD) is a sensitive test to detect silent lesions and neural asynchrony along the auditory pathways among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), but it has not been studied with brainstem functional system scores (BFSS) and expanded disability status scale (EDSS). The study aims to assess the usefulness of JND-ITD thresholds in individuals with MS and relate to brainstem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions, BFSS, and disability (EDSS).

Method:

Standard group comparison design was adapted to compare the JND-ITD thresholds between individuals with MS (
n
= 45) and age and gender-matched healthy participants (
n
= 45). All participants underwent case history, neurological examination including BFSS and EDSS scoring, MRI brain imaging, minimental state examination, routine audiological evaluation, and ITD testing for high-pass filtered noise stimuli.

Results:

Of the 36 MS participants with abnormal JND-ITD thresholds, 22 (48.9%) participants could not identify maximum JND-ITD values (1,280 μs) in the ITD task. Abnormal JND-ITDs thresholds (139–1,280 μs) were obtained in 14 (31.11%) participants with MS. The JND-ITD thresholds were significantly different between the healthy and MS group. No significant association was found between the presence of ITD abnormality with the presence of brainstem lesions (MRI) and brainstem dysfunction (BFSS). Also, this study did not find any relationship between JND-ITD thresholds with disability (EDSS).

Conclusions:

This study supports the findings that JND-ITD for high-pass filtered noise is a sensitive test to detect lesions along the auditory system. Even though JND-ITD thresholds did not relate with BFSS and EDSS scores, JND-ITD abnormalities can be of great value in identifying lesions along the auditory system, especially in the early stages of MS, when clinical neurological examination does not show any signs of brainstem dysfunction, disability, and MRI without any lesions in the brain.
Implementation of Italian industry 4.0 quantum testbed in Turin
Authors: Corrias Nicola , Vagniluca Ilaria , Francesconi Saverio , De Lazzari Claudia , Biagi Nicola , Menchetti Marco , Lombardi Giovanni , Scordato Antonino , Gionco Valerio , Mercinelli Roberto , Pagano Annachiara , Valvo Maurizio , Tovar Orlando , Giacalone Giorgio , Brizzi Paolo , Occhipinti Tommaso , Zavatta Alessandro , Bacco Davide
Published: September 2023

The security of data communications is one of the crucial challenges that our society is facing today. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is one of the most prominent methods for guaranteeing ultimate security based on the laws of quantum physics. In this work, the results obtained during the Italian Industry 4.0 Quantum Testbed (II4QuTe) project are reported where the authors realised a QKD testbed securely connecting the Competence Industry Manufacturing 4.0 (CIM4.0) located in Torino and a TIM edge node located 10 km away from the testbed. The edge node accommodates the server providing computation capabilities for managing the real‐time data generated by the machines within the CIM4.0 digital factory pilot line, thus gracefully integrating QKD with the MEC (Multi‐access Edge Computing) paradigm. The experiment was conducted for more than 69 h, establishing an average key generation rate of 5.125 keys/s (AES‐256 keys) and demonstrating the stability of the entire end‐to‐end encryption system.
Research of the single‐rotor UAV gimbal vibration test
Authors: Xu Guangchen , Yu Zhenliang , Liu Guangming
Published: September 2023

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the phenomenon of UAV attitude instability caused by large vibrations affecting single‐rotor UAV airborne equipment. Appropriate measurement points were selected to collect vibration signals from the unmanned aerial platform during takeoff and flight of the drone. The time‐domain response and power spectral density of the unmanned aerial platform were then obtained. Establish a dynamic model of the vibration reduction system for an unmanned aerial platform and design a two‐stage vibration reduction structure for the unmanned aerial platform. Through field flight tests of unmanned aerial vehicles, it has been demonstrated that the maximum time domain response of the platform after vibration reduction is 8.75 g (less than 50 g), and the maximum root mean square value of the power spectral density (PSD) is 1.82 g (less than 3 g). The designed secondary vibration reduction structure can serve as a reference for the design of vibration reduction in unmanned aerial vehicles.
Nephroprotektion
Authors: Alscher Mark Dominik
Published: September 2023

Die zu besprechende Studie hat zum Thema, dass sogenannte Natrium-Glukose-Kotransporter-2-Inhibitoren (SGLT-2-Inhibitoren) in anderen Studien die Progression einer chronischen Nierenerkrankung verlangsamt hatten, ohne dass dies primär Ziel der Untersuchungen war. Dies war insbesondere für Patienten mit Diabetes und Albuminurie festgestellt worden.
Besonderheiten und Fallstricke bei der Beschallung der
hirnversorgenden Gefäße – Teil 1
Authors: Böhme Frank
Published: September 2023

Die doppler-/duplexsonographische Untersuchung der hirnversorgenden
Gefäße ist neben den Methoden CT-/MRT-Angiographie eine
qualitative hochwertige Diagnostik, vor allem im Zusammenspiel mit den eben
genannten bildgebenden Verfahren. Die Aussagekraft und Qualität einer
Ultraschall-Diagnostik hängt im Wesentlichen von den technischen
Voraussetzungen und persönlichen Fähigkeiten ab und vor allem
von der zur Verfügung stehenden Untersuchungszeit. In dieser
Artikelserie werden Ihnen Besonderheiten und Fallstricke erläutert und
Lösungsansätze angeboten.
Morbus Fabry
Authors: Kurschat Christine
Published: September 2023

Morbus Fabry ist eine seltene lysosomale Speichererkrankung, die zur Ablagerung von Sphingolipiden in vielen Organen führt und unbehandelt mit einer verkürzten Lebenserwartung verbunden ist. Patient*innen mit M. Fabry haben eine krankheitsverursachende Mutation im GLA-Gen auf dem X-Chromosom, die eine reduzierte oder fehlende Aktivität des Enzyms α-Galaktosidase A (α-Gal A) bedingt. In Europa geht man von einer Prävalenz von ca. 1:40 000 aus. Typische Symptome sind u. a. eine Niereninsuffizienz bis zur Dialysepflichtigkeit, eine LV-Hypertrophie (LV: linksventrikulär) oft ohne Hypertonie, Herz-Rhythmus-Störungen, rezidivierende und/oder frühe Schlaganfälle, brennende Schmerzen an Händen und Füßen, Angiokeratome und Hornhautablagerungen, eine sogenannte Cornea verticillata.
Longitudinal Digital Mood Charting in Bipolar Disorder: Experiences
with ChronoRecord Over 20 Years
Authors: Bauer Michael , Glenn Tasha , Alda Martin , Grof Paul , Bauer Rita , Ebner-Priemer Ulrich W. , Ehrlich Stefan , Pfennig Andrea , Pilhatsch Maximilian , Rasgon Natalie , Whybrow Peter C.
Published: September 2023

Introduction Longitudinal study is an essential methodology for
understanding disease trajectories, treatment effects, symptom changes, and
long-term outcomes of affective disorders. Daily self-charting of mood and other
illness-related variables is a commonly recommended intervention. With the
widespread acceptance of home computers in the early 2000s, automated tools were
developed for patient mood charting, such as ChronoRecord, a software validated
by patients with bipolar disorder. The purpose of this study was to summarize
the daily mood, sleep, and medication data collected with ChronoRecord, and
highlight some of the key research findings. Lessons learned from implementing a
computerized tool for patient self-reporting are also discussed.

Methods After a brief training session, ChronoRecord software for daily
mood charting was installed on a home computer and used by 609 patients with
affective disorders.

Results The mean age of the patients was 40.3±11.8 years, a mean
age of onset was 22±11.2 years, and 71.4% were female. Patients
were euthymic for 70.8% of days, 15.1% had mild depression,
6.6% had severe depression, 6.6% had hypomania, and 0.8%
had mania. Among all mood groups, 22.4% took 1–2 medications,
37.2% took 3–4 medications, 25.7 took 5–6 medications,
11.6% took 7–8 medications, and 3.1% took >8
medications.

Conclusion The daily mood charting tool is a useful tool for increasing
patient involvement in their care, providing detailed patient data to the
physician, and increasing understanding of the course of illness. Longitudinal
data from patient mood charting was helpful in both clinical and research
settings.
Supramolecular Polymerization of all-cis-Fluorinated Cyclohexanes: Influence of Side Chains
Authors: Haridas Shyamkumar V. , Shyshov Oleksandr , von Delius Max
Published: September 2023

Custom-designed materials based on supramolecular polymers are of interest for applications in organic electronics and biomedicine. Recently, we have shown that derivatives of the highly polar compound all-cis hexafluorocyclohexane undergo seeded polymerization and can therefore be used to prepare soluble nanofibers with controlled length. In this work, we aimed to explore the scope of this process. We studied the supramolecular polymerization of six all-cis-fluorinated cyclohexane monomers, with five differing in the solubilizing side chains and one in the secondary supramolecular binding site. In studies on controlled supramolecular polymerization, we found that three of the monomers could be induced to polymerize by ultrasound irradiation and four by addition of seeds. For these latter examples, we were able to identify a solvent mixture that led to spontaneous polymerization and hysteresis in heating and cooling curves. These results show that
the living supramolecular polymerization of fluorinated cyclohexanes is not limited to one particular monomer, but that side chains exhibiting a strong solvophobic effect that cannot be compensated within the binary solvent “window” represent a limitation to the approach. We also demonstrate that nanofibers based on stacks of fluorinated cyclohexanes can be dissociated by addition of chloride ions.
Trapezius Myocutaneous Flap for Scalp Defect (A Case Report)
Authors: Sen S.P. , Ghosh S. , Nandi M. , Nandi Mrs. B.
Published: September 2023

A large recurrent scalp tumour was excised. The exposed skull bones on the left side were covered successfully by using a large trapezius myocutaneous flap with a good result.
The Sanctity of Putting Packs after Palate Retropositioning
Authors: Ahuja Rajeev B. , Sandhir Rakesh K.
Published: September 2023

The validity of the concept of packing lateral raw areas following retropositioning surgery, for cleft palate, is questioned. Authors believe that it is a serious misconception to presume that packing can help in haemostasis, easing suture line tension and that it prevents food particles from going under the mucoperiosteal flaps. A case has been made for leaving these raw areas open as it leads to rapid epithelialization, shorter hospitalization and it eliminates foul mouth odour post-opertively. Our experience on 42 consequetive patients makes us condemn this concept.
Evaluation of Various Reconstructive Procedures for Hypospadias
Authors: Sharma R.N. , Srivastava S.
Published: September 2023

30 patients of hypospadias repaired by Denis Browne. Thompson's, Mustarde's, Asopa I & II Urethroplasty have been studied. It was observed that most of the midpenile and distal penile hypospadias can be successfully repaired by single stage procedures while proximal varieties require double stage Denis Browne Urethroplasty.
Probing quantum systems non-destructively
Authors: Palivela Ananya
Published: September 2023

Using a single ancillary probe that couples to a quantum system allows minimally invasive measurement and avoids destroying the original system.
Frequency characteristics of axisymmetric conical boattail models with different slant angles
Authors: Tran Hung The , Pham Khiem Van , Le Anh Dinh , Dinh Cong-Truong
Published: September 2023

This study focuses on the unsteady behavior of the flow around axisymmetric conical boattail models under low-speed conditions. Particle image velocimetry was conducted on the symmetric plane for four boattail models with angles of 0°, 10°, 16°, and 22°. Different data processing techniques, including variational mode decomposition (VMD), fast Fourier transform, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), and multiscale proper orthogonal decomposition (mPOD), were applied to understand the effects of boattail angles on the characteristic frequency of the wake flow. Our results indicated that vortex shedding, bubble pumping, and the rotation of vortex shedding are the three dominant modes for four boattail configurations. However, the energy of vortex shedding mode becomes comparable to that of bubble pumping for the model with the boattail angle of 22°. The orientation of the shear layer remarkably changes near the boattail surfaces for different angles, which is connected to the flow behavior on the surface. This study also suggests that VMD and mPOD are advantageous data-driven methods for analyzing turbulent flows.
Empirical assessment of the legibility of the Naskh-style typeface used on Arabic road signs
Authors: Elbardawil Shaima
Published: September 2023

Most studies on the legibility of highway signs focus on the legibility of Latin typefaces. Few legibility studies of Arabic typefaces are considered in highway signage. The current study is an empirical assessment of the legibility of the Boutros Advertisers Naskh Arabic typeface, the typeface commonly used in road signage in most Middle Eastern and North African countries. The study uses common highway signs configuration within a laboratory-based simulated driving experience. The results show that Boutros Advertisers Naskh has a high threshold, which indicates low legibility on road signs, and that it requires significant improvements for continued use.
Biomechanical modelling of tumor growth with chemotherapeutic treatment: a review
Authors: Xu Jiangping , Wang Yun , Gomez Hector , Feng Xiqiao
Published: September 2023

The efficiency of chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer depends on the administration schedule, such as dosage, timing and frequency, and the release control if self-assembled drugs are administered, in addition to the drug transport in the tumor microenvironment. Biomechanical models can help deepen our understanding of drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, tumor response and resistance to treatment, as well as enable the use of personalized treatment and optimal therapies. This review aims to provide an overview of computational modeling for vascular tumor growth, drug biotransport, and tumor response with integration of microenvironmental biology phenomena, e.g. angiogensis, blood flow, and mechanical stress. We first review some discrete and continuum models for vascular tumors, highlighting the advantages and challenges of each approach. Then, we discuss mathematical models that include chemotherapeutic treatment and provide potential strategies to promote drug effectiveness through numerical observations. We finalize discussing several aspects that warrant further research including multiscale modeling of cancer, incorporation of patient-specific parameters and coupling of models with emerging medical imaging technologies.
The domain of a cannibal dark matter
Authors: Hufnagel Marco , Tytgat Michel H.G.
Published: September 2023

We consider a scenario in which the dark matter is alone in a hidden sector and consists
of a real scalar particle with a manifest or spontaneously broken ℤ2 symmetry, at a
temperature which differs from the one of the visible sector, T' ≠ T. While similar models
with general couplings have already been studied in the literature, the special case of a model
with spontaneous symmetry breaking constitutes a non-trivial limit of these results, since it
features vanishing tree-level amplitudes for the processes k → 2 with k > 2 at
threshold, thus making the cross-section governing dark-matter freeze-out velocity suppressed. We
carefully determine the thermally averaged dark-matter annihilation cross-section in this
scenario, including the possible effects of one-loop corrections and Bose-Einstein statistics,
while also reporting our results in the domain of thermal dark matter candidates,
 T'
fo/T vs. m
DM with T'
fo being the hidden-sector temperature at
decoupling. We show that for fixed quartic coupling, due to entropy conservation, the thermal
candidates lie along a curve T'/T ∝ m
DM
-1/3(1+κ) with anomalous
scaling κ ∼ 𝒪(T'
fo/m
DM) > 0. Furthermore, we demonstrate that
this scaling is valid for a broad class of cannibal DM scenarios, with or without symmetry
breaking. In addition, we also discuss the relevant cosmological and astrophysical constraints.
Connecting primordial gravitational waves and dark energy
Authors: Zhumabek Tilek , Denissenya Mikhail , Linder Eric V.
Published: September 2023

Cosmic acceleration manifested in the early universe as inflation, generating primordial gravitational waves detectable in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Cosmic acceleration is occurring again at present as dark energy, detectable in cosmic distance and structure surveys. We explore the intriguing idea of connecting the two occurrences through quintessential inflation by an α-attractor potential without a cosmological constant. For this model we demonstrate robustness of the connection 1 +w0≈ 4/(3N2r) between the present day dark energy equation of state parameterw0and the primordial tensor to scalar ratio r for a wide range of initial conditions. Analytic and numerical solutions produce current thawing behavior, resulting in a tight relationwa≈ -1.53(1 +w0)≈  -0.2 (4 × 10-3/r). Upcoming CMB and galaxy redshift surveys can test this consistency condition. Within this model, lack of detection of a dark energy deviation from Λ predicts a higherr, and lack of detection ofrpredicts greater dark energy dynamics.
Robustness of predicted CMB fluctuations in Cartan F(R) gravity
Authors: Inagaki Tomohiro , Sakamoto Hiroki , Taniguchi Masahiko
Published: September 2023

We investigated the cosmology of F(R) gravity rebuilt with the Cartan formalism.
This is called Cartan F(R) gravity.
The well-known F(R) gravity has been introduced to extend the standard cosmology, e.g., to explain the cosmological accelerated expansion as inflation.
Cartan F(R) gravity is based on the Riemann-Cartan geometry.
The curvature R is separated into two parts, one is derived from the Levi-Civita connection and the other from the torsion.
Assuming a matter-independent spin connection, we have successfully rewritten the action of Cartan F(R) gravity into the Einstein-Hilbert action and a scalar field with canonical kinetic and potential terms without any conformal transformations.
This feature simplifies the building and analysis of a new model of inflation.
In this paper, we study two models, the power-law model, and the logarithmic model, and evaluate fluctuations in the cosmological microwave background (CMB) radiation.
We found robust CMB fluctuations via analytical computation
and confirmed this feature through numerical calculations.
Application of the ALOHA simulation model to assess Ammonia leakage from the coal-fired power station of Duyen Hai 2 Thermal Power Plant
Authors: Son V L , Phong V N , Kien T T
Published: September 2023

The widespread use of hazardous chemicals in industrial activities can cause chemical accidents in which Ammonia gas leaks are one of the most concerning issues due to their toxic nature and adverse impacts on workers and the working environment. Therefore, accident risk prediction is essential to reduce the extent of damage and develop plans in place for minimizing and controlling unexpected hazards. This paper aims to provide an estimation of Ammonia leakage by ALOHA simulation software with scenarios for Ammonia leakage escaping from storage tanks of a coal-fired power station at Duyen Hai 2 Thermal Power Plant, Tra Vinh province. Three scenarios of chemical (Ammonia) incidents were simulated to assess the degree and extent of the impacts of chemical leakage on humans and the environments, including monthly, seasonally scenarios (for single chemical tank incidents) and two-tank incident scenario. The results show that the monthly scenario in April (29°C; 80,4%; 3,4m/s) and November (27,14°C; 87,2%; 2,9m/s) have the largest influence and the worst effects with the radius of red zone damage of 3.3km from the leakage site. The scenario of the dry season has much higher damage than the rainy one with the red zone is 4.6km. Meanwhile, the damage area of red zone caused by chemical incidents from two tanks leakage is 5.3km. This finding provide the top management level of the factory with a critical view of damage extent caused by chemical incidents for which a proactive plan should be available to prevent from the risks of explosion.
Investigation on the application of ferrate for the treatment of aquaculture wastewater
Authors: Tam Le Khanh , Ngan Dinh Kim , Phuc Hoang Gia , Khoi Tran Tien , Huy Nguyen Nhat , Thuy Nguyen Thi
Published: September 2023

Ferrate is recently known as a green agent since it provides simultaneously oxidation, coagulation, and disinfection processes for water treatment without harm to the natural environment. However, its application in aquaculture wastewater treatment is still rarely found. In this study, chemical wet oxidation method was utilized to synthesize solid ferrate which was then applied for aquaculture wastewater treatment. The aquaculture samples were collected from a fish pond in Vinh Long province. The influence and optimization of pH and ferrate dose on COD, TSS, NH4
+, TKN, PO4
3-, and coliform removals were investigated using Central Composite Design of Response Surface Methodology. The results revealed that pH and ferrate dose affected differently COD, TSS, NH4
+, TKN, PO4
3-, and coliform removal efficiencies. Therefore, the optimum conditions of pH and ferrate dose varied depending on the responses considered. Among pollutants, phosphate and TSS were most effectively eliminated. Optimum conditions to obtain the highest removal efficiencies of all responses at the same time were then proposed at pH 10.2 and 10.8 mgFe(VI)/L, and pH 7.0 and 11.1 mgFe(VI)/L. The results from this study hence indicated a great potential for ferrate application in aquaculture wastewater treatment.
When to Consider Prepectoral Implant Conversion After Subpectoral Implant Breast Reconstruction and How to Plan It
Authors: Salgarello Marzia , Barone Adesi Liliana , Macrì Giulia , Visconti Giuseppe
Published: September 2023

Many deformities occur after subpectoral implant-based breast reconstruction. Today, immediate prepectoral reconstruction with implants shows a significant increase in popularity because it has many advantages over subpectoral positioning: absence of muscle deficit and breast animation deformity, reduced implant dislocation, and less postoperative pain and easy recovery. Implant pocket conversion from the submuscular to prepectoral plane has become our preferred strategy for solving most problems related to the submuscular implant position. The authors performed a retrospective review (from June 2018 to December 2022) of patients who underwent prepectoral implant conversion for correction of animation deformity, dysfunctional chronic pain, or to ameliorate poor cosmetic results. Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) was utilized in the first 7 cases; in the remaining 56 patients polyurethane-covered implants were placed. Resolution of animation deformity and chronic pain were evaluated, as were cosmetic results and any postoperative complications. Sixty-three patients (87 breasts) underwent prepectoral implant conversion with complete resolution of animation deformity and chronic pain as well as improved cosmetic results. Preventive lipofilling was done in 18 patients. Complication rate included 3 periprosthetic seromas in ADM group. All resolved after ultrasound-guided aspiration. Rippling was noted in 3 patients, and edge visibility was documented in 1 patient. There were no incidences of grade 3 or 4 capsular contracture. The prepectoral implant conversion improves functional and aesthetic results, reaching excellent outcomes. Preparation for this surgery with fat grafting is considered a complementary procedure that increases the indications for prepectoral implant conversion.

Level of Evidence: 4
Phylogenomic data reveal cryptic diversity and deep phylogeographical structure within the common chuckwalla, Sauromalus ater (Squamata: Iguanidae)
Authors: Sumarli Alexandra , Hollingsworth Bradford D , Valdez–Villavicencio Jorge H , Reeder Tod W
Published: September 2023

Understanding how historical geological processes drive diversification and shape the contemporary distribution of species is fundamental to phylogeography. We take a genomic approach in order to elucidate the deep phylogeographical history and species limits of chuckwallas (Sauromalus), a conspicuous group of lizards of the arid lands of south-western North America. Phylogenetic and population genomic analyses of double digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing data confirm the presence of at least two major lineages, peninsular and continental groups, within the widespread and morphologically variable common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater). These lineages diversified in the vicinity of the head of the Gulf of California in north-eastern Baja California in the early Pliocene to late Miocene, during the formation of the northern gulf. The peninsular lineage of S. ater subsequently gave rise to the four insular endemic species of Sauromalus associated with the Baja California peninsula. Genomic analyses strongly support the continued recognition of the insular gigantics Sauromalus varius and Sauromalus hispidus as distinct species, although their relationship as sister species remains unresolved. Weaker phylogenetic signal for the insular species Sauromalus slevini and Sauromalus klauberi is provided by the genomic data; thus, it is advocated to continue recognizing these species until additional data can be analysed to evaluate their distinctiveness.
Urinary peptidome analysis in CKD and IgA nephropathy
Authors: Li Zewen , Zeng Nianyi , Zhao Xin , Chen Xuedong , Liang Guangqing , Liu Haiyue , Lin Jinyan , Zheng Peizhuang , Lin Xingtao , Zhou Hongwei , Zheng Daowen
Published: September 2023

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a significant challenge to human health and economic stability in aging societies worldwide. Current clinical practice strategies remain insufficient for the early identification of kidney dysfunction, and the differential diagnosis of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) predominantly relies on invasive kidney biopsy procedures.

Methods

First, we assessed a case–control cohort to obtain urine samples from healthy controls and biopsy-confirmed CKD patients. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was applied to detect urinary peptide and then these urinary peptide profiles were used to construct diagnostic models to distinguish CKD patients from controls and identify IgAN patients from other nephropathy patients. Furthermore, we assessed the robustness of the diagnostic models and their reproducibility by applying different algorithms.

Results

A rapid and accurate working platform for detecting CKD and its IgAN subtype based on urinary peptide pattern detected by MALDI-TOF MS was established. Naturally occurring urinary peptide profiles were used to construct a diagnostic model to distinguish CKD patients from controls and identify IgAN patients from other nephropathy patients. The performance of several algorithms was assessed and demonstrated that the robustness of the diagnostic models as well as their reproducibility were satisfactory.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that the CKD-related and IgAN-specific urinary peptides discovered facilitate precise identification of CKD and its IgAN subtype, offering a dependable framework for screening conditions linked to renal dysfunction. This will aid in comprehending the pathogenesis of nephropathy and identifying potential protein targets for the clinical management of nephropathy.
The reproductive status determines tolerance and resistance to Mycobacterium marinum in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Arch Marta , Vidal Maria , Fuentes Esther , Abat Anmaw Shite , Cardona Pere-Joan
Published: September 2023

Sex and reproductive status of the host have a major impact on the immune response against infection. Our aim was to understand their impact on host tolerance or resistance in the systemic Mycobacterium marinum infection of Drosophila melanogaster. We measured host survival and bacillary load at time of death, as well as expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of immune genes (diptericin and drosomycin). We also assessed the impact of metabolic and hormonal regulation in the protection against infection by measuring expression of upd3, impl2 and ecR. Our data showed increased resistance in actively mating flies and in mated females, while reducing their tolerance to infection. Data suggests that Toll and immune deficiency (Imd) pathways determine tolerance and resistance, respectively, while higher basal levels of ecR favours the stimulation of the Imd pathway. A dual role has been found for upd3 expression, linked to increased/decreased mycobacterial load at the beginning and later in infection, respectively. Finally, impl2 expression has been related to increased resistance in non-actively mating males. These results allow further assessment on the differences between sexes and highlights the role of the reproductive status in D. melanogaster to face infections, demonstrating their importance to determine resistance and tolerance against M. marinum infection.
Wide substrate range for a candidate bioremediation enzyme isolated from Nocardioides sp. strain SG-4 G
Authors: Krishnani Kishore K , Oakeshott John G , Pandey Gunjan
Published: September 2023

Narrow substrate ranges can impact heavily on the range of applications and hence commercial viability of candidate bioremediation enzymes. Here we show that an ester hydrolase from Nocardioides strain SG-4 G has potential as a bioremediation agent against various pollutants that can be detoxified by hydrolytic cleavage of some carboxylester, carbamate, or amide linkages. Previously we showed that a radiation-killed, freeze-dried preparation (ZimA) of this strain can rapidly degrade the benzimidazole fungicide carbendazim due to the activity of a specific ester hydrolase, MheI. Here, we report that ZimA also has substantial hydrolytic activity against phthalate diesters (dimethyl, dibutyl, and dioctyl phthalate), anilide (propanil and monalide), and carbamate ester (chlorpropham) herbicides under laboratory conditions. The reaction products are substantially less toxic, or inactive as herbicides, than the parent compounds. Tests of strain SG-4 G and Escherichia coli expressing MheI found they were also able to hydrolyse dimethyl phthalate, propanil, and chlorpropham, indicating that MheI is principally responsible for the above activities.
Comparing the hierarchy of inter- and intra-species interactions with population dynamics of wine yeast cocultures
Authors: Pourcelot Eléonore , Conacher Cleo , Marlin Thérèse , Bauer Florian , Galeote Virginie , Nidelet Thibault
Published: September 2023

In winemaking, the development of new fermentation strategies, such as the use of mixed starter cultures with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) yeast and non-Saccharomyces (NS) species, requires a better understanding of how yeasts interact, especially at the beginning of fermentation. Despite the growing knowledge on interactions between Sc and NS, few data are available on the interactions between different species of NS. It is furthermore still unclear whether interactions are primarily driven by generic differences between yeast species or whether individual strains are the evolutionarily relevant unit for biotic interactions. This study aimed at acquiring knowledge of the relevance of species and strain in the population dynamics of cocultures between five yeast species: Hanseniaspora uvarum, Lachancea thermotolerans, Starmerella bacillaris, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Sc. We performed cocultures between 15 strains in synthetic grape must and monitored growth in microplates. Both positive and negative interactions were identified. Based on an interaction index, our results showed that the population dynamics seemed mainly driven by the two species involved. Strain level was more relevant in modulating the strength of the interactions. This study provides fundamental insights into the microbial dynamics in early fermentation and contribute to the understanding of more complex consortia encompassing multiple yeasts trains.
Ethnic differences of genetic risk and smoking in lung cancer: two prospective cohort studies
Authors: Zhu Meng , Lv Jun , Huang Yanqian , Ma Hongxia , Li Ni , Wei Xiaoxia , Ji Mengmeng , Ma Zhimin , Song Ci , Wang Cheng , Dai Juncheng , Tan Fengwei , Guo Yu , Walters Robin , Millwood Iona Y , Hung Rayjean J , Christiani David C , Yu Canqing , Jin Guangfu , Chen Zhengming , Wei Qingyi , Amos Christopher I , Hu Zhibin , Li Liming , Shen Hongbing
Published: September 2023

Background

The role of genetic background underlying the disparity of relative risk of smoking and lung cancer between European populations and East Asians remains unclear.

Methods

To assess the role of ethnic differences in genetic factors associated with smoking-related risk of lung cancer, we first constructed ethnic-specific polygenic risk scores (PRSs) to quantify individual genetic risk of lung cancer in Chinese and European populations. Then, we compared genetic risk and smoking as well as their interactions on lung cancer between two cohorts, including the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) and the UK Biobank (UKB). We also evaluated the absolute risk reduction over a 5-year period.

Results

Differences in compositions and association effects were observed between the Chinese-specific PRSs and European-specific PRSs, especially for smoking-related loci. The PRSs were consistently associated with lung cancer risk, but stronger associations were observed in smokers of the UKB [hazard ratio (HR) 1.26 vs 1.15, P  =  0.028]. A significant interaction between genetic risk and smoking on lung cancer was observed in the UKB (RERI, 11.39 (95% CI, 7.01–17.94)], but not in the CKB. Obvious higher absolute risk was observed in nonsmokers of the CKB, and a greater absolute risk reduction was found in the UKB (10.95 vs 7.12 per 1000 person-years, P <0.001) by comparing heavy smokers with nonsmokers, especially for those at high genetic risk.

Conclusions

Ethnic differences in genetic factors and the high incidence of lung cancer in nonsmokers of East Asian ethnicity were involved in the disparity of smoking-related risk of lung cancer.
Appearance for Females, Functionality for Males? The False Lay Belief about Gender Difference in Product Preference
Authors: Dai Xianchi , Lin Yu (Anna) , Liang Jianping , Yang Chen
Published: September 2023

It is common that marketers design and position pretty products more to female consumers than to male consumers, suggesting that they generally believe that females have a stronger preference than males for product form over function and apply this belief to their marketing practices. However, this research demonstrates that this belief is often inconsistent with actual preferences. Across seven studies and four follow-up studies, involving both hypothetical and field settings, we demonstrate that both marketers and consumers hold such a belief about gender difference and overpredict females’ preference for form-superior (vs. function-superior) products relative to males. Specifically, people tend to choose form-superior (vs. function-superior) products for female (vs. male) others, but female consumers do not choose form-superior (vs. function-superior) products for themselves more than male consumers do. We further provide convergent evidence for the underlying mechanism and boundary conditions by showing that (1) people’s choices for others and themselves are more in line with the lay belief about gender difference when they hold a stronger belief and (2) people’s choices for distant (vs. close) others are more in line with this lay belief. We further assess the effectiveness of several debiasing interventions and show that this lay belief is quite robust.
Simon says? Equilibrium obedience and the limits of authority
Authors: Rantakari Heikki
Published: September 2023

Authority, as the right to instruct others and to expect obedience, is often presented as a key mechanism for coordination. But when obedience is voluntary, how is authority sustained and how effective is it in managing behavior? This article examines a repeated game of collaboration with no formal contracting. In equilibrium, the players self-organize either horizontally, with each player evaluating and executing his own task, or vertically, where a single player (“superior”) evaluates both tasks and then instructs the other (“subordinate”) what to do. Interpreting the latter as an authority relationship, obedience is then sustained solely by the value of the relationship. Either arrangement can be optimal. The main advantage of authority arises from the superior’s ability to control the information available to the subordinate, limiting the subordinate’s opportunism, while the main disadvantage of authority arises from the superior’s temptation to abuse the (endogenous) ignorance of the subordinate (JEL D23, D83, L23).
Leonico Tomeo’s Marginalia: Manuscript and Print in Sixteenth-Century Veneto
Authors: Steenson Allison
Published: September 2023

This article centres on a connection between the manuscript reading marks of the Italian humanist Niccolò Leonico Tomeo (Venice 1456-Padua 1531), in the form of curved branches with sprouting leaves, and printed marginal notes found in early editions of his works printed in Venice and Paris. Known generally as a Greek scholar of Aristotle active at the University of Padua, Leonico had also an important role in contemporary intellectual and political debate, especially in relation to his many close English acquaintances. This article examines the occurrences of these unique marginal annotations in manuscript and print, and connects Leonico’s printed works to the printing and intellectual environment in Padua and Venice.
Impact of inhomogeneous reionization on post-reionization 21-cm intensity mapping measurement of cosmological parameters
Authors: Long Heyang , Morales-Gutiérrez Catalina , Montero-Camacho Paulo , Hirata Christopher M
Published: September 2023

21-cm intensity mapping (IM) has the potential to be a strong and unique probe of cosmology from redshift of order unity to redshift potentially as high as 30. For post-reionization 21-cm observations, the signal is modulated by the thermal and dynamical reaction of gas in the galaxies to the passage of ionization fronts during the epoch of reionization. In this work, we investigate the impact of inhomogeneous reionization on the post-reionization 21-cm power spectrum and the induced shifts of cosmological parameters at redshifts 3.5 ≲ z ≲ 5.5. We make use of hydrodynamics simulations that could resolve small-scale baryonic structure evolution to quantify H i abundance fluctuation, while seminumerical large box 21cmfast simulations capable of displaying inhomogeneous reionization process are deployed to track the inhomogeneous evolution of reionization bubbles. We discussed the prospects of capturing this effect in two post-reionization 21-cm IM experiments: SKA1-LOW and PUMA. We find the inhomogeneous reionization effect could impact the H i power spectrum up to tens of per cent level and shift cosmological parameters estimation from sub-per cent to tens per cent in the observation of future post-reionization 21-cm IM experiments such as PUMA, while SKA1-LOW is likely to miss this effect at the redshifts of interest given the considered configuration. In particular, the shift is up to 0.0206 in the spectral index ns and 0.0192 eV in the sum of the neutrino masses ∑mν depending on the reionization model and the observational parameters. We discuss strategies to mitigate and separate these biases.
Bayesian sampling with BeAtlas, a grid of synthetic Be star spectra I. Recovering the fundamental parameters of α Eri and β CMi
Authors: Rubio A C , Carciofi A C , Ticiani P , Mota B C , Vieira R G , Faes D M , Genaro M , de Amorim T H , Klement R , Araya I , Arcos C , Curé M , Domiciano de Souza A , Georgy C , Jones C E , Suffak M W , Silva A C F
Published: September 2023

Classical B emission (Be) stars are fast rotating, near-main-sequence B-type stars. The rotation and the presence of circumstellar discs profoundly modify the observables of active Be stars. Our goal is to infer stellar and disc parameters, as well as distance and interstellar extinction, using the currently most favoured physical models for these objects. We present BeAtlas, a grid of $61\, 600$ non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer models for Be stars, calculated with the hdust code. The grid was coupled with a Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) code to sample the posterior distribution. We test our method on two well-studied Be stars, α Eri and β CMi, using photometric, polarimetric, and spectroscopic data as input to the code. We recover literature determinations for most of the parameters of the targets, in particular the mass and age of α Eri, the disc parameters of β CMi, and their distances and inclinations. The main discrepancy is that we estimate lower rotational rates than previous works. We confirm previously detected signs of disc truncation in β CMi and note that its inner disc seems to have a flatter density slope than its outer disc. The correlations between the parameters are complex, further indicating that exploring the entire parameter space simultaneously is a more robust approach, statistically. The combination of BeAtlas and Bayesian-MCMC techniques proves successful, and a powerful new tool for the field: The fundamental parameters of any Be star can now be estimated in a matter of hours or days.
PhyloAcc-GT: A Bayesian Method for Inferring Patterns of Substitution Rate Shifts on Targeted Lineages Accounting for Gene Tree Discordance
Authors: Yan Han , Hu Zhirui , Thomas Gregg W C , Edwards Scott V , Sackton Timothy B , Liu Jun S
Published: September 2023

An important goal of evolutionary genomics is to identify genomic regions whose substitution rates differ among lineages. For example, genomic regions experiencing accelerated molecular evolution in some lineages may provide insight into links between genotype and phenotype. Several comparative genomics methods have been developed to identify genomic accelerations between species, including a Bayesian method called PhyloAcc, which models shifts in substitution rate in multiple target lineages on a phylogeny. However, few methods consider the possibility of discordance between the trees of individual loci and the species tree due to incomplete lineage sorting, which might cause false positives. Here, we present PhyloAcc-GT, which extends PhyloAcc by modeling gene tree heterogeneity. Given a species tree, we adopt the multispecies coalescent model as the prior distribution of gene trees, use Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for inference, and design novel MCMC moves to sample gene trees efficiently. Through extensive simulations, we show that PhyloAcc-GT outperforms PhyloAcc and other methods in identifying target lineage-specific accelerations and detecting complex patterns of rate shifts, and is robust to specification of population size parameters. PhyloAcc-GT is usually more conservative than PhyloAcc in calling convergent rate shifts because it identifies more accelerations on ancestral than on terminal branches. We apply PhyloAcc-GT to two examples of convergent evolution: flightlessness in ratites and marine mammal adaptations, and show that PhyloAcc-GT is a robust tool to identify shifts in substitution rate associated with specific target lineages while accounting for incomplete lineage sorting.
Choosing conservative care in advanced chronic kidney disease: a scoping review of patients’ perspectives
Authors: Jongejan Micha , de Lange Sanne , Bos Willem Jan W , Pieterse Arwen H , Konijn Wanda S , van Buren Marjolijn , Abrahams Alferso C , van Oevelen Mathijs
Published: September 2023

Background

Conservative care (CC) is a viable treatment option for some patients with kidney failure. Choosing between dialysis and CC can be a complex decision in which involvement of patients is desirable. Gaining insight into the experiences and preferences of patients regarding this decision-making process is an important initial step to improve care. We aimed to identify what is known about the perspective of patients regarding decision-making when considering CC.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were systematically searched on 23 February 2023 for qualitative and quantitative studies on patient-reported experiences on decision-making about CC. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Twenty articles were included. We identified three major themes: creating awareness about disease and treatment choice, decision support and motivation to choose CC. Patients were often not aware of the option to choose CC. Patients felt supported by their loved ones during the decision-making process, although they perceived they made the final decision to choose CC themselves. Some patients felt pressured by their healthcare professional to choose dialysis. Reported reasons to choose CC were maintaining quality of life, treatment burden of dialysis, cost and the desire not to be a burden to others. In general, patients were satisfied with their decision for CC.

Conclusions

By focussing on the perspective of patients, we identified a wide range of patient experiences and preferences regarding the decision-making process. These findings can help to improve the complex decision-making process between dialysis and CC and to provide patient-centred care.
Pathophysiology and targeted treatment of cholesterol crystal embolism and the related thrombotic angiopathy
Authors: Shi Chongxu , Mammadova‐Bach Elmina , Li Cong , Liu Dong , Anders Hans‐Joachim
Published: September 2023

Cholesterol crystal (CC) embolism is a complication of advanced atherosclerotic plaques located in the major arteries. This pathological condition is primarily induced by interventional and surgical procedures or occurs spontaneously. CC can induce a wide range of tissue injuries including CC embolism syndrome, a spontaneous or intervention‐induced complication of advanced atherosclerosis, while treatment of CC embolism has remained empiric. Vascular occlusions caused by CC embolism may exceed the ischemia tolerance of many tissues, particularly when small arteries are affected. The main approach to CC embolism is primary prophylaxis in patients at risk by stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques and avoiding unnecessary catheter interventions. During CC embolism, the use of platelet inhibitors to avoid abnormal activation and aggregation and anticoagulants may reduce the risk of vascular occlusions and tissue ischemia. This probably explains the relatively low prevalence of clinical manifestations of CC embolism, which are frequently found in autopsy studies. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on the pathophysiology of CC embolism syndrome deriving from clinical observations and experimental mouse models. Furthermore, we described the risk factors of CC embolism in humans as well as the experimental studies based on empiric treatments. We also discuss potential therapeutic interventions based on recent experimental data and emerging drug options evolving from other research domains. Given the substantial unmet medical need to improve the outcomes of CC embolism, the identification of effective treatment strategies is urgently needed.