bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of chemical reactions that generate and absorb heat in the flow induced by a squeezing porous slider
Authors: Alkahtani Badr Saad T , Punith Gowda R J , Alzaid Sara Salem , Sharma Naman , J Madhu
Published: June 2024

The three-dimensional flow of a viscous fluid induced by an expanding or contracting porous slider under the influence of activation energy with exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions is explored in this study. Moreover, the amount of fluid injected to levitate the slider changes over time according to where it is at any instant. With the aid of similarity variables, the modelling equations relating to the fluid flow are converted into a system of ordinary differential equations. Then, this system of equations is solved numerically with the help of the Runge–Kutta Fehlberg’s fourth fifth-order method (RKF-45). Graphs are used to analyze the impact of the various parameters on the flow, thermal and concentration fields. Results reveal that the velocity profiles get smaller as the wall dilation parameter rises. An anticipated boundary layer development next to the wall results from increased Reynolds number. The temperature profile for an exothermic process has a diminishing influence as the activation energy parameter increases, whereas the opposite consequences are obtained for an endothermic reaction. For an exothermic reaction, the temperature profile rises as the chemical reaction parameter values increase. However, the opposite consequences can be seen for an endothermic reaction.
An EEG channel selection method for motor imagery based on Fisher score and local optimization
Authors: Luo Yangjie , Mu Wei , Wang Lu , Wang Junkongshuai , Wang Pengchao , Gan Zhongxue , Zhang Lihua , Kang Xiaoyang
Published: June 2024

Objective. Multi-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) technology in brain–computer interface (BCI) research offers the advantage of enhanced spatial resolution and system performance. However, this also implies that more time is needed in the data processing stage, which is not conducive to the rapid response of BCI. Hence, it is a necessary and challenging task to reduce the number of EEG channels while maintaining decoding effectiveness. Approach. In this paper, we propose a local optimization method based on the Fisher score for within-subject EEG channel selection. Initially, we extract the common spatial pattern characteristics of EEG signals in different bands, calculate Fisher scores for each channel based on these characteristics, and rank them accordingly. Subsequently, we employ a local optimization method to finalize the channel selection. Main results. On the BCI Competition IV Dataset IIa, our method selects an average of 11 channels across four bands, achieving an average accuracy of 79.37%. This represents a 6.52% improvement compared to using the full set of 22 channels. On our self-collected dataset, our method similarly achieves a significant improvement of 24.20% with less than half of the channels, resulting in an average accuracy of 76.95%. Significance. This research explores the importance of channel combinations in channel selection tasks and reveals that appropriately combining channels can further enhance the quality of channel selection. The results indicate that the model selected a small number of channels with higher accuracy in two-class motor imagery EEG classification tasks. Additionally, it improves the portability of BCI systems through channel selection and combinations, offering the potential for the development of portable BCI systems.
Runaway electron dynamics in ITER disruptions with shattered pellet injections
Authors: Vallhagen O. , Hanebring L. , Artola F.J. , Lehnen M. , Nardon E. , Fülöp T. , Hoppe M. , Newton S.L. , Pusztai I.
Published: June 2024

This study systematically explores the parameter space of disruption mitigation through shattered pellet injection in ITER with a focus on runaway electron (RE) dynamics, using the disruption modeling tool Dream. The physics fidelity is considerably increased compared to previous studies, by e.g. using realistic magnetic geometry, resistive wall configuration, thermal quench onset criteria, as well as including additional effects, such as ion transport and enhanced RE transport during the thermal quench. The work aims to provide a fairly comprehensive coverage of experimentally feasible scenarios, considering plasmas representative of both non-activated and high-performance DT operation, different thermal quench onset criteria and transport levels, a wide range of hydrogen and neon quantities injected in one or two stages, and pellets with various characteristic shard sizes. Using a staggered injection scheme, with a pure hydrogen injection preceding a mixed hydrogen-neon injection, we find injection parameters leading to acceptable RE currents in all investigated discharges without activated runaway sources. Dividing the injection into two stages is found to significantly enhance the assimilation and minimize RE generation due to the hot-tail mechanism. However, while a staggered injection outperforms a single stage injection also in cases with radioactive RE sources, no cases with acceptable RE currents are found for a DT-plasma with a

15

MA

plasma current.
First operation of a multi-channel Q-Pix prototype: measuring transverse electron diffusion in a gas time projection chamber
Authors: Hoch N. , Seidel O. , Chirayath V.A. , Enriquez A.B. , Gramellini E. , Guenette R. , Jaidee I.W. , Keefe K. , Kohani S. , Kubota S. , Mahdy H. , McDonald A.D. , Mei Y. , Miao P. , Newcomer F.M. , Nygren D. , Parmaksiz I. , Rooks M. , Tzoka I. , Wei W.-Z. , Asaadi J. , Battat J.B.R.
Published: June 2024

We report measurements of the transverse diffusion of
electrons in P-10 gas (90% Ar, 10% CH4) in a laboratory-scale
time projection chamber (TPC) utilizing a novel pixelated signal
capture and digitization technique known as Q-Pix. The Q-Pix method
incorporates a precision switched integrating transimpedance
amplifier whose output is compared to a threshold voltage. Upon
reaching the threshold, a comparator sends a 'reset' signal,
initiating a discharge of the integrating capacitor. The time
difference between successive resets is inversely proportional to
the average current at the pixel in that time interval, and the
number of resets is directly proportional to the total collected
charge. We developed a 16-channel Q-Pix prototype fabricated from
commercial off-the-shelf components and coupled them to 16
concentric annular anode electrodes to measure the spatial extent of
the electron swarm that reaches the anode after drifting through the
uniform field of the TPC. The swarm is produced at a gold
photocathode using pulsed UV light. The measured transverse
diffusion agrees with simulations in PyBoltz across a range of
operating pressures (200–1500 Torr). These results demonstrate
that a Q-Pix readout can successfully reconstruct the ionization
topology in a TPC.
Gain variations as induced by the diffuse night sky background: the ASTRI-Horn experience
Authors: Impiombato D. , Compagnino A.A. , Mineo T. , Catalano O. , Giarrusso S. , Maccarone M.C. ,   The ASTRI Project collaboration
Published: June 2024

ASTRI-Horn is the prototype of the nine telescopes that form
the ASTRI Mini-Array, under construction at the Teide Observatory in
Tenerife (Spain), devoted to observe the sky in the 1–200 TeV
energy band. It adopts an innovative optical design based on a
dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration, and the camera,
composed by a matrix of monolithic multipixel silicon
photomultipliers (SiPMs) is managed by ad-hoc tailored front-end
electronics based on a peak-detector operation mode.

During the Crab Nebula campaign in 2018–2019, ASTRI-Horn was
affected by gain variations induced by high levels of night sky
background. This paper reports the work performed to detect and
quantify the effects of these gain variations in shower images. The
analysis requested the use of simultaneous observations of the night
sky background flux in the wavelength band 300–650 nm performed
with the auxiliary instrument UVscope, a calibrated multi-anode
photomultiplier working in single counting mode. As results, a
maximum gain reduction of 15% was observed, in agreement with the
value previously computed from the variance of the night sky
background level in each image. This ASTRI-Horn gain reduction was
caused by current limitation of the voltage supply.

The analysis presented in this paper provides a method to evaluate
possible variations in the nominal response of SiPMs when scientific
observations are performed in the presence of high night sky
background as in moon conditions.
Billiard partitions, Fibonacci sequences, SIP classes, and quivers
Authors: Dragović Vladimir , Stošić Marko
Published: June 2024

Starting from billiard partitions which arose recently in the description of periodic trajectories of ellipsoidal billiards in

d
d

-dimensional Euclidean space, we introduce a new type of separable integer partition classes, called type B. We study the numbers of basis partitions with

d
d

parts and relate them to the Fibonacci sequence and its natural generalizations. Remarkably, the generating series of basis partitions can be related to the quiver generating series of symmetric quivers corresponding to the framed unknot via knots-quivers correspondence, and to the count of Schröder paths.
On Widmer’s criteria for the Northcott property
Authors: Checcoli Sara , Fehm Arno
Published: June 2024

Recently, Widmer introduced a new sufficient criterion for the Northcott property on the finiteness of elements of bounded height in infinite algebraic extensions of number fields. We provide a simplification of Widmer’s criterion when the extension is abelian, and use this to exhibit fields with the Northcott property that do not satisfy Widmer’s new criterion. We also show how the construction of pseudo algebraically closed fields with the Northcott property, carried out in previous work using the first version of Widmer’s criterion, can be simplified.
Nuclear dimension of graph 𝐶*-algebras with Condition (K)
Authors: Faurot Gregory , Schafhauser Christopher
Published: June 2024

We prove that for any countable directed graph

E
E

with Condition (K), the associated graph

C
∗

C^*

-algebra

C
∗

(
E
)

C^*(E)

has nuclear dimension at most

2
2

. Furthermore, we provide a sufficient condition producing an upper bound of

1
1

.
On a fixed point formula of Navarro–Rizo
Authors: Sambale Benjamin
Published: June 2024

Let

G
G

be a

π
\pi

-separable group with a Hall

π
\pi

-subgroup

H
H

or order

n
n

. For

x
∈
H

x\in H

let

λ
(
x
)

\lambda (x)

be the number of Hall

π
\pi

-subgroups of

G
G

containing

x
x

. We show that
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="product Underscript d bar n Endscripts product Underscript x element-of upper H Endscripts lamda left-parenthesis x Superscript d Baseline right-parenthesis Superscript StartFraction n Over d EndFraction mu left-parenthesis d right-parenthesis Baseline equals 1">

∏

d
∣
n

∏

x
∈
H

λ
(

x

d

)

n
d

μ
(
d
)

=
1

\prod _{d\mid n}\prod _{x\in H}\lambda (x^{d})^{\frac {n}{d}\mu (d)}=1

, where

μ
\mu

is the Möbius function. This generalizes fixed point formulas for coprime actions by Brauer, Wielandt and Navarro–Rizo. We further investigate an additive version of this formula.
First mixed Laplace eigenfunctions with no hot spots
Authors: Hatcher Lawford
Published: June 2024

The hot spots conjecture of J. Rauch states that the second Neumann eigenfunction of the Laplace operator on a bounded Lipschitz domain in

R

n

\mathbb {R}^n

attains its extrema only on the boundary of the domain. We present an analogous problem for domains with mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions. We then solve this problem for Euclidean triangles and a class of planar domains bounded by the graphs of certain piecewise smooth functions.
Weighted estimates for the Bergman projection on planar domains
Authors: Green A. , Wagner Nathan
Published: June 2024

We investigate weighted Lebesgue space estimates for the Bergman projection on a simply connected planar domain via the domain’s Riemann map. We extend the bounds which follow from a standard change-of-variable argument in two ways. First, we provide a regularity condition on the Riemann map, which turns out to be necessary in the case of uniform domains, in order to obtain the full range of weighted estimates for the Bergman projection for weights in a Békollè-Bonami-type class. Second, by slightly strengthening our condition on the Riemann map, we obtain the weighted weak-type (1,1) estimate as well. Our proofs draw on techniques from both conformal mapping and dyadic harmonic analysis.
US Muslims’ Creative Approaches to Prayer on the Big and Small Screen
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter examines how Muslim-produced American TV shows and films portray Islamic prayer, arguing representations are more nuanced and accurate than mainstream media. While some comedy normalizes prayer, other productions aim to educate non-Muslim audiences about the meaning of rituals. Portrayals humanize Muslims, showing prayer’s role in everyday life. Women filmmakers offer insightful intersectional narratives. Social media stars creatively engage youth. While depicting lived complexities, Muslim-made media normalizes Islamic practice. However, productions are often calibrated for non-Muslim audiences. Despite limitations, the rise of Muslim media-makers signals hope for countering stereotypes. Their creative approaches present fuller dimensions of Muslims integrating their faith into US society.
New Realities of Lived Experiences of Muslim Public Prayer
Authors: Aslan Rose
Published: June 2024

The chapter explores new realities and debates around Muslim prayer arising from recent events like the COVID pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. It finds creative adaptations as communal rituals move online and prayer intersects with activism. COVID sparked discussions on validity of virtual congregational prayer. Black Lives Matter vigils incorporated communal prayer to protest racism. Prayer continues as an embodied communal act amid social distancing. Debates reveal US Muslim interpretive independence. Social media creates space for openness about prayer struggles. The chapter argues lived complexities of prayer illuminate Muslim diversity and efforts to integrate faith within an ever-evolving society.
Introduction
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

The introduction outlines this book’s approach to interpreting Marx, situating it in relation to more dominant approaches in Anglophone philosophy, especially Analytical Marxism. It reflects on why we should revisit the question of Marx and ethics at all, answering that ethical questions such as the relationship between freedom and determinism, the concept of human nature, and the conditions of human flourishing are all central to Marxist theory and impossible to understand without taking stock of Marx’s approach to ethics. Against analytical philosophy’s hostility to Hegelianism—rooted in its early repudiation of British Idealism—this chapter argues that dialectics are not to be dismissed as “mysticism.” Rather, by preserving Marx’s neo-Hegelianism and revisiting his dialectical method of inquiry, interpreters of Marx can uphold ideals of objectivity and rigor while discovering how Marx’s methodology is well-suited to analyzing a world that is itself dynamic, conflictual, and in a state of constant change.
Conclusion
Authors: Wills Vanessa Christina
Published: June 2024

This chapter underscores that freedom, alienation, and individuality do not give way to any one-sided and untenable economic determinism in Marx’s later works. They receive even deeper engagement, as does the ethical vision of which they are a part. There, Marx most clearly and explicitly theorizes the full development of rich individuality as the highest aim for human beings. Under capitalism, labor takes on a stultifying narrowness for the individual worker. Yet on a social scale, capitalism makes human productivity ever more varied, dynamic, and complex. What remains is for this variation, dynamism, and complexity to exist as features of the lives of individual persons. This can only be achieved via the revolutionary and modernizing processes of capitalism itself, and through the conscious, rational, and social intervention of human beings into those processes so that they become fully realized as human powers rather than powers over human beings.
Serum Metabolites Relate to Mucosal and Transmural Inflammation in Paediatric Crohn Disease
Authors: Suarez Ricardo G , Guruprasad Namitha , Tata Ganesh , Zhang Zhengxiao , Focht Gili , McClement Daniel , Navas-López Víctor Manuel , Koletzko Sibylle , Griffiths Anne M , Ledder Oren , de Ridder Lissy , Wishart David , Nichols Ben , Gerasimidis Konstantinos , Turner Dan , Wine Eytan
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims

We aimed to identify serum metabolites associated with mucosal and transmural inflammation in paediatric Crohn disease [pCD].

Methods

In all, 56 pCD patients were included through a pre-planned sub-study of the multicentre, prospective, ImageKids cohort, designed to develop the Paediatric Inflammatory Crohn magnetic resonance enterography [MRE] Index [PICMI]. Children were included throughout their disease course when undergoing ileocolonoscopy and MRE and were followed for 18 months, when MRE was repeated. Serum metabolites were identified using liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Outcomes included: PICMI, the simple endoscopic score [SES], faecal calprotectin [FCP], and C-reactive protein [CRP], to assess transmural, mucosal, and systemic inflammation, respectively. Random forest models were built by outcome. Maximum relevance minimum redundancy [mRMR] feature selection with a j-fold cross-validation scheme identified the best subset of features and hyperparameter settings.

Results

Tryptophan and glutarylcarnitine were the top common mRMR metabolites linked to pCD inflammation. Random forest models established that amino acids and amines were among the most influential metabolites for predicting transmural and mucosal inflammation. Predictive models performed well, each with an area under the curve [AUC] > 70%. In addition, serum metabolites linked with pCD inflammation mainly related to perturbations in the citrate cycle [TCA cycle], aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, butanoate metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism.

Conclusions

We extend on recent studies, observing differences in serum metabolites between healthy controls and Crohn disease patients, and suggest various associations of serum metabolites with transmural and mucosal inflammation. These metabolites could improve the understanding of pCD pathogenesis and assessment of disease severity.
The valuable role of cardio-pulmonary exercise testing in the diagnosis of atrial septal defect in a competitive triathlete: a case report
Authors: Sareban Mahdi , Treff Gunnar , Wuppinger Thomas , Zimpfer Daniel , Niebauer Josef
Published: June 2024

Background

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is characterized by a diverse clinical presentation influenced by the type, size, and haemodynamics. Endurance athletes with ASD may exhibit higher than normal performance levels, however they face an elevated risk of exercise-induced cardiac volume and pressure strain, potentially expediting a maladaptation of the right heart.

Case summary

An asymptomatic 28-year-old female elite triathlete sought a pre-participation sports medical examination. Her past medical history revealed right heart enlargement. Transthoracic echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging did not ascertain a definitive diagnosis such as shunting. The examination revealed a remarkably high maximum oxygen uptake during cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET), yet an abnormal oxygen uptake/workload slope and a low, plateauing oxygen pulse. The athlete agreed to transoesophageal echocardiography that demonstrated a superior sinus venosus-type ASD. Surgical intervention, conducted with minimally invasive endoscopic robotic technology and a pericardial patch, was performed at a tertiary centre under full cardio-pulmonary bypass. At seven-month follow-up, the patient reported engaging in swim sessions without limitations and participating in high intensity cycling sessions with performances similar to pre-surgery. Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing revealed increased maximum oxygen consumption and normalization of oxygen uptake/workload slope and maximum oxygen pulse.

Discussion

Endurance athletes with ASD may have abnormal haemodynamic response during CPET despite an exceptional high maximum oxygen uptake. This underscores the value of CPET in the diagnostic work-up of right heart enlargement.
Coronary coding in dTGA pre- and post-ASO—verification and necessary corrections following adult CMR
Authors: Hövels-Gürich Hedwig H , Lebherz Corinna , Dettori Rosalia , Pütz Andreas , Racolta Anca , Linden Katharina , Kirschfink Annemarie , Altiok Ertunc , Rüffer André , Marx Nikolaus , Herberg Ulrike , Frick Michael
Published: June 2024

Aims

In adult patients with transposition of the great arteries (dTGA) after arterial switch operation (ASO), the coronary artery circulation after neonatal surgical transfer remains a major culprit for long-term sequelae, including myocardial ischaemia and sudden cardiac death. As coronary imaging in paediatric age is often incomplete and classification mainly relies on the surgeon’s description in the operation report, we intended to develop a systematic, understandable pattern of the coronary status for each young patient, combining unambiguous coding with non-invasive imaging.

Methods and results

The monocentric prospective study evaluated 89 young adults (mean 23 years) after ASO for dTGA including cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) coronary angiography. Following ‘The Leiden Convention coronary coding system’, we describe the systematic transformation process and provide a graphical illustration considering surgical and imaging views for the six main coronary types, followed by a comparison with adult CMR. Discordance between surgeon’s and CMR classification is evaluated.

In seven (7.9%) patients, a discordance between the surgeon’s post-operative and the CMR classification was found; therefore, the initial classification had to be corrected according to adult CMR. Three cases (3.4%) with particularly challenging coronary variants (intramural and interarterial course, functional common ostium) are presented.

Conclusion

Considering the risks of a possible neonatal coronary misclassification and of increasing additional acquired coronary artery disease with age, reliable cooperation between surgeons, cardiologists, and imaging specialists must be ensured. Therefore, after completion of growth, a systematic pattern of the coronary artery status, combining unambiguous coding with CMR imaging, should be established for each patient.
Which factors influence health services utilization in Bulgaria? Results of a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Atanasova Elka , Panayotova Svetlana
Published: June 2024

Background

Research on the factors influencing health care services utilization in Bulgaria does not apply a particular model to analyze these determinants. To fill this gap, we apply the Andersen’s Behavioural Model, a commonly used framework, to determine the factors that impact the utilization of health care services in our country.

Methods

Data are collected in an online survey conducted in Bulgaria in 2023 among consumers. The standardized questionnaire includes questions on the utilization of health care services used by the respondent during the preceding 12 months. We apply binary logistic regressions to analyze predictors of visits to general practitioners and medical specialists, as well as hospitalizations.

Results

The results of the regression analysis show that the factors of self-reported health status and the presence of a chronic disease influence the utilization of health care services except for general practitioner visits. Greater trust in general practitioners and hospitals is associated with an increased probability of undergoing examinations and hospitalizations. Predisposing and enabling characteristics appear as significant determinants of health care utilization.

Conclusion

The study confirms the relevance of the Behavioural Model for the use of health care services in the Bulgarian context. Further research on health outcomes and their impact on utilization can help determine the most efficient level and appropriateness of the use of health care services.
Investigating the Effects of Discrimination Experiences on Everyday Metamemory Accuracy
Authors: Ly Timothy K , Allen Rebecca S , Cundiff Jeanne M , DeCaro Jason A
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Lifetime and daily experiences of discrimination contribute to impaired performance on cognitive assessments. However, the underlying mechanism by which discrimination negatively affects cognition is unclear. Recent research investigating stress-induced impairment of metamemory may address the relationship between discrimination experiences and cognitive impairment.

Methods

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of lifetime and daily experiences of discrimination, daily affect balance, baseline objective cognitive performance, and sociodemographic variables (age, race, ethnicity, and sex) with metamemory accuracy across the lifespan (ages 20–75). Impaired metamemory accuracy was defined by the number of subjective cognitive complaints. Diary data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS Refresher 1) Daily Diary Project (N = 782) was used for these analyses.

Results

Results from linear mixed model analyses showed significant within-person effects of daily discrimination, where people who reported more daily discrimination also reported lower metamemory accuracy, and daily affect balance, where people who reported very negative affect also reported lower metamemory accuracy. Additionally, linear mixed model analyses revealed significant between-person effects of race on metamemory accuracy, with individuals from minoritized racial groups generally reporting poorer metamemory accuracy. Daily discrimination experiences also interacted with other variables in predicting day-to-day metamemory accuracy.

Discussion

These findings add to our understanding of how psychosocial stress in the form of daily discrimination experiences may impair metamemory processes contributing to increased subjective cognitive complaints. Future research should consider the contribution of daily experiences of discrimination across the lifespan to poor cognitive outcomes in later life.
Factors affecting cancer screening perception in Turkish women: the role of health literacy
Authors: Kıran Şafak , Sevim Ferit , Ürek Duygu , Şenol Osman
Published: June 2024

It is suggested that individuals with limited health literacy have less awareness about cancer and screening methods. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the relationship between cancer screening perception and health literacy levels among women. This study investigates the determinants of cancer screening perceptions in Turkish women, with a particular emphasis on the influence of health literacy. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study involved 428 women aged 18–69. Data were collected via online questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to assess the effects of distinct variables on cancer screening perceptions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to validate and ensure reliability. The results indicated that the constructed hierarchical regression model explicated around 10% of the variance in cancer screening perceptions. Among the various factors examined, health literacy emerged as the most potent predictor of screening perceptions. Individuals possessing higher health literacy demonstrated more favorable attitudes toward cancer screening. Additionally, age surfaced as another notable determinant, with advanced age correlating positively with awareness and receptiveness to screening. This research reveals the pivotal role of health literacy in shaping how Turkish women perceive cancer screening. While a few factors have an impact, the study highlights the urgent need to elevate health literacy levels to foster heightened awareness and engagement in cancer screening programs. The study’s findings offer valuable guidance for devising targeted interventions to address disparities in cancer screening perception and participation, particularly among women in low- to middle-income countries such as Turkey.
Does Improving Depression Symptoms in Young Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Alter Their Microbiome?
Authors: Davies Julie M , Teh Jing Jie , Ewais Tatjana , Begun Jakob
Published: June 2024

Background

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are more likely to have depression and anxiety symptoms compared with healthy individuals and those with other chronic illnesses. Previous studies have shown a link between the microbiome composition and depression symptoms; however, many antidepressant medications have antibacterial activity confounding cross-sectional studies of these populations. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether we could detect longitudinal changes in the microbiome of a subset of patients who participated in a previously published mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) study to improve depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults with IBD.

Methods

Stool samples were collected at baseline and 8 weeks (n = 24 participants, 37 total samples, 13 paired samples). During this time, some participants achieved a 50% reduction in their depression symptoms either through MBCT or treatment as usual with their mental health team (responders). The microbiome composition and function of responders were compared with participants who did not improve their depression scores (nonresponders). Depression scores were determined using the depression, anxiety, and stress score (DASS-21), and metagenomic sequencing of stool samples was performed.

Results

No difference in alpha diversity was found between responders and nonresponders. Beta diversity measures were similarly unchanged. Clinical features including fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, and serum IL-6 levels were unchanged.

Conclusions

In this small longitudinal study, we were not able to detect longitudinal changes in the microbiome associated with improvement in depression scores. Follow-up studies that are sufficiently powered to detect changes in the microbiome are required to confirm our results.
Water Availability and Temperature as Modifiers of Evaporative Water Loss in Tropical Frogs
Authors: Juarez Bryan H , Quintanilla-Salinas Isaac , Lacey Madison P , O'Connell Lauren A
Published: June 2024

Synopsis

Water plays a notable role in the ecology of most terrestrial organisms due to the risks associated with water loss. Specifically, water loss in terrestrial animals happens through evaporation across respiratory tissues or the epidermis. Amphibians are ideal systems for studying how abiotic factors impact water loss since their bodies often respond quickly to environmental changes. While the effect of temperature on water loss is well known across many taxa, we are still learning how temperature in combination with humidity or water availability affects water loss. Here, we tested how standing water sources (availability) and temperature (26 and 36°C) together affect water loss in anuran amphibians using a Bayesian framework. We also present a conceptual model for considering how water availability and temperature may interact, resulting in body mass changes. After accounting for phylogenetic and time autocorrelation, we determined how different variables (water loss and uptake rates, temperature, and body size) affect body mass in three species of tropical frogs (Rhinella marina, Phyllobates terribilis, and Xenopus tropicalis). We found that all variables impacted body mass changes, with greater similarities between P. terribilis and X. tropicalis, but temperature only showed a notable effect in P. terribilis. Furthermore, we describe how the behavior of P. terribilis might affect its water budget. This study shows how organisms might manage water budgets across different environments and is important for developing models of evaporative water loss and species distributions.
A model ODE for the exponential asymptotics of nonlinear parasitic capillary ripples
Authors: Shelton Josh , Trinh Philippe H
Published: June 2024

In this work, we develop a linear model ordinary differential equation (ODE) to study the parasitic capillary ripples present on steep Stokes waves when a small amount of surface tension is included in the formulation. Our methodology builds upon the exponential asymptotic theory of Shelton & Trinh (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 939, 2022, A17), who demonstrated that these ripples occur beyond-all-orders of a small-surface-tension expansion. Our model equation, a linear ODE forced by solutions of the Stokes wave equation, forms a convenient tool to calculate numerical and asymptotic solutions. We show analytically that the parasitic capillary ripples that emerge in solutions to this linear model have the same asymptotic scaling and functional behaviour as those in the fully nonlinear problem. It is expected that this work will lead to the study of parasitic capillary ripples that occur in more general formulations involving viscosity or time-dependence.
Dysregulation of Stress Erythropoiesis and Enhanced Susceptibility to Salmonella Typhimurium Infection in Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor–Deficient Mice
Authors: Mayer Michelle , Cengiz-Dartenne Sevgi C , Thiem Manja , Hatzfeld Philip , Semeniuk Adrian , Wang Nancy , Strugnell Richard A , Förster Irmgard , Weighardt Heike
Published: June 2024

Background

By acting as an environmental sensor, the ligand-induced transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) regulates acute innate and adaptive immune responses against pathogens. Here, we analyzed the function of AhR in a model for chronic systemic infection with attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium (STM).

Methods

Wild type and AhR-deficient mice were infected with the attenuated STM strain TAS2010 and analyzed for bacterial burden, host defense functions, and inflammatory stress erythropoiesis.

Results

AhR-deficient mice were highly susceptible to TAS2010 infection when compared with wild type mice, as demonstrated by reduced bacterial clearance and increased mortality. STM infection resulted in macrocytic anemia and enhanced splenomegaly with destruction of the splenic architecture in AhR-deficient mice. In addition, AhR-deficient mice displayed a major expansion of splenic immature red blood cells, indicative of infection-induced stress erythropoiesis. Elevated serum levels of erythropoietin and interleukin 6 upon infection, as well as increased numbers of splenic stress erythroid progenitors already in steady state, probably drive this effect and might cause the alterations in splenic immune cell compartments, thereby preventing an effective host defense against STM in AhR-deficient mice.

Conclusions

AhR-deficient mice fail to clear chronic TAS2010 infection due to enhanced stress erythropoiesis in the spleen and accompanying destruction of the splenic architecture.
Virtual Fictional Actions
Authors: Nader Karim
Published: June 2024

Virtual fictionalism is the view that virtual reality is a kind of fiction. We imagine that what we see and hear in virtual reality is real, although it is not. The problem with this view is that there are real moral concerns with our use of virtual reality, from violent video games to cases of virtual groping on social platforms. If what we do in virtual reality is just make-believe, the fictionalist cannot explain the real moral harms of our virtual actions. Call this the moral objection to virtual fictionalism. I address the objection in this paper by arguing for a new fictional account of virtual actions. Virtual fictionalists can take virtual actions to be happening within the fiction and consider users to act as characters or actors within the fictional world depicted in the virtual environment. Instead, I argue that virtual actions create fictional representations from outside the fiction; users act in virtual reality as an author might in their work. The alternative I present better addresses the moral objection to virtual fictionalism—it does not conflate the user with a fictional character. Our virtual actions create fictional representations, and we can morally evaluate them as such.
A Rare Case of Extensive Hydrofluoric Acid Burn
Authors: Hu Gaozhong , Shu Ziqin , Li Yuan , Song Huapei
Published: June 2024

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a strongly corrosive, highly toxic, and highly dangerous mineral acid. Burns with over 1% TBSA caused by anhydrous HF can lead to deep tissue damage, hypocalcemia, poisoning, and even death. In recent years, HF has become one of the most common substances causing chemical burns and ranks as the leading cause of death from chemical burns. Herein, we report a rare case with 91% TBSA burns caused by 35% HF. The patient developed complications such as shock, severe hypocalcemia, metabolic acidosis, and respiratory failure. Multidisciplinary team consultation (burns, respiratory medicine, nephrology, infectious disease, and pharmacy) was performed immediately after admission. An individualized diagnosis and treatment plan were developed for the patient. The patient was given intensive care, blood volume monitoring, tracheotomy, fluid resuscitation, continuous blood purification, anti-infective and analgesic treatments, intravenous and percutaneous calcium supplementation, early rehabilitation training, psychological rehabilitation, and other treatments. To prevent the wound from deepening, large-area debridement and skin grafting were performed early after the injury. A large dose of 10% calcium gluconate was injected into the patient in divided doses, and the wound was continuously treated with wet dressings. Multiple surgical debridements, negative pressure wound treatment, biological dressings, and Meek skin grafting were performed. After most of the wounds (approximately 85% TBSA) healed, the patient was discharged from the hospital and continued to undergo dressing changes at a local hospital. The patient was followed up 3 months after discharge. All the wounds healed well, and the patient basically regained functional independence in daily life.
Together inbreeding and reproductive compensation favor lethal t-haplotypes
Authors: Munasinghe Manisha , Brandvain Yaniv
Published: June 2024

Male mice who are heterozygous for distorting and non-distorting alleles at the t-haplotype transmit the driving t-haplotype around 90% of the time—a drastic departure from Mendelian expectations. This selfish act comes at a cost. The mechanism underlying transmission distortion in this system causes severe sterility in males homozygous for the drive alleles, ultimately preventing its fixation. Curiously, many driving t-haplotypes also induce embryonic lethality in both sexes when homozygous; however, this is neither universal nor a necessity for this distortion mechanism. Charlesworth provided an adaptive explanation for the evolution of lethal t-haplotypes in a population segregating for distorting and non-distorting t alleles—if mothers compensate by replacing dead embryos with new offspring (or by transferring energy to surviving offspring), a recessive lethal can be favored because it effectively allows mothers the opportunity to trade in infertile males for potentially fertile offspring. This model, however, requires near complete reproductive compensation for the invasion of the lethal t-haplotype and produces an equilibrium frequency of lethal drivers well below what is observed in nature. We show that low levels of systemic inbreeding, which we model as brother–sister mating, allow lethal t-haplotypes to invade with much lower levels of reproductive compensation. Furthermore, inbreeding allows these lethal haplotypes to largely displace the ancestral male-sterile haplotypes. Our results show that together inbreeding and reproductive compensation move expected equilibria closer to observed haplotype frequencies in natural populations and occur under lower, potentially more reasonable, parameters.
High seed losses in mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa) and developmental, ecological, and environmental correlates
Authors: Óskarsdóttir Guðrún , Thórhallsdóttir Thóra E , Svavarsdóttir Kristín
Published: June 2024

Plants typically experience great losses from their reproductive potential represented by ovule production to the post-dispersal crop of viable seed. We examined seed density and viability in a founder population of mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa), aiming to quantify losses at different stages and examine potential selection forces on the reproduction success of the founder generation of an isolated population. At the time of the study (2017–2020), the population had recently reached reproductive maturity, following its colonization around 1990 through long-distance dispersal onto an early successional outwash plain in southeast Iceland. Seed densities were high, but 89% of apparently intact seeds did not contain an embryo, despite being visually indistinguishable from filled seeds. Externally evident losses amounted to about 45% of the total seed crop and were mostly due to predation by the gall midge Semudobia betulae. When all losses were accounted for, 2.7% of the seed crop remained viable and germinated. Pollen limitation may partially explain the high incidence of empty seeds. Excessive flower production is compatible with the predator satiation hypothesis but cannot explain pre-dispersal losses. Another adaptation to predation, masting, appears poorly developed in Iceland. Our results suggest the presence of constraints on the reproduction potential of the new island population, that are more limiting than in neighbouring populations, and we discuss their developmental, ecological, and environmental correlates.
Climate refugia along Lake Superior’s shores: disjunct arctic–alpine plants rely on cool shoreline temperatures but are restricted to highly exposed habitat under climate warming
Authors: Hillman Ashley , Nielsen Scott E
Published: June 2024

Climate refugia can serve as a remnant habitat or stepping stones for species dispersal under climate warming. The largest freshwater lake by surface area, Lake Superior, USA and Canada, serves as a model system for understanding cooling-mediated local refugia, as its cool water temperatures and wave action have maintained shoreline habitats suitable for southern disjunct populations of arctic–alpine plants since deglaciation. Here, we seek to explain spatial patterns and environmental drivers of arctic–alpine plant refugia along Lake Superior’s shores, and assess future risk to refugia under moderate (+3.5 °C) and warmest (+5.7 °C) climate warming scenarios. First, we examined how the interactive effects of summer surface water temperatures and wind affected onshore temperatures, resulting in areas of cooler refugia. Second, we developed an ecological niche model for the presence of disjunct arctic–alpine refugia (pooling 1253 occurrences from 58 species) along the lake’s shoreline. Third, we fit species distribution models for 20 of the most common arctic–alpine disjunct species and predicted presence to identify refugia hotspots. Finally, we used the two climate warming scenarios to predict changes in the presence of refugia and disjunct hotspots. Bedrock type, elevation above water, inland distance, July land surface temperature from MODIS/Terra satellite and near-shore depth of water were the best predictors of disjunct occurrences. Overall, we predicted 2236 km of the shoreline (51%) as disjunct refugia habitat for at least one species under current conditions, but this was reduced to 20% and 7% with moderate (894 km) and warmest (313 km) climate change projections.
Catch me if you can: signal localization with knockoff e-values
Authors: Gablenz Paula , Sabatti Chiara
Published: June 2024

We consider problems where many, somewhat redundant, hypotheses are tested and we are interested in reporting the most precise rejections, with false discovery rate (FDR) control. This is the case, for example, when researchers are interested both in individual hypotheses as well as group hypotheses corresponding to intersections of sets of the original hypotheses, at several resolution levels. A concrete application is in genome-wide association studies, where, depending on the signal strengths, it might be possible to resolve the influence of individual genetic variants on a phenotype with greater or lower precision. To adapt to the unknown signal strength, analyses are conducted at multiple resolutions and researchers are most interested in the more precise discoveries. Assuring FDR control on the reported findings with these adaptive searches is, however, often impossible. To design a multiple comparison procedure that allows for an adaptive choice of resolution with FDR control, we leverage e-values and linear programming. We adapt this approach to problems where knockoffs and group knockoffs have been successfully applied to test conditional independence hypotheses. We demonstrate its efficacy by analysing data from the UK Biobank.
Relationship between the frequency and duration of masturbation and the sexual health literacy and sexual function of women in western Turkey: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Karaahmet Aysu Yıldız , Bilgiç Fatma Şule
Published: June 2024

Background

Although sexual life and its knowledge are still taboo in many cultures, especially for women, it can negatively affect women’s sexual health.

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the frequency and duration of masturbation and the sexual health literacy among young Muslim women of reproductive age between 18 and 25 years living in western Turkey.

Methods

The cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 921 young women in western Turkey between March and December 2023. Participants were included in the study per the snowball method. The data consisted of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding masturbation, sexual life, and sexual health literacy. Data were obtained on an online platform and analyzed with SPSS (version 24; IBM). Difference, correlation, and regression analyses were performed. The significance level for statistical analyses was accepted as P < .05.

Outcomes

The outcomes of the study are the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding masturbation, orgasm, sexual health literacy, and sexual function in women.

Results

The participants were young Muslim women aged 21.00 ± 1.89 years (mean ± SD). The frequency of masturbation was 5.06 ± 2.03 times per month, and the duration was 3.47 ± 1.77 minutes per day. Masturbation frequency and duration were significantly associated with sexual health literacy and sexual function (P < .001). According to regression analysis, sexual function increased and sexual health literacy increased as masturbation frequency and duration increased (P < .001).

Clinical Implications

This study presents results on the current situation regarding the sexual health literacy and sexual lives in women from different geographies and cultures, and it serves as a source for future studies on areas that need to be improved.

Strengths and Limitations

The limitation of the study is that it was conducted only with Muslim and Turkish women who use smartphones and are sexually active, so it cannot be generalized to all women. The strengths of the study are that it was conducted with a sample of 921 women, it was based on self-report and addressed many dimensions related to masturbation and female sexuality, and the results were reached through exploratory analysis.

Conclusion

The study found that the higher the duration and frequency of masturbation in young women, the better their sexual function and higher their sexual literacy.