bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Range‐wide floral trait variation reflects shifts in pollinator assemblages, consistent with pollinator‐mediated divergence despite generalized visitation
Authors: Wenzell Katherine E. , Skogen Krissa A. , Fant Jeremie B.
Published: February 2023

Floral trait evolution mediated by pollinators is important in the diversification of flowering plants, yet few studies have demonstrated the range‐wide geographic variation in both floral traits and pollinators which represents a predicted precursor for pollinator‐mediated speciation. This study explores whether geographic variation in pollinator interactions underlies the observed patterns of floral divergence both 1) among species of the Castilleja purpurea complex (C. purpurea, C. citrina and C. lindheimeri) and the congener C. sessiliflora, as well as 2) within C. sessiliflora, across its wide geographic range. We sampled floral visitors and floral traits (morphology and color) at 23 populations across a 1900 km‐wide study area in 1–3 years, with reproductive fitness (fruit set) data for 18 of these populations. A wide diversity of pollinator functional groups visited the focal species, including bees, butterflies, hawkmoths and hummingbirds, and visitor assemblages varied among species and across geography. We identified relationships between floral traits and visitation by certain pollinator groups, which often aligned with predictions based on pollination syndromes. Despite visitor assemblages being largely generalized across most populations, we found that the observed changes in floral traits were associated with shifts in the relative frequencies of key pollinator functional groups. Hence this study demonstrates that variation in pollinator assemblages across the distributions of taxa may underlie divergence in floral traits and suggests that highly specialized relationships may not be required for early stages of pollinator‐mediated floral divergence. Our extensive sampling of 23 populations over multiple years across a large geographic area highlights the value of range‐wide studies for characterizing patterns of divergence mediated by ecological interactions.
Public health indicators for cerebral palsy: A European collaborative study of the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe network
Authors: Arnaud Catherine , Ehlinger Virginie , Perraud Annie , Kinsner‐Ovaskainen Agnieszka , Klapouszczak Dana , Himmelmann Kate , Petra Mariana , Rackauskaite Gija , Lanzoni Monica , Platt Mary‐Jane , Delobel‐Ayoub Malika
Published: February 2023

Background

Public health indicators (PHIs) play an increasingly important role in health policy decision‐making. Although cerebral palsy (CP) is the commonest physical disability in children, its impact at population level has not been systematically measured so far.

Objectives

We aimed to propose six PHIs for CP designed to annually document the extent of CP and effectiveness of perinatal organisation, the burden of this condition, access to health services and preventive health strategies in the post‐neonatal period and to report on the latest updated estimations using population‐based data routinely collected by European CP registries.

Methods

The study included children with CP born between 2002 and 2011. Harmonised data (number of cases, functional profile, imaging) were extracted from the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) database. Eligibility criteria for analyses were applied separately for each indicator by selecting registries, birth years and CP cases. Current estimates were based on the last 3 birth years, while trends were reported over a 10‐year period. All analyses were descriptive. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to examine the stability of the results using various thresholds of percentages of missing values.

Results

Analyses were performed on a total of 8621 children with CP from 12 to 17 SCPE registries. A decreasing prevalence of pre/perinatal CP overall, as well as in preterm and full‐term‐born children, was observed. The burden of the condition was strongly dependent on CP subtype and the presence of associated impairments. Access to brain imaging ranged from 80% to 100% depending on registries. The overall prevalence of post‐neonatally acquired CP was approximately 0.8 per 10,000 live births over the study period.

Conclusions

Population‐based CP registries can provide data that are relevant for generating key outcomes of interest at the population level, thus potentially contributing to improving public health policies for children with disabilities.
Women engagement, psychological traits, and gender gaps in the small‐scale seaweed aquaculture in Chile
Authors: Salazar César , Jaime Marcela , Retamal Roberto Cárdenas , Baquedano Marjorie
Published: February 2023

Women's participation in small‐scale aquaculture is growing, but women producers remain in a disadvantaged position compared to men. Reducing gender gaps is at the core of many development programs, but little is known regarding the source of these differences. This paper investigates the main drivers of gender gaps in seaweed small‐scale aquaculture by focusing on the analysis of differences between male and women, and across a series of psychological traits. We use data from a sample of 152 seaweed producers from central‐southern Chile and perform a matching procedure to generate a balanced sample of male and female producers in the dimensions determining their performance in the sector. Our results show that female producers may exhibit more positive psychological traits such as patience and interpersonal trust. However, women's choices in seaweed farming may be incongruent with these characteristics, as expecting more immediate returns than males, and may not be able to exploit the advantages of collaboration in selling in the sector. This supports the notion that opportunity costs (e.g., other activities in the marine area) and outside options (e.g., fishing versus trade) may be one of the major drivers of gender gaps and suggests that there are barriers keeping women from exploiting their potentially advantageous individual characteristics. Results provide important insights for the design of support instruments aimed at reducing these barriers faced by women in the sector.
International human rights bodies and climate litigation: Don't look up?
Authors: Luporini Riccardo , Savaresi Annalisa
Published: February 2023

This article systematically analyses complaints concerning climate change before international human rights bodies. Since 2005, these bodies have been increasingly asked to hear complaints related to climate change but have granted claims of climate applicants only on one occasion. This article therefore considers the inherent limitations of international human rights bodies for the pursuit of climate objectives, as well as avenues to overcome the hurdles facing climate applicants. Based on the evidence we examined, we conclude making some predictions on the role that international human rights bodies might play in future climate litigation.
COVID‐19 as an opportunity window for policy change; insights from electronic authentication case study in Iran
Authors: Shirazi Hossein , Vahdaninia Valiallah , Maleki Ali
Published: February 2023

Public emergencies are focal events that present possibilities for policy changes. This study aims to explain policy insights on policy change in Iran through analyzing how the Iranian government's policy toward the long‐awaited e‐authentication finally changed in the wake of the outbreak of COVID‐19. Due to the policy context of Iran, it uses the Multiple Stream Model, in which three streams were identified: problem, policy, and political dynamics. The paper contends that while the second stream existed prior to the pandemic, the first one had not yet been appropriately recognized by the government. Furthermore, it identifies the political stream as the third missing link for policy change. With the spread of coronavirus, these three streams converged, thus opening a window of opportunity for enacting this policy change. Two main reasons behind the emergence of this opening are identified: first, arising a new complex problem (COVID‐19) that necessitated new initiatives, and second, growing public anxiety about the pandemic. Iran's desperate circumstances, which included an already severely depressed economy as the result of sanctions, were further exacerbated through the socio‐economic repercussions of the pandemic. Furthermore, the growing demand from prospective traders to register for the stock exchange during the lockdown prompted officials to make a realistic decision. As a result, barriers to e‐authentication were overcome and policy change happened. The paper highlights the security perspective as a necessary condition for policy change in Iran. Finally, it discusses the likelihood of permanency of the change.
Effect of adjuvant autologous platelet concentrates on secondary repair of alveolar clefts: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Siddiqui Hamza Parvez , Sennimalai Karthik , Bhatt Krushna , Samrit Vilas D. , Duggal Ritu
Published: February 2023

Objective

To review the existing evidence on the adjuvant use of autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) with iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) in the reconstruction of the secondary alveolar cleft.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched systematically until November 2022. Clinical trials comparing the three‐dimensional radiological outcomes of patients who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) with ICBG and APCs to those with ICBG alone and the radiological outcomes assessed 6 months after surgery were included. Two authors performed the study selection and the assessment of the risk of bias. Meta‐analysis was performed using the random‐effects model to determine the risk ratio (RR) for developing wound dehiscence and the mean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the percentage of newly formed bone.

Results

Nine studies (seven RCT and two CCT) were included with a low to high risk of bias. At the 6‐month follow‐up, the study group revealed insignificant results regarding the percentage of newly formed bone (MD = 6.49; 95% CI: −0.97, 13.94; p = .09; χ2 = 0.01; I2 = 71%). In addition, the overall risk of developing wound dehiscence was lower in the study group (RR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.78; p = .01; χ2 = 0.67; I2 = 0%).

Conclusion

Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support the adjuvant use of APCs with ICBG on enhanced bone regeneration following secondary alveolar bone grafting. However, combining ICBG and APCs might be beneficial in reducing the risk of developing wound dehiscence.
Measuring Nuance in Individual Contraceptive Need: A Case Study from a Cohort in Malawi
Authors: Bornstein Marta , Huber‐Krum Sarah , Gipson Jessica D. , Norris Alison H.
Published: February 2023

Contraceptive counseling protocols tend to focus narrowly on pregnancy intentions, which may overlook other factors that contribute to whether an individual wants or needs contraception. In this report, we demonstrate the potential of two measures of individual contraceptive need that could be assessed as part of contraceptive counseling: (1) a composite score constructed from pregnancy intentions, sexual frequency, and perceived fecundity and (2) a direct measure of contraceptive need (“do you feel it is necessary for you to be using contraception right now?”) We compare the two measures using data from Umoyo wa Thanzi, a cohort study in Central Malawi (N = 906; 2017–2018). More frequent sex, perceptions of being more fecund, and a stronger desire to avoid pregnancy were associated with directly reporting contraceptive need (p < 0.001). Women who directly reported contraceptive need had a higher average composite score than women who directly reported they had no need (mean = 7.4 vs. 6.3; p < 0.01), but nearly all participants had scores indicating some risk of unintended pregnancy. Contraceptive counseling protocols should consider assessing women's direct report of contraceptive need, along with risk factors for unintended pregnancy, such as sexual frequency, perceived fecundity, and desire to avoid pregnancy, to better counsel clients.
The shell measurements that best describe sexual dimorphism in the spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca from Algeria
Authors: Hadj Aissa Benelkadi , Rodríguez-Caro Roberto C. , Amroun Mansour , Graciá Eva
Published: February 2023

Due to phenotypic plasticity and sex-biased selective pressures, intraspecific variation in tortoise morphology is usually assessed by studying sexual dimorphism. However, inferences may differ based on the choice of shell size measurements for analyses. In this work, we identified linear measurements that best describe sexual dimorphism for the spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca whitei. We assessed 34 carapace and plastron measurements in 67 individuals (24 males, 43 females) in a population at the natural Mergueb site located on the central limit of the Algerian steppe. Twenty-two out of 34 measurements significantly showed sexual size dimorphism in ANOVA tests. When analyzing sexual shape dimorphism with ANCOVAs, nine measurements showed no shared allometry with the measurements used as covariates to correct by size. Meanwhile, 17 out of the remaining 23 measurements showed significant differences in shape. PCA analyses similarly described T. graeca’s sexual dimorphism. In general, females tend to be bigger than males, especially in central scutes what is probably linked with clutch sizes commitments. On the other hand, males are larger-sized in anterior and posterior scutes, probably as a result of courtship, male fighting and copulation. Some of the analyzed measurements are revealed as being especially adequate for further studying the geographical variation of sexual dimorphism in Testudo graeca
Electric field–dependent phonon spectrum and heat conduction in ferroelectrics
Authors: Wooten Brandi L. , Iguchi Ryo , Tang Ping , Kang Joon Sang , Uchida Ken-ichi , Bauer Gerrit E. W. , Heremans Joseph P.
Published: February 2023

This article shows experimentally that an external electric field affects the velocity of the longitudinal acoustic phonons (
v
LA
), thermal conductivity (κ), and diffusivity (
D
) in a bulk lead zirconium titanate–based ferroelectric. Phonon conduction dominates κ, and the observations are due to changes in the phonon dispersion, not in the phonon scattering. This gives insight into the nature of the thermal fluctuations in ferroelectrics, namely, phonons labeled ferrons that carry heat and polarization. It also opens the way for phonon-based electrically driven all-solid-state heat switches, an enabling technology for solid-state heat engines. A quantitative theoretical model combining piezoelectric strain and phonon anharmonicity explains the field dependence of
v
LA
, κ, and
D
without any adjustable parameters, thus connecting thermodynamic equilibrium properties with transport properties. The effect is four times larger than previously reported effects, which were ascribed to field-dependent scattering of phonons.
Chaperoning of specific tau structure by immunophilin FKBP12 regulates the neuronal resilience to extracellular stress
Authors: Jiang Lulu , Chakraborty Pijush , Zhang Lushuang , Wong Melissa , Hill Shannon E. , Webber Chelsea Joy , Libera Jenna , Blair Laura J. , Wolozin Benjamin , Zweckstetter Markus
Published: February 2023

Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies are characterized by the pathogenic misfolding and aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Understanding how endogenous chaperones modulate tau misfolding could guide future therapies. Here, we show that the immunophilin FKBP12, the 12-kDa FK506-binding protein (also known as FKBP prolyl isomerase 1A), regulates the neuronal resilience by chaperoning a specific structure in monomeric tau. Using a combination of mouse and cell experiments, in vitro aggregation experiments, nuclear magnetic resonance–based structural analysis of monomeric tau, site-specific phosphorylation and mutation, as well as structure-based analysis using the neural network–based structure prediction program AlphaFold, we define the molecular factors that govern the binding of FKBP12 to tau and its influence on tau-induced neurotoxicity. We further demonstrate that tyrosine phosphorylation of tau blocks the binding of FKBP12 to two highly specific structural motifs in tau. Our data together with previous results demonstrating FKBP12/tau colocalization in neurons and neurofibrillary tangles support a critical role of FKBP12 in regulating tau pathology.
PI5P4Kα supports prostate cancer metabolism and exposes a survival vulnerability during androgen receptor inhibition
Authors: Triscott Joanna , Reist Matthias , Küng Lukas , Moselle Francielle C. , Lehner Marika , Gallon John , Ravi Archna , Arora Gurpreet K. , de Brot Simone , Lundquist Mark , Gallart-Ayala Hector , Ivanisevic Julijana , Piscuoglio Salvatore , Cantley Lewis C. , Emerling Brooke M. , Rubin Mark A.
Published: February 2023

Phosphatidylinositol (PI)regulating enzymes are frequently altered in cancer and have become a focus for drug development. Here, we explore the phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4K), a family of lipid kinases that regulate pools of intracellular PI, and demonstrate that the PI5P4Kα isoform influences androgen receptor (AR) signaling, which supports prostate cancer (PCa) cell survival. The regulation of PI becomes increasingly important in the setting of metabolic stress adaptation of PCa during androgen deprivation (AD), as we show that AD influences PI abundance and enhances intracellular pools of PI-4,5-P
2
. We suggest that this PI5P4Kα-AR relationship is mitigated through mTORC1 dysregulation and show that PI5P4Kα colocalizes to the lysosome, the intracellular site of mTORC1 complex activation. Notably, this relationship becomes prominent in mouse prostate tissue following surgical castration. Finally, multiple PCa cell models demonstrate marked survival vulnerability following stable PI5P4Kα inhibition. These results nominate PI5P4Kα as a target to disrupt PCa metabolic adaptation to castrate resistance.
Late Pleistocene osseous projectile point from the Manis site, Washington—Mastodon hunting in the Pacific Northwest 13,900 years ago
Authors: Waters Michael R. , Newell Zachary A. , Fisher Daniel C. , McDonald H. Gregory , Han Jiwan , Moreno Michael , Robbins Andrew
Published: February 2023

Bone fragments embedded in a rib of a mastodon (
Mammut americanum
) from the Manis site, Washington, were digitally excavated and refit to reconstruct an object that is thin and broad, has smooth, shaped faces that converge to sharp lateral edges, and has a plano-convex cross section. These characteristics are consistent with the object being a human-made projectile point. The 13,900-year-old Manis projectile point is morphologically different from later cylindrical osseous points of the 13,000-year-old Clovis complex. The Manis point, which is made of mastodon bone, shows that people predating Clovis made and used osseous weapons to hunt megafauna in the Pacific Northwest during the Bølling-Allerød.
Passive monitoring by smart toilets for precision health
Authors: Ge T. Jessie , Rahimzadeh Vasiliki Nataly , Mintz Kevin , Park Walter G. , Martinez-Martin Nicole , Liao Joseph C. , Park Seung-min
Published: February 2023

Smart toilets are a key tool for enabling precision health monitoring in the home, but such passive monitoring has ethical considerations.
Cyb5r3-based mechanism and reversal of secondary failure to sulfonylurea in diabetes
Authors: Watanabe Hitoshi , Du Wen , Son Jinsook , Sui Lina , Asahara Shun-ichiro , Kurland Irwin J. , Kuo Taiyi , Kitamoto Takumi , Miyachi Yasutaka , de Cabo Rafael , Accili Domenico
Published: February 2023

Sulfonylureas (SUs) are effective and affordable antidiabetic drugs. However, chronic use leads to secondary failure, limiting their utilization. Here, we identify cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (Cyb5r3) down-regulation as a mechanism of secondary SU failure and successfully reverse it. Chronic exposure to SU lowered Cyb5r3 abundance and reduced islet glucose utilization in mice in vivo and in ex vivo murine islets. Cyb5r3 β cell–specific knockout mice phenocopied SU failure. Cyb5r3 engaged in a glucose-dependent interaction that stabilizes glucokinase (Gck) to maintain glucose utilization. Hence, Gck activators can circumvent Cyb5r3-dependent SU failure. A Cyb5r3 activator rescued secondary SU failure in mice in vivo and restored insulin secretion in ex vivo human islets. We conclude that Cyb5r3 is a key factor in the secondary failure to SU and a potential target for its prevention, which might rehabilitate SU use in diabetes.
Additive efficacy of a bispecific anti–TNF/IL-6 nanobody compound in translational models of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Biesemann Nadine , Margerie Daniel , Asbrand Christian , Rehberg Markus , Savova Virginia , Agueusop Inoncent , Klemmer Daniel , Ding-Pfennigdorff Danping , Schwahn Uwe , Dudek Markus , Heyninck Karen , De Tavernier Evelyn , Cornelis Sigrid , Kohlmann Markus , Nestle Frank O. , Herrmann Matthias
Published: February 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases affecting primarily the joints. Despite successful therapies including antibodies against tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, only 20 to 30% of patients experience remission. We studied whether inhibiting both TNF and IL-6 would result in improved efficacy. Using backtranslation from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from individuals with RA, we hypothesized that TNF and IL-6 act synergistically on fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and T cells. Coculture of FLS from individuals with RA and T cells supported this hypothesis, revealing effects on both disease-driving pathways and biomarkers. Combining anti-TNF and anti–IL-6 antibodies in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse models resulted in sustained long-term remission, improved histology, and effects on bone remodeling pathways. These promising data initiated the development of an anti–TNF/IL-6 bispecific nanobody compound 1, with similar potencies against TNF and IL-6. We observed additive efficacy of compound 1 in a FLS/T cell coculture affecting arthritis and T helper 17 (T
H
17) pathways. This nanobody compound transcript signature inversely overlapped with described RA endotypes, indicating a potential efficacy in a broader patient population. In summary, we showed superiority of a bispecific anti–TNF/IL-6 nanobody compound or combination treatment over monospecific treatments in both in vitro and in vivo models. We anticipate improved efficacy in upcoming clinical studies.
Restoring arm function with a soft robotic wearable for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Proietti Tommaso , O’Neill Ciaran , Gerez Lucas , Cole Tazzy , Mendelowitz Sarah , Nuckols Kristin , Hohimer Cameron , Lin David , Paganoni Sabrina , Walsh Conor
Published: February 2023

Despite promising results in the rehabilitation field, it remains unclear whether upper limb robotic wearables, e.g., for people with physical impairments resulting from neurodegenerative disease, can be made portable and suitable for everyday use. We present a lightweight, fully portable, textile-based, soft inflatable wearable robot for shoulder elevation assistance that provides dynamic active support to the upper limbs. The technology is mechanically transparent when unpowered, can quantitatively assess free movement of the user, and adds only 150 grams of weight to each upper limb. In 10 individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with different degrees of neuromuscular impairment, we demonstrated immediate improvement in the active range of motion and compensation for continuing physical deterioration in two individuals with ALS over 6 months. Along with improvements in movement, we show that this robotic wearable can improve functional activity without any training, restoring performance of basic activities of daily living. In addition, a reduction in shoulder muscle activity and perceived muscular exertion, coupled with increased endurance for holding objects, highlight the potential of this device to mitigate the impact of muscular fatigue for patients with ALS. These results represent a further step toward everyday use of assistive, soft, robotic wearables for the upper limbs.
HSV-1 LAT Promoter Deletion Viruses Exhibit Strain-Specific and LAT-Dependent Epigenetic Regulation of Latent Viral Genomes in Human Neurons
Authors: Grams Tristan R. , Edwards Terri G. , Bloom David C.
Published: February 2023

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes a lifelong infection in neuronal cells. Periodically, the virus reactivates from this latent state and causes recurrent disease.
The Effects of Drug Addiction and Detoxification on the Human Oral Microbiota
Authors: Zhang Jun , Liu Wenli , Shi Linyu , Liu Xu , Wang Mengchun , Li Wanting , Yu Daijing , Wang Yaya , Zhang Jingjing , Yun Keming , Yan Jiangwei
Published: February 2023

Drug addiction has serious negative consequences for human health and public security. The evidence indicates that drug abuse can cause poor oral health.
Glycopeptidolipid Defects Leading to Rough Morphotypes of Mycobacterium abscessus Do Not Confer Clinical Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Hershko Yizhak , Adler Amos , Barkan Daniel , Meir Michal
Published: February 2023

Mycobacterium abscessus
chronically infects patients with preexisting lung diseases, leading to progressive deterioration in pulmonary function. The common perception among clinicians is that the rough phenotype is associated with progressive disease and severe clinical course, manifested as a widespread inflammatory response and resistance to antibacterials.
Supplemental Material: Dolomite cement microstratigraphy: A record of brine evolution and ore precipitation mechanisms, upper Knox Group, Tennessee and Kentucky, USA
Authors: Kyle J. Richard , al. et
Published: February 2023

Sample descriptions and locations; detailed methodology; and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography animation of sample CA167-2483. 
TIPE2deletion improves the therapeutic potential of adoptively transferred NK cells
Authors: Bi Jiacheng , Huang Chen , Jin Xiaomeng , Zheng Chaoyue , Huang Yingying , Zheng Xiaohu , Tian Zhigang , Sun Haoyu
Published: February 2023

Background

To enhance the efficacy of adoptive NK cell therapy against solid tumors, NK cells must be modified to resist exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the molecular checkpoint underlying NK cell exhaustion in the TME remains elusive.

Methods

We analyzed the correlation betweenTIPE2expression and NK cell functional exhaustion in the TME both in humans and mice by single-cell transcriptomic analysis and by using gene reporter mice. We investigated the effects ofTIPE2deletion on adoptively transferred NK cell therapy against cancers by using NK cells from NK-specificTipe2-deficient mice or peripheral blood-derived or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived human NK cells withTIPE2deletion by CRISPR/Cas9. We also investigated the potential synergy of double deletion ofTIPE2and another checkpoint molecule,CISH.

Results

By single-cell transcriptomic analysis and by using gene reporter mice, we found thatTIPE2expression correlated with NK cell exhaustion in the TME both in humans and mice and that theTIPE2highNK cell subset correlated with poorer survival of tumor patients.TIPE2deletion promoted the antitumor activity of adoptively transferred mouse NK cells and adoptively transferred human NK cells, either derived from peripheral blood or differentiated from iPSCs.TIPE2deletion rendered NK cells with elevated capacities for tumor infiltration and effector functions.TIPE2deletion also synergized withCISHdeletion to further improve antitumor activity in vivo.

Conclusions

This study highlighted TIPE2 targeting as a promising approach for enhancing adoptive NK cell therapy against solid tumors.
Changes in physical performance during British Army Junior Entry, British Army Standard Entry and Royal Air Force Basic Training
Authors: Rue C A , D Myers S , L Coakley S , M Ashdown K , J Lee B , J Hale B , G Siddall A , C Needham-Beck S , L Hinde K , I Osofa J , S Walker F , Fieldhouse A , A J Vine C , Doherty J , R Flood T , F Walker E , Wardle S , P Greeves J , D Blacker S
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The purpose was to quantify physical performance in men and women during British Army Junior Entry (Army-JE), British Army Standard Entry (Army-SE) and Royal Air Force (RAF) basic training (BT).

Design

Prospective longitudinal study.

Methods

381 participants ((339 men and 42 women) n=141 Army-JE, n=132 Army-SE, n=108 RAF) completed a 2 km run, medicine ball throw (MBT) and isometric mid-thigh pull (MTP), pre-BT and post-BT. To examine changes in pre-BT to post-BT physical test performance, for each course, paired Student t-test and Wilcoxon test were applied to normally and non-normally distributed data, respectively, with effect sizes reported as Cohen’s D and with rank biserial correlations, respectively. A one-way between-subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA) (or Welch ANOVA for non-normally distributed data) compared performance between quartiles based on test performance pre-BT. Where the main tests statistic, p value and effect sizes identified likely effect of quartile, post hoc comparisons were made using Games-Howell tests with Tukey’s p value. Data are presented as mean±SD, with statistical significance set at p<0.05.

Results

During BT, 2 km run time improved by 13±46 s (−2.1%±8.1%), 30±64 s (−4.8%±12.3%) and 24±27 s (−4.5%±5.1%) for Army-JE, Army-SE and RAF, respectively (all p<0.005). MBT distance increased by 0.27±0.28 m (6.8%±7.0%) for Army-JE (p<0.001) and 0.07±0.46 m (2.3%±10.9%) for Army-SE (p=0.040), but decreased by 0.08±0.27 m (−1.4%±6.0%) for RAF (p=0.002). MTP force increased by 80±281 n (10.8%±27.6%) for Army-JE (p<0.001) and did not change for Army-SE (−36±295 n, −0.7%±20.6%, p=0.144) or RAF (−9±208 n, 1.0±17.0, p=0.603). For all tests and cohorts, participants in the lowest quartile of pre-BT performance scores demonstrated greater improvements, compared with participants in the highest quartile (except Army-JE MBT, ∆% change similar between all quartiles).

Conclusions

Changes in physical performance were observed for the three fitness tests following the different BT courses, and recruits with the lowest strength and aerobic fitness experienced greatest improvements.
Stellate ganglion block catheters for refractory electrical storm: a retrospective cohort and care pathway
Authors: Patel Rishi Ashok , Condrey Jackson M , George Renuka M , Wolf Bethany J , Wilson Sylvia H
Published: February 2023

Background

Electrical storm can be challenging to treat, requiring a multidisciplinary team to coordinate medical management and invasive procedures. As the stellate ganglion provides efferent sympathetic outflow to the myocardium, stellate ganglion blocks (SGB) can be used to combat ventricular arrhythmias that arise from sympathetic overactivity. Data are scarce regarding SGB catheters as a treatment for electrical storm. We reviewed our use of SGB catheters for refractory electrical storm using our pathway collaboratively developed by critical care, cardiology, and regional anesthesia teams.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent an SGB for electrical storm between January 2020 and April 2022 in our cardiovascular intensive care unit. The primary outcome was the sustained cessation of electrical storm for 24 hours.

Results

Upon chart review, 27 patients were identified and 11 met inclusion criteria. Cessation of electrical storm for 24 hours was achieved in 90% (n=10) of patients after left SGB. Similarly, 90% (n=10) had no documented episodes of ventricular arrhythmias requiring intervention within 6 hours after SGB.

Conclusions

SGBs can interrupt or treat electrical storm. SGB catheters allow for prolonged arrhythmia cessation without repeated blocks and decrease the risk of repeat episodes of ventricular arrhythmias.
Budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy versus fluticasone/salmeterol fixed-dose treatment in patients with COPD
Authors: Muiser Susan , Imkamp Kai , Seigers Dianne , Halbersma Nynke J , Vonk Judith M , Luijk Bart H D , Braunstahl Gert-Jan , van den Berg Jan-Willem , Kroesen Bart-Jan , Kocks Janwillem W H , Heijink Irene H , Reddel Helen K , Kerstjens Huib A M , van den Berge Maarten
Published: February 2023

Background

Maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/formoterol effectively reduces exacerbations in asthma. We aimed to investigate its efficacy compared with fixed-dose fluticasone/salmeterol in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

Patients with COPD and ≥1 exacerbation in the previous 2 years were randomly assigned to open-label MART (Spiromax budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5 µg 2 inhalations twice daily+1 prn) or fixed-dose therapy (Diskus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol combination (FSC) 500/50 µg 1 inhalation twice daily+salbutamol 100 µg prn) for 1 year. The primary outcome was rate of moderate/severe exacerbations, defined by treatment with oral prednisolone and/or antibiotics.

Results

In total, 195 patients were randomised (MART Bud/Form n=103; fixed-dose FSC n=92). No significant difference was seen between MART and FSC therapy in exacerbation rates (1.32 vs 1.32 /year, respectively, rate ratio 1.05 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.39); p=0.741). No differences in lung function parameters or health status were observed. Total ICS dose was significantly lower with MART than FSC therapy (budesonide-equivalent 928 µg/day vs 1747 µg/day, respectively, p<0.05). Similar proportions of patients reported adverse events (MART Bud/Form: 73% vs fixed-dose FSC: 68%, p=0.408) and pneumonias (MART: 5% vs FSC: 1%, p=0.216).

Conclusions

This first study of MART in COPD found that budesonide/formoterol MART might be similarly effective to fluticasone/salmeterol fixed-dose therapy in moderate to severe patients with COPD, at a lower daily ICS dosage. Further evidence is needed about long-term safety.
The effects of running gravitational coupling on three dimensional black holes
Authors: Rincón Ángel , Koch Benjamin , Laporte Cristobal , Canales Felipe , Cruz Norman
Published: February 2023

In the present work, we investigate the consequences of running gravitational coupling on the properties of the three-dimensional BTZ black hole. We take as starting point the functional form of gravitational coupling obtained in the context of asymptotic safe gravity theory. By using the standard scale setting relation where $$k\sim \xi /r^n$$

k
∼
ξ
/

r
n

, we compute the solution of the Einstein field equations. We get and analyze the horizon and the thermodynamic properties of this new class of black hole solutions. The impact of the scale-dependent parameter $$\xi $$
ξ
on the cosmological “constant” and metric functions are briefly discussed. We find that the null energy condition is also violated in this setup when scale-dependent gravity and Newton’s coupling (coming from the asymptotic safety scenario of gravity) are simultaneously taken into account.
Exploration of new solitons solutions for the Fitzhugh–Nagumo-type equations with conformable derivatives
Authors: Cevikel Adem C. , Bekir Ahmet , Guner Ozkan
Published: February 2023

The Fitzhugh–Nagumo equation is an important nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation used to model the transmission of nerve impulses. This equation is used in biology as population genetics, the Fitzhugh–Nagumo equation is also frequently used in circuit theory. In this study, we gave solutions to the fractional Fitzhugh–Nagumo (FN) equation, the fractional Newell–Whitehead–Segel (NWS) equation, and the fractional Zeldovich equation. We have obtained exact solutions within time fractional conformable derivative for these equations.
Electrostatic lattice preventing the nonadiabatic transition for cold polar molecules based on a molecular chip
Authors: Li Sheng-Qiang , Zhang Nan-Nan
Published: February 2023

An electrostatic lattice is composed of many micro-scale traps. It is a powerful tool for manipulating cold polar molecules on a chip with the help of the interaction between the dipole moment and the inhomogeneous electric field. To the best of our knowledge, the existing electrostatic lattice still suffers the nonadiabatic transition that will lead to the escape of molecules from the electrostatic trap. In the paper, we skillfully design the electrode structure to avoid the zero-field zone at the center of every single microtrap, and the nonadiabatic transitions can be prevented. First, we numerically calculate the distribution of the spatial electrostatic field. Then, the influences of voltages on the electric field intensity and the height of the trap center are investigated. We simulate of the trajectory of molecules using the Monte Carlo method and figure out the factors impacting the loading efficiency of our electrostatic lattice. At last, we discuss how the voltages and the loading positions affect the positional distribution of trapped molecules.
An Uncertain Vibration Analysis Method for Nonlinear Systems Under Interval Process Excitations
Authors: Yao Z. Y. , Li J. W. , Jiang C. , Yang G.
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes an interval vibration analysis method for nonlinear systems subjected to uncertain excitations, through which its dynamic displacement response bounds can be calculated effectively. In the proposed method, the uncertain excitations are described using the interval process model developed by the authors in recent years. Firstly, the displacement response of a certain degree of freedom for a nonlinear system at an arbitrary time point is expressed as a function of several standard uncorrelated interval variables by using the interval K–L expansion. Secondly, two constrained optimization models are established for the lower and upper bounds of the displacement response of the nonlinear system at the time point. Thirdly, the efficient global optimization (EGO) method is used to solve the above optimization models, and the dynamic displacement response bounds of the nonlinear system can be further obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by investigating two numerical examples.
FlexPointer: Fast Address Translation Based on Range TLB and Tagged Pointers
Authors: Chen Dongwei , Tong Dong , Yang Chun , Yi Jiangfang , Cheng Xu
Published: February 2023

Page-based virtual memory relies on TLBs to accelerate the address translation. Nowadays, the gap between application workloads and the capacity of TLB continues to grow, bringing many costly TLB misses and making the TLB a performance bottleneck. Previous studies seek to narrow the gap by exploiting the contiguity of physical pages. One promising solution is to group pages that are both virtually and physically contiguous into a memory range. Recording range translations can greatly increase the TLB reach, but ranges are also hard to index because they have arbitrary bounds. The processor has to compare against all the boundaries to determine which range an address falls in, which restricts the usage of memory ranges.

In this article, we propose a tagged-pointer-based scheme, FlexPointer, to solve the range indexing problem. The core insight of FlexPointer is that large memory objects are rare, so we can create memory ranges based on such objects and assign each of them a unique ID. With the range ID integrated into pointers, we can index the range TLB with IDs and greatly simplify its structure. Moreover, because the ID is stored in the unused bits of a pointer and is not manipulated by the address generation, we can shift the range lookup to an earlier stage, working in parallel with the address generation. According to our trace-based simulation results, FlexPointer can reduce nearly all the L1 TLB misses, and page walks for a variety of memory-intensive workloads. Compared with a 4K-page baseline system, FlexPointer shows a 14% performance improvement on average and up to 2.8x speedup in the best case. For other workloads, FlexPointer shows no performance degradation.
Reinforced Explainable Knowledge Concept Recommendation in MOOCs
Authors: Jiang Lu , Liu Kunpeng , Wang Yibin , Wang Dongjie , Wang Pengyang , Fu Yanjie , Yin Minghao
Published: February 2023

In this article, we study knowledge concept recommendation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in an explainable manner. Knowledge concepts, composing course units (e.g., videos) in MOOCs, refer to topics and skills that students are expected to master. Compared to traditional course recommendation in MOOCs, knowledge concepts recommendation has drawn more attention because students’ interests over knowledge concepts can better revealstudents’ real intention in a more refined granularity. However, there are three unique challenges in knowledge concept recommendation: (1) How to design an appropriate data structure to capture complex relationships between knowledge concepts, course units, and other participants (e.g., students, teachers)? (2) How to model interactions between students and knowledge concepts? (3) How to make explainable recommendation results to students? To tackle these challenges, we formulate the knowledge concept recommendation as a reinforcement learning task integrated with MOOC knowledge graph (KG). Specifically, we first construct MOOC KG as the environment to capture all the relationships and behavioral histories by considering all the entities (e.g., students, teachers, videos, courses, and knowledge concepts) on the MOOC provider. Then, to model the interactions between students and knowledge concepts, we train an agent to mimic students’ learning behavioral patterns facing the complex environment. Moreover, to provide explainable recommendation results, we generate recommended knowledge concepts in the format of a path from MOOC KG to indicate semantic reasons. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on a real-world MOOC dataset to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method.
Learning Neighbor User Intention on User–Item Interaction Graphs for Better Sequential Recommendation
Authors: Yu Mei , Zhu Kun , Zhao Mankun , Yu Jian , Xu Tianyi , Jin Di , Li Xuewei , Yu Ruiguo
Published: February 2023

The task of sequential recommendation aims to predict a user’s preference by analyzing the user’s historical behaviours. Existing methods model item transitions through leveraging sequential patterns. However, they mainly consider the target user’s behaviours and dynamic characteristics, while often ignoring high-order collaborative connections when modelling user preferences. Some recent works try to use graph-based methods to introduce high-order collaborative signals for sequential recommendation. However, these methods are flawed by two problems: the sequential patterns cannot be effectively mined and their way of introducing high-order collaborative signals is not suitable for sequential recommendation. To address these problems, we propose to fully exploit sequence features and model high-order collaborative signals for sequential recommendation. We propose a
N
eighbor user
I
ntention-based
S
equential
Rec
ommender (NISRec), which utilizes the intentions of high-order connected neighbor users as high-order collaborative signals in order to improve recommendation performance for the target user. The NISRec contains two main modules: the neighbor user intention embedding module (NIE) and the fusion module. The NIE module describes both the long-term and short-term intentions of neighbor users and aggregates them separately. The fusion module uses these two types of aggregated intentions to model high-order collaborative signals in both the embedding process and user preference modelling phase for recommendations of the target user. Experimental results show that our new approach outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on both sparse and dense datasets. Extensive studies further show the effectiveness of the diverse neighbor intentions introduced by the NISRec.
Causal Disentanglement for Implicit Recommendations with Network Information
Authors: Sheth Paras , Guo Ruocheng , Cheng Lu , Liu Huan , Candan Kasim Selçuk
Published: February 2023

Online user engagement is highly influenced by various machine learning models, such as recommender systems. These systems recommend new items to the user based on the user’s historical interactions. Implicit recommender systems reflect a binary setting showing whether a user interacted (e.g., clicked on) with an item or not. However, the observed clicks may be due to various causes such as user’s interest, item’s popularity, and social influence factors. Traditional recommender systems consider these causes under a unified representation, which may lead to the emergence and amplification of various biases in recommendations. However, recent work indicates that by disentangling the unified representations, one can mitigate bias (e.g., popularity bias) in recommender systems and help improve recommendation performance. Yet, prior work in causal disentanglement in recommendations does not consider a crucial factor, that is, social influence. Social theories such as homophily and social influence provide evidence that a user’s decision can be highly influenced by the user’s social relations. Thus, accounting for the social relations while disentangling leads to less biased recommendations. To this end, we identify three separate causes behind an effect (e.g., clicks): (a) user’s interest, (b) item’s popularity, and (c) user’s social influence. Our approach seeks to causally disentangle the user and item latent features to mitigate popularity bias in
implicit
feedback–based social recommender systems. To achieve this goal, we draw from causal inference theories and social network theories and propose a causality-aware disentanglement method that leverages both the user–item interaction network and auxiliary social network information. Experiments on real-world datasets against various state-of-the-art baselines validate the effectiveness of the proposed model for mitigating popularity bias and generating de-biased recommendations.
TME: Tree-guided Multi-task Embedding Learning towards Semantic Venue Annotation
Authors: Xu Ronghui , Chen Meng , Gong Yongshun , Liu Yang , Yu Xiaohui , Nie Liqiang
Published: February 2023

The prevalence of location-based services has generated a deluge of check-ins, enabling the task of human mobility understanding. Among the various types of information associated with the check-in venues, categories (e.g.,
Bar
and
Museum
) are vital to the task, as they often serve as excellent semantic characterization of the venues. Despite its significance and importance, a large portion of venues in the check-in services do not have even a single category label, such as up to 30% of venues in the Foursquare system lacking category labels. We, therefore, address the problem of semantic venue annotation, i.e., labeling the venue with a semantic category. Existing methods either fail to fully exploit the contextual information in the check-in sequences, or do not consider the semantic correlations across related categories. As such, we devise a Tree-guided Multi-task Embedding model (TME for short) to learn effective representations of venues and categories for the semantic annotation. TME jointly learns a common feature space by modeling multi-contexts of check-ins and utilizes the predefined category hierarchy to regularize the relatedness among categories. We evaluate TME over the task of semantic venue annotation on two check-in datasets. Experimental results show the superiority of TME over several state-of-the-art baselines.