bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Randomised controlled trial of the Caring Connections intervention to reduce loneliness and perceived social isolation in persons with spinal cord injuries and disorders: study protocol
Authors: LaVela Sherri L , Motl Robert W , Gonzalez Beverly , Tarlov Elizabeth , Aguina Keith , Bombardier Charles H
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Perceived social isolation and loneliness are understudied in individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). The few existing studies reported that they are common, yet poorly treated, in persons with SCI/D. We developed an intervention called Caring Connections (CC) aimed at reducing loneliness and perceived social isolation in persons with SCI/D. CC is a peer-based, recurrent letter writing programme designed to provide moments of positivity. We will conduct and evaluate a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess changes in loneliness and social isolation outcomes between the CC intervention and control conditions in community-dwelling individuals with SCI/D.

Methods and analysis

RCT to compare outcomes of community-dwelling individuals with SCI/D undergoing the CC intervention to an attention control group (receiving informational materials on life domains important to a good quality of life). Eligible participants include adults with chronic SCI/D who have been injured for>1 year. The primary outcome is loneliness, measured using the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) 3-item Loneliness Scale. Other outcomes include perceived social isolation and social support. A post-trial process evaluation will assess perceived benefits, negative impacts and satisfaction with the intervention, and areas for improvement. We will test the hypotheses of reduced loneliness and perceived social isolation in the CC intervention arm from baseline to 6 months and will also measure the magnitude of effect (difference between CC arm and attention control arm). We will use generalised linear models for repeated measures. We will assume a one-tailed, α=0.05 level of significance for comparisons. Process outcomes will be analysed using mixed methods, including frequencies for the rating items and thematic analysis for open-ended item responses.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has received Hines Veterans Affairs Institutional Review Board approval (#1673654). Findings will be disseminated widely through healthcare organisations, peer-reviewed publications and conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT05295108
Magnesium in chronic haemodialysis (MAGIC-HD): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to determine feasibility and safety of using increased dialysate magnesium concentrations to increase plasma magnesium concentrations in people treated with haemodialysis
Authors: Leenders Nicoline H J , Douma Caroline E. , Hoenderop Joost G.J. , Vervloet Marc G.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

People treated with haemodialysis are at increased risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Plasma magnesium concentration has been inversely associated with these risks. Therefore, plasma magnesium may be a new modifiable risk factor and an increase of dialysate magnesium concentration may be an easy, safe and effective way to increase plasma magnesium concentrations. Detailed information on modulating dialysate magnesium concentrations is limited in literature. Primary objective of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility to increase plasma magnesium concentrations in people treated with haemodialysis by means of sequentially increasing concentration of magnesium in the dialysate.

Methods and analysis

In this randomised double-blinded standard of care controlled trial, 53 persons treated with haemodialysis will be randomly allocated 2:1 to either a stepwise individually titrated increase of dialysate magnesium concentration from 0.50 to 0.75 to 1.00 mmol/L during 8 weeks, or a standard dialysate magnesium concentration of 0.50 mmol/L. Other study measurements include dietary records, questionnaires, ECG, Holter registration and pulse wave velocity. The primary endpoint is predialysis plasma magnesium after the long interdialytic interval at the end of week 8. In addition, the predictive effect of dialysate magnesium concentration and other baseline parameters and dialysis characteristics on plasma magnesium concentration will be explored using linear mixed models. Safety endpoint is defined by the occurrence of hypermagnesemia above 1.25 mmol/L, or bradycardia or prolonged QTc interval detected on the ECG.

Ethics and dissemination

The study is conducted in accordance with the declaration of Helsinki as revised in 2013 and was approved by the Ethical Committee of the VU University Medical Centre. The results of the study will be disseminated by publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presentation at national or international conferences in the field of interest.

Trial registration number

NTR6568/NL6393.
Investigating nanomotion-based technology (Resistell AST) for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing among adult patients admitted to a tertiary-care hospital with Gram-negative bacteraemia: protocol for a prospective, observational, cross-sectional, single-arm study
Authors: Caruana Giorgia , Kritikos Antonios , Vocat Anthony , Luraschi Amanda , Delarze Eric , Sturm Alexander , Pla Verge Marta , Jozwiak Grzegorz , Kushwaha Samidha , Delaloye Julie , Cichocka Danuta , Greub Gilbert
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Effective treatment of bloodstream infections (BSIs) is relying on rapid identification of the causing pathogen and its antibiotic susceptibility. Still, most commercially available antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) methods are based on monitoring bacterial growth, thus impacting the time to results. The Resistell AST is based on a new technology measuring the nanomotion caused by physiologically active bacterial cells and detecting the changes in nanomotion caused by the exposure to a drug.

Methods and analysis

This is a single-centre, prospective, cross-sectional, single-arm diagnostic accuracy study to determine the agreement of the Resistell AST on Gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood cultures among patients admitted to a tertiary-care hospital with the reference method. Up to 300 patients will be recruited. Starting with a pilot phase, enrolling 10%–20% of the subjects and limited toEscherichia coliBSI tested for ceftriaxone susceptibility, the main phase will follow, extending the study toKlebsiella pneumoniaeand ciprofloxacin.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has received ethical approval from the Swiss Ethics Committees (swissethics, project 2020-01622). All the case report forms and clinical samples will be assigned a study code by the local investigators and stored anonymously at the reference centre (Lausanne University Hospital). The results will be broadly distributed through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT05002413).
Nursing care and models of care in relation to older people in long-term care contexts: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Sandberg Karin , Olsson Cecilia , Gjevjon Edith Roth , Borglin Gunilla
Published: November 2022

Introduction

What nurses do and how they do it can influence older people’s experiences of the quality of long-term care. In addition, a clear role definition for nurses supports them in giving patients appropriate basic care. Despite this, there is a lack of a clear role definition regarding policy, work descriptions and expectations. Therefore, the objective of this scoping review is to map the literature on nurses’ role, function and care activities and/or nursing interventions, as well as to identify nursing interventions (as models of nursing care, patient care pathways and/or clinical practice guidelines) in relation to older people in long-term care. Hence, to explore how nurse’s role, function and care activities in relation to older people’s basic care needs are described and understood by key stakeholders (older people, their next of kin, nurses) in long-term care.

Methods and analysis

Arksey and O’Malley’s methodologic framework for scoping studies will be used for this upcoming scoping review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist will be followed. Search strategies will be developed in collaboration with the research team and an experienced librarian. Search strategies will be adjusted for each of the databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Scopus. Data will be charted using a pilot extraction sheet. Quantitative data will be described numerically, and qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis. The key stakeholders will be consulted for validation.

Ethics and dissemination

The upcoming study will follow All European Academies' principles for good research. The findings will be used to inform the design of future studies aiming to develop a nursing intervention targeting older peoples’ basic care needs.
Social determinants of injury-attributed mortality in Papua New Guinea: new data from the Comprehensive Health and Epidemiological Surveillance System
Authors: Pham Bang Nguyen , Maraga Seri , Kue Lydia , Silas Vinson D , Abori Norah , Jorry Ronny , Okely Tony , Pomat William
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study reported the prevalence and sociodemographic distribution of mortalities attributed to injuries in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Setting

As part of a longitudinal study, mortality data were collected from the population who live in eight surveillance sites of the Comprehensive Health and Epidemiological Surveillance System, established in six major provinces in PNG. Verbal autopsy (VA) interviews were conducted by the surveillance team with close relatives of the deceased, using the WHO 2016 VA instrument from January 2018 to December 2020.

Participant and Intervention

Mortality data from 926 VA interviews were analysed, using the InterVA-5 diagnostic tool to assign specific cause of death (COD). Distributions of injury-attributed mortality were calculated and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify sociodemographic factors and provide ORs, 95% CIs of estimates and p values.

Result

Injury-attributed deaths accounted for 13% of the total deaths recorded in the surveillance population, with the highest proportion in Madang (22%), followed by Port Moresby and Central Province (13%). Road traffic accidents were the leading COD, accounting for 43% of the total injury-attributed deaths, followed by assaults (25%) and accidental falls (10%). Young adults (aged 15–24 years) accounted the largest proportion of injury-attributed deaths (34%) and were nearly six times more likely to die from injuries than those aged 75+ years (OR: 5.89 (95% CI: 2.18 to 15.9); p<0.001). Males were twice more likely to die from injuries than females (OR: 2.0 (95% CI: 1.19 to 3.36); p=0.009). Another significant sociodemographic factor associated with the increased injury-attributed mortalities included urban versus rural residence (OR: 2.0 (95% CI: 1.01 to 3.99); p=0.048).

Conclusion

Young adults, particularly those who live in urban areas, were at the highest risk of dying from injuries. Public health policies and interventions are needed to reduce premature mortality from injuries in PNG.
Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Deml Michael J , Githaiga Jennifer Nyawira
Published: November 2022

Objective

To identify, describe and map the research tools used to measure COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, refusal, acceptance and access in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design

Scoping review.

Methods

In March 2022, we searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Health Source Nursing, Africa Wide and APA PsychInfo for peer-reviewed literature in English related to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, refusal, acceptance and access in SSA. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews to guide evidence gathering and as a template to present the evidence retrieval process.

Results

In the studies selected for review (n=72), several measurement tools were used to measure COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, acceptance and refusal. These measurements were willingness and intent to vaccinate from the perspectives of the general population, special population groups such as mothers, students and staff in academic institutions and healthcare workers and uptake as a proxy for measuring assumed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Measurements of access to COVID-19 vaccination were cost and affordability, convenience, distance and time to travel or time waiting for a vaccine and (dis)comfort. Although all studies measured COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, acceptance and refusal, relatively few studies (n=16, 22.2%) included explicit measurements of access to COVID-19 vaccination.

Conclusions

Based on the gaps identified in the scoping review, we propose that future research on determinants of COVID-19 vaccination in SSA should further prioritise the inclusion of access-related variables. We recommend the development and use of standardised research tools that can operationalise, measure and disentangle the complex determinants of vaccine uptake in future studies throughout SSA and other low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings.
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh 2020: a population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Rahman Mahbubur , Khan Samsad Rabbani , Alamgir A S M , Kennedy David S , Hakim Ferdous , Evers Egmond Samir , Afreen Nawroz , Alam Ahmed Nawsher , Islam Md Sahidul , Paul Debashish , Bhuiyan Rijwan , Islam Raisul , Moureen Adneen , Salimuzzaman M , Billah Mallick Masum , Sharif Ahmed Raihan , Akter Mst Khaleda , Sultana Sharmin , Khan Manjur Hossain , von Harbou Kai , Zaman Mohammad Mostafa , Shirin Tahmina , Flora Meerjady Sabrina
Published: November 2022

Objectives

The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, the fraction of asymptomatic infections, and risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infections among the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs).

Design

It was a population-based two-stage cross-sectional study at the level of households.

Setting

The study was conducted in December 2020 among household members of the FDMN population living in the 34 camps of Ukhia and Teknaf Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh.

Participants

Among 860 697 FDMNs residing in 187 517 households, 3446 were recruited for the study. One individual aged 1 year or older was randomly selected from each targeted household.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Blood samples from respondents were tested for total antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 using Wantai ELISA kits, and later positive samples were validated by Kantaro kits.

Results

More than half (55.3%) of the respondents were females, aged 23 median (IQR 14–35) years and more than half (58.4%) had no formal education. Overall, 2090 of 3446 study participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibody. The weighted and test adjusted seroprevalence (95% CI) was 48.3% (45.3% to 51.4%), which did not differ by the sexes. Children (aged 1–17 years) had a significantly lower seroprevalence 38.6% (95% CI 33.8% to 43.4%) compared with adults (58.1%, 95% CI 55.2% to 61.1%). Almost half (45.7%, 95% CI 41.9% to 49.5%) of seropositive individuals reported no relevant symptoms since March 2020. Antibody seroprevalence was higher in those with any comorbidity (57.8%, 95% CI 50.4% to 64.5%) than those without (47.2%, 95% CI 43.9% to 50.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of all subjects identified increasing age and education as risk factors for seropositivity. In children (≤17 years), only age was significantly associated with the infection.

Conclusions

In December 2020, about half of the FDMNs had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, including those who reported no history of symptoms. Periodic serosurveys are necessary to recommend appropriate public health measures to limit transmission.
Biomechanical risk factors for knee osteoarthritis and lower back pain in lower limb amputees: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Wade Logan , McGuigan M Polly , McKay Carly , Bilzon James , Seminati Elena
Published: November 2022

Introduction

There is a limited research exploring biomechanical risk factors for the development of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and lower back pain (LBP) between lower limb amputee subgroups, (eg, transtibial amputees (TTA) vs transfemoral amputees (TFA), or TTA dysvascular vs TTA traumatic). Previous reviews have focused primarily on studies where symptoms of KOA or LBP are present, however, due to limited study numbers, this hinders their scope and ability to compare between amputee subgroups. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to descriptively compare biomechanical risk factors for developing KOA and LBP between lower limb amputee subgroups, irrespective of whether KOA or LBP was present.

Methods and analysis

This review is currently in progress and screening results are presented alongside the protocol to highlight challenges encountered during data extraction. Five electronic databases were searched (Medline—Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and Scopus). Eligible studies were observational or interventional, reporting biomechanical gait outcomes for individual legs in adult lower limb amputees during flat walking, incline/decline walking or stair ascent/descent. Two reviewers screened for eligibility and level of agreement was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa. Data extraction is ongoing. Risk of bias will be assessed using a modified Downs and Black method, and outcome measures will be descriptively synthesised.

Ethics and dissemination

There are no ethical considerations for this systematic review. Due to its scope, results are expected to be published in three separate manuscripts: (1) biomechanical risk factors of KOA between TTA and TFA, relative to non-amputees, (2) biomechanical risk factors of LBP between TTA and TFA, relative to non-amputees and (3) biomechanical risk factors of KOA and LBP between TTA with traumatic or dysvascular causes, relative to non-amputees.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020158247.
Integrating patient values and preferences in healthcare: a systematic review of qualitative evidence
Authors: Tringale Michael , Stephen Genia , Boylan Anne-Marie , Heneghan Carl
Published: November 2022

Objectives

To identify and thematically analyse how healthcare professionals (HCPs) integrate patient values and preferences (‘values integration’) in primary care for adults with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Design

Systematic review and meta-aggregation methods were used for extraction, synthesis and analysis of qualitative evidence.

Data sources

Relevant records were sourced using keywords to search 12 databases (ASSIA, CINAHL, DARE, EMBASE, ERIC, Google Scholar, GreyLit, Ovid-MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed-MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science).

Eligibility criteria

Records needed to be published between 2000 and 2020 and report qualitative methods and findings in English involving HCP participants regarding primary care for adult patients.

Data extraction and synthesis

Relevant data including participant quotations, authors’ observations, interpretations and conclusions were extracted, synthesised and analysed in a phased approach using a modified version of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Data Extraction Tool, as well as EPPI Reviewer and NVivo software. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research was used to assess methodological quality of included records.

Results

Thirty-one records involving >1032 HCP participants and 1823 HCP-patient encounters were reviewed. Findings included 143 approaches to values integration in clinical care, thematically analysed and synthesised into four themes: (1)approaches of concern; (2)approaches of competence; (3)approaches of communicationand (4)approaches of congruence. Confidence in the quality of included records was deemed high.

Conclusions

HCPs incorporate patient values and preferences in healthcare through a variety of approaches including showing concern for the patient as a person, demonstrating competence at managing diseases, communicating with patients as partners and tailoring, adjusting and balancing overall care. Themes in this review provide a novel framework for understanding and addressing values integration in clinical care and provide useful insights for policymakers, educators and practitioners.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020166002.
Transitioning EPMA applications in a large multisite teaching hospital
Authors: Silva Geeth , Hall Graeme , Vogel Aaron , Bourne Tim , Xu Gang
Published: November 2022

Introduction

University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) has co-developed and deployed a novel Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) application as part of the trust electronic patient record (EPR) programme that meets specific clinical demands and interoperability standards of the National Health Service (NHS) despite clinical pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Following an initial limited pilot deployment, a big-bang whole site-based approach allowed transition of 1844 acute adult inpatients beds from an existing standalone EMPA to the new system. This project used a frontline driven and agile management strategy. Clinical risk was managed using a combination of standard risk logs, robust clinical prototyping and robust disaster recovery plans. Early engagement with clinical teams allowed for advanced product configuration before live deployment and reduced the need for sustained transition support for clinical staff.

Results

An iterative, well-governed approach, led by a combination of information technology (IT) and clinical staff with a responsive vendor, enabled a complex new EPMA system in a large acute NHS trust to be deployed with limited resources despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Discussion

The development and deployment of EMPA and EPR systems across NHS trusts is a key enabler for better healthcare delivery. This case study shows it is possible to deploy a new clinical IT system at scale without interruption of clinical services and with a relatively modest deployment team. Sustainability of the project was also ensured through a clear clinically led governance structure to manage risk quickly and carry lessons learnt onto new developments.
Globular glial tauopathy type II
Authors: Cullinane Patrick W , Sidle Katie , Bhatia Kailash P , Revesz Tamas , Warner Thomas T
Published: November 2022

The globular glial tauopathies (GGTs) are a rare group of neurodegenerative diseases with fewer than 90 autopsy-confirmed cases reported in the literature. Although there has been some uncertainty about whether GGT is entirely distinct from progressive supranuclear palsy, a recent study of tau filament structures supports the definition of GGT as a separate neuropathological entity. We present a sporadic case of GGT type II presenting with a progressive corticobasal–primary lateral sclerosis overlap syndrome in a 74-year-old woman. Neuropathological examination identified neuronal and glial tau inclusions, including globular astrocytic and oligodendroglial inclusions. We also discuss the clinical features and molecular pathophysiology of GGT. Increased awareness of this condition could become more important as patients with GGT may be candidates for anti-tau therapies currently undergoing clinical evaluation in patients with other tauopathies.
Dynamics of early stages of nose morphogenesis
Authors: Fleury Vincent
Published: November 2022

The formation of sensory organs is an important developmental and evolutionary question. In the context of regenerative medicine also, it is important to know as accurately as possible how sensory organs form. The formation of ears, eyes or nose stems presumably from tissue thickenings called placodes Graham and Shimeld (J Anat 222(1):32–40, 2013), Horie et al. (Nature 560:228–232, 2018) which become these organs after processes termed inductions. However, the origin of the placodes, the mechanism of induction and the overall face organization are not understood. Recently, it has been suggested that there is a physical principle to face organization. Indeed, it has been shown that there exists a pattern of rings and rays in the early blastula which defines the position of face landmarks, especially the ears and eyes Fleury et al. (Second order division in sectors as a prepattern for sensory organs in vertebrate development, 2021), Fleury and Abourachid (Eu Phys J E 45:31, 2022). Tensions in the sectors defined by the intersections of the said rings and rays create the actual face features. I report here that a similar situation exists for the nose. This explains the robustness of face formation in the chordates phylum. By studying nasal pit formation in the chicken embryo by time-lapse (T-L) video microscopy, I show that the nasal placode originates in a narrow sector deformed by tension forces following the biaxial pattern of rings and rays mentioned above. Cells align in the pattern and exert organized forces. Further contractions of the pattern contribute to inducing the nasal pit. The observation of the early pre-pattern of lines which locks the facial features explains readily a number of facts regarding sensory organs. Especially the existence of a lacrimal canal between the eye and the nose Lefevre and Freitag (Semin Ophthalmo l 27(5–6):175–86, 2012), or of a slit connecting the nose to the mouth, the correlation between nose, mouth and eye morphogenesis Dubourg et al. (J Rare Dis 2(8), 2007), the presence of shallow valleys on the nasal and optic vesicles, the medio-lateral asymmetry of nostrils with often a bent slit Liu et al. (PLoS ONE 12: e0181928, 2017), the uneven number of nostrils in many fish Cox (J R Soc Interf 5(23):575–593, 2008) and possibly the transition between agnatha and gnathostomes Gai and Zhu (Chinese Sci Bull 57(31), 2012): all appear under this light, geometrically straightforward.

Graphical abstract
Hybrid in-beam PET- and Compton prompt-gamma imaging aimed at enhanced proton-range verification
Authors: Balibrea-Correa J. , Lerendegui-Marco J. , Ladarescu I. , Guerrero C. , Rodríguez-González T. , Jiménez-Ramos M. C. , Fernández-Martínez B. , Domingo-Pardo C.
Published: November 2022

We report on a hybrid in-beam PET and prompt-gamma Compton imaging system aimed at quasi real-time ion-range verification in proton-therapy treatments. Proof-of-concept experiments were carried out at the radiobiology beam line of the CNA cyclotron facility using a set of two synchronous Compton imagers and different target materials. The time structure of the 18 MeV proton beam was shaped with a series of beam-on and beam-off intervals, thereby mimicking a pulsed proton beam on a long time scale. During beam-on intervals, Compton imaging was performed utilizing the high energy $$\gamma$$
γ
-rays promptly emitted from the nuclear reactions occurring in the targets. In the course of the beam-off intervals in situ positron-emission tomography was accomplished with the same imagers using the $$\beta ^{+}$$

β
+

decay of activated nuclei. The targets used were stacks of different materials covering also various proton ranges and energies. A systematic study on the performance of these two complementary imaging techniques is reported and the experimental results interpreted on the basis of Monte Carlo calculations. The results demonstrate the possibility to combine both imaging techniques in a concomitant way, where high-efficiency prompt-gamma imaging is complemented with the high spatial accuracy of PET. Empowered by these results we suggest that a pulsed beam with a suitable duty cycle, in conjunction with in situ Compton- and PET-imaging may help to attain complementary information and quasi real-time range monitoring with high accuracy.
Forms and factors of deterioration of urban art murals under humid temperate climate; influence of environment and material properties
Authors: Rivas Teresa , Alonso-Villar Enrique M. , Pozo-Antonio José S.
Published: November 2022

This study describes the different alteration forms in 25 street art murals created between 2007 and 2018 on different substrates and located in different cities in NW Spain. The deterioration forms described affect the entire layer of the paintings as well as the substrates, with the most common being loss of colour (fading), loss of the pictorial layer -with or without loss of part of the substrate and biodeterioration. Physical, chemical, mineralogical and micromorphological analyses of samples from 10 murals revealed that (1) the deterioration mechanisms are related to environmental conditions and also to the inherent properties of the painting materials and to paint-substrate interaction, (2) the deterioration is closely associated with inherent aspects of urban art and (3) the loss of the pictorial record sometimes occurs in a very short period of time. The study findings highlight the need for preventive conservation measures in artworks (generally commissioned) that are intended to last.

Graphical Abstract
First-principles study of He retention and clustering in Al-Ga alloy
Authors: Wei Liuming , Li Jingyu , Li Yonggang , Ye Xiaoqiu , Niu Caoping , Zheng Qirong , Cheng Fan , Zhang Chuanguo , Zeng Zhi
Published: November 2022

Understanding the effect of alloying elements on the retention and clustering behavior of Helium (He) in Aluminum (Al) is a great help to study the radiation damage process of Al-based nuclear structure materials under He irradiation. Based on the first-principles calculations, we investigated the influence of Gallium (Ga) dopant on the formation of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] clusters in Al and Al-0.9[Formula: see text]at% Ga (Al-Ga) alloy. We found that Ga dopant could influence the formation and growth of He clusters. In addition, the presence of Ga reduces the binding energy of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] clusters, resulting in He dissociation from the clusters more easily. Moreover, Ga could serve as a trapping center by reducing the charge density in its vicinity to induce He nucleation in Al-Ga alloy compared to that in pure Al. Furthermore, the binding energy of He to vacancy around Ga is weaker than that around Al, suggesting that Ga will decrease the trapping capability of vacancy to He. We thus propose that Ga plays a key role in He clustering behavior. Our results are significant to understand the effect of dopant on He bubbling behavior and the distribution of damages in Al-Ga alloy under He irradiation.
All optical comparator using tera hertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD)
Authors: Maji Kajal , Mukherjee Kousik , Mandal Mrinal Kanti
Published: November 2022

TOAD or Tera Hertz Optical Asymmetric Demultiplexer is an optical switch. Using this switch, we have invented an optical comparator. This optical comparator circuit is very simple in structure with a higher speed (200 Gbps) and finds useful application in optical computation and communication network system. We have simulated all three outputs in detail and shown the eye diagram of all three outputs of the optical comparator. We found high values of extinction ratio (ER), contrast ratio (CR), and quality factor (Q value) for the three outputs of the comparator.
The preimage distributions of a class of zero-difference balanced functions and their partitioned difference families
Authors: Xu Shanding
Published: November 2022

By further exploring some ideas in Ding and Yin, the results on preimage distributions of a class of zero-difference balanced functions are extended and the parameters of a class of partitioned difference families are determined by means of self-conjugate Gauss sums over finite fields.
Unimodular rows over affine algebras over algebraic closure of a finite field
Authors: Sharma Sampat
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we prove that if [Formula: see text] is an affine algebra of dimension [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] then any unimodular row over [Formula: see text] of length [Formula: see text] can be mapped to a factorial row by elementary transformations.
A Wide Scale Survey on Weather Prediction Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Kumari Shabnam , Muthulakshmi P.
Published: November 2022

Several losses had been witnessed due to many natural calamities like earth quakes, storms, cyclones, etc. These natural calamities have direct or indirect effects on the lives of billions of people across the world. The prediction of environmental impact due to the changes in weather had been a critically challenging task. In countries like India, where agriculture is the livelihood of many people (49.5%) and rainfall is very essential for the cultivation of crops, rainfall is very much needed to all forms of lives. Extreme rainfall has its effects on the economy of any country. Heavy loss of lives and properties had been encountered due to havoc of flood in varying degrees. In this research work, the rainfall forecasting is highly focussed and it discusses on several models of weather prediction. Note that in the previous decades, many researchers have made some serious attempts to reach out with forecasting systems for weather prediction (which include statistical and analytical models for rainfall prediction) but maximum models proposed by the researchers are found to be unfit in terms of less accuracy, when these proposed prediction models are applied on a large scale. The research work presents the reviews of works that are proposed by many pioneers, who had taken lots of efforts arrive at a good prediction system. In this work, it is also found that that there had been a big gap between the prediction reports/weather news and the actually happening. This paper considers most of the features belonging to the models found from scientific articles published across the globe to find the factors that are widening the gap between the forecast data and the actual phenomenon.
Dust and loess as archives and agents of climate and climate change in the late Paleozoic Earth system
Authors: Soreghan Gerilyn S. , Heavens Nicholas G. , Pfeifer Lily S. , Soreghan Michael J.
Published: November 2022

Palaeo-loess and silty aeolian-marine strata are well recognized across the Carboniferous–Permian of equatorial Pangaea. Aeolian-transported dust and loess appear in the Late Devonian in the west, are common by the Late Carboniferous, and predominate across equatorial Pangaea by the Permian. The thickest loess deposits in Earth history – in excess of 1000 m – date from this time, and archive unusually dusty equatorial conditions, especially compared to the dearth of equatorial dust in the Cenozoic. Loess archives a confluence of silt generation, aeolian emission and transport, and ultimate accumulation in dust traps that included ephemerally wet surfaces and epeiric seas. Orogenic belts sourced the silt, and mountain glaciation may have exacerbated voluminous silt production, but remains controversial. In western Pangaea, large rivers transported silt westward, and floodplain deflation supplied silt for loess and dust. Expansion of dust deposition in Late Pennsylvanian time records aridification that progressed across Pangaea, from west to east. Contemporaneous volcanism may have created acidic atmospheric conditions to enhance nutrient reactivity of dusts, affecting Earth's carbon cycle. The late Paleozoic was Earth's largest and most long-lived dust bowl, and this dust represents both an archive and agent of climate and climate change.
Improving Storage Systems Using Machine Learning
Authors: Akgun Ibrahim Umit , Aydin Ali Selman , Burford Andrew , McNeill Michael , Arkhangelskiy Michael , Zadok Erez
Published: November 2022

Operating systems include many heuristic algorithms designed to improve overall storage performance and throughput. Because such heuristics cannot work well for all conditions and workloads, system designers resorted to exposing numerous tunable parameters to users—thus burdening users with continually optimizing their own storage systems and applications. Storage systems are usually responsible for most latency in I/O-heavy applications, so even a small latency improvement can be significant. Machine learning (ML) techniques promise to learn patterns, generalize from them, and enable optimal solutions that adapt to changing workloads. We propose that ML solutions become a first-class component in OSs and replace manual heuristics to optimize storage systems dynamically. In this article, we describe our proposed ML architecture, called KML. We developed a prototype KML architecture and applied it to two case studies: optimizing readahead and NFS read-size values. Our experiments show that KML consumes less than 4 KB of dynamic kernel memory, has a CPU overhead smaller than 0.2%, and yet can learn patterns and improve I/O throughput by as much as 2.3× and 15× for two case studies—even for complex, never-seen-before, concurrently running mixed workloads on different storage devices.
Integrating Robot Manufacturer Perspectives into Legible Factory Robot Light Communications
Authors: Bacula Alexandra , Mercer Jason , Berger Jaden , Adams Julie , Knight Heather
Published: November 2022

In a world with increasing numbers of robots operating in everyday human spaces, the employees at this robotics company are pioneers, with intelligent point-to-point path planning and autonomous transport operations in 150+ factory and warehouse locations in North America. At the time of research, this robotics company consisted of  250 employees. Unlike other industry models, their robots are designed to operate with people in mixed human-machine spaces, yet no HRI style evaluations had previously been run with their robots. As early observers of how factory workers and transport robot interact, across varied job roles ranging from technology design to customer relations, this work sought to leverage employee knowledge and experiences to identify opportunities for improving the communication capabilities of the robots, resulting in the addition of several robot state communications to their initial software set leveraging both employee- and social robotics literature- sourced ideas for communicating with lights. To achieve this a social robotics researcher spent a summer onsite at the robotics company, getting to know their software stack and culture. Her research activities included: (1) a company-wide survey relative to the robot’s light, sound, and motion communications was sent out and analyzed, (2) the development of three new light sets (car-like, sweeping, heartbeat) and five overall states (blocked, at goal, turning, idle), and (3) a user study evaluating the developed light sets relative to the current robot default light patterns, all significantly improving the overall legibility of the targeted robot state communications: at goal, blocked, turning, and idle. Our initial findings advance knowledge in which style of light patterns is best for different communication states, showing that eye-catching lights are best for high urgency states, such as blocked, and subtle lights are best for low urgency states, such as idle. Finally, the latest software release for this robot has deployed a subset of these light patterns to all of their currently operating client sites, i.e., anyone who updates their robots to the latest release will benefit from these research results. This deployment sets the ground for future researchers exploring how end-users at different sites have responded to the new, more communicative light patterns.
Modeling Adaptive Expression of Robot Learning Engagement and Exploring Its Effects on Human Teachers
Authors: Ma Shuai , Sun Mingfei , Ma Xiaojuan
Published: November 2022

Robot Learning from Demonstration (RLfD) allows non-expert users to teach a robot new skills or tasks directly through demonstrations. Although modeled after human–human learning and teaching, existing RLfD methods make robots act as passive observers without the feedback of their learning statuses in the demonstration gathering stage. To facilitate a more transparent teaching process, we propose two mechanisms of
Learning Engagement
, Z2O-Mode and D2O-Mode, to dynamically adapt robots’ attentional and behavioral engagement expressions to their actual learning status. Through an online user experiment with 48 participants, we find that, compared with two baselines, the two kinds of
Learning Engagement
can lead to users’ more accurate mental models of the robot’s learning progress, more positive perceptions of the robot, and better teaching experience. Finally, we provide implications for leveraging engagement expression to facilitate transparent human-AI (robot) communication based on our key findings.
On the Discoverability of npm Vulnerabilities in Node.js Projects
Authors: Alfadel Mahmoud , Costa Diego Elias , Shihab Emad , Adams Bram
Published: November 2022

The reliance on vulnerable dependencies is a major threat to software systems. Dependency vulnerabilities are common and remain undisclosed for years. However, once the vulnerability is discovered and publicly known to the community, the risk of exploitation reaches its peak, and developers have to work fast to remediate the problem. While there has been a lot of research to characterize vulnerabilities in software ecosystems, none have explored the problem taking the discoverability into account.

Therefore, we perform a large-scale empirical study examining 6,546 Node.js applications. We define three discoverability levels based on vulnerabilities lifecycle (undisclosed, reported, and public). We find that although the majority of the affected applications (99.42%) depend on undisclosed vulnerable packages, 206 (4.63%) applications were exposed to dependencies with public vulnerabilities. The major culprit for the applications being affected by public vulnerabilities is the lack of dependency updates; in 90.8% of the cases, a fix is available but not patched by application maintainers. Moreover, we find that applications remain affected by public vulnerabilities for a long time (103 days). Finally, we devise DepReveal, a tool that supports our discoverability analysis approach, to help developers better understand vulnerabilities in their application dependencies and plan their project maintenance.
An Optimized Framework for Matrix Factorization on the New Sunway Many-core Platform
Authors: Ma Wenjing , Liu Fangfang , Chen Daokun , Lu Qinglin , Hu Yi , Wang Hongsen , Yuan Xinhui
Published: November 2022

Matrix factorization functions are used in many areas and often play an important role in the overall performance of the applications. In the LAPACK library, matrix factorization functions are implemented with blocked factorization algorithm, shifting most of the workload to the high-performance Level-3 BLAS functions. But the non-blocked part, the panel factorization, becomes the performance bottleneck, especially for small- and medium-size matrices that are the common cases in many real applications. On the new Sunway many-core platform, the performance bottleneck of panel factorization can be alleviated by keeping the panel in the LDM for the panel factorization. Therefore, we propose a new framework for implementing matrix factorization functions on the new Sunway many-core platform, facilitating the in-LDM panel factorization. The framework provides a template class with wrapper functions, which integrates inter-CPE communication for the Level-1 and Level-2 BLAS functions with flexible interfaces and can accommodate different partitioning schemes. With the framework, writing panel factorization code with data residing in the LDM space can be done with much higher productivity. We implemented three functions (
dgetrf
,
dgeqrf
, and
dpotrf
) based on the framework and compared our work with a
CPE_BLAS
version, which uses the original LAPACK implementation linked with optimized BLAS library that runs on the CPE mesh. Using the most favorable partitioning, the panel factorization part achieves speedup of up to 26.3, 19.1, and 18.2 for the three matrix factorization functions. For the whole function, our implementation is based on a carefully tuned recursion framework, and we added specific optimization to some subroutines used in the factorization functions. Overall, we obtained average speedup of 9.76 on
dgetrf
, 10.12 on
dgeqrf
, and 4.16 on
dpotrf
, compared to the
CPE_BLAS
version. Based on the current template class, our work can be extended to support more categories of linear algebra functions.
Avoiding the Abject and Seeking the Script: Perceived Mind, Morality, and Trust in a Persuasive Social Robot
Authors: Banks Jaime , Koban Kevin , Haggadone Brad
Published: November 2022

Social robots are being groomed for human influence, including the implicit and explicit persuasion of humans. Humanlike characteristics are understood to enhance robots’ persuasive impact; however, little is known of how perceptions of two key human capacities—mind and morality—function in robots’ persuasive potential. This experiment tests the possibility that perceived robot mind and morality will correspond with greater persuasive impact, moderated by relational trustworthiness for a moral appeal and by capacity trustworthiness for a logical appeal. Via an online survey, a humanoid robot asks participants to help it learn to overcome CAPTCHA puzzles to access important online spaces—either on grounds that it is logical or moral to do so. Based on three performance indicators and one self-report indicator of compliance, analysis indicates that (a) seeing the robot as able to perceive and act on the world selectively improves compliance, and (b) perceiving agentic capacity diminishes compliance, though capacity trustworthiness can moderate that reduction. For logical appeals, social-moral mental capacities promote compliance, moderated by capacity trustworthiness. Findings suggest that, in this compliance scenario, the accessibility of schemas and scripts for engaging robots as social-moral actors may be central to whether/how perceived mind, morality, and trust function in machine persuasion.
Valvular Heart Disease: New Concepts in Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Approaches
Authors: Eleid Mackram F. , Nkomo Vuyisile T. , Pislaru Sorin V. , Gersh Bernard J.
Published: November 2022

This review discusses recent advancements in the field of valvular heart disease. Topics covered include recognition of the impact of atrial fibrillation on development and assessment of valvular disease, strategies for global prevention of rheumatic heart disease, understanding and management of secondary mitral regurgitation, the updated classification of bicuspid aortic valve disease, recognition of heightened cardiovascular risk associated with moderate aortic stenosis, and a growing armamentarium of transcatheter therapies.
Understanding Decent Work and Meaningful Work
Authors: Blustein David L. , Lysova Evgenia I. , Duffy Ryan D.
Published: November 2022

Emerging from distinct perspectives, decent work and meaningful work are fundamental aspects of contemporary work with profound implications for individuals, organizations, and society. Decent work reflects basic workplace conditions to which all employees are entitled, whereas meaningful work is aspirational, reflecting significance at work. Following a conceptual and empirical review of scholarship on decent work and meaningful work, we draw from psychology of working theory to connect the two constructs. We argue that need satisfaction serves as the primary connector, and societal context, organizational conditions, and individual practices (in order of effectiveness) promote access to each type of work. We suggest future research directions broadening the available scholarship and methods used, promoting a focus on the complex intersection of macrolevel and psychological factors as well as interdisciplinary approaches in determining the quality of work, and engaging in intervention research to improve the way in which people live and work together.