bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of herbicides and mulch on the soil carbon, nitrogen, and microbial composition of two revegetated riparian zones over 3 years
Authors: Omidvar Negar , Ogbourne Steven M. , Xu Zhihong , Burton Joanne , Ford Rebecca , Salehin Babak , Tahmasbian Iman , Michael Ruby , Wilson Rachele , Bai Shahla Hosseini
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Revegetation of riparian zones is important to improve their soil nitrogen (N) dynamics and to preserve their microbial compositions. However, the success of revegetation projects currently depends on weed control to reduce non-target vegetation competing over nutrients and to ensure the target plant species growth and survival. Different weed control methods affect soil microbial composition and N cycling. However, the long-term effects of herbicides on soil nitrogen (N) pools and microbial community composition remain uncertain even after cessation of the herbicide application.

Materials and methods

This study compared the impacts of different herbicides (Roundup®, BioWeed™, Slasher®, and acetic acid) with mulch on soil N dynamics and microbial community structure 3 years after vegetation establishment (herbicides applied repeatedly in the first 2 years after which no herbicides were applied in the third final year).

Results and discussion

Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was significantly higher in mulch compared with Roundup®, BioWeed™, Slasher®, and acetic acid at month 26 at the Kandanga site and month 10 at the Pinbarren site. Soil MBC remained significantly higher in mulch compared with Roundup® and BioWeed™, 12 months after the cessation of herbicide application at the Pinbarren site. Soil MBC in the Roundup® and BioWeed™ groups was also lower than the acceptable threshold (160 mg kg−1) at month 34 at the Pinbarren site. Soil NO3−-N was significantly higher in the mulch than the Roundup® at months 22 and 34 after revegetation at the Pinbarren site which could be partly explained by the decreased abundance of the denitrifying bacteria (Candidatus solibacter and C. koribacter). Additionally, both soil bacterial and fungal communities at the Pinbarren site and only fungal community at the Kandanga site were different in the mulch group compared with all other herbicides. The differences persisted 12 months after the cessation of herbicide application at the Pinbarren site.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that the application of mulch to assist with riparian revegetation would be beneficial for soil microbial functionality. The use of herbicides may have long-lasting effects on soil microbial biomass and diversity and therefore herbicides should be used with caution as part of an integrated land management plan.
DisguisOR: holistic face anonymization for the operating room
Authors: Bastian Lennart , Wang Tony Danjun , Czempiel Tobias , Busam Benjamin , Navab Nassir
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Recent advances in Surgical Data Science (SDS) have contributed to an increase in video recordings from hospital environments. While methods such as surgical workflow recognition show potential in increasing the quality of patient care, the quantity of video data has surpassed the scale at which images can be manually anonymized. Existing automated 2D anonymization methods under-perform in Operating Rooms (OR), due to occlusions and obstructions. We propose to anonymize multi-view OR recordings using 3D data from multiple camera streams.

Methods

RGB and depth images from multiple cameras are fused into a 3D point cloud representation of the scene. We then detect each individual’s face in 3D by regressing a parametric human mesh model onto detected 3D human keypoints and aligning the face mesh with the fused 3D point cloud. The mesh model is rendered into every acquired camera view, replacing each individual’s face.

Results

Our method shows promise in locating faces at a higher rate than existing approaches. DisguisOR produces geometrically consistent anonymizations for each camera view, enabling more realistic anonymization that is less detrimental to downstream tasks.

Conclusion

Frequent obstructions and crowding in operating rooms leaves significant room for improvement for off-the-shelf anonymization methods. DisguisOR addresses privacy on a scene level and has the potential to facilitate further research in SDS.
Investigating the Relationship Between Body Shape and Life History Traits in Toothed Whales: Can Body Shape Predict Fast-Slow Life Histories?
Authors: Ferguson Steven H. , Higdon Jeff W. , Schmidt Chloe , Pomerleau Corinne , Matthews Cory J. D.
Published: May 2023

A widespread pattern in vertebrate life-history evolution is for species to evolve towards either fast or slow life histories; however, the underlying causes of this pattern remain unclear. Toothed whales (Odontoceti) are a diverse group with a range of body sizes and life histories, making them an ideal model to investigate potential drivers of this dichotomy. Using ancestral reconstruction, we identified that certain groups of odontocetes evolved more-streamlined, presumably faster, body shapes around the same time that killer whales (Orcinus orca) evolved into whale predators approximately 1 Mya during the Pleistocene. This suggests that the evolution of a streamlined body shape may have been an adaptation to escape killer whale predation, leading to longer life-history events. To test this hypothesis, we performed a cluster analysis of odontocete whales and confirmed the dual pattern of life-history traits, with one group referred to as ‘reproducers’ characterized by early age of maturity, short gestation, short interbirth interval, and short lifespan, and the other group referred to as ‘bet-hedgers’ exhibiting the opposite pattern. However, we found that life history grouping was relatively unrelated to whale shape (i.e., more streamlined or less streamlined). Therefore, we incorporated principal component results into mixed effects models, and the model results indicated that body shape was positively related to neonate length (a measure of investment in progeny), but not significantly related to the temporal life-history traits. Thus, whale body shape is not a sufficient explanation for the evolution of fast-slow life histories in odontocete whales.
Circulating anti-hypothalamus antibodies in celiac patients: tissue transglutaminase friend or foe?
Authors: Iervasi Erika , Strangio Antonella , Greco Luigi , Auricchio Renata , Saverino Daniele
Published: May 2023

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease with inflammatory characteristics, having a condition of chronic malabsorption, affecting approximately 1% of the population at any age. In recent years, a concrete correlation between eating disorders and CD has emerged. Hypothalamus plays a central role in determining eating behaviour, regulating appetite and, consequently, food intake. One hundred and ten sera from celiac patients (40 active and 70 following a gluten-free diet) were tested for the presence of autoantibodies against primate hypothalamic periventricular neurons by immunofluorescence and by a home-made ELISA assay. In addition, ghrelin was measured by ELISA. As control, 45 blood serums from healthy age matched were analysed. Among active CD, all patients resulted positive for anti-hypothalamus autoantibodies and sera showed significantly higher levels of ghrelin. All of the free-gluten CD were negative for anti-hypothalamus autoantibodies and had low levels of ghrelin, as well as healthy controls. Of interest, anti-hypothalamic autoantibodies directly correlate with anti-tTG amounts and with mucosal damage. In addition, competition assays with recombinant tTG showed a drastically reduction of anti-hypothalamic serum reactivity. Finally, ghrelin levels are increased in CD patients and correlated with anti-tTG autoantibodies and anti-hypothalamus autoantibodies. This study demonstrates for the first time the presence of anti-hypothalamus antibodies and their correlation with the severity of the CD. It also allows us to hypothesize the role of tTG as a putative autoantigen expressed by hypothalamic neurons.
Sink Strength During Sugarcane Culm Growth: Size Matters
Authors: Botha Frederik C. , Scalia Gerard , Marquardt Annelie , Wathen-Dunn Kate
Published: May 2023

Sugarcane growth and its subsequent yield are linked to plant height. The increase in sugarcane height is controlled by elongation of the top 6 to 7 internodes. The elongation of the internodes can be significantly reduced by an application of the Trinexapac-ethyl (Moddus®) which is a known disruptor of GA synthesis. In this study, the growth and composition of the internodes were analysed following the treatment. We found that the strong inhibitory effect of Moddus® on internode size was due to a strongly suppressed rate of internode elongation, with no effect on the duration of the elongation period. The Moddus® inhibition of internode elongation was not due to a lack of an osmotic potential gradient but probably reflects a higher pressure potential of the tissue. A consequence of the reduced internode size was a significant reduction in carbon flow (sink strength) of the internode. It was not only the rate of internode growth that was altered by Moddus®, but also partitioning within the internode. Partitioning of carbon into components other than the soluble sugars and cell wall was significantly reduced by the Moddus® treatment. The high reducing sugar content in the Moddus® treatment suggests that sucrose mobilisation (hydrolysis by invertases and cleavage by sucrose synthase) might, like the duration of elongation, be controlled by thermal time. No accumulation of reducing sugars was evident in the control internodes probably due to the rapid mobilisation to other cellular processes. Sucrose accumulation in the internode reflected a cessation of sugar utilisation to support growth and maintenance.
Poincaré–Reeb graphs of real algebraic domains
Authors: Bodin Arnaud , Popescu-Pampu Patrick , Sorea Miruna-Ştefana
Published: May 2023

An algebraic domain is a closed topological subsurface of a real affine plane whose boundary consists of disjoint smooth connected components of real algebraic plane curves. We study the geometric shape of an algebraic domain by collapsing all vertical segments contained in it: this yields a Poincaré–Reeb graph, which is naturally transversal to the foliation by vertical lines. We show that any transversal graph whose vertices have only valencies 1 and 3 and are situated on distinct vertical lines can be realized as a Poincaré–Reeb graph.
Accelerated optimization of CO2-miscible water-alternating-gas injection in carbonate reservoirs using production data-based parameterization
Authors: dos Santos Daniel Rodrigues , Fioravanti André Ricardo , Botechia Vinicius Eduardo , Schiozer Denis José
Published: May 2023

Enhancing oil recovery in reservoirs with light oil and high gas content relies on optimizing the miscible water alternating gas (WAG) injection profile. However, this can be costly and time-consuming due to computationally demanding compositional simulation models and numerous other well control variables. This study introduces WAGeq, a novel approach that expedites the convergence of the optimization algorithm for miscible water alternating gas (WAG) injection in carbonate reservoirs. The WAGeq leverages production data to create flexible solutions that maximize the net present value (NPV) of the field, while providing practical implementation of individual WAG profiles for each injector. The WAGeq utilizes an injection priority index to rank the wells and determine which should inject water or gas at each time interval. The index is built using a parametric equation that considers factors such as producer and injector relationship, water cut (WCUT), gas–oil ratio (GOR), and wells cumulative gas production, to induce desirable effects on production and WAG profile. To evaluate WAGeq’s effectiveness, two other approaches were compared: a benchmark solution named WAGbm, in which the injected fluid is optimized for each well over time, and a traditional baseline strategy with fixed 6-month WAG cycles. The procedures were applied to a synthetic simulation case (SEC1_2022) with characteristics of a Brazilian pre-salt carbonate field with karstic formations and high CO2 content. The WAGeq outperformed the baseline procedure, improving the NPV by 6.7% or 511 USD million. Moreover, WAGeq required fewer simulations (less than 350) than WAGbm (up to 2000), while delivering a slightly higher NPV. The terms of the equation were also found to be essential for producing a WAG profile with regular patterns on each injector, resulting in a more practical solution. In conclusion, WAGeq significantly reduces computational requirements while creating consistent patterns across injectors, which are crucial factors to consider when planning a practical WAG strategy.
Static and dynamic evaluation of formation damage due to barium sulfate scale during water injection in carbonate reservoirs
Authors: Valadbeygian Vahid , Hajipour Mastaneh , Behnood Mohammad
Published: May 2023

One of the major challenges during water injection into oil reservoirs is mineral scales formation. Barium sulfate is one of the hardest inorganic scales in oil fields and insoluble in chemical solvents. Therefore, in this study, the formation conditions of barium sulfate scale were investigated. The experiments were performed in two parts including static and dynamic compatibility tests and the impact of brines volume ratio, temperature, pH, and salinity of injection water were explored. In addition, the scale formation tendency was simulated and the results were compared with the measured data. The results of static experiments indicated that the maximum amount of barium sulfate scale equals 63 mg/l forms at 90% formation water. Comparing the results of static and dynamic compatibility tests revealed that the increase of pH value increases barium sulfate scale in dynamic tests while having no effect in static experiments. This finding confirms that a different scale formation mechanism prevails in the presence of reservoir rock. The experimental results also approve that the amount of barium sulfate scale decreases by reducing the salinity of injection water, so that by diluting injection water 5 times, the maximum amount of scale decreased 21% and 44% at ambient and reservoir temperatures, respectively. The findings of this study help for better determination of water properties to increase the efficiency of water injection operations, enhance oil production and simultaneously diminish formation damage. Concurrent assessment of static and dynamic tests leads to determining the dominant mechanisms of scale formation in the presence of reservoir rock which helps to select the appropriate remediation methods.
Analysis and modelling of thrust force in drilling of basalt and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP and CFRP) composites
Authors: Magyar Gergely , Geier Norbert
Published: May 2023

Currently, the use of sustainable products and technologies is growing; consequently, mineral-origin basalt fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) composites are becoming more popular in industries. Although BFRP parts require mechanical drilling operations for manufacturing holes for assembly, many challenges make the drilling process difficult. Considering that the cutting force is one of the main parameters characterising the drilling process, this study aims to analyse the influence of feed (mm/rev) and cutting speed (m/min) on the thrust force and model the thrust force in the drilling of BFRP composites through response surface methodology (RSM) and advanced statistical modelling methods. In order to determine main and interaction effects and to calculate the regression coefficients and model parameters, mechanical drilling experiments were performed, and the thrust force was recorded. The raw force data were processed using fast Fourier transformation-based low-pass filtering, and then the calculated thrust force parameters were evaluated relative to various feeds and cutting speeds. In addition, results were compared with those of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites. The results of the validation experiments show that both RSM and advanced statistical models accurately predict the thrust force in BFRPs of 96.74% and 95.01%, respectively. However, the advanced statistical model can describe not only the maximum values of the force but also its characteristics at a coefficient of determination of 0.68.
BuB: a builder-booster model for link prediction on knowledge graphs
Authors: Soltanshahi Mohammad Ali , Teimourpour Babak , Zare Hadi
Published: May 2023

Link prediction (LP) has many applications in various fields. Much research has been carried out on the LP field, and one of the most critical problems in LP models is handling one-to-many and many-to-many relationships. To the best of our knowledge, there is no research on discriminative fine-tuning (DFT). DFT means having different learning rates for every parts of the model. We introduce the BuB model, which has two parts: relationship Builder and Relationship Booster. Relationship Builder is responsible for building the relationship, and Relationship Booster is responsible for strengthening the relationship. By writing the ranking function in polar coordinates and using the nth root, our proposed method provides solutions for handling one-to-many and many-to-many relationships and increases the optimal solutions space. We try to increase the importance of the Builder part by controlling the learning rate using the DFT concept. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods on benchmark datasets.
Investigation of mechanical properties of granular γ-alumina using experimental nano indentation and nano scratch tests
Authors: Jahanshahi Mojtaba , Mofidian Roozbeh , Hosseini Seyed Sharafodin , Miansari Mehdi
Published: May 2023

The mechanical properties of ceramic granular γ-alumina, including resistance and stability, are examined using Nano indentation and Nano scratch tests. In so doing, surface morphology, kind of material used, topography, and roughness of the surface of the granular ceramic are evaluated using a scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. To achieve these objectives, the initial step involves the synthesis of granular γ-alumina ceramic nanoparticles with average diameters of 1.7 mm. Moreover, the elasticity modulus and hardness of granular γ-alumina are estimated using a Nanoindentation method under different loads. It is shown that the nanoparticles in this coarse material are about 17 nm on average. Besides, the results demonstrate that the modulus of elasticity and hardness do not follow a particular pattern when the load increases. In other words, the modulus of elasticity increases and then decreases but the hardness decreases and then increases within the load ranges of 200–400 μN. Overall, it is concluded that the modulus of elasticity and hardness of granular γ-alumina are obtained to be equal to 12.6 GPa and 0.433 GPa, respectively. The plasticity index of granular alumina is also examined, and the results show that it is highly plastic with a plasticity index of 0.83. Also, nano scratch tests are performed under two different forces to obtain the scratch resistance of granular γ-alumina. The results reveal that the scratch resistance which is a representative of the friction coefficient, surges from 0.72 to 0.9 by increasing the indenter force. In general, the results indicate that the method of creating the material leads to a doubling of its Young's modulus, which is a measure of its stiffness, and as a result, there is a notable improvement in its overall mechanical strength.
Estimation of particle size distributions in the atmosphere—analysis of Fe and Ca particles as the representative examples
Authors: Youn Hyunwoo , Miki Kenji , Iwata Ayumi , Okuda Tomoaki
Published: May 2023

Atmospheric aerosols, including primary aerosols emitted directly into the atmosphere and secondary aerosols generated in the atmosphere from various chemically complex particles, cause a variety of environmental problems such as climate change, photochemical smog formation, and a decrease in incoming solar radiation. Therefore, it is important to understand the causes of aerosol particles and their impact on human society. In particular, particle size is an important indicator of lung penetration depth, aerosol transport, and optical properties. Hence, we mathematically estimated the airborne particle size distributions of each chemical component by collecting aerosol samples from the atmosphere using two types of cyclone samplers, large and small cyclone samplers. This study’s findings also suggest that calculated changes in particle size distribution can reflect changes in particle sources. The higher resolution of the continuous functions will enable the detection of the subtle changes in particle size distributions of each chemical component, which is helpful to understand the temporal changes in the chemical properties of the airborne aerosol particles.
Access to Remedies and Reparations: From Brazilian Practice to International Binding Standards
Authors: Coelho Thales Cavalcanti
Published: May 2023

Brazil is a large exporter of commodities that supply global value chains. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in 2019 commodity exports entailed 8.4 per cent of Brazilian Gross Domestic Product.1 Although commodities exportation is important for the Brazilian economy, their production or extraction often causes human rights harms and environmental damages.
Groups of symplectic involutions on symplectic varieties of Kummer type and their fixed loci
Authors: Frei Sarah , Honigs Katrina
Published: May 2023

We describe the Galois action on the middle$\ell $-adic cohomology of smooth, projective fourfolds$K_A(v)$that occur as a fiber of the Albanese morphism on moduli spaces of sheaves on an abelian surfaceAwith Mukai vectorv. We show this action is determined by the action on$H^2_{\mathrm {\acute{e}t}}(A_{\bar {k}},{\mathbb Q}_{\ell }(1))$and on a subgroup$G_A(v) \leqslant (A\times \hat {A})[3]$, which depends onv. This generalizes the analysis carried out by Hassett and Tschinkel over${\mathbb C}$[21]. As a consequence, over number fields, we give a condition under which$K_2(A)$and$K_2(\hat {A})$are not derived equivalent.

The points of$G_A(v)$correspond to involutions of$K_A(v)$. Over${\mathbb C}$, they are known to be symplectic and contained in the kernel of the map$\operatorname {\mathrm {Aut}}(K_A(v))\to \mathrm {O}(H^2(K_A(v),{\mathbb Z}))$. We describe this kernel for all varieties$K_A(v)$of dimension at least$4$.

When$K_A(v)$is a fourfold over a field of characteristic 0, the fixed-point loci of the involutions contain K3 surfaces whose cycle classes span a large portion of the middle cohomology. We examine the fixed-point locus on fourfolds$K_A(0,l,s)$over${\mathbb C}$whereAis$(1,3)$-polarized, finding the K3 surface to be elliptically fibered under a Lagrangian fibration of$K_A(0,l,s)$.
What Have We Learned about Ethnonational Identities in Ukraine?
Authors: Kulyk Volodymyr
Published: May 2023

Among various features of Ukrainian society that the world has started paying more attention to since the beginning of Russia’s full-blown invasion in February 2022, many commentators have pointed to a surprisingly strong and encompassing national identity. However, scholars of Ukrainian language and identity matters had for years demonstrated an increased civic attachment of Ukrainian citizens, including Russian speakers, and its greater salience compared with ethnic, linguistic, and regional identifications. This article seeks to highlight the main accomplishments and challenges of research on Ukrainian ethnic and national identity. It focuses on a gradual shift from the essentialist understanding of ethnicity as embodied in bounded groups to the interest in individuals’ contextually determined identifications by categories with a changing meaning. Another prominent part of the analysis is the relationship between Ukrainian ethnic and national identity and the amalgamation of these two apparently distinct phenomena into what I propose to call ethnonational identity.
Beyond the Ballot Box: Sexual Harassment and Legislative Accountability in Canadian Politics
Authors: Raney Tracey , McGregor R. Michael
Published: May 2023

Since the #MeToo movement, several countries have taken steps to address sexual harassment in politics (for example, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada). While researchers have evaluated the electability of candidates accused of sexual harassment, less is known about what the public thinks should happen when elected officials engage in this behaviour. Utilizing an innovative module from the 2019 Canadian Election Study, we assess the steps voters believe legislatures should take when an MP sexually harasses someone. Our results demonstrate that a vast majority of the public believes that MPs should face consequences when they commit sexual harassment, including potential removal from office. We also find that women are more likely than men to believe MPs should be punished when they are accused of sexual harassment. These findings have relevance for legislatures globally, revealing the importance of transparent, independent processes to address harassment and violence in the political sphere.
Doth He Protest Too Much? Thoughts on Matthew's Black Devaluation Thesis
Authors: Merry Michael S.
Published: May 2023

I am broadly sympathetic to D. C. Matthew's analysis. However, in what follows, I restrict my remarks to a few areas where I think he either lacks empirical precision, or overstates his case.
On one-dimensional local rings and Berger’s conjecture
Authors: Miranda-Neto Cleto B.
Published: May 2023

Let k be a field of characteristic zero and let $\Omega_{A/k}$ be the universally finite differential module of a k-algebra A, which is the local ring of a closed point of an algebraic or algebroid curve over k. A notorious open problem, known as Berger’s Conjecture, predicts that A must be regular if $\Omega_{A/k}$ is torsion-free. In this paper, assuming the hypotheses of the conjecture and observing that the module ${\rm Hom}_A(\Omega_{A/k}, \Omega_{A/k})$ is then isomorphic to an ideal of A, say $\mathfrak{h}$, we show that A is regular whenever the ring $A/a\mathfrak{h}$ is Gorenstein for some parameter a (and conversely). In addition, we provide various characterizations for the regularity of A in the context of the conjecture.
Lower Permian (Late Kungurian) conodonts from the Sibumasu Terrane, Malaysia: paleoecological, paleobiogeographical and tectonic implications
Authors: Metcalfe I.
Published: May 2023

Late Kungurian (Lower Permian) conodonts are described from the Kanthan Limestone, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia and for the first time from the Sibumasu Terrane of the Malay Peninsula. The co-occurrence of Gullodus duani, Gullodus hemicircularis, Gullodus sicilianus, Mesogondolella lamberti and Mesogondolella siciliensis represent the Mesogondolella lamberti International Conodont Zone and the broadly equivalent Mesogondolella siciliensis Regional Conodont Zone. A small fault-bounded basal Pennsylvanian (basal Bashkirian) conodont fauna including Gnathodus girtyi simplex and Declinognathodus inaequalis is also reported. The late Kungurian conodonts from the Kanthan Limestone were deposited in a relatively deep-water environment on the northern passive margin of the Sibumasu Terrane of the eastern Cimmerian Continent located at c. 35oS latitude. Biogeographically, the fauna represents the southern peri-Gondwana Cool Water Province which is consistent with its palaeogeographic location. A new scheme, utilizing characteristics of P1 elements, including position of the 1st denticle, location of 2nd and 3rd denticles, platform shape, platform cross-section, denticle shape in cross-section, and lateral denticle development is proposed for distinguishing between species of the hindeodid genera Gullodus, Hindeodus and Isarcicella. The late Kungurian fauna from the Kanthan Limestone represents the southern peri-Gondwana Cool Water Province supporting palaeogeographic reconstructions placing the Sibumasu Terrane in moderate southern palaeolatitudes in the Kungurian.
Stratifying risk of malignancy in cystic lateral neck lumps: a multivariant analysis of demographic, radiological and histological investigation factors and the development of a patient-centred risk-predictive tool for malignancy
Authors: Evans Victoria , Prades Eduard , Passant Carl , Owens David , Harris Andrew
Published: May 2023

Background

Management of lateral cystic neck masses with no apparent upper aerodigestive tract primary tumour in adults is controversial. Imaging modalities and fine needle aspiration cytology often struggle to distinguish the presence of malignancy.

Method

This study entailed a multicentre retrospective review of all patients with isolated lateral cystic neck masses from 2012 to 2018 in three Welsh health boards, utilising demographic data and first-line investigations (ultrasound scanning and fine needle aspiration cytology) to develop an evidence-based predictive tool for risk of malignancy.

Results

It was found that 29.1 per cent of cystic lesions were malignant on final histology. Age, male gender, non-benign ultrasound scan findings and fine needle aspiration cytology were significant risk factors on univariate analysis. The final multivariate analysis predicted a risk of malignancy ranging from 2.1 to 65.0 per cent depending on the covariate pattern. Smoking status was non-significant.

Conclusion

A rigorous, risk-stratified approach to the management of these patients should aid the clinician in minimising morbidity and optimising resources.
The dynamic relationship between sleep and psychotic experiences across the early stages of the psychosis continuum
Authors: van der Tuin S. , Booij S. H. , Oldehinkel A. J. , van den Berg D. , Wigman J. T. W. , Lång U. , Kelleher I.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Psychotic disorders develop gradually along a continuum of severity. Understanding factors associated with psychosis development, such as sleep, could aid in identification of individuals at elevated risk. This study aimed to assess (1) the dynamic relationship between psychotic experiences (PEs) and sleep quality and quantity, and (2) whether this relationship differed between different clinical stages along the psychosis continuum.

Methods:

We used daily diary data (90 days) of individuals (N = 96) at early stages (i.e. before a first diagnosis of psychosis) along the psychosis continuum. Multilevel models were constructed with sleep quality and sleep quantity as predictors of PEs and vice versa. Post-hoc, we constructed a multilevel model with both sleep quality and quantity as predictors of PEs. In addition, we tested whether associations differed between clinical stages.

Results:

Within persons, poorer sleep predicted next day PEs (B = −0.02, p = 0.01), but not vice versa. Between persons, shorter sleep over the 90-day period predicted more PEs (B = −0.04, p = 0.002). Experiencing more PEs over 90-days predicted poorer (B = −0.02, p = 0.02) and shorter (B = −1.06, p = 0.008) sleep. We did not find any significant moderation effects for clinical stage.

Conclusions:

We found a bidirectional relationship between sleep and PEs with daily fluctuations in sleep predicting next day PEs and general patterns of more PEs predicting poorer and shorter sleep. Our results highlight the importance of assessing sleep as a risk marker in the early clinical stages for psychosis.
Sign changes of fourier coefficients of holomorphic cusp forms at norm form arguments
Authors: MANGEREL ALEXANDER P.
Published: May 2023

Letfbe a non-CM Hecke eigencusp form of level 1 and fixed weight, and let$\{\lambda_f(n)\}_n$be its sequence of normalised Fourier coefficients. We show that if$K/ \mathbb{Q}$is any number field, and$\mathcal{N}_K$denotes the collection of integers representable as norms of integral ideals ofK, then a positive proportion of the positive integers$n \in \mathcal{N}_K$yield a sign change for the sequence$\{\lambda_f(n)\}_{n \in \mathcal{N}_K}$. More precisely, for a positive proportion of$n \in \mathcal{N}_K \cap [1,X]$we have$\lambda_f(n)\lambda_f(n') < 0$, wheren′is the first element of$\mathcal{N}_K$greater thannfor which$\lambda_f(n') \neq 0$.

For example, for$K = \mathbb{Q}(i)$and$\mathcal{N}_K = \{m^2+n^2 \;:\; m,n \in \mathbb{Z}\}$the set of sums of two squares, we obtain$\gg_f X/\sqrt{\log X}$such sign changes, which is best possible (up to the implicit constant) and improves upon work of Banerjee and Pandey. Our proof relies on recent work of Matomäki and Radziwiłł on sparsely-supported multiplicative functions, together with some technical refinements of their results due to the author.

In a related vein, we also consider the question of sign changes along shifted sums of two squares, for which multiplicative techniques do not directly apply. Using estimates for shifted convolution sums among other techniques, we establish that for any fixed$a \neq 0$there are$\gg_{f,\varepsilon} X^{1/2-\varepsilon}$sign changes for$\lambda_f$along the sequence of integers of the form$a + m^2 + n^2 \leq X$.
HIV sero-status of healthcare workers in Addis Ababa public hospitals post exposure to infected blood and body fluids: A cross-sectional study, October 2022
Authors: Tegegne Ousman Adal , Adissie Asmamaw Abebe
Published: May 2023

The study investigated the sero-status of human immunodeficiency virus among healthcare workers in Addis Ababa public hospitals. A multi-centered, institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from 18 September 2022 to 30 October 2022. A simple random sampling method and a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire were used to collect the data, which were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with the human immunodeficiency virus sero-status of healthcare workers post exposure to infected blood and body fluids. Of the 420 study participants who were exposed to blood and body fluids, 403 (96%) were non-reactive. Healthcare workers who had 20–29 years of work experience had approximately six times higher odds of testing positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (AOR = 6.21, 95% CI: 2.39, 9.55). Healthcare workers who did not use personal protective equipment properly had five times higher odds of testing positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (AOR = 5.02, CI: 3.73, 9.51). This study showed that, among those healthcare workers who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus infection, the majority were from the emergency department. Healthcare workers who did not use personal protective equipment properly had higher odds of testing positive for the human immunodeficiency virus.
Pro-inflammatory markers are associated with response to sequential pharmacotherapy in major depressive disorder: a CAN-BIND-1 report
Authors: Husain M. Ishrat , Foster Jane A. , Mason Brittany L. , Chen Sheng , Zhao Haoyu , Wang Wei , Rotzinger Susan , Rizvi Sakina , Ho Keith , Lam Raymond , MacQueen Glenda , Milev Roumen , Frey Benicio N. , Müller Daniel , Turecki Gustavo , Jha Manish , Trivedi Madhukar , Kennedy Sidney H.
Published: May 2023

Objective

There is limited literature on associations between inflammatory tone and response to sequential pharmacotherapies in major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

In a 16-week open-label clinical trial, 211 participants with MDD were treated with escitalopram 10–20 mg daily for 8 weeks. Responders continued escitalopram while non-responders received adjunctive aripiprazole 2–10 mg daily for 8 weeks. Plasma levels of pro-inflammatory markers—C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17, interferon-gamma (IFN)-Γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and Chemokine C–C motif ligand-2 (CCL-2)—measured at baseline, and after 2, 8 and 16 weeks were included in logistic regression analyzes to assess associations between inflammatory markers and treatment response.

Results

Pre-treatment IFN-Γ and CCL-2 levels were significantly associated with a lower of odds of response to escitalopram at 8 weeks. Increases in CCL-2 levels from weeks 8 to 16 in escitalopram non-responders were significantly associated with higher odds of non-response to adjunctive aripiprazole at week 16.

Conclusion

Higher pre-treatment levels of IFN-Γ and CCL-2 were associated with non-response to escitalopram. Increasing levels of these pro-inflammatory markers may be associated with non-response to adjunctive aripiprazole. These findings require validation in independent clinical populations.
Analysis of transmission performance on wireless power transfer system with metamaterial
Authors: Fan Xingming , Zhang Haonan , Zhang Xin
Published: May 2023

In order to solve the problems of low power transfer efficiency (PTE) and limited distance in magnetic coupling resonant wireless power transfer (MCR-WPT) technology. In this paper, based on the magnetic field control ability of metamaterials (MMs), the way to improve the performance of MCR-WPT systems is studied. First, the influence of MMs on the coupling of MCR-WPT system is theoretically analyzed by establishing an equivalent circuit model. Through a series of simulations and experiments, the relationships between the PTE and the array and placement of the MM slab are investigated. The results demonstrate that when one MM slab is placed in the middle, near the Tx coil or the Rx coil, the optimal PTE can be obtained by inserting one slab with $6 \times 6$, $1 \times 1$, and $6 \times 6$ arrays, respectively. Moreover, the systems with multilayer MM slabs are also studied. The measured PTEs on one, two, and three layers of MM slabs can increase by 20.6%, 29.3%, and 22.6%, respectively. The efficiency improvement capability of one MM slab is better than three slabs but worse than two slabs. This paper discusses the application of MMs in MCR-WPT systems, which has a certain reference significance.
A miniaturized UWB bandpass filter with tunable cut-off frequencies employing rectangular open-loop defected ground structure
Authors: Verma Ravi Prakash , Sahu Bhagirath , Gupta Ashish
Published: May 2023

This article presents a compact rectangular impedance resonator (RIR)–based ultra-wideband bandpass filter with an improved reflection coefficient within the passband and controllable cut-off frequencies. The proposed filter consists of anti-parallel coupled RIR coupled with rectangular open-loop defected ground structure (ROL-DGS) etched on the ground plane. The ROL-DGS ensures better in-band and out-off-band characteristics with reduced size due to its high Q-factor. The short- and open-circuit stubs control the lower (fCL) and upper (fCU) 3-dB cut-off frequencies, respectively, by originating transmission zeros independently with the help of variations in design parameters. As a result, the filter having a compact size of 0.216λCL × 0.176λCL is achieved, where λCL is the corresponding guided wavelength at the lower cut-off frequency fCL of 2.95 GHz. Further, an equivalent circuit is also modeled to explain the working of the proposed filter, and equivalent lumped parameters were extracted. Simulated results reveal that the reported filter passes the frequencies effectively within 2.95–11.44 GHz with fractional bandwidth of 117.9%. The simulated insertion loss values within the passband are less than 1.17 dB, and the reflection coefficient is better than −19.6 dB. Further, the proposed filter is fabricated, and it was found that the measured and simulation results are in well agreement.
Effects of Low‐Level Jets on Near‐Surface Turbulence and Wind Direction Changes in the Nocturnal Boundary Layer
Authors: Yang Bai , Finn Dennis , Rich Jason , Gao Zhongming , Liu Heping
Published: May 2023

In this study we examined a data set of nearly two‐year collection and investigated the effects of low‐level jets (LLJ) on near‐surface turbulence, especially wind direction changes, in the nocturnal boundary layer. Typically, nocturnal boundary layer is thermally stratified and stable. When wind profiles exhibit low gradient (in the absence of LLJ), it is characterized by very weak turbulence and very large, abrupt, but intermittent wind direction changes (∆WD) in the layers near the surface. In contrast, presence of LLJs can cause dramatic changes through inducing wind velocity shears, enhancing vertical mixing, and weakening the thermal stratification underneath. Ultimately, bulk Richardson number (Rb) is reduced and weakly stable conditions prevail, leading to active turbulence, close coupling across the layers between the LLJ height and ground surface, relatively large vertical momentum and sensible heat fluxes, and suppressed ∆WD values. Rb can be a useful parameter in assessing turbulence strength and ∆WD as well. The dependence of ∆WD on Rb appears to be well defined under weakly stable conditions (0.0 < Rb ≤ 0.25) and ∆WD is generally confined to small values. However, the relationship between ΔWD and Rb breaks when Rb increases, especially Rb > 1.0 (very stable conditions), under which ΔWD varies across a very wide range and the potential for large ΔWD increases greatly. Our findings have provided important implications to the plume dispersion in the nocturnal boundary layers.
Modifications of 24-h movement behaviors to prevent obesity in retirement: a natural experiment using compositional data analysis
Authors: Suorsa Kristin , Gupta Nidhi , Leskinen Tuija , Andersen Lars L. , Pasanen Jesse , Hettiarachchi Pasan , Johansson Peter J. , Pentti Jaana , Vahtera Jussi , Stenholm Sari
Published: May 2023

Background

Retirement often leads to a more passive lifestyle and may therefore lead to weight gain. This study aims to investigate longitudinal associations between changes in 24-h movement behaviors and BMI and waist circumference in relation to the transition from work to retirement.

Methods

The study population included 213 retiring public sector workers (mean age 63.5 years, standard deviation 1.1) from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study. Before and after retirement participants wore an Axivity accelerometer on their thigh and filled in a daily log for at least four days to measure daily time spent sleeping, in sedentary behavior (SED), light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Also, their body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured repeatedly. Compositional linear regression analysis and isotemporal substitution analysis were used to study associations between one-year changes in 24-h movement behaviors and concurrent changes in BMI and waist circumference.

Results

An increase in MVPA in relation to sleep, SED and LPA was associated with a decreasing BMI (β = −0.60,p = 0.04) and waist circumference (β = −2.14,p = 0.05) over one year from before retirement to after retirement. In contrast, increasing sleep in relation to SED, LPA and MVPA was associated with an increasing BMI (β = 1.34,p = 0.02). Reallocating 60 min from MVPA to SED or sleep was estimated to increase BMI by on average 0.8–0.9 kg/m2and waist circumference by 3.0 cm during one year.

Conclusions

During the transition from work to retirement, increasing MVPA was associated with a slight decrease in BMI and waist circumference, whereas increasing sleep was associated with an increasing BMI. Common life transitions, like retirement, should be considered when giving recommendations and guidance for physical activity and sleep.
Observation of Zitterbewegung in photonic microcavities
Authors: Lovett Seth , Walker Paul M. , Osipov Alexey , Yulin Alexey , Naik Pooja Uday , Whittaker Charles E. , Shelykh Ivan A. , Skolnick Maurice S. , Krizhanovskii Dmitry N.
Published: May 2023

We present and experimentally study the effects of the photonic spin–orbit coupling on the real space propagation of polariton wavepackets in planar semiconductor microcavities and polaritonic analogues of graphene. In particular, we demonstrate the appearance of an analogue Zitterbewegung effect, a term which translates as ‘trembling motion’ in English, which was originally proposed for relativistic Dirac electrons and consisted of the oscillations of the centre of mass of a wavepacket in the direction perpendicular to its propagation. For a planar microcavity, we observe regular Zitterbewegung oscillations whose amplitude and period depend on the wavevector of the polaritons. We then extend these results to a honeycomb lattice of coupled microcavity resonators. Compared to the planar cavity, such lattices are inherently more tuneable and versatile, allowing simulation of the Hamiltonians of a wide range of important physical systems. We observe an oscillation pattern related to the presence of the spin-split Dirac cones in the dispersion. In both cases, the experimentally observed oscillations are in good agreement with theoretical modelling and independently measured bandstructure parameters, providing strong evidence for the observation of Zitterbewegung.
Acute effects of intravenous DMT in a randomized placebo-controlled study in healthy participants
Authors: Vogt Severin B. , Ley Laura , Erne Livio , Straumann Isabelle , Becker Anna M. , Klaiber Aaron , Holze Friederike , Vandersmissen Anja , Mueller Lorenz , Duthaler Urs , Rudin Deborah , Luethi Dino , Varghese Nimmy , Eckert Anne , Liechti Matthias E.
Published: May 2023

N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is distinct among classic serotonergic psychedelics because of its short-lasting effects when administered intravenously. Despite growing interest in the experimental and therapeutic use of intravenous DMT, data are lacking on its clinical pharmacology. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 27 healthy participants to test different intravenous DMT administration regimens: placebo, low infusion (0.6 mg/min), high infusion (1 mg/min), low bolus + low infusion (15 mg + 0.6 mg/min), and high bolus + high infusion (25 mg + 1 mg/min). Study sessions lasted for 5 h and were separated by at least 1 week. Participant’s lifetime use of psychedelics was ≤20 times. Outcome measures included subjective, autonomic, and adverse effects, pharmacokinetics of DMT, and plasma levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and oxytocin. Low (15 mg) and high (25 mg) DMT bolus doses rapidly induced very intense psychedelic effects that peaked within 2 min. DMT infusions (0.6 or 1 mg/min) without a bolus induced slowly increasing and dose-dependent psychedelic effects that reached plateaus after 30 min. Both bolus doses produced more negative subjective effects and anxiety than infusions. After stopping the infusion, all drug effects rapidly decreased and completely subsided within 15 min, consistent with a short early plasma elimination half-life (t1/2α) of 5.0–5.8 min, followed by longer late elimination (t1/2β = 14–16 min) after 15–20 min. Subjective effects of DMT were stable from 30 to 90 min, despite further increasing plasma concentrations, thus indicating acute tolerance to continuous DMT administration. Intravenous DMT, particularly when administered as an infusion, is a promising tool for the controlled induction of a psychedelic state that can be tailored to the specific needs of patients and therapeutic sessions.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04353024