bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manchester Procedure vs Sacrospinous Hysteropexy for Treatment of Uterine Descent
Authors: Enklaar Rosa A. , Schulten Sascha F. M. , van Eijndhoven Hugo W. F. , Weemhoff Mirjam , van Leijsen Sanne A. L. , van der Weide Marijke C. , van Bavel Jeroen , Verkleij-Hagoort Anna C. , Adang Eddy M. M. , Kluivers Kirsten B. ,   SAM Study Group, Veen Joggem , Massop-Helmink Diana , Sikkema Marko , Lenselink Charlotte , Steures Pieternel , Wingen Chantal , Notten Kim , van Rumpt-van de Geest Deliana , Vellekoop Jorik , Engberts Maria Karin , Damoiseaux Anne , Stoutjesdijk Jackie , Mouw Ronald J.C. , van der Ploeg Marinus , van Gestel Iris , Vollebregt Astrid , Stekelenburg Jelle , Spaans Wilbert , Tiersma Stella , Klerkx Wenche , Speksnijder Leonie
Published: August 2023

Importance

In many countries, sacrospinous hysteropexy is the most commonly practiced uterus-preserving technique in women undergoing a first operation for pelvic organ prolapse. However, there are no direct comparisons of outcomes after sacrospinous hysteropexy vs an older technique, the Manchester procedure.

Objective

To compare success of sacrospinous hysteropexy vs the Manchester procedure for the surgical treatment of uterine descent.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Multicenter, noninferiority randomized clinical trial conducted in 26 hospitals in the Netherlands among 434 adult patients undergoing a first surgical treatment for uterine descent that did not protrude beyond the hymen.

Interventions

Participants were randomly assigned to undergo sacrospinous hysteropexy (n = 217) or Manchester procedure (n = 217).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was a composite outcome of success, defined as absence of pelvic organ prolapse beyond the hymen in any compartment evaluated by a standardized vaginal support quantification system, absence of bothersome bulge symptoms, and absence of prolapse retreatment (pessary or surgery) within 2 years after the operation. The predefined noninferiority margin was 9%. Secondary outcomes were anatomical and patient-reported outcomes, perioperative parameters, and surgery-related complications.

Results

Among 393 participants included in the as-randomized analysis (mean age, 61.7 years [SD, 9.1 years]), 151 of 196 (77.0%) in the sacrospinous hysteropexy group and 172 of 197 (87.3%) in the Manchester procedure group achieved the composite outcome of success. Sacrospinous hysteropexy did not meet the noninferiority criterion of −9% for the lower limit of the CI (risk difference, −10.3%; 95% CI, −17.8% to −2.8%; P = .63 for noninferiority). At 2-year follow-up, perioperative outcomes and patient-reported outcomes did not differ between the 2 groups.

Conclusions

Based on the composite outcome of surgical success 2 years after primary uterus-sparing pelvic organ prolapse surgery for uterine descent, these results support a finding that sacrospinous hysteropexy is inferior to the Manchester procedure.

Trial Registration

TrialRegister.nl Identifier: NTR 6978
Barriers and Facilitators to Home Dialysis Among Latinx Patients with Kidney Disease
Authors: Rizzolo Katherine , Gonzalez Jauregui Rebeca , Barrientos Ileana , Teakell Jade , Camacho Claudia , Chonchol Michel , Waikar Sushrut S. , Cervantes Lilia
Published: August 2023

Importance

Latinx people have a high burden of kidney disease but are less likely to receive home dialysis compared to non-Latinx White people. The disparity in home dialysis therapy has not been completely explained by demographic, medical, or social factors.

Objective

To understand the barriers and facilitators to home dialysis therapy experienced by Latinx individuals with kidney failure receiving home dialysis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This qualitative study used semistructured interviews with Latinx adults with kidney failure receiving home dialysis therapy in Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas, between November 2021 and March 2023. Patients were recruited from home dialysis clinics affiliated with academic medical centers. Of 34 individuals approached, 27 were included in the study. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Themes and subthemes regarding barriers and facilitators to home dialysis therapy.

Results

A total of 27 Latinx adults (17 [63%] female and 10 [37%] male) with kidney failure who were receiving home dialysis participated. Themes and subthemes were identified, 3 related to challenges with home dialysis and 2 related to facilitators. Challenges to home dialysis included misinformation and immigration-related barriers to care (including cultural stigma of dialysis, misinformation regarding chronic disease care, and lack of health insurance due to immigration status), limited dialysis education (including lack of predialysis care, nonnephrologist education, and shared decision-making), and maintenance of home dialysis (including equipment issues, lifestyle restrictions, and anxiety about complications). Facilitators to home dialysis included improved lifestyle (including convenience, autonomy, physical symptoms, and dietary flexibility) and support (including family involvement, relationships with staff, self-efficacy, and language concordance).

Conclusions and Relevance

Latinx participants in this study who were receiving home dialysis received misinformation and limited education regarding home dialysis, yet were engaged in self-advocacy and reported strong family and clinic support. These findings may inform new strategies aimed at improving access to home dialysis education and uptake for Latinx individuals with kidney disease.
A Ratiometric SERS Probe for Imaging the Macrophage Phenotypes in Live Mice with Epilepsy and Brain Tumor
Authors: Duan Wenjia , Wang Cong , Jiang Yiqing , Sui An , Li Zhi , Wang Lu , Lei Zuhai , Aime Silvio , Yu Jinhua , Li Cong
Published: August 2023

Macrophage performs multiple functions such as pathogen phagocytosis, antigen presentation, and tissue remodeling by polarizing toward a spectrum of phenotypes. Dynamic imaging of macrophage phenotypes is critical for evaluating disease progression and the therapeutic response of drug candidates. However, current technologies cannot identify macrophage phenotypes in vivo. Herein, a surface‐enhanced Raman scattering nanoprobe, AH1, which enables the accurate determination of physiological pH with high sensitivity and tissue penetration depth through ratiometric Raman signals is developed. Due to the phenotype‐dependent metabolic reprogramming, AH1 can effectively identify macrophage subpopulations by measuring the acidity levels in phagosomes. After intravenous administration, AH1 not only visualizes the spatial distribution of macrophage phenotypes in brain tumors and epileptic regions of mouse models, but also reveals the repolarization of macrophages in brain lesions after drug intervention. This work provides a new tool for dynamically monitoring the disease‐associated immune microenvironment and evaluating the efficacy of immune‐therapeutics in vivo.
The serum lipidomics reveal the action mechanism of Danggui–Yimucao herbal pair in abortion mice
Authors: Bai Feng‐Yun , Bi Shi‐Jie , Yue Shi‐Jun , Xu Ding‐Qiao , Fu Rui‐Jia , Sun Ying , Sun Xiao‐Hu , Tang Yu‐Ping
Published: August 2023

Medical abortion is a common medical procedure that women choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but it often brings post‐abortion complications. Danggui (Angelica sinensis Radix)–Yimucao (Leonuri Herba), as a herbal pair (DY) in clinical prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, is often used in the treatment of gynecological diseases and has the traditional functions of tonifying the blood, promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis and regulating menstruation. In this study, serum lipidomics were adopted to dissect the mechanism of DY in promoting recovery after medical abortion. A total of 152 differential metabolites were screened by lipidomics. All metabolites were imported into MetaboAnalyst for analysis, and finally key metabolic pathways such as glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism and pentose and glucuronate interconversions were enriched. Our results indicated that metabolic disorders in abortion mice were alleviated by DY through glycerophospholipid metabolism, while prostaglandin and leukotriene metabolites might be the key targets of DY to promote post‐abortion recovery.
Ironies of proximity: Intergroup threat and contact avoidance on neighbourhood interface areas
Authors: Dixon John , Tredoux Colin , Durrheim Kevin , Kerr Philippa , Gijbertsen Brice
Published: August 2023

Research on the dynamics of neighbourhood desegregation and diversity has identified a paradox. On the one hand, such processes may engender positive intergroup contact experiences, improving intergroup attitudes and relations. On the other hand, they may have the opposite effect, exacerbating negative intergroup relations and generating new forms of avoidance and exclusion. The present research explored one aspect of this paradox. Building on a field survey conducted with Indian residents (n = 364) of a suburb of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, we demonstrate how their relative proximity to areas occupied by ‘incoming’ Black African residents has shaped their perceptions of intergroup threat and associated reactions such as contact avoidance, boundary fortification and support for policies resisting desegregation. At the same time, we demonstrate how such effects are moderated by residents' wider experiences of positive interracial contact. In conclusion, we emphasize the need to better integrate psychological work on the contact hypothesis with work in companion disciplines such as urban studies and human geography. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.
Multifunctional Roles of Clathrate Hydrate Nanoreactors for CO2 Reduction
Authors: Huang Haibei , Xue Lijuan , Bu Yuxiang
Published: August 2023

In this study, we explore a possible platform for the CO2 reduction (CO2R) in one of water's solid phases, namely clathrate hydrates (CHs), by ab initio molecular dynamics and well‐tempered metadynamics simulations with periodic boundary conditions. We found that the stacked H2O nanocages in CHs help to initialize CO2R by increasing the electron‐binding ability of CO2. The substantial CO2R processes are further influenced by the hydrogen bond networks in CHs. The first intermediate CO2− in this process can be stabilized through cage structure reorganization into the H‐bonded [CO2−⋅⋅⋅H−OHcage] complex. Further cooperative structural dynamics enables the complex to convert into a vital transient [CO22−⋅⋅⋅H−OHcage] intermediate in a low‐barrier disproportionation‐like process. Such a highly reactive intermediate spontaneously triggers subsequent double proton transfer along its tethering H‐bonds, finally converting it into HCOOH. These hydrogen‐bonded nanoreactors feature multiple functions in facilitating CO2R such as confining, tethering, H‐bond catalyzing and proton pumping. Our findings have a general interest and extend the knowledge of CO2R into porous aqueous systems.
Identification of herbarium specimen sheet components from high‐resolution images using deep learning
Authors: Thompson Karen M. , Turnbull Robert , Fitzgerald Emily , Birch Joanne L.
Published: August 2023

Advanced computer vision techniques hold the potential to mobilise vast quantities of biodiversity data by facilitating the rapid extraction of text‐ and trait‐based data from herbarium specimen digital images, and to increase the efficiency and accuracy of downstream data capture during digitisation. This investigation developed an object detection model using YOLOv5 and digitised collection images from the University of Melbourne Herbarium (MELU). The MELU‐trained ‘sheet‐component’ model—trained on 3371 annotated images, validated on 1000 annotated images, run using ‘large’ model type, at 640 pixels, for 200 epochs—successfully identified most of the 11 component types of the digital specimen images, with an overall model precision measure of 0.983, recall of 0.969 and moving average precision (mAP0.5–0.95) of 0.847. Specifically, ‘institutional’ and ‘annotation’ labels were predicted with mAP0.5–0.95 of 0.970 and 0.878 respectively. It was found that annotating at least 2000 images was required to train an adequate model, likely due to the heterogeneity of specimen sheets. The full model was then applied to selected specimens from nine global herbaria (Biodiversity Data Journal, 7, 2019), quantifying its generalisability: for example, the ‘institutional label’ was identified with mAP0.5–0.95 of between 0.68 and 0.89 across the various herbaria. Further detailed study demonstrated that starting with the MELU‐model weights and retraining for as few as 50 epochs on 30 additional annotated images was sufficient to enable the prediction of a previously unseen component. As many herbaria are resource‐constrained, the MELU‐trained ‘sheet‐component’ model weights are made available and application encouraged.
Response and resilience of karst subterranean estuary communities to precipitation impacts
Authors: Calderón Gutiérrez Fernando , Iliffe Thomas M. , Borda Elizabeth , Yáñez Mendoza Germán , Labonté Jessica
Published: August 2023

The impact of meteorological phenomena on ecosystem communities of karst subterranean estuaries (KSEs) remains unknown. KSEs are characterized by vertically stratified groundwater separated by a halocline and host endemic aquatic cave‐adapted fauna (stygobionts). In October 2015, 8 days of heavy precipitation caused the first recorded mortality event in the KSE. This event was marked by a halocline shift 5 m deeper. The present study aimed to provide insights into resilience of KSEs faunal communities to temporal shifts in temperature and precipitation. Cave water temperature decreased on average 0.0068°C per mm of accumulated precipitation over 4 days, which can add up to, and surpass, the interannual temperature variation in cases of heavy precipitations. Biological surveys (2012–2021) conducted within cave systems El Aerolito and La Quebrada, in Cozumel, indicated that change in community structure was not detected and stygobionts were resilient; however, marine species inhabiting the caves were impacted. Overall, the faunal community at KSEs remains resilient within short‐term meteorological phenomena despite shifts of non‐stygobionts.
Effects of understory characteristics on browsing patterns of roe deer in central European mountain forests
Authors: Schwegmann Sebastian , Mörsdorf Martin , Bhardwaj Manisha , Storch Ilse
Published: August 2023

Selective browsing by deer on young trees may impede the management goal of increasing forest resilience against climate change and other disturbances. Deer population density is often considered the main driver of browsing impacts on young trees, however, a range of other variables such as food availability also affect this relationship. In this study, we use browsing survey data from 135 research plots to explore patterns of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) browsing pressure on woody plants in mountainous forests in central Europe. We fitted species‐specific generalised linear mixed models for eight woody taxa, assessing the potential effects of understory characteristics, roe deer abundance and lying deadwood on browsing intensity. Our study reveals conspecific and associational effects for woody taxa that are intermediately browsed by roe deer. Selective browsing pressure was mediated by preferences of plants, in that, browsing of strongly preferred woody taxa as for example mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) and of least preferred woody taxa, for example Norway spruce (Picea abies) was not affected by the surrounding understory vegetation, while browsing pressure on intermediately browsed species like for example silver fir (Abies alba) was affected by understory characteristics. Contrary to our expectations, roe deer abundance was only positively associated with browsing pressure on silver fir and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), while all other plants were unaffected by deer abundance. Finally, we did not find an influence of lying deadwood volume on the browsing pressure on any woody‐plant species. Overall, our results indicate that patterns in browsing preference and intensity are species‐specific processes and are partly affected by the surrounding understory vegetation. Current management strategies that aim to reduce browsing pressure through culling may be inefficient as they do not address other drivers of browsing pressure. However, managers also need to consider the characteristics of the local understory vegetation in addition to deer abundance and design species‐specific plans to reduce browsing on woody plant taxa.
Drivers of suspended sediment dynamics along the shorelines of the Yellow River Delta detected from satellite data
Authors: Jin Song , Fagherazzi Sergio , Fichot Cedric G. , Wu Xiao , Liu Yan Xia , Zheng Xiangyang , Zou Tao , Xing Qianguo
Published: August 2023

Total suspended solids (TSS) can be a useful indicator of environmental change in nearshore coastal environments. Understanding the mechanisms of TSS variations in response to environmental drivers is of broad interest for ecology and geomorphology. The Yellow River Delta (YRD) in China is a fragile coastal region that has been affected by human activities and climate change. Here, we investigated TSS along the YRD shoreline over two decades with time‐series satellite data (2002–2020). We observed that TSS concentration decreased significantly in nearshore waters (5‐m isobath) surrounding the YRD, especially in the LaiZhou Bay. During the same time period, wave height (WH) along the deltaic shoreline and sediment load from the Yellow River have decreased, while sea surface height (SSH) has displayed a positive trend. Our results indicate that WH and SSH play a major role in sediment resuspension and dispersion, while the YSD mildly affected TSS variability along the coast. Monthly bed shear stress triggered by waves was then computed using WH, wave period (WP), and SSH. Bed shear stress and TSS displayed a positive correlation. We concluded that seasonal oscillations in SSH in conjunction with wind waves are responsible for TSS variability in the shallow waters in front of the YRD.
IoT‐based energy efficient and longer lifetime compression approach for healthcare applications
Authors: Dewan Ritu , Ahmad Sharik , Rana Arun Kumar , Nagpal Tapsi , Kumar Vinish , Singh Ngangbam Herojit , Kumar V. D. Ambeth , Kumar Awnish
Published: August 2023

A wireless body area networks (WBANs) is made up of tiny representations of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), which may be executed in the body or worn externally. Today, Internet of Things (IoT) has made it feasible to evaluate healthcare. The IoMT sends the patient's condition to the health center through the Internet rather than keeping them in the hospital all the time for therapy. IoT offers wireless connectivity between virtually anything and smart devices on one side. Data must be transferred to a doctor or other practitioner within the allotted time since this network works with medical and critical circumstances; this shows that routing is the most important problem. Routing is therefore viewed as a very significant difficulty in WBANs. The simulation findings show that, for the WBAN under consideration, the IoT‐based stable increased‐throughput multi‐hop protocol for link efficiency protocol has better throughput, end‐to‐end delay, and propagation delay compared to adaptive threshold‐based thermal‐aware energy‐efficient multi‐hop protocol. Higher packet delivery to the sink is a result of longer stability periods, which is very desirable for ongoing patient monitoring during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This research also identifies potential paths for the development of WBANs of the next generation and suggests ways to boost the selected communication systems' productivity in WBAN solutions for health monitoring.
Stunting and wasting in neurological Wilson disease: Role of copper, zinc, and insulin‐like growth factor‐I
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Kalita Jayantee , Misra Usha Kant , Parashar Vasudev
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are important trace elements for the growth and development of children. In Wilson disease (WD), impaired Cu metabolism may affect growth. This study was conducted to evaluate the height and weight of children with neurological WD and correlate these with serum Cu, Zn, and insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I).

Methods

This prospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching institute. Children with neurologic WD were included. The height, weight, and body‐mass index of each child were measured and categorized according to the revised national growth chart. Serum Cu, Zn, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, thyroid‐stimulating hormone, and urinary‐Cu were measured. Serum IGF‐1 was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship between height and weight with trace elements and IGF was analyzed using parametric or non‐parametric tests.

Results

There were 52 children (5–18 years) with neurologic WD. Thirty‐six (69.2%) children had normal height, 12 (23.1%) were tall, and 4 (7.7%) were stunted. Forty‐six (88.5%) children had normal weight and six (11.5%) children were underweight. IGF‐1 correlated with height, weight, duration of treatment, and serum Zn level. About 15.4% of children had stunting and/or wasting, which was associated with low levels of serum IGF‐I, Zn, and calcium.

Conclusions

Stunting and/or wasting occurs in 15.4% of children with neurologic WD and is associated with reduced serum IGF‐I, Zn, and calcium concentration. Adjunctive Zn and calcium treatment may help in achieving normal growth.
Identifying potential anti‐metastasis drugs for prostate cancer through integrative bioinformatics analysis and compound library screening
Authors: Li Zhi Wei , Yu Jiang Fan , Han Feng , Peng Jingxuan , Lu Yanxu , Ding Ke
Published: August 2023

Background

Metastasis poses the greatest threat to the lives of individuals with prostate cancer. Therefore, it is imperative to identify the underlying mechanism driving metastasis. Doing so would facilitate the detection of new diagnostic biomarkers and the advancement of treatment options for patients.

Methods

Metastasis‐related modules were identified through weighted gene co‐expression network analysis based on microarray GSE6919. Hub genes were confirmed by quantitative real‐time PCR across different prostate cell lines and clinic samples. Pivotal genes were determined through integration of RNA and transcription factor‐target associated interactions. To predict drugs with potential to suppress tumor metastasis, we applied molecular networks using the DrugBank database. Drug repositioning analysis and confirmation of drug screen were conducted using the compound library. Confirmation of selective cytotoxicity of cupric oxide was carried out via invasion, transwell and apoptosis assays.

Results

We identified five metastasis‐related modules. Of these modules, two were identified to represent core dysfunction modules in which five hub genes were determined for each module. Five of these 10 genes correlating with prostate cancer progression. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that there are 36 drugs with the potential to be active against tumor metastasis. Finally, we identified four compounds that have not previously been reported to have any association with cancer therapy. Of these, cupric oxide was determined to have the best chemotherapeutic potential in treating prostate cancer metastasis.

Conclusions

By combining bioinformatics methods with compound library screening, this study proposes a valuable approach to drug discovery. Cupric oxide showed the potential in the treatment of prostate cancer metastasis and deserves further study.
Synthesis and molecular docking studies of novel tricyclic and angular tetracyclic benzothiadiazines via sp3‐C‐Hactivation as potential colon cancer inhibitors
Authors: Kolade Sherif O. , Aina Oluwafemi S. , Gordon Allen T. , Hosten Eric C. , Olasupo Idris A. , Ogunlaja Adeniyi S. , Asekun Olayinka T. , Familoni Oluwole B.
Published: August 2023

This paper describes the synthesis of tricyclic and tetracyclic benzothiadiazines and their derivatives, which are known for their versatility as bioactive agents. The starting materials were N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐nitrobenzenesulfonamides 8–16, which were prepared through the condensation of 4‐substituted‐2‐nitrobenzenesulfonyl chlorides 1–3 and cyclic amines 4–7. The intermediates, N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐sulfanilamides 17–25, were obtained through catalytic hydrogenation of N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐nitrobenzenesulfonamides 8–16 using a 10% palladium‐on‐charcoal catalyst. The potentially bioactive tricyclic and angular tetracyclic 1,2,4‐benzothiadizine dioxides 26–34 were then synthesized via metal‐free intramolecular N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS)‐mediated radical oxidative sp3‐C‐H activation aminative cyclization of N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐sulfanilamides 17–25. The yields were good to excellent (68–93%). Docking studies were conducted for N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐nitrobenzenesulfonamides 8–16, N‐cycloamino‐4‐substituted‐2‐sulfanilamides 17–25, and tricyclic and angular tetracyclic 1,2,4‐benzothiadizine dioxides 26–34 for colon cancer using five protein molecules. The results showed that most of the prepared ligands exhibited higher activity than the reference drugs capecitabine, capecitabine, and fluorouracil. Among the compounds synthesized, KS7, a benzothiadiazine, showed the best activity against 6KRO.
Fairness uncertainty and pay information exchange: Why and when employees disclose bonus pay to pay information websites
Authors: Brown Michelle , Bamberger Peter , Bliese Paul D. , Shields John
Published: August 2023

Having limited information regarding how pay is distributed in their organization, employees often find it difficult to assess the fairness of their pay. Uncertainty management theory (UMT) posits that fairness uncertainty is aversive and that individuals experiencing it search for information to reduce this uncertainty. Pay information exchange – the communication of one's pay‐related information to others in return for information from that other – provides a mechanism to reduce pay information uncertainty. We focus on third‐party mediated pay information exchange (such as via Glassdoor and PayScale), an increasingly prevalent form of exchange. Drawing on UMT, we investigate why and when individuals exchange their pay information with such agents. Using data from a field experiment we find that (a) the willingness of employees to disclose their pay to a pay information exchange platform is influenced by perceived utility of a‐priori information offered by the exchange partner, but that this relationship depends on the salience of fairness uncertainty to the employee, and (b) employer pay communication restrictiveness only attenuates the impact of disclosure willingness on actual disclosure when individuals engage in deliberative thinking about such restrictiveness and its possible consequences. We discuss the implications for theory and practice.
An Injectable, Adhesive, and Self‐Healing Hydrogel with Inherently Antibacterial Property for Wound Dressing
Authors: Jiang Hanwen , Xiao Yan , Huang Huanxuan , Yin Wang , Lang Meidong
Published: August 2023

Antibacterial hydrogel has emerged as an excellent candidate for wound dressing with the ability to eliminate infection and promote wound healing. Herein, a dynamic hydrogel is developed by Schiff base reaction of mixed charged polypeptides and oxidized dextran (ODex). Specifically, biodegradable polypeptides of 1‐(propylthio)acetic acid‐3‐butylimidazole‐modified poly(L‐lysine) (PLL‐PBIM) and adipate dihydrazide‐modified poly(L‐glutamic acid) (PLG‐ADH) are achieved with tunable substitution and charge. By mixing with ODex, charged polypeptides of PLL‐PBIM and PLG‐ADH led to an injectable and self‐healing hydrogel in seconds. The injectable and self‐healing performances of the hydrogels are ascribed to the reversible imine and hydrazone bonds formed between polypeptides and ODex. The positively charged hydrogels exhibited over 95% antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. An optimized balancing of PLG‐ADH and PLL‐PBIM significantly reduced the hemolysis rate and cytotoxicity of hydrogels. Therefore, the dynamic hydrogel with excellent biocompatibility and inherently antibacterial ability can have potential application for wound dressing.
Angular and linear velocity observer design using vector and landmark measurements
Authors: Zhu Hangbiao , Gui Haichao
Published: August 2023

This paper presents an approach for designing angular and linear velocity observers for rigid bodies using two inertial vectors and one landmark measurements directly. Compared with the classical velocity estimation algorithms, the proposed observer does not need to reconstruct the pose information from measurements nor be coupled with velocity sensors. The linear‐time varying dynamics of the estimation error equation are analyzed, rigorously showing the uniform local exponential stability of the observer. Simulations are conducted to illustrate the significant performance of the proposed method.
Do Teacher Reports of Executive Functions Predict Reading Development? Evidence from a Nationally Representative Sample
Authors: Weaver Andrew
Published: August 2023

This study explores whether teacher reports of executive functions predict change in reading performance (i.e., reading development) for elementary‐aged students when controlling for direct assessments of executive functions and for teacher reports of students' literacy skills. Prior research has raised problems with the construct validity of teacher reports of executive functions but has yet to consider that these teacher reports might be related to teachers' perceptions of their students' literacy skills. The current study used Grades 3 through 5 data from nationally representative data (N = 6945) of students collected between 2014 and 2016 to examine the contributions of teacher reports of executive functions to change in reading performance over the course of a year with autoregressive structural equation models. Measures of executive functions tapped attentional focusing (in Grades 3 and 4), working memory (in Grade 3), and inhibitory control (in Grade 4). When controlling for a direct assessment of the same facet of executive function as the teacher report, the teacher report of executive function predicted next year's reading. However, controlling for a teacher report of students' literacy skills reduced the effect of teacher reports of executive functions to nearly 0 across models while not reducing the effect of direct assessments of executive functions. This finding held across student race and home language subgroups in multigroup analyses. Based on these findings, teacher reports of executive functions do not capture information about executive functions that predicts of reading development beyond the teachers' perceptions of their students' literacy skills. Further research is needed to determine how teacher reports of EF could be designed to capture EFs as applied to reading.
Rural household's willingness to pay for irrigation water use: An application of contingent valuation method, in the case of North Shewa zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Shenkute Biruk Kemaw , Getahun Yitea Seneshaw , Moges Alebachew Shumye , Tesfaye Mekonnen Aklilu
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to evaluate household's willingness to pay (WTOP) for irrigation water use (IWU) per timad (0.25 ha) of the irrigable land per year and to analyze determinants of WTOP for IWU at individual households based on the contingent valuation method (CVM). The primary data collected for this study was from 120 households using two‐stage sampling techniques such as simple random sampling and purposive from four peasant associations of the Efratana Gidim and Kewit districts by semistructured questionnaire. The secondary dataset was collected from several sources. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential, and Tobit econometric models. In addition, a seemingly unrelated bivariate probit (SUBP) model was applied to calculate the average WTOP for IWU per timad/year. The CVM survey indicated that from the total sample collected data, 80% of the households showed WTOP for IWU, while the remaining 20% did not show WTOP. The econometric result of the Tobit model showed that the education level of the household, household family size, Irrigation experience, total annual income, and credit utilization influenced farmers' WTOP positively and significantly, while only initial bid price affected the farmer negatively and significantly. Hence, the above variables should be given high emphasis in designing irrigation water‐related projects in the districts. The SUBP model result revealed that the household's average annual WTOP was 854.74 Ethiopia Birr/0.25 ha/year. The estimated MWTOP for IWU is a huge amount of money. Hence, the concerned body has to collect money from households, which has to be used in the development of irrigation systems in the study area. This study recommends that different stakeholders of government should collaborate in raising revenue from the local community and apply it for the desired community development purposes, particularly for food security enhancement as the districts are highly dependent on rainfed agriculture.
Recasting bounds on long-lived heavy neutral leptons in terms of a light supersymmetric R-parity violating neutralino
Authors: Dreiner Herbi K. , Köhler Dominik , Nangia Saurabh , Schürmann Martin , Wang Zeren Simon
Published: August 2023

Abstract

In R-parity-violating (RPV) supersymmetric models, light neutralinos with masses from the GeV-scale down to even zero are still allowed by all laboratory constraints. They are further consistent with dark matter observations, as they decay via RPV couplings. These RPV couplings are in general constrained to be small. Hence, such light neutralinos, if produced, e.g., at a beam-dump or collider experiment, appear as displaced vertices or missing energy at the detector level. The same signatures have been extensively searched for at various experiments in the theoretical context of sterile neutrinos which mix with active neutrinos. In this work, we recast the sensitivity of both past and present experiments to sterile neutrinos to obtain new bounds on RPV couplings associated with a light neutralino. We find experiments such as T2K, BEBC, FASER, DUNE, and MoEDAL-MAPP can improve the current bounds on RPV couplings by up to 3–4 orders of magnitude in several benchmark scenarios.
Holographic n-partite information in hyperscaling violating geometry
Authors: Ju Xin-Xiang , Lai Teng-Zhou , Sun Ya-Wen , Wang Yuan-Tai
Published: August 2023

Abstract

The n-partite information (nI) is formulated as a measure of multi-partite entanglement. Field theory computation revealed that the sign of nI is indefinite for n ≥ 3, while holographic studies conjectured a sign property that holographic nI is non-negative/non-positive for even/odd n, with tripartite information (TI, n = 3) proved. We investigate the aspects of nI with holographic duality in hyperscaling violating geometry. We confirm the conjectured sign property for strips of equal length with equal separation distance, and disprove this conjecture for n > 3 with general configurations. Therefore, nI in field theories and holography exhibits compatibility except for n = 3. We also discuss other properties of holographic nI with analytic computation: the monotonicity, linearity, relation to hyperscaling violating parameters, temperature and UV cutoff effects, and the physical implications. It is doubtful that nI is an effective measure of entanglement considering the indefinite sign, non-monotonicity, and quasi-linearity of its holographic dual. In this respect, we propose constraints on the multi-partite entanglement measures.
A post-Gaussian approach to dipole symmetries and interacting fractons
Authors: Molina-Vilaplana J.
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We use a post-Gaussian variational approach to non-perturbatively study a general class of interacting bosonic quantum field theories with generalized dipole symmetries and fractonic behavior. We find that while a Gaussian approach allows to carry out a consistent renormalization group (RG) flow analysis of these theories, this only grasps the interaction terms associated with the longitudinal motion of dipoles, which is consistent with previous analysis using large N techniques. Remarkably, our post-Gaussian proposal, by providing a variational improved effective potential, can capture the transverse part of the interaction between dipoles in such a way that a non-trivial RG flow for this term is obtained and analyzed. Our results suggest that dipole symmetries that manifest due to the strong coupling of dipoles, may robustly emerge at low energies from short-distance models without that symmetry.
Dark photon dark matter from cosmic strings and gravitational wave background
Authors: Kitajima Naoya , Nakayama Kazunori
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Dark photon dark matter may be produced by the cosmic strings in association with the dark U(1) gauge symmetry breaking. We perform three-dimensional lattice simulations of the Abelian-Higgs model and follow the evolution of cosmic strings. In particular, we simulate the case of (very) light vector boson and find that such vector bosons are efficiently produced by the collapse of small loops while the production is inefficient in the case of heavy vector boson. We calculate the spectrum of the gravitational wave background produced by the cosmic string loops for the light vector boson case and find characteristic features in the spectrum, which can serve as a probe of the dark photon dark matter scenario. In particular, we find that the current ground-based detectors may be sensitive to such gravitational wave signals and also on-going/future pulsar timing observations give stringent constraint on the dark photon dark matter scenario.
Quantum error correction from complexity in Brownian SYK
Authors: Balasubramanian Vijay , Kar Arjun , Li Cathy , Parrikar Onkar , Rajgadia Harshit
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We study the robustness of quantum error correction in a one-parameter ensemble of codes generated by the Brownian SYK model, where the parameter quantifies the encoding complexity. The robustness of error correction by a quantum code is upper bounded by the “mutual purity” of a certain entangled state between the code subspace and environment in the isometric extension of the error channel, where the mutual purity of a density matrix ρAB is the difference $$ {\mathcal{F}}_{\rho}\left(A:B\right)\equiv \textrm{Tr}\ {\rho}_{AB}^2-\textrm{Tr}\ {\rho}_A^2\ \textrm{Tr}\ {\rho}_B^2 $$

F
ρ

A
:
B

≡
Tr

ρ
AB
2

−
Tr

ρ
A
2

Tr

ρ
B
2

. We show that when the encoding complexity is small, the mutual purity is O(1) for the erasure of a small number of qubits (i.e., the encoding is fragile). However, this quantity decays exponentially, becoming O(1/N) for O(log N) encoding complexity. Further, at polynomial encoding complexity, the mutual purity saturates to a plateau of O(e−N). We also find a hierarchy of complexity scales associated to a tower of subleading contributions to the mutual purity that quantitatively, but not qualitatively, adjust our error correction bound as encoding complexity increases. In the AdS/CFT context, our results suggest that any portion of the entanglement wedge of a general boundary subregion A with sufficiently high encoding complexity is robustly protected against low-rank errors acting on A with no prior access to the encoding map. From the bulk point of view, we expect such bulk degrees of freedom to be causally inaccessible from the region A despite being encoded in it.
On the brane expansion of the Schur index
Authors: Beccaria M. , Cabo-Bizet A.
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We consider the Schur index of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 U(N) SYM theory in 4d and its holographic giant graviton-type expansion at finite N. We compute the world-volume brane superconformal index by a recently proposed definition of the gauge holonomy integral as a multivariate residue. This is evaluated by a novel deformation algorithm that avoids Gröbner basis methods. Various terms of the brane expansion are computed and their sum is shown to be free of wall-crossing singularities to the order we explored. The relation between the brane expansion and previous giant graviton-type represenations of the Schur index is clarified.
Erweiterte präoperative sprachaudiometrische Diagnostik im Rahmen der Cochleaimplantatversorgung
Authors: Beyer Annika , Rieck Jan-Henrik , Mewes Alexander , Dambon Jan Andreas , Hey Matthias
Published: August 2023

Hintergrund

Bei einer hochgradigen, bis an Taubheit grenzenden Schallempfindungsschwerhörigkeit ist das Cochleaimplantat (CI) die Therapie der Wahl. Für die Indikationsstellung zur Cochleaimplantation sind das präoperativ gemessene Freiburger Einsilberverstehen (EV) bei 65 dB SPL mit Hörgerät (HG) im Freifeld (EVHG65) und das maximale Einsilberverstehen ohne HG mit Kopfhörern (mEV) von entscheidender Bedeutung. Ziel dieser retrospektiven Studie war die Analyse des Zusammenhangs zwischen EV mit dem HG bei 80 dB SPL (EVHG80) und dem mEV. Dies ist eine Ergänzung zur Bestimmung des EVHG65 im Vergleich zum mEV und zum Reintonaudiogramm (4FPTA).

Material und Methodik

Im Rahmen dieser Studie wurde das EV mit und ohne HG bei 661 Ohren retrospektiv analysiert. Einschlusskriterium war die spätere Implantation mit einem CI.

Ergebnisse

Im Rahmen der präoperativen CI-Diagnostik ergibt sich ein mEV von 0 % bei 334 Ohren. Ebenso lag das EVHG65 bei 485 Ohren bzw. das EVHG80 bei 335 Ohren bei 0 %. Das EV mit HG verschlechterte sich mit zunehmendem 4FPTA für beide Prüfpegel, wobei der Effekt bei 80 dB SPL weniger stark ausgeprägt war als bei 65 dB SPL. Werden nur Ohren betrachtet, welche präoperativ ein mEV > 0 % hatten (n = 260), zeigt sich eine stärkere Übereinstimmung zwischen dem EVHG80 und dem mEV mit einer Differenz von (−4,0 ± 16,4 %) im Vergleich zum EVHG65 und dem mEV mit einer Differenz von (−18,3 ± 16,7 %). Es zeigt sich ein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen dem mEV und dem EVHG80 im Vergleich zum mEV und dem EVHG65.

Schlussfolgerung

Das EV mit HG zeigt bei einem Sprachpegel von 65 dB SPL oftmals nicht die nach Hilfsmittelrichtlinie und CI-Leitlinie geforderte Annäherung des EV an das mEV. Das EVHG80 zeigt eine bessere Deckung mit dem mEV als das EVHG65. Es ist in der klinischen Diagnostik sinnvoll, das Sprachverstehen mit HG ergänzend oberhalb von 65 dB SPL zu untersuchen.
Carl Arthur Kollmann: Urologe, Venerologe und Puppenspieler in Leipzig
Authors: Moll Friedrich H.
Published: August 2023

Während die Erinnerungskultur zu dem aus Dresden stammenden sächsischen Urologen Felix Martin Oberländer innerhalb der deutschen Urologie gut entwickelt ist und sein Name in einem seit 1997 gestifteten Preis der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Urologie e. V. weiter fortlebt, ist die Erinnerung und das Wissen um Felix-Arthur Kollmann aus Leipzig in der Urologie verlorengegangen. Die Erinnerung an ihn in seinem weiteren akademischen Betätigungsfeld, dem Puppenspiel und der Puppenspielforschung ist bis heute lebendig.
Mouse phenome database: curated data repository with interactive multi-population and multi-trait analyses
Authors: Bogue Molly A. , Ball Robyn L. , Walton David O. , Dunn Matthew H. , Kolishovski Georgi , Berger Alexander , Lamoureux Anna , Grubb Stephen C. , Gerring Matthew , Kim Matthew , Liang Hongping , Emerson Jake , Stearns Timothy , He Hao , Mukherjee Gaurab , Bluis John , Davis Sara , Desai Sejal , Sundberg Beth , Kadakkuzha Beena , Kunde-Ramamoorthy Govindarajan , Philip Vivek M. , Chesler Elissa J.
Published: August 2023

The Mouse Phenome Database continues to serve as a curated repository and analysis suite for measured attributes of members of diverse mouse populations. The repository includes annotation to community standard ontologies and guidelines, a database of allelic states for 657 mouse strains, a collection of protocols, and analysis tools for flexible, interactive, user directed analyses that increasingly integrates data across traits and populations. The database has grown from its initial focus on a standard set of inbred strains to include heterogeneous mouse populations such as the Diversity Outbred and mapping crosses and well as Collaborative Cross, Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, and recombinant inbred strains. Most recently the system has expanded to include data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. Collectively these data are accessible by API and provided with an interactive tool suite that enables users’ persistent selection, storage, and operation on collections of measures. The tool suite allows basic analyses, advanced functions with dynamic visualization including multi-population meta-analysis, multivariate outlier detection, trait pattern matching, correlation analyses and other functions. The data resources and analysis suite provide users a flexible environment in which to explore the basis of phenotypic variation in health and disease across the lifespan.
Clinical and neuroimaging characteristics in mild-type infantile acute subdural hematoma: report of four cases
Authors: Aoki Nobuhiko
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Infantile acute subdural hematoma (IASDH) has a limited age distribution and mostly benign clinical features. Mild-type IASDH has a stereotypical clinical course which, however, has been described in only a few studies.

Methods

Four male infants (aged 6–10 months; mean age: 7.5 months) were diagnosed as mild-type IASDH associated with retinal hemorrhage (RH) after suffering from occipital impact in a fall. The present case series reviews their clinical features and neuroimaging findings, including CT and MRI findings.

Results

All the infants fell backwards from a standing or sitting position onto a soft surface, striking the occipital region. They began crying on impact and then soon afterwards exhibited seizure-like activity or recurrent vomiting. CT and MRI revealed a thin, unclotted subdural hematoma (SDH) without mass effect or brain parenchymal abnormality. Various degrees of bilateral RH were observed. On the day of symptom onset, all infants returned to baseline, and follow-up more than 5 years revealed normal development with no deficits.

Conclusions

Mild-type IASDH with retinal hemorrhage presents with seizure-like activity or recurrent vomiting preceded by crying after an occipital impact on a soft surface. The clinical course of IASDH is followed by rapid recovery on the day of symptom onset. CT and MRI findings reveal a small, unclotted SDH without a mass effect or cerebral parenchymal abnormality.