bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ring-linear mixtures of semiflexible rubber bands
Authors: Gómez Leopoldo R , García Nicolás A , Fernández Márquez Juan Cruz , Pöschel Thorsten
Published: July 2023

During the synthesis of ring polymers, it is quite common to obtain mixtures containing both ring and linear molecules. Recent studies, including experiments and simulations, have shown that even small quantities of linear molecules can significantly influence the shape of ring polymers, ultimately altering their rheological response. To further explore this phenomenon, we investigated blends of semiflexible linear and ring filaments by using disordered assemblies of open and closed rubber bands. We employed x-ray tomography to analyze the structure of these mixtures, focusing on how the length and composition of linear bands influenced the overall mixture. In contrast to the behavior observed in fully-flexible polymers, our findings revealed that increasing the concentration of linear bands could actually decrease the average size of rings within a semiflexible ring-linear mixture. This outcome is attributable to a reduction in inter-ring threading, which naturally occurs as the proportion of rings diminishes. To validate our findings, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations on semiflexible ring-linear polymer mixtures in bulk. These simulations confirmed that our results stem from the semiflexibility of the bands or chains rather than confinement or athermal conditions.
An analytic solution of Navier–Stokes flow past a sphere in the region of intermediate Reynolds number
Authors: Yagi Yuki , Yabushita Kazuki , Suzuki Hiroyoshi
Published: July 2023

We study an analytical solution of steady, laminar, and incompressible flow past a sphere in the region of intermediate Reynolds number. The flow is governed by the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equation and the continuity equation. By applying a simple perturbation method to solve the equations, a second-order approximation cannot be obtained, as well-known (Whitehead’s paradox). Many analytical studies, such as Oseen approximation, matching technique, the homotopy analysis method, etc, have been conducted to resolve the paradox. The drag coefficients of these solutions are valid in the region of Reynolds number

R

d

<
30

(R

d
is the diameter-based Reynolds number) However, the solution cannot express the flow separation behind a sphere observed in experiments. We also develop a perturbation technique to construct a solution of the N–S equation asymptotically to solve the paradox. The solution consists of power series of

R

d

h

, where h is an arbitrary constant

(
0
<
h
⩽
1
)

. By setting the value of h to avoid divergence of the solution in the all-region where steady flow exists, the solution expresses the flow separation behind a sphere, coinciding with experiments in the region of intermediate Reynolds number (

R

d

<
130

), although the existing analytical solutions could not express. Also, the present solution gives the drag coefficient which agrees with experimental and numerical values in the region of

R

d

<
30

.
A new study of the optical and structural characterization properties of p-type ZnS2 pyrite with an application in solar energy
Authors: Sai Refka , Alghamdi Eman A , Abu Mousa Rasha A , Alanazi Amal Faleh
Published: July 2023

In this manuscript, we study the grouping of bands and optical properties of p-type

Zn

S

2

pyrite, which helps us in the study of crystal p-type

Zn

S

2

pyrite and its impact in organic photovoltaic cells. Our work has two approaches one theorical where we find the band structure of

p
−

type

Zn

S

2

by using linear muffin-tin orbital method in the atomic-sphere approximation (LMTO-ASA), the second approach is the experimental where we prepare the crystals by chemical vapor transport. The sample was examined by XRD and optical characterizations. Our results show that the p-type

Zn

S

2

pyrite is a direct semiconductor with optical gap about

1.610

eV

and calculated gap about

1.550

eV
.

As an illustration of our finding, we present an application of our work to photovoltaic devices.
Design and verification of a high bandwidth metamaterial based on daily ceramics and its thermal conductivity
Authors: Long Dan , Lin Baosheng
Published: July 2023

High temperature resistant metamaterial absorbers with broadband and high performance is a promising research field. At present, many reported absorbing materials have the defects of single absorption mechanism, temperature sensitivity, and low temperature resistance. To expand the high-temperature performancs, a daily ceramics-based metamaterial absorber was proposed and verified. The absorption band was excited by the local surface plasma polarization (LSP) mode and the surface plasma polarization (SPP) mode resonance between disk arrays, and the dielectric loss mode resonance of the ceramic substrate. The effects of structural parameters, temperature, preparation process, and type of ceramic substrate on the absorption properties of the metamaterial were measured. The measurement results show that the metamaterial absorber is obvious temperature stability. The absorption band was strengthened by increasing the thickness of the ceramic substrate and the diameter of the disk array. The average value of absorption band was less affected by the preparation technology of daily ceramic substrate. The average absorption based on four preparation technologies (Chemical vapor deposition, Microwave induced synthesis, Sol-gel method, Carbothermal reduction method) are: 0.861, 0.882, 0.857, and 0.842, respectively. The average absorption based on four daily ceramics (SiC, ZrSiO
4
, TmFeO
3
, and ZrSnTiO) were: 0.861, 0.776, 0.908, and 0.857, respectively. In addition, the thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of daily ceramics were important parameters to measure the thermal resonance performance of the ceramic-based metamaterial absorber. The results confirmed the effect of ceramic on the thermal conductivities (thermal response current, thermal resistance and thermal conductivity). Therefore, the proposed daily ceramic-based metamaterial absorber has the following advantages: absorption is temperature-independent, and the high temperature metamaterial is capable of excellent heat conductivity.
Surface water quality assessment in the Bach Dang river basin, Vietnam: using water quality index and geographical information system methods
Authors: Nguyen Manh Ha , Tran Tuan Anh , Tap Van Huu , Hoang Thi Huyen Ngoc , Phan Pham Chi Mai , Nguyen Cong Long , Nguyen Duc Toan , Pham Thi Huong
Published: July 2023

The study evaluates the surface water quality of the Bach Dang river basin. During the rainy season, the temperature, pH, EC, BOD5, COD, coliforms, ammonium and phosphate values were 27 °C–37 °C, 6.6–8.9, 300–2200 μS cm−1, 5–25 mg l−1, 5–26 mg l−1, 0–3000 MPN/100 mL, below 0.01 mg l−1, and 0.02 mg l−1, respective. During the rainy and dry seasons, Zn, Pb, Cr, As, Fe and Mn levels were below drinking water limits. In the rainy season, the water quality index varied from 76 to 91, signifying medium to excellent water quality. The most outstanding water quality sites were the QN12, QN18, and QN22. During the dry season, most areas had moderate to excellent (WQI values between 61 and 93), except for QN01, QN03, QN04, QN05, QN06, QN07, QN11, QN16, QN17, QN19, and QN23, where it dropped to moderate (61–73). The temperatures were greater and higher EC values in the southeast. The DO concentrations were higher in the northwest and southeast in both seasons. The southern and southeastern regions exhibited more excellent COD and BOD5 values than the western, southwest, north, and northeast regions. The ammonium concentrations were higher in the southeast. During the dry season, the phosphate levels exceeded the permissible limit in the west, southeast, east, and northeast. Coliforms were below acceptable in both seasons, with greater levels in the northwest and northeast during the dry season. In addition, the Zn and Pb are favorably associated with the As, Mn, ammonium and phosphate in the rainy season. The COD positively correlated with the coliforms and BOD5. In the dry season, the pH inversely correlated with the Pb and Fe positively. The ammonium correlated negatively with the DO and positively with the phosphates. The pH negatively connected with the alkalinity, while the As positively correlated with the BOD5 and COD.
Optical excitations in 2D semiconductors
Authors: Deilmann Thorsten , Rohlfing Michael , Thygesen Kristian Sommer
Published: July 2023

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have revealed many fascinating physical and chemical properties. Due to the quantum confinement and enhanced many-body effects especially the optical properties are altered compared to their bulk counterparts. The optics of 2D materials can easily be modified by various means, e.g. the substrate, doping, strain, stacking, electric or magnetic fields. In this review we focus on the theoretical description of the excited states and optical properties of 2D semiconductors paying particular attention to the current challenges and future opportunities. While the presented methodology is completely general and applicable to any 2D material, we discuss results for the transition metal dichalcogenides, their heterostructures, and some novel materials from the computational 2D materials database.
Standardizing chemical compounds with language models
Authors: Cretu Miruna T , Toniato Alessandra , Thakkar Amol , Debabeche Amin A , Laino Teodoro , Vaucher Alain C
Published: July 2023

With the growing amount of chemical data stored digitally, it has become crucial to represent chemical compounds accurately and consistently. Harmonized representations facilitate the extraction of insightful information from datasets, and are advantageous for machine learning applications. To achieve consistent representations throughout datasets, one relies on molecule standardization, which is typically accomplished using rule-based algorithms that modify descriptions of functional groups. Here, we present the first deep-learning model for molecular standardization. We enable custom standardization schemes based solely on data, which, as additional benefit, support standardization options that are difficult to encode into rules. Our model achieves over

98
%

accuracy in learning two popular rule-based standardization protocols. We then follow a transfer learning approach to standardize metal-organic compounds (for which there is currently no automated standardization practice), based on a human-curated dataset of 1512 compounds. This model predicts the expected standardized molecular format with a test accuracy of 80.7%. As standardization can be considered, more broadly, a transformation from undesired to desired representations of compounds, the same data-driven architecture can be applied to other tasks. For instance, we demonstrate the application to compound canonicalization and to the determination of major tautomers in solution, based on computed and experimental data.
Centering equity and sustainability in climate adaptation funding
Authors: Berlin Rubin Nina , Bower Erica Rose , Herbert Natalie , Santos Bianca S , Wong-Parodi Gabrielle
Published: July 2023

Climate change poses a growing threat to the lives and livelihoods of more than three billion people living in highly vulnerable areas. Despite recent financing designated for climate adaptation, current support is only a fraction of what is needed and lags behind the accelerating pace of climate impacts. To achieve equitable and sustainable adaptation, we propose four evidence-based guidelines for funding and developing adaptation projects: uphold community autonomy, be transformative, avoid maladaptation, and integrate across sectors. Upholding community autonomy prioritizes bottom-up approaches that support local engagement and decision-making. Being transformative involves funding nonlinear proposals and developing novel funding mechanisms in order to shift away from incremental change. Avoiding maladaptation means ensuring that adaptation projects are proactive, flexible, and supportive of natural ecosystem services to prevent increasing vulnerability and exposure to climate impacts. Integrating across sectors involves addressing the intersections between human and environmental systems and using multiple sources of knowledge when developing projects. We illustrate these guidelines in action by exploring these principles in the context of adaptation to coastal hazards. By adopting these guidelines, funding for climate adaptation can support frontline communities facing the most severe consequences of climate change and address some of the underlying conditions that contribute to vulnerability, delivering broader societal benefits.
Spatial Cognition in Rodents
Authors: Ólafsdóttir Freyja
Published: July 2023

Wayfinding, like other related spatial cognitive abilities, is a core function of all mobile animals. The past 50 years have a seen a plethora of research devoted to elucidating the neural basis of this function. This research has led to the identification of neuronal cell types—many of which can be found within the hippocampal area and afferent brain regions—that encode different spatial variables and together are thought to provide animals with a so-called “cognitive map.” Moreover, seminal research carried out over the past decade has identified a neural activity event—known as “replay”—that is thought to consolidate newly formed cognitive maps, so to commit them to long-term storage and support planning of goal-directed navigational trajectories in familiar, and perhaps novel, environments. Finally, this hippocampal spatial coding scheme has in recent years been postulated to extend to nonspatial domains, including episodic memory, suggesting it may play a general role in knowledge creation.
360 Thinking in Local Governance Advances Sustainability, Economic Prosperity, and Equity
Authors: DiPrete Brown Lori
Published: July 2023

Local governance is a key focal point for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). National and global initiatives encourage SDG governance by promoting the overall SDG framework, targets, and indicators and by providing data, rankings, and visualization about the performance of nations, states, and selected cities. Soon after the SDGs were adopted in 2015, efforts turned toward localization—that is, a focus on local governance as the engine for progress and innovation, which engendered many efforts to develop indicators to measure sustainability. In addition to this emphasis on measurement strategies, the use of the SDGs as a holistic and integrated framework that is essential for improvement, implementation, and innovation began to emerge. Despite challenges to SDG-based local governance, promising strategies that exemplify “SDG 360 Thinking” have emerged. These approaches reflect practical insights related to political incentives, local relevance, and simplicity or feasibility. They address key aspects of the planning and implementation cycle and echo evidence-based approaches deriving from systems thinking and implementation science. SDG 360 Thinking uses a holistic systematic approach to focus on identification of co-benefits; reduction of harm, waste, and error; and equity trade-offs. The clarity of purpose, systematic approach, and revelatory power of SDG 360 Thinking, combined with a practical, inclusive, and robust economics, offer the promise to enable local governments to realize the potential of the SDGs.
China and Africa, 20 Years Since the Forum on Africa–China Cooperation
Authors: Monyae David
Published: July 2023

The increasing intensity of interaction between China and Africa, which was a result of the growing compatibility of their strategic interests toward the end of the 20th century, led to the establishment of Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000. The FOCAC was part of China’s revitalization of the developing-world dimension in its foreign policy and part of Africa’s engagement with major and emerging world powers. Having gathered regularly in 3-year intervals since its inception in 2000, the FOCAC has become more comprehensive and sophisticated. It has become the principal site on which China–Africa relations are shaped. The relationship has grown both in scale and scope in areas like political cooperation, international solidarity, peace and security, media cooperation, and development finance and infrastructure, as examined in this article. However, the FOCAC is not without its shortcomings. Weak institutionalization, tendency toward Sino-centrism, lack of accountability, and the preponderance of the state are some of the weaknesses that should be addressed going forward.
Mongolian Buddhism in the Yuan Dynasty
Authors: Baumann Brian
Published: July 2023

The history of Mongolian Buddhism during the Yuan dynasty began in 1206 with the investiture of Chinggis Khan (b. ?1162, r. 1206–1227) over Yeke Mong
γ
ol Ulus (the Great Mongol Nation). After the founding of the Yuan dynasty (1206–1365) following the accession of Qubilai Khan (b. 1215, r. 1260–1294) in 1260, Chinggis Khan retroactively became the dynasty’s original emperor, Taizu (太祖). The Yuan ended in 1635 with the fall of the Northern Yuan dynasty (1368–1635) and rise of the Manchu Qing dynasty (1636–1912) in 1636. The history of Mongolian Buddhism during the Yuan dynasty breaks into four periods at three important junctures. The first period lasts from Chinggis Khan’s investiture in 1206 until the 1260 accession of Qubilai Khan and subsequent establishment of the Yuan dynasty. The second period lasts until the 1368 expulsion of the Mongols from China and subsequent establishment of the Northern Yuan. This period lasted until the 1578meeting between Altan Khan (1507–1582) and Sönam Gyatso (Bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1543–1588), which resulted in the rise of the Gélukpa (Dge lugs pa) and the creation of the institution of the Dalai Lama. The fourth period lasts until the fall of the Northern Yuan dynasty in 1635. Over the course of this history, the Mongols made Tibetan-rite Buddhism preeminent over other Buddhist traditions and made first Sakya (Sa skya) and then later Géluk Buddhism preeminent over other Tibetan Buddhist schools. They made Buddhism the state religion of a vast empire, patronized Buddhism with unprecedented munificence, and took Buddhism to its apogee as a world religion. They used Buddhism to transform the model of imperial governance and ushered in a new age in the history of politics: the age of soteriological dominion. The history of Mongolian Buddhism during the Yuan dynasty is thus not only the formative moment of Mongolian Buddhism, it is a defining moment in the history of Buddhism, the history of religion, and the history of the world.
Acquisition of Inflection in Romance Languages
Authors: Parisse Christophe
Published: July 2023

Inflection is present in all Romance languages, even if at times it can be replaced by the use of clitic elements. It is therefore a crucial feature of the language for children to acquire. The acquisition of inflected forms was studied in the nominal, verbal, and adjectival systems because it is present from the very first forms produced by children. Data are presented from the literature for six languages: Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, French, Italian, and Romanian. For all these languages, there exist open access corpus data available on the CHILDES website, which make it possible to have first-hand access to actual spoken data for these languages. Results show that children produce correct forms very early on for the most frequent grammatical elements (by age 2 for most children, but sometimes as early as age 18 months). This includes the use of nouns and determiners in both genders, and the use of verbs in the present, perfect, and imperative forms. Verbs are produced first in the third person, followed by the other persons. Nouns and verbs are used in the singular form before being used in the plural form. Other more complex grammatical forms, such as, for example, the imperfective past tense or the present conditional, emerge only later, and this is probably related to the semantics of the forms rather than their complexity. In most cases, there is correct agreement between noun and determiner, or verb and personal pronoun, or noun and verb. Errors are infrequent, and the nature of the errors can be used as means to study the mechanisms of language acquisition.
Reconstructing Proto-Germanic
Authors: Kümmel Martin Joachim
Published: July 2023

In this article, the methodology of protolanguage reconstruction and its application to Proto-Germanic (PG) are discussed, with emphasis on the special case of an intermediate protolanguage and the problem of parallel changes in daughter languages. Then, a short description of PG and its reconstruction is given. The main focus is on phonology (section 2). Section 2.1 is a description of PG phonology as it can be reconstructed: first the segmental inventory (vowels and consonants), then suprasegmentals (accent, quantity, and syllables) and morphophonology. In section 2.2, the most important phonological changes relevant for PG are given, including some common post-PG developments. Section 3 treats PG inflectional morphology: After a short general characterization, section 3.1 describes nominal morphology, discussing inflectional categories and special features of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, including some example paradigms of nouns. Section 3.2 deals with verbal morphology: After a discussion of the inflectional categories, the main features of morphological classes are described—mainly the characteristics of “strong” and “weak” verbs and their subclasses, followed by so-called preterite-presents and further irregular verbs, with example paradigms of one strong and one weak verb. In section 4, some short remarks on syntax follow. Section 5 discusses lexical reconstruction, especially cases of limited distribution in the daughter branches, showing that the availability of Indo-European comparanda often helps. It also treats language contact and borrowing relations of PG, both into PG (from Celtic or possible substrates) and from PG (into Saamic, Finnic, and Slavonic), as well as the hypothesis of Semitic influence.
Peculiarities of Raeto-Romance Word Formation
Authors: Grünert Matthias
Published: July 2023

Raeto-Romance (RaeR.) word formation shows considerable differences between the three main varieties: Romansh of Grisons, Dolomitic Ladin, and Friulian. Although numerous processes of word formation are common to these varieties, being inherited from identical bases, their vitality differs. This is due to the detached developments in the individual areas and to different influences from the dominant neighboring languages, German and Italian, leading to numerous replications of patterns in the RaeR. varieties.
Screening instruments to predict adverse outcomes for undifferentiated older adults attending the Emergency Department: Results of SOAED prospective cohort study
Authors: Leahy Aoife , Corey Gillian , Purtill Helen , O’Neill Aoife , Devlin Collette , Barry Louise , Cummins Niamh , Gabr Ahmed , Mohamed Abdirahman , Shanahan Elaine , Shchetkovsky Denys , Ryan Damien , O’Loughlin Monica , O'Connor Margaret , Galvin Rose
Published: July 2023

Background

frailty screening facilitates the stratification of older adults at most risk of adverse events for urgent assessment and subsequent intervention. We assessed the validity of the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR), Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), Programme on Research for Integrating Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy seven item questionnaire (PRISMA-7) and InterRAI-ED at predicting adverse outcomes at 30 days and 6 months amongst older adults presenting to the Emergency Department (ED).

Methods

a prospective cohort study of adults ≥65 years who presented to the ED was conducted. The ISAR, CFS, PRISMA-7 and InterRAI-ED were assessed. Blinded follow-up telephone interviews were completed at 30 days and 6 months to assess the incidence of mortality, ED re-attendance, hospital readmission, functional decline and nursing home admission. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of the screening tools were calculated using 2 × 2 tables.

Results

a total of 419 patients were recruited; 47% female with a mean age of 76.9 (Standard deviation = 7.2). The prevalence of frailty varied across the tools (CFS 57% versus InterRAI-ED 70%). At 30 days, the mortality rate was 5.1%, ED re-attendance 18.1%, hospital readmission 14%, functional decline 47.6% and nursing home admission 7.1%. All tools had a high sensitivity and positive predictive value for predicting adverse outcomes.

Conclusion

older adults who screened positive for frailty were at significantly increased risk of experiencing an adverse outcome at 30 days with the ISAR being the most sensitive tool. We would recommend the implementation of the ISAR in the ED setting to support clinicians in identifying older adults most likely to benefit from specialised geriatric assessment and intervention.
Age-Related Changes of the Zygomatic Ligament: An Experimental Animal Study
Authors: Zhang You-Liang , Hong Wei-Jin , Chen Yin , Zhou Yang-fan , Chen Yi-Qing , Li Zhen-Hao , Li Xin-Rui , Yu Hao , Cotofana Sebastian , Luo Sheng-kang
Published: July 2023

Background

Facial aging is a multifactorial process involving the skin, fat, muscles, bones, and ligaments. The role of facial ligaments in the facial aging process remains elusive.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify whether age-related changes in facial ligaments exist and how to best quantify such changes when investigating the zygomatic ligament in the rat.

Methods

A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats (10 young, 10 middle-aged, 10 mature) were investigated to visualize the zygomatic ligament. Samples of the ligaments spanning the zygomatic arch and the skin were taken and histologically examined with hematoxylin-eosin, Masson, Verhoeff's elastic, and picrosirius red staining. Quantification of the Type I/III collagen ratio and collagen content was performed by color deconvolution and electron microscopic imaging.

Results

With increasing age, collagen fibers inside of the examined ligaments appeared thicker and more closely arranged. The Type I/III collagen ratio was measured to be 1.74 in young animals, 3.93 in middle-aged animals, and 5.58 in mature animals. The ultra-microstructure of the ligament was less coordinated in direction and orientation in young and middle-aged animals than in mature animals, in which collagen fibers were bundled together in a strong and oriented mesh.

Conclusions

Ligaments appeared thinner, transparent, more elastic, and less robust in young animals, whereas ligaments in mature animals appeared thicker, more fascia-like, less elastic, and more robust. An increase in the Type I/III collagen ratio, indicating greater stiffness and reduced elasticity, was observed with higher age of the investigated animals. These findings indicate that ligaments might increase in stiffness and rigidity with age.
DOCEST—fast and accurate estimator of human NGS sequencing depth and error rate
Authors: Kaplinski Lauris , Möls Märt , Puurand Tarmo , Remm Maido
Published: July 2023

Motivation

Accurate estimation of next-generation sequencing depth of coverage is needed for detecting the copy number of repeated elements in the human genome. The common methods for estimating sequencing depth are based on counting the number of reads mapped to the genome or subgenomic regions. Such methods are sensitive to the mapping quality. The presence of contamination or the large deviance of an individual genome from the reference may introduce bias in depth estimation.

Results

Here, we present an algorithm and implementation for estimating both the sequencing depth and error rate from unmapped reads using a uniquely filtered k-mer set. On simulated reads with 20× coverage, the margin of error was less than 0.01%. At 0.01× coverage and the presence of 10-fold contamination, the precision was within 2% for depth and within 10% for error rate.

Availability and implementation

DOCEST program and database can be downloaded from https://bioinfo.ut.ee/docest/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
Temporal Trends in Hepatitis C–Related Hospitalizations, United States, 2000–2019
Authors: Hofmeister Megan G , Zhong Yuna , Moorman Anne C , Samuel Christina R , Teshale Eyasu H , Spradling Philip R
Published: July 2023

Background

Hospitalization burden related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is substantial. We sought to describe temporal trends in hospitalization rates before and after release of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents.

Methods

We analyzed 2000–2019 data from adults aged ≥18 years in the National Inpatient Sample. Hospitalizations were HCV-related if (1) hepatitis C was the primary diagnosis, or (2) hepatitis C was any secondary diagnosis with a liver-related primary diagnosis. We analyzed characteristics of HCV-related hospitalizations nationally and examined trends in age-adjusted hospitalization rates.

Results

During 2000–2019, there were an estimated 1 286 397 HCV-related hospitalizations in the United States. The annual age-adjusted hospitalization rate was lowest in 2019 (18.7/100 000 population) and highest in 2012 (29.6/100 000 population). Most hospitalizations occurred among persons aged 45–64 years (71.8%), males (67.1%), White non-Hispanic persons (60.5%), and Medicaid/Medicare recipients (64.0%). The national age-adjusted hospitalization rate increased during 2000–2003 (annual percentage change [APC], 9.4%; P < .001) and 2003–2013 (APC, 1.8%; P < .001) before decreasing during 2013–2019 (APC, −7.6%; P < .001). Comparing 2000 to 2019, the largest increases in hospitalization rates occurred among persons aged 55–64 years (132.9%), Medicaid recipients (41.6%), and Black non-Hispanic persons (22.3%).

Conclusions

Although multiple factors likely contributed, overall HCV-related hospitalization rates declined steadily after 2013, coinciding with the release of DAAs. However, the declines were not observed equally among age, race/ethnicity, or insurance categories. Expanded access to DAA treatment is needed, particularly among Medicaid and Medicare recipients, to reduce disparities and morbidity and eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat.
Long COVID: Alice Evans, Brucellosis, and Reflections on Infectious Causes of Chronic Disease
Authors: Smith Tara C
Published: July 2023

Despite more than a century of research on the link between infection and chronic diseases, we again find ourselves flummoxed by a new pathogen that causes long-term impairment. Patients have reported being ignored or minimized, resources are lacking for diagnosis and treatment, and frustrated individuals are turning outside of the scientific profession for answers. The experience mirrors that of American Society for Microbiology past president Alice C. Evans. Accidentally infected with Brucella melitensis during her laboratory research, Evans was chronically ill for more than 20 years, during which time friends, colleagues, and physicians cast doubt on her illness. As a result, she argued passionately for improved diagnostics and for those who reported chronic infection to be taken seriously rather than presumed to be “malingering” or using their illness for financial benefit. Lessons from Evans’ experience are useful as we work toward understanding long COVID and patients suffering from the condition.
Potential and Limits of Patent Law to Address Climate Change
Authors: Hilty Reto M , Batista Pedro Henrique D
Published: July 2023

The challenges imposed by climate change urgently require new technologies to reduce environmental damage and make more efficient use of natural resources. Patent law is generally considered an important tool to promote innovation. The question therefore arises as to its role with regard to sustainable inventions, in particular whether there is a need for adjustments to increase its efficiency, but also concerning the interaction with other regulatory measures. This article offers a critical overview of the range of options for state intervention and distinguishes different types of market failure that need to be prevented in different ways.
Durability of bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement in patients under the age of 60 years — 1-year follow-up from the prospective INDURE registry
Authors: Meuris Bart , Roussel Jean-Christian , Borger Michael A , Siepe Matthias , Stefano Pierluigi , Laufer Günther , Langanay Thierry , Theron Alexis , Grabenwöger Martin , Binder Konrad , Demers Philippe , Pessotto Renzo , van Leeuwen Wouter , Bourguignon Thierry , Canovas Sergio , Mariscalco Giovanni , Coscioni Enrico , Dagenais Francois , Wendler Olaf , Polvani Gianluca , Eden Matthias , Botta Beate , Bramlage Peter , De Paulis Ruggero
Published: July 2023

OBJECTIVES

We report 1-year safety and clinical outcomes in patients <60 years undergoing bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve intervention.

METHODS

The INSPIRIS RESILIA Durability Registry is a prospective, multicentre registry to assess clinical outcomes of patients <60 years. Patients with planned SAVR with or without concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta and/or coronary bypass surgery were included. Time-related valve safety, haemodynamic performance and quality of life (QoL) at 1 year were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 421 patients were documented with a mean age of 53.5 years, 76.5% being male and 27.2% in NYHA class III/IV. Outcomes within 30 days included cardiovascular-related mortality (0.7%), time-related valve safety (VARC-2; 5.8%), thromboembolic events (1.7%), valve-related life-threatening bleeding (VARC-2; 4.3%) and permanent pacemaker implantation (3.8%). QoL was significantly increased at 6 months and sustained at 1 year. Freedom from all-cause mortality at 1 year was 98.3% (95% confidence interval 97.1; 99.6) and 81.8% were NYHA I versus 21.9% at baseline. No patient developed structural valve deterioration stage 3 (VARC-3). The mean aortic pressure gradient was 12.6 mmHg at 1 year and the effective orifice area was 1.9 cm2.

CONCLUSIONS

The 1-year data from the INSPIRIS RESILIA valve demonstrate good safety and excellent haemodynamic performance as well as an early QoL improvement.

Clinical trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03666741.
Sine cosine algorithm with communication and quality enhancement: Performance design for engineering problems
Authors: Yu Helong , Zhao Zisong , Zhou Jing , Heidari Ali Asghar , Chen Huiling
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the sine cosine algorithm (SCA) has become one of the popular swarm intelligence algorithms due to its simple and convenient structure. However, the standard SCA tends to fall into the local optimum when solving complex multimodal tasks, leading to unsatisfactory results. Therefore, this study presents the SCA with communication and quality enhancement, called CCEQSCA. The proposed algorithm includes two enhancement strategies: the communication and collaboration strategy (CC) and the quality enhancement strategy (EQ). In the proposed algorithm, CC strengthens the connection of SCA populations by guiding the search agents closer to the range of optimal solutions. EQ improves the quality of candidate solutions to enhance the exploitation of the algorithm. Furthermore, EQ can explore potential candidate solutions in other scopes, thus strengthening the ability of the algorithm to prevent trapping in the local optimum. To verify the capability of CCEQSCA, 30 functions from the IEEE CEC2017 are analyzed. The proposed algorithm is compared with 5 advanced original algorithms and 10 advanced variants. The outcomes indicate that it is dominant over other comparison algorithms in global optimization tasks. The work in this paper is also utilized to tackle three typical engineering design problems with excellent optimization capabilities. It has been experimentally demonstrated that CCEQSCA works as an effective tool to tackle real issues with constraints and complex search space.
A multicentre retrospective study on extra-thoracic solitary fibrous tumour: preoperative MRI findings predict intraoperative findings and postoperative prognosis
Authors: Kamoda Hiroto , Yonemoto Tsukasa , Kawai Akira , Hiruma Toru , Iwata Shintaro , Nakayama Robert , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Hirai Toshihide , Saito Masato , Ishii Takeshi
Published: July 2023

Objective

The present study investigated the relationships between the preoperative and operative findings of solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) and between preoperative findings and prognosis.

Methods

We reviewed 50 SFT patients treated at our musculoskeletal oncology hospital group. We analyzed preoperative clinical findings, particularly MRI imaging findings, and intraoperative information as well as the relationship between preoperative findings and outcomes.

Results

Mean age was 48.9 years and the mean follow-up was 51.8 months. Prior to surgery, needle biopsy was performed on 27 patients and open biopsy on 14. T2-weighted images showed a high signal intensity in 24 patients and heterogeneous signal intensity in 20. Tumours had polylobular contours in 17 patients and smooth and round contours in 27. Collateral feeding vessels were detected in 22 patients. Gd-enhanced MRI was performed on 23 patients, and showed 15 with homogeneous enhancement and 8 with heterogeneous enhancement. Surgical times were significantly longer in patients with a retroperitoneal origin, a tumour of 10 cm or more, and polylobular-type tumours. Intraoperative blood loss was significantly greater in patients with a retroperitoneal origin and heterogeneous Gd-MRI-enhanced tumours. In histopathological evaluations, surgical margins were positive in 12 patients. Local recurrence was observed in one patient. Distant metastasis was noted in eight patients, four of whom had pulmonary metastases. Positive surgical margins were more common in polylobular-type tumours. Distant metastases were more likely to appear in patients with observable collateral feeding vessels and heterogeneous Gd-MRI enhancement.

Conclusion

The present results suggest that preoperative clinical findings in SFT patients predict longer surgical times and the risk of increased intraoperative blood loss. Moreover, the risk of a positive surgical margin and postoperative distant metastases may be predicted based on preoperative MRI.
Composition constraints of the TRAPPIST-1 planets from their formation
Authors: Childs Anna C , Shakespeare Cody , Rice David R , Yang Chao-Chin , Steffen Jason H
Published: July 2023

We study the formation of the TRAPPIST-1 (T1) planets starting shortly after Moon-sized bodies form just exterior to the ice line. Our model includes mass growth from pebble accretion and mergers, fragmentation, type-I migration, and eccentricity and inclination dampening from gas drag. We follow the composition evolution of the planets fed by a dust condensation code that tracks how various dust species condense out of the disc as it cools. We use the final planet compositions to calculate the resulting radii of the planets using a new planet interior structure code and explore various interior structure models. Our model reproduces the broader architecture of the T1 system and constrains the initial water mass fraction of the early embryos and the final relative abundances of the major refractory elements. We find that the inner two planets likely experienced giant impacts and fragments from collisions between planetary embryos often seed the small planets that subsequently grow through pebble accretion. Using our composition constraints, we find solutions for a two-layer model, a planet comprised of only a core and mantle, that match observed bulk densities for the two inner planets b and c. This, along with the high number of giant impacts the inner planets experienced, is consistent with recent observations that these planets are likely desiccated. However, two-layer models seem unlikely for most of the remaining outer planets, which suggests that these planets have a primordial hydrosphere. Our composition constraints also indicate that no planets are consistent with a core-free interior structure.
RX J0440.9+4431: another supercritical X-ray pulsar
Authors: Salganik Alexander , Tsygankov Sergey S , Doroshenko Victor , Molkov Sergey V , Lutovinov Alexander A , Mushtukov Alexander A , Poutanen Juri
Published: July 2023

In the beginning of 2023, the Be transient X-ray pulsar RX J0440.9+4431 underwent a first-ever giant outburst observed from the source peaking in the beginning of February and reaching peak luminosity of ≈4.3 × 1037 erg s−1. Here, we present the results of a detailed spectral and temporal study of the source based on NuSTAR, Swift, INTEGRAL, and NICER observations performed during this period and covering wide range of energies and luminosities. We find that both the pulse profile shape and spectral hardness change abruptly around ≈2.8 × 1037 erg s−1, which we associate with a transition to supercritical accretion regime and erection of the accretion column. The observed pulsed fraction decreases gradually with energy up to 20 keV (with a local minimum around fluorescence iron line), which is unusual for an X-ray pulsar, and then rises rapidly at higher energies with the pulsations significantly detected up to ≈120 keV. The broad-band energy spectra of RX J0440.9+4431 at different luminosity states can be approximated with a two-hump model with peaks at energies of about 10–20 and 50–70 keV previously suggested for other pulsars without additional features. In particular, an absorption feature around 30 keV previously reported and interpreted as a cyclotron line in the literature appears to be absent when using this model, so the question regarding the magnetic field strength of the neutron star remains open. Instead, we attempted to estimate field using several indirect methods and conclude that all of them point to a relatively strong field of around B ∼ 1013 G.
Stellar halo striations from assumptions of axisymmetry
Authors: Davies Elliot Y , Dillamore Adam M , Belokurov Vasily , Evans N Wyn
Published: July 2023

Motivated by the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)’s impact on the integral of motion space of the stellar halo, we run an N-body merger simulation to produce a population of halo-like stars. We subsequently move to a test-particle simulation, in which the LMC perturbs this debris. When an axisymmetric potential is assumed for the final snapshot of the N-body merger remnant, a series of vertical striations in (Lz, E) space form as the LMC approaches its pericentre. These result from the formation of overdensities in angular momentum owing to a relationship between the precession rate of near radial orbits and the torquing of these orbits by the LMC. This effect is heavily dependent on the shape of the inner potential. If a quadrupole component of the potential is included, these striations become significantly less apparent due to the difference in precession rate between the two potentials. The absence of these features in data, and the dramatic change in orbital plane precession rate, discourages the use of an axisymmetric potential for highly eccentric orbits accreted from a massive Gaia Sausage/Enceladus-like merger. Given the link the between appearance of these striations and the shape of the potential, this effect may provide a new method of constraining the axisymmetry of the halo.
Accretion properties and estimation of spin of galactic black hole candidate Swift J1728.9–3613with NuSTAR during its 2019 outburst
Authors: Heiland Skye R , Chatterjee Arka , Safi-Harb Samar , Jana Arghajit , Heyl Jeremy
Published: July 2023

Black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) play a crucial role in understanding the accretion of matter onto a black hole. Here, we focus on exploring the transient BHXRB Swift J1728.9–3613 discovered by Swift/BAT and MAXI/GSC during its January 2019 outburst. We present measurements on its accretion properties, long time-scale variability, and spin. To probe these properties, we make use of several NICER observations and an unexplored data set from NuSTAR, as well as long-term light curves from MAXI/GSC. In our timing analysis, we provide estimates of the cross-correlation functions between light curves in various energy bands. In our spectral analysis, we employ numerous phenomenological models to constrain the parameters of the system, including flavours of the relativistic reflection model Relxill to model the Fe Kα line and the >15 keV reflection hump. Our analysis reveals that: (i) Over the course of the outburst, the total energy released was ∼5.2 × 1044 ergs, corresponding to roughly 90 per cent of the mass of Mars being devoured. (ii) We find a continuum lag of 8.4 ± 1.9 d between light curves in the 2–4 and 10–20 keV bands, which could be related to the viscous inflow time-scale of matter in the standard disc. (iii) Spectral analysis reveals a spin parameter of ∼0.6–0.7 with an inclination angle of ∼45°–70° and an accretion rate during the NuSTAR observation of ${\sim}17\ \hbox{per cent}\ L_{\rm Edd}$.
The genomic region of the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of PHO84, rather than the antisense RNA, promotes gene repression
Authors: Hegazy Youssef A , Cloutier Sara C , Utturkar Sagar M , Das Subhadeep , Tran Elizabeth J
Published: July 2023

PHO84 is a budding yeast gene reported to be negatively regulated by its cognate antisense transcripts both in cis and in trans. In this study, we performed Transient-transcriptome sequencing (TT-seq) to investigate the correlation of sense/antisense pairs in a dbp2Δ strain and found over 700 sense/antisense pairs, including PHO84, to be positively correlated, contrasting the prevailing model. To define what mechanism regulates the PHO84 gene and how this regulation could have been originally attributed to repression by the antisense transcript, we conducted a series of molecular biology and genetics experiments. We now report that the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of PHO84 plays a repressive role in sense expression, an activity not linked to the antisense transcripts. Moreover, we provide results of a genetic screen for 3′UTR-dependent repression of PHO84 and show that the vast majority of identified factors are linked to negative regulation. Finally, we show that the PHO84 promoter and terminator form gene loops which correlate with transcriptional repression, and that the RNA-binding protein, Tho1, increases this looping and the 3′UTR-dependent repression. Our results negate the current model for antisense non-coding transcripts of PHO84 and suggest that many of these transcripts are byproducts of open chromatin.
Precise and efficient C-to-U RNA base editing with SNAP-CDAR-S
Authors: Latifi Ngadhnjim , Mack Aline Maria , Tellioglu Irem , Di Giorgio Salvatore , Stafforst Thorsten
Published: July 2023

Site-directed RNA base editing enables the transient and dosable change of genetic information and represents a recent strategy to manipulate cellular processes, paving ways to novel therapeutic modalities. While tools to introduce adenosine-to-inosine changes have been explored quite intensively, the engineering of precise and programmable tools for cytidine-to-uridine editing is somewhat lacking behind. Here we demonstrate that the cytidine deaminase domain evolved from the ADAR2 adenosine deaminase, taken from the RESCUE-S tool, provides very efficient and highly programmable editing when changing the RNA targeting mechanism from Cas13-based to SNAP-tag-based. Optimization of the guide RNA chemistry further allowed to dramatically improve editing yields in the difficult-to-edit 5′-CCN sequence context thus improving the substrate scope of the tool. Regarding editing efficiency, SNAP-CDAR-S outcompeted the RESCUE-S tool clearly on all tested targets, and was highly superior in perturbing the β-catenin pathway. NGS analysis showed similar, moderate global off-target A-to-I and C-to-U editing for both tools.