bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The superantigens SpeC and TSST-1 specifically activate TRBV12-3/12-4+ memory T cells
Authors: Shepherd Freya R. , Davies Kate , Miners Kelly L. , Llewellyn-Lacey Sian , Kollnberger Simon , Redman James E. , Grant Melissa M. , Ladell Kristin , Price David A. , McLaren James E.
Published: January 2023

Severe bacterial or viral infections can induce a state of immune hyperactivation that can culminate in a potentially lethal cytokine storm. The classic example is toxic shock syndrome, a life-threatening complication of Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes infection, which is driven by potent toxins known as superantigens (SAgs). SAgs are thought to promote immune evasion via the promiscuous activation of T cells, which subsequently become hyporesponsive, and act by cross-linking major histocompatibility complex class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells to particular β-chain variable (TRBV) regions of αβ T cell receptors (TCRs). Although some of these interactions have been defined previously, our knowledge of SAg-responsive TRBV regions is incomplete. In this study, we found that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing TRBV12-3/12-4+ TCRs were highly responsive to streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C (SpeC) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). In particular, SpeC and TSST-1 specifically induced effector cytokine production and the upregulation of multiple coinhibitory receptors among TRBV12-3/12-4+ CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells, and importantly, these biological responses were dependent on human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR. Collectively, these data provided evidence of functionally determinative and therapeutically relevant interactions between SpeC and TSST-1 and CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells expressing TRBV12-3/12-4+ TCRs, mediated via HLA-DR.
Lateral line ablation by ototoxic compounds results in distinct rheotaxis profiles in larval zebrafish
Authors: Newton Kyle C. , Kacev Dovi , Nilsson Simon R. O. , Saettele Allison L. , Golden Sam A. , Sheets Lavinia
Published: January 2023

The zebrafish lateral line is an established model for hair cell organ damage, yet few studies link mechanistic disruptions to changes in biologically relevant behavior. We used larval zebrafish to determine how damage via ototoxic compounds impact rheotaxis. Larvae were treated with CuSO4or neomycin to disrupt lateral line function then exposed to water flow stimuli. Their swimming behavior was recorded on video then DeepLabCut and SimBA software were used to track movements and classify rheotaxis behavior, respectively. Lateral line-disrupted fish performed rheotaxis, but they swam greater distances, for shorter durations, and with greater angular variance than controls. Furthermore, spectral decomposition analyses confirmed that lesioned fish exhibited ototoxic compound-specific behavioral profiles with distinct changes in the magnitude, frequency, and cross-correlation between fluctuations in linear and angular movements. Our observations demonstrate that lateral line input is needed for fish to hold their station in flow efficiently and reveals that commonly used lesion methods have unique effects on rheotaxis behavior.
Glucocorticoids coordinate the bladder peripheral clock and diurnal micturition pattern in mice
Authors: Chihara Ichiro , Negoro Hiromitsu , Kono Jin , Nagumo Yoshiyuki , Tsuchiya Haruki , Kojo Kosuke , Shiga Masanobu , Tanaka Ken , Kandori Shuya , Mathis Bryan J. , Nishiyama Hiroyuki
Published: January 2023

Peripheral clocks function to regulate each organ and are synchronized though various molecular and behavioral signals. However, signals that entrain the bladder clock remain elusive. Here, we show that glucocorticoids are a key cue for the bladder clock in vitro and in vivo. A pBmal1-dLuc human urothelial cell-line showed significant shifts in gene expression after cortisol treatment. In vivo, rhythmic bladder clock gene expression was unchanged by bilateral adrenalectomy but shifted 4 h forward by corticosterone administration at the inactive phase. Moreover, the bladder clock shifted 8–12 h in mice that underwent both bilateral adrenalectomy and corticosterone administration at the inactive phase. These mice showed decreases in the diurnal rhythm of volume voided per micturition, while maintaining diurnal activity rhythms. These results indicate that the diurnal rhythm of glucocorticoid signaling is a zeitgeber that overcomes other bladder clock entrainment factors and coordinates the diurnal rhythm of volume voided per micturition.
ATP and nucleic acids competitively modulate LLPS of the SARS-CoV2 nucleocapsid protein
Authors: Dang Mei , Li Tongyang , Song Jianxing
Published: January 2023

SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein with very low mutation rates is the only structural protein which not only functions to package viral genomic RNA, but also manipulates host-cell machineries, thus representing a key target for drug development. Recent discovery of its liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) opens up a new direction for developing anti-SARS-CoV-2 strategies/drugs. However, so far the high-resolution mechanism of its LLPS still remains unknown. Here by DIC and NMR characterization, we have demonstrated: 1) nucleic acids modulate LLPS by dynamic and multivalent interactions over both folded NTD/CTD and Arg/Lys residues within IDRs; 2) ATP with concentrations > mM in all living cells but absent in viruses not only binds NTD/CTD, but also Arg residues within IDRs with a Kd of 2.8 mM; and 3) ATP dissolves nucleic-acid-induced LLPS by competitively displacing nucleic acid from binding the protein. Our study deciphers that the essential binding of N protein with nucleic acid and its LLPS are targetable by small molecules including ATP, which is emerging as a cellular factor controlling the host-SARS-CoV-2 interaction. Fundamentally, our results imply that the mechanisms of LLPS of IDR-containing proteins mediated by ATP and nucleic acids appear to be highly conserved from human to virus.
Biomedical consequences of elevated cholesterol-containing lipoproteins and apolipoproteins on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular outcomes
Authors: Schmidt Amand F. , Joshi Roshni , Gordillo-Marañón Maria , Drenos Fotios , Charoen Pimphen , Giambartolomei Claudia , Bis Joshua C. , Gaunt Tom R. , Hughes Alun D. , Lawlor Deborah A. , Wong Andrew , Price Jackie F. , Chaturvedi Nishi , Wannamethee Goya , Franceschini Nora , Kivimaki Mika , Hingorani Aroon D. , Finan Chris
Published: January 2023

Background

Higher concentrations of cholesterol-containing low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The association of LDL-C with non-CVD traits remains unclear, as are the possible independent contributions of other cholesterol-containing lipoproteins and apolipoproteins.

Methods

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure the cholesterol content of high density (HDL-C), very low-density (VLDL-C), intermediate-density (IDL-C), as well as low-density lipoprotein fractions, the apolipoproteins Apo-A1 and Apo-B, as well as total triglycerides (TG), remnant-cholesterol (Rem-Chol) and total cholesterol (TC). The causal effects of these exposures were assessed against 33 outcomes using univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR).

Results

The majority of cholesterol containing lipoproteins and apolipoproteins affect coronary heart disease (CHD), carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood pressure. Multivariable MR indicated that many of these effects act independently of HDL-C, LDL-C and TG, the most frequently measured lipid fractions. Higher concentrations of TG, VLDL-C, Rem-Chol and Apo-B increased heart failure (HF) risk; often independently of LDL-C, HDL-C or TG. Finally, a subset of these exposures associated with non-CVD traits such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD: HDL-C, LDL-C, IDL-C, Apo-B), type 2 diabetes (T2DM: VLDL-C, IDL-C, LDL-C), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD: LDL-C, IDL-C).

Conclusions

The cholesterol content of a wide range of lipoprotein and apolipoproteins associate with measures of atherosclerosis, blood pressure, CRP, and CHD, with a subset affecting HF, T2DM, AD and IBD risk. Many of the observed effects appear to act independently of LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG, supporting the targeting of lipid fractions beyond LDL-C for disease prevention.
Reflective epoxy resin/chitosan/PAA composite-functionalized fiber-optic interferometric probe sensor for sensitive heavy metal ion detection
Authors: Yan Minglu , Wang Ruiduo , Li Yang , Kang Xin , Zhang Zaikun , Li Yangyang , Jiang Man
Published: January 2023

Reflective Fabry–Perot (F–P) interferometric cavity with multilayer chitosan (CS)/polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated probe for heavy metal ion detection.
Visible light responsive photoacids for subcellular pH and temperature correlated fluorescence sensing
Authors: Cheng Yu , Ma Xueqing , Zhai Jingying , Xie Xiaojiang
Published: January 2023

Visible light responsive photoswitches (Liao's photoacids) are reported for the first time as cellular temperature and pH sensors based on the weak basicity and temperature-dependent photoswitching kinetics.
Atomic mean square displacement study of the bond breaking mechanism of energetic materials before explosive initiation
Authors: Li Wen-Guang , Liu Qi-Jun , Liu Fu-Sheng , Liu Zheng-Tang
Published: January 2023

By means of the mean square displacement of atoms deviated from the equilibrium position and theoretical bond breaking tensile change of chemical bonds, we established a new criterion for judging whether chemical bonds are broken or not.
Pressure-induced high-temperature superconductivity in ternary Y–Zr–H compounds
Authors: Zhao Wendi , Song Hao , Du Mingyang , Jiang Qiwen , Ma Tiancheng , Xu Ming , Duan Defang , Cui Tian
Published: January 2023

A series of superconducting hydrides were found in the Y–Zr–H system. The local d electrons at the Fermi level suppress the superconductivity, which can be improved by adjusting the stoichiometry of the hydrides.
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of benzofuran-based chromenochalcones for antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activities
Authors: Korthikunta Venkateswarlu , Singh Rohit , Srivastava Rohit , Pandey Jyotsana , Srivastava Atul , Chaturvedi Upma , Mishra Akansha , Srivastava Arvind K. , Tamrakar Akhilesh K. , Tadigoppula Narender
Published: January 2023

Novel dual acting benzofuran-based chromenochalcones were synthesized and assessed for in vitro and in vivo antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activities.
Effect of short-term use of FFP2 (N95) masks on the salivary metabolome of young healthy volunteers: a pilot study
Authors: Islam Sk Ramiz , Prusty Debasish , Maiti Subhadip , Dutta Raju , Chattopadhyay Partha , Manna Soumen Kanti
Published: January 2023

Short-term use of N95 mask increases salivary metabolites putatively originating from the oral microbiome despite no change in cardiopulmonary parameters in young volunteers, warranting further investigations towards a more informed mask use policy.
Spiropyran-based polymeric micelles in aqueous solution: light-regulated reversible size alterations and catalytic characteristics
Authors: Min Yuting , Zhang Ruizhen , Dong Xuli , Zhang Lifang , Qi Dongming , Hua Zan , Chen Tao
Published: January 2023

Facile light-regulated reversible size changes of spiropyran-based polymeric micelles were investigated, which would be useful in the fabrication of smart nanoreactors in a controllable manner for dye adsorption, catalysis, etc.
A light-activated polymer with excellent serum tolerance for intracellular protein delivery
Authors: Ren Lanfang , Jiang Li , Ren Qianyi , Lv Jia , Zhu Linyong , Cheng Yiyun
Published: January 2023

A light-activated crosslinking strategy was proposed to prepare a polymer with high robustness and serum stability for cytosol protein delivery. It can deliver proteins into cytosols with maintained bioactivities even in 50% FBS-containing medium.
Regioselective C–H alkylation of anisoles with olefins by cationic imidazolin-2-iminato scandium(iii) alkyl complexes
Authors: Wang Shiyu , Zhu Chenhao , Ning Lichao , Li Dawei , Feng Xiaoming , Dong Shunxi
Published: January 2023

Highly regioselective C–H alkylation of anisoles and 2-methyl substituted anisoles were achieved by a imidazolin-2-iminato Sc(iii) alkyl complex, which afforded the alkylation products in moderate to high yields (56 examples, up to 99% yields).
Highly selective photocatalytic CO2reductionviaa lead-free perovskite/MOF catalyst
Authors: Li Na , Zhai Xin-Ping , Ma Bo , Zhang Hui-Jie , Xiao Ming-Jun , Wang Qiang , Zhang Hao-Li
Published: January 2023

A lead-free perovskite/MOF catalyst shows a high CO selectivity of 99.5% for photocatalytic CO2reduction, stemming from efficient charge separation, formation of *COOH intermediates, and prompt CO desorptionof the catalyst.
Can graphene improve the thermal conductivity of copper nanofluids?
Authors: Olguín-Orellana Gabriel J. , Soldano Germán J. , Alzate-Morales Jans , Camarada María B. , Mariscal Marcelo M.
Published: January 2023

We report here that nanofluids of copper capped by graphene have an improved thermal conductivity compared to the Cu nanofluids, being up to close 30 times higher for the graphene-trilayered NPs.
An experimental study on fire characteristics of urban complex underground space based on BIM
Authors: Cui Jinrong , Mei Hao , Sun Haosen , Jingqi Ye , Hu Wei , Xu Yong
Published: January 2023

Compared with the space on the ground, if there is a fire in the urban complex underground space, the loss will be greatly harmful. In addition, the complex underground space is usually connected with other large space areas and densely populated. Once a fire occurs in the complex underground space, it will cause huge property losses and casualties. In order to reduce the risk of fire, it is necessary to deeply understand the development rules and characteristics of fire in the complex underground space of the city. This article has mainly carried on the following work: (I) A particularly complex model of the multi‐storey subway station was built. On this basis, three groups of comparative experiments were conducted to study the effects of fire power, fire location and smoke control system on fire development, and the conclusion that fire location is the most important factor for fire development was obtained; (II) In order to explore the entire space fire and the local space fire, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is used to build a large‐size fire model and a small‐size fire model respectively; (III) Multiple detector data as temperature slices were built, and it is expected to make full use of the simulation data to deduce the important index of fire location in the early stage of fire. All of the works in this paper will provide reference experimental data for the prevention and firefighting of a sudden fire in the complex underground space.
Pattern synthesis of dual‐polarised conformal array based on adaptive iterative convex optimisation
Authors: Liu Chao , Qian Junjie , Zhang Lei , Zhang Xiaoyuan
Published: January 2023

This study focuses on the shaped beam pattern synthesis based on the convex optimisation method for conformal arrays. First, the original pattern synthesis problem is transformed into a constrained optimisation problem for the power pattern. Then, it is rewritten as a convex optimisation problem through a linear approximation of weight vector. In order to enhance the resiliency of the algorithm, a robust linear approximate method is proposed with an adaptive upper bound of step size. The loss between the obtained and desired pattern is defined to dynamically adjust the upper bound. Benefiting from the flexible constraint, the proposed method can achieve the arbitrary beam pattern with fast convergence and robustness. Finally, numerous typical examples are provided to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Constructing meaningful code changes via graph transformer
Authors: Guo Shikai , Li Mengxuan , Ge Xin , Li Hui , Chen Rong , Li Tingting
Published: January 2023

The rapid development of Open‐Source Software (OSS) has resulted in a significant demand for code changes to maintain OSS. Symptoms of poor design and implementation choices in code changes often occur, thus heavily hindering code reviewers to verify correctness and soundness of code changes. Researchers have investigated how to learn meaningful code changes to assist developers in anticipating changes that code reviewers may suggest for the submitted code. However, there are two main limitations to be addressed, including the limitation of long‐range dependencies of the source code and the missing syntactic structural information of the source code. To solve these limitations, a novel method is proposed, named Graph Transformer for learning meaningful Code Transformations (GTCT), to provide developers with preliminary and quick feedback when developers submit code changes, which can improve the quality of code changes and improve the efficiency of code review. GTCT comprises two components: code graph embedding and code transformation learning. To address the missing syntactic structural information of the source code limitation, the code graph embedding component captures the types and patterns of code changes by encoding the source code into a code graph structure from the lexical and syntactic representations of the source code. Subsequently, the code transformation learning component uses the multi‐head attention mechanism and positional encoding mechanism to address the long‐range dependencies limitation. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of GTCT by both quantitative and qualitative analyses. For the quantitative analysis, GTCT relatively outperforms the baseline on six datasets by 210%, 342.86%, 135%, 29.41%, 109.09%, and 91.67% in terms of perfect prediction. Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis shows that each type of code change by GTCT outperforms that of the baseline method in terms of bug fixed, refactoring code and others' taxonomy of code changes.
Der Einfluss vom Exergaming mit kommerziell verfügbaren Spielkonsolen auf die Balance und Lebensqualität bei Menschen mit idiopathischem Parkinson-Syndrom – Eine systematische Übersichtsarbeit
Authors: Akrama Gaith , Sitzmann Lennert , Baumann Christian
Published: January 2023

Hintergrund Exergaming könnte als Kombination aus Spielspaß und Training ein effektiver Therapie-Ansatz bei Gleichgewichtsstörungen und verminderte Lebensqualität (QoL) bei Parkinson-Patient*innen sein. Zugängliche Arten von Exergaming mit kommerziellen Spielkonsolen wurden bisher nicht umfassend untersucht.

Ziel Untersuchung der Fragestellung, ob Exergaming mit kommerziell verfügbaren Spielkonsolen die Balance und QoL von Patient*innen mit Morbus Parkinson verbessert.

Methode Es erfolgte eine systematische Literaturrecherche in den Datenbanken MEDLINE, Cochrance Library, EMBASE, CINHAL und PEDro. Berücksichtigt wurden Studien, die Patient*innen mit Morbus Parkinson mit kommerziell verfügbaren Exergaming-Konsolen behandelten. Als Messinstrument für Balance wurden „Berg Balance Scale“ (BBS) und „Dynamic Gait Index“ (DGI) festgelegt. Die QoL wurde mittels „Parkinsonʼs Disease Questionnaire“ (PDQ-39) evaluiert. Das Verzerrungsrisikos wurde mithilfe der PEDro-Skala und MINORS eingeschätzt. Die Studienergebnisse wurden tabellarisch zusammengefasst und ausführlich gegenübergestellt.

Ergebnisse Es wurden insgesamt 6 randomisierte kontrollierte Studien sowie 6 Kohortenstudien eingeschlossen. Die Studien umfassten insgesamt 413 Proband*innen, wovon 205 die Exergaming-Intervention erhielten. Die Analyse dieser Studien bestätigte einen positiven Effekt von Exergaming mit kommerziellen Spielkonsolen auf die Balance (BBS, DGI) und QoL (PDQ-39) bei Patient*innen mit Morbus Parkinson im ersten bis dritten Hoehn-und-Yahr-Stadium (H&Y-Stadium).

Schlussfolgerung Exergaming mit kommerziell verfügbaren Spielkonsolen kann zur Verbesserung der Balance und QoL bei Patient*innen mit Morbus Parkinson im H&Y-Stadium 1–3 verwendet werden. Für die Untersuchung des Heim-Exergaming werden weitere Studien benötigt.
Diagnosis and Therapy of Female Urinary Incontinence. Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry No. 015/091, January 2022)
Authors: Naumann Gert , Aigmüller Thomas , Bader Werner , Bauer Ricarda , Beilecke Kathrin , Betschart Meier Cornelia , Bruer Gunther , Bschleipfer Thomas , Deniz Miriam , Fink Thomas , Gabriel Boris , Gräble Roswitha , Grothoff Matthias , Haverkamp Axel , Hampel Christian , Henscher Ulla , Hübner Markus , Huemer Hansjoerg , Kociszewski Jacek , Kölbl Heinz , Kölle Dieter , Kropshofer Stephan , Kuhn Annette , Nothacker Monika , Oelke Matthias , Peschers Ursula , Preyer Oliver , Schultz-Lampel Daniela , Tamussino Karl , Tunn Ralf , Viereck Volker , Reisenauer Christl ,   Reina Tholen†
Published: January 2023

Aim This completely revised interdisciplinary S2k-guideline on the diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up care of female patients with urinary incontinence (AWMF registry number: 015-091)
was published in December 2021. This guideline combines and summarizes earlier guidelines such as “Female stress urinary incontinence,” “Female urge incontinence” and “Use of Ultrasonography
in Urogynecological Diagnostics” for the first time. The guideline was coordinated by the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und
Geburtshilfe, DGGG) and the Working Group for Urogynecology and Plastic Pelvic Floor Reconstruction (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Urogynäkologie und plastische Beckenbodenrekonstruktion e. V.,
AGUB).

Methods This S2k-guideline was developed using a structured consensus process involving representative members from different medical specialties and was commissioned by the
Guidelines Commission of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG. The guideline is based on the current version of the guideline “Urinary Incontinence in Adults” published by the European Association of
Urology (EAU). Country-specific items associated with the respective healthcare systems in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were also incorporated.

Recommendations The short version of this guideline consists of recommendations and statements on the epidemiology, etiology, classification, symptoms, diagnostics, and treatment of
female patients with urinary incontinence. Specific solutions for the diagnostic workup and appropriate conservative and medical therapies for uncomplicated and complication urinary
incontinence are discussed.
Diagnosis and Therapy of Female Urinary Incontinence. Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k Level, AWMF Registry No. 015/091, January 2022)
Authors: Naumann Gert , Aigmüller Thomas , Bader Werner , Bauer Ricarda , Beilecke Kathrin , Betschart Meier Cornelia , Bruer Gunther , Bschleipfer Thomas , Deniz Miriam , Fink Thomas , Gabriel Boris , Gräble Roswitha , Grothoff Matthias , Haverkamp Axel , Hampel Christian , Henscher Ulla , Hübner Markus , Huemer Hansjoerg , Kociszewski Jacek , Kölbl Heinz , Kölle Dieter , Kropshofer Stephan , Kuhn Annette , Nothacker Monika , Oelke Matthias , Peschers Ursula , Preyer Oliver , Schultz-Lampel Daniela , Tamussino Karl , Tunn Ralf , Viereck Volker , Reisenauer Christl ,   Reina Tholen†
Published: January 2023

Aim This completely revised interdisciplinary S2k-guideline on the diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up care of female patients with urinary incontinence (AWMF registry number: 015-091)
was published in December 2021. This guideline combines and summarizes earlier guidelines such as “Female stress urinary incontinence,” “Female urge incontinence” and “Use of Ultrasonography
in Urogynecological Diagnostics” for the first time. The guideline was coordinated by the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gynäkologie und
Geburtshilfe, DGGG) and the Working Group for Urogynecology and Plastic Pelvic Floor Reconstruction (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Urogynäkologie und plastische Beckenbodenrekonstruktion e. V.,
AGUB).

Methods This S2k-guideline was developed using a structured consensus process involving representative members from different medical specialties and was commissioned by the
Guidelines Commission of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG. The guideline is based on the current version of the guideline “Urinary Incontinence in Adults” published by the European Association of
Urology (EAU). Country-specific items associated with the respective healthcare systems in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were also incorporated.

Recommendations The short version of this guideline consists of recommendations and statements on the surgical treatment of female patients with stress urinary incontinence and urge
incontinence. Specific solutions for the diagnostic workup and treatment of uncomplicated and complicated urinary incontinence are discussed. The diagnostics and surgical treatment of
iatrogenic urogenital fistula are presented.
Serial Subtraction Alters Lateral Step-down Tibiofemoral Kinematics
in Healthy Adults
Authors: Thomas Jacob , Weiss Samantha , Bliss Rebecca , Guess Trent
Published: January 2023

This study evaluated the effects of two types of cognitive dual-tasking on
three-dimensional knee kinematics during the lateral step-down. 19 healthy
individuals (22.05±1.61 yrs., 173.92±9.21 cm,
67.99±12.65 kg) participated in this study. Participants
completed 5 repetitions of a lateral step-down task for each leg and each
testing condition (control, Stroop, and serial subtraction by seven). An
electromagnetic motion sensor was attached to the femur via compression clamp
placed about the medial and lateral epicondyles. Another sensor was attached
2 cm below the ipsilateral tibial tuberosity. A custom MATLAB algorithm
located the knee joint axis of rotation from dynamic knee flexion and extension.
Discrete kinematics at peak flexion were used in this study. Paired samples
t-tests were used to compare average frontal, transverse, and sagittal plane
knee position at maximum flexion between conditions for each leg. No significant
differences were found for either limb between control and Stroop conditions.
Comparisons revealed significant differences in frontal and transverse plane
knee angles at peak flexion between the control and serial subtraction by seven
conditions. These findings indicate serial subtraction by seven requires
different cognitive processing abilities which may cause greater interference
with some aspects of motor control.
The Impact of Information About COVID-19 on the Endocrine Stress
System and Cognitive Distortions
Authors: Leclère Mariel , Hysenaj Arben , Meha Rina , Tahirbegolli Bernard , Schwarz Peter , Steenblock Charlotte , Prekazi Lulejete , Isufi Albane , Shemsedini Nevzat
Published: January 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the major health
concerns worldwide affecting not only human physical health but also
contributing to the development of many mental disorders including
impairment of the cognitive function. It is highly conceivable that
elevation of the stress hormones, i.e., glucocorticoids and catecholamines,
due to the infection, as well as the presence of psychosocial stressors,
such as COVID-19 information, play a critical role in the development of
these disorders. In the present study, the potential impact of exposure to
COVID-19 information on the cognitive distortion and stress levels was
analyzed in a population of 32 first-year medical sciences students using
the stress assessment questionnaire (SAQ) and the posttraumatic cognitions
inventory (PTCI) surveys. Both surveys demonstrated no acute change in the
stress and post-traumatic cognition levels between medical sciences students
who were either exposed or not to information about COVID-19. Interestingly,
analysis of the stress and cognition points across the first and second
measurements of the SAQ categories revealed a significant change in the
control group but not in the experimental group. In addition, there was no
significant difference among groups when considering the time*group
factor. To conclude, we found that exposure to information about COVID-19
did not contribute acutely to cognitive distortion and stress levels among
participating students. The previous exposure to COVID-19-related
information from media and living during the COVID-19 pandemic era might
have enhanced the awareness of the students to the situation.
A Prescription for Internet: Feasibility of a Tablet Loaner Program to Address Digital Health Inequities
Authors: Brewster Ryan C.L. , Zhang Jessica , Stewart Melissa , Kaur Ravneet , Arellano Marlíse , Bourgeois Fabienne
Published: January 2023

Objective The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth technologies. Persistent disparities in telecommunication devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy, however, undermine the potential for telemedicine to reduce barriers to health care access. Health systems may have a role in addressing these structural inequities. We describe the operationalization and feasibility of an internet-enabled tablet loaner program at a freestanding children's hospital.

Methods Between October 2020 and October 2021, pediatricians enrolled families through ambulatory clinics at an academic urban freestanding children's hospital. Eligibility criteria included difficulty accessing virtual care due to lack of stable internet or device. Tablets featured an unlimited data package, access to the patient portal, and virtual visit platform. A private technology company managed device configuration and distribution. To characterize program impact, we compared the proportion of completed clinical encounters during the intervention compared with a preintervention period (March 2020–October 2020) and conducted a qualitative survey with program participants. Participant and visit characteristics were obtained from the electronic medical record and summarized with descriptive statistics.

Results A total of 111 families participated in the tablet loaner program, the majority of whom were Hispanic (51.4%) and black, non-Hispanic (26.1%), and publicly insured (64.9%). Between the preintervention and intervention periods, there was a significant increase in completed video- and phone-based virtual visits (75.3 vs. 79.1%, p = 0.038). The proportion of video-based only visits increased from 82.9 to 88.9%. p < 0.001. Families reported that the tablet improved the patient's ability to receive medical care (93.7%) and was easy to use (93.9%).

Conclusion The tablet loaner initiative was associated with an improvement in markers of virtual visit engagement and health care experience. Efforts to expand telemedicine equity must consider technological access and digital literacy as well as broad coalitions across industry, government, and community organizations.
Enantioselective Formal Total Synthesis of Damsin
Authors: Nakada Masahisa , Sugiyama Ryoji
Published: January 2023

Enantioselective formal total synthesis of damsin, which was isolated from Compositae Ambrosia maritima L., is described. The highly enantio- and diastereoselective catalytic Mukaiyama–Michael reaction and subsequent highly stereoselective epimerization shorten the synthetic steps. It is also reported that the enolate, which was formed by the reaction of β-keto sulfone with lithium naphthalenide, reacted with methyl cyanoformate to form a quaternary stereogenic center in high yield with high stereoselectivity. This finding extends the synthetic chemistry starting from β-keto sulfones.
Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Single South Indian Tertiary Care Centre Study
Authors: Kuchulakanti Anurag S. , Sharma Raghava , Utagi Basavaraj
Published: January 2023

Context Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been implicated in left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD).

Aims To study the association between SCH and LVDD.

Objectives To analyze the association between SCH and LVDD. To correlate the amount of LVDD with the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.

Settings and Design Single-center case–control study.

Methods and Material A case–control study was conducted between January 2020 and June 2021. A total of 36 cases of SCH were enrolled in the study and 36 age- and gender-matched euthyroid controls were included. Each individual's LV diastolic functioning was assessed by 2D echocardiography. LVDD was graded and compared between cases and controls.

Statistical Analysis Used The sample size was calculated to be 72 based on previous studies. Statistical analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS software version 20. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results SCH was more commonly seen among females (75%) as compared with males (25%). Among cases, a majority of them (75%) had grade 1 SCH (i.e., TSH < 10 mU/L) and 25% of them had grade 2 SCH (i.e., TSH ≥ 10 mU/L). Among all the parameters assessed for LV diastolic function, the isovolumetric relaxation time and septal E/e' ratio was found to be significantly higher in cases than in controls and mitral E wave deceleration time (DT) significantly lower in cases. A statistically significant majority (72.2%) of the patients with SCH had some form of LVDD as compared with controls (30.5%)

Conclusions Walk-in outpatient department patients who opt for health check-up packages should be screened for SCH. SCH is statistically significantly associated with higher grades of LVDD as compared with age- and gender-matched euthyroid controls.
Locked Distal Ulna Volar Dislocation Associated with a Malunited Fracture of the Distal Radius
Authors: Krishna Sathya Vamsi , Fernandez Diego L.
Published: January 2023

Background The volar dislocation of the distal ulna is an uncommon injury and often missed due to its rarity. If diagnosed early, it can be managed with a simple closed reduction followed by immobilization. Open reduction is recommended in case of any interposition preventing reduction.

Case Description In this case report, we present a rare case of neglected volar distal ulna dislocation associated with a distal radius fracture presenting with a fixed supination deformity that was managed successfully with a Sauvé- Kapandji procedure using a modified approach to restore forearm rotation. At 10 months, the patient had a good union at the distal radio ulnar joint (DRUJ) with improved forearm rotations.

Literature Review To our knowledge no previous cases of neglected volar distal ulna dislocation with distal radius fracture has been reported in the literature.

Clinical Relevance If DRUJ stability cannot be restored after closed reduction of distal radius fracture, open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture should always be performed to avoid subsequent DRUJ subluxation/dislocations.
Artificial Intelligence-Based Diagnosis of Oral Lichen Planus Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Achararit Paniti , Manaspon Chawan , Jongwannasiri Chavin , Phattarataratip Ekarat , Osathanon Thanaphum , Sappayatosok Kraisorn
Published: January 2023

Objective The aim of this study was to employ artificial intelligence (AI) via convolutional neural network (CNN) for the separation of oral lichen planus (OLP) and non-OLP in biopsy-proven clinical cases of OLP and non-OLP.

Materials and Methods Data comprised of clinical photographs of 609 OLP and 480 non-OLP which diagnosis has been confirmed histopathologically. Fifty-five photographs from the OLP and non-OLP groups were randomly selected for use as the test dataset, while the remaining were used as training and validation datasets. Data augmentation was performed on the training dataset to increase the number and variation of photographs. Performance metrics for the CNN model performance included accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping was also used to visualize the important regions associated with discriminative clinical features on which the model relies.

Results All the selected CNN models were able to diagnose OLP and non-OLP lesions using photographs. The performance of the Xception model was significantly higher than that of the other models in terms of overall accuracy and F1-score.

Conclusions Our demonstration shows that CNN models can achieve an accuracy of 82 to 88%. Xception model performed the best in terms of both accuracy and F1-score.
How do teachers, after their initial training, approach ramp research activities?
Authors: de Pro Chereguini Carlos , de Pro Bueno Antonio , Cantó Doménech José
Published: January 2023

This work aims to study what skills and to what degree our initial teacher training students have acquired after completing their Primary Education (PE) Degree studies. For this reason, at the end of the Didactics of Experimental Science (DES) subjects, we asked them to propose a laboratory activity for PE students to work on “The ramp as a machine”. The students’ worksheet had to contain: the curricular location, a contextualization to assess the everyday usefulness of this machine, a description of what it is and how to build it, the elements that characterize it, an investigation into the dependence of the applied force on the weight of the object and the slope of the plane, and a review of everything they had learnt. The results reveal both scientific and didactic achievements, during the training period and the persistence of worrying shortcomings (in particular, the inadequate use of language and the persistence of conceptual errors).
Interaction of a single bubble and an elastic plate: Influence of the standoff distance
Authors: Han Lei , Hao Liang , Zhu Jin , Zhang Mindi , Huang Biao
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the coupled dynamics of a collapsing bubble and the motion of a nearby elastic plate at different initial distances. This was achieved using a combination of experimental and computational models. In the experiments, high-speed photography was used to record the temporal and spatial evolution of the collapse of a single bubble near an elastic boundary under normalized standoff distances γ ranging from 1.0 to 3.3. Digital image correlation was used to synchronously record the motion of the elastic plate. For the numerical simulations, taking the fluid compressibility and boundary motion into account, the immersed-boundary method was introduced to simulate the interaction between the elastic plate and bubble collapse. The results show that, with different initial distances, the dynamic behaviors of the bubble, including oscillation time, impact mode, and energy conversion, are different, and this is caused by the elastic rebound of the plate. In addition, the direction and amplitude of the deformation of the elastic plate are also influenced by the impact effects during bubble oscillation and rebound. The combined form of these impact behaviors changes with initial distance, and there are three typical impact patterns: the shock-wave effect, jet-effect, and hybrid shock-wave and jet-effect modes. In particular, when γ < 1.5, the jet effect and hybrid impact forms, which are dominated by the high-speed jet, can result in asymmetric deformation and cause greater local damage to the elastic plate. Finally, we summarize the combined mechanisms that govern the impact of a collapsing bubble on an elastic plate.
Partial confinement effects on the performance of a flapping foil power generator
Authors: Liu Zhengliang , Huang Qiuxiang , Li Zongjun , Li Ye , Feng Xingya
Published: January 2023

The impacts of partial confinement on the power extraction performance of a flapping foil generator at a Reynolds number of 1100 are numerically studied using an immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann method. Four confinement levels are implemented with two thin plates of finite size symmetrically placed at the distance of 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 foil chord length from the neutral position of the flapping foil. Parametric studies on plate lengths varying from 10 to 50 foil chord lengths at the four confinement levels are conducted. The results show that the power-extraction efficiency increases nearly monotonically with the upstream plate lengths while the impact of the downstream plate lengths is much less significant, indicating that upstream confinement is the dominant factor influencing the power-extraction performance. Contrary to the performance improvement observed in studies on the effect of infinite walls, the efficiency decreases dramatically with the decrease in the distance from the plates to the foil. The reasons for the dramatically decreased performance due to confinement effects are found. First, the interactions between the boundary layer of the plates and leading edge vortices formed on the foil reduce the size of the low-pressure region on the suction surface of the foil, leading to reductions in lift forces and consequently to major reductions in the extracted power. In addition, large mass flow deficits between the finite plates are observed when the distance between the two plates is small, indicating substantial reductions in potential power that can be extracted from the inflow.
Relationship between a non-spherical collapse of a bubble and a stress state inside a wall
Authors: Iga Yuka , Sasaki Hirotoshi
Published: January 2023

This study performed a fluid/material coupled numerical simulation of the first stage of a non-spherical collapse of a bubble near a wall and investigated the stress state inside the elastic material of the wall according to the change in the stand-off distance γ between the bubble and the wall. The relationship between the collapse behavior of the bubble and propagation of stress waves was confirmed for typical collapse modes: pancake-shaped mode at γ = −0.3, hemispherical mode at γ = 0, microjet mode at 0.3 < γ < 1.0, and detaching mode at γ > 1.2. The stress influence area, which is an index of material damage, was estimated. At 0.3 < γ < 1.0, the stress influence area caused by the microjet is narrow and shallow in the material; in contrast, that caused by the pressure waves spreads more widely and deeply, especially inside the material. This means that the pressure wave has a larger influence than the microjet on damage to a material even though the maximum value of the equivalent stress is nearly identical between the microjet and the pressure wave. Additionally, the depth of the stress influence area at 0.3 < γ < 0.5 is larger than that at γ = 0, although the volume and the maximum stress are larger at γ = 0 than at 0.3 < γ < 0.5. This indicates that the case of toroidal bubble rebound attaching to a wall has the potential to cause a deeper damage inside a material in comparison with hemispherical bubble collapse.
Toward a robust detection of viscous and turbulent flow regions using unsupervised machine learning
Authors: Otmani Kheir-Eddine , Ntoukas Gerasimos , Mariño Oscar A. , Ferrer Esteban
Published: January 2023

We propose an invariant feature space for the detection of viscous-dominated and turbulent regions (i.e., boundary layers and wakes). The developed methodology uses the principal invariants of the strain and rotational rate tensors as input to an unsupervised Machine Learning Gaussian mixture model. The selected feature space is independent of the coordinate frame used to generate the processed data, as it relies on the principal invariants of the strain and rotational rate, which are Galilean invariants. This methodology allows us to identify two distinct flow regions: a viscous-dominated, rotational region (a boundary layer and a wake region) and an inviscid, irrotational region (an outer flow region). We have tested the methodology on a laminar and a turbulent (using Large Eddy Simulation) case for flows past a circular cylinder at Re = 40 and Re = 3900 and a laminar flow around an airfoil at Re=1×105. The simulations have been conducted using a high-order nodal Discontinuous Galerkin Spectral Element Method. The results obtained are analyzed to show that Gaussian mixture clustering provides an effective identification method of viscous-dominated and rotational regions in the flow. We also include comparisons with traditional sensors to show that the proposed clustering does not depend on the selection of an arbitrary threshold, as required when using traditional sensors.
The Impact of Neighborhood Disadvantage on Asthma Prevalence in a Predominantly African-American, Chicago-Based Cohort
Authors: Luo Jiajun , Kibriya Muhammad G , Shah Sameep , Craver Andrew , De La Cruz Sebastian , King Jaime , Olopade Christopher O , Kim Karen , Ahsan Habibul , Pinto Jayant , Aschebrook-Kilfoy Briseis
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to investigate the joint effect of neighborhood disadvantages on asthma prevalence and evaluate whether individual-level variables protect residents against neighborhood disadvantages. Data from the Chicago Multiethnic Prevention and Surveillance Study (from 2013–2020) were analyzed. Eight neighborhood characteristics were measured using the Chicago Health Atlas, including neighborhood unsafety, limited access to healthy food, neighborhood alienation, severe rent burden, vacant housing, single-parent household, neighborhood poverty, and unemployment. A structured questionnaire measured asthma diagnosis (childhood or adulthood) and individual-level variables including sex, age, income, education, and race. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was used to evaluate the impact of neighborhood disadvantages. Stratified analysis was performed by income and education. A total of 6,592 participants (mean age = 53.5 (standard deviation, 11.1) years) were included. Most of the study population were non-Hispanic Black (82.5%) and reported an annual household income less than $15,000 (53%). Asthma prevalence was 23.6%. The WQS index, which represents the overall neighborhood disadvantages, was associated with asthma prevalence (odds ratio = 1.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.22) when adjusted for individual-level confounders. Neighborhood poverty contributed 40.8% to the overall impact, followed by vacant housing (23.1%) and neighborhood alienation (22.9%). When stratified by individual-level income or education, no difference was observed for the association between WQS index and asthma prevalence.
Pharmacist-driven epoetin alfa-epbx dosing for hospitalized patients
Authors: Linn Eric , Morrison Heather , Sanchez Michael , Heierman Theodore
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To determine the effectiveness of pharmacy consultation in managing epoetin alfa-epbx dosing for inpatients on hemodialysis.

Methods

This multisite, retrospective cohort study evaluated the implementation of an initial dose consultation for epoetin alfa-epbx by pharmacists. A pre-post cohort study evaluated patients from August 2020 through January 2021 and August 2021 through January 2022, respectively. Hospitalized patients were included if they were at least 18 years of age, received hemodialysis, and were administered an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) for anemia due to chronic kidney disease. Patients were excluded for religious objections to receiving blood products or if patients were discharged or died before their first hemodialysis session. The primary outcome was the average epoetin alfa-epbx acquisition cost per patient. Secondary endpoints were the epoetin alfa-epbx overall pharmacy purchasing cost, the average dose, and the number of administered doses. A subgroup analysis was performed for patients in the post group with an outpatient ESA before admission to determine the epoetin alfa-epbx days saved.

Results

A total of 264 patients were included in the pre group, and 272 patients were included in the post group. The average acquisition cost was significantly lower in the post group ($1,681.77 vs $1,041.35, P < 0.0001). The overall pharmacy purchasing cost was also lower in the post group ($148,970.89 vs $127,873.25). The post group had a significantly lower average dose (13,694 vs 10,112 units, P = 0.0004), while the number of administered doses did not differ significantly between the groups (2.09 vs 1.79 doses, P = 0.0668). The subgroup analysis included 83 patients, which yielded 53 epoetin alfa-epbx days saved.

Conclusion

Pharmacist-driven ESA dosing was associated with significant decreases in ESA average acquisition cost and average total dose per patient.