bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soy sauce and vanilla odors improve balance ability in children
Authors: Inatomi Junichi , Yasuoka Kiwa , Takebayashi Hideaki , Yano Yutaka , Kataoka Satoko , Yamaguchi Masahiro
Published: August 2023

Olfactory stimulation promotes motor activity in adults. However, the effect of odor stimulation on children's motor activity is not well understood. In this study, given the importance of feeding behavior in children, and the involvement of balance ability in that behavior, we examined the effects of soy sauce and vanilla odors, as food‐related olfactory stimuli, on balance ability in 67 healthy, normal developing children aged 3–6 years. The participants were randomly divided into water (control), soy sauce, and vanilla groups, and their balance ability was assessed before and after olfactory stimulation using the Functional Reach Test (FRT). The results showed that the soy sauce and vanilla odor exposure extended the reaching distance and forward shift in the center of gravity in the FRT, indicating that food odors improved the balance ability of children.

Practical Applications

We have shown that soy sauce and vanilla odors improve balance ability in children. Such odor stimulation could be useful for children with cerebral palsy who have balance disorders. A better understanding of the neural mechanisms that link olfactory stimulation with motor activity will facilitate the therapeutic application of odors for children with motor disorders.
Exploring the landscape of steatotic liver disease in the general US population
Authors: Ciardullo Stefano , Carbone Marco , Invernizzi Pietro , Perseghin Gianluca
Published: August 2023

Background and Objective

The aim of the present study is to explore the epidemiologic impact of the definition of steatotic liver disease (SLD) proposed by a multi‐society (American Association for the Study of the Liver‐the European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases‐Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado) Delphi consensus statement.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional study of US adults participating in the 2017–2020 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who were evaluated by vibration‐controlled transient elastography. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were diagnosed by the median value of controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurement using cut‐offs of 274 dB/m and 8.0 kPa, respectively. Recently proposed criteria for metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), MetALD (MASLD + significant alcohol consumption), MASLD‐Viral hepatitis and cryptogenic SLD were applied.

Results

SLD was present in 42.1% (95% CI: 40.3–43.9) of the 3173 included participants. Among patients with SLD, 99.4% met the metabolic dysfunction definition. Moreover, 89.4%, 7.7%, 2.4%, 0.4% and 0.1% were defined as MASLD, MetALD, MASLD‐Viral, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) (significant alcohol consumption without metabolic dysfunction) and cryptogenic, respectively. No patients without metabolic dysfunction had significant liver fibrosis, which was present in 15.2%, 9.5% and 19.5% of patients with MASLD, MetALD and MASLD‐viral, respectively. Approximately, 90% of the overall adult US population could be diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction according to the consensus criteria. A high degree of concordance was found between MASLD and the previously proposed metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease definition.

Conclusions

Metabolic dysfunction is present in almost all patients with SLD in the United States. The new change in diagnostic criteria did not significantly impact disease prevalence.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer: A cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Zhu Youwen , Liu Kun , Zhu Hong
Published: August 2023

Background and Aims

The increasingly widespread of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the field of antitumors has brought a new dawn for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (aBTC). However, the choice of treatment needs to be supported by economic evaluation. Therefore, the cost‐effectiveness comparison of first‐line durvalumab or pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis) treatment of aBTC was explored from the perspective of American and Chinese healthcare systems.

Methods

Ground on the TOPAZ‐1 and KEYNOTE‐966 trials, the Markov model with a 15‐year horizon including three health states to imitate cost and effective outcomes was established. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) at willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) thresholds of $100 000/QALY and $37 408/ALY in the USA and China was used as the most important indicator. Other endpoint indexes included total cost, life years (LYs), quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental net‐health benefit (INHB). To verify the robustness, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed.

Results

Durvalumab plus GemCis ($322 211 [2.94 QALYs] and $35 695 [2.76 QALYs]) increased cost (effectiveness) by $63 777 (.22 QALYs) and $5234 (.20 QALYs) than pembrolizumab plus GemCis ($258 434 [2.72 QALYs] and $30 461 [2.56 QALYs]) in the USA and China, respectively. The corresponding ICER was $288 725/QALY and $26 401/QALY, with INHB of −.42 and .06 QALYs, respectively. The cost of ICIs was the most important factor influencing results.

Conclusions

In China, first‐line durvalumab plus GemCis versus pembrolizumab plus GemCis was a cost‐effective option for patients with aBTC, but not in the USA.
Interference competition driven by co‐occurrence with tigers Panthera tigris may increase livestock predation by leopards Panthera pardus: a first step meta‐analysis
Authors: Franchini Marcello , Guerisoli Maria de las Mercedes
Published: August 2023

In coexisting carnivorans (Carnivora) relying on the same food resources, the dominant species imposes a cost on the inferior competitor by limiting its foraging ability. Tigers Panthera tigris and leopards Panthera pardus live in sympatry in most Asian countries and, because of their similar trophic niche, ‘interference competition’ may exist between these two predators. In fact, since tigers generally occupy prime habitats, leopards could be forced to roam into peripheral areas that are heavily used by humans to avoid competition, consequently increasing the risk of human‐leopard conflicts.

Using information collected from the reviewed scientific literature, the purposes of this work were: 1) to assess if livestock predation by leopards increases in areas of coexistence with tigers, and 2) to characterise leopard attacks on livestock to discern the main factors involved in the human‐leopard conflict.

Our findings showed that the leopard's ‘overall’ livestock predation rate (i.e. individuals taken/year) was higher in the absence of tigers than in their presence, and the same was observed for the ‘sheep and goat’ predation rate. These results confirm the leopard's tendency to take livestock and, especially, smaller prey. Conversely, the ‘cattle’ and ‘other’ predation rates were higher in the presence of tigers than in their absence, suggesting the existence of a sort of spatial segregation between predators in certain contexts. Lower levels of predation by leopards were observed on farms in which more prevention measures were used, than in those in which only one measure was implemented.

We stress the importance of using proper prevention measures to mitigate human‐leopard conflicts. However, because their implementation may not be easy or economically feasible, the financial support given by carnivoran‐policy makers assumes remarkable importance to minimise the economic impact on local families and, in turn, to foster the coexistence between leopards and humans in shared landscapes.
Parallel evolution in Crassostrea oysters along the latitudinal gradient is associated with variation in multiple genes involved in adipogenesis
Authors: Teng Wen , Fu Huiru , Li Zhuanzhuan , Zhang Qian , Xu Chengxun , Yu Hong , Kong Lingfeng , Liu Shikai , Li Qi
Published: August 2023

Parallel diversification provides a proper framework for studying the role of natural selection in evolution. Yet, empirical studies from ecological ‘non‐model’ species of invertebrates are limited at the whole genome level. Here, we presented a chromosome‐scale genome assembly for Crassostrea angulata and investigated the parallel genomic evolution in oysters. Specifically, we used population genomics approaches to compare two southern–northern oyster species pairs (C. angulata–C. gigas and southern–northern C. ariakensis) along the coast of China. The estimated divergence time of C. angulata and C. gigas is earlier than that of southern and northern C. ariakensis, which aligns with the overall elevated genome‐wide divergence. However, the southern–northern C. ariakensis FST profile represented more extremely divergent “islands”. Combined with recent reciprocal hybridization studies, we proposed that they are currently at an early stage of speciation. These two southern–northern oyster species pairs exhibited significant repeatability in patterns of genome‐wide differentiation, especially in genomic regions with extremely high and low divergence. This suggested that divergent and purifying selection has contributed to the genomic parallelism between southern and northern latitudes. Top differentiated genomic regions shared in these two oyster species pairs contained candidate genes enriched for functions in energy metabolism, especially adipogenesis, which are closely related to reproductive behaviours. These genes might be good candidates for further investigation in vivo. In conclusion, our results suggest that similar divergent selection and shared genomic features could predictably transform standing genetic variation within one species pair into differences in another.
First record of Babesia and Theileria parasites in ticks from Kassena‐Nankana, Ghana
Authors: Addo Seth Offei , Bentil Ronald Essah , Baako Bernice Olivia Ama , Addae Charlotte Adwoa , Behene Eric , Asoala Victor , Mate Suzanne , Oduro Daniel , Dunford James C. , Larbi John Asiedu , Baidoo Philip Kweku , Wilson Michael David , Diclaro Joseph W. , Dadzie Samuel K.
Published: August 2023

Ticks are efficient vectors for transmitting pathogens that negatively affect livestock production and pose a risk to public health. In this study, Babesia and Theileria species were identified in ticks collected from cattle, sheep and goats from the Kassena‐Nankana Districts of Ghana between February and December 2020. A total of 1550 ticks were collected, morphologically identified, pooled and screened for pathogens using primers that amplify a 560 bp fragment of the ssrRNA gene and Sanger sequencing. Amblyomma variegatum (62.98%) was the predominant tick species. From the 491 tick pools screened, 12/15 (2.44%) positive pools were successfully sequenced. The pathogen DNA identified were Theileria ovis in eight (15.38%) pools of Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Theileria velifera in two (0.78%) pools of A. variegatum and Babesia occultans and Babesia sp. Xinjiang in one (1.72%) pool each of Hyalomma truncatum. It was further observed that T. ovis occurred in ticks collected from only sheep (p < 0.001) which were females (p = 0.023) and < =1 year old (p = 0.040). This study reports the first identification of these pathogens in ticks within Kassena‐Nankana. With the constant trade of livestock, there is a need for effective tick control measures to prevent infection spread.
The importance of eggs in an environmentally sustainable diet
Authors: Mason Pamela
Published: August 2023

Food and diet globally have a significant environmental impact. Whilst there is broad agreement on the principles underpinning a healthy, sustainable diet, the interpretation of what it might mean in practice is widely debated. Misconceptions are common, including around the environmental impact of eggs and their place in a healthy, sustainable diet. Eggs are often categorised with other animal proteins such as beef, lamb, poultry, meat and dairy when reporting on the potential environmental impact of food and diets. However, the shift towards more planet‐friendly diets demands a clear understanding of the evidence base on which such a diet should be based. This review evaluates scientific reports and peer‐reviewed articles that have evaluated the environmental impact of hens' eggs in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), and land and water use and compared the impacts of eggs with those of other animal and plant proteins. This overview shows that eggs are responsible for less carbon, land and water use than other animal proteins, particularly beef and only slightly more than most plant proteins. Eggs are a nutritious, convenient and relatively inexpensive food, which traditionally has had an important place in the diet both in the United Kingdom and globally. It is therefore important to understand where they fit in terms of environmental impact and into advice on healthier, more sustainable dietary patterns.
Effector secretion and stability in the maize anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola requires N‐linked protein glycosylation and the ER chaperone pathway
Authors: Mei Jie , Li Zhiqiang , Zhou Shaoqun , Chen Xiao‐Lin , Wilson Richard A. , Liu Wende
Published: August 2023

N‐linked protein glycosylation is a conserved and essential modification mediating protein processing and quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but how this contributes to the infection cycle of phytopathogenic fungi is largely unknown.

In this study, we discovered that inhibition of protein N‐glycosylation severely affected vegetative growth, hyphal tip development, conidial germination, appressorium formation, and, ultimately, the ability of the maize (Zea mays) anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola to infect its host.

Quantitative proteomics analysis showed that N‐glycosylation can coordinate protein O‐glycosylation, glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor modification, and endoplasmic reticulum quality control (ERQC) by directly targeting the proteins from the corresponding pathway in the ER. We performed a functional study of the N‐glycosylation pathway‐related protein CgALG3 and of the ERQC pathway‐related protein CgCNX1, which demonstrated that N‐glycosylation of ER chaperone proteins is essential for effector stability, secretion, and pathogenicity of C. graminicola.

Our study provides concrete evidence for the regulation of effector protein stability and secretion by N‐glycosylation.
GmPLP1 negatively regulates soybean resistance to high light stress by modulating photosynthetic capacity and reactive oxygen species accumulation in a blue light‐dependent manner
Authors: Zhang Yanzheng , Zheng Jiqiang , Zhan Yuhang , Yu Zhenhai , Liu Shuhan , Lu Xiangpeng , Li Yue , Li Zeyang , Liang Xiaoyue , Li Haibin , Feng Yuan , Teng Weili , Li Wenbin , Han Yingpeng , Zhao Xue , Li Yongguang
Published: August 2023

High light stress is an important factor limiting crop yield. Light receptors play an important role in the response to high light stress, but their mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we found that the abundance of GmPLP1, a positive blue light receptor protein, was significantly inhibited by high light stress and mainly responded to high blue light. GmPLP1 RNA‐interference soybean lines exhibited higher light energy utilization ability and less light damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in leaves under high light stress, while the phenotype of GmPLP1:GmPLP1‐Flag overexpression soybean showed the opposite characteristics. Then, we identified a protein–protein interaction between GmPLP1 and GmVTC2, and the intensity of this interaction was primarily affected by sensing the intensity of blue light. More importantly, overexpression of GmVTC2b improved soybean tolerance to high light stress by enhancing the ROS scavenging capability through increasing the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid. This regulation was significantly enhanced after interfering with a GmPLP1‐interference fragment in GmVTC2b‐ox soybean leaves, but was weakened when GmPLP1 was transiently overexpressed. These findings demonstrate that GmPLP1 regulates the photosynthetic capacity and ROS accumulation of soybean to adapt to changes in light intensity by sensing blue light. In summary, this study discovered a new mechanism through which GmPLP1 participates in high light stress in soybean, which has great significance for improving soybean yield and the adaptability of soybean to high light.
A fungal CFEM‐containing effector targets NPR1 regulator NIMIN2 to suppress plant immunity
Authors: Shang Shengping , Liu Guangli , Zhang Song , Liang Xiaofei , Zhang Rong , Sun Guangyu
Published: August 2023

Colletotrichum fructicola causes a broad range of plant diseases worldwide and secretes many candidate proteinous effectors during infection, but it remains largely unknown regarding their effects in conquering plant immunity. Here, we characterized a novel effector CfEC12 that is required for the virulence of C. fructicola. CfEC12 contains a CFEM domain and is highly expressed during the early stage of host infection. Overexpression of CfEC12 suppressed BAX‐triggered cell death, callose deposition and ROS burst in Nicotiana benthamiana. CfEC12 interacted with apple MdNIMIN2, a NIM1‐interacting (NIMIN) protein that putatively modulates NPR1 activity in response to SA signal. Transient expression and transgenic analyses showed that MdNIMIN2 was required for apple resistance to C. fructicola infection and rescued the defence reduction in NbNIMIN2‐silenced N. benthamiana, supporting a positive role in plant immunity. CfEC12 and MdNPR1 interacted with a common region of MdNIMIN2, indicating that CfEC12 suppresses the interaction between MdNIMIN2 and MdNPR1 by competitive target binding. In sum, we identified a fungal effector that targets the plant salicylic acid defence pathway to promote fungal infection.
The Epistemic Aims of Democracy
Authors: Siscoe Robert Weston
Published: August 2023

Many political philosophers have held that democracy has epistemic benefits. Most commonly, this case is made by arguing that democracies are better able to track the truth than other political arrangements. Truth, however, is not the only epistemic good that is politically valuable. A number of other epistemic goods – goods including evidence, intellectual virtue, epistemic justice, and empathetic understanding – can also have political value, and in ways that go beyond the value of truth. In this paper, I will survey those who have argued that democracy can be valuable because of these other epistemic benefits, considering (1) the ways in which these epistemic goods can be of political value and (2) the challenges that democracies face in producing them.
Acetylcholinesterase activity in forager honey bees of Nepal
Authors: Pandey Shishir , Gotame Shankar , Sejuwal Sachin , Giri Basant , Giri Susma
Published: August 2023

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a promising enzyme and a biomarker to monitor the physiological status of honey bees. To gain a basic understanding of AChE in bees, we measured AChE activity in the head tissue of forager honey bees belonging to Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, and Apis dorsata collected from five districts of Nepal during pre‐winter and winter seasons. We estimated AChE‐tissue activity (μmol/min/g head tissue) and AChE‐specific activity (μmol/min/mg protein) using Ellman assay kit and protein concentration (mg/g head tissue) using Lowry assay method. A significant increase in all three parameters was observed in winter A. cerana and varied between species indicating differences in physiological resistance and responses to various environmental changes between native (A. cerana and A. dorsata) and non‐native (A. mellifera) bees. Overall, AChE‐tissue and specific activities were positively correlated and, as expected, AChE‐specific activity was negatively correlated with the protein concentration.
Examining generational differences as a moderator of extreme‐context perception and its impact on work alienation organizational outcomes: Implications for the workplace and remote work transformation
Authors: Mahmoud Ali B. , Berman Alexander , Reisel William , Fuxman Leonora , Hack‐Polay Dieu
Published: August 2023

There is no doubt that extreme contexts (e.g., war zones and pandemics) represent substantial disruptions that force many companies to rethink the way they do business. With so much of the workforce now working remotely and concerns about resulting work alienation, we must ask this question: How can this be translated into the generational divide in workplaces based in extreme contexts? Using COVID‐19 as an example trigger of extreme‐context experience, therefore, we investigate generation as a moderator of the effects of extreme‐context perception upon anxiety leading to alienation with subsequent behavioral outcomes on job insecurity, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). A time‐lagged survey procedure yielded 219 valid responses from a three‐generation sample of employees working in multiple service organizations. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). Our analysis suggested that intense extreme‐context perception led to elevated anxiety and alienation, which, in turn, heightened job insecurity and worsened job satisfaction and OCB outcomes. Finally, during the experience of extreme‐context times, generation was found to moderate our model, such that both Generation Y and Generation Z experienced higher anxiety due to extreme‐context perception and hence higher job insecurity due to alienation compared with Generation X respondents. Our results endorse the criticality of implementing agile and generationally non‐sectarian management for effectively functioning generationally diverse workforces in pandemic times.
Quantitative easing rules as a means to achieve optimal levels of structural reforms and government deficits in a monetary union
Authors: Campoy Juan Cristóbal , Negrete Juan Carlos
Published: August 2023

This paper uses a tractable game theory model to study the interactions of structural reforms and fiscal and monetary policies in the European Monetary Union (EMU). Considering the externalities that arise when interest rates have hit the lower bound and monetary policy is carried out through quantitative easing (QE), we show that the subgame perfect equilibrium is suboptimal when structural reforms and fiscal policy are implemented at a national level. Then, we prove that the optimal outcome cannot be obtained if structural reforms are dictated by a supranational institution. By contrast, we establish that the first best can be obtained either by a full‐fledged fiscal union or a rule on QE. Given the practical difficulties that the first of these two solutions have encountered in the EMU, a rule over QE provides a clear, easier and more credible way to make structural reforms and fiscal deficits achieve the levels that maximise the union's welfare.
Does fetal growth restriction induce neuropathology within the developing brainstem?
Authors: Ahmadzadeh Elham , Polglase Graeme R. , Stojanovska Vanesa , Herlenius Eric , Walker David W. , Miller Suzanne L. , Allison Beth J.
Published: August 2023

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a complex obstetric issue describing a fetus that does not reach its genetic growth potential. The primary cause of FGR is placental dysfunction resulting in chronic fetal hypoxaemia, which in turn causes altered neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory development, some of which may be pathophysiological, particularly for neonatal life. The brainstem is the critical site of cardiovascular, respiratory and autonomic control, but there is little information describing how chronic hypoxaemia and the resulting FGR may affect brainstem neurodevelopment. This review provides an overview of the brainstem‐specific consequences of acute and chronic hypoxia, and what is known in FGR. In addition, we discuss how brainstem structural alterations may impair functional control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Finally, we highlight the clinical and translational findings of the potential roles of the brainstem in maintaining cardiorespiratory adaptation in the transition from fetal to neonatal life under normal conditions and in response to the pathological environment that arises during development in growth‐restricted infants. This review emphasises the crucial role that the brainstem plays in mediating cardiovascular and respiratory responses during fetal and neonatal life. We assess whether chronic fetal hypoxaemia might alter structure and function of the brainstem, but this also serves to highlight knowledge gaps regarding FGR and brainstem development.

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Geological Characterization, Lithogeochemistry and the Metallogenic Potential for Chromium of the Riacho do Mocambo Mafic-Ultramafic Body, Northeast of the São Francisco Craton, BA, Brazil
Authors: Câmara Ib Silva , Sá José Haroldo da Silva , Oliveira Luís Rodrigues , Ribeiro Tatiana Silva , Misi Aroldo , Santana Pedro Ribeiro Rabelo de , Paim Márcio Mattos , Purificação Carlos Gleidson da
Published: August 2023

In the geotectonic context of the Salvador-Curaçá Orogen, north portion of the São Francisco Craton, an association of mafic-ultramafic (M-UM) rocks was identified and described in this paper as the Riacho do Mocambo Mafic- Ultramafic Body (RMMUB). Despite being located approximately 60 km from the Vale do Jacurici Complex (VJC), the host of Brazil’s largest reserves of  Cr, the RMMUB has never been associated with this Complex in regional geologic mapping projects. When it is mentioned in the bibliography, the M- UM rocks of the RMMUB are genetically related to the São José do Jacuípe Suite (SJJS). While the VJC is described as differentiated sills, associated with a synorogenic to a tardi-orogenic event, the SJJS is interpreted as fragments of an Archean-Paleoproterozoic oceanic crust or as a Gabbro- Anorthosite Stratiform Complex. Such contrasting genesis raised doubts about the RMMUB’s origin and field work along with geochemical analyses were carried out in order to better understand the possible source of the RMMUB. In the field, the RMMUB exhibits an elongated shape of small thickness (7 km of extension by less than 100 m of apparent thickness), displayed concordantly with the Tanque Novo-Ipirá Complex metasediments. In the mapped outcrops it is possible to observe the rhythmic and gradual alternation amid the lithotypes of the RMMUB, varying from serpentinite to metagabbro, suggesting that it is a layered igneous body. The geochemical results support the primitive aspect of the ultramafic rocks of this body (MgO up to 38 wt.%; Ni up to 2972 ppm; Cr up to 7799 ppm) and suggest that the RMMUB shows distinctive characteristics from the SJJS, but similar ones with magma of the VJC such as geochemical signatures, source, depth, and tectonic environment. The discovery of this new M-UM body in an area of great metallogenic fertility opens a potential for the identification of new Cr mineralization and magmatic sulfides of Ni, Cu, and EGP, in the Salvador- Curaçá Orogen, São Francisco Craton, the northeast region of the state of Bahia.
Study on effective dry etching of InGaZnO thin films under capacitively coupled plasma-reactive ion etching with a nonfluorine-based etching gas
Authors: Oh Changyong , Kim Hyeong Wook , Ju Myeong Woo , Song Jun Ho , Kim Bo Sung
Published: August 2023

Dry etching of InGaZnO (IGZO) thin films was performed in a capacitively coupled plasma-reactive ion etching (CCP-RIE) mode using hydrochloride (HCl) and argon (Ar) gases. Dry-etching characteristics and surface properties of IGZO films were then investigated according to gas mixture ratio, radio frequency power, and chamber working pressure. With an optimized ratio of HCl : Ar at 20  : 20 SCCM, the IGZO film showed good etch characteristics with a moderate etch rate of 6.0 nm/min and a low roughness of 0.19 nm. During the etching process of IGZO thin films, nonvolatile by-products such as GaClx, InClx, and ZnClx generated on the surface could be effectively removed by physical bombardment with Ar+ ions. As a result, we successfully conducted dry etching of IGZO thin films in the CCP-RIE system under HCl-Ar gas conditions, which demonstrated dry etching on IGZO without needing a fluorine-based etching gas.
Graphite oxide synthetized by pulsed laser ablation technique used as an antifouling coating to inhibit CaCO3 scale on stainless steel surfaces
Authors: Cuenca-Vargas Juan P. , Lopez-Vargas Juan D. , Drummond Andre A. , Werneck Marcelo M. , Franceschini Dante F. , S. Camargo Sergio
Published: August 2023

This work presents a study on the influence of carbon thin films deposited on stainless steel substrates for calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scaling tests. Three stainless steel samples were prepared from a metallographic polishing process. Subsequently, two of the pieces were coated with carbon thin films, and the other piece was used as a reference (without coating). One piece was coated only with carbon, and the other was coated first with nickel and then with carbon. Both coatings were synthetized by pulsed laser ablation (PLD) using an Nd:YAG pulsed laser with a wavelength of 266 nm, a pulse energy of 70 mJ, and a repetition rate of 10 Hz. The target was ablated for 10 min to deposit each thin film on the steel surface. The samples were characterized by different techniques to study morphological properties such as roughness, wettability, and surface energy. In addition, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle were used to determine the type of structure deposited by PLD. Characterization results allowed us to identify the coating structure as a thin film of partially oxidized graphite. Finally, the coated pieces were subjected to the CaCO3 scaling process and the results showed that the coatings improved the inhibition of CaCO3 with a reduction of more than 80% of the embedded mass compared to the uncoated sample.
Exploring level- and spectrum-based music mixing transforms for hearing-impaired listeners
Authors: Benjamin Aravindan Joseph , Siedenburg Kai
Published: August 2023

Multitrack mixing is an essential practice in modern music production. Research on automatic-mixing paradigms, however, has mostly tested samples of trained, normal hearing (NH) participants. The goal of the present study was to explore mixing paradigms for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. In two experiments, the mixing preferences of NH and HI listeners with respect to the parameters of lead-to-accompaniment level ratio (LAR) and the low to high frequency spectral energy balance were investigated. Furthermore, preferences of transformed equalization (EQ-transform) were assessed, achieved by linearly extrapolating between the power spectrum of individual tracks and a reference spectrum. Multitrack excerpts of popular music were used as stimuli. Results from experiment 1 indicate that HI participants preferred an elevated LAR compared to NH participants but did not suggest distinct preferences regarding spectral balancing or EQ-transform. Results from experiment 2 showed that bilateral hearing aid (HA) disuse among the HI participants yielded higher LAR values, stronger weighting of higher frequencies, as well as sparser EQ-transform settings compared to a condition with HA use. Overall, these results suggest that adjusting multitrack mixes may be a valuable way for making music more accessible for HI listeners.
An Analysis of Agenda Setting and Framing of American Marathon Television Coverage
Authors: Clemons Michael , Bogina Austin C.
Published: August 2023

This study examined nationally televised marathon coverage of three major U.S. marathons (the Boston Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the Tata Consultancy Services New York City Marathon) to understand how able-bodied men and women, and men and women using wheelchairs were represented. Just under 8 hr of coverage was analyzed for clock time and the descriptions of athletes divided by divisions of able-bodied men and women and wheelchair athlete men and women. Able-bodied women received the majority of clock time in Boston and Chicago, while able-bodied men received the majority of clock time in New York City. Athletes using wheelchairs, both men and women, received much smaller amounts of coverage, especially in New York City. Women received more announcer mentions in all three races, with a heavier focus on their background, coaching, and emotion, although the only statistically significant category was emotion. Experience and race strategy/training were heavily emphasized for all divisions. Through this analysis, race producers have more guidance on how to cover future marathons in a more equitable and appropriate manner.
A new class of protein sensor links spirochete pleomorphism, persistence, and chemotaxis
Authors: Muok A. R. , Kurniyati K. , Cassidy C. K. , Olsthoorn F. A. , Ortega D. R. , Mabrouk A. Sidi , Li C. , Briegel A.
Published: August 2023

Pathogenic spirochetes can alter their morphologies and behaviors to infect and survive within their hosts. Previous reports demonstrate that the formation of the so-called “round bodies” and biofilms, and chemotaxis are involved in spirochete pathogenesis. Here, we report a direct link between these cellular states that involve a new class of protein sensor with hitherto unclear function. Using cryo-electron microscopy, genetics, behavioral assays, and molecular modeling, we demonstrate that spirochetes regulate these behaviors in response to the small molecule
S
-adenosylmethionine (SAM) via a SAM sensor that is anchored to chemotaxis arrays. Furthermore, we establish an improved model for round body formation that now includes characterizations during log phase growth.

IMPORTANCE

A new class of bacterial protein sensors monitors intracellular levels of
S
-adenosylmethionine to modulate cell morphology, chemotaxis, and biofilm formation. Simultaneous regulation of these behaviors enables bacterial pathogens to survive within their niche. This sensor, exemplified by
Treponema denticola
CheWS, is anchored to the chemotaxis array and its sensor domain is located below the chemotaxis rings. This position may allow the sensor to directly interact with the chemotaxis histidine kinase CheA. Collectively, these data establish a critical role of CheWS in pathogenesis and further illustrate the impact of studying non-canonical chemotaxis proteins.
The First Discovery of Authigenic Carbonates on the Laptev Sea Flank of Gakkel Ridge (Arctic Ocean)
Authors: Kaminskii D. V. , Chamov N. P. , Krylov A. A. , Neevin I. A. , Buyakaite M. I. , Degtyarev K. E. , Dubenskii A. S. , Kaminskii V. D. , Logvina E. A. , Okina O. I. , Semenov P. B. , Kil A. O. , Petrov O. V. , Pokrovskii B. G. , Tolmacheva T. Yu.
Published: August 2023

This paper describes the first finding of authigenic carbonates on the southern flank of Gakkel Ridge in its junction with the continental margin of the Laptev Sea of the Russian Federation. The samples are represented by compact magnesian calcites and aragonites, including rounded and angular fragments of terrigenous material, as well as microphytoplankton and spores and pollen of terrestrial and aquatic plants of various ages. The elemental and organochemical characteristics are indicative of the predominant oxidation conditions or those intermediate between oxidation and reduction conditions of carbonate crystallization likely due to the fact that carbonates were formed near the bottom surface. The O, C, and Sr isotopic compositions make it possible to conclude that diagenetic carbonates of Gakkel Ridge were deposited mainly in isotopic equilibrium with bottom water at a temperature of about 0°C, corresponding to measurements from the research vessel. A wide range of δ13С (from –23.5 to –37.3) is indicative of the fact that methane was an important, but not the sole source of carbon in carbonates. Based on wide variations in 87Sr/86Sr (0.70906–0.70933) correlated with δ13С values, the carbonate-forming fluid was not only modern seawater, but also diagenetic solutions coming from the sedimentary cover together with methane and methane and organic matter oxidation products. The active discharge of heterogeneous methane-bearing fluids can be related to the high modern tectonic activity of the study region.
Current Irish medicolegal landscape: an unsustainable trajectory
Authors: Forrest Clara , O'Donoghue Keelin , Collins Dearbhaile C , O'Reilly Seamus
Published: August 2023

The number of outstanding clinical claims that are yet to be resolved as well as their associated estimated costs are at a record high in Ireland. By the end of 2022, the Irish government face 3875 active clinical claims which are expected to cost €3.85 billion in total. This does not account for future claims yet to be brought. The financial burden will be borne by the Irish healthcare system which is already facing unprecedented pressures on its services and staff. If current trends continue, the opportunity costs of the current medicolegal landscape will impact the future provision of healthcare. Aside from the financial consequences, clinical claims have numerous negative impacts on all parties involved. Gaining an understanding as to why claims and costs continue to increase relies on access to, and analysis of high-quality patient safety data, including learning from previous litigation. Addressing the causal and perpetuating factors requires efficient implementation of evidence-based recommendations through engagement with stakeholders, including the public. It is necessary to continuously assess the implementation of recommendations as well as measure their impact. This is to ensure that novel efforts from this point onwards do not suffer the same fate as many previous recommendations that, because of a lack of follow-on research, appear to go no further than the page of the report they are written. Action is required now to change the course of the currently unsustainable trajectory of the Irish medicolegal landscape.
Effect modifications of BMI transition and trajectory in the associations of adverse childhood experiences with new-onset dementia and its subtypes in older US adults
Authors: Ren Ziyang , Su Binbin , Du Yushan , Zhou Tianjing , Zheng Xiaoying , Liu Jufen
Published: August 2023

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and dementia are associated and comorbid with obesity. However, according to emerging research, the role of obesity in the association between ACEs and dementia seems controversial.

Aims

This analysis aimed to explore the associations between ACEs and different dementia subtypes and the effect modification of long-term body mass index (BMI).

Methods

Data were obtained from the US Health and Retirement Study. Six ACEs were categorised as 0, 1 and 2 or more. All-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias were defined by self-reported or proxy-reported physician diagnosis. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to explore the associations of ACEs with new-onset all-cause dementia, AD and other dementias from 2010 to 2020. Effect modification of BMI in 2010 and BMI transition and trajectory (fitted by group-based trajectory modelling) from 2004 to 2010 were assessed.

Results

15 282 participants with a mean age of 67.0 years (58.0–75.0) were included in the 2010 data analysis. Significant interactions of ACEs with baseline BMI, BMI transition and BMI trajectory in their associations with new-onset all-cause dementia and AD were observed (all p<0.05). For instance, positive associations of two or more ACEs (vs none) with all-cause dementia and AD were found in those with a BMI trajectory of maintaining ≥30 kg/m2(maintain obesity) rather than a decline to or maintaining <25 kg/m2(decline to or maintain normal weight), with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.87 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45 to 2.42) and 1.85 (95% CI: 1.22 to 2.80), respectively.

Conclusions

ACEs were associated with dementia and AD in US adults with long-term abnormally elevated BMI but not with long-term normal or decreasing BMI. Integrated weight management throughout life could prevent dementia among those with childhood adversity.
Screening for and diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathy
Authors: Chong Yuh Ping , Lim Say Min , Loh Tze Ping , Mollee Peter , Wijeratne Nilika , Choy Kay Weng
Published: August 2023

Monoclonal gammopathy is a spectrum of disorders characterised by clonal proliferation of plasma cells or lymphocytes, which produce abnormal immunoglobulin or its components (monoclonal proteins). Monoclonal gammopathies are often categorised as low-tumour-burden diseases (eg, amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis), premalignant disorders (such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smouldering multiple myeloma), and malignancies (eg, multiple myeloma and Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia). Such diversity of concentration and structure makes monoclonal protein a challenging clonal marker. This article provides an overview on initial laboratory testing of monoclonal gammopathy to guide clinicians and laboratory professionals in the selection and interpretation of appropriate investigations.
Clinicians and AI use: where is the professional guidance?
Authors: Smith Helen , Downer John , Ives Jonathan
Published: August 2023

With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) to healthcare, there is also a need for professional guidance to support its use. New (2022) reports from National Health Service AI Lab & Health Education England focus on healthcare workers’ understanding and confidence in AI clinical decision support systems (AI-CDDSs), and are concerned with developing trust in, and the trustworthiness of these systems. While they offer guidance to aid developers and purchasers of such systems, they offer little specific guidance for the clinical users who will be required to use them in patient care.

This paper argues that clinical, professional and reputational safety will be risked if this deficit of professional guidance for clinical users of AI-CDDSs is not redressed. We argue it is not enough to develop training for clinical users without first establishing professional guidance regarding the rights and expectations of clinical users.

We conclude with a call to action for clinical regulators: to unite to draft guidance for users of AI-CDDS that helps manage clinical, professional and reputational risks. We further suggest that this exercise offers an opportunity to address fundamental issues in the use of AI-CDDSs; regarding, for example, the fair burden of responsibility for outcomes.
A semi-analytical solution for laterally loaded non-circular piles in elastic soil
Authors: Zhou Hang , Wang Zengliang , Basu Dipanjan , Liu Hanlong
Published: August 2023

The traditional method for analysis and design of laterally loaded piles with non-circular cross-sections such as rectangular, H-shaped, and X-shaped piles involves the simplification of converting the non-circular pile to a circular pile with equivalent second moment of inertia. A rigorous semi-analytical method is developed for calculating the response for laterally loaded piles with arbitrary non-circular cross-sections in multi-layered elastic soil without using any simplification regarding the shape of the pile cross-section. The governing differential equations for the pile–soil system are obtained using the principle of virtual work. The soil displacements around the pile are described as products of separable functions that are compatible with horizontal pile movement. As a result, the three-dimensional (3 D) boundary value problem (BVP) is described by a fourth-order linear ordinary differential equation (ODE) governing horizontal pile displacement and second-order partial differential equations (PDEs) governing soil displacements. New solution techniques for the ODE and PDEs are proposed, and the accuracy of the present method is verified by comparing the predicted pile and soil responses with the corresponding results of equivalent 3 D finite element method. The effects of pile cross-section shape and lateral loading direction on the pile and soil responses are highlighted through a series of parametric analyses.
Effect of Thompson and Troian slip on CNT-Fe3O4/kerosene oil hybrid nanofluid flow over an exponential stretching sheet with Reynolds viscosity model
Authors: Gupta Tanya , Kumar Pandey Alok , Kumar Manoj
Published: August 2023

The theme of this study is to investigate the impact of radiation with Thompson and Troian boundary slip on CNT-Fe3O4/kerosene oil (KO) hybrid nanofluid flow across a porous exponentially stretching sheet. The viscosity is considered to be temperature-dependent using Reynolds viscosity model. A comparative analysis is done for SWCNT-Fe3O4/KO and MWCNT-Fe3O4/KO. Methodology: The nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) are remodeled into non-dimensional ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using suitable similarity transformation. To solve the non-dimensional equations, the Legendre wavelet collocation technique (LWCT) is applied. The code is validated numerically as well as graphically with previous works and found to be in good agreement with them. Findings: It has been observed that thermal profiles are enhanced with the rise in radiation and heat generation. Additionally, in comparison, the velocity profile of MWCNT-Fe3O4/KO is found superior to SWCNT-Fe3O4/KO. It is observed that heat transfer (HT) rate is enhanced by 30.11% on elevating the volume fraction of Fe3O4 from 1% to 10% and is represented by a scatter plot.
Structural and optical properties of triple-layer for high-uniformity beam division
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Wang Bo , Zou Hong , Li Jiahao , Huang Jinhai , Liu Liqun , Yu Weiyi , Chen Guoding , Wang Qu , Lei Liang
Published: August 2023

In this paper, a triple-layer grating beam splitter with three-port output is designed. Through the combination of rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) and simulated annealing algorithms (SAA), the calculation and optimization of each parameter of the grating is carried out to make the diffraction efficiency of the grating meet the conditions. At the incident wavelength of 800[Formula: see text]nm, the diffraction efficiencies of 0th order and ±1st order under TE polarization are 31.6% and 31.4%, respectively. The diffraction efficiencies of 0th order and ±1st order under TM polarization are 32.7% and 32.5%, respectively. It can be seen that not only the total diffraction efficiency under TE polarization and TM polarization exceeds 90%, but also the uniformity of diffraction efficiency at each order exceeds 99%. Finally, the influence of grating parameters and incident wave characteristics on diffraction efficiency is discussed.
Research on the Impact of Market Integration on Regional Productivity: A Spatial Econometric Approach for Chinese Regions
Authors: Wang Peng , Cen Cong
Published: August 2023

The process of market integration has a profound impact on regional output activities. This paper discusses the impact mechanism of market integration on regional productivity. Using China’s province-level panel data from 2006 to 2019, a spatial econometric model is constructed to empirically analyse the actual impact of China’s market integration process on regional productivity at this stage. The empirical study found that the spatial distribution of China’s regional productivity at the current stage exhibits the agglomeration characteristics of “high in the east and low in the west”. The process of market integration can not only significantly promote the productivity of the region, but also have a significant positive impact on the productivity of geographical and economic neighbouring regions. The subregional empirical results show that the marginal impact of the market integration process on productivity in different regions is heterogeneous, showing that the marginal impact on the eastern and coastal regions is stronger than that in the central and western regions. Altogether, this study provides empirical evidence of the positive impact of market integration on regional productivity in the spatial dimension, having significant implications for regional coordinated and sustainable development.