bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting bait uptake by the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the future delivery of oral contraceptives
Authors: Beatham Sarah E. , Coats Julia , Stephens Philip A. , Massei Giovanna
Published: April 2023

Context Invasive species negatively affect natural communities and human activities. The grey squirrel is an invasive species in the UK, causing damage to forestry and the decline of the native red squirrel. Oral contraceptives have the potential to reduce numbers of grey squirrels; however, to be effective a sufficient proportion of a population must consume a bait containing contraceptives. Aims The objective of this study was to estimate the efficacy of delivering baits via feeders to grey squirrels and to determine the factors most important to bait uptake. Methods Bait uptake was measured using the bait marker Rhodamine B mixed with 100% hazelnut butter and delivered to grey squirrels via purpose-designed feeders. Different concentrations of Rhodamine B were first trialled on captive grey squirrels for their palatability and detectability in the hair. Bait-uptake field trials were then conducted in 10 UK woodlands by using the preferred concentration. Key results In captive trials, it was found that a concentration of 0.18% Rhodamine B mixed in hazelnut butter was palatable to grey squirrels and that individuals needed to consume only small amounts (<5 g) for it to be detected in the flank hair by using an ultraviolet microscope. It was possible to deliver bait to the majority of grey squirrels in 6 of 10 woods within 4 days. Season, feeder density and squirrel density were important factors affecting bait uptake, with more squirrels consuming bait in summer than in winter and from three feeders per hectare rather than from one per hectare. Conclusions This study demonstrated that baits delivered via feeders can target the majority of grey squirrels in woodland environments. Implications Oral contraceptives could offer a cost-effective tool to reduce numbers of grey squirrels across the UK landscape and mitigate the negative impacts they have on native wildlife and tree health.
Differential requirements for P stalk components in activating yeast protein kinase Gcn2 by stalled ribosomes during stress
Authors: Gupta Ritu , Hinnebusch Alan G.
Published: April 2023

The General Amino Acid Control is a conserved response to amino acid starvation involving activation of protein kinase Gcn2, which phosphorylates eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) with attendant inhibition of global protein synthesis and increased translation of yeast transcriptional activator
GCN4
. Gcn2 can be activated by either amino acid starvation or conditions that stall elongating ribosomes without reducing aminoacylation of tRNA, but it is unclear whether distinct molecular mechanisms operate in these two circumstances. We identified three regimes that activate Gcn2 in yeast cells by starvation-independent (SI) ribosome-stalling: treatment with tigecycline, eliminating the sole gene encoding tRNA
Arg
UCC
, and depletion of translation termination factor eRF1. We further demonstrated requirements for the tRNA- and ribosome-binding domains of Gcn2, the positive effector proteins Gcn1/Gcn20, and the tethering of at least one of two distinct P1/P2 heterodimers to the uL10 subunit of the ribosomal P stalk, for detectable activation by SI-ribosome stalling. Remarkably, no tethered P1/P2 proteins were required for strong Gcn2 activation elicited by starvation for histidine or branched-chain amino acids isoleucine/valine. These results indicate that Gcn2 activation has different requirements for the P stalk depending on how ribosomes are stalled. We propose that accumulation of deacylated tRNAs in amino acid-starved cells can functionally substitute for the P stalk in binding to the histidyl-tRNA synthetase-like domain of Gcn2 for eIF2α kinase activation by ribosomes stalled with A sites devoid of the eEF1A∙GTP∙aminoacyl–tRNA ternary complex.
Scalar leptoquark and vector-like quark extended models as the explanation of the muon g–2 anomaly: bottom partner chiral enhancement case*
Authors: He Shi-Ping
Published: April 2023

Leptoquark (LQ) models are well motivated solutions to the

anomaly. In the minimal LQ models, only specific representations can lead to chiral enhancements. For the scalar LQs,

and

can lead to the top quark chiral enhancement. For the vector LQs,

and

can lead to the bottom quark chiral enhancement. When we consider the LQ and vector-like quark (VLQ) simultaneously, there can be more scenarios. In our previous study, we considered the scalar LQ and VLQ extended models with up-type quark chiral enhancement. Here, we study the scalar LQ and VLQ extended models with down-type quark chiral enhancement. We find two new models with B quark chiral enhancements, which originate from the bottom and bottom partner mixing. Then, we propose new LQ and VLQ search channels under the constraints of

.
On the partition function of the Sp(2n) integrable vertex model
Authors: Ribeiro G A P
Published: April 2023

We study the partition function per site of the integrable

S
p
(
2
n
)

vertex model on the square lattice. We establish a set of transfer matrix fusion relations for this model. The solution of these functional relations in the thermodynamic limit allows us to compute the partition function per site of the fundamental

S
p
(
2
n
)

representation of the vertex model. In addition, we also obtain the partition function of vertex models mixing the fundamental with other representations.
Multicarrier M-ary Permuted Quasi-Orthogonal Chaotic Vector Shift Keying with Index Modulation
Authors: Bavatharani G , Laxmikandan T , Manimekalai T
Published: April 2023

A novel multicarrier system based on chaotic sequences with permutation and index modulation to improve spectral efficiency is presented in this paper. In this design, the quasi-orthogonality property of the permuted versions of chaotic sequences is used for getting multiple reference signals, thereby reducing by the transmission overhead of reference chaotic signals over additional subcarriers. This helps in improving the spectral efficiency of the proposed system. Also, index modulation is applied to the permuted chaotic signals in all subcarriers to provide better efficiency in terms of spectrum utilization as well as energy consumption. Hence, the information bits are conveyed by both M-ary modulation symbols and the indices of the selected permutated signals. In addition, the analytical expressions for bit error rate (BER) of the proposed system over additive white gaussian noise (AWGN) is derived and simulation results are used to validate the analytical values. The performance of the proposed system is compared with the multicarrier chaotic system available in the literature, thereby proving that the proposed system outperforms the existing system with improved spectral efficiency and energy efficiency and also provides improvement in BER performance of about 2dB over AWGN channel with hardware complexity trade-off.
Improve Throughput and spectrum efficiency using Cell – Free MIMO-NOMA network with user–centric clustering
Authors: Ravi M , Bulo Yaka
Published: April 2023

In this article, the user resource allocation and user scheduling in a cell-free user-centric clustering network and coherent transmissions is investigated. However, the setup of the user-centric clustering is not sufficient for multi-user transmissions, and user scheduling becomes difficult. To overcome the aforementioned problem and to provide user fairness, an optimum resource allocation algorithm with perfect user scheduling, beam forming, and radio frequency transmitter (RFT) clustering is proposed. Thereby, the cell edge user achieves the optimum throughput and spectrum efficiency. The simulation result shows that the proposed method outperforms the conventional method. In addition, the pilot-reusing factor is used to obtain loss due to imperfect channel state information and pilot train overhead.
Numerical Investigation on the Temperature dependent Impedance Characteristics of Far-Infrared Quantum Cascade Lasers
Authors: Ashok P , Madhan M Ganesh , Gopinath S , Premila T R , Janaki N
Published: April 2023

Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) as Terahertz (THz) frequency sources offer a potentially viable solution for new applications in mid and far-infrared frequency bands. This research work exhaustively investigates the temperature dependence on the impedance of temperature dependent Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) operating at 116μm, for the first time. In the 90-stage QCL considered for the work, the cold finger temperature is varied from 15K to 45K. When the device is biased at 0.6A current along with a cold finger temperature of 45K, the magnitude of intrinsic impedance was found to be 23.91mΩ, at a frequency of 4GHz. As the cold finger temperature is increased from 15K to 45K, the impedance response of the device becomes flat and stays constant. At 45K with an injected current of 1.5A, maximum impedance of 3.1mΩ is obtained. The resonant frequency characteristics of the device increase with increase in injected current and cold finger temperature. Also, it is observed that the magnitude of intrinsic impedance decreases with increase in injected current. The impact of cold finger temperature on the intrinsic impedance characteristics are detailed for prospective Radio over Fiber (RoF) applications.
Social Service Robot using Gesture recognition technique
Authors: Jessintha D. , kumar P. Praveen , Jaisiva S. , kumar T. Ananth , Ananth Christo
Published: April 2023

A robot is a machine that can automatically do a task or a series of tasks based on its programming and environment. They are artificially built machines or devices that can perform activities with utmost accuracy and precision minimizing time constraints. Service robots are technologically advanced machines deployed to service and maintain certain activities. Research findings convey the essential fact that serving robots are now being deployed worldwide. Social robotics is one such field that heavily involves an interaction between humans and an artificially built machine. These man-built machines interact with humans and can also understand social terms and words. Modernization has bought changes in design and mechanisms due to this ever-lasting growth in technology and innovation. Therefore, food industries are also dynamically adapting to the new changes in the field of automation to reduce human workload and increase the quality of service. Deployment of a robot in the food industries which help to aid deaf and mute people who face social constraints is an ever-growing challenge faced by engineers for the last few decades. Moreover, a contactless form of speedy service system which accomplishes its task with at most precision and reduced complexity is a feat yet to be perfected. Preservation of personal hygiene, a better quality of service, and reduced labour costs is achieved.
Design of Smart Medical Mirror using Raspberry Pi
Authors: Mariappan R , Prasanna P Naga , Tehmeem Sulthana SK , Ramprasad A , Charishma Shalini P
Published: April 2023

The main idea of the paper is to get individuals to monitor their body mass index (BMI) and temperature. The BMI is a technique used to test people for potential weight issues and to track the weight status of people. Body mass index is calculated by using two main parameters they are height and weight of the person. We develop a commercial device, which calculates the BMI of the user with their respective height and weight. When the user stands in front of the device, The device scans the user’s face and classifies the user’s gender as correct BMI of user is dependent on gender, Later the height is calculated using ultrasonic sensor and weight is also measured. The device also shows the temperature and this temperature is measured by MLX 90614 sensor Now the device calculates the BMI and displays the user’s BMI to the user. The device also displays some message to the user according to their BMI, such as whether the person is over weighted or low weighted.
IoT based Dynamic Road Traffic Management System
Authors: Bhavana Pendurthy , Likhitha Pediredla , Manoj Chiluvuri , Kumar Lakshmi Sutha
Published: April 2023

Traffic due to automobiles is a major problem in many urban places in India as well as in other countries. Malfunctioning of the traffic lights and various other dysfunctionalities has led to traffic congestion which hurts the economy, environment, and overall quality of life. Hence it is very important to manage the traffic congestion problem effectively. In this paper, a prototype is proposed for a traffic management system using IR sensors, Arduino, serial to the parallel shift register, and LED displays. The density of the traffic is measured by placing the IR sensors at the 4 lane junction after a certain distance. The data collected from sensors is used to dynamically change the sequence of green lights as well as to dynamically change the green light delays. The proposed road traffic management system is implemented in the proteus software. For high traffic zone, a higher green light delay is given whereas for low density zone, the duration of the green light delay is reduced. The system is also designed in such a way as to give preference to the lanes which have no vehicles/very few vehicles by providing the least green light delays.
Classification of WBC cell classification using fully connected convolution neural network
Authors: Gokul Kannan K , Ganesh Babu T R , Praveena R , Sukumar P , Sudha G , Birunda M
Published: April 2023

White blood cells (WBCs) are cells that is key factor of the immune systems which is help to our body fight off contagions and other diseases. In order to enhance the diagnosis of various diseases in medical field by using image processing techniques from the blood cells. In that, Leukemia is associated with one type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It is look like spongy tissue inside the bones where blood cells are made. In this paper, a fully connected. Convolution neural network is used to segmented and classification of blood cell microscope WBC images for healthy and unhealthy conditions. The performance of the classifier was analyzed. The accuracy sensitivity specificity and pression are 96.84%, 96.26%,97.35% and 96.39% respectively.
Solving the thoracic inverse problem in the fruit fly
Authors: Pons Arion , Perl Illy , Ben-Dov Omri , Maya Roni , Beatus Tsevi
Published: April 2023

In many insect species, the thoracic exoskeletal structure plays a crucial role in enabling flight. In the dipteran indirect flight mechanism, thoracic cuticle acts as a transmission link between the flight muscles and the wings, and is thought to act as an elastic modulator: improving flight motor efficiency thorough linear or nonlinear resonance. But peering closely into the drivetrain of tiny insects is experimentally difficult, and the nature of this elastic modulation is unclear. Here, we present a new inverse-problem methodology to surmount this difficulty. In a data synthesis process, we integrate literature-reported rigid-wing aerodynamic and musculoskeletal data into a planar oscillator model for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and use this integrated data to identify several surprising properties of the fly’s thorax. We find that fruit flies likely have an energetic need for motor resonance: absolute power savings due to motor elasticity range from 0%–30% across literature-reported datasets, averaging 16%. However, in all cases, the intrinsic high effective stiffness of the active asynchronous flight muscles accounts for all elastic energy storage required by the wingbeat. The D. melanogaster flight motor should be considered as a system in which the wings are resonant with the elastic effects of the motor’s asynchronous musculature, and not with the elastic effects of the thoracic exoskeleton. We discover also that D. melanogaster wingbeat kinematics show subtle adaptions that ensure that wingbeat load requirements match muscular forcing. Together, these newly-identified properties suggest a novel conceptual model of the fruit fly’s flight motor: a structure that is resonant due to muscular elasticity, and is thereby intensely concerned with ensuring that the primary flight muscles are operating efficiently. Our inverse-problem methodology sheds new light on the complex behaviour of these tiny flight motors, and provides avenues for further studies in a range of other insect species.
Effect of different soluble salt ions on deformation of desulfurization gypsum in high humidity environment: a statistically designed experimental analysis method
Authors: Zhou Shuang-xi , Liu Chao-qun , Dai Li , Zhang You-hua , Zhu Ze-wen , Mao Lin , Ding Yang , Han Zhen , Dong Jiang-liang , She An-ming , Wei Yong-qi
Published: April 2023

In response to the green energy-saving goal of carbon neutralization and carbon peak, the research and development of green building materials have become a key research direction. Desulfurization gypsum is widely used in building materials because of its good energy saving, but it cannot be used in high humidity areas because of its highly soluble salt. Based on this reason, this paper uses statistically designed experiments (SDE) to design the experiments on the influence of four common soluble salt ions

N

a

+

,
M

g

2
+

,
C

l

−

and

K

+

on the sagging deformation of desulfurization gypsum, and studies the significance of their influence by SDE experimental analysis method. The results show that: (1) in the environment of a single salt solution,

K

+

ion,

M

g

2
+

ion,

N

a

+

ion, and

C

l

−

ion will cause sagging deformation of desulfurization gypsum, and their values are 0.432 mm, 1.933 mm, 0.942 mm, and 0.940 mm respectively. It can be seen that the effect of the

M

g

2
+

ion is the most significant. (2) In the environment of composite salt solution,

K

+

ions will inhibit the sagging deformation of desulfurization gypsum. Specifically, in the compound salt solution environment of

K

+

+
M

g

2
+

and

K

+

+
N

a

+

,

the deformation values are 0.605 mm and 0.596 mm respectively.
Asteroid deflection bags award
Authors: Johnston Hamish , Banks Michael , Freeman Tami , Harris Margaret
Published: April 2023

The Physics World 2022 Breakthrough of the Year goes to the first demonstration of “kinetic impact” by successfully changing the orbit of an asteroid, as Hamish Johnston reports.
Double dose of quantum weirdness pushes sensors past the limit
Authors: Boerkamp Martijn
Published: April 2023

Physicists at JILA in the US have incorporated the principle of delocalization and entanglement into a single quantum sensor for the first time.
Brightness boost for Berkeley laser laboratory
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: April 2023

A second beamline area at the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator Center will allow researchers to study extremely hot plasmas, investigate cancer therapies and discover new materials for quantum science.
COVID worsened gender gap in astronomy publications
Authors: Hiscott Laura
Published: April 2023

A study has revealed that astronomers published more papers per year during the COVID-19 pandemic than they did beforehand, but men enjoyed a disproportionate share of the increase.
Quantum successes
Authors: McKenzie James
Published: April 2023

James McKenzie is excited about the prospects of UK firms developing “quantum 2.0” technology.
The tiny flaws behind big failures
Authors: Martin Tomas , Moore Stacy
Published: April 2023

When a material fails, it can have devastating consequences – making bridges collapse or pipelines explode. Tomas Martin and Stacy Moore describe how innovative and complementary microscopy and spectroscopy techniques can reveal the underlying atomic-scale mechanisms behind a material’s degradation.
The mentor and the student
Authors: Harris Margaret
Published: April 2023

Margaret Harris reviews The Basis of Everything: Rutherford, Oliphant and the Coming of the Atomic Bomb by Andrew Ramsey.
Review of in silico models of cerebral blood flow in health and pathology
Authors: Payne Stephen , Józsa Tamás István , El-Bouri Wahbi K
Published: April 2023

In this review, we provide a summary of the state-of-the-art in the in silico modelling of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and its application in in silico clinical trials. CBF plays a key role in the transport of nutrients, including oxygen and glucose, to brain cells, and the cerebral vasculature is a highly complex, multi-scale, dynamic system that acts to ensure that supply and demand of these nutrients are continuously balanced. It also plays a key role in the transport of other substances, such as recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator, to brain tissue. Any dysfunction in CBF can rapidly lead to cell death and permanent damage to brain regions, leading to loss of bodily functions and death. The complexity of the cerebral vasculature and the difficulty in obtaining accurate anatomical information combine to make mathematical models of CBF key in understanding brain supply, diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, quantification of the effects of thrombi, selection of the optimum intervention, and neurosurgical planning. Similar in silico models have now been widely applied in a variety of body organs (most notably in the heart), but models of CBF are still far behind. The increased availability of experimental data in the last 15 years however has enabled these models to develop more rapidly and this progress is the focus of this review. We thus present a brief review of the cerebral vasculature and the mathematical foundations that underpin CBF in both the microvasculature and the macrovasculature. We also demonstrate how such models can be applied in the context of cerebral diseases and show how this work has recently been expanded to in silico trials for the first time. Most work to date in this context has been performed for ischaemic stroke or cerebral aneurysms, but these in-silico models have many other applications in neurodegenerative diseases where mathematical models have a vital role to play in testing hypotheses and providing test beds for clinical interventions.
Borel’s rank theorem for Artin 𝐿-functions
Authors: Zhang Ningchuan
Published: April 2023

Borel’s rank theorem identifies the ranks of algebraic

K
K

-groups of the ring of integers of a number field with the orders of vanishing of the Dedekind zeta function attached to the field. Following the work of Gross, we establish a version of this theorem for Artin

L
L

-functions by considering equivariant algebraic

K
K

-groups of number fields with coefficients in rational Galois representations. This construction involves twisting algebraic

K
K

-theory spectra with rational equivariant Moore spectra. We further discuss integral equivariant Moore spectra attached to Galois representations and their potential applications in

L
L

-functions.
Paxillin regulates Rab5-mediated vesicle motility through modulating microtubule acetylation
Authors: Zehrbach Nicholas M. , Dubois Fatemeh , Turner Christopher E.
Published: April 2023

The role of the focal adhesion adaptor paxillin in regulating the Rab5 GTPase is evaluated. Paxillin, through modulation of HDAC6 activity and thereby microtubule acetylation, was shown to regulate Rab5 activity, as well as Rab5-associated vesicle distribution and motility.
Cytosine methylation in GABA B1 receptor identifies alcohol-related changes for men in blood and brain tissues
Authors: Meyer-Bockenkamp Fiona , Proskynitopoulos Phileas J , Glahn Alexander , Muschler Marc , Hagemeier Lars , Preuss Vanessa , Klintschar Michael , Achenbach Johannes , Frieling Helge , Rhein Mathias
Published: April 2023

Aims

Alcohol use alters the reward signaling processes contributing to the development of addiction. We studied the effects of alcohol use disorder (AUD) on brain regions and blood of deceased women and men to examine sex-dependent differences in epigenetic changes associated with AUD. We investigated the effects of alcohol use on the gene promoter methylation of GABBR1 coding for GABAB receptor subunit 1 in blood and brain.

Methods

We chose six brain regions associated with addiction and the reward pathway (nucleus arcuatus, nucleus accumbens, the mamillary bodies, amygdala, hippocampus and anterior temporal cortex) and performed epigenetic profiling of the proximal promoter of the GABBR1 gene of post-mortem brain and blood samples of 17 individuals with AUD pathology (4 female, 13 male) and 31 healthy controls (10 female, 21 male).

Results

Our results show sex-specific effects of AUD on GABBR1 promoter methylation. Especially, CpG −4 showed significant tissue-independent changes and significantly decreased methylation levels for the AUD group in the amygdala and the mammillary bodies of men. We saw prominent and consistent change in CpG-4 across all investigated tissues. For women, no significant loci were observed.

Conclusion

We found sex-dependent differences in GABBR1 promoter methylation in relation to AUD. CpG-4 hypomethylation in male individuals with AUD is consistent for most brain regions. Blood shows similar results without reaching significance, potentially serving as a peripheral marker for addiction-associated neuronal adaptations. Further research is needed to discover more contributing factors in the pathological alterations of alcohol addiction to offer sex-specific biomarkers and treatment.
Micro-photoautotroph predation as a driver for trophic niche specialization in 12 syntopic Indo-Pacific parrotfish species
Authors: Nicholson Georgina M , Clements Kendall D
Published: April 2023

Parrotfish are key agents of bioerosion and sediment production in coral reef ecosystems; however, their dietary targets and therefore potential sources of variation in carbonate cycling lack resolution. Here we address this knowledge shortfall in our current understanding of parrotfish diets by testing the concept that protein-rich micro-photoautotrophs are the target prey for many Scarinine parrotfishes. We focus at fine spatial scales on the feeding substrata of 12 syntopic Indo-Pacific parrotfish species at mid-shelf sites around Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We followed individual parrotfish on snorkel until biting was observed, and then extracted a reef core around each bite. The surface of each bite core was scraped to ~1 mm for quantitative microscopic analysis (up to 630 × magnification) and for 16S and 18S rRNA metabarcoding. The most dominant photoautotrophic group in terms of surface cover was filamentous cyanobacteria, followed by crustose coralline algae. Epiphytic, epilithic, endophytic and endolithic filamentous cyanobacteria were consistent bite core biota. Although the density of filamentous cyanobacteria on bite cores was largely consistent among the 12 parrotfish species, the quantitative microscopic data and rRNA metabarcoding revealed distinct differences between parrotfish species in the taxonomic composition of core biota. Our data provide further evidence that these syntopic parrotfish species partition feeding resources.
Mind your language: how medical parlance can undermine the therapeutic relationship
Authors: Cohen Stuart N , Heath Rachel J
Published: April 2023

We summarize and discuss an article by Cox and Fritz, which was published in the BMJ in 2022. They draw attention to how the unthinking use of language can be detrimental to the doctor–patient relationship.
A comparison of candidate banker plants for management of pests in lettuce
Authors: Hogg Brian N , Nelson Erik H , Daane Kent M
Published: April 2023

Agricultural systems are often lacking in resources for natural enemies. Providing alternative prey can help natural enemies persist through periods of low pest abundance, although this approach has been rarely commercially implemented in open field crops. In this study, we tested the potential of eight plant species to provide alternative prey to natural enemies in lettuce fields over a 2-yr period. Results showed that the tested plants would not act as sources of the lettuce aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri Mosley (Hemiptera: Aphididae), the primary lettuce pest. Of the banker plants tested, barley contained high numbers of non-lettuce aphids and appeared to provide reliable habitat for hoverfly larvae. However, lettuce aphids were present on lettuce early in the season, and may have dwarfed any effects of nonlettuce aphids on natural enemy populations. Numbers of hoverfly larvae were also high in lettuce, but did not appear to track numbers of non-lettuce aphids on banker plants. In contrast, numbers of lacewing larvae were highest on plants containing high numbers of non-lettuce aphids, and predatory hemipterans appeared to be associated with numbers of thrips on banker plants. Although barley showed promise as a source of alternative aphids, it did not appear to improve pest control in the adjacent crop.
Aortic cusp perforation during rotational atherectomy: a case report
Authors: Shah Nihit , Demetriades Polyvios , Maqableh Ghaith M , Khan Sohail Q , Shahid Farhan
Published: April 2023

Background

Rotational atherectomy has become increasingly utilised over the past decade. Although a relatively safe procedure in appropriately trained physicians’ hands, there are a number of recognised complications.

Case summary

We describe the case of a 64-year-old female who presented with chest pain and was diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed normal biventricular function and no valve disease. Invasive coronary angiogram was performed which revealed a severely calcified ostial right coronary artery (RCA) disease which was felt to be the culprit of the presentation. Balloon dilatation was unsuccessful, therefore, rotational atherectomy with an Amplatz left 0.75 guide and a 1.5 mm rota-burr was utilised and improved calcium burden. This was complicated by ostial dissection, treated with stenting. A TTE following the procedure revealed moderate aortic regurgitation (AR). The patient was discharged as she remained asymptomatic. An outpatient transoesophageal echocardiogram performed eight months later showed evidence of severe eccentric AR. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed severe AR with left ventricular dilatation. Repeat angiogram 10 months after index procedure revealed in-stent restenosis, and the patient was accepted by heart multidisciplinary team for aortic valve replacement and grafting of RCA.

Discussion

As the field of rotational atherectomy continues to expand, we propose that novel complications such as reported in this case may become recognised. Finally, we stress the importance of multi-modality imaging in the investigation and timely planning of interventions in the management of these patients.
Signatures of Adaptation, Constraints, and Potential Redundancy in the Canonical Immune Genes of a Key Pollinator
Authors: Larragy Sarah J , Möllmann Jannik S , Stout Jane C , Carolan James C , Colgan Thomas J
Published: April 2023

All organisms require an immune system to recognize, differentiate, and defend against pathogens. From an evolutionary perspective, immune systems evolve under strong selective pressures exerted by fast-evolving pathogens. However, the functional diversity of the immune system means that different immune components and their associated genes may evolve under varying forms of selection. Insect pollinators, which provide essential ecosystem services, are an important system in which to understand how selection has shaped immune gene evolution as their populations are experiencing declines with pathogens highlighted as a potential contributing factor. To improve our understanding of the genetic variation found in the immune genes of an essential pollinator, we performed whole-genome resequencing of wild-caught Bombus terrestris males. We first assessed nucleotide diversity and extended haplotype homozygosity for canonical immune genes finding the strongest signatures of positive selection acting on genes involved in pathogen recognition and antiviral defense, possibly driven by growing pathogen spread in wild populations. We also identified immune genes evolving under strong purifying selection, highlighting potential constraints on the bumblebee immune system. Lastly, we highlight the potential loss of function alleles present in the immune genes of wild-caught haploid males, suggesting that such genes are potentially less essential for development and survival and represent redundancy in the gene repertoire of the bumblebee immune system. Collectively, our analysis provides novel insights into the recent evolutionary history of the immune system of a key pollinator, highlighting targets of selection, constraints to adaptation, and potential redundancy.
Incidence and risk factors for non-union of the superior ramus osteotomy when hip dysplasia is treated with periacetabular osteotomy
Authors: Sivamurugan Ganesh , Westermann Robert W , Glass Natalie , Davison John C , Miller Aspen , Henrichsen Jacob , McKinley Todd O , Willey Michael C
Published: April 2023

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a well-established surgical treatment for hip dysplasia. Few studies report risk factors for the development of superior ramus osteotomy non-union. The purpose of this investigation was to document the incidence and risk factors for this complication. We identified 316 consecutive hips that underwent PAO for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with a minimum 1-year radiographic follow-up. We developed and validated a technique to measure the superior ramus osteotomy location on anterior-posterior (AP) pelvis radiographs and computed tomography. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to evaluate the relationships between odds of non-union and potential demographic and radiographic predictor variables in univariate and multivariate analyses. Twenty-nine (9.2%) hips developed superior ramus non-union. Age {median [interquartile range (IQR)] 23 years (18–35) healed versus 35 years (26–40) non-united, P = 0.001}, pre-operative lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) [16° (11–20) healed versus 10° (6–13) non-united, P < 0.001] and the distance from the superior ramus osteotomy to the ilioishial line [15.8 mm (13.2–18.7) healed versus 18.1 mm (16.2–20.5) non-united, P < 0.001] varied significantly between groups. Using multivariate analysis, moderate-to-severe dysplasia [LCEA < 15°, odds ratio (OR) 5.95, standard error (SE) 3.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99–17.79, P = 0.001], increased age (5-year increase, OR 1.29, SE 3.32, 95% CI 1.105–1.60, P-value = 0.018) and distance from the ilioishial line (3-mm increase, OR 1.67, SE 0.22, 95% CI 1.29–2.18, P < 0.001) were at increased risk of developing non-union. Superior ramus osteotomy non-union is common after PAO. Older age, moderate-to-severe dysplasia, and more medial osteotomy location were independent risk factors for non-union. Consideration should be made in high-risk patients for a more lateral superior ramus osteotomy and adjuvant medical and surgical interventions.
Optimal Portfolio Using Factor Graphical Lasso
Authors: Lee Tae-Hwy , Seregina Ekaterina
Published: April 2023

Graphical models are a powerful tool to estimate a high-dimensional inverse covariance (precision) matrix, which has been applied for a portfolio allocation problem. The assumption made by these models is a sparsity of the precision matrix. However, when stock returns are driven by common factors, such assumption does not hold. We address this limitation and develop a framework, Factor Graphical Lasso (FGL), which integrates graphical models with the factor structure in the context of portfolio allocation by decomposing a precision matrix into low-rank and sparse components. Our theoretical results and simulations show that FGL consistently estimates the portfolio weights and risk exposure and also that FGL is robust to heavy-tailed distributions which makes our method suitable for financial applications. FGL-based portfolios are shown to exhibit superior performance over several prominent competitors including equal-weighted and index portfolios in the empirical application for the S&P500 constituents.
Diversity and temporal distribution of sand flies in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Centre-West Colombia
Authors: Posada-López Laura , Galvis-Ovallos Fredy , Vélez-Mira Andrés , Vélez Ivan D , Galati Eunice A B
Published: April 2023

The community structure of sand flies indicates the level of adaptation of vector species in a region, and in the context of vector management and control, this information allows for identifying the potential risks of pathogen transmission. This study aimed to analyze sand fly diversity and spatial-temporal distribution in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The study was carried out in the Carrizales hamlet (Caldas), between September 2019 and October 2021. The monthly distribution of sand fly species was evaluated through collections with CDC traps. Shannon and evenness indices were calculated and used to compare species frequencies at each house. The association between climatic variables and the frequency of sand flies was evaluated using Spearman’s correlation. A total of 6,265 females and 1,958 males belonging to 23 species were found. Low diversity and evenness were observed, with the dominance of Nyssomyia yuilli yuilli (Young & Porter). Ecological and diversity indices did not reveal differences between the houses. The sand fly community was composed of 3 dominant species, Ny. yuilli yuilli, Psychodopygus ayrozai (Barretto & Coutinho), and Ps. panamensis (Shannon), representing 75.8% of the total catches. No statistical association was found between the absolute frequency of sand flies, rainfall, and temperature. The results show one dominant species, this fact has epidemiological relevance since density influences parasite-vector contact. The high densities of sand flies recorded in peri- and intradomiciliary areas highlight the necessity of periodic monitoring of vector populations and control activities to reduce the risk of Leishmania transmission in this endemic area.
Music-based intervention impacts for people with eating disorders: A narrative synthesis systematic review
Authors: Chang Ee Xuen , Brooker Joanne , Hiscock Richard , O’Callaghan Clare
Published: April 2023

Eating disorders (EDs) can be life-threatening and cause long-term adverse biopsychosocial effects. Treatment options are limited and treatment seeking barriers exist. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the therapeutic impacts of music-based intervention (MBIs) for people with diagnosed EDs. Five bibliographic databases (PsycInfo, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Open Dissertations) were searched. Eligible studies examined therapeutic outcomes of MBIs in people with EDs, using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. From 939 studies identified, 16 met the inclusion criteria (N = 349; age:12–65-years-old), and were categorized as: music therapy (5 studies), music medicine (4 studies), and “other MBIs” (7 studies), that is, the intervention included music and was delivered by a non-music therapist health worker and/or musician. A narrative synthesis of the studies was undertaken. Participants were diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, eating disorder otherwise not specified, or mixed symptoms. MBIs varied widely and were associated with improved mood regulation, emotional well-being, and management of meal-related distress. Vodcast (video podcast) interventions were associated with healthful eating in non-inpatient populations. Studies were assessed using critical appraisal tools. Generalizability of findings is limited due to small samples and suboptimal description of MBIs. Longitudinal research is warranted with larger samples and informed by frameworks for quality reporting of complex MBIs. Review findings may encourage music therapists to further develop and examine how music therapy can help people with EDs to live healthier lives.
Putting Meat to the Test: Imaging and Mechanical Testing Used to Understand the Properties of Meat Alternatives and How They Mimic Our Typical Meat Sensory Experience
Authors: Ko Clara , Davies Andrew , Auty Mark
Published: April 2023

An increasing number of consumers incorporate plant-based products and meat alternatives into their diet. Researchers at Reading Scientific Services Ltd. (RSSL) have performed tensile testing on both chicken and plant-based chicken alternative samples. Using a Linkam MFS stage, the team has assessed the failure point and breaking pattern of each of the samples, to determine which plant-protein product behaved most similarly to the chicken sample. This research offers a path for manufacturers in the meat alternatives industry to better understand the textural differences between chicken and alternative products, and can help inform future new product development for manufacturers looking to expand their product offering.
Integrative single-cell multiomics analyses dissect molecular signatures of intratumoral heterogeneities and differentiation states of human gastric cancer
Authors: Bian Shuhui , Wang Yicheng , Zhou Yuan , Wang Wendong , Guo Limei , Wen Lu , Fu Wei , Zhou Xin , Tang Fuchou
Published: April 2023

Human gastric cancer is a highly lethal disease, but the underlying multiomic molecular signatures remain largely unclear. Here, we performed multi-regional sampling, parallel single-cell multiomics sequencing and integrated analyses of human gastric cancer. We identified common transcriptomic alterations of gastric cancer cells, such as aberrant down-regulation of genes associated with normal stomach function and up-regulation of KRT7, PI3, S100A4, etc. Surprisingly, aberrant and prevalent up-regulation of genes highly expressed in normal colorectal epithelial cells were also identified in cancer cells, which may be partially regulated by promoter chromatin accessibility and DNA methylation levels. We revealed the single-cell DNA methylome landscape of gastric cancer, and identified candidate DNA methylation biomarkers, such as hypermethylated promoters of TMEM240 and HAGLROS, and hypomethylated promoters of TRPM2-AS and HRH1. Additionally, the relationships between genetic lineages, DNA methylation and transcriptomic clusters were systematically revealed at single-cell level. We showed that DNA methylation heterogeneities were mainly among different genetic lineages of cancer cells. Moreover, we found that DNA methylation levels of cancer cells with poorer differentiation states tend to be higher than those of cancer cells with better differentiation states in the primary tumor within the same patient, although still lower than in normal gastric epithelial cells. Cancer cells with poorer differentiation states also prevalently down-regulated MUC1 expression and immune-related pathways, and had poor infiltration of CD8+ T cells. Our study dissected the molecular signatures of intratumoral heterogeneities and differentiation states of human gastric cancer using integrative single-cell multiomics analyses.
Resilience patterns of human mobility in response to extreme urban floods
Authors: Tang Junqing , Zhao Pengjun , Gong Zhaoya , Zhao Hongbo , Huang Fengjue , Li Jiaying , Chen Zhihe , Yu Ling , Chen Jun
Published: April 2023

Large-scale disasters can disproportionately impact different population groups, causing prominent disparity and inequality, especially for the vulnerable and marginalized. Here, we investigate the resilience of human mobility under the disturbance of the unprecedented ‘720’ Zhengzhou flood in China in 2021 using records of 1.32 billion mobile phone signaling generated by 4.35 million people. We find that although pluvial floods can trigger mobility reductions, the overall structural dynamics of mobility networks remain relatively stable. We also find that the low levels of mobility resilience in female, adolescent and older adult groups are mainly due to their insufficient capabilities to maintain business-as-usual travel frequency during the flood. Most importantly, we reveal three types of counter-intuitive, yet widely existing, resilience patterns of human mobility (namely, ‘reverse bathtub’, ‘ever-increasing’ and ‘ever-decreasing’ patterns), and demonstrate a universal mechanism of disaster-avoidance response by further corroborating that those abnormal resilience patterns are not associated with people’s gender or age. In view of the common association between travel behaviors and travelers’ socio-demographic characteristics, our findings provide a caveat for scholars when disclosing disparities in human travel behaviors during flood-induced emergencies.
Solid-state batteries: from ‘all-solid’ to ‘almost-solid’
Authors: Huo Hanyu , Janek Jürgen
Published: April 2023

The ‘all-solid’ concept is not necessarily the most rewarding target, and ‘almost-solid’ may rather be the most feasible strategy.
Risk of Pneumococcal Disease in US Adults by Age and Risk Profile
Authors: Grant Lindsay R , Meche Aster , McGrath Leah , Miles Amanda , Alfred Tamuno , Yan Qi , Chilson Erica
Published: April 2023

Background

Older age and certain medical conditions are known to modify the risk of pneumococcal disease among adults. We quantified the risk of pneumococcal disease among adults with and without medical conditions in the United States between 2016 and 2019.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used administrative health claims data from Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart Database. Incidence rates of pneumococcal disease—all-cause pneumonia, invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and pneumococcal pneumonia—were estimated by age group, risk profile (healthy, chronic, other, and immunocompromising medical condition), and individual medical condition. Rate ratios and 95% CIs were calculated comparing adults with risk conditions with age-stratified healthy counterparts.

Results

Among adults aged 18–49 years, 50–64 years, and ≥65 years, the rates of all-cause pneumonia per 100 000 patient-years were 953, 2679, and 6930, respectively. For the 3 age groups, the rate ratios of adults with any chronic medical condition vs healthy counterparts were 2.9 (95% CI, 2.8–2.9), 3.3 (95% CI, 3.2–3.3), and 3.2 (95% CI, 3.2–3.2), while the rate ratios of adults with any immunocompromising condition vs healthy counterparts were 4.2 (95% CI, 4.1–4.3), 5.8 (95% CI, 5.7–5.9), and 5.3 (95% CI, 5.3–5.4). Similar trends were observed for IPD and pneumococcal pneumonia. Persons with other medical conditions, such as obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, and neurologic disorders, were associated with increased risk of pneumococcal disease.

Conclusions

The risk of pneumococcal disease was high among older adults and adults with certain risk conditions, particularly immunocompromising conditions.
Spatio-temporal patterning of extensile active stresses in microtubule-based active fluids
Authors: Lemma Linnea M , Varghese Minu , Ross Tyler D , Thomson Matt , Baskaran Aparna , Dogic Zvonimir
Published: April 2023

Microtubule-based active fluids exhibit turbulent-like autonomous flows, which are driven by the molecular motor powered motion of filamentous constituents. Controlling active stresses in space and time is an essential prerequisite for controlling the intrinsically chaotic dynamics of extensile active fluids. We design single-headed kinesin molecular motors that exhibit optically enhanced clustering and thus enable precise and repeatable spatial and temporal control of extensile active stresses. Such motors enable rapid, reversible switching between flowing and quiescent states. In turn, spatio-temporal patterning of the active stress controls the evolution of the ubiquitous bend instability of extensile active fluids and determines its critical length dependence. Combining optically controlled clusters with conventional kinesin motors enables one-time switching from contractile to extensile active stresses. These results open a path towards real-time control of the autonomous flows generated by active fluids.