bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complete genome sequence of
Oenococcus oeni
strain K19-3 isolated from grape must
Authors: Mardanov Andrey V. , Beletsky Alexey V. , Vasyagin Egor A. , Tanashchuk Tatiana N. , Shalamitskiy Maxim Yu. , Ravin Nikolai V.
Published: December 2023

The lactic acid bacteria
Oenococcus oeni
spp. are of significant interest in winemaking due to their ability to carry out malolactic fermentation, thereby improving the organoleptic properties of wine. Here we report the complete circular genome sequence of the
Oenococcus oeni
strain К19-3, isolated from red grape must at Crimean wineries.
Effects of theABCC8R1420H loss-of-function variant on beta-cell function, diabetes incidence, and retinopathy
Authors: Vazquez Arreola Elsa , Knowler William C , Baier Leslie J , Hanson Robert L
Published: December 2023

Introduction

TheABCC8gene regulates insulin secretion and plays a critical role in glucose homeostasis. The effects of anABCC8R1420H loss-of-function variant on beta-cell function, incidence of type 2 diabetes, and age-at-onset, prevalence, and progression of diabetes complications were assessed in a longitudinal study in American Indians.

Research design and methods

We analyzed beta-cell function through the relationship between insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in members of this population without diabetes aged ≥5 years using standard major axis regression. We used hierarchical logistic regression models to study cross-sectional associations with diabetes complications including increased albuminuria (albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) ≥30 mg/g), severe albuminuria (ACR ≥300 mg/g), reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2), and retinopathy. This study included 7675 individuals (254 variant carriers) previously genotyped for the R1420H with available phenotypic data and with a median follow-up time of 13.5 years (IQR 4.5–26.8).

Results

Variant carriers had worse beta-cell function than non-carriers (p=0.0004; on average estimated secretion was 22% lower, in carriers), in children and adults, with no difference in insulin sensitivity (p=0.50). At any body mass index and age before 35 years, carriers had higher type 2 diabetes incidence. This variant did not associate with prevalence of increased albuminuria (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.16), severe albuminuria (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.68), or reduced eGFR (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.18 to 1.06). By contrast, the variant significantly associated with higher retinopathy prevalence (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.53) and this association was only partially mediated (<11%) by glycemia, duration of diabetes, risk factors of retinopathy, or insulin use. Retinopathy prevalence in carriers was higher regardless of diabetes presence.

Conclusions

TheABCC8R1420H variant is associated with increased risks of diabetes and of retinopathy, which may be partially explained by higher glycemia levels and worse beta-cell function.
Improved vaccine coverage for First Nations children receiving first dose on-reserve: a retrospective cohort study in western Canada
Authors: MacDonald Shannon E , Graham Bonny , King Keith D , Huang Li , Svenson Lawrence W. , Nelson Gregg
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Fragmentation in immunisation reporting systems pose challenges in measuring vaccine coverage for First Nations children in Canada. Some Nations have entered into data-sharing agreements with the province of Alberta’s health ministry, enabling novel opportunities to calculate coverage.

Methods

Partnering with a First Nations community in Alberta, this retrospective cohort study calculated routine childhood vaccine coverage. Administrative data for vaccines delivered within and outside the community were linked to calculate partial and complete immunisation coverage in 2013–2019 at ages 2 and 7 years for children living in the community. We also compared vaccine coverage each year for (a) children who were and were not continuous community residents and (b) children who received or not their first vaccine at the on-reserve community health centre. We also calculated the mean complete coverage across all study years with 95% CIs.

Results

For most vaccines, coverage was higher (p<0.05) at ages 2 and 7 years for children that received their first vaccine at the First Nations health centre, compared with those who received their first dose elsewhere. For example, for pneumococcal vaccine, the mean level of complete coverage in 2-year-olds was 55.7% (52.5%–58.8%) for those who received their first vaccine in the community, compared with 33.3% (29.4%–37.3%) for those who did not; it was also higher at 7 years (75.6%, 72.7%–78.5%, compared with 55.5%, 49.7%–61.3%).

Conclusion

Initiating the vaccine series at the on-reserve community health centre had a positive impact on coverage. The ability to measure accurate coverage through data-sharing agreements and vaccine record linkage will support First Nations communities in identifying individual and community immunity. The findings also support the transfer of health funding and service delivery to First Nations to improve childhood immunisation uptake.
Contribution of collagen XIII to lung function and development of pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Norman Oula , Koivunen Jarkko , Kaarteenaho Riitta , Salo Antti M , Mäki Joni M , Myllyharju Johanna , Pihlajaniemi Taina , Heikkinen Anne
Published: December 2023

Background

Collagen XIII is a transmembrane collagen associated with neuromuscular junction development, and in humans its deficiency results in congenital myasthenic syndrome type 19 (CMS19), which leads to breathing difficulties. CMS19 patients usually have restricted lung capacity and one patient developed chronic lung disease. In single-cell RNA sequencing studies, collagen XIII has been identified as a marker for pulmonary lipofibroblasts, which have been implicated in the resolution of pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods

We investigated the location and function of collagen XIII in the lung to understand the origin of pulmonary symptoms in human CMS19 patients. Additionally, we performed immunostainings on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) samples (N=5) and both normal and fibrotic mouse lung. To study whether the lack of collagen XIII predisposes to restrictive lung disease, we exposedCol13a1-modified mice to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Results

Apparently normal alveolar septum sections of IPF patients′ lungs stained faintly for collagen XIII, and its expression was pinpointed to the septal fibroblasts in the mouse lung. Lung capacity was increased in mice lacking collagen XIII by over 10%. In IPF samples, collagen XIII was expressed by basal epithelial cells, hyperplastic alveolar epithelial cells and stromal cells in fibrotic areas, but the development of pulmonary fibrosis was unaffected in collagen XIII-deficient mice.

Conclusions

Changes in mouse lung function appear to represent a myasthenic manifestation of collagen XIII deficiency. We suggest that respiratory muscle myasthenia is the primary cause of the breathing problems suffered by CMS19 patients in addition to skeletal deformities. Induction of collagen XIII expression in the IPF patients′ lungs warrants further studies to reveal collagen XIII-dependent disease mechanisms.
Discovery of U2AF1 neoantigens in myeloid neoplasms
Authors: Biernacki Melinda Ann , Lok Jessica , Black Ralph Graeme , Foster Kimberly A , Cummings Carrie , Woodward Kyle B , Monahan Tim , Oehler Vivian G , Stirewalt Derek L , Wu David , Rongvaux Anthony , Deeg Hans Joachim , Bleakley Marie
Published: December 2023

Background

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) arise from somatic mutations acquired in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, causing cytopenias and predisposing to transformation into secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML). Recurrent mutations in spliceosome genes, includingU2AF1, are attractive therapeutic targets as they are prevalent in MDS and sAML, arise early in neoplastic cells, and are generally absent from normal cells, including normal hematopoietic cells. MDS and sAML are susceptible to T cell-mediated killing, and thus engineered T-cell immunotherapies hold promise for their treatment. We hypothesized that targeting spliceosome mutation-derived neoantigens with transgenic T-cell receptor (TCR) T cells would selectively eradicate malignant cells in MDS and sAML.

Methods

We identified candidate neoantigen epitopes from recurrent protein-coding mutations in the spliceosome genesSRSF2andU2AF1using a multistep in silico process. Candidate epitopes predicted to bind human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I, be processed and presented from the parent protein, and not to be subject to tolerance then underwent in vitro immunogenicity screening. CD8+T cells recognizing immunogenic neoantigen epitopes were evaluated in in vitro assays to assess functional avidity, confirm the predicted HLA restriction, the potential for recognition of similar peptides, and the ability to kill neoplastic cells in an antigen-specific manner. Neoantigen-specific TCR were sequenced, cloned into lentiviral vectors, and transduced into third-party T cells after knock-out of endogenous TCR, then tested in vitro for specificity and ability to kill neoplastic myeloid cells presenting the neoantigen. The efficacy of neoantigen-specific T cells was evaluated in vivo in a murine cell line-derived xenograft model.

Results

We identified two neoantigens created from a recurrent mutation inU2AF1, isolated CD8+T cells specific for the neoantigens, and demonstrated that transferring their TCR to third-party CD8+T cells is feasible and confers specificity for the U2AF1 neoantigens. Finally, we showed that these neoantigen-specific TCR-T cells do not recognize normal hematopoietic cells but efficiently kill malignant myeloid cells bearing the specific U2AF1 mutation, including primary cells, in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

These data serve as proof-of-concept for developing precision medicine approaches that use neoantigen-directed T-cell receptor-transduced T cells to treat MDS and sAML.
The complete chloroplast genome of Aristolochia fangchi provided insights into the phylogeny and species identification of Aristolochia
Authors: Cai Qingqun , Feng Shiyin , Zheng Xiasheng
Published: December 2023

Aristolochia fangchi is an important species within the family Aristolochiaceae, most of which contain nephrotoxic aristolochic acid. The inadvertent use of Aristolochiaceae plants as raw ingredients in the manufacturing of patent medicine poses a significant risk warranting considerable attention. In this study, we assembled and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome of Aristolochia fangchi, which is a 159 867 bp long circular molecule. Functional annotation of the A. fangchi plastome unveiled a total of 113 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Subsequently, a series of genome structure and characteristic evaluations were conducted against the A. fangchi plastome. Further phylogenetic analysis suggested that a plausible phylogenetic relationship among Aristolochiaceae derived from the concatenated sequences of shared conserved genes rather than from the entire chloroplast genome with one IR copy. Finally, a DNA polymorphism assessment against a dozen Aristolochia plastomes yielded multiple potential regions for biomarker designation. Six pairs of primers were generated and underwent both in silico and actual PCR validations. In conclusion, this study identified the unique characteristics of the A. fangchi plastome, providing invaluable insights for further investigations on species identification and the phylogeny evolution between A. fangchi and its related species.
Screening and optimization of metal-insulator-metal selective emitter in thermophotovoltaic system
Authors: Ren Kangming , Wang Canglong , Liu Jitao , Shu Yafeng , Zhang Haohao , Qi Panli , Hong Xueren , Liang Qing-Qing
Published: December 2023

In thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems, it is crucial that the selective emitters can tailor emission spectrum to match the bandgap of photovoltaic (PV) cells and largely enhance the system efficiency. In this work, a metamaterial emitter based on the metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure is proposed to obtain the high energy conversion efficiencies. The geometric parameters of MIM emitter have been investigated to obtain an excellent radiation spectrum of emitter composed of W and HfO2. The excellent emission performance of MIM emitter is attributed to the excitation of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and cavity resonance, and the structure of MIM emitter is insensitive for different polarization modes. The 21 material combinations of MIM emitters have been screened to obtain the optimal emitter matching GaSb and InGaAsSb cells. This work identifies the crucial role of structure and materials into the emitter of a TPV system. In the evaluation of MIM emitter and TPV System, when the operating temperature of emitter increases from 1400[Formula: see text]K to 2000[Formula: see text]K, the system efficiency of optimal W/HfO2/W MIM emitter increases from 20.26% to 30.41%, while the output electric power increases from 3.59[Formula: see text]kW/m2 to 42.48[Formula: see text]kW/m2. The phenomenon indicates that the MIM emitter with the optimal material combinations and geometric parameters can significantly improve the matching degree with GaSb and InGaAsSb cells. Our results will be helpful to expand the optimization scope of metamaterial emitters in TPV systems.
Examining Voice Community Use
Authors: Brewer Robin , Ankenbauer Sam , Hashmi Manahil , Upadhyay Pooja
Published: December 2023

Visual online communities can present accessibility challenges to older adults or people with vision and motor disabilities. Motivated by this challenge, accessibility and HCI researchers have called for voice-based communities to support aging and disability. This paper extends prior work on voice community design and short-term use by providing empirical data on how people interact with voice communities over time and intentional instances of non-use. We conducted a one-year study with 43 blind and low vision older adults, of whom 21 used a voice-based community. We use vignettes to unpack five different voice community member roles - the obligatory poster, routine poster, cross-platform lurker, busy socialite, and visual expertise seeker - and discuss community interactions over time. Findings show how participation varied based on engagement in other communities and ways that participants sought interaction. We discuss (1) how to design voice communities for member roles and (2) the implications of synchronous and asynchronous voice community interaction in voice-only communities.
A Survey on Fashion Image Retrieval
Authors: Islam Sk Maidul , Joardar Subhankar , Sekh* Arif Ahmed
Published: December 2023

Fashion is the manner in which we introduce ourselves to the world and has become perhaps the biggest industry on the planet. In recent years, fashion-related research has received a lot of attention from computer vision researchers as a result of the growing demand by the fashion industry. Fashion image retrieval (FIR) is a difficult initiative and requires finding the right items from a huge collection of fashion items based on an image query. FIR has been applied successfully to clothing and footwear. Despite ongoing advances, FIR still suffers from limitations when applied to real-world visual endeavors. However, research on complex design items, for example, ornaments, has received less attention due to the complex nature of similarity and the unavailability of suitable datasets. This article presents a review of FIR and evaluation systems from different design datasets. The motivation behind this review is, to sum up the state-of-the-art procedures for retrieving fashion images for a given query image. In addition, we highlight promising directions for future research.
Measuring and Clustering Heterogeneous Chatbot Designs
Authors: Cañizares Pablo C. , López-Morales Jose María , Pérez-Soler Sara , Guerra Esther , de Lara Juan
Published: December 2023

Conversational agents, or chatbots, have become popular to access all kind of software services. They provide an intuitive natural language interface for interaction, available from a wide range of channels including social networks, web pages, intelligent speakers or cars. In response to this demand, many chatbot development platforms and tools have emerged. However, they typically lack support to statically measure properties of the chatbots being built, as indicators of their size, complexity, quality or usability. Similarly, there are hardly any mechanisms to compare and cluster chatbots developed with heterogeneous technologies.

To overcome this limitation, we propose a suite of 21 metrics for chatbot designs, as well as two clustering methods that help in grouping chatbots along their conversation topics and design features. Both the metrics and the clustering methods are defined on a neutral chatbot design language, becoming independent of the implementation platform. We provide automatic translations of chatbots defined on some major platforms into this neutral notation to perform the measurement and clustering. The approach is supported by our tool
Asymob
, which we have used to evaluate the metrics and the clustering methods over a set of 259 Dialogflow and Rasa chatbots from open-source repositories. The results open the door to incorporating the metrics within chatbot development processes for the early detection of quality issues, and to exploit clustering to organise large collections of chatbots into significant groups to ease chatbot comprehension, search and comparison.
An Approximation Algorithm for the Nearest Decomposable Polynomial in the Hamming Distance
Authors: Sekigawa Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

A univariate polynomial
f
is decomposable if it is the composition
f
=
g
(
h
) of polynomials
g
and
h
whose degrees are at least two. We consider the nearest decomposable polynomial to a given polynomial
f
in the Hamming distance. We propose a polynomial-time approximation algorithm for the nearest decomposable polynomial and analyze the quality of the output.
On a Two-Layer Modular Arithmetic
Authors: Chen Benjamin , Li Yu , Zima Eugene
Published: December 2023

Two-layer organization of modular arithmetic is considered. Lower layer uses many moduli at hardware precision and simultaneous conversion to/from RNS as described in [2]. Upper layer uses specially selected large moduli allowing for fast reduction and/or reconstruction. Implementation of two different strategies for selecting moduli on the upper layer confirms practicality of proposed approach.
Quickly Computing Isotopy Type for Exponential Sums over Circuits (Extended Abstract)
Authors: Bihan Frédéric , Croy Erika , Deng Weixun , Phillipson Kaitlyn , Rennie Robert J. , Rojas J. Maurice
Published: December 2023

Fewnomial Theory [Kho91] has established bounds on the number of connected components (a.k.a.
pieces
) of a broad class of real analytic sets as a function of a particular kind of input complexity, e.g., the number of distinct exponent vectors among a generating set for the underlying ideal. Here, we pursue the algorithmic side: We show how to efficiently compute the exact isotopy type of certain (possibly singular) real zero sets, instead of just estimating their number of pieces. While we focus on the
circuit
case, our results form the foundation for an approach to the general case that we will pursue later.
Arithmetics in Generalised Cantor Base Systems
Authors: Studeničová Katarína
Published: December 2023

For alternate Cantor real base numeration systems we generalise the result of Frougny and Solomyak on arithmetics on the set of numbers with finite expansions. We generalise the notion of finiteness property, denoted (
F
). We also provide several necessary conditions, and comment on a sufficient condition of this property. The sufficient condition allows us to find a set of generalised Cantor bases with Property (
F
). The used construction also provides a method for performing addition of finite expansions in Cantor real bases.
Nine Tips for Humanizing Online Learning
Authors: Cooper Lori , Holbeck Rick , Mandernach Jean
Published: December 2023

Creating a meaningful and engaging online learning environment requires the deliberate fostering of social relationships, tapping into the inherent social nature of learning. Nine key strategies include sharing professional experience and expertise, demonstrating empathy and compassion, maintaining a visible online presence, integrating personalized videos, offering warm welcomes and farewells, providing one-on-one support, establishing rapport, and incorporating synchronous components to facilitate real-time interaction, all aimed at humanizing the online learning experience and effectively supporting learner engagement.
Electrochemical Detection of Metol through the Cobalt Nickel Oxide Nanosheets Incorporated with MCM-41 Nanospheres Composites Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Mariappan Kiruthika , Sakthinathan Subramanian , Chen Shen-Ming , Alagarsamy Saranvignesh , Chiu Te-Wei
Published: December 2023

In this study, contaminations of metol (or Elon) in environmental water and industrial wastewater are the major causes of toxicity, which is very harmful to human health and other living things. Hence the determination of metol in high demand is more important. Further, the Mobil Composition of Matter (MCM-41) mesoporous silica nanoparticles incorporated with cobalt nickel oxide (CoNiO2) complex to form MCM-41/CoNiO2 composite modifying the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) used for metol detection. The MCM-41/CoNiO2 composite coated on the GCE surface exhibited fast electron transfer kinetics, improved conductivity, a large surface area, active stability, and improved catalytic efficiency. The structural morphology of the MCM-41/CoNiO2 composite was investigated using several spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Here, the MCM-41/CoNiO2 composite was verified using different characterization studies such as Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis, X-ray Diffraction Analysis, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Additionally, the electrochemical investigations have included Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry, and Differential Pulse Voltammetry studies. The GCE/MCM-41/CoNiO2 electrode shows a low detection limit of 10 nM and the LOQ value is 0.1 μM with a broad linear response range of 0.1–750 μM, and greater sensitivity of 0.411 μA μM−1 cm−2 under optimal voltammetry.
A Data-Driven Approach to Rapidly Identify the Critical Current of Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhou Zhiyu , Lu Bo , Qian Yifei , Chen Xinsong , Song Yicheng , Zhang Junqian
Published: December 2023

Traditional evaluation of battery charging protocols typically requires hundreds of electrochemical cycles and months of experimentation to select charging schemes that maximize the battery performance without compromising the cycle life. In this work, by nesting clustering and classification algorithms, a data-driven method using only data within a few tens of cycles is proposed to accurately classify constant-current charging protocols and rapidly identify the critical current, beyond which rapid degradation tends to occur within a specified lifetime. Specifically, by utilizing unsupervised clustering to process early-stage features and generate prediction labels, a model for early-stage prediction of the rapid degradation is established with an accuracy higher than 92.75%. Subsequently, the critical current is determined by intersecting the classification boundary with the physical distribution domain of the features. The reliability and generalizability of the proposed method is also discussed, which suggests that only ∼30 cycles and ∼40 samples are required to accomplish acceptable identification. The method is also proven to suitable for different battery systems. Therefore, the data-driven method proposed in this work provides a novel pathway to rapidly evaluate fast-charging batteries and charging protocols.
Electrodeposited Fe2CoSn Thin Film with Enhanced Structural and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Pathak Pushpesh , Srivastava Manisha , Bisht Gajendra Singh , Srinivasan Ananthakrishnan
Published: December 2023

Single-phase near-stoichiometric Fe2CoSn Heusler alloy thin film of thickness 320 nm and crystallite size of 22 ± 1 nm was electrodeposited on low-cost Cu substrate. Heat-treated Fe2CoSn film exhibited an X-type inverse Heusler alloy structure along with high saturation magnetization (∼5 μ
B/f.u.), high effective anisotropy constant (∼106 erg/cc), and high Curie temperature (983 K). Apart from demonstrating a procedure to obtain considerably thin electrodeposited Fe2CoSn films with high crystalline order, the electronic density of states close to the Fermi level have also been evaluated for its stable structure for the first time.
Incidental Discovery of Hepatocellular Carcinoma on 18F-PSMA PET CT Performed for Prostate Cancer Reassessment
Authors: Hekman Lauren , Napierkowski Eva , Hartman Natalie C. , Ellis Jeffrey L. , Wagner Robert H. , Bova Davide , Picken Maria M. , Flanigan Robert C.
Published: December 2023

Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to identify prostate cancer in the setting of biochemical recurrence but can also identify other malignancies. 18F-PSMA PET has not been studied as a potential tool for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We describe the case of a 76-year-old male with a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after definitive prostate cancer treatment and no prior liver pathology who was incidentally found to have HCC on 18F-PSMA PET.
On the Independent Coloring of Graphs with Applications to the Independence Number of Cartesian Product Graphs
Authors: Pleanmani Nopparat , Panma Sayan , Nupo Nuttawoot
Published: December 2023

Let

G

be a graph with

V
=
V

G

. A nonempty subset

S

of

V

is called an independent set of

G

if no two distinct vertices in

S

are adjacent. The union of a class {

S

:

S

is an independent set of

G

} and

∅

is denoted by

I

G

. For a graph

H

, a function

f
:
V
⟶
I

H

is called an

H
−

independent coloring of

G

(or simply called an

H
−

coloring) if

f

x

∩
f

y

=
∅

for any adjacent vertices

x
,
y
∈
V

and

f

V

is a class of disjoint sets. Let

α

H
,
G

denote the maximum cardinality of the set{

∑

x
∈
V

f

x

:
f

is an

H
−

coloring of

G

}. In this paper, we obtain basic properties of an

H
−

coloring of

G

and find

α

H
,
G

of some families of graphs

G

and

H

. Furthermore, we apply them to determine the independence number of the Cartesian product of a complete graph

K

n

and a graph

G

and prove that

α

K

n

□
G

=
α

K

n

,
G

.
A New Iteration Scheme for Approximating Common Fixed Points in Uniformly Convex Banach Spaces
Authors: Saleem Naeem , Kalu Agwu Imo , Ishtiaq Umar , Jarad Fahd
Published: December 2023

In this paper, firstly, we introduce a method for finding common fixed point of

L

-Lipschitzian and total asymptotically strictly pseudo-non-spreading self-mappings and

L

-Lipschitzian and total asymptotically strictly pseudo-non-spreading non-self-mappings in the setting of a real uniformly convex Banach space. Secondly, the demiclosedness principle for total asymptotically strictly pseudo-non-spreading non-self-mappings is established. Thirdly, the weak convergence theorems of the proposed method to the common fixed point of the above mappings are proved. Our results improved, extended, and generalized some corresponding results in the literature.
Bursting Oscillation Mechanisms of a Desktop Medical Shaker with Eccentric Turntables Affected by Dry Friction
Authors: Qu Rui , Xia Xin
Published: December 2023

The main purpose of this article is to investigate the bursting oscillations of the medical shaking tables resulted from friction in practical application. Using the theoretical method of linear loading, the analytic expression of friction acting on an eccentric turntable is derived in detail. Besides, through numerical simulation, the decisive role of friction in bursting oscillations is verified. On this basis, several practical operation plans are proposed to eliminate harmful vibrations. Last but not least, the effectiveness of theoretical methods is validated through example calculations in cases with special parameters.
Similarities and Differences between Nurses’ and Physicians’ Clinical Leadership Behaviours: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Braam Anoek , Buljac-Samardžić Martina , Hilders Carina , van Wijngaarden Jeroen
Published: December 2023

Background. Being a nurse or physician in today’s complex healthcare practice involves more than just responsibility for one aspect of care during one episode in a patient’s care trajectory. Both professionals are expected to take on a clinical leadership role and contribute positively to the reduction of care fragmentation and help in spanning professional boundaries. Although nurses may be well placed to identify the needs for integration, they may lack the position and status (compared to physicians) to address those needs as leaders. The aim of this study is to analyse similarities and differences between nurses and physicians in clinical leadership roles within a hospital context and explore how this relates to their interdisciplinary collaborative behaviours and perception on their job. Method. A cross-sectional survey among physicians and nurses was conducted to measure clinical leadership, job satisfaction, workload, and interdisciplinary collaborative behaviours. Results. Our results suggest that nurses (n = 329) and physicians (n = 100) show similar clinical leadership behaviours, based on equivalent scores on the clinical leadership scale. However, physicians score higher on the global leadership scale indicating they are more likely to perceive themselves as leaders than nurses. As clinical leaders, both nurses and physicians are more likely to express interdisciplinary collaborative behaviours. Furthermore, physicians who scored higher on the clinical leadership scale reported higher satisfaction with their job, whereas, for nurses, their score on the clinical leadership scale did not relate to their job satisfaction. Conclusion. As nurses in hospitals have the most frequent and direct involvement with patients, it seems inevitable for them to act as clinical leaders to promote patient-centred care. However, nurses less often perceived themselves as clinical leaders while showing suitable behaviours. Future studies should focus on the strategies nurses use to exert their clinical leadership, and for example, if nurses require the use of more dominant strategies to effect change.
Circulating Factor Seven Activating Protease (FSAP) in the Hyperacute Phase of Stroke
Authors: Jæger Henriette S. , Larsen Karianne , Foerch Christian , Bache Kristi G. , Kanse Sandip M.
Published: December 2023

Background. Factor VII activating protease (FSAP) is a circulating serine protease that could be involved in the pathophysiology of stroke. We analyzed the temporal changes in FSAP antigen and FSAP activity after acute cerebral ischemia (ACI) and tested if FSAP could be used to differentiate between stroke subtypes in the hyperacute phase (<4.5 hours after symptom onset). Methods. Of the 118 suspected stroke patients enrolled, 76 had ACI; of which 20 suffered from large vessel occlusion (LVO), 19 had intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and 23 had stroke mimics. Median time from symptom onset to the two plasma sample collections, <4.5 hours, were 66 and 107 minutes for the entire study population. Additional samples were collected up to 90 days post stroke in a subset of ACI patients (

n
=
19

). FSAP antigen, FSAP activity, FSAP-α2-antiplasmin-complex (FSAP-AP complex), and nucleosomes were measured by activity assays or ELISA. Results. ACI patients treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) had elevated FSAP

activity
<
4.5

hours (

p
=
0.016

) that subsequently normalized after 6 hours. FSAP-AP complex levels decreased significantly from <4.5 hours (

p
=
0.015

) to 6 hours after symptom onset. tPA did not increase FSAP activity significantly in plasma in vitro. FSAP antigen significantly

decreased
<
4.5

hours after symptom onset in LVO (

p
=
0.008

) and ICH (

p
=
0.017

) patients. FSAP could not differentiate ACI from ICH or strokes (ACI and ICH) from stroke mimics. FSAP did not correlate with stroke severity. Conclusion. LVO and ICH seem to influence FSAP levels in the hyperacute phase of stroke, but FSAP does not differentiate between stroke subtypes in a hyperacute setting.
In-Hospital and 1-Year Clinical Results from the French Registry Using Polymer-Free Sirolimus-Eluting Stents in Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stable Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Landolff Quentin , Quillot Marine , Picard Fabien , Henry Patrick , Sideris Georgios , Bizeau Olivier , Piot Christophe , Jouve Bernard , Rischner Jérôme , Mejri Mourad , Charmasson Claude , Lasserre Raphael , Pouliquen Hervé , Joseph Thierry , Monsegu Jacques , Karsenty Bernard , Martin Yuste Victoria , Richet Nicolas , Lapeyre Guy , Beverelli Fabrizio , Beygui Farzin , Koning René
Published: December 2023

Objectives. The aim of this postmarket clinical study was to assess the safety and efficacy of the latest generation polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stents (PF-SES) in an all-comers population comparing outcomes in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) versus acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in France. Background. The efficacy and safety of the first-generation PF-SES have already been demonstrated by randomized controlled trials and “all-comers” observational studies. Methods. For this all-comers observational, prospective, multicenter study, 1456 patients were recruited in 22 French centers. The primary endpoint was target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate at 12 months and secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and bleeding. Results. 895 patients had stable CAD and 561 had ACS. At 12 months, 2% of patients had a TLR, with similar rates between stable CAD and ACS (1.9% vs 2.2%,

p

 = 0.7). The overall MACE rate was 5.2% with an expected higher rate in patients with ACS as compared to those with stable CAD (7.3% vs 3.9%,

p

 = 0.007). The overall bleeding event rate was 4.5%, with similar rates in stable CAD as compared to ACS patients (3.8% vs 5.6%,

p

 = 0.3). Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) interruptions prior to the recommended duration occurred in 41.7% of patients with no increase in MACE rates as compared to patients who did not prematurely interrupt DAPT (3.9% vs 6.1%,

p

 = 0.073). Conclusions. The latest generation PF-SES is associated with low clinical event rates in these all-comers patients. There was a high rate of prematurely terminated DAPT, without any effect on MACE at 12 months. This trial is registered with NCT03809715.
A Meta-Analysis for Comparing the Effects of Febuxostat and Allopurinol on Kidney Function in Hyperuricemia Patients Complicated with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Wang Yu , Chen Kai , Zhou Su-ya , Qiao Zi-xuan , Bao Xiao-rong
Published: December 2023

Background. This study was designed to assess the effects of febuxostat on the uric acid level and kidney function of hyperuricemia (HUA) patients complicated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods. A computer-based search was conducted on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, PubMed, and Web of Science databases from the inception of the databases to April 2023 to identify clinical randomized controlled trials on HUA and CKD, with comparisons between febuxostat and allopurinol as variables of interest. The meta-analysis was conducted using Stata v17.0. Results. Eighteen studies were included in this meta-analysis, encompassing a total of 1877 patients. These patients were segregated into a control group (treated with allopurinol or placebo) consisting of 1039 individuals and an experimental group (treated with febuxostat alone or a combination of febuxostat with other therapies) comprising 838 patients. The meta-analysis revealed that patients in the experimental group, treated with febuxostat, exhibited a significantly higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) than those in the control group treated with allopurinol (weighted mean difference (WMD): 2.897, 95% CI: 1.336 to 4.458,

P

 < 0.001). In addition, the experimental group demonstrated significantly lower levels of serum creatinine (WMD: −17.810, 95% CI: −24.147 to −11.474,

P

 < 0.001), serum uric acid (WMD: −91.891, 95% CI: −117.609 to −66.173,

P

 < 0.001), and blood urea nitrogen (WMD: −1.284, 95% CI: −1.837 to −0.731,

P

 < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in 24-hour urinary protein quantity (WMD: −0.198, 95% CI: −0.413 to 0.016,

P

 = 0.070) between the two groups. Conclusion. These findings suggest that febuxostat may offer a more beneficial therapeutic option for managing CKD in hyperuricemic patients. However, the observed heterogeneity and the limited diversity of the study population warrant cautious interpretation of these results.
M9657 Is a Bispecific Tumor-Targeted Anti-CD137 Agonist That Induces MSLN-Dependent Antitumor Immunity without Liver Inflammation
Authors: Xu Chunxiao , Zhou Xueyuan , Webb Lindsay , Yalavarthi Sireesha , Zheng Wenxin , Saha Somdutta , Schweickhardt Rene , Soloviev Maria , Jenkins Molly H. , Brandstetter Susanne , Belousova Natalya , Alimzhanov Marat , Rabinovich Brian , Deshpande Amit M. , Brewis Neil , Helming Laura
Published: December 2023

The costimulatory receptor CD137 (also known as TNFRSF9 or 4-1BB) sustains effective cytotoxic T-cell responses. Agonistic anti-CD137 cancer immunotherapies are being investigated in clinical trials. Development of the first-generation CD137-agonist monotherapies utomilumab and urelumab was unsuccessful due to low antitumor efficacy mediated by the epitope recognized on CD137 or hepatotoxicity mediated by Fcγ receptors (FcγR) ligand–dependent CD137 activation, respectively. M9657 was engineered as a tetravalent bispecific antibody (mAb2) in a human IgG1 backbone with LALA mutations to reduce binding to FCγRs. Here, we report that M9657 selectively binds to mesothelin (MSLN) and CD137 with similar affinity in humans and cynomolgus monkeys. In a cellular functional assay, M9657 enhanced CD8+ T cell–mediated cytotoxicity and cytokine release in the presence of tumor cells, which was dependent on both MSLN expression and T-cell receptor/CD3 activation. Both FS122m, a murine surrogate with the same protein structure as M9657, and chimeric M9657, a modified M9657 antibody with the Fab portion replaced with an anti-murine MSLN motif, demonstrated in vivo antitumor efficacy against various tumors in wild-type and human CD137 knock-in mice, and this was accompanied by activated CD8+ T-cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. The antitumor immunity of M9657 and FS122m depended on MSLN expression density and the mAb2 structure. Compared with 3H3, a murine surrogate of urelumab, FS122m and chimeric M9657 displayed significantly lower on-target/off-tumor toxicity. Taken together, M9657 exhibits a promising profile for development as a tumor-targeting immune agonist with potent anticancer activity without systemic immune activation and associated hepatotoxicity.
Use of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors in Reducing Time to Gastrointestinal Function Recovery following Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Traeger Luke , Dudi-Venkata Nagendra , Bedrikovetski Sergei , Kroon Hidde M. , Moore James W. , Sammour Tarik
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a significant complication following abdominal surgery, increasing morbidity and mortality. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory response is one of the major pathways involved in developing POI, but current recommendations to prevent POI do not target this. This review aims to summarise evidence for the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, neostigmine and pyridostigmine, to reduce the time to return of gastrointestinal function (GI) following abdominal surgery. Methods: A systematic search of various databases was performed from 1946 to May 2023. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in intra-abdominal surgery were included. Data on time to flatus and/or stool and side effects were extracted. Results: Among 776 screened manuscripts, 8 RCTs (703 patients) investigating acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in intra-abdominal surgery were analysed. Five studies showed a significant reduction in time to flatus and/or stool by 17–47.6 h. Methodological variations, differing procedure types, and potential bias were observed. Limited studies reported side effects or length of stay. Conclusion: Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors may reduce the time for GI to return. However, current evidence is limited and biased. Further studies incorporating acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in an enhanced recovery protocol are required to address this question, especially for patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
Elementary teachers’ understanding of pedagogical content knowledge analysis disaster mitigation: stories from Indonesia
Authors: Putra Muhammad Jaya Adi , Natuna Daeng Ayub , Syaflita Dina , Arianto Jumili , Tiana Elda Apnes , Suryana Dodi
Published: December 2023

The notion of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) analysis disaster mitigation often been overlooked in the field of elementary school, because many teachers think that it is too early to practice the concept to student. This article attempts to explore elementary teachers’ understanding on PCK analysis. The method adopted in this research is case study. There were 16 elementary school teachers from six different schools in three different cities in province Riau, Indonesia, selected as participants. Data are collected through rubric the observations and interview using a grounded approach. Findings of this study highlight the extent to which elementary teachers are not yet ready to teach disaster mitigation due to their limited content knowledge and understanding of disaster mitigation. The findings also illuminate complexities faced by teachers in PCK in their teaching. The findings need school authorities must incorporate disaster mitigation materials into their teaching curriculum. Schools need to prepare teachers for teaching disaster mitigation by inviting first responders, such as firefighters, emergency service, or officials from National Board for Disaster Management. Finally, the teachers need to improve their understanding of disaster mitigation and their teaching technique to deliver the mitigation materials relevant to the students.
Family cohesion and disruptive behavior among school adolescents: the mediating role of self-regulation
Authors: Sitota Galata , Tefera Belay
Published: December 2023

Adolescents’ disruptive behavior has become a global challenge. Even though the family environment has a considerable impact on adolescent disruptive behavior, this area has remained a blind spot in Ethiopian research. Hence, the present study was aimed at examining how family cohesion impacts adolescents’ disruptive behavior using adolescents’ self-regulation as a mediating variable. Data were collected from 304 adolescent students (155 males, 149 females) using ‘the Problem Behavior Frequency Questionnaire’, ‘Family Cohesion Scale’, and ‘The adolescents’ self-regulation inventory’. Correlational analysis, path analysis, and t-test were employed to examine relationships and differences. The statistical analysis yielded that disruptive behavior negatively correlated with family cohesion and self-regulation. However, the path analysis showed insignificant direct and indirect impacts of family cohesion on adolescents’ disruptive behavior. This suggests that though family cohesion is vital in shielding adolescents from engaging in various disruptive behaviors, it may be ineffective if other family environment processes including family communication, control, and conflict resolution skills do not accompany it. Disruptive behavior among adolescents differed significantly by gender, with males more likely to engage in disruptive behavior than females.
Students’ ICT literacy and conceptual knowledge correlation: from a genetic course and a gender perspective
Authors: Murni Dewi , Lestari Sri Rahayu , Indriwati Sri Endah , Zubaidah Siti , Susanto Hendra , Paidi Paidi
Published: December 2023

The correlation between students’ information communication technology (ICT) literacy and conceptual knowledge from a gender perspective is essential to understanding the causal effects of student learning. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the relationship between students’ ICT literacy and conceptual knowledge in a genetics course, especially from a gender perspective. This study employed a descriptive research method that used randomized sampling. The instruments used were conceptual knowledge and ICT literacy test sheets. The data were analyzed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlational statistics. The results showed male students have higher ICT literacy than females. Otherwise, male students have a lower conceptual knowledge than females. Furthermore, male students’ ICT literacy and conceptual knowledge showed a strong relationship, while female students showed a weak relationship. The findings support the idea that integrating ICT into genetics curricula might help students develop their ICT literacy and conceptual knowledge more effectively, especially female students.
Classroom practices in primary schools’ mathematics teaching supported by the Interactive Mathematics Software for Rwanda
Authors: Uwineza Innocente , Uworwabayeho Alphonse , Yokoyama Kenya
Published: December 2023

Over recent decades, the integration of technological resources in education increased growingly. However, studies about the assessment of information and communications technology integration in primary school mathematics activities remained few. This research intended to comparatively examine the aspects of classroom practices observed during the implementation of the Interactive Mathematics (IM) Software in primary schools in Rwanda. Designed as quasi-experimental, it involved the experimental groups from Primary-2, Primary-3, Primary-4, and Primary-5 and analyzed aspects of school statuses, the school years, and the educational cycles. Data collected using Likert-scale measurements from 63 classroom observations were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and a two-sample t-test analysis was conducted to determine if the significance of mean differences. The findings revealed no significant difference between lower and upper primary based on a p-value of 0.829368908 (p-value>.05) and between the 2019 and 2020 teaching periods (considering the same teacher) based on the p-value=0.324542 (p-value>.05). However, the findings revealed that private and public schools’ mean differences were significant based on the calculated p-value equal to 0.007144 (p-value<.01). The study made various recommendations towards using IM software to promote quality mathematics education in primary schools in Rwanda and pre-service teacher training to boost the initiation process of their technology-enhanced pedagogy knowledge to teach mathematics.