bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Status of monitoring and evaluation of Tonga’s Special Management Area program
Authors: Ford-Learner Nicholas , Gordon Sophie , Smallhorn-West Patrick , Afu Sioeli , Aisea Latu , Fatongiatu Viliami , Hanisi Lisiate , Kioa Sela , Lokotui Sesimani , Ma’u Fatiaki Katrina , Ngaluafe Poasi , Pau’u Vetekina , Shedrawi George , Stone Karen , Tuiano Tonga , Malimali Siola’a
Published: September 2024

Tonga’s Special Management Areas (SMAs) have been widely supported by the people of Tonga as a successful approach to the comanagement of their fisheries and marine resources. However, due to the dominant focus on expansion of the program over recent years, challenges remain for the effective and consistent monitoring and evaluation needed to understand program impacts. This review compiles all known ecological, fisheries, and socio-economic monitoring and evaluation reports related to Tonga’s Special Management Areas from 2010 onwards. A total of 25 projects with available reports were identified, with most examining ecological (42%) and socio-economic (42%) aspects of SMAs, whereas reporting on SMA fisheries data (e.g. catch) was limited to five available projects. Most studies also represented ‘baseline’ ecological and socio-economic surveys of SMAs during implementation. Only three studies have assessed the ecological impact of SMAs post intervention, and only one of these incorporated ‘follow-up’ surveys at a second time point. Among these, impacts remain mixed, with some SMAs resulting in larger and more abundant fish, but others showing no impact. Other monitoring challenges include no gender disaggregation of data, no monitoring of gleaning, haphazard monitoring by communities, and general concerns of cost, fit for purpose, and overinvestment. Although the limited available ecological data indicates that SMAs can increase fish size and abundance in some cases, rationalised, more efficient, and targeted monitoring is required to better understand and strengthen the functioning of SMAs and inform community and government management decisions.
Primary healthcare providers’ knowledge, practices and beliefs relating to preventive sexual and reproductive health care for women from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds in Australia: a national cross-sectional survey
Authors: Davidson Natasha , Hammarberg Karin , Fisher Jane
Published: September 2024

Background Many refugee women and women seeking asylum arrive in high-income countries with unmet preventive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care needs. Primary healthcare providers (HCPs) are usually refugee and asylum seekers’ first point of care. This study aimed to identify HCP characteristics associated with initiating conversations and discussing SRH opportunistically during other health interactions. Methods An anonymous online survey was distributed nationally to representatives of health professional organisations and Primary Health Networks. Hierarchical logistic regression analysed factors including HCP demographics, knowledge and awareness, perceived need for training and professional experience with refugee women were included in the models. Results Among 163 HCPs, those initiating conversations ranged from 27.3% (contraceptive care) to 35.2% (cervical screening). Opportunistic discussions ranged from 26.9% (breast screening) to 40.3% (contraceptive care). Positively associated factors included offering care to refugee women or women seeking asylum at least once every 2 months 7.64 (95% CI 2.41;24.22, P < 0.001); 2.82 (95% CI 1.07;740, P < 0.05), working part-time 8.01 (95% CI 2.34;27.86, P < 0.001); 2.43 (95% CI 1.02;5.76, P < 0.05) and having over 10 years of practice in Australia 2.20 (95% CI 0.71;6.87, P < 0.001); 0.40 (95% CI 1.66;0.95, P < 0.05). Barriers identified by HCPs included women’s cultural beliefs (76%), lack of SRH knowledge (72.4%), religious beliefs (67.5%) and limited English-language skills (54.6%). Conclusions Direct professional experience, frequency of service provision, years of practice, and part time work positively influence HCPs’ SRH care practices. Enhancing bilingual health worker programs, outreach, education, and support for SRH and cultural competency training are essential to improving the preventive SRH care of refugee women and women seeking asylum.
Faba Beans as a Sustainable Source of Protein
Authors: Badjona Abraham
Published: September 2024

The growing demand for plant-based proteins and growing consumer awareness of the medicinal and health advantages of alternative proteins have prompted the nutrition and food industries to explore novel sources of protein. Faba beans represent a nutrient dense source of protein with low fat content with concomitant benefit of having low cost, accessibility, and environmentally sustainable and confer several health benefits. The presence of many antinutritional compounds in raw faba beans limits their applicability in a variety of culinary applications. Another limiting factor is the “beany flavor” commonly encountered in products derived from faba beans. Several processing techniques such as boiling, germination, and enzymatic treatment can easily be applied at domestic and industrial levels to lower certain allergens’ concentrations to enhance the applicability of faba bean in distinct food systems and guaranteeing consumer safety. However, careful consideration must be taken into account to minimize the loss of valuable nutrients such as minerals and vitamins during processing. It is anticipated that more research in this field will close the information gap regarding the nutritional and health benefits of faba bean seeds and expand their use in many different types of applications.

Information

© The Author 2024
Chilli Cakes: A Nature-Based Solution for Enhancing Human-Wildlife Coexistence and Socio-Economic Resilience in Zimbabwe
Authors: Dahwa Everson , Murray Darrel , Chrispen Murungweni
Published: September 2024

Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) in Zimbabwe is home to a thriving population of African elephants (
Loxodonta africana
). However, this population faces constant threats stemming from human encroachment and habitat degradation, exacerbated by unplanned cultivation and a growing number of domestic livestock. As human and elephant interactions increase, so does the incidence of human-elephant conflict (HEC), posing a significant risk to both communities and elephants alike. This conflict jeopardizes the survival of elephants that venture beyond the confines of the protected area. In defence, the farmers employ various strategies to minimize HECs, including burning chilli peppers, beating drums and fire, deploying bee hives, employing dogs, and utilizing other defensive measures. A study conducted in 2019 identified HEC hot spots through GPS-tracking elephants. A collaboration with affected farmers was then sought in developing a more sustainable solution for mitigating HEC. As a result, a novel product named “Chilli Cake” was developed, drawing upon traditional knowledge and innovative science techniques to deter elephants from raiding crops. The chilli cake initiative successfully reduced HECs and improved crop protection for farmers in Malipati. These findings carry significant implications for elephant conservation through the promotion of coexistence between wildlife and people while promoting community resilience which is the basis for sustainable development in Zimbabwe and beyond.

Information

© The Authors 2024
Laser-assisted radiative recombination in a cold hydrogen plasma
Authors: Fabrikant I I , Ambalampitiya H B
Published: September 2024

We study the process of laser-assisted radiative recombination of an electron with a proton in a cold hydrogen plasma employing the semiclassical Kramers’ approach which involves calculation of classical trajectories in combined laser and Coulomb fields and the use of the correspondence principle. Due to the Coulomb focusing effect, recombination is the most effective when the initial electron momentum is parallel to the laser polarization. Orders of magnitude enhancement of the cross section, as compared to the laser-free case, is observed in this case. With increasing angle between the electron momentum and polarization, the recombination cross section drops. However, even after averaging over Maxwellian velocity distribution we obtain a substantial enhancement of the recombination rate constant, as compared to the zero-field case. For the field intensities in the range 30–350 MW cm−2, the enhancement occurs in the region of the radiation wavelength from 5 to 20 µm and for the plasma temperature from 20 to 300 K.
Soft composites with liquid inclusions: functional properties and theoretical models
Authors: Wang Shuang , Li Xiying
Published: September 2024

Soft materials containing liquid inclusions have emerged as a promising class of materials. Unlike solid inclusions, liquid inclusions possess intrinsic fluidity, which allows them to retain the excellent deformation ability of soft materials. This can prevent compliance mismatches between the inclusions and the matrix, thus leading to improved performance and durability. Various liquids, including metallic, water-based, and ionic liquids, have been selected as inclusions for embedding into soft materials, resulting in unique properties and functionalities that enable a wide range of applications in soft robotics, wearable devices, and other cutting-edge fields. This review provides an overview of recent studies on the functional properties of composites with liquid inclusions and discusses theoretical models used to estimate these properties, aiming to bridge the gap between the microstructure/components and the overall properties of the composite from a theoretical perspective. Furthermore, current challenges and future opportunities for the widespread application of these composites are explored, highlighting their potential in advancing technologies.
Mean-field homogenization of liquid metal elastomer composites: comparative study and exact dilute solution of core–shell inclusion
Authors: Lee Hugon , Yeo Jinwook , Yu Jecheon , Moon Hyeonbin , Ryu Seunghwa
Published: September 2024

Liquid metal-elastomer composites (LMECs) have gathered significant attention for their potential applications in various functional stretchable devices, with inclusion sizes ranging from micrometers to nanometers. These composites exhibit exceptional properties, such as high electric permittivity and thermal conductivity, surpassing those of the elastomer matrix, thus enabling a broader range of applications without compromising the material’s stretchability. To investigate the diverse effective elastic and functional properties of LMECs, micromechanics-based homogenization method based on Eshelby’s inclusion solution are invaluable. However, the extreme contrast in elastic constants among the phases in LMECs, particularly for nanosized inclusions where a considerable amount of stiff metal oxide forms around the inclusions, can lead to critical failure in predicting effective properties if inadequate homogenization approach is employed. In this study, we present multiple mean-field homogenization approaches applicable to LMECs with core–shell morphology, namely: (i) multi-phase, (ii) sequential, (iii) pseudo-grain, and (iv) direct approaches. We compare the accuracy of the models concerning effective elastic, thermal, and dielectric properties, evaluated against numerical homogenization results and compared with reported experimental data. Specifically, we highlight homogenization scheme utilizing exact field solutions of dilute core–shell inclusion, emphasizing the importance of accurately capturing the field in the micromechanics of LMECs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that widely utilized interphase model could not properly resolve the core–shell morphology and thus should be avoided. This comprehensive assessment provides critical insights into the proper homogenization strategies for designing advanced LMECs with precise prediction of effective properties.
Flexible curved multi-functional sensors for air flow and vibration signal measurement of train bogie
Authors: Cheng Xiao , Dong Wentao
Published: September 2024

The fluid–solid coupling effects with the aerodynamic noise and structural vibration signals play a great part in the measurement accuracy and fault diagnosis of train bogies. It is important to collect aerodynamic noise and structural vibration data for safety evaluation and online structural health monitoring (SHM) of the bogie, which brings new challenges to the integration and installation of the sensors in the limited space and complicated operating conditions of the train bogie. Flexible curved multi-functional sensors (FCMFSs) integrated with hot-film and structural vibration sensor units are designed for air flow and structural vibration measurement of the train bogie. Bogie vibration and wind tunnel test platforms with FCMFSs are built to measure the air flow velocity and vibration data on the bogie surface under different operating conditions. Piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride sensors are found to have significant output in wind tunnel and vibration experiments, and the hot-film sensor is only sensitive to the air flow signal. The effect of vibration signals on the hot-film sensor can be ignored, and it is helpful to improve the aerodynamic noise and structural vibration signal mesurement accuracy of the train bogie. The dynamic performance of the FCMFSs is verified at the Rail Transmit Base of East China Jiaotong University, and they are applied to SHM and rapid fault diagnosis of train bogies. The airflow distribution and vibration data are collected for safety assessment and fault diagnosis of the train bogie.
A nonlinear phase-field model of corrosion with charging kinetics of electric double layer
Authors: Makuch Maciej , Kovacevic Sasa , Wenman Mark R , Martínez-Pañeda Emilio
Published: September 2024

A nonlinear phase-field model is developed to simulate corrosion damage. The motion of the electrode−electrolyte interface follows the usual kinetic rate theory for chemical reactions based on the Butler−Volmer equation. The model links the surface polarization variation associated with the charging kinetics of an electric double layer (EDL) to the mesoscale transport. The effects of the EDL are integrated as a boundary condition on the solution potential equation. The boundary condition controls the magnitude of the solution potential at the electrode−electrolyte interface. The ion concentration field outside the EDL is obtained by solving the electro−diffusion equation and Ohm’s law for the solution potential. The model is validated against the classic benchmark pencil electrode test. The framework developed reproduces experimental measurements of both pit kinetics and transient current density response. The model enables more accurate information on corrosion damage, current density, and environmental response in terms of the distribution of electric potential and charged species. The sensitivity analysis for different properties of the EDL is performed to investigate their role in the electrochemical response of the system. Simulation results show that the properties of the EDL significantly influence the transport of ionic species in the electrolyte.
Pencil drawn meter bridge
Authors: Thakur Aditya Singh , Dubey Shivam , Kumar Shivam , Thakur Abhay Singh , Vaish Rahul
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the application of a Wheatstone bridge, specifically through the utilization of a meter bridge constructed on chart paper using pencil graphite. Employing the Wheatstone bridge principle, this study aims to achieve precise measurements of an unknown resistance. Results indicate an error margin between measured and calculated values of less than 10%, highlighting the efficiency and accuracy of this approach. The demonstrated effectiveness of the meter bridge serves as an educational resource, particularly beneficial for K-12 students, providing practical understanding and hands-on experience with the meter bridge concept. This research contributes to enhancing STEAM education by offering a tangible and accessible tool for teaching electrical circuit principles.
Gravitational time dilation in a high school lesson
Authors: Russo Ivan , Iuele Giuseppe , Benedetto Elmo
Published: September 2024

In almost all countries, the Ministry of Public Education has introduced the topics of special and general relativity into the high school curriculum. For example, in Italy the teaching of so-called modern physics (quantum mechanics and relativity) was introduced in the last year of high school. The students are approximately 18 years old and, although the arguments are addressed in an introductory and qualitative way, they are also a topic for the final exam. Einstein’s theory fascinates young students, but it is not always easy to explain the revolutionary effects it predicts. For this reason, we have organized a series of in-depth lessons trying to derive the space-time distortions in a way suitable for the young age of the students. In this frontline we summarize a derivation, suitable for high school pupils, regarding gravitational time dilation.
70 years of hyperon spectroscopy: a review of strange Ξ, Ω baryons, and the spectrum of charmed and bottom baryons
Authors: Crede Volker , Yelton John
Published: September 2024

The first hyperon was discovered about 70 years ago, but the nature of these particles, particularly with regard to multistrange hyperons, and many of their properties can still be considered to be literally strange. A dedicated and successful global spectroscopy program in the 1960s and 1970s usingK−beams revealed many multistrange candidates, but the available evidence of their existence is statistically limited. For this reason, there is still much to learn about the systematics of the spectrum of excited hyperon states and what they have in common with their non-strange companions, or how they differ from the nucleon and Δ resonances. Results from photo- and electroproduction experiments off the proton and neutron using polarized beams and targets have provided intriguing evidence for new nucleon excitations and shed light on the structure of some of the known nucleon and Δ states. Recent years have also seen a great deal of progress in the field of charmed and bottom baryon spectroscopy. Unprecedented data from the Large Hadron Collider in particular indicate continued rapid progress in the field of bottom baryons. On the theoretical side, baryons with one heavy quarkQand a lightqqsystem serve as an ideal laboratory for studying lightqq(diquark) correlations and the dynamics of the light quarks in the colour environment of a heavy quark. In this review, we discuss the status of doubly and triply strange Ξ as well as Ω baryons, and the properties of all the known charmed and bottom states. The comparison of the two heavy sectors reveals many similarities as predicted by heavy-quark symmetries, together with differences in mass splittings easily understood by potential models. The multi-strange hyperons bridge the under-explored gap between the light- and the heavy-flavour baryons. How do the properties of a singly charmedQ-qqsystem change with decreasing mass of the heavy quark in the transition to a doubly strangeq-QQsystem with a heavier quark-quark system relative to one light quark? Significant progress towards understanding hyperon resonances is expected in coming years from the ongoing experiments at the high-energy collider facilities and planned experiments usingKbeams at Jefferson Laboratory and J-PARC.
Phase diagram of strongly-coupled Rashba systems
Authors: Nally B K , Brydon P M R
Published: September 2024

Motivated by the recent discovery of a possible field-mediated parity switch within the superconducting state of CeRh2As2 (Khim et al 2021 Science
373 1012), we thoroughly investigate the dependence of the superconducting state of a strongly-coupled Rashba mono- and bilayer on internal parameters and an applied magnetic field. The role of interlayer pairing, spin orbit coupling, doping rate and applied magnetic field and their interplay was examined numerically at low temperature within a t-J-like model, uncovering complex phase diagrams and transitions between superconducting states with different symmetry.
CP violation of baryon decays with N
π rescatterings*
Authors: Wang 汪 Jian-Peng 建鹏 , Yu 于 Fu-Sheng 福升
Published: September 2024

There is a long-standing puzzle that the CP violation (CPV) in the baryon systems has never been well established in experiments, while the CPV of mesons have been observed by decades. In this paper, we propose that the CPV of baryon decays can be generated with the rescatterings of a nucleon and a pion into some final states, i.e.

or

. Benefited by the fruitful data of

scatterings, we can model-independently analyse the strong phases of

-baryon decays using the partial wave amplitudes of

scatterings. Avoiding the most difficult problem of non-perturbative dynamics, it makes a great advantage to predict the CPV of baryon decays with a relatively reliable understanding of the decay dynamics. We study the processes of

and

with

or

. It is found that the global CPV of the above processes in the invariant mass regions of

scatterings are at the order of several percent. More importantly, the local CPV in some regions of the Dalitz plots can reach the order of 10%, or be even larger. Considering the predicted results and the experimental data samples, we strong suggest to measure the CPV of

, which has a large possibility to achieve the first observation of CPV in the baryon system.
Beauty-charm meson family with coupled channel effects and their strong decays*
Authors: Hao 郝 Wei 伟 , Zhu 朱 Ruilin 瑞林
Published: September 2024

We systematically examined the mass spectra and their two-body hadronic decays of the beauty-charm meson family considering coupled channel effects. Our results can effectively explain the observed

meson spectrum, and the prediction of the mass spectrum for unobserved beauty-charm mesons can be tested in future experiments. Compared with previous studies, we systematically examine the beauty-charm meson family within the coupled channel components. The

state in beauty-charm meson family has few percent of coupled channel component, while the

,

, and

states have more than ten percent of coupled channel component. The two-body hadronic decay widths of the

state is as narrow as 3 MeV. The two-body hadronic decay widths of

,

,

,

,

, and

are approximately 109, 67, 60, 57, 201, and 76 MeV, respectively. Furthermore, the mixing effects between

and

states are discussed.
Tokamak edge-SOL turbulence in H-mode conditions simulated with a global, electromagnetic, transcollisional drift-fluid model
Authors: Zholobenko Wladimir , Zhang Kaiyu , Stegmeir Andreas , Pfennig Jan , Eder Konrad , Pitzal Christoph , Ulbl Philipp , Griener Michael , Radovanovic Lidija , Plank Ulrike ,   the ASDEX Upgrade Team
Published: September 2024

The design of commercially feasible magnetic confinement fusion reactors strongly relies on the reduced turbulent transport in the plasma edge during operation in the high confinement mode (H-mode). We present first global turbulence simulations of the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak edge and scrape-off layer in ITER baseline H-mode conditions. Reasonable agreement with the experiment is obtained for outboard mid-plane measurements of plasma density, electron and ion temperature, as well as the radial electric field. The radial heat transport is underpredicted by roughly 1/3. These results were obtained with the GRILLIX code implementing a transcollisional, electromagnetic, global drift-fluid plasma model, coupled to diffusive neutrals. The transcollisional extensions include neoclassical corrections for the ion viscosity, as well as either a Landau-fluid or free-streaming limited model for the parallel heat conduction. Electromagnetic fluctuations are found to play a critical role in H-mode conditions. We investigate the structure of the significant E × B flow shear, finding both neoclassical components as well as zonal flows. But unlike in L-mode, geodesic acoustic modes are not observed. The turbulence mode structure is mostly that of drift-Alfvén waves. However, in the upper part of the pedestal, it is very weak and overshadowed by neoclassical transport. At the pedestal foot, on the other hand, we find instead the (electromagnetic) kinetic ballooning mode, most clearly just inside the separatrix. Our results pave the way towards predictive simulations of fusion reactors.
Investigations on the machinability performance of Al2O3/TiCN CVD coated carbide tools in sustainable high-speed hard-turning of AISI 4340 alloy steel
Authors: Jouini Nabil , Yaqoob Saima , Ghani Jaharah A
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the effectiveness of CVD coated carbide inserts in turning hardened AISI 4340 steel at high-machining speed V = 300, 350 m min−1 under sustainable dry cutting environment. Experiments were executed in accordance to Taguchi L4 orthogonal array and crucial machinability aspects tool life, tool wear progression and mechanism, cutting force, and surface roughness were evaluated in detail. The results of this study revealed that Al2O3/TiCN coating successfully inhibited the faster progression of tool wear at low cutting speed (300 m min−1), feed rate (0.05 mm rev−1) and depth of cut (0.1 mm), thus delivering the highest tool life of 19.25 min and lowest cutting force of 76.8 N. However, better surface finish of 0.305 μm was obtained at high cutting speed (350 m min−1), low feed rate (0.05 mm rev−1), and high depth of cut (0.1 mm). Nevertheless, at high cutting speed (350 m min−1) and feed rate (0.1 mm rev−1), involvement of intense thermal-mechanical effects suppressed the effectiveness of coating and tool completed its useful life at 9.24 min. Severe flaking on the cutting edge was observed at high machining parameters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that adhesion, oxidation, and small scale chipping and abrasion were the primary wear mechanisms attributing in competing the tool life criteria (Vb = 300 μm) in all cutting conditions. Furthermore, it was established that the cutting force and surface roughness increased with increasing tool flank wear due to coating delamination, material adhesion and tool chipping. This research emphasizes the significant potential of adopting Al2O3/TiCN coated carbide inserts for high-speed industrial hard-turning of AISI 4340 steel.
Triggering dark showers with conditional dual auto-encoders
Authors: Anzalone Luca , Singh Chhibra Simranjit , Maier Benedikt , Chernyavskaya Nadezda , Pierini Maurizio
Published: September 2024

We present a family of conditional dual auto-encoders (CoDAEs) for generic and model-independent new physics searches at colliders. New physics signals, which arise from new types of particles and interactions, are considered in our study as anomalies causing deviations in data with respect to expected background events. In this work, we perform a normal-only anomaly detection, which employs only background samples, to search for manifestations of a dark version of strong force applying (variational) auto-encoders on raw detector images, which are large and highly sparse, without leveraging any physics-based pre-processing or strong assumption on the signals. The proposed CoDAE has a dual-encoder design, which is general and can learn an auxiliary yet compact latent space through spatial conditioning, showing a neat improvement over competitive physics-based baselines and related approaches, therefore also reducing the gap with fully supervised models. It is the first time an unsupervised model is shown to exhibit excellent discrimination against multiple dark shower models, illustrating the suitability of this method as an accurate, fast, model-independent algorithm to deploy, e.g. in the real-time event triggering systems of large hadron collider experiments such as ATLAS and CMS.
Decision support for United States—Canada energy integration is impaired by fragmentary environmental and electricity system modeling capacity
Authors: Calder Ryan S D , Dimanchev Emil , Cohen Stuart , McManamay Ryan A
Published: September 2024

The renewable energy transition is leading to increased electricity trade between the United States and Canada, with Canadian hydropower providing firm lower-carbon power and buffering variability of wind and solar generation in the U.S. However, long-term power purchase agreements and transborder transmission projects are controversial, with two of four proposed transmission lines between Quebec, Canada and the northeast U.S. cancelled since 2018. Here, we argue that controversies are exacerbated by a lack of open-source data and tools to understand tradeoffs of new hydropower generation and transmission infrastructure in comparison to alternatives. This gap includes impacts that incremental transmission and generation projects have on the economics of the entire system, for example, how new transmission projects affect exports to existing markets or incentivize new generation. We identify priority areas for data synthesis and model development, such as integrating linked hydropower and hydrologic interactions in energy system models and openly releasing (by utilities) or back-calculating (by researchers) hydropower generation and operational parameters. Publicly available environmental (e.g. streamflow, precipitation) and techno-economic (e.g. costs, reservoir size,) data can be used to parameterize freely usable and extensible models. Existing models have been calibrated with operational data from Canadian utilities that are not publicly available, limiting the range of scientific and commercial questions these tools have been used to answer and the range of parties that have been involved. Studies conducted using highly resolved, national-scale public data exist in other countries, notably, the United States, and demonstrate how greater transparency and extensibility can drive industry action. Improved data availability in Canada could facilitate approaches that (1) increase participation in decarbonization planning by a broader range of actors; (2) allow independent characterizations of environmental, health, and economic outcomes of interest to the public; and (3) identify decarbonization pathways consistent with community values.
Alcohol consumption and frailty risk: a dose–response meta-analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Soltani Sepideh , Jayedi Ahmad , Ghoreishy Seyedmojtaba , Mousavirad Mahdieh , Movahed Samira , Jabbari Maedeh , Asoudeh Farzaneh
Published: September 2024

Background/aims

While previous studies suggest that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the frailty risk, the dose–response relationship is still under question. To address the knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of cohort studies to examine the association of alcohol consumption with the risk of both prefrailty and frailty in adults.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed and Scopus to identify relevant cohort studies published before 8 May 2024. The dose–response meta-analysis was performed to investigate the associations between alcohol drinking and the risk of developing pre-frailty and frailty. We used random-effects models to calculate pooled relative risks (RR) with 95% CIs.

Results

We included nine cohort studies with 64 769 participants and 15 075 cases, of which eight studies were rated to have a serious risk of bias as assessed by the ROBINS tool. Based on our analysis, each 12 g increase in alcohol intake did not appear to be associated with risks of prefrailty (RR: 1.08, 95% CI 0.89, 1.31; I2 = 91%, n = 3; GRADE = very low) and frailty (RR: 0.94, 95% CI 0.88, 1.00; I2 = 63%, n = 9; GRADE = low). The nonlinear dose–response meta-analysis indicates a slight inverse association with frailty risk up to an alcohol intake of 20 grams per day, beyond which an upward trend is observed.

Conclusion

The inverse association found between moderate alcohol consumption and frailty risk appears to be stronger among older adults, which might be due to the lower and less popular alcohol consumption among older people than the general population. However, because this finding is based on low-quality evidence, more research is needed to develop specific dietary recommendations for alcohol consumption, particularly among young people.
Applying a Bayesian Spatiotemporal Model to Examine Excess County-Level Cardiovascular Disease Death Rates During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Vaughan Adam S , Quick Harrison , Beck Kara B , Woodruff Rebecca C , DeLara David , Casper Michele
Published: September 2024

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, national cardiovascular disease (CVD) death rates increased, especially among younger adults. County-level variation has not been documented. Using county-level CVD deaths (ICD-10 codes: I00-I99) from the US National Vital Statistics System, we developed a Bayesian multivariate spatiotemporal model to estimate excess CVD death rates in 2020 based on trends from 2010-2019 for adults aged 35-64 and ≥65 years. Among adults aged 35-64 years, 64.7% of counties experienced significant excess CVD death rates. The median county-level CVD death rate in 2020 was 150 per 100,000 persons, which exceeded the predicted rate for 2020 (median excess death rate: 11 per 100,000; median excess rate ratio: 1.08). Among adults aged ≥65 years, 15.2% of counties experienced significant excess CVD death rates. The median county-level CVD death rate was 1,546 per 100,000 in 2020, which exceeded the predicted rate in 2020 (median excess death rate: 48 per 100,000, median excess rate ratio: 1.03). Counties with significant excess death rates in 2020 were geographically dispersed. In 2020, disruptions of county-level CVD death rates were widespread, especially among younger adults, suggesting the continued importance of CVD prevention and treatment in younger adults in communities across the country.
A Hypothesis-Free Approach to Identifying Potential Effects of Relative Age in School Year: an Instrumental Variable Phenome-Wide Association Study in the UK Biobank
Authors: de Lange Melanie A , Davies Neil M , Millard Louise A C , Tilling Kate
Published: September 2024

A child’s relative age within their school year (‘relative age’) is associated with educational attainment and mental health. However, hypothesis driven studies often re-examine the same outcomes and exposure, potentially leading to confirmation and reporting biases, and missing unknown effects. Hypothesis-free outcome-wide analyses can potentially overcome these limitations. We conducted a hypothesis-free investigation of the effects of relative age within school year. We used an instrumental variable (IV)-pheWAS in the UK Biobank (participants aged 40-69 years at baseline), using the PHESANT software package. We created two IVs for relative age: being born in September vs. August (n=64 075) and week of birth (n=383 309). Outcomes passing the Bonferroni-corrected P value threshold for either instrument were plotted to identify a discontinuity at the school year transition. 13 traits associated with at least one of the instruments showed a discontinuity. Previously identified effects included those with a younger relative age being less likely to have educational qualifications and more likely to have started smoking at a younger age. We detected a few associations not explored by previous studies. For example, those with younger relative age had better lung function as adults. Hypothesis-free approaches could help address confirmation and reporting biases in epidemiology.
Reduced Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Household Contacts with Recent Vaccination and Past COVID-19 Infection: Results from Two Multi-Site Case-Ascertained Household Transmission Studies
Authors: Rolfes Melissa A , Talbot H Keipp , Morrissey Kerry Grace , Stockwell Melissa S , Maldonado Yvonne , McLean Huong Q , Lutrick Karen , Bowman Natalie M , Rao Suchitra , Izurieta Hector S , Zhu Yuwei , Chappell James , Battan-Wraith Steph , Merrill Lori S , McClaren Son , Sano Ellen , Petrie Joshua G , Biddle Jessica , Johnson Sheroi , Salvatore Philip , Smith-Jeffcoat Sarah E , Asturias Edwin J , Lin Jessica T , Ellingson Katherine D , Belongia Edward A , Olivo Vanessa , Mellis Alexandra M , Grijalva Carlos G ,   Respiratory Virus Transmission Network Study Group, Reed Carrie , Schmitz Jonathan , Hart Kimberly , Sarnquist Clea , Goodman Sara , Govindaranjan Prasanthi , Ledezma Karla , Pryor Kathleen , Bullock Ayla , Yang Amy , Haehnel Quenla , Reynolds Julienne , Murray Katherine , Moreno Miriana , Valdez de Romero Ana , Vargas Celibell
Published: September 2024

Households are a primary setting for transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We examined the role of prior SARS-CoV-2 immunity on the risk of infection in household close contacts. Households in the United States with an individual who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during September 2021–May 2023 were enrolled if the index case’s illness began ≤6 days prior. Household members had daily self-collected nasal swabs tested by RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2. The effects of prior SARS-CoV-2 immunity (vaccination, prior infection, or hybrid immunity) on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among household contacts were assessed by robust, clustered multivariable Poisson regression. Of 1,532 contacts (905 households), 8% had immunity from prior infection alone, 51% from vaccination alone, 29% hybrid immunity, and 11% had no prior immunity. Sixty percent of contacts tested SARS-CoV-2-positive during follow-up. The adjusted risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was lowest among contacts with vaccination and prior infection (aRR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70, 0.93, compared with contacts with no prior immunity) and was lowest when the last immunizing event occurred ≤6 months before COVID-19 affected the household (aRR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.83). In high-transmission settings like households, immunity from COVID-19 vaccination and prior infection was synergistic in protecting household contacts from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Alcohol use disorder is associated with a lower risk of in-hospital mortality in type A aortic dissection repair: a population-based study of National Inpatient Sample from 2015–2020
Authors: Li Renxi , Huddleston Stephen J , Prastein Deyanira J
Published: September 2024

Background

While alcohol consumption is implicated in the development of aortic dissection, the impact of alcohol use disorder (AUD) on the outcomes of type A aortic dissection (TAAD) repair is still largely unexplored. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive, population-based analysis of effect of AUD on in-hospital outcomes following TAAD repair using National/Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer database in the United States.

Methods

Patients undergoing TAAD repair were identified in National/Nationwide Inpatient Sample from Q4 2015–2020. Demographics, comorbidities, hospital characteristics, primary payer status, and transfer-in status between patients with and without AUD were matched by a 1:3 propensity-score matching. In-hospital outcomes were examined.

Results

There were 220 patients with AUD who underwent TAAD repair. Meanwhile, 4062 non-AUD patients went under TAAD repair, where 646 of them were matched to all AUD patients. After propensity-score matching, AUD patients had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality (7.76% vs 13.31%, P = 0.03) while there was no difference in transfer-in status or time from admission to operation. However, patients with AUD had a higher rate of respiratory complications (27.40% vs 19.66%, P = 0.02) and a longer hospital length of stay (16.20 ± 11.61 vs 11.72 ± 1.69 days, P = 0.01). All other in-hospital outcomes were comparable between AUD and non-AUD patients.

Conclusion

AUD patients had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality but a higher rate of respiratory complications and a longer LOS. These findings can provide insights into preoperative risk stratification of these patients. Nonetheless, reasons underlying the lower mortality rate in AUD patients and their long-term prognosis require further investigation.
HuR/miR-124-3p/VDR complex bridges lipid metabolism and tumor development in colorectal cancer
Authors: Huang Fengxing , Bu Luping , Li Mengting , Wang Youwei , Zhang Runan , Shao Yu , Lin Kun , Yang Hong , Zhao Qiu , Liu Lan
Published: September 2024

Maintaining a balanced lipid status to prevent lipotoxicity is of paramount importance in various tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). HuR, an RNA-binding protein family member, exhibits high expression in many cancers possibly because it regulates cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and lipid metabolism. However, the role of HuR in the regulation of abnormal lipid metabolism in CRC remains unknown. We found that HuR promotes vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression to ensure lipid homeostasis by increasing triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels in CRC, thus confirming the direct binding of an overexpressed HuR to the CDS and 3ʹ-UTR of Vdr, enhancing its expression. Concurrently, HuR can indirectly affect VDR expression by inhibiting miR-124-3p. HuR can suppress the expression of miR-124-3p, which binds to the 3ʹ-UTR of Vdr, thereby reducing VDR expression. Additionally, a xenograft model demonstrated that targeting HuR inhibits VDR expression, blocking TG and TC formation, and hence mitigating CRC growth. Our findings suggest a regulatory relationship among HuR, miR-124-3p, and VDR in CRC. We propose that the HuR/miR-124-3p/VDR complex governs lipid homeostasis by impacting TG and TC formation in CRC, offering a potential therapeutic target for CRC prevention and treatment.
198. IDENTIFYING THE OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT OF ESOPHAGEAL ANASTOMOTIC LEAKS. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND NETWORK META-ANALYSIS
Authors: Murray William , Davey Matthew , Donlon Noel , Robb William
Published: September 2024

Background

There is currently no consensus as to how best to manage esophageal anastomotic leaks. Intervention with Endoscopic Vacuum Assisted Closure (EVAC), stenting, reoperation, and conservative management have all been mooted as potential options. Consequently, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the optimal management strategy for esophageal anastomotic leaks.

Methods

A systematic review was performed as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with extension for NMA. NMA was performed using R packages and Shiny.

Results

In total, 12 retrospective studies were included which included 511 patients. Of the 449 patients for whom data was available 371 (82.6%) were male, and 78 (17.4%) were female. The average age of patients was 62.6 years (Standard deviation (SD) 10.2). Overall, 94.5% of patients underwent initial esophagectomy for an underlying malignancy. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) reported was 25.9 kg/m2. The stenting cohort included 245 (47.9%) patients. The EVAC cohort included 123 (24.1%) patients. The conservative cohort included 87 (17.0%) patients. The re-operation cohort included 56 (10.9%) patients. EVAC had a significantly decreased complication rate compared to stenting (Odds ratio (OR) 0.23 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09-0.58). EVAC had a significantly lower mortality rate than stenting (OR: 0.43, 95% CI 0.21; 0.87).

Re-operation was used in significantly larger leaks than stenting (mean difference (MD) 14.66; 95%CI 4.61 24.70). Re-operation was also associated with a significantly increased mortality rate (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.01-6.99.). Using stenting as a comparator, NMA failed to demonstrate a significant difference between interventions in terms of success rate. However, EVAC had the greatest difference in success rate (OR: 2.23, 95% CI 0.78-6.34).

Conclusion

The growing use of EVAC as a first-line intervention in esophageal anastomotic leaks should continue given its proven effectiveness and significant reduction in both complication and mortality rates. One aspect of EVT that was not examined in this study was the number of endoscopic interventions required. Sponge exchanges every 48 to 72 hours are necessary during EVT whereas stents may be left in place for 4-8 weeks. This may have significant implications for treatment choice in resource-limited settings and may have a profound impact on patient quality of life.

Surgical management is often necessary for significantly larger leaks. Reoperation in the case of anastomotic leak is often the intervention of choice in systemically unwell patients and those with uncontained leaks. It therefore stands to reason that mortality rates are elevated among this patient cohort and differences in outcome are unlikely to be attributable to the modality of intervention alone.
200. THE PENETRATION OF THE THYROID GLAND BY A FISH BONE: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Authors: Gokon Yusuke , Ohki Yusuke , Ogino Takahiro , Hatoyama Keiichiro , Shimizu Kenji , Kashiwadate Toshiaki , Katsura Kazunori , Abe Takayuki , Sato Koichiro
Published: September 2024

Background

Penetration of the thyroid gland by a fish bone is rare, and there is no literature describing a patient with hyperthyroidism at initial examination in whom the thyroid gland was penetrated by a fish bone.

Case presentation

A 51-year-old woman visited our hospital with left-sided neck pain. She had sensed a foreign body in her throat when eating a fish the previous day, but no abnormality was found by endoscopy. Blood examination revealed hyperthyroidism, and ultrasonography (US) revealed enlargement of the bilateral lobe with multiple adenomatous nodules and heterogeneous hypoechoic areas. The presumptive diagnosis was subacute thyroiditis, and treatment with prednisolone was initiated. Pain was reduced and tenderness moved to the right lobe. The phenomenon was diagnosed as creeping thyroiditis. However, computed tomography (CT) on day 4 demonstrated a linear hyperdense body in the left lobe. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was repeated and revealed a fissure at the cervical esophagus. Her condition was then diagnosed as penetration of a fish bone into the thyroid gland. She was treated conservatively with monitoring to observe the course. Inflammatory signs significantly improved, so she was discharged on day 15. Subsequent CT and US did not show the presence of the fish bone. After three years have passed since discharge, there has been no recurrence of symptoms.

Conclusions

Penetration of the thyroid gland by a fish bone could result in a clinical course resembling subacute thyroiditis. CT and careful endoscopic inspection should be performed for patients with hyperthyroidism if foreign body insertion is not ruled out from the medical history.