bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of amoxicillin and metronidazole as an adjunct to scaling and root planing on glycemic control in patients with periodontitis and type 2 diabetes: A short‐term randomized controlled trial
Authors: Xu Xinran , Lu He , Huo Pengcheng , Jin Dongsiqi , Zhu Yunxuan , Meng Huanxin
Published: December 2023

Objective

To assess the effects of amoxicillin and metronidazole with scaling and root planing (SRP) on periodontal parameters and glycemic control in patients with severe periodontitis and diabetes mellitus.

Background

Adjunctive antibiotics use is advantageous for treating periodontitis in patients with severe periodontitis and diabetes. However, the effects of adjunctive antibiotic use on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels remain unclear.

Methods

This short‐term, randomized controlled trial enrolled patients with severe periodontitis and type 2 diabetes. The patients were randomly allocated to SPR only (i.e., control) or SPR + antibiotics (500 mg of amoxicillin and 200 mg of metronidazole, three times daily for 7 days) groups. Periodontal and hematological parameters were assessed at baseline and 3 months after treatment. Inter‐ and intra‐group analyses were performed using Student's t‐tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and the binary logistic regression models. p‐values of <.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

This study enrolled 49 patients, with 23 and 26 patients in the SRP‐only and SRP + antibiotics groups, respectively. The periodontal parameters improved significantly and similarly in both groups after treatment (p < .05). The SRP + antibiotics group had more sites of improvement than the SRP‐only group when the initial probing depth was >6 mm. (698 [78.96%] vs. 545 [73.35%], p = .008). The HbA1c levels decreased in the SRP‐only and SRP + antibiotics groups after treatment (0.39% and 0.53%, respectively). The multivariable binary logistic regression model demonstrated that antibiotics administration and a high baseline HbA1c level were associated with a greater reduction in the HbA1c level (odds ratio = 4.551, 95% confidence interval: 1.012–20.463; odds ratio = 7.162, 95% confidence interval: 1.359–37.753, respectively).

Conclusions

SRP and SRP plus systemic antibiotics were beneficial for glycemic control. Adjunctive antibiotic use slightly improved the outcome for patients with severe periodontitis and poorly controlled diabetes.
How to avoid the “infrastructural blues”? Studying‐while‐caring for data stewardship
Authors: Murillo Luis Felipe R.
Published: December 2023

When it comes to climate crisis research, current debates are increasingly thematizing the needs but also the challenges of collaborative, transdisciplinary work. Geophysical characterizations of climate change are increasingly deemed insufficient to respond to the challenges that vulnerable communities face worldwide. In this paper, I describe the work of studying‐while‐caring for an environmental data infrastructure in order to address this issue. I suggest framing “data management” anthropologically as a question of collective stewardship that is better conceived as a “knowledge infrastructure” (Edwards 2010) instead of a formal approach to automated data curation. To examine the sociotechnical blindspots of data management, I elaborate on the anthropological concept of “infrastructural blues” based on the data engineering work I conducted. For the conclusion, I discuss the concept of “common” as a substitute for “open” technologies and address the broader implications of the proposed shift toward community stewardship and self‐determination as guiding practices for socio‐environmental data governance.
Evaluation of the effects of dietary advanced glycation end products on inflammation
Authors: Demirer Büşra , Fisunoğlu Mehmet
Published: December 2023

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a large number of heterogeneous compounds formed by the glycation of proteins, fats or nucleic acids. Endogenous AGEs have been associated with various health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Inflammation is thought to be one of the main mechanisms in the development of these disorders. Although AGEs are produced endogenously in the body, exogenous sources such as smoking and diet also contribute to the body pool. Therefore, when the AGE pool in the body rises above physiological levels, different pathological conditions may occur through various mechanisms, especially inflammation. While the effects of endogenous AGEs on the development of inflammation have been studied relatively extensively, and current evidence indicates that dietary AGEs (dAGEs) contribute to the body's AGE pool, it is not yet known whether dAGEs have the same effect on the development of inflammation as endogenous AGEs. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the results of cross‐sectional and intervention studies to understand whether dAGEs are associated with inflammation and, if there is an effect on inflammation, through which mechanisms this effect might occur.
Chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology in Africa: A review of the literature
Authors: Fiseha Temesgen , Ekong Ndianabasi Ekong , Osborne Nicholas J.
Published: December 2023

During the last two decades, an epidemic of a severe form of chronic kidney disease (CKD) unrelated to traditional risk factors (diabetes and hypertension) has been recognized in low‐ to middle‐income countries. CKD of unknown aetiology (CKDu) mainly affects young working‐age adults, and has become as an important and devastating public health issue. CKDu is a multifactorial disease with associated genetic and environmental risk factors. This review summarizes the current epidemiological evidence on the burden of CKDu and its probable environmental risk factors contributing to CKD in Africa. PubMed/Medline and the African Journals Online databases were searched to identify relevant population‐based studies published in the last two decades. In the general population, the burden of CKD attributable to CKDu varied from 19.4% to 79%. Epidemiologic studies have established that environmental factors, including genetics, infectious agents, rural residence, low socioeconomic status, malnutrition, agricultural practise and exposure to agrochemicals, heavy metals, use of traditional herbs, and contaminated water sources or food contribute to the burden of CKD in the region. There is a great need for epidemiological studies exploring the true burden of CKDu and unique geographical distribution, and the role of environmental factors in the development of CKD/CKDu.

image
Narrative spillover: A narrative policy framework analysis of critical race theory discourse at multiple levels
Authors: Bertrand Ariell Rose , Lyon Melissa Arnold , Jacobsen Rebecca
Published: December 2023

Narrative storytelling surrounds us. Narratives are especially salient in politics, as policy problems do not simply exist, but are actively created through the stories policy actors tell. Scholars introduced the narrative policy framework (NPF) to create a generalized framework for studying how policy actors use storytelling strategically to influence policy. We use the NPF to examine the recent rise of critical race theory (CRT) in policy debates. We demonstrate that increasing exposure to the ban‐CRT narrative plots led to greater support for a ban on CRT, particularly for White and Republican individuals. Finally, we introduce and test the concept of narrative spillover, which provides a new way of thinking about how micro, meso, and macro policy narratives interact to influence‐related political beliefs and macrolevel beliefs about institutions and culture.
From hepatitis B virus infection to acute‐on‐chronic liver failure: The dynamic role of hepatic macrophages
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wu Dongsheng , Tian Xiaoling , Chen Bin
Published: December 2023

Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a progressive disease that is associated with rapid worsening of clinical symptoms and high mortality. A multicentre prospective study from China demonstrated that patients with hepatitis B virus‐related ACLF (HBV‐ACLF) exhibited worse clinical characteristics and higher mortality rates compared to non‐HBV‐ACLF patients. Immune dysregulation is closely linked to the potential mechanisms of initiation and progression of ACLF. Innate immune response, which is represented by monocytes/macrophages, is up‐regulated across ACLF development. This suggests that monocytes/macrophages play an essential role in maintaining the immune homeostasis of ACLF. Information that has been published in recent years shows that the immune status and function of monocytes/macrophages vary in ACLF precipitated by different chronic liver diseases. Monocytes/macrophages have an immune activation effect in hepatitis B‐precipitated‐ACLF, but they exhibit an immune suppression in cirrhosis‐precipitated‐ACLF. Therefore, this review aims to explain whether this difference affects the clinical outcome in HBV‐ACLF patients as well as the mechanisms involved. We summarize the novel findings that highlight the dynamic polarization phenotype and functional status of hepatic macrophages from the stage of HBV infection to ACLF development. Moreover, we discuss how different HBV‐related liver disease tissue microenvironments affect the phenotype and function of hepatic macrophages. In summary, increasing developments in understanding the differences in immune phenotype and functional status of hepatic macrophages in ACLF patients will provide new perspectives towards the effective restoration of ACLF immune homeostasis.
Why do people give to their governments? Lab‐in‐the‐field evidence on the role of norms, social information, and political support
Authors: López‐Pérez Raúl , Ramirez‐Zamudio Aldo , Cruz‐Martínez Gibrán
Published: December 2023

Although factors leading to selfless acts, such as charitable donations, have been a central concern in political sciences, voluntary donations are among the most atypical and less well‐known public revenue‐raising sources. In this article, we explore which factors influence people's donations to their government. We conduct an artefactual field experiment in Peru where subjects anonymously decide how much of an endowment they freely donate to the government. We run six sessions with a sample that is representative of the taxpayer population of Metropolitan Lima regarding age, gender, and socioeconomic conditions. Our results suggest that donations depend on the subject's support to the government, the average donation by other subjects (social information) and their beliefs about the average donation of others (perceived social norms).
Why we need to complicate things: The teaching and learning of religion beyond simplification
Authors: Roeland Johan
Published: December 2023

Much knowledge production, both academic and non‐academic, is driven by a need to simplify the world in order to enable people to navigate the complexities of everyday life. Such simplifications not only risk offering less reliable representations of the world, they can also turn into disruptive and harmful images of the world. In this article, students and teachers in the field of religion and theology are encouraged to value scientific research as a form of knowledge production that complicates things. In an age in which scientific knowledge is constantly contested and in which it competes with other forms of knowledge production (including problematic ones such as fake news, conspiracy theories, stereotyped representations of religion and religious others, and poorly executed journalism), it is important for students to understand that complicating things is a key step in developing reliable knowledge on religion and the (ir)religious other. This article, written for students starting out in the field of theology and religion and for those who teach them, explains how complicating things takes shape in scientific research by discussing three basic elements: (1) not taking things at face value, (2) understanding science as knowledge production and reflecting on science as production, (3) and realizing that there is no absolute certainty.
Cold platelet transfusion: The effects of a fluid warmer on platelet function
Authors: Valencia Morales Diana J. , Klompas Allan M. , Torbenson Jenna M. , Finney Robyn E. , Chen Dong , Stubbs James R. , Nuttall Gregory A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Recently the US Food and Drug Administration has granted variances to select blood centers to supply cold‐stored platelet components (CSP). In hemorrhage resuscitation warming of blood components with approved fluid warming devices is common.

Study Design and Methods

Pathogen‐reduced apheresis platelet units were collected and stored in one of two ways: (1) CSP‐I, (2) CSP‐D. CSP‐I were collected and immediately stored at 1–6°C until used. CSP‐D were collected and stored at 20–24°C for 5 days and transferred to storage at 1–6°C until use. Aggregometry using arachidonic acid (AA), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen as agonists was performed on the unit samples before and after the units were infused through a Ranger blood‐warming device.

Results

CSP‐I, 23 units, had very high aggregation responses to all agonists (all ≥47.6 ± 20.7). There was a statistically significant reduction in ADP‐induced aggregometry results from 55.1 ± 23.2 before compared to 33.5 ± 14.6 following infusion of the PLT through the blood warmer (p < .001). There were no differences in AA and collagen aggregometry results before and after the infusion of the platelets through the blood warmer. CSP‐D had 5 of the 15 units with visible clotting in the bag. The 10 CSP‐Ds studied had lower aggregation than all agonists before and after infusion through the blood‐warming device (all ≤49.9 ± 35.9).

Conclusion

We detected a statistically significant reduction in ADP‐induced aggregometry in CSP‐I run through a Ranger blood‐warming device with no change with AA or collagen agonist aggregometry.
On real Calabi–Yau threefolds twisted by a section
Authors: Matessi Diego
Published: December 2023

We study the mod 2 cohomology of real Calabi–Yau threefolds given by real structures that preserve the torus fibrations constructed by Gross. We extend the results of Castaño–Bernard–Matessi and Arguz–Prince to the case of real structures twisted by a Lagrangian section. In particular, we find exact sequences linking the cohomology of the real Calabi–Yau with the cohomology of the complex one. Applying Strominger–Yau–Zaslow mirror symmetry, we show that the connecting homomorphism is determined by a “twisted squaring of divisors” in the mirror Calabi–Yau, that is, by where is a divisor in the mirror and is the divisor mirror to the twisting section. We use this to find an example of a connected ‐real quintic threefold.
Rates of mixing for the measure of maximal entropy of dispersing billiard maps
Authors: Demers Mark F. , Korepanov Alexey
Published: December 2023

In a recent work, Baladi and Demers constructed a measure of maximal entropy for finite horizon dispersing billiard maps and proved that it is unique, mixing and moreover Bernoulli. We show that this measure enjoys natural probabilistic properties for Hölder continuous observables, such as at least polynomial decay of correlations and the Central Limit Theorem. The results of Baladi and Demers are subject to a condition of sparse recurrence to singularities. We use a similar and slightly stronger condition, and it has a direct effect on our rate of decay of correlations. For billiard tables with bounded complexity (a property conjectured to be generic), we show that the sparse recurrence condition is always satisfied and the correlations decay at a super‐polynomial rate.
QUANTIFICATION OF SODIUM DEOXYCHOLATE IN PROTEOMICS SAMPLE PREPARATION USING METHYLENE BLUE
Authors: Kulyyassov A. , Makhsatova S.
Published: December 2023

Anionic detergents like SDC are commonly used in biochemical and molecular biology research for solubilizing and separating proteins and nucleic acids. The detection method using methylene blue (MB) can be employed to determine the concentration of anionic detergents in these experimental preparations. The quantification protocol for surface active substances was optimized, with the consideration of factors such as pH, salts and the spectrophotometer wavelength. Several extraction methods were employed to remove the detergent from the sample, namely, ethyl acetate extraction, mineral oil and acid precipitation. All of the methods have about the same efficiency. The MB method was used as a standard technique for the precise quantification of detergent amounts which allowed as achieving an approximate concentration range between the lower limit of ca. 0.02% and 0.1% of the upper limit. Consequently, we weren’t able to detect the concentration of the detergent lower than 0.02%. In the presence of anionic detergents, the electrostatic interaction between positively charged MB and the anions forms a complex that can be extracted into chloroform, allowing for quantification. Without the formation of this complex, water-soluble MB remains immiscible in chloroform.
Design and Manufacture Method of Aviation Face Gear With High Load-Bearing Based on Gear Skiving Process
Authors: Xu Man , Han Xinghui , Zheng Fangyan , Hua Lin , Zeng Yan
Published: December 2023

Face gear drive has been widely investigated in the aviation field as a power split device on the helicopter main reducer. However, high-speed and heavy-load condition makes the face gear prone to tooth surface pitting, leading to deterioration of transmission performance. To improve the load-bearing capacity of face gear, this paper proposes a design and modification method based on gear skiving process for face gear drives. First, gear skiving mathematical models for a face gear pair are established, and a continuously profile-shifted modification method is presented based on these mathematical models. Then, the load-bearing capacity of the modified face gear pair is minutely analyzed and discussed through contact analysis. The contact stress of the modified face gear is reduced by 47.78% on the right side and 41.1% on the left side compared with an unmodified face gear. Finally, gear skiving experiments and meshing performance tests of face gear pairs are conducted. The measurement results show consistency with the calculation results. Thus, the proposed design and continuously profile-shifted modification method based on the gear skiving process is feasible and contributes to load-bearing capacity improvement.
Molten Salt Pump Journal-Bearings Dynamic Characteristics Under Hydrodynamic Lubrication Conditions
Authors: Liu Yuqi , Chen Minghui , Che Shuai , Burak Adam
Published: December 2023

A reliable high-temperature molten salt pump is critical for the development of Fluoride-salt-cooled, High-temperature Reactors (FHRs). By supporting the rotating journal, the appropriate journal bearing can ensure that the high-temperature molten salt pump runs smoothly and efficiently in the high-temperature fluoride salt over a long period of time. However, many bearing candidates served well for only a short period and experienced several issues. Moreover, the alignment of the molten salt pump journal bearings is a key factor for the molten salt pump's long-term steady running. In the long-term operation, a misalignment in the journal bearing can result in vibrations and excessive wear on the bearing surface of the molten salt pump. The journal bearing dynamic characteristics can be used to accurately assess the journal misalignment. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the detailed journal-bearing dynamic behavior under the high-temperature hydrodynamic fluoride salt lubrication conditions for FHR applications. In this study, a small amplitude vibration is superimposed on a steady-running journal bearing to simulate the molten salt operating conditions. A Fortran 90 code has been written for the journal-bearing dynamic behavior analysis. The code was verified using the numerical data reported in the literature. The code is then employed to predict the dynamic coefficients of high-temperature fluoride salt hydrodynamic lubricated journal-bearing with various Sommerfeld numbers. These journal-bearing dynamic coefficients can be used to provide guidelines in the design of molten salt pumps.
Computationally Efficient Workflow for Conjugate Heat Transfer With Large Eddy Simulation for Gas Turbine Combustors
Authors: Verma Ishan , Prasad Sudhanshu , Zore Krishna , Shrivastava Sourabh
Published: December 2023

Typical gas turbine combustor (GTC) and high-pressure turbine stage generally employs 10,000 to 100,000 small passages of cooling holes. Such an arrangement protects the solid walls through impingement and effusion cooling. The former provides solid wall internal cooling, and the latter helps to reduce the metal temperature by developing a thin film around it. High-fidelity simulations are primarily utilized in the industry such that accurate prediction from numerical tools can aid advancement in the performance of such machines. In this paper, a numerical study using ansys fluent has been conducted with large eddy simulation (LES), conjugate heat transfer (CHT), and radiation to explore the relative benefits of implicit and explicit fluid–solid thermal couplings. The simulations of LES with CHT are performed for well-documented experiments of heated nozzle exhaust passing over a film-cooled plate (Wernet et al., 2020, “PIV and Rotational Raman-Based Temperature Measurements for CFD Validation of a Perforated Plate Cooling Flow: Part I,” AIAA 2020-1230, Session, AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum, Orlando, FL, Jan. 6–10, 2020). The accuracy of the modeling approach is assessed by comparing CHT predictions of fluid velocity and solid-plate temperatures with experiments. Acceleration techniques for LES–CHT simulations are explored in this paper with an emphasis on thermal coupling, radiation, etc. The effects of mesh sensitivity and flow solution approach are presented in detail. LES–CHT results generally match the experiments at various blowing ratios both qualitatively and quantitatively. The comparisons in the paper allow the selection of best practices for CHT modeling in GTC. A generic combustor model with effusion cooling hole arrays is used in the paper to establish the workflow for modeling LES with CHT in the industrial-type combustor. Various acceleration techniques are utilized to show an overall improvement in solution performance with the same level of accuracy.
Analytical Method for Production Forecasting During Boundary-Dominated Flow in Unconventional Volatile Oil Reservoirs Using Single-Phase Analogy
Authors: Luo Le , Wei Shihao , Duan Yonggang , Wang Deqiang
Published: December 2023

This paper presents an analytical methodology for production forecasting of wells exhibiting boundary-dominated flow in unconventional volatile oil reservoirs. An analytical model using single-phase analogy is established to predict the production rate of a multi-fractured horizontal well under multiphase flow. Pseudo-variables are employed to linearize governing differential flow equations. Therefore, the analytical model for efficiently handling multiphase flow is essentially an advanced adaptation of existing single-phase models, in which we derive new multiphase fluid properties. To calculate the pseudo-variables accurately, we summarize accessible methods for the determination of saturation–pressure (S–P) relation and further provide an appropriate way to calculate multiphase pseudo-variables in unconventional volatile oil reservoirs based on simulation results. The simulation study indicates that the S–P relation given by constant volume depletion data for near-critical volatile oils leads to satisfactory results, and the S–P relation derived from the tank-type model is appropriate for ordinary volatile oils. The analytical solution and associated methods were validated through comparison with results from a compositional simulator; the excellent agreement during boundary-dominated flow demonstrated the accuracy of the analytical methodology. The analytical methodology can greatly reduce computation and is justified to make production forecasting in unconventional volatile oil reservoirs, this tractable methodology should be attractive to the industry.
Intervention Treatment for Anxiety and Depression-Induced Emotional Disorders in College Students: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Authors: Zhang Lili
Published: December 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on relieving symptoms of emotional disorders caused by anxiety and depression in college students. Fifty college students with generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale scores >7 and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores ≥50 were randomly divided into a blank group and an MBSR group. The MBSR group completed an eight-week training program, which included activities such as breath awareness and body scanning. The GAD-7 scale, SDS, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and five-facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) scores were compared between the two groups before and after the experiment. After the experiment, the MBSR group showed a significant improvement in mindfulness levels as it had a FFMQ score of 124.64±10.72 (p < 0.05 compared to the pre-experiment and blank group). The GAD-7 scale score was 5.46±2.98, and the SDS score was 45.32 ± 6.01, indicating that both anxiety and depression symptoms were relieved. The sleep quality improved as the PSQI score decreased to 5.26 ± 1.88 (p < 0.05 compared to the pre-experiment and blank group). MBSR is beneficial in reducing anxiety and depression among college students, improving sleep quality, and has a certain effect on symptoms of emotional disorders. It can be promoted and applied in practice.
JAK3 inhibitor suppresses multipotent ILC2s and attenuates steroid-resistant asthma
Authors: Kim Jihyun , Ham Jongho , Kang Hye Ryun , Bae Yong-Soo , Kim TaeSoo , Kim Hye Young
Published: December 2023

Steroids are the standard treatment for allergic airway inflammation in asthma, but steroid-refractory asthma poses a challenge. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), such as T helper 2 (T
H
2) cells, produce key asthma-related type 2 cytokines. Recent insights from mouse and human studies indicate a potential connection between ILC2s and steroid-resistant asthma. Here, we highlight that lung ILC2s, rather than T
H
2 cells, can develop steroid resistance, allowing them to persist and maintain their disease-driving activity even during steroid treatment. The emergence of multipotent IL-5
+
IL-13
+
IL-17A
+
ILC2s is associated with steroid-resistant ILC2s. The Janus kinase 3 (JAK3)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, 5, and 6 pathways contribute to the acquisition of steroid-resistant ILC2s. The JAK3 inhibitor reduces ILC2 survival, proliferation, and cytokine production in vitro and ameliorates ILC2-driven
Alternaria
-induced asthma. Furthermore, combining a JAK3 inhibitor with steroids results in the inhibition of steroid-resistant asthma. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic approach for addressing this challenging condition in chronic asthma.
Eyeless cave-dwellingLeptonetelaspiders still rely on light
Authors: Wang Kai , Wang Jinhui , Liang Bing , Chang Jian , Zhu Yang , Chen Jian , Agnarsson Ingi , Li Daiqin , Peng Yu , Liu Jie
Published: December 2023

Subterranean animals living in perpetual darkness may maintain photoresponse. However, the evolutionary processes behind the conflict between eye loss and maintenance of the photoresponse remain largely unknown. We usedLeptonetelaspiders to investigate the driving forces behind the maintenance of the photoresponse in cave-dwelling spiders. Our behavioral experiments showed that all eyeless/reduced-eyed cave-dwelling species retained photophobic response and that they had substantially decreased survival at cave entrances due to weak drought resistance. The transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that nearly all phototransduction pathway genes were present and that all tested phototransduction pathway genes were subjected to strong functional constraints in cave-dwelling species. Our results suggest that cave-dwelling eyeless spiders still use light and that light detection likely plays a role in avoiding the cave entrance habitat. This study confirms that some eyeless subterranean animals have retained their photosensitivity due to natural selection and provides a case of mismatch between phenotype and genotype or physiological function in a long-term evolutionary process.
Single-shot optical imaging with spectrum circuit bridging timescales in high-speed photography
Authors: Saiki Takao , Shimada Keitaro , Ishijima Ayumu , Song Hang , Qi Xinyi , Okamoto Yuki , Mizushima Ayako , Mita Yoshio , Hosobata Takuya , Takeda Masahiro , Morita Shinya , Kushibiki Kosuke , Ozaki Shinobu , Motohara Kentaro , Yamagata Yutaka , Tsukamoto Akira , Kannari Fumihiko , Sakuma Ichiro , Inada Yuki , Nakagawa Keiichi
Published: December 2023

Single-shot optical imaging based on ultrashort lasers has revealed nonrepetitive processes in subnanosecond timescales beyond the recording range of conventional high-speed cameras. However, nanosecond photography without sacrificing short exposure time and image quality is still missing because of the gap in recordable timescales between ultrafast optical imaging and high-speed electronic cameras. Here, we demonstrate nanosecond photography and ultrawide time-range high-speed photography using a spectrum circuit that produces interval-tunable pulse trains while keeping short pulse durations. We capture a shock wave propagating through a biological cell with a 1.5-ns frame interval and 44-ps exposure time while suppressing image blur. Furthermore, we observe femtosecond laser processing over multiple timescales (25-ps, 2.0-ns, and 1-ms frame intervals), showing that the plasma generated at the picosecond timescale affects subsequent shock wave formation at the nanosecond timescale. Our technique contributes to accumulating data of various fast processes for analysis and to analyzing multi-timescale phenomena as a series of physical processes.
Expedient and divergent synthesis of unnatural peptides through cobalt-catalyzed diastereoselective umpolung hydrogenation
Authors: Song Xinjian , Bai Shuangyi , Li Yuan , Yi Tong , Long Xinyu , Pu Qinghua , Dang Ting , Ma Mengjie , Ren Qiao , Qin Xurong
Published: December 2023

The development of a reliable method for asymmetric synthesis of unnatural peptides is highly desirable and particularly challenging. In this study, we present a versatile and efficient approach that uses cobalt-catalyzed diastereoselective umpolung hydrogenation to access noncanonical aryl alanine peptides. This protocol demonstrates good tolerance toward various functional groups, amino acid sequences, and peptide lengths. Moreover, the versatility of this reaction is illustrated by its successful application in the late-stage functionalization and formal synthesis of various representative chiral natural products and pharmaceutical scaffolds. This strategy eliminates the need for synthesizing chiral noncanonical aryl alanines before peptide formation, and the hydrogenation reaction does not result in racemization or epimerization. The underlying mechanism was extensively explored through deuterium labeling, control experiments, HRMS identification, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, which supported a reasonable Co
I
/Co
III
catalytic cycle. Notably, acetic acid and methanol serve as safe and cost-effective hydrogen sources, while indium powder acts as the terminal electron source.
Mechanical intelligence simplifies control in terrestrial limbless locomotion
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Pierce Christopher , Kojouharov Velin , Chong Baxi , Diaz Kelimar , Lu Hang , Goldman Daniel I.
Published: December 2023

Limbless locomotors, from microscopic worms to macroscopic snakes, traverse complex, heterogeneous natural environments typically using undulatory body wave propagation. Theoretical and robophysical models typically emphasize body kinematics and active neural/electronic control. However, we contend that because such approaches often neglect the role of passive, mechanically controlled processes (those involving “mechanical intelligence”), they fail to reproduce the performance of even the simplest organisms. To uncover principles of how mechanical intelligence aids limbless locomotion in heterogeneous terradynamic regimes, here we conduct a comparative study of locomotion in a model of heterogeneous terrain (lattices of rigid posts). We used a model biological system, the highly studied nematode worm
Caenorhabditis elegans
, and a robophysical device whose bilateral actuator morphology models that of limbless organisms across scales. The robot’s kinematics quantitatively reproduced the performance of the nematodes with purely open-loop control; mechanical intelligence simplified control of obstacle navigation and exploitation by reducing the need for active sensing and feedback. An active behavior observed in
C. elegans
, undulatory wave reversal upon head collisions, robustified locomotion via exploitation of the systems’ mechanical intelligence. Our study provides insights into how neurally simple limbless organisms like nematodes can leverage mechanical intelligence via appropriately tuned bilateral actuation to locomote in complex environments. These principles likely apply to neurally more sophisticated organisms and also provide a design and control paradigm for limbless robots for applications like search and rescue and planetary exploration.
Wildlife conservation using drones and artificial intelligence in Africa
Authors: Petso Tinao , Jamisola Rodrigo S.
Published: December 2023

The use of drones and artificial intelligence may offer more reliable methods of counting populations and monitoring wildlife.
Lesion level–dependent systemic muscle wasting after spinal cord injury is mediated by glucocorticoid signaling in mice
Authors: Harrigan Markus E. , Filous Angela R. , Vadala Christopher P. , Webb Amy , Pietrzak Maciej , Sahenk Zarife , Prüss Harald , Reiser Peter J. , Popovich Phillip G. , Arnold W. David , Schwab Jan M.
Published: December 2023

An incomplete mechanistic understanding of skeletal muscle wasting early after spinal cord injury (SCI) precludes targeted molecular interventions. Here, we demonstrated systemic wasting that also affected innervated nonparalyzed (supralesional) muscles and emerged within 1 week after experimental SCI in mice. Systemic muscle wasting caused muscle weakness, affected fast type 2 myofibers preferentially, and became exacerbated after high (T3) compared with low (T9) thoracic paraplegia, indicating lesion level–dependent (“neurogenic”) mechanisms. The wasting of nonparalyzed muscle and its rapid onset and severity beyond what can be explained by disuse implied unknown systemic drivers. Muscle transcriptome and biochemical analysis revealed a glucocorticoid-mediated catabolic signature early after T3 SCI. SCI-induced systemic muscle wasting was mitigated by (i) endogenous glucocorticoid ablation (adrenalectomy) and (ii) pharmacological glucocorticoid receptor (GR) blockade and was (iii) completely prevented after T3 relative to T9 SCI by genetic muscle-specific GR deletion. These results suggest that neurogenic hypercortisolism contributes to a rapid systemic and functionally relevant muscle wasting syndrome early after paraplegic SCI in mice.
Genome characterization of a Korean isolate of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus
Authors: Kim Dae-Min , Moon Sung-Hyun , Kim Seung-Chai , Lee Taek Geun , Cho Ho-Seong , Tark Dongseob
Published: December 2023

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) outbreaks occur annually in the Republic of Korea. The complete genome sequence of the PED virus isolate CKK1-1 obtained from an infected pig was determined. The genome is 28,037 nt long, excluding the poly(A) tail, and contains seven open reading frames flanked by two untranslated regions.
Complete genome sequence of bean common mosaic virus from black bean in Vietnam
Authors: Neriya Yutaro , Kimpara Nami , Suzuki Tomohiro , Nguyen Huy Duc , Nishigawa Hisashi
Published: December 2023

This is a report of a complete genome sequence of bean common mosaic virus in Vietnam. This virus shares around 99% nucleotide identity with a Nepal isolate.
Insight into the adaptation mechanisms of high hydrostatic pressure in physiology and metabolism of hadal fungi from the deepest ocean sediment
Authors: Zhong Maosheng , Li Yongqi , Deng Ludan , Fang Jiasong , Yu Xi
Published: December 2023

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) influences the life processes of organisms living at depth in the oceans. While filamentous fungi are one of the essential members of deep-sea microorganisms, few works have explored their piezotolerance to HHP. Here, we obtained three homogeneous
Aspergillus sydowii
from terrestrial, shallow, and hadal areas, respectively, to compare their pressure resistance. A set of all-around evaluation methods including determination of growth rate, metabolic activity, and microscopic staining observation was established and indicated that
A. sydowii
DM1 from the hadal area displayed significant piezotolerance. Global analysis of transcriptome data under elevated HHP revealed that
A. sydowii
DM1 proactively modulated cell membrane permeability, hyphae morphology, and septal quantities for seeking a better livelihood under mild pressure. Besides, differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of amino acids, carbohydrate metabolism, cell process, etc., implying how the filamentous fungi respond to elevated pressure at the molecular level. We speculated that
A. sydowii
DM1 could acclimatize itself to HHP by adopting several strategies, including environmental response pathway HOG-MAPK, stress proteins, and cellular metabolisms.

IMPORTANCE

Fungi play an ecological and biological function in marine environments, while the physiology of filamentous fungi under high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is an unknown territory due to current technologies. As filamentous fungi are found in various niches,
Aspergillus
sp. from deep-sea inspire us to the physiological trait of eukaryotes under HHP, which can be considered as a prospective research model. Here, the evaluation methods we constructed would be universal for most filamentous fungi to assess their pressure resistance, and we found that
Aspergillus sydowii
DM1 from the hadal area owned better piezotolerance and the active metabolisms under HHP indicated the existence of undiscovered metabolic strategies for hadal fungi. Since pressure-related research of marine fungi has been unexpectedly neglected, our study provided an enlightening strategy for them under HHP; we believed that understanding their adaptation and ecological function in original niches will be accelerated in the perceivable future.
Mathematical Model of Equilibrium Plasma Configurations in Magnetic Traps and Their Stability Analysis
Authors: Brushlinskii K. V. , Kryuchenkov V. V. , Stepin E. V.
Published: December 2023

The paper presents a review of numerical investigations of a special class of magnetic field-based plasma confinement traps in which current-carrying conductors are immersed in plasma. These traps are referred to as Galatea traps, as proposed by A. I. Morozov. The investigations are presented as applied to a cylinder with two conductors parallel to the axis, which is a straightened analog of a toroidal Galatea-belt trap. The mathematical model of equilibrium is based on a boundary value problem for the two-dimensional elliptic Grad–Shafranov equation, which is solved numerically. Of main interest are various approaches to the stability analysis of magnetoplasma configurations in a trap and the dependence of stability on the geometry and parameters of the problem. We analyze the linear-approximation stability of one-dimensional configurations surrounding a conductor and of two-dimensional configurations in a Galatea-belt trap. The main result of calculations in various problem statements is that the ratio of the characteristic gas and magnetic pressures under which stability occurs is bounded from above. We give a brief account of the main results published in recent years and present new results obtained recently.
Gender differences in weight gain during attempted and successful smoking cessation on dulaglutide treatment: a predefined secondary analysis of a randomised trial
Authors: Baur Fabienne , Atila Cihan , Lengsfeld Sophia , Burkard Thilo , Meienberg Andrea , Bathelt Cemile , Christ-Crain Mirjam , Winzeler Bettina
Published: December 2023

Background

Women seem to have more difficulty quitting smoking than men. This is particularly concerning as smoking puts women at a higher risk of developing smoking-associated diseases. Greater concerns about postcessation weight gain in women have been postulated as a possible explanation.

Methods

Predefined secondary analysis of a placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, superiority randomised trial including 255 adults who smoke daily (155 women, 100 men). Participants received weekly dulaglutide (1.5 mg) or placebo (0.9% sodium chloride) in addition to standardised smoking cessation care (varenicline 2 mg/day plus behavioural counselling) over 12 weeks. We aimed to investigate gender differences in weight change after dulaglutide-assisted smoking cessation. Weight change between baseline and week 12 was analysed as absolute and revative weight change and as substantial weight gain (defined as >6% increase).

Results

No gender differences were observed in absolute or relative weight change neither on dulaglutide nor placebo treatment. However, substantial weight gain (defined as >6% increase) in the placebo group was almost five times more frequent in females than males (24% vs 5%). Female patients were less likely to have substantial weight gain on dulaglutide compared with placebo (1% (n=1/83) vs 24% (n=17/72); p<0.001), while this dulaglutide effect was less pronounced in males (0% (n=0/44) vs 5% (n=3/56); p=0.333).

Conclusion

Dulaglutide reduced postcessation weight gain in both genders and was very effective in preventing substantial weight gain, which seems to be a specific observation in females.

Trial registration number

NCT03204396.
Ductility-related seismic modification factor for CLT shear-wall and glulam moment-resisting frame dual system
Authors: Teweldebrhan Biniam Tekle , Tesfamariam Solomon
Published: December 2023

The cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear-wall and glulam moment-resisting frame (CLTW–GMRF) dual system is a recently completed research prepared for the British Columbia (BC) Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. With the introduction of new structural systems, the need to update existing building code becomes evident. Accordingly, this study evaluates the ductility-related force modification factor ( Rd) of the CLTW–GMRF system for the National Building Code of Canada, utilizing the FEMA P-695 procedure. In two performance groups, 16 archetype buildings are designed considering different building storey heights, CLT shear-wall locations, and wall-frame moment proportions. Numerical model of the systems is developed in OpenSees and incremental dynamic analyses are conducted using 30 bi-directional ground motion records that represent the seismicity of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Collapse margin ratios are calculated to assess the adequacy of the trial Rd factors. The research determined that with an over-strength factor of 1.5, an Rd of 3 is found to be acceptable for the system.
Friendly Kisses Can Be Deadly: Capnocytophaga canimorsus Bacteremia in an Asplenic Patient Exposed to Canine Saliva
Authors: Rubio Christina , Miller Jared , Zrodlowski Tomasz , Ie Susanti
Published: December 2023

The differential diagnosis for febrile asplenic patients must always include opportunistic infections. Capnocytophaga canimorsus is one such infection. In this report, we discuss the case of a 73-year-old woman with a medical history significant for splenectomy for splenic sarcoma with prophylactic vaccination for pneumococcus who presented with rigors, emesis, and abdominal pain. Initial vital signs were 39.6°C (103.3°F), 166/70 mmHg, 92 bpm, and 95% SpO2 on room air. A physical examination revealed mild epigastric tenderness. Initial labs and imaging were unremarkable. Eight hours after the presentation, she became hypotensive. Repeat labs revealed leukopenia with 51% bands, hemoglobin 11.0 g/dL down from 13.9 g/dL, platelets 74 K/μL trending down to 15 K/μL, PT 23.5 sec., aPTT 60.3 sec., D-dimer greater than 20 μg/mL, fibrinogen 190 mg/dL, LDH 1515 IU/L, haptoglobin less than 20 mg/dL, and creatinine 1.84 mg/dL. A peripheral smear showed schistocytes. Blood cultures identified gram-negative rods and Capnocytophaga canimorsus. After further questioning, she recalled her dog licking an abrasion on her left index finger. Four days after the presentation, she developed a purpuric rash on her bilateral hands and feet with areas of Nikolsky’s negative bullae along the dorsum of her left foot. She also developed acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy and hemodialysis. Capnocytophaga canimorsus is an encapsulated facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacillus. Infection can result in bacteremia and sepsis and carries a high mortality rate, even with treatment. Those with hyposplenism/asplenia are particularly susceptible to infection and can deteriorate quickly, as seen in this case. Although this infection is rare, our case highlights how all asplenic patients must be assessed and treated for encapsulated bacterial infections when presenting with an acute febrile illness, regardless of initial laboratory analysis.
Comprehensive Evaluation of the Performances of Heat Exchangers with Aluminum and Copper Finned Tubes
Authors: Wang Fang , Li Yunding , Liu Mengwei , Pang Dongqing , Du Weifeng , Zhang Yichi , Cheng Xiaoqian , Gu Tangtang , Guo Wenliang
Published: December 2023

The finned-tube heat exchanger is the core part of an air conditioning system. Its heat exchange performance directly affects the energy consumption and efficiency of the air conditioner. The shortage and rising price of copper have led to increasing replacement of copper tubes with aluminum tubes in finned-tube heat exchangers. This paper studies two kinds of such heat exchangers, one consisting of copper tubes and aluminum fins and the other consisting of aluminum tubes and aluminum fins. The influences of the different base tube materials on heat transfer are compared and analyzed in terms of heat transfer strength and cost per unit heat transfer. The results show that the heat transfer and heat transfer coefficient increase with increasing inlet wind speed. Under different inlet wind speeds, the heat transfer and heat transfer coefficient of the finned-tube heat exchanger with aluminum tubes are 4%–12% and 7%%–9% lower than those of an identically structured heat exchanger with copper tubes, respectively. The aluminum-aluminum exchanger achieves 67% higher heat transfer than that of the copper-aluminum exchanger at only 8% of the cost. These results are significant for guiding the development and application of finned-tube heat exchangers.