bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triangulations of grassmannians and flag manifolds
Authors: Abawonse Olakunle S.
Published: August 2023

MacPherson (in: Topological methods in modern mathematics: a symposium in Honor of John Milnor’s Sixtieth Birthday Stony Brook NY 1991, Perish, Houston, 1993. https://doi.org/10.2307/1970177) conjectured that the Grassmannian $$\textrm{Gr}(2, \mathbb {R}^n)$$

Gr
(
2
,

R

n

)

has the same homeomorphism type as the combinatorial Grassmannian $$\text{ MacP }(2,n)$$

MacP

(
2
,
n
)

, while Babson (in: A combinatorial flag space, MIT, 1993. https://doi.org/10.2307/1970177) proved that the spaces $$\text{ Gr }(2,\mathbb {R}^n)$$

Gr

(
2
,

R

n

)

and $$\text{ Gr }(1,2,\mathbb {R}^n)$$

Gr

(
1
,
2
,

R

n

)

are homotopy equivalent to their combinatorial analogs, the simplicial complexes $$\Vert \text{ MacP }(2,n)\Vert $$

‖

MacP

(
2
,
n
)
‖

and $$\Vert \text{ MacP }(1,2,n)\Vert $$

‖

MacP

(
1
,
2
,
n
)
‖

respectively. We will prove that $$\text{ Gr }(2, \mathbb {R}^n)$$

Gr

(
2
,

R

n

)

and $$\text{ Gr }(1,2, \mathbb {R}^n)$$

Gr

(
1
,
2
,

R

n

)

are homeomorphic to $$\Vert \text{ MacP }(2,n)\Vert $$

‖

MacP

(
2
,
n
)
‖

and $$\Vert \text{ MacP }(1,2,n)\Vert $$

‖

MacP

(
1
,
2
,
n
)
‖

respectively.
Scaling Down the Great Egypt Pyramids to Enhance CO2 Splitting in a Micro DBD Reactor
Authors: Khunda Deema , Li Sirui , Cherkasov Nikolay , Chaffee Alan , Rebrov Evgeny V.
Published: August 2023

The CO2 splitting reaction has been investigated in a plate-to-plate micro DBD reactor with a high voltage electrode having pyramid charge injection points. The presence of sharp points (pyramids) creates zones with enhanced electric field around them. The minimum discharge voltage in the pyramid micro DBD reactor reduced from 6.5 to 5.2 kV (peak-to-peak). At the same time, the CO2 conversion increased 1.5 times as compared to that in the reactor with a flat electrode. Lowering the discharge gap from 0.50 to 0.25 mm resulted in more intense microdischarges, further increasing CO2 conversion by 1.3 times. At the same time, the energy efficiency increased further by 1.3 times. There exists an optimum residence time of 0.5 ms as a result of an interplay between plasma contact time and flow non-uniformity. The highest energy efficiency of 20% was obtained at a 3 W power, achieving a CO2 conversion of 16%.
Muscle quality, physical performance, and comorbidity are predicted by circulating procollagen type III N-terminal peptide (P3NP): the InCHIANTI follow-up study
Authors: Pellegrino Raffaello , Paganelli Roberto , Di Iorio Angelo , Bandinelli Stefania , Moretti Antimo , Iolascon Giovanni , Sparvieri Eleonora , Tarantino Domiziano , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: August 2023

Sarcopenia is characterized by skeletal muscle quantitative and qualitative alterations. A marker of collagen turnover, procollagen type III N-terminal peptide (P3NP), seems to be related to those conditions. This study aims to assess the predictive role of P3NP in muscle density and physical performance changes. In the InCHIANTI study, a representative sample from the registry lists of two towns in Tuscany, Italy, was recruited. Baseline data was collected in 1998, and follow-up visits were conducted every 3 years. Out of the 1453 participants enrolled at baseline, this study includes 1052 participants. According to P3NP median levels, population was clustered in two groups; 544 (51.7%) of the 1052 subjects included were classified in the low median levels (LM-P3NP); at the baseline, they were younger, had higher muscle density, and performed better at the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), compared to the high-median group (HM-P3NP).

LM-P3NP cases showed a lower risk to develop liver chronic diseases, CHF, myocardial infarction, and osteoarthritis. HM-P3NP levels were associated with a longitudinal reduction of muscle density, and this effect was potentiated by the interaction between P3NP and leptin. Moreover, variation in physical performance was inversely associated with high level of P3NP, and directly associated with high fat mass, and with the interaction between P3NP and muscle density. Our data indicate that P3NP is associated with the aging process, affecting body composition, physical performance, and clinical manifestations of chronic degenerative age-related diseases.
Associations Between Primary Care Providers and Staff-Reported Access Management Challenges and Patient Perceptions of Access
Authors: Rose Danielle E. , Leung Lucinda B. , McClean Michael , Nelson Karin M. , Curtis Idamay , Yano Elizabeth M. , Rubenstein Lisa V. , Stockdale Susan E.
Published: August 2023

Background/Objective

Optimizing patients’ access to primary care is critically important but challenging. In a national survey, we asked primary care providers and staff to rate specific care processes as access management challenges and assessed whether clinics with more of these challenges had worse access outcomes.

Methods

Study design: Cross sectional. National Primary Care Personnel Survey (NPCPS) (2018) participants included 6210 primary care providers (PCPs) and staff in 813 clinics (19% response rate) and 158,645 of their patients. We linked PCP and staff ratings of access management challenges to veterans’ perceived access from 2018–2019 Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients-Patient Centered Medical Home (SHEP-PCMH) surveys (35.6% response rate). Main measures: The NPCPS queried PCPs and staff about access management challenges. The mean overall access challenge score was 28.6, SD 6.0. The SHEP-PCMH access composite asked how often veterans reported always obtaining urgent appointments same/next day; routine appointments when desired and having medical questions answered during office hours. Analytic approach: We aggregated PCP and staff responses to clinic level, and use multi-level, multivariate logistic regressions to assess associations between clinic-level access management challenges and patient perceptions of access. We controlled for veteran-, facility-, and area-level characteristics.

Key Results

Veterans at clinics with more access management challenges (> 75thpercentile) had a lower likelihood of reporting always receiving timely urgent care appointments (AOR: .86, 95% CI: .78–.95); always receiving routine appointments (AOR: .74, 95% CI: .67–.82); and always reporting same- or next-day answers to telephone questions (AOR: .79, 95% CI: .70–.90) compared to veterans receiving care at clinics with fewer (< 25thpercentile) challenges.

Discussion/Conclusion

Findings show a strong relationship between higher levels of access management challenges and worse patient perceptions of access. Addressing access management challenges, particularly those associated with call center communication, may be an actionable path for improved patient experience.
A new mixed reality tool for training in minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery
Authors: Casas-Yrurzum Sergio , Gimeno Jesús , Casanova-Salas Pablo , García-Pereira Inma , García del Olmo Eva , Salvador Antonio , Guijarro Ricardo , Zaragoza Cristóbal , Fernández Marcos
Published: August 2023

Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is developing an increasing role in surgical practice. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to introduce this paradigm into surgical training programs. However, the steep learning curve of RAS remains a problem that hinders the development and widespread use of this surgical paradigm. For this reason, it is important to be able to train surgeons in the use of RAS procedures. RAS involves distinctive features that makes its learning different to other minimally invasive surgical procedures. One of these features is that the surgeons operate using a stereoscopic console. Therefore, it is necessary to perform RAS training stereoscopically. This article presents a mixed-reality (MR) tool for the stereoscopic visualization, annotation and collaborative display of RAS surgical procedures. The tool is an MR application because it can display real stereoscopic content and augment it with virtual elements (annotations) properly registered in 3D and tracked over time. This new tool allows the registration of surgical procedures, teachers (experts) and students (trainees), so that the teacher can share a set of videos with their students, annotate them with virtual information and use a shared virtual pointer with the students. The students can visualize the videos within a web environment using their personal mobile phones or a desktop stereo system. The use of the tool has been assessed by a group of 15 surgeons during a robotic-surgery master’s course. The results show that surgeons consider that this tool can be very useful in RAS training.
Hydroxychloroquine in nephrology: current status and future directions
Authors: Rao Indu Ramachandra , Kolakemar Ashwija , Shenoy Srinivas Vinayak , Prabhu Ravindra Attur , Nagaraju Shankar Prasad , Rangaswamy Dharshan , Bhojaraja Mohan Varadanayakanahalli
Published: August 2023

Hydroxychloroquine is one of the oldest disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in clinical use. The drug interferes with lysosomal activity and antigen presentation, inhibits autophagy, and decreases transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Owing to its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic effect, hydroxychloroquine has been an integral part of therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis for several decades. The therapeutic versatility of hydroxychloroquine has led to repurposing it for other clinical conditions, with recent studies showing reduction in proteinuria in IgA nephropathy. Research is also underway to investigate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in primary membranous nephropathy, Alport’s syndrome, systemic vasculitis, anti-GBM disease, acute kidney injury and for cardiovascular risk reduction in chronic kidney disease. Hydroxychloroquine is well-tolerated, inexpensive, and widely available and therefore, should its indications expand in the future, it would certainly be welcomed. However, clinicians should be aware of the risk of irreversible and progressive retinal toxicity and rarely, cardiomyopathy. Monitoring hydroxychloroquine levels in blood appears to be a promising tool to evaluate compliance, individualize the dose and reduce the risk of retinal toxicity, although this is not yet standard clinical practice. In this review, we discuss the existing knowledge regarding the mechanism of action of hydroxychloroquine, its utility in lupus nephritis and other kidney diseases, the main adverse effects and the evidence gaps that need to be addressed in future research.

Graphical abstract

Created with Biorender.com. HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; GBM, glomerular basement membrane; mDC, myeloid dendritic cell; MHC, major histocompatibility complex; TLR, toll-like receptor
Assessment of the Correction of the Reference Evapotranspiration at Nonirrigated Weather Stations Affected by Aridity and Delimitation of the Meteorological Conditions that Limit its Implementation
Authors: de la Antonia Gonzalez Ismael
Published: August 2023

As most reference crop evapotranspiration (ETref) estimates are computed from weather stations located outside irrigated plots, the site aridity can produce ETref overestimation. To obtain more reliable ETref estimates, the potential of using the methodology that corrects the observed air and dew point temperatures was first analyzed in this study, and the meteorological conditions that limit this methodology implementation were subsequently assessed. A statistical analysis was conducted of pairwise comparisons between a station under reference conditions (Montañana) and four nearby stations affected by aridity in Spain for 2020. The daily reference evapotranspiration was calculated with the FAO56 Penman–Monteith equation (ETo PM), and afterward, the corrected daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo PMcor) was obtained using the previously mentioned correction methodology. The statistical analysis showed a greater connection between ETref and ETo PMcor in all pairwise comparisons, with the strongest connection reached between ETref Montañana station and ETo PMcor Pastríz station (coefficient of determination r2 = 0.98 and root mean square error RMSE = 0.34 mm/day.). This ETo PM correction methodology was established considering a difference between the minimum temperature (Tmin) and the dew point temperature (Tdew) greater than 2 °C, as this value is considered the benchmark of aridity, but this research found that high aridity (P/ETo < 0.5) inland locations and high aridity coastal locations with high relative humidity (RH), markedly as of 61.5% and 68%, respectively, could exhibit days where Tmin-Tdew < 2 °C does not reflect well-watered soil and healthy grass but rather high RH levels (r2 = 0.77 and 0.57, respectively). As this correction methodology was not established considering Tmin-Tdew values smaller than 2 °C, the application scope of this methodology is limited under the above scenarios.
Flash-Induced High-Throughput Porous Graphene via Synergistic Photo-Effects for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Authors: Lee Jin Soo , Kim Jeong-Wook , Lee Jae Hee , Son Yong Koo , Kim Young Bin , Woo Kyoohee , Lee Chanhee , Kim Il-Doo , Seok Jae Young , Yu Jong Won , Park Jung Hwan , Lee Keon Jae
Published: August 2023

Porous 2D materials with high conductivity and large surface area have been proposed for potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials in future mobility and wearable applications to prevent signal noise, transmission inaccuracy, system malfunction, and health hazards. Here, we report on the synthesis of lightweight and flexible flash-induced porous graphene (FPG) with excellent EMI shielding performance. The broad spectrum of pulsed flashlight induces photo-chemical and photo-thermal reactions in polyimide films, forming 5 × 10 cm2-size porous graphene with a hollow pillar structure in a few milliseconds. The resulting material demonstrated low density (0.0354 g cm−3) and outstanding absolute EMI shielding effectiveness of 1.12 × 105 dB cm2 g−1. The FPG was characterized via thorough material analyses, and its mechanical durability and flexibility were confirmed by a bending cycle test. Finally, the FPG was utilized in drone and wearable applications, showing effective EMI shielding performance for internal/external EMI in a drone radar system and reducing the specific absorption rate in the human body.
Ileo-sigmoid knotting: A case series of 25 patients
Authors: Molla Yohannis Derbew , Yasin Mensur Osman , Kassa Samrawit Andarge
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Introduction

and importance: Ileosigmoid knotting (ISK), also known as double volvulus or compound volvulus is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in which small bowel or sigmoid colon wrap around each other, causing double loop obstruction and frequently leading to bowel strangulation. This study aimed to determine the characteristics, presentation, morbidity, and mortality associated with ISK at University Hospital.

Methods

A retrospective medical record review of all patients operated for ISK between January 2018 and January 2023. A data collection format that was tested on five patients was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentation, preoperative investigations, preoperative stabilization, intraoperative findings, type of surgical procedure performed, and patients’ treatment outcomes.

Outcomes

A total of 29 patients were operated on for ISK during the study period. Of these, the medical records of 25 patients were retrieved, reviewed, and analyzed. Males were commonly affected with a male-to-female ratio of 2:1(16:9). The peak age for ISK was between 30 and 50 years. The mean age of the patients was 42.6 years (SD ± 15.9) and ranged from 20 to 70 years. Only one of the patients had comorbidity (retroviral infection). The average duration of illness was 1.6 days (SD ± 0.65), and the majority (23, 92%) presented within 48 h. Four-fifth (20, 80%) of patients are from the rural areas and the majority of them (15 (75%)) presented later than 24 h, while 3 (25%) of patients from urban settings presented within 24 h. Abdominal pain was present in all patients followed by vomiting (24, 96%), abdominal distention (22, 88%), and failure to pass feces or flatus (15, 52%). Four (16%) of the patients were in shock at the presentation. The leading abdominal findings were guarding (25, 100%), tenderness (24, 96%), rebound tenderness (21, 84%), and hyper-tympanic abdomen (11, 44%). On digital rectal examination, a stool was found in more than half (17, 68%), followed by an empty rectum (7, 28%) and blood in 2 (8%) of the patients. Preoperative imaging (plain abdominal x-ray) was done in 13 patients with symptoms of obstruction and with no features of diffuse peritonitis.

Conclusion

The performance of prompt, individualized surgical treatment in conjunction with the use of advanced measures of critical care to combat the disastrous consequences of multiple organ failures may contribute greatly to improving the survival rate of victims of this dreadful entity.

Highlights
The climate crisis and healthcare: What do infection prevention and stewardship professionals need to know?
Authors: Freifeld Alison G. , Todd Alexandra I. , Khan Ali S.
Published: August 2023

The climate crisis calls for urgent action from every level of the US healthcare sector, starting with an acknowledgment of our own outsized contribution to greenhouse gas emissions (at least 8.5% of carbon emissions). As the climate continues to become warmer and wetter, the medical establishment must deal with increasing rates of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, heat-related illness, and emerging infectious diseases among many other health harms. Additionally, extreme weather events are causing healthcare delivery breakdown due to physical infrastructure damage, slowed supply chains, and workforce burden. Pathways for healthcare systems to meet these challenges are emerging. They entail significant measures to mitigate our carbon footprint, embrace shared and equity-driven governance, develop new metrics of accountability, and build more resilience into our care delivery processes. We call upon SHEA to play a unique leadership role in the fight for sustainable, equitable, and efficient health care in a rapidly changing climate that immediately threatens human well-being.
Impact of gastrointestinal polymerase chain reaction panels on antibiotic utilization in hospitalized adult patients
Authors: Kelly Gillean A. , Iordanov Roumen , Franklin Alex , Ahmed Amna , Srinivasan Krithika , Hayon Jesica , Lasco Todd , Amini Rosie , Shay Sabra , Kulkarni Prathit A. , Al Mohajer Mayar
Published: August 2023

Multiplex stool polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels offer rapid comprehensive testing for patients with infectious diarrhea. We compared antibiotic utilization among hospitalized patients with suspected infectious diarrhea who underwent diagnostic testing with either a stool culture or stool PCR panel. No significant differences in antibiotic utilization were identified.
The Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey IV: continuum imaging at 1367.5 MHz and the first data release of RACS-mid
Authors: Duchesne S. W. , Thomson A. J. M. , Pritchard J. , Lenc E. , Moss V. A. , McConnell D. , Wieringa M. H. , Whiting M. T. , Wang Z. , Wang Y. , Rose K. , Raja W. , Murphy Tara , Leung J. K. , Huynh M. T. , Hotan A. W. , Hodgson T. , Heald G. H.
Published: August 2023

The Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) is being used to undertake a campaign to rapidly survey the sky in three frequency bands across its operational spectral range. The first pass of the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey (RACS) at 887.5 MHz in the low band has already been completed, with images, visibility datasets, and catalogues made available to the wider astronomical community through the CSIRO ASKAP Science Data Archive (CASDA). This work presents details of the second observing pass in the mid band at 1367.5 MHz, RACS-mid, and associated data release comprising images and visibility datasets covering the whole sky south of$\delta_{\text{J2000}}=+49^\circ$. This data release incorporates selective peeling to reduce artefacts around bright sources, as well as accurately modelled primary beam responses. The Stokes I images reach a median noise of 198$\mu$Jy PSF$^{-1}$with a declination-dependent angular resolution of 8.1–47.5 arcsec that fills a niche in the existing ecosystem of large-area astronomical surveys. We also supply Stokes V images after application of a widefield leakage correction, with a median noise of 165$\mu$Jy PSF$^{-1}$. We find the residual leakage of Stokes I into V to be$\lesssim 0.9$–$2.4$% over the survey. This initial RACS-mid data release will be complemented by a future release comprising catalogues of the survey region. As with other RACS data releases, data products from this release will be made available through CASDA.
Consubstantial dualism: a Zoroastrian perspective on the soul
Authors: Good Ted
Published: August 2023

This article describes the group of ninth-century Zoroastrian philosophers I call the ‘Dēnkard School’ and sketches the way they do philosophy. It presents their argument against substance dualism, which the Zoroastrians argue is in tension with the belief in repentance. From an analysis of this polemic, there follows a reconstruction of the Dēnkard School's own doctrine of the consubstantiality of body and soul. To understand these arguments, I describe some background eschatological and ontological beliefs upheld by the Dēnkard School and their specific conception of substance, which includes the notions of ownership and responsibility. Overall, the argument can be seen as a new position on a traditional problem, and so increasing the scope of philosophy in a more global perspective.
Percutaneous device closure of hemodynamically significant coronary fistula following endomyocardial biopsy in a pediatric heart transplant patient
Authors: Dalby Stephen T. , Angtuaco Michael J.
Published: August 2023

Coronary artery fistula is a rare but well-documented complication of right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy, particularly in the adult population. Typically, these fistulae never reach clinical or hemodynamic significance, but some may cause coronary steal and ventricular dysfunction. We report a case of a significant coronary artery fistula requiring device closure in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with subsequent improvement of clinical symptoms and cardiac function.
Echocardiographic measured shunt velocity does not predict pulmonary blood flow in patients with Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt
Authors: Tucker Sarah , Cornicelli Matthew , Loomba Rohit , Fox Jeremy , Wald Eric , Penk Jamie
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Catheterisation is the gold standard used to evaluate pulmonary blood flow in patients with a Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt. It involves risk and cannot be performed frequently. This study aimed to evaluate if echocardiographic measurements obtained in a clinical setting correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow in patients with a Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt as the sole source of pulmonary blood flow.

Methods:

Chart review was performed retrospectively on consecutive patients referred to the catheterisation lab with a Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt. Echocardiographic parameters included peak, mean, and diastolic gradients across the Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt and forward and reverse velocity time integral across the distal transverse aorta. In addition to direct correlations, we tested a previously published formula for pulmonary blood flow calculated as velocity time integral across the shunt × heart rate × Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt area. Catheterisation parameters included pulmonary and systemic blood flow as calculated by the Fick principle.

Results:

18 patients were included. The echocardiography parameters and oxygen saturation did not correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow, systemic blood flow, or the ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow. As the ratio of reverse to forward velocity time integral across the transverse aorta increased, the probability of shunt stenosis decreased.

Conclusion:

Echocardiographic measurements obtained outside the catheterisation lab do not correlate with catheterisation-derived pulmonary blood flow. The ratio of reverse to forward velocity time integral across the transverse aortic arch may be predictive of Blalock–Thomas–Taussig shunt narrowing; this finding should be investigated further.
Between the Media: Media Relations in Literature and Art
Authors: Larsen Svend Erik
Published: August 2023

Most discussions on mediality and intermediality take their point of departure as contemporary digital media, social media included. Hence, earlier periods in cultural history are often regarded as simple forerunners for the highly complex situation in today’s globalized media culture based on digital technologies. It is true that electronic media technology and its social effects now have reached an unprecedented and accelerated technological complexity. However, this perspective tends to ignore the fact that from ancient times up to the late nineteenth century, a wealth of media innovations exercised an impact in their contemporary cultures and societies; innovations that equal the influence of digital media today: the introduction of writing, book printing, the printed press and its technologies, visual reproduction technologies, the telegraph, photography, film, the telephone and other innovations in the media world. The focus of this article is a few specific media innovations and the radical changes they generated over the last few hundred years in literature and art as well as in their cultural and societal contexts. Such innovations are steps in the long process that leads to recent media developments and their influence on experiences, knowledge, ideologies and human self-understanding.
Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with variations in daily routines in elementary schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
Authors: Fretes Gabriela , Corvalán Camila , Economos Christina D , Wilson Norbert LW , Cash Sean B
Published: August 2023

Objective:

To assess the association between child ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and home-school learning environment characteristics during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic in schoolchildren with low- and middle income in Chile.

Design:

Cross-sectional. UPF consumption was collected using the Nova screener. We apply the structured days hypothesis (SDH) to assess home-school learning environment characteristics with three constructs that summarised school preparedness for online teaching and learning, school closure difficulties for caregivers and child routine. We explored associations between child UPF consumption and home-school environment characteristics using multivariate linear regression analyses after controlling for child demographic and school characteristics.

Setting:

Low- and middle-income neighbourhoods in southeastern Santiago, Chile.

Participants:

Children from the Food Environment Chilean Cohort (n 428, 8–10 years old).

Results:

Based on the Nova score, child mean consumption of UPF was 4·3 (sd 1·9) groups. We found a statistically significant negative association between child routine for eating, play and study and child UPF consumption when we adjusted for child sociodemographic (model 1: β = –0·19, (95 % CI –0·40, 0·02)) and school characteristics (model 2: β = –0·20, (95 % CI –0·41, 0·00)). Associations between school preparedness for online teaching or school closure difficulties and UPF were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

Variations in child routines during the COVID-19 pandemic were negatively associated with UPF intake in schoolchildren with low- and middle income. Our findings are consistent with the SDH, suggesting the school environment helps regulate eating behaviours. Future research should evaluate what happens when children return to in-person classes at school.
Understanding the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale Through the Lens	of a Bifactor Model
Authors: Brauer Kay , Proyer René T.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) is the most frequently used self-report instrument for the assessment of the Impostor Phenomenon (IP). The literature provided mixed findings on the factorial structure of the CIPS. We extend previous work on the German-language CIPS by testing a bifactor exploratory factor model in two large and independently collected samples ( Ntotal = 1,794). Our analyses show that the bifactor model comprising a general IP factor and three group factors (labeled Luck, Fear of Failure, and Discount) fits the data well and 7 of the 20 items could be clearly assigned to the factors. The general factor (ω ≥ .90) and facets (α ≥ .67) show satisfying internal consistencies and differential correlations to attributional styles and the broader Big Five and HEXACO personality traits. Our findings support the use of the CIPS total score and expand the understanding of the CIPS’ multidimensional measurement model. Taking limitations into account, the identification and use of fine-grained facets contribute to understanding the correlates and consequences of the IP. We discuss potential improvements to the CIPS.
Concentration‐Discharge Patterns Reveal Catchment Controls Over the Stoichiometry of Carbon and Nutrient Supply to Boreal Streams
Authors: Mosquera Virginia , Laudon Hjalmar , Blackburn Meredith , Hasselquist Eliza Maher , Sponseller Ryan A.
Published: August 2023

Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) export from catchments is strongly regulated by interactions between hydrological flowpaths and their terrestrial use/storage. While concentration‐discharge (c‐Q) relationships have been widely used to understand this interplay for C, N, and P individually, how flow regulates the relative supply of these resources across spatial and temporal scales is not well documented. Here, we analyze c‐Q relationships from 12 years of data to test how seasonal flow regulates the concentrations of inorganic N (Dissolved inorganic nitrogen [DIN]) and P (Dissolved inorganic phosphorus [DIP]), dissolved organic N (DON) and C (dissolved organic carbon [DOC]) and their respective ratios across 12 streams in a boreal landscape. We observed opposing c‐Q relationships between organic and inorganic solutes. DOC and DON tended toward transport limitation with little year‐to‐year change, whereas ammonium (NH4) and DIP were increasingly source limited over time. These different c‐Q relationships translated into large (up to three‐fold) shifts in resource ratios (e.g., DOC:DIN) in response to changes in flow. Our results also highlight strong influences of catchment structure on c‐Q patterns, regardless of solute, season, and longer‐term directional changes. Here, the organic solute c‐Q responses became less transport limited over time; while inorganic solute responses became less source limited with increasing mire/decreasing forest cover. Overall, differences in timing of catchment exports for C, N, and P, create dynamic variation in solute concentrations in streams with subsequent impacts on resource stoichiometry that is central to aquatic ecological processes.
The Carbon Transfer From Plant to Soil Is More Efficient in Less Productive Ecosystems
Authors: Fan Xianlei , Bai Edith , Zhang Jing , Wang Xuhui , Yuan Wenping , Piao Shilong
Published: August 2023

The organic carbon (C) in soil is mainly from plants via litter decomposition. Here, we developed a new litter decomposition submodel incorporating the microbial biomass effect on the decomposition rate based on the Michaelis‐Menten kinetics. This new submodel was coupled with the existing plant and soil submodels to simulate C cycling in natural ecosystems in the continental United States. The C transfer efficiency (EFF), defined as the percentage of C transferred to the next layer in the plant‐litter‐soil continuum, was quantified in different types of natural ecosystems. We estimated that on average 48.1% of gross primary productivity (GPP) was transferred from plant to litter and 15.1% of litterfall was transferred from litter to soil, meaning that the C that finally enters soil was on average approximately 7.3% of GPP. Ecosystems with a drier climate and lower GPP had higher EFF from plant to soil. The EFF concept we proposed provides an empirical proxy for diagnosing ecosystem C cycling and a framework for projecting the change of C fluxes and C pool sizes in response to climate change. If C transfer can represent energy transfer analogous to Lindeman Efficiency, our results suggest a pattern of resource and energy transfer in nature: higher resource or energy availability usually means lower resource or energy transfer efficiency.
Relation Between Oceanic Plate Structure, Patterns of Interplate Locking and Microseismicity in the 1922 Atacama Seismic Gap
Authors: González‐Vidal Diego , Moreno Marcos , Sippl Christian , Baez Juan Carlos , Ortega‐Culaciati Francisco , Lange Dietrich , Tilmann Frederik , Socquet Anne , Bolte Jan , Hormazabal Joaquin , Langlais Mickael , Morales‐Yáñez Catalina , Melnick Daniel , Benavente Roberto , Münchmeyer Jannes , Araya Rodolfo , Heit Benjamin
Published: August 2023

We deployed a dense geodetic and seismological network in the Atacama seismic gap in Chile. We derive a microseismicity catalog of >30,000 events, time series from 70 GNSS stations, and utilize a transdimensional Bayesian inversion to estimate interplate locking. We identify two highly locked regions of different sizes whose geometries appear to control seismicity patterns. Interface seismicity concentrates beneath the coastline, just downdip of the highest locking. A region with lower locking (27.5°S–27.7°S) coincides with higher seismicity levels, a high number of repeating earthquakes and events extending toward the trench. This area is situated where the Copiapó Ridge is subducted and has shown previous indications of both seismic and aseismic slip, including an earthquake sequence in 2020. While these findings suggest that the structure of the downgoing oceanic plate prescribes patterns of interplate locking and seismicity, we note that the Taltal Ridge further north lacks a similar signature.
Numerical Treatment of State‐Dependent Permeability in Multiphysics Problems
Authors: Stefansson Ivar , Keilegavlen Eirik
Published: August 2023

Constitutive laws relating fluid potentials and fluxes in a nonlinear manner are common in several porous media applications, including biological and reactive flows, poromechanics, and fracture deformation. Compared to the standard, linear Darcy's law, such enhanced flux relations increase both the degree of nonlinearity, and, in the case of multiphysics simulations, coupling strength between processes. While incorporating the nonlinearities into simulation models is thus paramount for computational efficiency, correct linearization, as is needed for incorporation in Newton's method, is challenging from a practical perspective. The standard approach is therefore to ignore nonlinearities in the permeability during linearization. For finite volume methods, which are popular in porous media applications, complete linearization is feasible only for the simplest flux discretization, namely the two‐point flux approximation. We introduce an approximated linearization scheme for finite volume methods that is exact for the two‐point scheme and can be applied to more advanced and accurate discretizations, exemplified herein by a multi‐point flux stencil. We test the new method for both nonlinear porous media flow and several multiphysics simulations. Our results show that the new linearization consistently outperforms the standard approach. Moreover our scheme achieves asymptotic second order convergence of the Newton iterations, in contrast to the linear convergence obtained with the standard approach.
Carcinoma-associated fibroblast-derived lysyl oxidase-rich extracellular vesicles mediate collagen crosslinking and promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition via p-FAK/p-paxillin/YAP signaling
Authors: Liu Xue , Li Jiao , Yang Xuesong , Li Xiaojie , Kong Jing , Qi Dongyuan , Zhang Fuyin , Sun Bo , Liu Yuehua , Liu Tingjiao
Published: August 2023

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the main cellular components of the tumor microenvironment and promote cancer progression by modifying the extracellular matrix (ECM). The tumor-associated ECM is characterized by collagen crosslinking catalyzed by lysyl oxidase (LOX). Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) mediate cell-cell communication. However, the interactions between sEVs and the ECM remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that sEVs released from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)-derived CAFs induce collagen crosslinking, thereby promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CAF sEVs preferably bound to the ECM rather than being taken up by fibroblasts and induced collagen crosslinking, and a LOX inhibitor or blocking antibody suppressed this effect. Active LOX (αLOX), but not the LOX precursor, was enriched in CAF sEVs and interacted with periostin, fibronectin, and bone morphogenetic protein-1 on the surface of sEVs. CAF sEV-associated integrin α2β1 mediated the binding of CAF sEVs to collagen I, and blocking integrin α2β1 inhibited collagen crosslinking by interfering with CAF sEV binding to collagen I. CAF sEV-induced collagen crosslinking promoted the EMT of OSCC through FAK/paxillin/YAP pathway. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel role of CAF sEVs in tumor ECM remodeling, suggesting a critical mechanism for CAF-induced EMT of cancer cells.
Posterior cervical congenital dermal sinus tract: case report and review of literature
Authors: Vokshoor Amir , Jajj Harseerat , Grunwald Tiffany , Kolker Steven , Petros Jack
Published: August 2023

Background and importance

Congenital dermal sinus tract (DST) is a rare spinal dysraphism characterized by a persistent tract lined by epithelial cells, beginning at the epidermis and terminating in deeper tissue layers. With 1% of all congenital DST cases found in the cervical region, only 4% of all cases are diagnosed after the age of 20.

Clinical presentation

In this case, a 65-year-old woman with a congenital DST at the cervical level presented with symptoms of neck and some arm pain, suboccipital headaches, and unique external characteristics. Neck Disability Index and visual analog scale were used to assess the patient’s preoperative and postoperative pain, and quality of life. Patient underwent an operative intervention, where the DST was surgically removed followed by interlaminar decompression at C1–C2, excision of the epidural component, and biopsy followed by plastic surgical repair. Pathology analysis indicated a squamous epithelial-lined sinus tract interacting with the dura. Most notably, a meningothelial proliferation with associated psammomatous calcifications was identified, similar to a meningioma.

Conclusion

A review of literature was conducted to further discuss clinical and radiological presentation as well as to document the novel appearance of this congenital DST. As one of the oldest cases of DST, it demonstrated unusual pathological characteristics with a meningothelial proliferation, compatible with meningioma, reported at the epidural level.
Valve turning towards on-cycle in cobalt-catalyzed Negishi-type cross-coupling
Authors: Luo Xu , Yang Dali , He Xiaoqian , Wang Shengchun , Zhang Dongchao , Xu Jiaxin , Pao Chih-Wen , Chen Jeng-Lung , Lee Jyh-Fu , Cong Hengjiang , Lan Yu , Alhumade Hesham , Cossy Janine , Bai Ruopeng , Chen Yi-Hung , Yi Hong , Lei Aiwen
Published: August 2023

Ligands and additives are often utilized to stabilize low-valent catalytic metal species experimentally, while their role in suppressing metal deposition has been less studied. Herein, an on-cycle mechanism is reported for CoCl2bpy2 catalyzed Negishi-type cross-coupling. A full catalytic cycle of this kind of reaction was elucidated by multiple spectroscopic studies. The solvent and ligand were found to be essential for the generation of catalytic active Co(I) species, among which acetonitrile and bipyridine ligand are resistant to the disproportionation events of Co(I). Investigations, based on Quick-X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (Q-XAFS) spectroscopy, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), IR allied with DFT calculations, allow comprehensive mechanistic insights that establish the structural information of the catalytic active cobalt species along with the whole catalytic Co(I)/Co(III) cycle. Moreover, the acetonitrile and bipyridine system can be further extended to the acylation, allylation, and benzylation of aryl zinc reagents, which present a broad substrate scope with a catalytic amount of Co salt. Overall, this work provides a basic mechanistic perspective for designing cobalt-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.
Bottlenose dolphins are sensitive to human attentional features, including eye functionality
Authors: Davies James R. , Garcia-Pelegrin Elias
Published: August 2023

The ability to attribute attentional states to other individuals is a highly adaptive socio-cognitive skill and thus may have evolved in many social species. However, whilst humans excel in this ability, even chimpanzees appear to not accurately understand how visual attention works, particularly in regard to the function of eyes. The complex socio-ecological background and socio-cognitive skill-set of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiopssp.), alongside the specialised training that captive dolphins typically undergo, make them an especially relevant candidate for an investigation into their sensitivity to human attentional states. Therefore, we tested 8 bottlenose dolphins on an object retrieval task. The dolphins were instructed to fetch an object by a trainer under various attentional state conditions involving the trainer’s eyes and face orientation: ‘not looking’, ‘half looking’, ‘eyes open’, and ‘eyes closed’. As the dolphins showed an increased latency to retrieve the object in conditions where the trainer’s head and eyes cued a lack of attention to the dolphin, particularly when comparing ‘eyes open’ vs ‘eyes closed’ conditions, we demonstrate that dolphins can be sensitive to human attentional features, namely the functionality of eyes. This study supports growing evidence that dolphins possess highly complex cognitive abilities, particularly those in the social domain.
Metabolomic analysis of follicular fluid from women with Hashimoto thyroiditis
Authors: Bastos Diana Caroline da Silva , Chiamolera Maria Izabel , Silva Renata Elen , Souza Maria Do Carmo Borges de , Antunes Roberto Azevedo , Souza Marcelo Marinho , Mancebo Ana Cristina Allemand , Arêas Patrícia Cristina Fernandes , Reis Fernando M. , Lo Turco Edson Guimarães , Bloise Flavia Fonseca , Ortiga-Carvalho Tania M.
Published: August 2023

Hashimoto thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease characterized by hypothyroidism and a high level of anti-thyroid autoantibodies. It has shown to negatively impact female fertility; however, the mechanisms are unclear. Ovarian follicular fluid appears to be the key to understanding how Hashimoto thyroiditis affecst fertility. Thus, we aimed to evaluated the metabolic profile of follicular fluid and antithyroid autoantibody levels in the context of Hashimoto thyroiditis. We collected follicular fluid from 61 patients, namely 38 women with thyroid autoantibody positivity and 23 women as negative controls, undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment. Follicular fluid samples were analyzed using metabolomics, and thyroid autoantibodies were measured. Fifteen metabolites with higher concentrations in the follicular fluid samples from Hashimoto thyroiditis were identified, comprising five possible affected pathways: the glycerophospholipid, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and sphingolipid metabolism pathways. These pathways are known to regulate ovarian functions. In addition, antithyroglobulin antibody concentrations in both serum and follicular fluid were more than tenfold higher in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis than in controls. Our data showed that the metabolic profile of follicular fluid is altered in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis, suggesting a potential mechanistic explanation for the association of this disease with female infertility.
Experimental and techno-economic investigation of industrial para-xylene plant revamping to produce meta-xylene
Authors: Khosravi-Nikou MohammadReza , Shahmoradi Ali , Shariati Ahmad , Hajilari Meysam , Malek-Mahmoudi Mahsa , Jafari Nemat-Allah , Sheikh-Nezhad Abdollah
Published: August 2023

In this research, the feasibility study of revamping of simulated moving bed for paraxylene separation in ELUXYL process to produce meta-xylene using industrial Ba-faujasite exchanged adsorbent by changing operating condition (temperature and pressure) were examined experimentally and theoretically. Two different mixed-xylene feed cases (with and without presence of para-xylene) were considered. Different sets of temperature and pressure were evaluated with the help of equilibrium and dynamic experiments to obtain optimum operating condition in a favor of separation of meta-xylene. Results confirm that in the presence of para-xylene in a feed, selectivity of the adsorbent could not change towards meta-xylene. But, in the absence of para in some pressure and temperature meta-xylene was more selective than ortho and ethylbenzene. Finally, by the means of statistical experimental design method the results of all experiments were compered and an optimum temperature and pressure were found. Breakthrough experiment in optimum condition showed MX/OX and MX/EB selectivity as 1.83 and 1.15, respectively. Furthermore, the design and simulation of the real industrial SMB plant was performed in Aspen Chromatography and HYSYS software to evaluate the real performance of MX separation. Simulation results showed the final purification in SMB plant can be reached to 83.91%. At the end, for the aim of promoting purity by considering extra distillation towers the purity of meta-xylene was achieved by 96%. The economical investigation showed that by considering 700$/ton for feed supplied, the process can be satisfactory from economical point of view.
Identification of potent anti-Candida metabolites produced by the soft coral associated Streptomyces sp. HC14 using chemoinformatics
Authors: Abdella Bahaa , Abdella Mohamed , ElSharif Hafed A. , ElAhwany Amani M. D. , El‑Sersy Nermeen A. , Ghozlan Hanan A. , Sabry Soraya A.
Published: August 2023

Candida albicans is the most common pathogen responsible for both spontaneous and recurrent candidiasis. The available treatment of Candida infections has several adverse effects, and the development of new drugs is critical. The current study looked at the synthesis of anti-Candida metabolites by Streptomyces sp. HC14 recovered from a soft coral. Using the Plackett Burman design, the medium composition was formulated to maximize production. Using GC–MS, the compounds have been identified, and a cheminformatics approach has been used to identify the potential source of activity. The compounds that showed high potential for activity were identified as pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(phenylmethyl)-3 and di-n-octyl based on their docking score against the cytochrome monooxygenase (CYP51) enzyme in Candida albicans. As a result of their discovery, fewer molecules need to be chemically synthesized, and fermentation optimization maximizes their synthesis, providing a strong foundation for the development of novel anti-Candida albicans agents.