bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activation of ATF3 via the integrated stress response pathway regulates innate immune response to restrict Zika virus
Authors: Badu Pheonah , Baniulyte Gabriele , Sammons Morgan A. , Pager Cara T.
Published: August 2024

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus that can have devastating health consequences. The developmental and neurological effects of a ZIKV infection arise in part from the virus triggering cellular stress pathways and perturbing transcriptional programs. To date, the underlying mechanisms of transcriptional control directing viral restriction and virus-host interaction are understudied. Activating Transcription Factor 3 (ATF3) is a stress-induced transcriptional effector that modulates the expression of genes involved in a myriad of cellular processes, including inflammation and antiviral responses, to restore cellular homeostasis. While ATF3 is known to be upregulated during ZIKV infection, the mode by which ATF3 is activated, and the specific role of ATF3 during ZIKV infection is unknown. In this study, we show via inhibitor and RNA interference approaches that ZIKV infection initiates the integrated stress response pathway to activate ATF4 which in turn induces ATF3 expression. Additionally, by using CRISPR-Cas9 system to delete ATF3, we found that ATF3 acts to limit ZIKV gene expression in A549 cells. We also determined that ATF3 enhances the expression of antiviral genes such as STAT1 and other components in the innate immunity pathway to induce an ATF3-dependent anti-ZIKV response. Our study reveals crosstalk between the integrated stress response and innate immune response pathways and highlights an important role for ATF3 in establishing an antiviral effect during ZIKV infection.

IMPORTANCE

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus that co-opts cellular mechanisms to support viral processes that can reprogram the host transcriptional profile. Such viral-directed transcriptional changes and the pro- or anti-viral outcomes remain understudied. We previously showed that ATF3, a stress-induced transcription factor, is significantly upregulated in ZIKV-infected mammalian cells, along with other cellular and immune response genes. We now define the intracellular pathway responsible for ATF3 activation and elucidate the impact of ATF3 expression on ZIKV infection. We show that during ZIKV infection, the integrated stress response pathway stimulates ATF3 which enhances the innate immune response to antagonize ZIKV infection. This study establishes a link between viral-induced stress response and transcriptional regulation of host defense pathways and thus expands our knowledge of virus-mediated transcriptional mechanisms and transcriptional control of interferon-stimulated genes during ZIKV infection.
Variable fitness effects of bacteriophage resistance mutations in
Escherichia coli:
implications for phage therapy
Authors: Gaborieau Baptiste , Delattre Raphaëlle , Adiba Sandrine , Clermont Olivier , Denamur Erick , Ricard Jean-Damien , Debarbieux Laurent
Published: August 2024

Bacteria exposed to bactericidal treatment, such as antibiotics or bacteriophages (phages), often develop resistance. While phage therapy is proposed as a solution to the antibiotic resistance crisis, the bacterial resistance emerging during phage therapy remains poorly characterized. In this study, we examined a large population of phage-resistant extra-intestinal pathogenic
Escherichia coli
536 clones that emerged from both
in vitro
(non-limited liquid medium) and
in vivo
(murine pneumonia) conditions. Genome sequencing uncovered a convergent mutational pattern in phage resistance mechanisms under both conditions, particularly targeting two cell-wall components, the K15 capsule and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This suggests that their identification
in vivo
could be predicted from
in vitro
assays. Phage-resistant clones exhibited a wide range of fitness according to
in vitro
tests, growth rate, and resistance to amoeba grazing, which could not distinguish between the K15 capsule and LPS mutants. In contrast, K15 capsule mutants retained virulence comparable to the wild-type strain, whereas LPS mutants showed significant attenuation in the murine pneumonia model. Additionally, we observed that resistance to the therapeutic phage through a nonspecific mechanism, such as capsule overproduction, did not systematically lead to co-resistance to other phages that were initially capable or incapable of infecting the wild-type strain. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating a diverse range of phages in the design of therapeutic cocktails to target potential future phage-resistant clones effectively.

IMPORTANCE

This study isolated more than 50 phage-resistant mutants from both
in vitro
and
in vivo
conditions, exposing an extra-intestinal pathogenic
Escherichia coli
strain to a single virulent phage. The characterization of these clones revealed several key findings: (1) mutations occurring during phage treatment affect the same pathways as those identified
in vitro
; (2) the resistance mechanisms are associated with the modification of two cell-wall components, with one involving receptor deletion (phage-specific mechanism) and the other, less frequent, involving receptor masking (phage-nonspecific mechanism); (3) an
in vivo
virulence assay demonstrated that the absence of the receptor abolishes virulence while masking the receptor preserves it; and (4) clones with a resistance mechanism nonspecific to a particular phage can remain susceptible to other phages. This supports the idea of incorporating diverse phages into therapeutic cocktails designed to collectively target both wild-type and phage-resistant strains, including those with resistance mechanisms nonspecific to a phage.
Supplemental Material: Clues on the Australasian impact crater site inferred from detailed mineralogical study of a monazite inclusion in a Muong Nong tektite
Authors: Seydoux-Guillaume Anne-Magali , al. et
Published: August 2024

Text S1: Sample provenance, methods, processing, and constraints on the thermal history of the Muong Nong tektite (MNT); Text S2: Complementary zircon data and statistical processing of the monazite database; Figure S1: Additional SEM-TEM images of monazite; Figure S2: EDS-STEM in one pore; Figure S3: Transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) performed on the ion-thinned lamella; Figure S4: Compositional variation diagram (Th + U + Si + Pb) vs. (light rare earth elements [LREEs] + Y + P); Figure S5: EPMA concentration profiles in the glass at the contact with monazite; Figure S6: Final heating rate and initial cooling rate during the MNT thermal event as a function of peak temperature; Figure S7: EDS-SEM maps and line profile across the interface between the Th-rich domain 1 and Th-poor domain 2 within the monazite; Figure S8: Date (U-Th–total Pb) vs. Th/U diagram and sorting of the database; Table S1A: Electron microprobe analyses of monazite; Table S1B: Line scan across monazite-glass interface; Table S2A: EPMA U-Th–total Pb dates with localization and weighted histogram; Table S2B: Isochron-like diagram; and Table S3: Database used for plotting dates (U-Th–total Pb) vs. Th/U diagrams in Figures 4 and S8.  
Famine mortality and contributions to later-life type 2 diabetes at the population level: a synthesis of findings from Ukrainian, Dutch and Chinese famines
Authors: Li Chihua , Ó Gráda Cormac , Lumey L H
Published: August 2024

Since the 1970s, influential literature has been using famines as natural experiments to examine the long-term health impact of prenatal famine exposure at the individual level. Although studies based on various famines have consistently shown that prenatal famine exposure is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), no studies have yet quantified the contribution of famines to later-life T2D at the population level. We, therefore, synthesised findings from the famines in Ukraine 1932–1933, the Western Netherlands 1944–1945 and China 1959–1961 to make preliminary estimates of T2D cases attributable to prenatal famine exposure. These famines were selected because they provide the most extensive and reliable data from an epidemiological perspective. We observed a consistent increase in T2D risk among prenatally exposed individuals in these famines, which translated into about 21 000, 400 and 0.9 million additional T2D cases due to prenatal famine exposure in Ukraine, Western Netherlands and China, respectively. The T2D increase related to famine exposure represented only around 1% of prevalent T2D cases in these countries. Our observations highlight the significant increase in later-life T2D risk among individuals with prenatal famine exposure but also the limited contribution of prenatal famine exposure to T2D epidemics at the population level.
Effect of probiotic administration to breastfeeding mothers with very low birthweight neonates on some neonatal and maternal outcomes: study protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Alikamali Maryam , Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi Sakineh , Mirghafourvand Mojgan , Gharehbaghi Manizheh Mostafa , Homayouni-Rad Aziz , Fardiazar Zahra , Shahnazi Mahnaz
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Premature birth and very low birth weight (VLBW) are leading causes of neonatal mortality. Almost all premature infants experience hyperbilirubinaemia. Administering probiotics to breastfeeding mothers may positively affect infant outcomes. This trial aims to investigate whether probiotic supplementation for mothers with VLBW infants affects total serum bilirubin levels and postpartum depression scores (primary outcomes), as well as some other neonatal and maternal outcomes (secondary outcomes).

Methods and analysis

This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled superiority trial with two parallel arms. Participants, caregivers and outcome assessors will be blinded. A total of 122 breastfeeding mothers of neonates with a birth weight of 1000–1500 g, along with their infants within 48 hours of birth, will be assigned to either the probiotic or placebo group in a 1:1 ratio through block randomisation, stratified by singleton and twin births. The intervention will involve oral administration of probiotics containingLactobacillus paracasei431 andBifidobacterium lactisBB-12, or an indistinguishable placebo, for 42–45 days. Outcomes will be assessed through daily observations, laboratory assessments and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Adverse events will also be documented. Modified intention-to-treat analyses will be employed for the primary and secondary outcomes, excluding participants lost to follow-up from all postintervention assessments.

Ethics and dissemination

This study protocol has been approved by the Medical University of Tabriz Ethics Committee (IR.TBZMED.REC.1401.735). Findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentations at relevant conferences.

Trial registration number

IRCT20100414003706N42.
Comprehensive evaluation of malaria reactive surveillance and response strategies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Htike Win , Win Han Oo  , Aye Tun Nilar , Khamlome Boualam , Vilay Phoutnalong , Banouvong Virasack , Chindavongsa Keobouphaphone , Lynn Thet , Vathanakoune Sanya , Oo May Chan , Htwe Ei Phyu , Zaw Aung Khine , Thu Kaung Myat , Galau Naw Hkawng , Khant Kaung Myat , Cutts Julia C , Agius Paul A , Kearney Ellen , O’Flaherty Katherine , Fowkes Freya J I
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To achieve malaria elimination by 2030, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) adopted a reactive surveillance and response (RASR) strategy of malaria case notification within 1 day, case investigation and classification within 3 days and foci investigation and response within 7 days. It is important to evaluate the performance and feasibility of RASR implementation in Lao PDR so that the strategy may be optimised and better contribute towards the goal of malaria elimination.

Design

A mixed-methods study comprising of secondary data analysis of routinely collected malaria surveillance data, quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations was conducted in 2022.

Setting

Primary data collections for quantitative surveys and qualitative consultations were conducted in Huaphan, Khammouane, Luangprabang and Savannakhet Provinces of Lao PDR.

Participants

Quantitative surveys were conducted among malaria programme stakeholders and service providers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with malaria programme stakeholders, and focus group discussions with malaria programme stakeholders, service providers and mobile and migrant populations (MMPs).

Outcome measures

Outcomes of interests were awareness and acceptability of current RASR activities by different group of participants, implementation, performance and feasibility of RASR activities including enablers and barriers.

Results

In Lao PDR, malaria programme stakeholders and service providers were aware of RASR; however, these activities were not well known in MMPs. Respectively, the timeliness of case notification and case investigation was 0.0% and 15.6% in 2018 but increased to 98.0% and 98.6% in 2022. Implementation of RASR was acceptable to the malaria programme stakeholders and service providers, and continued implementation was perceived as feasible. Nevertheless, issues such as low level of community awareness, high level of migration and limitations in health system capacity were identified.

Conclusion

Overall, the timeliness of case notification and investigation in Lao PDR was high, and malaria programme stakeholders and service providers had positive opinions on RASR. However, some operational and health system-related barriers were identified, which need to be addressed to improve the performance of RASR in Lao PDR.
Protocol of health screening related to occupational diseases in 100 000 workers in critical sectors: a cross-sectional study with worksite risk assessment
Authors: Yasin Siti Munira , Ismail Nurhuda , Masngut Mohd Izwan , Abdullah Nik Nairan , Yasin Nooni Ezdiani , Omar Mazlifah , Kasim Sazzli Shahlan , Saiman Ameran , Muzaini Kamarulzaman , Elias Anza , Samsudin Ely Zarina , Ismail Ahmad Izuanuddin , Shahadan Sazreza , Abdullah Khairul Hafezad , Ismail Ismassabah , Taib Khairul Mizan , Mohamad Mariam , Ruslan Nur-Hasanah , Malek Mohd Azli Abdul , Anuar Mohd. Ridzuan , Zabidi Nazrai Ahmad , Mohamed Anis Syamimi , Kamarudin Nurul Izzah , Abdul Manan Mohd Hafiz , Khai Ahmad Fitri Abdullah , Noor Ahmad Faiz Azhari , Azzani Meram
Published: August 2024

Background

Occupational diseases are one of the most important health problems related to employment However, in Malaysia, there are few epidemiological studies discussing these issues, especially among workers in the industry. For that, this study aimed to screen workers from high-risk industrial sectors, identify hazards in the workplace and recommend improvement measures in the workplace to prevent occupational diseases.

Methods and analysis

This is a 3-year project in which a survey of 100 000 workers from all 13 states in Malaysia will be conducted using a web-based screening tool that is comprised of two parts: occupational disease screening tool and hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control method. Data will be collected using a multistage stratified sampling method from 500 companies, including seven critical industrial sectors. The independent variables will be sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, previous medical history, high-risk behaviour and workplace profile. The dependent variable will be the types of occupational diseases (noise-induced hearing loss, respiratory, musculoskeletal, neurotoxic, skin and mental disorders). Subsequently, suggestions of referral for medium and high-risk workers to occupational health clinics will be attained. The approved occupational health service clinics/providers will make a confirmatory diagnosis of each case as deemed necessary. Subsequently, a walk-through survey to identify workplace hazards and recommend workplace improvement measures to prevent these occupational diseases will be achieved. Both descriptive and inferential statistics will be used in this study. Simple and adjusted binary regression will be used to find the determinants of occupational diseases.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the MARA University of Technology Research Ethics Board. Informed, written consent will be obtained from all study participants. Findings will be disseminated to the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, involved industries, and through peer-reviewed publications.
Exploring national and international experiences with community first responder models: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Naboureh Abbas , Farrokhi Mehrdad , Saatchi Mohammad , Ahmadi Shokoufeh , Layeghi Fereydon , Khankeh Hamidreza
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Timely arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) is pivotal for effective prehospital care, and efforts by EMS leaders and policymakers to reduce response times, especially in cardiac arrests responsible for 70%–80% of coronary heart disease-related deaths, underscore the global urgency. With approximately 55 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per 100 000 people annually, survival rates hinge on timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emphasising its initiation within a 4–6 min window. Trauma, causing 6 million deaths and nearly 40 million injuries a year, further underscores the need for prompt prehospital care. Acknowledging these challenges, health systems have incorporated community first responder (CFR) models, where trained community members provide initial aid, aiming to bridge the crucial gap until professional help arrives. This scoping review intends to explore the experiences of various countries with CFR models, including their conceptual and theoretical frameworks, recognising CFR as a critical solution for reducing response times in prehospital emergency care.

Methods and analysis

Arksey and O'Malley’s approach will be followed in this scoping review. Our protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols extension for Scoping Reviews. The study objective is to comprehensively understand and map current knowledge about CFR model characteristics and identify effective components and indicators. The review will encompass available articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science without restrictions on date of publication. Additional searches will explore grey literature on Google Scholar and reliable websites in the field of EMS. Articles published in languages other than English and those inaccessible in full text will not be considered for inclusion.

Ethics and dissemination

Since the study data are accessible from publicly accessible secondary sources, no ethical approval is necessary. Peer-reviewed publications will be used to report the study findings.
Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess the quality of paediatric care using health workers as source of data: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy
Authors: Liguoro Ilaria , Mariani Ilaria , Iuorio Andrea , Tirelli Francesca , Massarotto Marcella , Cardinale Fabio , Parrino Roberta , Dal Bo Sara , Rivellini Sara , Trobia Gian Luca , Valentino Kevin , Sordelli Silvia , Lubrano Riccardo , De Rosa Giuseppina , Pandullo Michela , Di Stefano Vita Antonella , Martucci Vanessa , Baltag Valentina , Barbi Egidio , Lazzerini Marzia
Published: August 2024

Objectives

There is little experience in implementing the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of 75 WHO-Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using health workers (HWs) as data sources.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

12 Italian hospitals.

Participants

The minimum target of 75% of HWs was reached in all facilities; answers from 598 HWs were analysed.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

75 prioritised WHO Quality Measures were collected using a validated, and Italian-language questionnaire exploring views of HWs providing care to children. A QOC index was also calculated based on the assessed Quality Measures.

Results

In both the domain of resources and work organisation, most Quality Measures showed a high overall frequency of reported ‘need for improvement’, with high variability across hospitals. Key needs for improvement included: availability of clear and complete protocols (eg, on paediatric emergencies: 44.6%; range 10.6%–92.6%); clear hospitalisation criteria for diarrhoea (50.5%; range 30.3%–71.7%); number of hand-washing stations (13.2%; range 3.4%–37.0%); equipped working rooms with computers for HWs (66.1%; range: 32.1%–97.0%); training (eg, on pain management: 43.5%; range 17.9%–76.7%), periodic discussion of clinical cases (43.5%; range 8.1%–83.7%) audits (48.8%; range 29.7%–76.7%); and all indicators related to system to improve QOC. Factors significantly associated with a lower QOC Index included HWs working in facilities in Southern Italy (p=0.001) and absence of a paediatric emergency department (p=0.011).

Conclusions

The use of the 75 prioritised Quality Measures, specific to HWs provide valuable data on paediatric QOC, which can be used to drive a quality improvement process.
Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring methods and foot length measurement for estimating gestational age and birthweight of newborns in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tikmani Shiyam Sunder , Mårtensson Thomas , Khalid Sumaira , Uzair Muhammad , Ali Qammerulanissa , Rahim Anum , Mårtensson Andreas , Saleem Sarah , Brown Nick
Published: August 2024

Background

This study aimed to update systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring (PCS) methods and foot length (FL) measurement for assessing gestational age (GA) and birth weight in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the quality of reference standards, including antenatal ultrasound (A-US), last menstrual period (LMP), PCS and newborn weighing scales, was also evaluated.

Methods

Studies from LMICs published between January 2000 and February 2024 were searched, using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus. Studies that compared PCS and/or FL with LMP and/or A-US to estimate GA or used calibrated newborn weighing scales for birthweight estimation were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-II tool and evaluated the quality of the reference standards. When sufficient data were available, pooled estimates were calculated using random-effects models.

Results

A total of 50 studies were included. A-US was a reasonable tool for GA assessment if conducted by physicians using fetal biometry and the Hadlock method for GA estimation. LMP was reasonable when women had regular cycles, knew their LMP, were not using contraceptives and LMP data were collected by healthcare providers. When A-US was used as the reference standard, PCS methods estimated GA with a precision of ±2.8 to ±3.2 weeks. FL measurement <7.5 cm showed a pooled sensitivity of 76.2% and specificity of 36.6% for identifying preterm birth. FL measurement ≤7.6 cm had a pooled sensitivity of 78.6% and specificity of 65.7% for identifying low birth weight (LBW). High heterogeneity across studies was observed.

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights significant variability and methodological inconsistencies in using PCS methods and FL measurement for estimating GA and LBW in LMICs. The observed high heterogeneity across studies suggests a cautious interpretation of the results.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020209455.
Exploratory qualitative study of firearm storage practices among surgeons in the USA: contexts and motivations
Authors: Waddle Shelbie D , Thomas Arielle , Campbell Brendan T , Betz Marian E , Johnson Julie K , Royan Regina , Ellyin Alexander , Jang Angie , Crandall Marie L , Stey Anne M
Published: August 2024

Background

A US survey of surgeons found that 32% store firearms unlocked and loaded. This study explored conditions and contexts impacting personal firearm storage methods among surgeons.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with English-speaking fellows of the American College of Surgeons who treated patients injured by firearms and who owned or lived in homes with firearms. Participants were recruited through email and subsequent snowball sampling from April 2022 to August 2022. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was applied to transcripts to identify codes. A mixed deductive and inductive approach was used for data reduction and sorting.

Results

A total of 32 surgeons were interviewed; most were male and white. Dominant themes for firearm storage practices were based on (1) attitudes; (2) perceived norms; (3) personal agency; and (4) intention of firearm use. Personal agency often conflicted with attitudes and perceived norms for surgeons owning firearms for self-defence.

Conclusions

Storage practices in this sample of firearm-owning surgeons were driven by intent for firearm use, coupled with attitudes, perceived norms and personal agency. Personal agency often conflicted with attitudes and perceived norms, especially for surgeons who owned their firearm for self-defence.
Materiality and practicality: a response to - are clinicians ethically obligated to disclose their use of medical machine learning systems to patients?
Authors: Pruski Michal
Published: August 2024

In his recent paper Hatherley discusses four reasons given to support mandatory disclosure of the use of machine learning technologies in healthcare, and provides counters to each of these reasons. While I agree with Hatherley’s conclusion that such disclosures should not be mandatory (at least not in an upfront fashion), I raise some problems with his counters to the materiality argument. Finally, I raise another potential problem that exists in a democratic society: that even if Hatherley’s (and other authors who share his conclusions) arguments are sound, in a democratic society the simple fact that most people might wish for such disclosures to be made might be an enough compelling reason to make such disclosures mandatory.
Clinical, biological, prognostic characteristics of patients with immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and Sjögren’s disease
Authors: Luciano Justine , Gilardin Laurent , Nocturne Gaétane , Bouzid Raïda , Veyradier Agnès , Mariette Xavier , Coppo Paul , Bonnet Isabelle , Joly Bérangère S
Published: August 2024

Objectives

The association between immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) and Sjögren disease (SjD) has been poorly investigated. This study presents the first retrospective cohort of iTTP-SjD aiming to identify risk factors for iTTP occurrence in SjD patients and examine their clinical course.

Methods

Patients with iTTP-SjD were identified within the French TTP Registry based on American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2016 criteria. A comparative analysis was conducted with two control groups comprising primary SjD (pSjD) patients from the French ASSESS cohort and idiopathic iTTP patients from the French TTP Registry. Demographic, clinical and biological data were retrospectively collected.

Results

Thirty iTTP-SjD patients were included and compared with 65 pSjD and 45 idiopathic iTTP patients. The majority of iTTP-SjD patients (n=18) were diagnosed with SjD at the time of iTTP diagnosis. In comparison with the pSjD cohort, iTTP-SjD patients were diagnosed with SjD at a younger age (p=0.039) and showed a higher prevalence of anti-SjS-related antigen A antibody positivity and xerostomia (p=0.015, p=0.035, respectively). EULAR Sjogren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index showed similar activity levels between the two groups. iTTP-SjD patients were treated with plasma exchange (n=28), corticosteroids, rituximab (n=19) and caplacizumab (n=3). In comparison with the idiopathic iTTP cohort, mortality rates (log-rank tests, p=0.228), biological and clinical iTTP relapses (multivariate analysis, p=0.181) were comparable and short-term outcomes (survival at day 30, relapse) were favourable.

Conclusion

iTTP can be a rare complication in patients with SjD. Further studies involving larger cohorts and long-term follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings and to explore the efficacy of immunomodulators and caplacizumab in iTTP-SjD patients.
Applying mark-resight, count, and telemetry data to estimate effective sampling area and fish density with stationary underwater cameras
Authors: Zulian Viviane , Pacifici Krishna , Bacheler Nathan M. , Buckel Jeffrey A. , Patterson William F. , Reich Brian J. , Shertzer Kyle W. , Hostetter Nathan J.
Published: August 2024

Accurate estimates of abundance and density for geographically open populations must account for the effective sampling area (ESA) of sampling gears. We describe a Marked N-Mixture model to estimate ESA and density (number of individuals/unit area) from repeated counts of unmarked and marked individuals, integrating mark-resight, camera counts, and telemetry data of red snapper ( Lutjanus campechanus) at a 1.6 km2 reef off North Carolina, USA. Cameras recorded observations of unmarked and marked individuals, whereas telemetry data indicated the number of tagged fish present on the reef. We estimated density (95 individuals/km2, 95%CI: 58–149), ESA (which was lower when current direction was towards the camera), detection probability (0.06, 95%CI: 0.03–0.09), and covariate relationships. Simulation studies under different scenarios of data quality and space use identified positive bias in density estimates from N-mixture models due to fish movement. In contrast, the Marked N-Mixture model returned unbiased estimates of density, ESA, and detection parameters, and appears to be a more robust method for modeling density given the data available for this analysis. This approach can be applied to other populations where count and telemetry data overlap in space and time.
Quantifying the performance of bidirectional quantum teleportation
Authors: Siddiqui Aliza U. , Wilde Mark M.
Published: August 2024

Bidirectional teleportation is a fundamental protocol for exchanging quantum information between two parties by means of a shared resource state and local operations and classical communication (LOCC). In this paper, we develop two seemingly different ways of quantifying the simulation error of unideal bidirectional teleportation by means of the normalized diamond distance and the channel infidelity, and we prove that they are equivalent. By relaxing the set of operations allowed from LOCC to those that completely preserve the positivity of the partial transpose, we obtain semi-definite programming lower bounds on the simulation error of unideal bidirectional teleportation. We evaluate these bounds for several key examples: when there is no resource state at all and for isotropic and Werner states, in each case finding an analytical solution. The first aforementioned example establishes a benchmark for classical versus quantum bidirectional teleportation. Another example consists of a resource state resulting from the action of a generalized amplitude damping channel on two Bell states, for which we find an analytical expression for the simulation error that is in agreement with numerical estimates (up to numerical precision). We then evaluate the performance of some schemes for bidirectional teleportation due to (Kiktenko et al., Phys. Rev. A 93, 062305 (2016)) and find that they are suboptimal and do not go beyond the aforementioned classical limit for bidirectional teleportation. We offer a scheme alternative to theirs that is provably optimal. Finally, we generalize the whole development to the setting of bidirectional controlled teleportation, in which there is an additional assisting party who helps with the exchange of quantum information, and we establish semi-definite programming lower bounds on the simulation error for this task. More generally, we provide semi-definite programming lower bounds on the performance of bipartite and multipartite channel simulation using a shared resource state and LOCC.
Compatibility of gravitational baryogenesis in f(Q, C) gravity
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Jawad Abdul , Sultan Abdul Malik
Published: August 2024

This paper investigates the disparity between matter and antimatter in the universe with the help of gravitational baryogenesis. This phenomenon commenced shortly after the big bang, resulting in a predominance of matter over antimatter. We analyze the mechanism of gravitational baryogenesis (baryon to entropy ratio) under the framework of f(Q, C) gravity, where Q indicates non-metricity scalar and C denotes the boundary term. This Phenomenon depends on the charge parity violation interaction and for this paper we produce it with the coupling between baryon matter current ($$j^{\nu }$$

j
ν

) and $$\partial _{\nu }(Q+C)$$

∂
ν

(
Q
+
C
)

. In the present work, we evaluate he baryon to entropy ratio ($$\frac{\eta _{_B}}{S}$$

η

B

S

) by proposing two models of f(Q, C) with the assumption of power-law scale factor for each model and the universe contains perfect fluid throughout. We find that under optimal choice of model parameters, the results of $$\frac{\eta _{_B}}{S}$$

η

B

S

of propose models in f(Q, C) are compatible with the observational bound. The crux of the current work is that the outcomes of our propose models for generalized case of gravitational baryogenesis are consist with its observational constraint in different eras of the Universe.
Topological equivalence and phase transition rate in holographic thermodynamics of regularized Maxwell theory
Authors: Hung Tran N. , Nam Cao H.
Published: August 2024

Utilizing the holographic dictionary from the proposal that treats Newton’s constant as a thermodynamic variable, we establish a thermodynamic topological equivalence between the AdS black holes in the bulk and the thermal states in the dual CFT. The findings further reveal that the thermodynamic topological characteristics of the RegMax AdS black holes are strongly influenced by the characteristic parameter of the regularized Maxwell theory. Additionally, we investigate the phase transition between low and high entropy thermal states within a canonical ensemble in the dual CFT. Our observations indicate that the phase transition behavior of the thermal states mirrors that of the black holes. By modeling the phase transition process as a stochastic process, we are able to calculate the rates of phase transition between the thermal states. This result enhances our understanding of the dominant processes involved in the phase transition of the thermal states in the dual CFT.
A family of subfactors arising from a pair of complex Hadamard matrices
Authors: Bakshi Keshab Chandra , Guin Satyajit
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we define a new equivalence relation ‘[Formula: see text]’ on the set of all Hadamard inequivalent complex Hadamard matrices of order [Formula: see text] and show that pairs [Formula: see text] of equivalent matrices [Formula: see text] produce an infinite family of potentially new subfactors of the hyperfinite type [Formula: see text] factor [Formula: see text]. All these subfactors are irreducible with the Jones index [Formula: see text], including all possibilities. We also show that this family contains infinitely many infinite-depth subfactors. As an application, we compute the Connes–Størmer relative entropy and the angle between the pair [Formula: see text] of spin model subfactors arising from the pair [Formula: see text] of equivalent matrices. On the other hand, pairs [Formula: see text] of inequivalent matrices [Formula: see text] lead to subalgebras of [Formula: see text] with infinite Pimsner–Popa index.
Critical behavior and propagator-dependent energy functional in a scalar field model
Authors: Rochev V. E.
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we calculate the vacuum energy as a functional from the phion propagator in 4D model of complex scalar field (phion) which interacts with a real matrix scalar field (chion). The condition of stationarity of this functional gives us the equation for phion propagator. At some critical value of the coupling, the propagator changes its asymptotic behavior in the deep-Euclidean region of momenta. This behavior corresponds to some critical phenomenon. The study of the convexity of the energy functional shows that the solution obtained actually corresponds to the theory. We also discuss the stabilization of the ground state in the strong-coupling region by effective self-action of phions.
Study of thermal properties of the medium produced in Au+Au collisions at sNN=7.7 GeV using a thermal model
Authors: Bairathi V. , Blaschke D. , Bravina L. , Brooks W. K. , Chhabra T. , Kabana S. , Kuleshov S. , Potashnikova I. , Sagun V. , Vitiuk O. , Zabrodin E. , Zherebtsova E.
Published: August 2024

In this study, we examine the thermal properties of the medium formed in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions at chemical freeze-out using a thermal model. We utilize experimental data on various hadron species from 0% to 5% most central Au+Au collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV from the STAR BES program to analyze the thermal properties, namely, chemical freeze-out temperature, baryon chemical potential, and strangeness chemical potential. We employ a [Formula: see text] minimization technique to obtain these thermal properties. Furthermore, we also obtain thermal properties with strangeness conservation condition and at zero potentials [Formula: see text]. We compare particle ratios from the thermal model with the experimental data. The thermal model describes particle ratios within [Formula: see text]2.5 standard deviations and [Formula: see text] between 1–2. We also discuss the collision energy dependence of thermodynamic properties of the medium at freeze-out and compare results with the published STAR results and other thermal model calculations.
Simulation verification of longitudinal acceptance measurement for low-energy superconducting linacs
Authors: Li Tingyue , Liu Shuhui , Wang Zhijun , Li Zhongyi , Jin Chao , Du Yu , Yi Man , Wang Tielong , Chu Yimeng
Published: August 2024

Controlling longitudinal beam loss is crucial for ensuring the stable operation of superconducting linacs. Measuring and optimizing longitudinal acceptance are effective methods to reduce longitudinal beam loss. The SNS has reported research results on measuring longitudinal acceptance in a high-energy accelerator. Compared to high-energy accelerators, low-energy accelerators exhibit stronger space charge effects and nonlinearities, larger beam sizes, and more significant impacts from errors. Therefore, the measurement and optimization of longitudinal acceptance are more essential for beam loss control in low-energy superconducting linacs. This paper systematically investigates the measurement of longitudinal acceptance in low-energy superconducting linacs and validates the longitudinal acceptance measurement based on phase and energy acceptance scans through numerical simulation on the CAFe superconducting linac. Additionally, the impact of errors under actual operating conditions on the longitudinal acceptance is comprehensively analyzed. The research results indicate that conducting experiments to measure the longitudinal acceptance of a low-energy superconducting linac is highly feasible.
Entropy correction of Kerr–Newman-AdS black hole in Rastall gravity under Lorentz symmetry violation
Authors: Media Ningthoujam , Christina S. , Ibungochouba Singh T.
Published: August 2024

The tunneling of scalar particles and fermions across the event horizon of KN-AdS black hole surrounded by perfect fluid in Rastall theory are investigated in the frame dragging coordinate systems by applying modified Klein–Gordon equation and modified Dirac equation under the influence of Lorentz symmetry violation in curved spacetime. The Hawking temperature and the heat capacity of the black hole are modified due to the influence of Lorentz symmetry violation. The Hawking temperature and the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy of the black hole beyond the semiclassical approximation are also derived by taking the effects of Planck constant [Formula: see text]. The modified Hawking temperature and entropy correction of the black hole are dependent on the Lorentz violation parameter [Formula: see text], the ether-like vectors [Formula: see text] and Planck constant [Formula: see text].
How do you trust but verify hydride superconductivity?
Authors: Hirsch J. E.
Published: August 2024

I discuss the sharp dissonance between the recent Nature Materials Editorial “Trust but verify” [Nature Materials Editorial, Nat. Mater. 23, 1 (2024)] and the publication, in the same journal issue, of the Feature Comment by M. I. Eremets and coauthors on hydride superconductivity [M. I. Eremets et al., Nat. Mater. 23, 26 (2024)].
An Efficient, Scalable, Regular 4/8/16-Bit Comparator in Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) Technology Using XOR Gates
Authors: Aruna Patthi , Komanapalli Gurumurthy
Published: August 2024

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) technology is one of the nanotechnologies which attracted a great deal of consideration because of features like the speed of the circuit, low-power utilization and small size. In digital electronics, the comparator plays a vital role, due to its vast area of applications like state machine design, digital testing and fault tolerance, digital control systems, etc. This paper proposes a 4-bit/8-bit/16-bit comparator in QCA technology using the XOR Gate. The proposed method is an efficient method, which has two stages: finding whether the inputs are equal or not in stage 1 and less than or greater than in stage 2 using an XOR gate. The proposed comparator circuits have less area and cost with less delay as compared to the previous works. The proposed energy calculations are carried out with the QCA DesignerE tool, and it is observed that the proposed structures are energy efficient. In addition, the proposed comparators are simulated and synthesized with Vivado design suite 2021.1 and implemented on the Virtex UltraScale VCU129-PP FPGA board.
Hopf Bifurcation of the Ring Unidirectionally Coupled Toda Oscillators with Distributed Delay
Authors: Cao Yang , Guo Peiyu , Guerrini Luca
Published: August 2024

This paper investigates the bifurcation problem associated with a ring-shaped one-way coupled Toda oscillator incorporating distributed time delays. We define precise criteria to assess the stability and bifurcation conditions of the positive equilibrium within the model incorporating distributed time delays, applying the Routh–Hurwitz criterion. Our study enriches the characterization of Toda oscillators to better capture their dynamic properties. This improvement takes into account the infinite memory feature associated with distributed time delays, thereby refining our understanding of their behavior. To substantiate our theoretical analysis, we conduct comprehensive numerical simulations.
Neutron stars as dense liquid drop at equilibrium within the effective surface approximation
Authors: Magner A. G. , Maydanyuk S. P. , Bonasera A. , Zheng H. , Levon A. I. , Depastas T. M. , Grygoriev U. V.
Published: August 2024

The macroscopic model is formulated for a neutron star (NS) as a perfect liquid drop at the equilibrium. We use the leptodermic approximation [Formula: see text], where a is the crust thickness of the effective surface (ES) of NS, and R is the mean radius of the ES curvature. Within the approximate Schwarzschild metric solution to the general relativity theory equations for the spherically symmetric systems, the macroscopic gravitation is taken into account in terms of the total separation particle energy and incompressibility. Density distribution [Formula: see text] across the ES in the normal direction to the ES was obtained analytically for a general form of the energy density [Formula: see text]. For the typical crust thickness, and effective radius, one finds the leading expression for the density [Formula: see text]. NS masses are analytically calculated as a sum of the volume and surface terms, taking into account the radial curvature of the metric space, in reasonable agreement with the recently measured masses for several NSs. We derive the simple macroscopic equation of state (EoS) with the surface correction. The analytical and numerical solutions to Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations for the pressure are in good agreement with the volume part of our EoS.
FRACTAL-INSPIRED SENTIMENT ANALYSIS: EVALUATION OF LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS AND DEEP LEARNING METHODS
Authors: ALSAGRI HATOON S. , SOHAIL SHAHAB SAQUIB
Published: August 2024

Sentiment analysis is a vital task in natural language processing (NLP) that aims to identify and extract the emotional states and opinions of text. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive comparison of large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and Google Bard, with conventional methods in sentiment analysis. We employ a rigorous evaluation framework that covers four essential metrics: accuracy, precision, recall, and the [Formula: see text]1-score. Our results reveal that TextBlob outperforms other methods, achieving an impressive accuracy of 69% and precision of 83%. On the other hand, Bard shows a relatively poor performance, with only 39% accuracy and 46% precision. This study offers valuable insights into the diverse capabilities of AI models in sentiment analysis. A key finding of this study is the importance of model selection according to the specific requirements of the task. Each model has its own strengths and weaknesses, which are reflected in their performance profiles. Moreover, the context in which these models operate is crucial. For instance, ChatGPT generates varied responses, Bard struggles with multiple sentences, and Robustly Optimized BERT Pretraining Approach (RoBERTa) balances precision and recall. This study also reveals the performance gap between LLMs and state-of-the-art deep learning methods. We believe this work will inspire future research and applications of ChatGPT and similar AI models in sentiment analysis and related tasks.
Thickness-Mode Nonlinear Vibration of Quartz Crystal with Initial Stress and Cut-Identification for Optimal Frequency Sensitivity
Authors: Lou Jia , Fan Hui , Wang Ji
Published: August 2024

Quartz crystals are widely used in sensors, auctors, filters, and resonators due to their excellent piezoelectric properties and operational stability. As electronic devices continue to miniaturize, understanding the nonlinearity in quartz crystal structures becomes increasingly important. This study aims to support the design of high-sensitivity piezoelectric sensors by analyzing the thickness-mode nonlinear vibration of randomly cut quartz crystals, incorporating the effects of initial stress. Specifically, a theoretical framework is developed to determine the nonlinear vibration frequencies of the fast and slow thickness-shear modes, as well as the thickness-stretch mode in a randomly cut quartz crystal. The study explores the dependence of vibration frequencies on nonlinear vibration amplitude and initial stress. To ensure that frequency variations are attributed to initial stress, the nonlinear vibration amplitude is maintained at a reasonable value. Furthermore, the effects of cut orientation on frequency variation under a given initial stress are examined to identify the optimal cut for frequency sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that quartz crystals exhibit high sensitivity to initial stress, with the fundamental vibration mode showing the largest frequency shift despite having the lowest frequency. This mode proves particularly suitable for sensor applications. The study identifies the cut orientation with the optimal frequency sensitivity and provides insights that could guide the design of piezoelectric sensors and expand their application.