bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The swimming defect caused by the absence of the transcriptional regulator LdtR in Sinorhizobium meliloti is restored by mutations in the motility genes motA and motS
Authors: Sobe Richard C. , Scharf Birgit E.
Published: March 2024

The flagellar motor is a powerful macromolecular machine used to propel bacteria through various environments. We determined that flagellar motility of the alpha‐proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti is nearly abolished in the absence of the transcriptional regulator LdtR, known to influence peptidoglycan remodeling and stress response. LdtR does not regulate motility gene transcription. Remarkably, the motility defects of the ΔldtR mutant can be restored by secondary mutations in the motility gene motA or a previously uncharacterized gene in the flagellar regulon, which we named motS. MotS is not essential for S. meliloti motility and may serve an accessory role in flagellar motor function. Structural modeling predicts that MotS comprised an N‐terminal transmembrane segment, a long‐disordered region, and a conserved β‐sandwich domain. The C terminus of MotS is localized in the periplasm. Genetics based substitution of MotA with MotAG12S also restored the ΔldtR motility defect. The MotAG12S variant protein features a local polarity shift at the periphery of the MotAB stator units. We propose that MotS may be required for optimal alignment of stators in wild‐type flagellar motors but becomes detrimental in cells with altered peptidoglycan. Similarly, the polarity shift in stator units composed of MotB/MotAG12S might stabilize its interaction with altered peptidoglycan.
Maize catalases are recruited by a virus to modulate viral multiplication and infection
Authors: Tian Yiying , Jiao Zhiyuan , Qi Fangfang , Ma Wendi , Hao Yuming , Wang Xinyu , Xie Liyang , Zhou Tao , Fan Zaifeng
Published: March 2024

Given the detrimental effects of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in plant cells, various antioxidant mechanisms have evolved to maintain cellular redox homeostasis, encompassing both enzymatic components (e.g., catalase, superoxide dismutase) and non‐enzymatic ones. Despite extensive research on the role of antioxidant systems in plant physiology and responses to abiotic stresses, the potential exploitation of antioxidant enzymes by plant viruses to facilitate viral infection remains insufficiently addressed. Herein, we demonstrate that maize catalases (ZmCATs) exhibited up‐regulated enzymatic activities upon sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) infection. ZmCATs played crucial roles in SCMV multiplication and infection by catalysing the decomposition of excess cellular H2O2 and promoting the accumulation of viral replication‐related cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein through interaction. Peroxisome‐localized ZmCATs were found to be distributed around SCMV replication vesicles in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Additionally, the helper component‐protease (HC‐Pro) of SCMV interacted with ZmCATs and enhanced catalase activities to promote viral accumulation. This study unveils a significant involvement of maize catalases in modulating SCMV multiplication and infection through interaction with two viral factors, thereby enhancing our understanding regarding viral strategies for manipulating host antioxidant mechanisms towards robust viral accumulation.
Ultrasound‐guided erector spinae plane block in patients with chronic lumbar facet joint pain: A prospectivecase‐controlledstudy
Authors: Ata Ayşe Merve , Kesikburun Bilge , Karamehmetoğlu Miray , Adıgüzel Emre
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound‐guided erector spinae plane (ESP) block and compare with the conventional physical therapy in chronic low back pain (LBP).

Materials and Methods

This prospective case‐controlled study included patients with chronic LBP. Their clinical and demographic data were obtained, and they were divided into two groups for conventional physical therapy and ESP blocks. Prior to treatment, on the first day, the second week, and the third month, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score were evaluated.

Results

The study included 43 patients, 21 in the ESP block group and 22 in the conventional physical therapy group. The VAS in movement was higher in the ESP block group at baseline (p = 0.047). On the first day after the treatments, the ESP block group showed lower resting (p < 0.001) and movement (p = 0.001) VAS values than the conventional physical therapy group. At the end of 3 months, both groups had improved VAS and ODI scores (allp < 0.001).

Conclusion

US‐guided ESP block might be considered a successful, safe, and technically simple alternative treatment in patients with chronic LBP to control pain and reduce the cost of physical therapy and lost workdays.
The REV‐ERB antagonist SR8278 modulates keratinocyte viability in response to UVA and UVB radiation
Authors: Cvammen William , Kemp Michael G.
Published: March 2024

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) system removes UV photoproducts from genomic DNA and is controlled by the circadian clock. Given that small‐molecule compounds have been developed to target various clock proteins, we examined whether the cryptochrome inhibitor KS15 and REV‐ERB antagonist SR8278 could modulate keratinocyte responses to UV radiation in vitro. We observed that though SR8278 promoted cell viability in UVB‐irradiated cells, it had little effect on NER or on the expression of the clock‐regulated NER factor XPA. Rather, we found that both KS15 and SR8278 absorb light within the UV spectrum to limit initial UV photoproduct formation in DNA. Moreover, SR8278 promoted UVB viability even in cells in which the core circadian clock protein BMAL1 was disrupted, which indicates that SR8278 is likely acting via other REV‐ERB transcriptional targets. We further observed that SR8278 sensitized keratinocytes to light sources containing primarily UVA wavelengths of light likely due to the generation of toxic reactive oxygen species. Though other studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of SR8278 in other model systems, our results here suggest that SR8278 has limited utility for UV photoprotection in the skin and will likely cause phototoxicity in humans or mammals exposed to solar radiation.
ERPs and alpha oscillations track the encoding and maintenance of object‐based representations in visual working memory
Authors: Chen Siyi , Töllner Thomas , Müller Hermann J. , Conci Markus
Published: March 2024

When memorizing an integrated object such as a Kanizsa figure, the completion of parts into a coherent whole is attained by grouping processes which render a whole‐object representation in visual working memory (VWM). The present study measured event‐related potentials (ERPs) and oscillatory amplitudes to track these processes of encoding and representing multiple features of an object in VWM. To this end, a change detection task was performed, which required observers to memorize both the orientations and colors of six “pacman” items while inducing configurations of the pacmen that systematically varied in terms of their grouping strength. The results revealed an effect of object configuration in VWM despite physically constant visual input: change detection for both orientation and color features was more accurate with increased grouping strength. At the electrophysiological level, the lateralized ERPs and alpha activity mirrored this behavioral pattern. Perception of the orientation features gave rise to the encoding of a grouped object as reflected by the amplitudes of the Ppc. The grouped object structure, in turn, modulated attention to both orientation and color features as indicated by the enhanced N1pc and N2pc. Finally, during item retention, the representation of individual objects and the concurrent allocation of attention to these memorized objects were modulated by grouping, as reflected by variations in the CDA amplitude and a concurrent lateralized alpha suppression, respectively. These results indicate that memorizing multiple features of grouped, to‐be‐integrated objects involves multiple, sequential stages of processing, providing support for a hierarchical model of object representations in VWM.
Transdiagnostic psychopathology in the light of robust single‐trial event‐related potentials
Authors: Randau Martin , Bach Bo , Reinholt Nina , Pernet Cyril , Oranje Bob , Rasmussen Belinda S. , Arnfred Sidse
Published: March 2024

Recent evidence indicates that event‐related potentials (ERPs) as measured on the electroencephalogram (EEG) are more closely related to transdiagnostic, dimensional measures of psychopathology (TDP) than to diagnostic categories. A comprehensive examination of correlations between well‐studied ERPs and measures of TDP is called for. In this study, we recruited 50 patients with emotional disorders undergoing 14 weeks of transdiagnostic group psychotherapy as well as 37 healthy comparison subjects (HC) matched in age and sex. HCs were assessed once and patients three times throughout treatment (N = 172 data sets) with a battery of well‐studied ERPs and psychopathology measures consistent with the TDP framework The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). ERPs were quantified using robust single‐trial analysis (RSTA) methods and TDP correlations with linear regression models as implemented in the EEGLAB toolbox LIMO EEG. We found correlations at several levels of the HiTOP hierarchy. Among these, a reduced P3b was associated with the general p‐factor. A reduced error‐related negativity correlated strongly with worse symptomatology across the Internalizing spectrum. Increases in the correct‐related negativity correlated with symptoms loading unto the Distress subfactor in the HiTOP. The Flanker N2 was related to specific symptoms of Intrusive Cognitions and Traumatic Re‐experiencing and the mismatch negativity to maladaptive personality traits at the lowest levels of the HiTOP hierarchy. Our study highlights the advantages of RSTA methods and of using validated TDP constructs within a consistent framework. Future studies could utilize machine learning methods to predict TDP from a set of ERP features at the subject level.
European administrative networks during times of crisis: Exploring the temporal development of the internal market network SOLVIT
Authors: Schrama Reini , Martinsen Dorte Sindbjerg , Mastenbroek Ellen
Published: March 2024

European administrative networks (EANs) are an increasingly prominent form of European Union (EU) governance. Although these networks are typically portrayed as important and flexible forms of organization, we lack knowledge of their temporal dimension, including their development in times of crisis. This paper provides a first analysis of network interaction as it unfolds before and during times of severe crisis for the EU internal market. Specifically, we examine interactions in the EU internal market network SOLVIT. This network offers member states both a formalized procedure for the bilateral resolution of cases of alleged misapplication of EU law, and an informal network for general discussions on internal market topics and SOLVIT‐related matters beyond specific case‐resolution. Based on unique three‐wave survey data, we develop a continuous‐time model (stochastic actor‐oriented model) to analyze the evolution of SOLVIT's informal interactions over time. In explaining these developments, we reflect on the importance of two crises: the exit of a central SOLVIT member (the United Kingdom), which drove informal interactions to a great extent, and COVID‐19, which led to great sudden uncertainty and challenges for the implementation of internal market law. Our results show that the network is remarkably stable and despite, or rather because of, these crises, has become denser over time.
A free boundary problem with resource‐dependent motility in a weak heterogeneous environment
Authors: Zhang Dawei , Huang Yun , Wu Chufen , Yu Jianshe
Published: March 2024

This paper is concerned with a free boundary problem with resource‐dependent motility in a weak heterogeneous environment. The existence and uniqueness of global solutions are discussed first. Next, we establish long‐time behaviors of solutions which is a spreading–vanishing dichotomy. Moreover, we obtain sharp criteria on spreading and vanishing by investigating the associated linearized eigenvalue problem. The theoretical analyses reveal an important biological phenomenon. (i) Resource abundance reduces the motility, providing advantages for individuals to persist in a habitat. (ii) Resource shortage enhances the motility, forcing individuals to expand outward to survive in an environment. Consequently, resource‐dependent motility is more beneficial to the survival of species compared with random dispersal.
Asset bubbles and wealth inequality
Authors: Gai Prasanna , Haworth Cameron
Published: March 2024

We examine the causal link between asset bubbles and wealth inequality in a two‐agent macroeconomic model. Bubbles influence wealth inequality through two channels: altering the debt–asset ratio and fuelling speculation. When bubbles grow, they can temporarily decrease wealth inequality if asset prices rise faster than debt. However, when they burst, wealth inequality increases as the debt–asset ratio rises. Steady‐state wealth inequality is unaffected by bubbles if household types share symmetric speculative timing. Although macroprudential policy, communication, and leaning against the wind can reduce negative bubble effects on aggregate utility, they have a limited effect on wealth inequality.
Fanon, the body schema, and white solipsism
Authors: Romdenh‐Romluc Komarine
Published: March 2024

Fanon's conception of the body schema plays a central role in his philosophy. The body schema is the body's “grasp” or “sense” of itself. Fanon argues that in the encounter between the Black and white person the body schema “crumbles,” so that the Black person experiences herself as object‐like in various ways. Fanon's focus is the Black person's experience because his aim is to provide the Black person with tools for emancipation. Nevertheless, his account raises the question: What happens to white self‐awareness within the colonial system? I argue that a proper understanding of Fanon's notion of the body schema provides an answer. The body schema underpins awareness of other people, not just one's bodily self. It is the self‐other experiential system that crumbles in the colonial system. Thus, we can supplement Fanon's account of Black self‐experience as object‐like with a description of white experience as tending toward solipsism, where this is the other side of the Black self‐awareness that Fanon describes. Both forms of awareness result from degraded reciprocity. Whilst they are not the same, they are nevertheless complementary parts of a defective relation between people.
Improving duplex ultrasound methods for diagnosing functional popliteal artery entrapment syndrome
Authors: Barrett David W. , Carreira Joao , Bowling Frank L. , Wolowczyk Leszek , Rogers Steven K.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) is a rare condition where musculoskeletal structures compress the popliteal artery (POPA) leading to vascular compromise. This study investigates the effect of dynamic plantar‐ and dorsi‐flexion loading on POPA hemodynamic parameters to develop a robust diagnostic ultrasound‐based protocol for diagnosing functional PAES.

Methods

Healthy individuals (n = 20), recreational athletes (n = 20), and symptomatic (n = 20) PAES patients were consented. Triplex ultrasound imaging of lower limb arteries was performed (n = 120 limbs). Proximal and distal POPA's in dorsi‐/plantar‐flexion, in prone and erect positions, were imaged at rest and flexion. Peak systolic velocities (cm/s) and vessel diameter (antero‐posterior, cm) was measured.

Results

Distal vessel occlusion was noted across all three groups whilst prone during plantar‐flexion (62.7%). POPA occlusion was only noted in the proximal vessel within the patient group (15.8%). When prone, 50% of control (n = 40 limbs), 70% of athletes (n = 40 limbs), and 65% of patients (n = 40 limbs) had distal POPA occlusion in plantar‐flexion. When prone, recreational athletes (5%), and patients (12.5%) had distal POPA compression under dorsi‐flexion. POPA occlusions with the patient in erect position were only noted in the symptomatic patient group under both dorsi‐flexion (15.8%) and plantar‐flexion (23.7%).

Conclusion

Compression of the POPA on ultrasound should not be the sole diagnostic criteria for PAES. POPA compression exists in asymptomatic individuals, primarily under prone plantar‐flexion. To reduce false positives, ultrasound‐based protocols should focus on scanning patients in the erect position only to diagnose PAES, rather than asymptomatic POPA compression. A distinction should be made between the two.
Phylogeny and historical biogeography of the leafhopper subfamily Coelidiinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) based on morphological and molecular data
Authors: Wang Xiudan , Dietrich Christopher H. , Zhang Yalin
Published: March 2024

The phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of the globally distributed leafhopper subfamily Coelidiinae were reconstructed by analysis of 2903 nucleotide positions from two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S), four nuclear genes (28S, H3, H2A and Wingless) and 102 discrete morphological characters, compiled for 86 species representing 52 genera within 9 coelidiine tribes broadly representative of the world fauna in addition to 12 outgroup taxa. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses yielded well‐resolved phylogenetic estimates that were highly congruent with most branches receiving strong support. The results indicate Coelidiinae sensu stricto (=Coelidiinae sensu lato without Equeefini and Macroceratogoniini), Thagriini, Tharrini, Tinobregmini and Equeefini are monophyletic. However, the two largest tribes, Coelidiini and Teruliini, are paraphyletic, as well as Youngolidiini and most genera of Oriental Coelidiini. Fossil‐calibrated molecular divergence time analysis indicates that the Coelidiinae sensu stricto originated ca. 149 Ma, prior to the complete separation of the Gondwanan continents, and the tribe‐level lineages diverged between the Lower and Upper Cretaceous (92.77–138.03 Ma). The major lineages of Coelidiinae arose in the Oriental and Neotropical regions, and Oriental Coelidiini arose as a result of dispersal and colonisation from the Afrotropical region.
Coordination and binary branching
Authors: Przepiórkowski Adam
Published: March 2024

In “Subordination and Binary Branching”, a recent (2023) Syntax paper, Ad Neeleman and colleagues proposed a new analysis of subordination. The main aim of this paper is to refute that analysis, using data from the coordination of unlike categories and unlike grammatical functions. Additionally, building on Neeleman et al.'s observations about the arbitrarily ‐ary—not just binary—nature of coordination, I sketch a more Minimalist approach to subordination and coordination that is devoid of the problems that Neeleman et al.'s analysis faces, but otherwise covers a similar range of data. On this approach, “subordination” is a synonym of “result of PairMerge” and “coordination” is a synonym of “result of SetMerge”, where SetMerge is understood as an operation creating an arbitrary set, as opposed to the usual more specialized Merge operation, which creates a binary set.
On the definition of Merge
Authors: Zyman Erik
Published: March 2024

Two fundamental tasks of syntactic inquiry are to identify the elementary structure‐building operations and to determine what properties they have and why. This article aims to bring us closer to those goals by investigating Merge. Two recent definitions of Merge are evaluated. It is argued that both have significant strengths but also some drawbacks, and that set‐theoretic definitions of Merge in general face conceptual problems. It is proposed that Merge is not set‐theoretic but graph‐theoretic in nature: the syntactic objects it operates on and creates are (bare‐phrase‐structure‐compliant) phrase‐structure trees. Two new formal definitions of Merge are proposed and evaluated. One obeys the No‐Tampering Condition but makes it unclear why Merge() satisfies only one selectional feature of , not all of them. The other accounts for that observation but narrowly violates the No‐Tampering Condition. The larger picture that emerges is one in which Merge is a graph‐theoretic, not a set‐theoretic, operation.
Sidgwick and Bentham's “double aspect” of utilitarianism revisited
Authors: Zhang Yanxiang
Published: March 2024

In “Sidgwick on Bentham: the ‘Double Aspect’ of Utilitarianism”, Schofield argued that Bentham did not regard his psychological theory as part of his utilitarianism and that natural benevolence is at his disposal to mitigate the problem of the “double aspect” of utilitarianism. This paper argues that Bentham regarded his psychological theory as part of his utilitarianism and that, in a manner quite distinct from an internal, benevolence approach, he took advantage of self‐preference and thus adopted a self‐preference and artificial means‐based approach, thereby still maintaining an internal approach supported by external, institutional contrivance. In so doing, he argued first that self‐preference could add to the greatest happiness; second, that benevolence would tend to facilitate the achievement of the greatest happiness, with the consequence that he endorsed the artificial cultivation of benevolence; and third, that the artificial means of the junction‐of‐interests‐prescribing principle should be adopted to bridge the gap between self‐preference and the greatest happiness. Sidgwick failed to appreciate the depth and sophistication of Bentham's logic.
Panic activism or crisis solidarity? Reworking crisis narratives in climate activism through the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Nissen Sylvia , Cretney Raven
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Crisis narratives have long been a prominent feature of the climate movement to spur system change. The COVID‐19 pandemic brought to the fore the complexities of navigating climate action through the overlapping crises of the Anthropocene. While crisis is seen to offer possibilities for transformational change, it also threatens to prioritise urgency over justice. It is therefore important to understand how climate activists, in practice, are mobilising different narratives of crisis. To this end, we empirically examine climate activists' reflections on crisis in Aotearoa New Zealand through their experiences of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We identify a narrative of ‘panic‐activism’ that uses crisis to demonstrate the severity of the climate threat to enable drastic action. Such narratives are often underpinned by a ‘hierarchy of crisis’ that positions climate change as the most imminent existential crisis. We caution that this crisis narrative is troubling for climate justice, particularly as it positions one crisis as more urgent than others. However, in contrast to panic‐activism, our study suggests climate activists in Aotearoa tended to approach crisis cautiously and with reluctant necessity, rather than as something to be actively catalysed or capitalised on. Instead, activists cultivated a narrative of ‘crisis solidarity’ that highlights the networks of reciprocity and vulnerability across and within communities for more intersectional social movement organising.
Use of FreeStyle Libre for continuous glucose monitoring in adult horses
Authors: Françoso Rafael , Baccarin Raquel Y. , de Siqueira Renata F. , Belli Carla B.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

To evaluate the feasibility of using the FreeStyle Libre (a continuous glucose monitoring system [CGMS]) for instantaneous continuous monitoring of interstitial glucose in adult horses and examine the applicability and accuracy of this system in horses submitted to combined glucose–insulin test (CGIT).

Design

Laboratory measurements and continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) readings were analyzed using a 2 × 2 factorial statistical model with repeated measures over time. This analysis assessed the effects of the test (factor 1), group (factor 2), and their interactions (test × group, test × time, and group × time). Pearson's correlation analysis was applied to blood glucose values. Mean comparisons were conducted using thet‐test, and agreement between techniques was assessed via the Bland–Altman method, with a 95% confidence interval.

Setting

Field study on private horse farms in association with a veterinary school.

Animals

Ten healthy stallions were assigned to one of two groups based on their body condition scores (BCS). Group 1 (G1,n = 5) consisted of nonobese horses with a BCS of 5 or 6, while Group 2 (G2,n = 5) consisted of obese horses with a BCS of 7 or higher.

Interventions

A CGMS sensor was attached to the dorsolateral aspect of the proximal one third of each horse's neck. Laboratory blood glucose measurements and CGMS interstitial glucose readings were compared at different time points for up to 7 days after sensor fixation. Obese horses were also submitted to CGIT on Day 4.

Measurements and Main Results

A comparative analysis of glucose measurements obtained in G1 and G2 horses using the CGMS and enzymatic methods revealed significant group × time interactions (P < 0.001) and time effects (P < 0.001). No interactions were detected between group (P = 0.45), test (P = 0.62), group and test (P = 0.28), or time and test (P = 0.92). In G1 and G2, tests were significantly correlated (r = 0.84 andP = 0.00) at all time points (T0–T5). Agreement between the glucose values obtained using different methods was excellent despite a small time delay in CGMS detection of rapid changes in blood glucose.

Conclusions

It was concluded that the CGMS can be used for indirect assessment of glycemic status (ie, based on interstitial glucose measurements) in nonobese and obese adult horses submitted to CGIT.
Retrospective evaluation of postoperative joint immobilization using a temporary calcaneotibial screw for medial or lateral tarsocrural joint instability in dogs
Authors: Saitoh Yuya , Worth Andrew J. , Hasselman Hugh , Devereux Sacha
Published: March 2024

Objective

To evaluate the use of a temporary calcaneotibial screw (CTS) to immobilize medial or lateral tarsocrural joint instability (TCI) in dogs.

Study design

Retrospective study.

Animals

Twelve dogs (including five active working farm dogs) with TCI.

Methods

Medical records (January 2015–June 2023) were retrospectively reviewed for cases of TCI managed surgically including temporary joint immobilization using a CTS and external coaptation. Clinical data consisted of medical records and an online survey completed by the owner.

Results

Surgical techniques to address TCI included primary ligamentous repair, synthetic ligament reconstruction, or malleolar fracture repair. Immobilization with a CTS was employed for 6–8 weeks postoperatively. The online survey was completed for 10 dogs. All dogs exhibited good‐to‐excellent functional outcomes at the follow‐up (median, 31 months; range, 4–66). All working farm dogs (5) were able to return to normal or substantial levels of their work. Four distinct complications were reported in three dogs including one CTS breakage and three bandage‐related soft‐tissue injuries.

Conclusion

This retrospective study represents the first report of employing a temporary CTS for TCI in dogs.

Clinical significance

A temporary CTS was effective in immobilizing the tarsocrural joint for dogs with TCI and the postoperative complication rate in this study was relatively low. A CTS screw and external coaptation is a viable alternative to previously reported methods of tarsocrural joint stabilization.
Human exposures to Brucella canis from a pregnant dog during an international flight: Public health risks, diagnostic challenges and future considerations
Authors: Williams Cara , Swisher Samantha , Miller Nicholas , Pinn‐Woodcock Toby , Austin Connie , Hsiao Shih‐Hsuan , Arenas‐Gamboa Angela M. , Tiller Rebekah , Thacker Tyler , Taetzsch Sara , Franklin‐Guild Rebecca , Cutter Laurel , Quance Christine , Hung Chien‐Che , Maddox Carol W. , Ernst Mark , Guarino Cassandra , Lanka Saraswathi , Garcia‐Gonzalez Daniel G. , Slager Staci , Sunavala Zenia , Brown Clive , Negron Maria , Pieracci Emily G.
Published: March 2024

Aims

This report documents the exposure of passengers and crew of a commercial international flight to the zoonotic pathogen Brucella canis after an infected dog aborted in the passenger cabin of the aircraft. This case demonstrates the challenges associated with brucellosis screening and the risks that airline personnel, airport employees and travellers face when animals with unrecognized zoonotic infections are transported.

Methods/Results

The public health investigation of this case was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Health and the Illinois Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with a local veterinary clinic and several academic and federal diagnostic laboratories. It included an extensive diagnostic evaluation of the dam and aborted foetuses to confirm a diagnosis of canine brucellosis. Passengers, airline personnel and staff from the veterinary clinic where the dogs were treated underwent risk assessments, and clinic staff also received detailed guidance regarding infection prevention practices.

Conclusions

Animal shelters and breeding programs are recommended to screen dogs routinely for brucellosis, but it is not unusual for domestic or imported animals to have unknown health histories, including the dog's brucellosis status, at the time of purchase, adoption, or re‐homing. Testing recommendations and requirements vary by state, making it challenging for state public health and animal health agencies to monitor and respond appropriately. This case highlights the importance of Brucella spp. screening in sexually intact dogs prior to breeding, purchase, or domestic or international transportation of the dogs. The transportation of pregnant dogs may present a previously unrecognized public health threat in addition to contributing to unnecessary stress and health risks for pregnant animals.
Almost spanning distance trees in subsets of finite vector spaces
Authors: Chakraborti Debsoumya , Lund Ben
Published: March 2024

For and an odd prime power , consider the vector space over the finite field , where the distance between two points and is defined as . A distance graph is a graph associated with a nonzero distance to each of its edges. We show that large subsets of vector spaces over finite fields contain every nearly spanning distance tree with bounded degree in each distance. This quantitatively improves results by Bennett, Chapman, Covert, Hart, Iosevich, and Pakianathan on finding distance paths, and results by Pham, Senger, Tait, and Thu on finding distance trees. A key ingredient in proving our main result is to obtain a colorful generalization of a classical result of Haxell about finding nearly spanning bounded‐degree trees in an expander.
Characterizing NIP henselian fields
Authors: Anscombe Sylvy , Jahnke Franziska
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we characterize NIP (Not the Independence Property) henselian valued fields modulo the theory of their residue field, both in an algebraic and in a model‐theoretic way. Assuming the conjecture that every infinite NIP field is either separably closed, real closed, or admits a nontrivial henselian valuation, this allows us to obtain a characterization of all theories of NIP fields.
The renal vasodilatation from β‐adrenergic activation in vivo in rats is not driven by KV7 and BKCa channels
Authors: Sorensen Charlotte Mehlin , Salomonsson Max , Lubberding Anniek Frederike , Holstein‐Rathlou Niels‐Henrik
Published: March 2024

The mechanisms behind renal vasodilatation elicited by stimulation of β‐adrenergic receptors are not clarified. As several classes of K channels are potentially activated, we tested the hypothesis that KV7 and BKCa channels contribute to the decreased renal vascular tone in vivo and in vitro. Changes in renal blood flow (RBF) during β‐adrenergic stimulation were measured in anaesthetized rats using an ultrasonic flow probe. The isometric tension of segmental arteries from normo‐ and hypertensive rats and segmental arteries from wild‐type mice and mice lacking functional KV7.1 channels was examined in a wire‐myograph. The β‐adrenergic agonist isoprenaline increased RBF significantly in vivo. Neither activation nor inhibition of KV7 and BKCa channels affected the β‐adrenergic RBF response. In segmental arteries from normo‐ and hypertensive rats, inhibition of KV7 channels significantly decreased the β‐adrenergic vasorelaxation. However, inhibiting BKCa channels was equally effective in reducing the β‐adrenergic vasorelaxation. The β‐adrenergic vasorelaxation was not different between segmental arteries from wild‐type mice and mice lacking KV7.1 channels. As opposed to rats, inhibition of KV7 channels did not affect the murine β‐adrenergic vasorelaxation. Although inhibition and activation of KV7 channels or BKCa channels significantly changed baseline RBF in vivo, none of the treatments affected β‐adrenergic vasodilatation. In isolated segmental arteries, however, inhibition of KV7 and BKCa channels significantly reduced the β‐adrenergic vasorelaxation, indicating that the regulation of RBF in vivo is driven by several actors in order to maintain an adequate RBF. Our data illustrates the challenge in extrapolating results from in vitro to in vivo conditions.
On a Nonlinear Locally Resonant Metamaterial With Resistance-Inductance Shunt
Authors: Malla Arun , Bukhari Mohammad , Barry Oumar
Published: March 2024

Numerous recent works have established the potential of various types of metamaterials for simultaneous vibration control and energy harvesting. In this paper, we investigate a weakly nonlinear metamaterial with electromechanical (EM) local resonators coupled to a resistance-inductance shunt circuit, a system with no previous examination in the literature. An analytical solution is developed for the system, using the perturbation method of multiple scales, and validated through direct numerical integration. The resulting linear and nonlinear band structures are used for parametric analysis of the system, focusing on the effect of resonator and shunt circuit parameters on band gap formation and vibration attenuation. This band structure analysis informs further study of the system through wavepacket excitation as well as spectro-spatial analysis. The voltage response of the system is studied through spatial profiles and spectrograms to observe the effects of shunt inductance, nonlinearity, and their interactions. Results describe the impact of adding a shunted inductor, including significant changes to the band structure; multiple methods of tuning band gaps and pass bands of the system; and changes to wave propagation and voltage response. The results demonstrate the flexibility of the proposed metamaterial and its potential for both vibration control and energy harvesting, specifically compared to a previously studied system with resistance-only shunt.
Improved Numerical Approach for Bagley–Torvik Equation Using Fractional Integral Formula and Adams–Moulton Method
Authors: Jeon Yonghyeon , Bu Sunyoung
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we introduce a numerical technique for solving Bagley–Torvik equations which plays an outstanding role in fractional calculus. To handle the derivatives and fractional integral in the Bagley–Torvik equations, the Laplace transform is employed to convert the equations to fractional integration equations. The resulting integral equations are solved by implicit Adams–Moulton methods. Moreover, we show the analytic convergence order of the proposed technique through the convergence analysis, and the analysis is validated by the numerical experiments. Illustrative experiments also demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed method by comparing it with other existing methods.
Simulation-Driven Universal Surrogates of Coupled Mechanical Systems: Real-Time Simulation of a Forestry Crane
Authors: Khadim Qasim , Kurvinen Emil , Mikkola Aki , Orzechowski Grzegorz
Published: March 2024

Preparing simulation-driven surrogates for a coupled mechanical system can be challenging because the associated mechanical and actuator dynamics demand high-fidelity numerical solutions. Proposed here is a universal hydraulic surrogate (UHS), which can provide solutions to high-fidelity mechanical systems with a universal actuator in a surrogate-assisted monolithic approach. The UHS acts as an alternative to the standard lumped fluid theory by eliminating the hydraulic pressures differential equations. A surrogate-assisted universal actuator uses an approximated model to define hydraulic force in high-fidelity mechanical systems. The approximated force model was developed through training against the dynamics of a one-dimensional (1D) hydraulic cylinder and spring-damper. A covariance matrix adaption evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES) was used as an optimization algorithm to minimize differences between the standard dynamics and UHS approaches at the position and velocity levels. The robustness of resulting UHS was validated to predict the behaviors of the simple four-bar mechanism and the forestry crane. The focus was on numerical accuracy and computational efficiency. The maximum percent normalized root mean square error (PN-RMSE) between the states of the approximated force model and lumped fluid theory were approximately 2.04% and 6.95%, respectively. The proposed method was approximately 52 times faster than the standard lumped fluid theory method. By providing accurate predictions outside the training data, the simulation-driven UHS promises better computational performance leading to real-time simulation solutions for the coupled mechanical systems. The UHS can be applied in simulation, optimization, control, state and parameter estimation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementations for coupled mechanical systems.
Integrated Hybrid Engine Cycle Design and Power Management Optimization
Authors: Ghelani Raj , Roumeliotis Ioannis , Saias Chana Anna , Mourouzidis Christos , Pachidis Vassilios , Norman Justin , Bacic Marko
Published: March 2024

A novel integrated gas turbine cycle design and power management optimization methodology for parallel hybrid electric propulsion architectures is presented in this paper. The gas turbine multipoint cycle design method is extended to turboprop and turbofan architectures, and several trade studies are performed initially at the cycle level. It is shown that the maximum degree of electrification is limited by the surge margin levels of the booster in the turbofan configuration. An aircraft mission-level assessment is then performed using the integrated optimization method initially for an A320 Neo style aircraft case. The results indicate that the optimal cycle redesigned hybrid electric propulsion system (HEPS) favors takeoff and climb power on-takes while optimal retrofit HEPS favor cruise power on-takes. It is shown that for current battery energy density (250 Wh/Kg), there is no fuel burn benefit. Furthermore, even for optimistic energy density values (750 Wh/kg) the maximum fuel burn benefit for a 500 nm mission is 5.5% and 4% for redesigned and retrofit HEPS, respectively. The power management strategies for HEPS configurations also differ based on gas turbine technology with improvement in gas turbine technology showing greater scope for electrification. The method is then extended to ATR 72 style aircraft case, showing greater fuel burn benefits across the flight mission envelope. The power management strategies also change depending on the objective function, and optimum strategies are reported for direct operating cost or fuel burn. The retrofit case studies show a benefit in direct operating cost compared to redesigned case studies for ATR 72. Finally, a novel multimission approach is shown to highlight the overall fuel burn and direct operating cost benefit across the aircraft mission cluster.
Diminishing Safety Margins of Telescoping-Boom Aerial Lifts
Authors: Singhose William
Published: March 2024

As the height of telescoping-boom aerial lifts increase, the severity of tip-over accidents obviously increases. To reduce the probability of tip-over accidents, manufacturers use countermeasures such as outriggers and wheel axels that expand in width to provide a more stable base, counterweights to offset the moments generated by the telescoping boom, and controllers that limit the machine configurations to within stable envelopes. The size of stability margins is determined by industry standards that set the approved load capacity of the machine to less than the load that would induce tip-over. This paper investigates the effectiveness of such load-based safety margins for very tall aerial lifts with telescoping-booms. The results indicate that the industry standards result in both inconsistent and often low safety margins.
Pain Mechanosensitivity in Individuals With and Without a History of Lateral Ankle Sprain: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Patlan Ilana , Ohrnberger Elisabeth , Kosik Kyle B.
Published: March 2024

Clinical Scenario: Pain is a common symptom experienced by individuals who sustain an acute lateral ankle sprain and can continue to persist among those who develop chronic ankle instability. Most rehabilitation protocols for individuals with acute ankle sprains or chronic ankle instability focus on restoring physical impairments and have largely omitted any pain-relieving therapies. This impairment-based focus has led pain to be an understudied symptom among individuals with an ankle sprain history. Overlooking the role of pain has also left clinicians with little insight into whether pain experienced after an ankle sprain is local (i.e., peripheral sensitization) or widespread (i.e., central sensitization). Understanding the pain profiles for those with an ankle sprain history may represent an unexploited area for clinicians and future research to improve health outcomes for this patient population. Clinical Question: Is there evidence to suggest that pain mechanosensitivity levels are different between those with and without a history of lateral ankle sprain? Summary of Key Findings: The literature was systematically searched for Level 4 evidence or higher. The search yielded two cross-sectional case-control studies and one cross-sectional study that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Based on the available evidence, pain mechanosensitivity levels are lower across ligamentous stabilizers immediately after an acute ankle sprain and over lower extremity neuromuscular structures among individuals with chronic ankle instability. Clinical Bottom Line: There is weak evidence to support an ankle sprain history can affect local pain mechanosensitivity levels of structures surrounding the ankle but not at distant locations. Strength of Recommendation: Level 4 evidence is available according to the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine.
The Impact of Removing the 10-Minute Bout Requirement and of Different Survey Administration Methods on National Physical Activity Estimates in Austria
Authors: Titze Sylvia , Strain Tessa , Wagner Philipp , Schuster Anna , Karner Jasmin , Dorner Thomas E.
Published: March 2024

Background: Monitoring survey methods, as well as movement recommendations, evolves over time. These changes can make trend observations over time difficult. The aim of this study was to examine the differences between 2 computer-assisted survey administration methods and the effect of the omission of the 10-minute minimum bout requirement in physical activity (PA) questions on PA outcomes. Methods: We used data from the second Austrian PA Surveillance System for 2998 adults (18–64 y), applying computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted web interviewing. Within the computer-assisted web interviewing sample only, we added PA questions without the 10-minute requirement. Quantile and logistic regressions were applied. Results: Between computer-assisted web interviewing and computer-assisted personal interviewing, within the computer-assisted personal interviewing sample, we found lower PA estimates in the leisure domain and work and household domain, but not in the travel domain, and no significant difference in the proportion of people meeting the PA recommendations. In all 3 PA domains, the median minutes did not differ when assessed with or without the 10-minute requirement. However, the percentage participation in the travel domain and work and household domain performing >0 minutes per week PA was higher when there was no 10-minute requirement. The proportion of people meeting the Austrian aerobic recommendation for adults when computed with or without the 10-minute requirement did not differ. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the omission of the 10-minute requirement does not seem to result in marked differences in PA estimates or the proportion of adults meeting the recommendations.
“Seven Weeks Is Not a Lot of Time”: Temporal Work and Institutional Change in Australian Football
Authors: McLeod Joshua , Zeimers Géraldine , Robertson Jonathan , Ordway Catherine , McGowan Lee , Shilbury David
Published: March 2024

Recognizing the importance of timing in efforts to drive institutional change, this study examined how actors engage in “temporal institutional work” in their attempts to disrupt inequitable institutions in sport. A qualitative case study was conducted on football (soccer) in Australia wherein significant gender equity reforms have been enacted. The findings revealed how the temporal activities of entraining (e.g., capitalizing on external interventions), constructing urgency (e.g., through advocacy), and enacting momentum (e.g., through consensus-based leadership) allowed actors to exploit a time-sensitive window of opportunity for change, quickly foster a perception of irreversibility that structural change would occur, and generate synchronicity with broader reforms. Inspired by the breakthroughs in Australian football, this research highlights temporal-based strategies for combating gender inequity in sport. Theoretically, this study extends research on institutional work in sport by illuminating the key role that timing norms play during institutional change.
Ozone Therapy for a Soccer Player With Osteitis Pubis: A Case Report
Authors: Demir Benli Merve , Arslan Beyza
Published: March 2024

Context: Osteitis pubis (OP), which occurs as a result of excessive use of the symphysis pubis and parasymphysis bones, is more common in long-distance runners and kicking athletes, especially football players. Due to the poor results of commonly used treatments for OP, there is a need for investigation of more effective treatments, such as ozone therapy. Ozone therapy is used to treat a variety of diseases, including musculoskeletal conditions. Case Presentation: A 30-year-old amateur soccer player diagnosed with OP received conservative treatment with traditional physiotherapy and analgesic medications. After 6 months and no resolution of symptoms, the patient presented to the sports medicine outpatient clinic seeking alternative therapy options. Management and Outcomes: The patient received ozone injections in 3 sessions administered at 10-day intervals. At 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the treatment, the patient’s complaints and pain levels were re-evaluated and examined. The patient was able to return to competition at the same level after the first injection. No recurrence was revealed at a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: In this article, we present a case in which OP was successfully treated with ozone injection.