bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Native Language Perceptual Sensitivity Predicts Nonnative Speech Perception Differently in Younger and Older Singaporean Bilinguals
Authors: Kalaivanan Kastoori , Wong Patrick C. M. , Wong Francis C. K. , Chan Alice H. D.
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

We investigate in this study how individual variability in native language speech perception (termed
Perceptual Sensitivity
) influences nonnative speech perception in Singaporean Tamil–English bilinguals. Further, we assess if and how contextual and demographic factors influence Perceptual Sensitivity in the acquired languages and if the influence of Perceptual Sensitivity on nonnative speech perception is different across younger and older bilinguals.

Method:

Perceptual Sensitivity in the native languages was examined by implementing Tamil and English gating tasks in 87 Singaporean Tamil–English bilinguals from two age groups (younger: 19–33 years; older: 55–70 years). Mandarin lexical tone discrimination was implemented as a measure of nonnative speech perception.

Results:

There was a wide range of variability in Perceptual Sensitivity scores in both languages across both age groups. Perceptual Sensitivity in the first native language (L1 Tamil) was a robust predictor of nonnative speech perception across both age groups, especially for the older bilinguals. However, general intelligence emerged as a stronger predictor than Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity in younger bilinguals. The influence of Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity on lexical tone perception was not tone-specific, supporting a general enhancement of lexical tone perception with better Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity. There was an influence of demographic factors on English Perceptual Sensitivity in older bilinguals, but not for Tamil and not in younger bilinguals.

Conclusions:

Our findings corroborate with previous studies in showing that native language Perceptual Sensitivity is positively associated with and predicts nonnative speech perception in younger and older adulthood regardless of language similarity but to varying degrees. Specifically, the influence of Perceptual Sensitivity on nonnative speech perception is stronger in older adulthood, suggesting a possible shift in reliance on crystallized language knowledge with age. Proficiency and use, among other demographic and language variables, do not appear to influence L1 Perceptual Sensitivity in a lesser used language (Tamil) as significantly as previously assumed.
Deeply‐Recursive Attention Network for video steganography
Authors: Cui Jiabao , Zheng Liangli , Yu Yunlong , Lin Yining , Ni Huajian , Xu Xin , Zhang Zhongfei
Published: February 2023

Video steganography plays an important role in secret communication that conceals a secret video in a cover video by perturbing the value of pixels in the cover frames. Imperceptibility is the first and foremost requirement of any steganographic approach. Inspired by the fact that human eyes perceive pixel perturbation differently in different video areas, a novel effective and efficient Deeply‐Recursive Attention Network (DRANet) for video steganography to find suitable areas for information hiding via modelling spatio‐temporal attention is proposed. The DRANet mainly contains two important components, a Non‐Local Self‐Attention (NLSA) block and a Non‐Local Co‐Attention (NLCA) block. Specifically, the NLSA block can select the cover frame areas which are suitable for hiding by computing the correlations among inter‐ and intra‐cover frames. The NLCA block aims to effectively produce the enhanced representations of the secret frames to enhance the robustness of the model and alleviate the influence of different areas in the secret video. Furthermore, the DRANet reduces the model parameters by performing similar operations on the different frames within an input video recursively. Experimental results show the proposed DRANet achieves better performance with fewer parameters than the state‐of‐the‐art competitors.
High-angular-resolution NIR view of the Orion Bar revealed by Keck/NIRC2
Authors: Habart Emilie , Le Gal Romane , Alvarez Carlos , Peeters Els , Berné Olivier , Wolfire Mark G. , Goicoechea Javier R. , Schirmer Thiébaut , Bron Emeric , Röllig Markus
Published: February 2023

Context. Nearby photo-dissociation regions (PDRs), where the gas and dust are heated by the far-ultraviolet (FUV) irradiation emitted from stars, are ideal templates with which to study the main stellar feedback processes.

Aims. With this study, we aim to probe the detailed structures at the interfaces between ionized, atomic, and molecular gas in the Orion Bar. This nearby prototypical strongly irradiated PDR are among the first targets of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) within the framework of the PDRs4All Early Release Science program.

Methods. We employed the subarcsecond resolution accessible with Keck-II NIRC2 and its adaptive optics system to obtain images of the vibrationally excited line H2 1−0 S(1) at 2.12 µm that are more detailed and complete than ever before. H2 1−0 S(1) traces the dissociation front (DF), and the [FeII] and Brγ lines, at 1.64 and 2.16 µm, respectively, trace the ionization front (IF). The former is a powerful tracer of the FUV radiation field strength and gas density distribution at the PDR edge, while the last two trace the temperature and density distribution from the ionized gas to the PDR. We obtained narrow-band filter images in these key gas line diagnostics over ~40″ at spatial scales of ~0.1″ (~0.0002 pc or ~40 AU at 414 pc).

Results. The Keck/Near Infrared Camera 2 (NIRC2) observations spatially resolve a plethora of irradiated substructures such as ridges, filaments, globules, and proplyds. This portends what JWST should accomplish and how it will complement the highest resolution Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) maps of the molecular cloud. We observe a remarkable spatial coincidence between the H2 1−0 S(1) vibrational and HCO+ J = 4−3 rotational emission previously obtained with ALMA. This likely indicates the intimate link between these two molecular species and highlights that in high-pressure PDRs, the H/H2 and C+/C/CO transitions zones come closer than in a typical layered structure of a constant density PDR. The H/H2 dissociation front appears as a highly structured region containing substructures with a typical thickness of a few ~10−3 pc.
A machine learning approach for correcting radial velocities using physical observables
Authors: Perger M. , Anglada-Escudé G. , Baroch D. , Lafarga M. , Ribas I. , Morales J. C. , Herrero E. , Amado P. J. , Barnes J. R. , Caballero J. A. , Jeffers S. V. , Quirrenbach A. , Reiners A.
Published: February 2023

Context. Precision radial velocity (RV) measurements continue to be a key tool for detecting and characterising extrasolar planets. While instrumental precision keeps improving, stellar activity remains a barrier to obtaining reliable measurements below 1–2 m s−1 accuracy.

Aims. Using simulations and real data, we investigate the capabilities of a deep neural network approach to producing activity-free Doppler measurements of stars.

Methods. As case studies we used observations of two known stars, ϵ Eridani and AU Microscopii, both of which have clear signals of activity-induced Doppler variability. Synthetic observations using the starsim code were generated for the observables (inputs) and the resulting Doppler signal (labels), and then they were used to train a deep neural network algorithm to predict Doppler corrections. We identified a relatively simple architecture, consisting of convolutional layers followed by fully connected layers, that is adequate for the task. The indices investigated are mean line-profile parameters (width, bisector, and contrast) and multi-band photometry.

Results. We demonstrate that the RV-independent approach can drastically reduce spurious Doppler variability from known physical effects, such as spots, rotation, and convective blueshift. We identify the combinations of activity indices with the most predictive power. When applied to real observations, we observe a good match of the correction with the observed variability, but we also find that the noise reduction is not as good as in the simulations, probably due to a lack of detail in the simulated physics.

Conclusions. We demonstrate that a model-driven machine learning approach is sufficient to clean Doppler signals from activity-induced variability for well-known physical effects. There are dozens of known activity-related observables whose inversion power remains unexplored, indicating that the use of additional indicators, more complete models, and more observations with optimised sampling strategies can lead to significant improvements in our detrending capabilities for new and existing datasets.
Star-forming brightest cluster galaxies atz∼ 0.4 in KiDS
Authors: Castignani G. , Radovich M. , Combes F. , Salomé P. , Moscardini L. , Bardelli S. , Giocoli C. , Lesci G. , Marulli F. , Maturi M. , Puddu E. , Sereno M. , Tramonte D.
Published: February 2023

Brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) at the centers of clusters are among the most massive galaxies in the Universe. Their star formation history and stellar mass assembly are highly debated. Recent studies suggest the presence of an emerging population of intermediate-zstar-forming and gas-rich BCGs, whose molecular gas reservoirs that feed star formation might be impacted by strong environmental processing. We have selected three of the most strongly star-formingz ∼ 0.4 BCGs in the equatorial field of the Kilo-Degree Survey (KiDS) and observed them with the IRAM 30 m telescope in the first three CO transitions. We found clear double-horn CO(1→0) and CO(3→2) emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG, yielding a large molecular gas reservoir withMH2 = (5.9 ± 1.2)×1010 M⊙and a high gas-to-stellar mass ratioMH2/M⋆ = (0.32−0.10+0.12). We thus increase the still limited sample of distant BCGs with detections in multiple CO transitions. The double-horn emission for the KiDS 1433 BCG implies a low gas concentration, while a modeling of the spectra yields an extended molecular gas reservoir, with a characteristic radius of ∼(5−7) kpc, which is reminiscent of the mature extended-disk phase that is observed in some local BCGs. For the remaining two BCGs, we are able to set robust upper limits ofMH2/M⋆ < 0.07 and < 0.23, which are among the lowest for distant BCGs. We then combined our observations with available stellar, star formation, and dust properties of the targeted BCGs, and compared them with a sample of ∼100 distant cluster galaxies, including additional intermediate-zBCGs, with observations in CO from the literature. Altogether, our analysis shows that the molecular gas properties of star-forming BCGs are heterogeneous. On the one hand, gas-rich BCGs show extended gas reservoirs that sustain the significant star formation activity, but the efficiency is low, which is reminiscent of recent gas infall. On the other hand, the existence of similarly star forming but gas-poor BCGs suggests that gas depletion precedes star formation quenching.
Pathways of survival for exomoons and inner exoplanets
Authors: Makarov Valeri V. , Efroimsky Michael
Published: February 2023

Context. It is conceivable that a few thousand confirmed exoplanets initially harboured satellites similar to the moons of the Solar System or larger. We ask the question of whether some of them have survived over the æons of dynamical evolution to the present day. The dynamical conditions are harsh for exomoons in such systems because of the greater influence of the host star and of the tidal torque it exerts on the planet.

Aims. We investigate the stability niches of exomoons around hundreds of innermost exoplanets for which the needed parameters are known today, and we determine the conditions of these moons’ long-term survival. General lower and upper bounds on the exomoon survival niches are derived for orbital separations, periods, and masses.

Methods. The fate of an exomoon residing in a stability niche depends on the initial relative rate of the planet’s rotation and on the ability of the moon to synchronise the planet by overpowering the tidal action from the star. State-of-the-art models of tidal dissipation and secular orbital evolution are applied to a large sample of known exoplanet systems, which have the required estimated physical parameters.

Results. We show that in some plausible scenarios, exomoons can prevent close exoplanets from spiralling into their host stars, thus extending these planets’ lifetimes. This is achieved when exomoons synchronise the rotation of their parent planets, overpowering the tidal action from the stars.

Conclusions. Massive moons are more likely to survive and help their host planets maintain a high rotation rate (higher than these planets’ mean motion).
Strain hardening behavior of HDPE geomembranes
Authors: Zanzinger Helmut , Engelsing Kurt , Gerets Britta
Published: February 2023

The strain hardening behavior is a good measure for the stress cracking resistance of HDPE geomembranes. Influences of the testing parameters temperature and cross head speed on the strain hardening modulus in material testing of PE were quantified. For tests of HDPE geomembranes at 80 °C and 10 mm/min a good correlation with SP-NCTL tests was demonstrated.
Improvement of inclined anchors pullout capacity in geogrid-reinforced sand
Authors: Mukherjee Sougata , Babu G.L. Sivakumar
Published: February 2023

A three-dimensional numerical analysis of inclined anchors embedded in unreinforced and geogrid-reinforced sand is presented in this paper. The pullout forces and breakout factors are compared for the unreinforced and reinforced cases. The pullout capacity increased when placed below a layer of geogrid reinforcement. The influence of several other parameters, such as geogrid stiffness, inclination angle, soil friction angle, and embedment ratio, are investigated and reported in this study. Finally, a comparison between pile and anchor foundation is shown for a transmission tower subjected to lateral wind force.
Design methods for geogrid stabilization of working platforms
Authors: Rimoldi Pietro , Brusa Nicola
Published: February 2023

Working platforms are temporary structures that provide a suitable foundation for heavy construction plant, working machines (e.g. piling rig and cranes) and temporary construction elements (e.g. temporary lifting bridge or staging areas). Working platforms can be greatly improved by geosynthetics stabilization. This paper describes the design methods for geogrid stabilization of working platforms, which have a critical safety role in the construction industry. A successful case history is presented.
Geosynthetic Technologies in Hydraulics
Authors: Wilke Markus
Published: February 2023

Geosynthetics are well known for substituting mineral filter layers for revetments. Apart from this established and common application they offer more specific and technical solutions for coastal and inland water structures. Typical hydraulic constructions like breakwaters and dikes can be strengthened and optimised using geotextiles or geosystems (bags, tubes, etc.). Till today the potential of geosynthetics for civil works in the marine environment is underestimated. Furthermore, the awareness by designers, construction companies and project owners for geotextile alternatives, saving time, money and enhancing the carbon footprint, can be substantially increased. Main reasons for the ignorance are missing design guidelines and a not existing general overview of their applicability in coastal zones and inland waters. This paper is intended as a first step towards a holistic approach to geosynthetics in hydraulics.
Geotextile containers in hydraulic applications
Authors: Detert Oliver , Ebbert Simon
Published: February 2023

This paper will give an introduction in geotextile containers, covering typical sizes and the materials used. A case study of a typical application highlights the advantages of geotextile tubes, which are a subcategory of geotextile containers, and explains their installation in challenging conditions.
Une thérapie très attendue… et un prix exorbitant !
Authors: Jordan Bertrand
Published: February 2023

After many years of development, a gene therapy for haemophilia B has demonstrated effectiveness and durability, at least over a time span of three years. It has just been approved (as Hemgenix®) by the FDA in the USA and by the EMA in the EU. However, the multimillion price tag of this treatment is a serious problem for healthcare systems and for patients, and raises a number of thorny issues about marketing practices of the pharmaceutical industry.
Prix Nobel de physiologie ou médecine 2022
Authors: Heyer Evelyne
Published: February 2023

Svante Pääbo s’est vu attribuer le prix Nobel de physiologie ou médecine en 2022 pour ses travaux en paléogénétique. Né le 20 avril 1955 à Stockholm, Svante Pääbo a soutenu sa thèse de doctorat en 1986 à l’université d’Uppsala en Suède. Après plusieurs séjours post-doctoraux en Suisse (Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Zürich), puis aux États-Unis (Department of Biochemistry, University of California at Berkeley), il a été nommé professeur de biologie à l’université de Munich en Allemagne. En 1997, il fonde un centre de recherche en paléogénétique au sein de l’Institut Max Planck d’anthropologie évolutionniste à Leipzig en Allemagne. Là, grâce à des soutiens financiers importants, il développe un tout nouveau champ disciplinaire : la paléogénomique humaine, une nouvelle science qui consiste en l’extraction, la lecture et l’analyse de l’ADN dans des restes de fossiles humains afin d’en déterminer l’histoire.
Don du corps à la science
Authors: Moutel Grégoire , Gouriot Mylène , Suzat Bertille , Batteur Annick , Ploteau Stéphane , Destrieux Christophe , Grandazzi Guillaume
Published: February 2023

En France, entre 2 500 et 3 000 personnes donnent leur corps à la science chaque année après leur mort ; elles contribuent ainsi à l’enseignement de l’anatomie, à la recherche et à l’apprentissage et l’amélioration des pratiques chirurgicales. La décision doit être prise de son vivant et le consentement exprimé par écrit auprès d’un des vingt-sept centres de don du corps répartis sur le territoire national. Suite au scandale du centre parisien des Saints-Pères, le décret du 27 avril 2022 relatif au don de corps à des fins d’enseignement et de recherche, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre des nouvelles lois de bioéthique, était très attendu pour clarifier certaines pratiques. Mais ce décret soulève de nouvelles questions car nombreuses sont les règles qu’il propose qui ne nous apparaissent pas pertinentes au regard des valeurs du don et du fonctionnement des centres de don. Les nouveaux modes de régulation proposés génèrent des questions chez les donneurs et les professionnels de terrain avec un risque de mauvaise régulation. Nous pensons que si la puissance publique ne s’engage pas dans une régulation plus adaptée au terrain, si les enjeux éthiques ne sont pas mieux clarifiés et si les universités n’ont pas les moyens pour mettre en œuvre ces nouvelles organisations, la pérennisation du don du corps et des centres de don pourrait devenir difficile.
On a dynamical model of happiness
Authors: Liz Eduardo , Trofimchuk Sergei
Published: February 2023

It is now recognized that the personal well-being of an individual can be evaluated numerically. The related utility (“happiness”) profile would give at each instant t the degree u(t) of happiness. The moment-based approach to the evaluation of happiness introduced by the Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman establishes that the experienced utility of an episode can be derived from real-time measures of the pleasure and pain that the subject experienced during that episode. Since these evaluations consist of two types of utility concepts: instant utility and remembered utility, a dynamic model of happiness based on this approach must be defined by a delay differential equation. Furthermore, the application of the peak-end rule leads to a class of delay-differential equations called differential equations with maxima. We propose a dynamical model for happiness based on differential equations with maxima and provide results which shed some new light on important experimental observations. In particular, our model supports the U-shaped profile of the age-happiness curve, which is a widely observed pattern: well-being is high in youth, falls to a minimum in midlife (midlife crisis), and rises again in old age.
Geriatrie für Nichtgeriater
Authors: Raichle Claudia
Published: February 2023

Die Zahl älterer Patienten>60 Jahre in Deutschland wächst
kontinuierlich. Diese werden im Rahmen verschiedener Erkrankungen neben der
hausärztlichen Versorgung häufig von unterschiedlichsten
Fachdisziplinen behandelt. Im folgenden Beitrag wird gezeigt, woran man einen
geriatrischen Patienten erkennt und welche Besonderheiten es bei der Behandlung
zu berücksichtigen gilt.
Akupressur bei älteren
Patienten mit Frailty-
Syndrom
Authors: Usichenko Taras
Published: February 2023

Hintergrund und Zielsetzung Zunehmend wird bei der Diagnostik die
Bedeutung von „Frailty“ als geriatrisches Syndrom erkannt, das
zeitnah behandelt wird. Die Akupressur ist eine nicht pharmakologische,
nichtinvasive Behandlungsmethode der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin (TCM),
die dazu dienen kann, die Lebensqualität (QoL) zu verbessern oder die
fortschreitende Entwicklung der Gebrechlichkeit in der älteren
Bevölkerung zu verhindern. Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Auswirkungen
einer 12-wöchigen, nach dem TCM-Prinzip geführten
Akupressur-Intervention auf die Lebensqualität gebrechlicher
älterer Menschen, die in der Gemeinschaft mit betreuenden Personen
leben, zu untersuchen.
Pathophysiologische Grundlagen der Arthrose
Authors: Peuker Elmar T.
Published: February 2023

Arthrosen sind häufige degenerative Gelenkerkrankungen, die zwar mit
zunehmendem Lebensalter vermehrt auftreten, aber ihrer Pathogenese nach nicht
als reine Alterserscheinung gewertet werden können. Neben
Veränderungen des Gelenkknorpels finden sich typische Reaktionen aller
zur Gelenkfunktion beitragenden Strukturen (Arthron), die in Summe das jeweilige
Krankheitsbild bedingen. Aus dem Verständnis der normalen Gelenkanatomie
und den pathophysiologischen Abläufen im Rahmen der Arthrose ergeben
sich bekannte und sich entwickelnde Therapieansätze.
Role of Neural Plasticity of Motor Cortex in Gliomas Evaluated by Brain Imaging and Mapping Techniques in Pre- and Postoperative Period: A Systematic Review
Authors: Silva Rhuann Pontes dos Santos , Monteiro Lucas Nascimento , Dias Lavinia da Silva , Haddad Julia Oliveira Dabien , souza Vitor Bidu de , Oliveira Vinicius Faustino Lima de , Fernandes Anna Sabrinny , Olivera Matheus Fernandes de , Rotta Jose Marcus
Published: February 2023

Background Resection of infiltrative neuroepithelial primary brain tumors, such as low-grade gliomas (LGGs) remains a neurosurgical challenge. Usual lack of clinical deficit despite LGGs growing in eloquent brain areas may be explained by reshaping and reorganization of functional networks. The development of modern diagnostic imaging techniques could disclose better understanding of the rearrangement of the brain cortex; however, mechanisms underlying such compensation and how it occurs in the motor cortex remain unclear. This systematic review aims to analyze the neuroplasticity of motor cortex in patients with LGGs, as determined by neuroimaging and functional techniques.

Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, medical subject headings (MeSH) and the following terms related to neuroimaging, LGGs and neuroplasticity were used with the Boolean operators AND and OR to synonymous terms in the PubMed database. Among the 118 results, 19 studies were included in the systematic review.

Results Motor function in patients with LGG was characterized by a compensation in the contralateral and supplementary motor areas and premotor functional networks. Furthermore, ipsilateral activation in these types of gliomas was rarely described. Moreover, some studies did not reveal statistical significance in association between functional reorganization and the postoperative period, which can be explained by the low number of patients.

Conclusion Our findings suggest a high pattern of reorganization per different eloquent motor areas and gliomas diagnosis. Understanding this process is useful to guide safe surgical resection and to develop protocols that assess the plasticity, even though functional network rearrangement needs to be better characterized by more studies.
Long-term outcomes of pouch surveillance and risk of neoplasia in familial adenomatous polyposis
Authors: Patel Roshani V. , Curtius Kit , Man Ripple , Fletcher Jordan , Cuthill Victoria , Clark Susan K. , von Roon Alexander C. , Latchford Andrew
Published: February 2023

Background Long-term pouch surveillance outcomes for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are unknown. We aimed to quantify surveillance outcomes and to determine which of selected possible predictive factors are associated with pouch dysplasia.

Methods Retrospective analysis of collected data on 249 patients was performed, analyzing potential risk factors for the development of adenomas or advanced lesions ( ≥ 10 mm/high grade dysplasia (HGD)/cancer) in the pouch body and cuff using Cox proportional hazards models. Kaplan–Meier analyses included landmark time-point analyses at 10 years after surgery to predict the future risk of advanced lesions.

Results Of 249 patients, 76 % developed at least one pouch body adenoma, with 16 % developing an advanced pouch body lesion; 18 % developed an advanced cuff lesion. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a 10-year lag before most advanced lesions developed; cumulative incidence of 2.8 % and 6.4 % at 10 years in the pouch body and cuff, respectively. Landmark analysis suggested the presence of adenomas prior to the 10-year point was associated with subsequent development of advanced lesions in the pouch body (hazard ratio [HR] 4.8, 95 %CI 1.6–14.1; P = 0.004) and cuff (HR 6.8, 95 %CI 2.5–18.3; P < 0.001). There were two HGD and four cancer cases in the cuff and one pouch body cancer; all cases of cancer/HGD that had prior surveillance were preceded by ≥ 10-mm adenomas.

Conclusions Pouch adenoma progression is slow and most advanced lesions occur after 10 years. HGD and cancer were rare events. Pouch phenotype in the first decade is associated with the future risk of developing advanced lesions and may guide personalized surveillance beyond 10 years.
Selective Vesical Artery Embolization in Refractory BK Virus Hemorrhagic Cystitis
Authors: Kumar Saurabh , Bhargava Rahul , Kumar Meet , Dua Vikas , Santosh Santosh
Published: February 2023

In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients, BK virus-related hemorrhagic cystitis is a well-known complication. It increases the risk of death and morbidity of HSCT recipients with simultaneous increase in healthcare cost burden, as a result of prolonged hospital admissions. There are many conservative therapeutic strategies available for the treatment that are effective in treatment of milder forms of hemorrhagic cystitis. Vesical artery embolization is one of the nonsurgical bailout procedure in patient's refractory to medical therapy with added advantage of avoidance of high-risk definitive surgical procedure of cystectomy or urinary diversion in these critical immunosuppressed patients.
Imaging-Guided Percutaneous Transperitoneal Balloon Fenestration of Postrenal Transplant Lymphocele: A Case Report of Experience with New Technique
Authors: Zuber Mohammad , Shoaib Mohammad , Chatterjee Pritam , Ravikumar R.
Published: February 2023

Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for improved survival and quality of life in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, perirenal fluid collections are common surgical complications after renal transplant, with about 0.6 to 18% of patients developing a lymphocele. Conventional treatments include percutaneous aspiration and drainage, laparoscopic fenestration, and open surgical decompression stepwise. Recently, a new image-guided percutaneous transperitoneal balloon fenestration technique has been described as an alternative to the laparoscopic or surgical technique. We present the case of a 25-year-old male patient diagnosed with a lymphocele after 2 months of transplantation and no resolution of the lymphocele with percutaneous aspiration and drainage. We used this new technique under ultrasound and fluoroscopy guidance, which resulted in the resolution of the lymphocele at 1 month postprocedure. This case report highlights this new technique's potential role in successfully managing the posttransplant lymphocele in a minimally invasive manner.
The Effects of Pregnancy on the Pulmonary Immune Response in a Mouse Model of LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Rieck Rebecca E. , Bivona Joseph J. , Hoyt Laura R. , Ventrone Sebastian , Kokoszynska Marta , Bonney Elizabeth A. , Suratt Benjamin T.
Published: February 2023

Objective This study evaluated the effect of pregnancy on the pulmonary innate immune response in a mouse model of acute lung injury (ALI) using nebulized lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Study Design Pregnant (day 14) C57BL/6NCRL mice and nonpregnant controls received nebulized LPS for 15 minutes. Twenty-four hours later, mice were euthanized for tissue harvest. Analysis included blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) differential cell counts, whole-lung inflammatory cytokine transcription levels by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and whole-lung vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and BALF albumin by western blot. Mature bone marrow neutrophils from uninjured pregnant and nonpregnant mice were examined for chemotactic response using a Boyden chamber and for cytokine response to LPS by RT-qPCR.

Results In LPS-induced ALI, pregnant mice had higher BALF total cell (p < 0.001) and neutrophil counts (p < 0.001) as well as higher peripheral blood neutrophils (p < 0.01) than nonpregnant mice, but a similar increase (as compared with unexposed mice) in airspace albumin levels. Whole-lung expression of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and keratinocyte chemoattractant (CXCL1) was also similar. In vitro, marrow-derived neutrophils from pregnant and nonpregnant mice had similar chemotaxis to CXCL1 and N-formylmethionine-leucyl-phenylalanine, but neutrophils from pregnant mice expressed lower levels of TNF (p < 0.001) and CXCL1 (p < 0.01) after LPS stimulation. In uninjured mice, VCAM-1 was higher in lungs from pregnant versus nonpregnant mice (p < 0.05).

Conclusion In this model, pregnancy is associated with an augmented lung neutrophil response to ALI without increased capillary leak or whole-lung cytokine levels relative to the nonpregnant state. This may stem from increased peripheral blood neutrophil response and intrinsically increased expression of pulmonary vascular endothelial adhesion molecules. Differences in lung innate cell homeostasis may affect the response to inflammatory stimuli and explain severe lung disease in respiratory infection during pregnancy.

Key Points
Congenital Heart Defects and 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A 20-Year Update and New Insights to Aid Clinical Diagnosis
Authors: Diniz Bruna Lixinski , Deconte Desirée , Gadelha Kerolainy Alves , Glaeser Andressa Barreto , Guaraná Bruna Baierle , de Moura Andreza Ávila , Rosa Rafael Fabiano Machado , Zen Paulo Ricardo Gazzola
Published: February 2023

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are one of the most prevalent clinical features described in individuals diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). Therefore, cardiac malformations may be the main finding to refer for syndrome investigation, especially in individuals with a mild phenotype. Nowadays, different cytogenetic methodologies have emerged and are used routinely in research laboratories. Hence, choosing an efficient technology and providing an accurate interpretation of clinical findings is crucial for 22q11.2DS patient's diagnosis.

This systematic review provides an update of the last 20 years of research on 22q11.2DS patients with CHD and the investigation process behind each diagnosis. A search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and LILACS using all entry terms to DiGeorge syndrome, CHDs, and cytogenetic analysis. After screening, 60 papers were eligible for review. We present a new insight of ventricular septal defect as a possible pivotal cardiac finding in individuals with 22q11.2DS. Also, we describe molecular technologies and cardiac evaluation as valuable tools in order to guide researchers in future investigations.
Household behavior and vulnerability to acute malnutrition in Kenya
Authors: Bhavnani Ravi , Schlager Nina , Donnay Karsten , Reul Mirko , Schenker Laura , Stauffer Maxime , Patel Tirtha
Published: February 2023

Anticipating those most at-risk of being acutely malnourished significantly shapes decisions that pertain to resource allocation and intervention in times of food crises. Yet, the assumption that household behavior in times of crisis is homogeneous—that households share the same capacity to adapt to external shocks—ostensibly prevails. This assumption fails to explain why, in a given geographical context, some households remain more vulnerable to acute malnutrition relative to others, and why a given risk factor may have a differential effect across households? In an effort to explore how variation in household behavior influences vulnerability to malnutrition, we use a unique household dataset that spans 23 Kenyan counties from 2016 to 2020 to seed, calibrate, and validate an evidence-driven computational model. We use the model to conduct a series of counterfactual experiments on the relationship between household adaptive capacity and vulnerability to acute malnutrition. Our findings suggest that households are differently impacted by given risk factors, with the most vulnerable households typically being the least adaptive. These findings further underscore the salience of household adaptive capacity, in particular, that adaption is less effective for economic vis-à-vis climate shocks. By making explicit the link between patterns of household behavior and vulnerability in the short- to medium-term, we underscore the need for famine early warning to better account for variation in household-level behavior.
Reduction of ice adhesion on nanostructured and nanoscale slippery surfaces
Authors: Haworth Luke , Yang Deyu , Agrawal Prashant , Torun Hamdi , Hou Xianghui , McHale Glen , Fu Yongqing
Published: February 2023

Ice nucleation and accretion on structural surfaces are sources of major safety and operational concerns in many industries including aviation and renewable energy. Common methods for tackling these are active ones such as heating, ultrasound, and chemicals or passive ones such as surface coatings. In this study, we explored the ice adhesion properties of slippery coated substrates by measuring the shear forces required to remove a glaze ice block on the coated substrates. Among the studied nanostructured and nanoscale surfaces [i.e., a superhydrophobic coating, a fluoropolymer coating, and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chain coating], the slippery omniphobic covalently attached liquid (SOCAL) surface with its flexible polymer brushes and liquid-like structure significantly reduced the ice adhesion on both glass and silicon surfaces. Further studies of the SOCAL coating on roughened substrates also demonstrated its low ice adhesion. The reduction in ice adhesion is attributed to the flexible nature of the brush-like structures of PDMS chains, allowing ice to detach easily.
On propagation characteristics of ultrasonic guided waves in helical strands
Authors: Zhang Hongyan , Li Jian , Jiang Can , Chen Shili , Fan Zheng , Liu Yang
Published: February 2023

Steel strands have been widely used in industrial fields as a reliable load-bearing component. Under the influence of environmental erosion and fatigue stress, different types of damage, such as corrosion and fracture, will occur in the in-service steel strands, which will cause unpredictable loss of personnel and property. Ultrasonic nondestructive testing technology has become an ideal testing method for long-distance metal structures in recent years due to the advantages of long detection distance and high efficiency. The detection effect of ultrasonic nondestructive testing technology largely depends on the propagation characteristics of the selected guided wave modes. However, due to the influence of the helical structure of the steel strands and the contact between the wires, the propagation characteristics of the guided waves in the steel strands are very complicated. In this paper, a method for analyzing the dispersion characteristics of steel strands based on the Floquet boundary conditions (Floquet BCs) is proposed. The essence of this method is the mutual transformation principle of wave solution and vibration solution. To adapt to the helical structure of steel strands, this paper proposes a helical coordinate system and twisted coordinate system and deduces the corresponding wavenumber conversion formula. The results of Floquet BCs are consistent with the semi-analytical finite element method and sweep frequency finite element modeling method, which proves the correctness of the Floquet BC method from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. This paper provides a new idea for analyzing the dispersion characteristics of complex waveguides such as steel strands.
Object tracking based droplet characterization of high flowrate electrospray
Authors: Jung Minkyu , Kim Soyeon , Ku Donik , Bae Soojin , Seo Gijeong , Kim Man Cheol , Kim Minsung
Published: February 2023

Electrospray was applied to the wet electrostatic precipitator to reduce the water consumption of high-efficiency fine dust collection. The size of droplets must be large to avoid evaporating quickly under high temperature exhaust gas conditions, so a high flow rate condition of several milliliters/min is used, which is relatively high compared with previous applications. Because a high flow rate electrospray has a wide spray range and a low spray density, image-based droplet size measurement was used. A bias in the probability in the distribution occurs because of the difference in velocity between the droplets. In this study, an approach with object tracking was suggested to eliminate the bias from velocity differences. High flow rate electrospray droplets under various voltage conditions were visualized with a high-speed camera. Based on the image processing, the corrected distribution was characterized, and the effect of the bias was established through comparison with the general distribution. In addition, the spray pattern and the droplet distribution according to the applied voltage of three spraying modes were analyzed. Improved analysis of the actual spray using this approach will guide the selection of operating conditions that optimize dust collection efficiency.
Numerical study of viscoelastic flow around an oscillating circular cylinder
Authors: Ma Mengxia , Ouyang Jie , Wang Xiaodong
Published: February 2023

The viscoelasticity-induced fluid–structure interaction studies have a significant influence on practical applications. To clarify the lock-in phenomenon and the wake topology of the vibrating cylinder placed in the viscoelastic flow, the Oldroyd-B fluid flows around an oscillating circular cylinder have been numerically investigated at Re = 10 and Re = 60, respectively. The governing equations are solved by the coupling of the square-root-conformation representation approach and the discontinuous Galerkin method in framework of the high-order dual splitting scheme. In addition, the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation is implemented in the coupling procedure in order to account for the interaction between the fluid and the oscillating body in the flow field. With this, complex boundary movements can be tackled simply and efficiently. In numerical simulation, the force coefficients and the wake structures of vortex and stress are discussed in some detail. At Re = 10, when the frequency of cylinder is small, it is obvious that the vortex shedding takes place in the wake. As the frequency increases, almost no obvious vortex shedding is observed. Also, the wake still oscillates at the same frequency of the cylinder for all cases, even for high Wi numbers. However, different wake modes of vortex and stress are found for various frequencies at Re = 60 and Wi = 0.1. In the lock-in region, the 2S mode of wake type are observed. Beyond the lock-in region, the wake type is no longer 2S, but the formation of vortex shedding and stress distribution in the far wake recovers to its natural mode. These numerical results open up a new field of study for viscoelastic fluids.
Airborne particulate matter in Southeast Asia: a review on variation, chemical compositions and source apportionment
Authors: Saksakulkrai Supattarachai , Chantara Somporn , Shi Zongbo
Published: February 2023

Environmental context Airborne particulate matter (PM) is a major public health risk in Southeast Asia. The annual average concentration of fine PM (PM2.5) in the region is significantly higher than the WHO air quality guidelines, and higher PM2.5 levels were recorded during dry seasons, primarily due to biomass burning. In this paper, we provide an overview of the seasonal variations in concentrations, chemical compositions, and sources of PM in Southeast Asian countries. Abstract Airborne particulate matter (PM) in Southeast Asia is the most important air pollutant, causing millions of premature deaths. This review provides an overview of the levels, chemical compositions and sources of PM and compared these with studies from megacities in other regions. Daily average PM2.5 concentrations were lower than polluted megacities such as Delhi but substantially higher than 24-h mean air quality guideline of the WHO. Levels of PM2.5 in maritime continental Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore) were lower than in mainland continental countries (Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos). PM levels are usually two times higher during dry than wet seasons. Organic carbon is a key chemical component, contributing 9–52% of PM mass. SO42−EN22044_IE1.gif, NO3−EN22044_IE2.gif, and NH4+EN22044_IE3.gif are major ions and NO3−EN22044_IE4.gif/SO42−EN22044_IE5.gif ratios were notably lower than in megacities in other regions, implying lower emissions from mobile relative to stationary sources. Source apportionment indicates biomass burning is one of the most important sources, particularly during the haze (dry) seasons, followed by road traffic emission in dense-traffic cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi. The secondary aerosols contribution to PM mass is usually lower than that in cities from other regions. We suggest future PM source apportionment studies in Southeast Asia to include both inorganic and organic tracers and apply both chemical mass balance and multivariate receptor models.
How to benefit from augmented feedback? The influence of motivational and informational content of augmented feedback and the influence of task complexity
Authors: Bugnon Matteo , Wälchli Michael , Taube Wolfgang
Published: February 2023

Augmented feedback (aF) positively influences motor performance by enhancing motivation and/or by providing information about task execution. It was speculated that aF‐induced performance increments that rely on motivation should also occur when providing incorrect aF, while performance increments that rely on guidance towards “successful executions” (i.e. improved performances) should only occur when aF is correct. We further hypothesised that the informational content of aF is more important in more complex motor tasks. Thus, 32 participants received two forms of aF (correct, incorrect) during maximal voluntary contractions (MVC's; maximise force without time constraints; less complex) and maximal explosive contractions (MEC's; maximise force in the shortest possible way; more complex) of the knee extensors. Peak torque (MVC), peak rate of torque development (MEC) and EMG signals of rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis were recorded. Correct and incorrect aF significantly enhanced MVC performance, indicating that performance improvements resulted mainly from the motivational property of aF. The observed trend towards increased RF muscle activity supports this conclusion. In contrast, while correct aF positively impacted MEC performance, incorrect aF had a negative influence. This indicates that the informational property of aF guided participants towards movement executions resulting in improved (correct aF) or decreased (incorrect aF) performances. The observed simultaneous decrease in muscle activity suggests that participants changed motor strategy, supporting the guiding role of aF. Our results demonstrate that the motivational aspect of aF dominates in maximal tasks with lower complexity (MVC), while the informational aspect is used during more complex maximal tasks (MEC).
Electron impact ionization of atoms and molecules: an improved BBK model
Authors: Attia M , Houamer S , Khatir T , Bechane K , Cappello C Dal
Published: February 2023

We present a new model to study the dynamics of electron impact ionization of atoms and molecules. In this model, the two outgoing electrons are both described by a Coulomb wave with variable charges Z(r) while the incident electron is described by a plane wave. The fully differential cross-section is then calculated in (e,2e) reactions for several atomic and molecular targets taking into account the post-collision interaction. Calculations are carried out for the coplanar asymmetric kinematics, and the results are compared with those from available experiments.
All-optical polarization tuning based on an intensity-dependent nonlinear metasurface
Authors: Hou Yaping , Mao Jianyong , Li Tianlun , Xu Yunfan , Jiang Weitao , Zhang Yanpeng , Zhang Lei
Published: February 2023

Active control of light polarization at the nanoscale is essential for integrated photonic devices. Here, an all-optical approach is proposed to tune the polarization state of near-infrared light using a nonlinear metasurface. Based on the large intensity-dependent refractive index change of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials, a phase difference between two orthogonal electric fields at ENZ wavelength can be continuously tuned in a range larger than 0.61π by varying the incident light power. The polarization state of the reflected light can thus be actively tuned from linear to circular state via an all-optical approach. Notably, abundant polarization states can be obtained by altering the polarization angle of incident light. The proposed all-optical approach is promising for tunable photonic functionalities of practical applications.