bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Three Chemotherapy Protocols With Electrochemotherapy for the Treatment of Feline Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Diop Nicolas , Sayag David , Marques Grégoire Bernardo , Chamel Gabriel , Chavalle Thomas , Eon Jean‐Bapiste , Floch Franck , Lajoinie Mathilde , Ponce Frédérique , Barrett Laura E.
Published: July 2024

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) with intravenous (IV) and/or intratumoral (IT) bleomycin has shown considerable efficacy in the treatment of non‐resectable feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), boasting response rates of up to 95%, but other chemotherapy protocols have not yet been investigated. The objective of this prospective multicentre study was to compare the overall response rate (ORR) and progression‐free interval (PFI) between cats with cSCC treated with ECT using IT and IV carboplatin (IV + IT), IV carboplatin (IV) or IV bleomycin (IV). A total of 44 cats with unresectable cSCC across three centres were enrolled and treated with ECT using carboplatin IV + IT (n = 10), carboplatin IV (n = 11) or bleomycin IV (n = 23). Treatment response according to RECIST criteria was recorded at 2 and 4 weeks post‐treatment, and patients were followed until disease progression and/or death. All three groups were comparable regarding age, sex, weight, and lesion size. Adverse events were generally mild, localised and similar between groups. ORRs were 90.0% (carboplatin IV + IT), 90.9% (carboplatin IV) and 95.6% (bleomycin IV) and were not significantly different (p = 0.79). Median PFI was not reached for carboplatin IV + IT or carboplatin IV and was 566 days for bleomycin IV, with no significant difference between the three groups (p = 0.81). This study suggests that ECT using IV or IV + IT carboplatin is a reasonable alternative therapeutic option for managing cSCC, and further studies are warranted to compare outcomes between treatment protocols.
Assessment of BFX cup version in a three‐dimensional model simulating the ventrodorsal radiographic view
Authors: Bilmont Alexis , Pink Jonathan , Clarke Stephen , Kowaleski Michael P.
Published: July 2024

Objective

To measure truncated face and open face versions of the biological fixation (BFX) cup in a three‐dimensional (3D) model simulating the ventrodorsal radiographic projection with different cup and pelvis positions.

Study design

Computer simulation.

Methods

Simulated ventrodorsal views were generated in silico using 3D models of a BFX cup and a medium‐sized canine pelvis. Truncated face and open face versions of the BFX cup were defined and measured with various angles of cup version, cup inclination, and pelvic extension.

Results

Truncated face version was different from and underestimated open face version by 12° to 22° (p < .001). Open face version varied with inclination while truncated face version was unaffected by inclination. Open face version was dependent on the degree of pelvic extension while truncated face version was unaffected.

Conclusion

Open face version differed from truncated face version. Changes in open face version were not consistently matched by a change in truncated face version.

Clinical significance

The open face of the cup may be excessively retroverted without this being reflected by truncated face retroversion as seen on a ventrodorsal radiographic view. However, in this study, BFX cups placed with truncated face version and inclination in the normal range and an ALO of 45° yielded predictable open face version.
Health professionals involved in diabetic foot and their tasks in a country without podiatrists: From a Japanese Nationwide Survey
Authors: Izumi Yuki , Onishi Hirotaka , Lavery Lawrence A.
Published: July 2024

Although there are no podiatrists in 85% of countries worldwide, how diabetic foot is managed in those countries is still unknown. We sought to identify the health professionals involved in diabetic foot and their tasks in Japan, where no podiatrists exist. This cross‐sectional study used the Japanese Nationwide Survey on Foot Ulcer Management dataset, consisting of 249 medical doctors and 680 allied health professionals. The types of health professionals involved in the diabetic foot were identified, and the tasks performed by each professional were compared within subgroups (medical doctors and allied health professionals). We found that the primary medical doctors involved in diabetic foot care in Japan were plastic surgeons (33.5%), dermatologists (21%), cardiovascular/vascular surgeons (15.2%), and cardiologists (12.1%). Nurses were the main allied health professionals (80%), and the rest consisted of prosthetists/orthotists (7.6%), physical/occupational therapists (5.9%), and clinical engineering technologists (3.6%). Medical doctors performed tasks related to their specialties significantly more than others (p < 0.001); however, they also engaged in tasks outside of their specialty, such as plastic surgeons performing preventive foot care (72%). Among allied health professionals, clinical engineering technologists performed more vascular assessments (p < 0.001), and half were engaged in wound management, preventive foot care, and self‐foot care education. In conclusion, the type and proportion of health professionals in our study differed from those in countries with podiatrists, and many performed tasks outside their specialties. This is the first nationwide cross‐sectional study of diabetic foot care in a country without podiatrists and is unique in examining multiple specialists/professionals in one study.
Deletion of the α2δ‐1 calcium channel subunit increases excitability of mouse chromaffin cells
Authors: Geisler Stefanie M. , Ottaviani Matteo M. , Jacobo‐Piqueras Noelia , Theiner Tamara , Mastrolia Vincenzo , Guarina Laura , Ebner Karl , Obermair Gerald J. , Carbone Emilio , Tuluc Petronel
Published: July 2024

High voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels (HVCCs) shape the electrical activity and control hormone release in most endocrine cells. HVCCs are multi‐subunit protein complexes formed by the pore‐forming α1 and the auxiliary β, α2δ and γ subunits. Four genes code for the α2δ isoforms. At the mRNA level, mouse chromaffin cells (MCCs) express predominantly the CACNA2D1 gene coding for the α2δ‐1 isoform. Here we show that α2δ‐1 deletion led to ∼60% reduced HVCC Ca2+ influx with slower inactivation kinetics. Pharmacological dissection showed that HVCC composition remained similar in α2δ‐1−/− MCCs compared to wild‐type (WT), demonstrating that α2δ‐1 exerts similar functional effects on all HVCC isoforms. Consistent with reduced HVCC Ca2+ influx, α2δ‐1−/− MCCs showed reduced spontaneous electrical activity with action potentials (APs) having a shorter half‐maximal duration caused by faster rising and decay slopes. However, the induced electrical activity showed opposite effects with α2δ‐1−/− MCCs displaying significantly higher AP frequency in the tonic firing mode as well as an increase in the number of cells firing AP bursts compared to WT. This gain‐of‐function phenotype was caused by reduced functional activation of Ca2+‐dependent K+ currents. Additionally, despite the reduced HVCC Ca2+ influx, the intracellular Ca2+ transients and vesicle exocytosis or endocytosis were unaltered in α2δ‐1−/− MCCs compared to WT during sustained stimulation. In conclusion, our study shows that α2δ‐1 genetic deletion reduces Ca2+ influx in cultured MCCs but leads to a paradoxical increase in catecholamine secretion due to increased excitability.

image

Key points

Deletion of the α2δ‐1 high voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel (HVCC) subunit reduces mouse chromaffin cell (MCC) Ca2+ influx by ∼60% but causes a paradoxical increase in induced excitability.

MCC intracellular Ca2+ transients are unaffected by the reduced HVCC Ca2+ influx.

Deletion of α2δ‐1 reduces the immediately releasable pool vesicle exocytosis but has no effect on catecholamine (CA) release in response to sustained stimuli.

The increased electrical activity and CA release from MCCs might contribute to the previously reported cardiovascular phenotype of patients carrying α2δ‐1 loss‐of‐function mutations.
Gaussian Process-Based Learning Control of Underactuated Balance Robots With an External and Internal Convertible Modeling Structure
Authors: Han Feng , Yi Jingang
Published: July 2024

External and internal convertible (EIC) form-based motion control is one of the effective designs of simultaneous trajectory tracking and balance for underactuated balance robots. Under certain conditions, the EIC-based control design is shown to lead to uncontrolled robot motion. To overcome this issue, we present a Gaussian process (GP)-based data-driven learning control for underactuated balance robots with the EIC modeling structure. Two GP-based learning controllers are presented by using the EIC property. The partial EIC (PEIC)-based control design partitions the robotic dynamics into a fully actuated subsystem and a reduced-order underactuated subsystem. The null-space EIC (NEIC)-based control compensates for the uncontrolled motion in a subspace, while the other closed-loop dynamics are not affected. Under the PEIC- and NEIC-based, the tracking and balance tasks are guaranteed, and convergence rate and bounded errors are achieved without causing any uncontrolled motion by the original EIC-based control. We validate the results and demonstrate the GP-based learning control design using two inverted pendulum platforms.
Study on Chemical Kinetic Mechanism and Autoignition Characteristics of Isopentanol/Gasoline Surrogate Fuel
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Suo Xinghan , Liu Leilei , Wang Lin , Feng Hongqing , Wang Changhui
Published: July 2024

In this article, the detailed mechanism of isopentanol was simplified by direct relationship graph error propagation (DRGEP), generation rate analysis, reaction path optimization, and sensitivity analysis, and a comprehensive simplified mechanism of isopentanol/gasoline alternative fuels was obtained. Isopentanol/gasoline-characterized fuels with different blending ratios were investigated, and the results showed that blending of isopentanol promoted the autoignition of gasoline. It was found that blending isopentanol does not significantly affect the low-temperature reaction path of alkanes, but increases the reaction path flux from toluene to benzene. During combustion of isopentanol/gasoline alternative fuels, the isopentanol component exhibits a unique two-stage combustion phenomenon.
Influence of Reynolds Number on Aerodynamic and Performance Coefficients of a Novel Parabolic-Bladed Savonius Wind Rotor
Authors: Mohan Man , Talukdar Parag K. , Saha Ujjwal K.
Published: July 2024

The vertical-axis Savonius wind rotor is known for its design simplicity, better starting qualities, and direction independency despite its inferior efficiency when measured against certain other types of vertical-axis wind rotors. Despite a plethora of research work on Savonius rotors, an in-depth analysis of Reynolds number (Re) on aerodynamic and power coefficients of the Savonius rotors is scarce. This paper aims at exploring the influence of Re on the performance of a novel parabolic blade profile through unsteady two-dimensional (2D) computation. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations are modeled using the ansys fluent by adopting a shear stress transport (SST) k–ω turbulence model. The computational results of the novel blade profile are then compared and analyzed with an established semicircular blade profile to draw some meaningful insights into the aerodynamic performance. In the tested range of Re = 5.3 × 104–10.6 × 104, the novel parabolic blade profile outperformed the semicircular blade profile in terms of aerodynamic and performance coefficients.
Influence of Aluminum Content and Agglomerates Initial Velocity on Erosion in Solid Rocket Motor
Authors: Abousabae Mohamed , Khalil Areej , Al Hamad Saif , Amano Ryoichi S.
Published: July 2024

Despite the aluminized propellants offering a high specific impulse, the challenge of nozzle erosion adversely impacts the rocket's performance and its reusability potential. This study presents a numerical model aiming to predict the mechanical erosion of the propulsion chamber nozzle. The model employs an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach to simulate the complexity of the flow field within the rocket combustion chamber and the interactions between the continuous phase and particles. The model also emphasizes the importance of the aluminum particle combustion process and the secondary breakup phenomena in the erosion process. Experimental and numerical data from the literature were used to validate the numerical model. Subsequently, the model was utilized to explore the impacts of increasing propellant aluminum content and varying particles' injection velocities on the nozzle's mechanical erosion. The outcomes indicated that higher aluminum content leads to a 4–10% increase in nozzle erosion compared to the 15% content case. Furthermore, the aluminum particles tend not to fully burn within the combustion chamber and contribute to the nozzle's erosion. Lastly, particles with higher initial velocity at the inlet of the combustion chamber increase the nozzle mechanical erosion despite the observed decrease in incident mass flux.
Determination of target site mutations and detoxification enzymes in the abamectin resistance of spider mite Tetranychus urticae collected from cotton fields of Türkiye
Authors: Alpkent Yasin Nazım , Çobanoğlu Sultan
Published: July 2024

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836) (Acari: Tetranychidae) causes significant problems in cotton fields. The pest has developed resistance to abamectin, which is used intensely against spider mite populations. A discriminating dose was applied to T. urticae populations collected from Aydın, Adana, Şanlıurfa, and Diyarbakır provinces between 2019 and 2021, where there is significant cotton production and intensive acaricide applications. Populations with a mortality rate of less than 80% at the discriminating dose applied to field populations were included in the bioassay study. Then, the 10 most resistant populations were determined based on their LC50 and LC90 values. It was observed that there was high resistance (HR) in two T. urticae populations collected from Diyarbakır (DIY28 and DIY2) with LC50 values of 24.5 and 33.81 mg L-1, respectively 113 and 156-fold and one population collected from the province of Aydın (AYD4) LC50 value of 23.5 mg L-1 and 109-fold. As a result of the comparisons with a susceptible population in biochemical studies, it was determined that the carboxylesterase (CarE) enzyme of these populations (except for SAN6, SAN7, SAN8, ADA9, and ADA11) had more than 2-fold higher activity compared to the glutathione enzyme (GST), and they were in statistically different groups. When the GST enzyme activities were examined, it was found that the enzyme activities were generally low, except for the ADA11 and ADA16 populations (3.73 and 2.3-fold). In terms of the target site resistance, it was observed that there was no target site mutation (G314D and I321T-G326E) in the glutamate-gated chloride channels (Units GluCl 1 and 3) in these highest 10 resistant populations. It can be said that the resistance levels determined for abamectin from the obtained populations were determined to be low. In brief, out of the total 44 populations brought in and tested, only 30 populations were considered resistant with a mortality rate below 80% after the applied discriminating dose. It was determined that 6.8% of these 30 populations had HR, 31.8% had medium resistance (MR), and 29.5% had low resistance (LR). When examining by regions, it was found that high resistance populations were more prevalent in Diyarbakır and Aydın (15.4% and 10%, respectively) provinces, while the highest percentage of MR populations was found in Şanlıurfa, at 90%. Abamectin still acts as an effective acaricide. However, it is recommended to use acaricides with different modes of action to prevent possible emergence of resistance cases.
Regional soundscape modeling of the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf
Authors: Heaney Kevin D. , Ainslie Michael , Murray James J. , Heaney Andrew J. , Miksis-Olds Jennifer , Martin Bruce
Published: July 2024

The ocean soundscape is a complex superposition of sound from natural and anthropogenic sources. Recent advances in acoustic remote sensing and marine bioacoustics have highlighted how animals use their soundscape and how the background sound levels are influenced by human activities. In this paper, developments in computational ocean acoustics, remote sensing, and oceanographic modeling are combined to generate modelled sound fields at multiple scales in time and space. Source mechanisms include surface shipping, surface wind, and wave fields. A basin scale model is presented and applied to the United States Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). For model-data comparison at a single hydrophone location, the model is run for a single receiver position. Environmental and source model uncertainty is included in the site-specific modeling of the soundscape. An inversion of the local sediment type is made for a set of sites in the OCS. After performing this inversion, the qualitative comparison of the modelled sound pressure level (SPL) time series and observed SPL is excellent. The quantitative differences in the mean root mean square error between the model and data is less than 3 dB for most sites and frequencies above 90 Hz.
Pulse duration, frequency band, and sweep direction effects on crosstalk in wideband backscattering measurements
Authors: Khodabandeloo Babak , Pedersen Geir , Forland Tonje Nesse , Korneliussen Rolf
Published: July 2024

Multiple broadband transducers are typically used to cover both a wide frequency range and fill in gaps resulting from sampling with multiple narrowband echosounders. Synchronized operation of these echosounders is preferred in many cases. Simultaneous operation of multiple broadband echosounders, even when using non-overlapping primary bands, can result in cross-channel interferences caused by nonlinear generation of sound and can contaminate backscattered signal. Decreasing the transmit power of channels with lower frequencies has been demonstrated as an effective technique for reducing the level of crosstalk. Reducing the transmit power inherently decreases the signal energy. Hence, the reduction in crosstalk also reduces signal-to-noise ratio and consequently observation range. Increasing the broadband pulse duration is an alternative to compensate for the reduced signal energy from lower transmit power. This paper examines the effects of increasing pulse duration on crosstalk through numerical modeling and field experiments. Raising the transmit power amplifies the higher-harmonic level more than the main band, while extending the pulse duration increases the levels of both main-band and higher harmonics the same amount. Additionally, the study explores the influence of frequency band and sweep direction on crosstalk.
Supplemental Material: Drought-induced seismicity modulation in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, central United States
Authors: Senapati Batakrushna , Kundu Bhaskar
Published: July 2024

Contains methodology, figures, and tables.
Phase Transition near the Filling Factor ν = 3
Authors: Shchepetilnikov A. V. , Nikolaev G. A. , Andreeva S. A. , Khisameeva A. R. , Fedotova Ya. V. , Dremin A. A. , Kukushkin I. V.
Published: July 2024

A phase transition accompanied by the appearance of a spike in the longitudinal resistance of a two-dimensional electron system has been studied using the electron spin resonance near the filling factor ν = 3 in the ZnO/MgZnO heterojunction. This transition occurs when the tilt angle θ of the magnetic field is increased to some critical value θc. An analysis of the spin resonance amplitude has made it possible to demonstrate the spin nature of this phenomenon. For example, the ground state of the system on both sides of the transition has a nonzero spin polarization, which changes by several times when the phase of the system is changed. Strong spin resonance is observed both at θ < θc and at θ > θc. Surprisingly, the spin resonance at the critical angle θc has been detected in only one phase, which lies in the region of magnetic fields below the critical field Bc corresponding to the spike position in the longitudinal resistance. An increase in the magnetic field to this value leads to a decrease in the resonance amplitude and an increase in the resonance width. In the field region above Bc, the spin resonance disappears completely. Such behavior of the spin resonance is most likely due to the formation of domains with different spin polarizations in the electron system.
Features of the Neutralization of Fast Protons in a Hydrocarbon Pellet Cloud
Authors: Bakhareva O. A. , Sergeev V. Yu. , Sharov I. A.
Published: July 2024

To measure the high-energy part of the energy distribution function of ions in a hot plasma using the pellet charge exchange (PCX) diagnostic, it is necessary to know the energy dependence of the fraction F0(E) of fast ions neutralized when intersecting a pellet cloud. Using experimental and calculated data on the ablation of polystyrene macroparticles (pellets) in the LHD stellarator, the function F0(E) for protons in the hydrocarbon cloud has been calculated in the energy range of 50–1000 keV at pitch angles $$ \geqslant {\kern 1pt} 70^\circ $$. At energies of 50‒200 keV, it is necessary to take into account the decrease in the flux of neutralized protons multiply intersecting the cloud. Energy losses of protons along the trajectory provide a lower bound E > 100 keV for the possible PCX measurements. The necessity of the control of the charge state composition and structure of the cloud limits the view area of the detector of atoms within ±30 mm from the position of a pellet along the magnetic field. For this reason, the injection axis should be aligned with the observation axis of the neutral particle analyzer for the optimal geometry of PCX measurements with polystyrene pellets.
Erratum to: Effect of Shear Loading Conditions on the Measured Strength of Ice Adhesion to Superhydrophobic Surfaces
Authors: Emelyanenko K. A. , Emelyanenko A. M. , Boinovich L. B.
Published: July 2024

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1061933X24010010
Time to resolution of symptoms and recovery after mild traumatic brain injury: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ngai Adrian , Hibberd Owen , Hassan Hamda , Whitehouse Daniel P , Richter Sophie , Newcombe Virginia
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with approximately 1 out of 200 people each year sustaining an mTBI in Europe. There is a growing awareness that recovery may take months or years. However, the exact time frame of recovery remains ill-defined in the literature. This systematic review aims to record the range of outcome measures used for mTBI and understand the time to recovery for different outcomes.

Methods and analysis

This protocol complies with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guideline. A prespecified literature search for articles in the English language will be conducted from database inception to the date of searches using MEDLINE and EMBASE. A trial search was conducted on 5 October 2023 with refinement of the search criteria following this. For each study, screening of the title, abstract and full text, as well as data extraction, will be done by two reviewers, with an adjudicating third reviewer if required. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for clinical trials and the Newcastle Ottawa score for cohort studies. The primary outcome is the time to resolution of symptoms in mTBI patients who have a full recovery, using any validated outcome measure. Results will be categorised by symptom groups, including but not limited to post-concussive symptoms, mental health, functional recovery and health-related quality of life. For mTBI patients who do not recover, this review will also explore the time to the plateau of symptoms and the sequelae of these symptoms. Where possible, meta-analysis will be undertaken, with a narrative review undertaken when this is not possible. Subgroup analyses of patients aged over 64 years, and patients with repetitive head injury, are planned.

Ethical review and dissemination

Ethical review is not required, as no original data will be collected. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and academic conferences.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023462797.
Tailored leadership training in emergency medicine: qualitative exploration of the impact of the EMLeaders programme on consultants and trainees in England
Authors: Kneafsey Rosie , Moore Amanda , Palmer Shea , Szczepura Ala , Hooper Gareth , Leech Caroline , Turner Chris , Khan Aanika , Pawar Bhupinder , Rodrigues Amorim Adegboye Amanda
Published: July 2024

Background

Emergency medicine (EM) consultants are expected to provide leadership to facilitate optimal clinical results, effective teamwork and learning. To foster leadership skills, the Emergency Medicine Leadership Programme (EMLeaders) was launched in 2018 by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), Health Education England and National Health Service England. A mixed-methods evaluation of EMLeaders was commissioned to assess the impact at the strategic, team and individual levels. This paper reports the qualitative evaluation component.

Methods

Qualitative data collected from 2021 to 2022 were drawn from an online survey of RCEM members in England, which included four open questions about leadership training. At the end of the survey, participants were asked to share contact details if willing to undertake an in-depth qualitative interview. Interviews explored perceptions of the programme and impact of curriculum design and delivery. Data were analysed thematically against the Kirkpatrick framework, providing in-depth understanding.

Results

There were 417 survey respondents, of whom 177 had participated in EMLeaders. Semistructured interviews were completed with 13 EM consultants, 13 trainees and 1 specialty and associate specialist doctor. EMLeaders was highly valued by EM consultants and trainees, particularly group interaction, expert facilitation and face-to-face practical scenario work. Consultant data yielded the themes: we believe in it; EM relevance is key; on a leadership journey; shaping better leaders; and a broken system. Challenges were identified in building engagement within a pressured workplace system and embedding workplace role modelling. Trainees identified behavioural shift in themselves following the programme but wanted more face-to-face discussions with senior colleagues. Key trainee themes included value in being together, storytelling in leadership, headspace for the leadership lens and survival in a state of collapse.

Conclusion

The development of leadership skills in EM is considered important. The EMLeaders programme can support leadership learning but further embedding is needed.
Cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA escape syndrome
Authors: Nasse Sian , Underwood Jonathan , Hughes Tom A T
Published: July 2024

A 54-year-old man with treated HIV developed a subacute deterioration of speech, mobility and cognition. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed a raised protein and a discordant CSF HIV RNA paired with plasma HIV RNA, confirming the diagnosis of CSF HIV RNA escape syndrome. It is important to consider this diagnosis in people with treated HIV who develop new neurological symptoms.
Effects of log booms on physical habitat, water quality, and benthic invertebrates in the lower Fraser River and estuary
Authors: Kussin-Bordo Noah , Hinch Scott G. , Asadian Yeganeh , Scott David C.
Published: July 2024

To facilitate the movement and processing of timber in some regions of the Pacific Northwest, logs are tied together to form large rectangular rafts (often called “booms”) which are transported and stored in aquatic environments. In the lower Fraser River, British Columbia, some reaches have >50% of shoreline with adjacent log booms, yet our understanding of the effects of log booms on habitats and biota is very limited. We compared sites that have never had log booms to nearby ones with active boom storage occurring to examine differences in environmental characteristics. In contrast to reference sites, nearly all active sites had compacted sediments and little vegetation coverage, likely caused by logs “grounding” onto benthic environments due to tidally influenced water level changes. Total benthic invertebrate abundance was higher at reference sites which had relatively more Amphipoda and Trichoperta, but fewer Haplotaxida, compared to active sites whose compacted and more detrital-laden sediments should favour haplotaxids. Water quality variables generally did not differ between reference and active sites. Grounding of log booms and contact with the below substrate is in contradiction of best management practices and has clear effects on the physical habitat and biota of the area underneath booming sites.
The impact of climate on the dominant height and climate thresholds for P. elliottii, P. taeda, P. patula, and P. patula x P. tecunumanii plantation forests
Authors: van der Merwe Jaco-Pierre , Lindner Gerard , Ernst Yolandi , Germishuizen Ilaria , van Heerden Elane , Zandberg Hugo , Sibiya Gabigabi , Raboho Ndamulelo , De Waal Lizette , Ndlovu Thabani , Mabaso Leonard , Zondach Niel , Christie Nanette , Clarke Charlie , Mansfield Shawn D.
Published: July 2024

Plantation forests were introduced into South Africa to satisfy the regional demand for wood-based products, which are largely found in the Mpumalanga province. To better understand the impacts of climate on the dominant height growth of commercially important plantation species, enumeration data collected from 2012 to 2023 was scrutinised, representing 34740 plots in 2082 plantation compartments. Statistically significant multiple linear regression models were developed to predict dominant heights for Pinus elliottii, Pinus taeda, Pinus patula, and Pinus patula x Pinus tecunumanii hybrids using climate variables as independent factors. Mean annual maximum temperature was statistically significant when modelling dominant height for P. elliottii, while winter maximum temperature was significant for P . taeda, P. patula, and P. patula x P. tecunumanii. Rainfall was found to be significant for P. elliottii and P. taeda, while spring rainfall was found to be more important when modelling dominant height for P. patula. Interestingly, autumn rainfall was found to have a negative impact on dominant height growth of P. taeda and P. patula, while rainfall was not significant in P. patula x P. tecunumanii. The findings imply that the southern pines have water thresholds, while Mexican pines are more temperature limited than water limited.
Synergy between noisy quantum computers and scalable classical deep learning for quantum error mitigation
Authors: Cantori Simone , Mari Andrea , Vitali David , Pilati Sebastiano
Published: July 2024

We investigate the potential of combining the computational power of noisy quantum computers and of classical scalable convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The goal is to accurately predict exact expectation values of parameterized quantum circuits representing the Trotter-decomposed dynamics of quantum Ising models. By incorporating (simulated) noisy expectation values alongside circuit structure information, our CNNs effectively capture the underlying relationships between circuit architecture and output behaviour, enabling, via transfer learning, also predictions for circuits with more qubits than those included in the training set. Notably, thanks to the quantum information, our CNNs succeed even when supervised learning based only on classical descriptors fails. Furthermore, they outperform a popular error mitigation scheme, namely, zero-noise extrapolation, demonstrating that the synergy between quantum and classical computational tools leads to higher accuracy compared with quantum-only or classical-only approaches. By tuning the noise strength, we explore the crossover from a computationally powerful classical CNN assisted by quantum noisy data, towards rather precise quantum computations, further error-mitigated via classical deep learning.
On ICΦ-subgroups and p-hypercyclically embedded structure of finite groups
Authors: Zhang Jia , Huang Xiao , Xiang Yanhui
Published: July 2024

A subgroup [Formula: see text] of a group [Formula: see text] is said to be an [Formula: see text]-subgroup of [Formula: see text] if [Formula: see text]. In this paper, based on research work of Kaspczyk, we analyze [Formula: see text]-hypercyclically embedded structure of a finite group [Formula: see text] under the assumption that some given [Formula: see text]-subgroups of [Formula: see text] are [Formula: see text]-subgroups of [Formula: see text]. Also, all [Formula: see text]-subgroups of symmetric group [Formula: see text] are determined.
A Knowledge Graph Embedding Model for Answering Factoid Entity Questions
Authors: Jafarzadeh Parastoo , Ensan Faezeh , Ali Akbar Alavi Mahdiyar , Zarrinkalam Fattane
Published: July 2024

Factoid entity questions (FEQ), which seek answers in the form of a single entity from knowledge sources, such as DBpedia and Wikidata, constitute a substantial portion of user queries in search engines. This article introduces the knowledge graph embedding model for FEQ (KGE-FEQ) answering. Leveraging a textual knowledge graph derived from extensive text collections, KGE-FEQ encodes textual relationships between entities. The model employs a two-step process: (1) Triple Retrieval, where relevant triples are retrieved from the textual knowledge graph based on semantic similarities to the question, and (2) Answer Selection, where a knowledge graph embedding approach is utilized for answering the question. This involves positioning the embedding for the answer entity close to the embedding of the question entity, incorporating a vector representing the question and textual relations between entities. Extensive experiments evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, comparing KGE-FEQ to state-of-the-art baselines in FEQ answering and the most advanced open-domain question answering techniques applied to FEQs. The results show that KGE-FEQ outperforms existing methods across different datasets. Ablation studies highlights the effectiveness of KGE-FEQ when both the question and textual relations between entities are considered for answering questions.
A Disruptive Research Playbook for Studying Disruptive Innovations
Authors: Storey Margaret-Anne , Russo Daniel , Novielli Nicole , Kobayashi Takashi , Wang Dong
Published: July 2024

As researchers today, we are witnessing a fundamental change in our technologically-enabled world due to the advent and diffusion of highly disruptive technologies such as generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). In particular, software engineering has been profoundly affected by the transformative power of disruptive innovations for decades, with a significant impact of technical advancements on social dynamics due to its socio-technical nature. In this article, we reflect on the importance of formulating and addressing research problems in software engineering through a socio-technical lens, thus ensuring a holistic understanding of the complex phenomena in this field. We propose a research playbook with the aim of providing a guide to formulate compelling and socially relevant research questions and to identify the appropriate research strategies for empirical investigations, with an eye on the long-term implications of technologies or their use. We showcase how to apply the research playbook. Firstly, we show how it can be used retrospectively to reflect on a prior disruptive technology, Stack Overflow, and its impact on software development. Secondly, we show how it can be used to question the impact of two current disruptive technologies: AI and AR/VR. Finally, we introduce a specialized GPT model to support the researcher in framing future investigations. We conclude by discussing the broader implications of adopting the playbook for both researchers and practitioners in software engineering and beyond.
Opportunities and Open Questions in Modern Beta Decay
Authors: Hayen Leendert
Published: July 2024

For well over half a century, precision studies of neutron and nuclear β decays have been at the forefront of searches for exotic electroweak physics. Recent advances in nuclear ab initio theory and the widespread use of effective field theories mean that the modern understanding of β decay is going through a transitional phase. This has been propelled by current tensions in the global dataset leading to renewed scrutiny of the theoretical ingredients. In parallel, novel techniques and methods are being investigated that can sidestep many traditional systematic uncertainties and require a diverse palette of skills and collaboration with material science and condensed matter physics. This review highlights the current opportunities and open questions to facilitate the transition to a more modern understanding of β decay.
Influence of Cathode Calendering Density on the Cycling Stability of Li-Ion Batteries Using NMC811 Single or Poly Crystalline Particles
Authors: Raju Kumar , Wheatcroft Laura , Lai May Ching , Mahadevegowda Amoghavarsha , Piper Louis F. J. , Ducati Caterina , Inkson Beverley J. , De Volder Michael
Published: July 2024

Calendering of battery electrodes is a commonly used manufacturing process that enhances electrode packing density and therefore improves the volumetric energy density. While calendering is standard industrial practice, it is known to crack cathode particles, thereby increasing the electrode surface area. The latter is particularly problematic for new Ni-rich layered transition metal oxide cathodes, such as NMC811, which are known to have substantial surface-driven degradation processes. To establish appropriate calendering practices for these new cathode materials, we conducted a comparative analysis of uncalendered electrodes with electrodes that have a 35% porosity (industrial standard), and 25% porosity (highly calendered) for both single crystal (SC) and polycrystalline (PC) NMC811. PC cathodes show clear signs of cracking and decrease in rate capability when calendered to 25% porosity, whereas SC NMC811 cathodes, achieve better cycling stability and no penalty in rate performance at these high packing densities. These findings suggest that SC NMC811 cathodes should be calendered more densely, and we provide a comprehensive overview of both electrochemical and material characterisation methods that corroborate why PC and SC electrodes show such different degradation behaviour. Overall, this work is important because it shows how new single-crystal cathode materials can offer additional advantages both in terms of rate performance and cycling stability by calendaring them more densely.
Effects of aging on diaphragm hyperemia and blood flow distribution in male and female Fischer 344 rats
Authors: Horn Andrew G. , Schulze Kiana M. , Muller-Delp Judy , Poole David C. , Behnke Bradley J.
Published: July 2024

This is the first study, to our knowledge, to demonstrate that old age impairs the hyperemic response and alters blood flow distribution in the diaphragm of both female and male rats. In addition, this investigation provides novel evidence of sex differences in regional diaphragm blood flow distribution with contractions. The data presented herein suggest that aging compromises diaphragm vascular function and provides a potential mechanism for the diaphragm contractile dysfunction associated with old age.
Sex differences in heat stress vulnerability among middle-aged and older adults (PSU HEAT Project)
Authors: Leach Olivia K. , Cottle Rachel M. , Fisher Kat G. , Wolf S. Tony , Kenney W. Larry
Published: July 2024

In contrast to young adults, there are sex differences in critical environmental limits in middle-aged and older adults. Older women exhibit lower critical environmental limits in both humid and dry extreme environments demonstrated by a leftward shift in heat compensability curves. These data confirm a true sex difference in heat vulnerability of older adults and support the epidemiological mortality data from environmental heat waves.
Tissue desaturation is not a major determinant of aging-related impairment in skeletal muscle reactive hyperemia: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Alvares Thiago Silveira , Soares Rogerio Nogueira
Published: July 2024

Previous findings have suggested that aging-related impairment in skeletal muscle reactive hyperemia is majorly influenced by a lower degree of tissue desaturation during ischemia in older individuals compared with young individuals. In a retrospective analysis including 83 tissue desaturation-matched individuals, we show that the degree of tissue desaturation is not a major determinant of aging-related impairments in reactive hyperemia.
Relative rDNA copy number is not associated with resistance training-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy and does not affect myotube anabolism in vitro
Authors: Godwin Joshua S. , Michel J. Max , Ludlow Andrew T. , Frugé Andrew D. , Mobley C. Brooks , Nader Gustavo A. , Roberts Michael D.
Published: July 2024

We examined ribosomal DNA (rDNA) copy numbers in men and women who resistance trained for 10–12 wk and found no significant associations with skeletal muscle hypertrophy outcomes. These data, along with in vitro data in immortalized human myotubes whereby rDNA copy number was reduced, provide strong evidence that relative rDNA copy number is not associated with anabolism.
Structure-function in smokers: when a small airways test really reflects the small airways
Authors: Verbanck Sylvia , Hanon Shane , Vandemeulebroucke Jef , Vanderhelst Eef , Paiva Manuel
Published: July 2024

In smokers with computed tomography-based evidence of functional small airway alterations by parametric response mapping, it is possible to demonstrate that the multiple-breath washout-derived Sacin, an index of acinar ventilation heterogeneity, actually does represent the most peripheral airspaces. This is done by verifying on experimental N2 washout curves of the first breath, N2 phase-III concavity predicted by the diffusion-convection interdependence model.
Drug‐Coated versus Conventional Balloons to Improve Recanalization of a Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion after Failed Attempt: The Improved‐CTO Registry
Authors: Amat-Santos Ignacio J. , Marengo Giorgio , Ybarra Luiz F. , Fernández-Diaz Jose Antonio , Regueiro Ander , Gutiérrez Alejandro , Martín-Moreiras Javier , Sánchez-Luna Juan Pablo , González-Gutiérrez Jose Carlos , Fernandez-Cordon Clara , Carrasco-Moraleja Manuel , Rinfret Stéphane
Published: July 2024

Background. Chronic total occlusion (CTO) plaque modification (CTO‐PM) is often used for unsuccessful CTO interventions. Methods. A multicenter, prospective study included consecutive patients with failed CTO recanalization. At the end of the failed procedure, patients received either a conventional (CB) or drug‐coated balloon (DCB) for CTO‐PM at the operator’s discretion and underwent a new attempt of CTO recanalization ∼3 months later. Results. A total of 55 patients were enrolled (DCB: 22; CB: 33), with a median age of 66 years. The median J‐score was 3, and CCS angina classes III–IV were present in 45% of the patients. After the first CTO‐PCI attempt, no in‐hospital cardiac deaths were registered. The overall rate of in‐hospital myocardial infarction was 3.6%, without significant differences between the DCB and CB groups (4.5% after DCB vs 3.0% after CB, p = 0.999). The success rate of the second CTO‐PCI attempt was 86.8%, with a periprocedural complication rate of 5.7% and with an overall rate of in‐hospital complications of 24.5%, without significant differences between the 2 groups (13.6% in the DCB group vs 32.2% in the CB group, p = 0.195). Compared with CB, in the DCB group, the second CTO‐PCI required a shorter median fluoroscopy time (33 vs 60 min, p < 0.001), a lower contrast volume (170 vs 321 cc, p < 0.001), and a lower radiation dose (1.7 vs 3.3 Gy, p < 0.001). At 1‐year follow‐up, outcomes were comparable between the 2 strategies, target vessel failure occurred in 5.7% and major adverse cardiovascular events in 18.2% (13.6% in the DCB group vs 21.2% in the CB group, p = 0.494). Conclusions. PM after CTO recanalization failure is safe and warrants high success rates when a second attempt is performed. A DCB strategy for CTO‐PM does not seem to ensure higher success or better clinical outcomes, but its use was associated with simpler staged procedures. This trial is registered with NCT05158686.
Graph Convolutional Recommendation System Based on Bilateral Attention Mechanism
Authors: Yang Hui , Yang Changchun
Published: July 2024

Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems face data sparsity and cold‐start issues, leading to a decrease in their recommendation performance. Therefore, numerous researchers have integrated knowledge graphs and graph convolutional networks into recommender systems to enhance their performance. Through an analysis of previous knowledge graph convolutional network recommendation systems, the following problems have been identified: (1) Some graph convolutional networks only consider the neighborhood aggregation of items while neglecting the neighborhood aggregation of users. (2) User rating differences are not taken into account. To tackle these problems, a Bilateral Attention Mechanism Graph Convolutional Network Recommender Model is proposed. This model effectively captures high‐order neighborhood information for both items and users by utilizing bipartite attention mechanisms on the knowledge graph and interaction graph. Additionally, it incorporates the influence of user ratings on items. Finally, it aggregates item and user information with neighborhood information to predict user ratings for items. The validity of this model was verified through experimental analysis and comparative evaluation of its performance against SPGCN, CACF on the MovieLens‐20M, Book‐Crossing, and Last.FM datasets.
Investigating the Causal Link between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Atrial Fibrillation in East Asian Populations: A Mendelian Randomization Approach
Authors: Luo Weijun , Yv Hui , Yu Xiao , Wu Xianjun
Published: July 2024

Background. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in observational studies, yet the causal relationship remains elusive. In this study, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the impact of RA on AF risk specifically in East Asian populations. Methods. Utilizing genome‐wide association study (GWAS) data on RA (n = 212,453) and AF (n = 36,792), we applied the following five MR methods: inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR‐RAPS, maximum likelihood, weighted median (WM), and Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization (BWMR). We evaluated heterogeneity, sensitivity, and pleiotropy. Results. Five genetic instrumental variants for RA were identified. All MR methods consistently indicated a causal association between RA and AF (IVW: OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01–1.41, p < 0.03; MR‐RAPS: OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03–1.42, p < 0.02; maximum likelihood: OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04–1.39, p < 0.01; WM: OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03–1.52, p < 0.03; and BWMR: OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.02–1.42, p < 0.03). Sensitivity and pleiotropy analyses confirmed the robustness and validity of the results. Conclusions. This study establishes a causal link between RA and AF in East Asians. Our results underscore the need for in‐depth mechanistic investigations to unravel the underlying pathways. Clinicians should consider AF risk in RA management, emphasizing collaborative care between rheumatologists and cardiologists. Moving forward, future research should explore therapeutic interventions and address the shared biological mechanisms.