bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seasonal nest use of sympatric North American flying squirrels
Authors: Minns Rosemary , Persad Rebekah , Menelon Laurelie , Newar Sasha L. , O’Brien Paul P. , Stead Samantha M. , Bowman Jeff
Published: February 2024

Context Nest or roost sites are important for social thermoregulators – not only because the locations provide shelter from harsh climates, but also because they provide sites for social aggregations. Nest use can therefore be informative about selection pressures facing social thermoregulators. Aims The aim of this study was to assess seasonal changes in nest use of sympatric northern (Glaucomys sabrinus) and southern (Glaucomys volans) flying squirrels. Local sympatry at our study site allowed us to evaluate nest use by individuals of both species subject to similar nest availability. We hypothesised that southern flying squirrels should be more selective than northern flying squirrels, especially in winter due to lower cold tolerance by the southern species. Methods We used radio telemetry to track 57 squirrels during 2019–2022 at a site in central Ontario, Canada. Each squirrel was tracked during the day to their nest site, and tree characteristics – including diameter at breast height, tree species, nest type and decay class – were recorded. Key results Northern flying squirrels used both coniferous and deciduous trees, as well as a mix of cavities, dreys and subterranean nests. Southern flying squirrels nested most often in deciduous tree cavities and used dreys less frequently than northern flying squirrels. The only significant effects in regression models, however, were effects of tree diameter. Both species used large-diameter trees in the winter and summer, and these effects were larger in the winter months. In both seasons, southern flying squirrels used larger trees than northern flying squirrels. Conclusions Our study results were consistent with the hypothesis that nest selection is associated with temperature and squirrel aggregation size. Both northern and southern flying squirrels used large trees during summer and winter months, as would be an expected requirement for aggregation; however, this effect was amplified in southern flying squirrels and in the winter. Implications Cold ambient temperature is an underlying factor in winter months, creating the need for social thermoregulation and increased squirrel aggregation sizes, especially in the small-bodied southern flying squirrel. This in turn leads to a need for large-diameter cavity trees for nest groups to occupy during winter.
The central renin–angiotensin system: A genetic pathway, functional decoding, and selective target engagement characterization in humans
Authors: Xu Ting , Chen Zhiyi , Zhou Xinqi , Wang Lan , Zhou Feng , Yao Dezhong , Zhou Bo , Becker Benjamin
Published: February 2024

Accumulating evidence suggests that the brain renin angiotensin system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cognition and behavior as well as in the neuropathology of neurological and mental disorders. The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) mediates most functional and neuropathology-relevant actions associated with the central RAS. However, an overarching comprehension to guide translation and utilize the therapeutic potential of the central RAS in humans is currently lacking. We conducted a comprehensive characterization of the RAS using an innovative combination of transcriptomic gene expression mapping, image-based behavioral decoding, and pre-registered randomized controlled discovery–replication pharmacological resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) trials (N = 132) with a selective AT1R antagonist. The AT1R exhibited a particular dense expression in a subcortical network encompassing the thalamus, striatum, and amygdalo-hippocampal formation. Behavioral decoding of the AT1R gene expression brain map showed an association with memory, stress, reward, and motivational processes. Transient pharmacological blockade of the AT1R further decreased neural activity in subcortical systems characterized by a high AT1R expression, while increasing functional connectivity in the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Effects of AT1R blockade on the network level were specifically associated with the transcriptomic signatures of the dopaminergic, opioid, acetylcholine, and corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling systems. The robustness of the results was supported in an independent pharmacological fMRI trial. These findings present a biologically informed comprehensive characterization of the central AT1R pathways and their functional relevance on the neural and behavioral level in humans.
Enhancing ion selectivity by tuning solvation abilities of covalent-organic-framework membranes
Authors: Meng Qing-Wei , Zhu Xincheng , Xian Weipeng , Wang Sai , Zhang Zhengqing , Zheng Liping , Dai Zhifeng , Yin Hong , Ma Shengqian , Sun Qi
Published: February 2024

Understanding the molecular-level mechanisms involved in transmembrane ion selectivity is essential for optimizing membrane separation performance. In this study, we reveal our observations regarding the transmembrane behavior of Li
+
and Mg
2+
ions as a response to the changing pore solvation abilities of the covalent-organic-framework (COF) membranes. These abilities were manipulated by adjusting the lengths of the oligoether segments attached to the pore channels. Through comparative experiments, we were able to unravel the relationships between pore solvation ability and various ion transport properties, such as partitioning, conduction, and selectivity. We also emphasize the significance of the competition between Li
+
and Mg
2+
with the solvating segments in modulating selectivity. We found that increasing the length of the oligoether chain facilitated ion transport; however, it was the COF membrane with oligoether chains containing two ethylene oxide units that exhibited the most pronounced discrepancy in transmembrane energy barrier between Li
+
and Mg
2+
, resulting in the highest separation factor among all the evaluated membranes. Remarkably, under electro-driven binary-salt conditions, this specific COF membrane achieved an exceptional Li
+
/Mg
2+
selectivity of up to 1352, making it one of the most effective membranes available for Li
+
/Mg
2+
separation. The insights gained from this study significantly contribute to advancing our understanding of selective ion transport within confined nanospaces and provide valuable design principles for developing highly selective COF membranes.
Mach’s principle-based model of the origin of mass
Authors: Chen Yu-Jie , Liu Yuan-Yuan , Chen Yu-Zhu , Li Wen-Du , Dai Wu-Sheng
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we present a Mach’s principle-based model of the origin of mass. According to Mach’s principle, the mass of matter arises from the coupling with the rest of the Universe rather than being an inherent property of matter itself. This model, in a sense, provides a model realization of Mach’s principle. In this model, the mass of matter is determined by spacetime. We illustrate the model by solving exact solutions in various spacetimes, such as static spherical, Robertson-Walker, and static cylindrical spacetimes.
The monotonicity method for inclusion detection and the time harmonic elastic wave equation
Authors: Eberle-Blick Sarah , Pohjola Valter
Published: February 2024

We consider the problem of reconstructing inhomogeneities in an isotropic elastic body using time harmonic waves. Here we extend the so called monotonicity method for inclusion detection and show how to determine certain types of inhomogeneities in the Lamé parameters and the density. We also included some numerical tests of the method.
Restoring the discontinuous heat equation source using sparse boundary data and dynamic sensors
Authors: Lin Guang , Ou Na , Zhang Zecheng , Zhang Zhidong
Published: February 2024

This study focuses on addressing the inverse source problem associated with the parabolic equation. We rely on sparse boundary flux data as our measurements, which are acquired from a restricted section of the boundary. While it has been established that utilizing sparse boundary flux data can enable source recovery, the presence of a limited number of observation sensors poses a challenge for accurately tracing the inverse quantity of interest. To overcome this limitation, we introduce a sampling algorithm grounded in Langevin dynamics that incorporates dynamic sensors to capture the flux information. Furthermore, we propose and discuss two distinct dynamic sensor migration strategies. Remarkably, our findings demonstrate that even with only two observation sensors at our disposal, it remains feasible to successfully reconstruct the high-dimensional unknown parameters.
Bi-level iterative regularization for inverse problems in nonlinear PDEs
Authors: Ngoc Nguyen Tram Thi
Published: February 2024

We investigate the ill-posed inverse problem of recovering unknown spatially dependent parameters in nonlinear evolution partial differential equations (PDEs). We propose a bi-level Landweber scheme, where the upper-level parameter reconstruction embeds a lower-level state approximation. This can be seen as combining the classical reduced setting and the newer all-at-once setting, allowing us to, respectively, utilize well-posedness of the parameter-to-state map, and to bypass having to solve nonlinear PDEs exactly. Using this, we derive stopping rules for lower- and upper-level iterations and convergence of the bi-level method. We discuss application to parameter identification for the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation in magnetic particle imaging.
Linear enhancement of mechanical compliance by zeolite filling in a compact loudspeaker
Authors: Chen Jin , Tan Fa , Li Ximin , Lu Xingyu , Zhao Degang , Liu Jiamei , Zhou He , Lu Qiuhong , Qian Lihua
Published: February 2024

A zeolite filling in the rear cavity of a compact loudspeaker enhances the sound pressure amplitude of the loudspeaker system with a frequency range up to ∼500 Hz, but its intrinsic mechanisms remain elusive. We theoretically consider the gas adsorption–desorption behavior on zeolite that can be dynamically perturbed by sound pressure from the diaphragm of the loudspeaker. By merging equivalent circuit theory with gas thermodynamic theory, a linear relationship between mechanical compliance and zeolite volume in the rear cavity is quantitatively modeled. Confirmed by electroacoustic impedance experiments, the linear relationship with a slope of 1.92 mF cm−3 reveals the intrinsic ability of porous material to enhance mechanical compliance by adsorption of gas onto the zeolite in the rear cavity. This study correlates the kinetic behavior of air molecules on zeolite and acoustic behavior; it offers a novel insight to improve the performance of a compact loudspeaker by simple filling with porous material and introduces a comprehensive method for evaluating gas adsorption–desorption dynamics in porous media.
Comparative study of variant shifting-phase coding method based on noise error model
Authors: Wu Yanxue , Mu Quan , Cheng Zhou , Li Wanyi , Yang Shichao , Yang Tian , Liu Fei
Published: February 2024

Phase shifting algorithm, which is well-known for its high-accuracy and high-resolution, plays a crucial role in fringe projection profilometry. A class of variant shifting-phase coding method (VSPCM) has been proposed for high-speed 3D measurement. The three kinds of VSPCM include the inner shifting-phase method (ISPM), the intensity-coded method (ICM) and the modified Carré algorithm (MCA). These methods project only four patterns avoiding the need for extra images, yet achieve accuracy comparable to the classical three-frequency heterodyne method. In VSPCM, the shifting-phase, as a key code-word for phase unwrapping, is encoded as a variable value. In practice, the noise and the encoding of shifting-phase have varying degrees of impact on the performance of these methods. But the coded ranges of the shifting-phase were previouly empirical values. Besides, there are no studies related to these factors, and also a lack of comparative researches on such methods. This paper compares three kinds of VSPCM for the first time. We derive the noise error models for shifting-phase and wrapped phase in three methods and examine the impact of variant shifting-phase on fringe orders and wrapped phase in these methods. We find that the abnormal shifting-phase errors predominantly cause fringe orders errors. Fortunately, median filtering can effectively handle shifting-phase errors to ensure successful phase unwrapping. To improve their accuracy, we also deduce that the optimal shifting-phase encoding range is [−77°, 77°] for ISPM, and is [−61°, 61°] for ICM, and is [34°, 74°] for MCA. For wrapped phase errors, the distributions of ICM and MCA exhibit a U-shaped distribution, while ISPM demonstrates a uniform distribution. Based on theoretical analysis and experiment results, this paper gives recommendations for better use of these methods to boost their accuracy and offers valuable guidance for selecting an appropriate VSPCM under the specific measurement requirements.
Optical, conductive, and ferroelectric properties of the first layer of dip-coated BiFeO3 films from methoxyethanol and acetic acid-based chemical dissolvents
Authors: Diliegros-Godines Carolina J , Flores-Ruiz Francisco Javier
Published: February 2024

The overall performance of the multilayer resulting in a sol-gel bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) film will be primarily determined by the properties of the first layer, but this has yet to receive much attention, even though chemical and morphological defects of this layer can accumulate as the number of layers increases. Here, we perform an optical, conductive, and ferroelectric study of first layer (L
1) dip-coating sol-gel BiFeO3 films using two routes that vary only in the dissolvent; the first one is based on 2-methoxyethanol (MOE), and the second one on acetic acid (AA) with some MOE (AA-MOE). Tauc plots reveal a band gap of 2.43 eV and 2.75 eV for MOE (30 ± 5 nm thick) and AA-MOE (35 ± 5 nm thick) films, respectively. MOE films showed a dielectric function with features at ∼2.5 eV, ∼3.1 eV, and ∼3.9 eV, which were associated with charge-transfer transitions, but such features are absent in AA-MOE films. Advanced atomic force microscopy techniques were used to identify the fine features or defects of the BiFeO3 films: The conductive maps show that the charge transport pathways in both film routes are controlled by nanometer defects rather than grain or grain boundary defects. Current-voltage curves reveal high conductive pathway at a lower voltage for the MOE films than for AA-MOE films. The piezoelectric coefficient for MOE films was ∼20% higher than AA-MOE films. Both deposition methods yield ferroelectric films with an electromechanical strain controlled by the piezoelectric effect and minimal contribution from electrostriction. An optimization for the AA-MOE-based route in the withdrawal speed results in a significant reduction of morphological defects and a more than twofold increase in the piezoelectric coefficient. Our results broaden the understanding of optical and ferroelectric BiFeO3 films based on a chemical solution by dip-coating.
Design and simulation of a nano biosensor based on amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistor
Authors: Ahangari Zahra
Published: February 2024

In this study, a biosensor utilizing a dielectric-modulated amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistor (TFT) is introduced. TFT biosensors have garnered significant attention due to their heightened sensitivity, scalable nature, low power consumption, rapid electrical detection capabilities, and cost-effective means of mass production. By embedding a nano-cavity within the gate insulator of the TFT, biomolecules can accumulate within. As each biomolecule possesses its own dielectric constant, it modulates the effective gate capacitance and, subsequently, changes the channel conductance. To assess the sensitivity of the biosensor, variation in saturation current after the absorption of biomolecules with respect to the drain current in the case of an air-filled cavity has been considered as a precise measure. The efficient operation of a biosensor is contingent upon the sensitivity being highly dependent on the dielectric constant of the biomolecules that are accumulated within the nano-cavity. Consequently, a comprehensive evaluation has been conducted to ascertain the impact of critical design parameters which have the potential to affect the sensitivity of the biosensor. Additionally, a statistical analysis based on coefficient of variation measure has been performed to evaluate the susceptibility of the biosensor’s sensitivity to variations in geometrical and physical design parameters. The utilization of label-free detection methodology in this device presents a notable advantage due to its compatibility with the fundamental CMOS processing technology and its cost-effective potential for macro production.
Theoretical prediction of a novel hexagonal narrow-gap silicon allotrope under high pressures
Authors: Hu Huimin , Choi Jin-Ho
Published: February 2024

Silicon material plays a vital role in contemporary technology-related fields, including electronics and the photovoltaics. There is a growing demand for exploring new silicon structures with potential applications, and numerous metastable structures have been reported. In this study, we present the prediction of a novel stable sp
3 hybridized silicon allotrope using particle swarm optimization global structure search. The predicted Si allotrope is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of approximately 0.21 eV. It possesses three Si basis atoms in the unit cell, and we named it Si3. Interestingly, when subjected to strain, it undergoes a transition from a semiconductive state to a metallic state. Furthermore, moderate tensile strain enhances the interactions between silicon and lithium atoms, suggesting its potential for Li-ion batteries. Additionally, Si3 exhibits exceptional sunlight absorption across a wide range of wavelengths, with a significantly higher light absorption intensity than cubic diamond silicon. These findings have important implications for photovoltaic applications.
Current driven properties and the associated magnetic domain walls manipulation in U-shaped magnetic nanowires
Authors: Gong Guangjian , Wang Yu , Gao Zhongchen , Hu Jingguo
Published: February 2024

Based on the extended Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert method, the properties of current driven domain wall movement in U-shaped magnetic nanowires and the effect of spin wave assistance on their properties have been investigated. The results show that changes of the curvature radius of magnetic nanowire can cause the additional pinning action and the pinning action will weaken the speed of current driven domain wall movement. For U-shaped magnetic nanowires, the changes of curvature radius can be represented by the radius R at the bend. The results show that the decline of its speed non-monotonically increases with the decrease of the bending radius of magnetic nanowires. On the other hand, the assistance of applying spin waves not only enhances the movement of magnetic domain walls but also weakens the pinning action. Further research has shown that applying the appropriate spin waves at the bend changing point can completely eliminate the influence induced by bend changing, in order to ensure uniform and stable movement of current driven magnetic domain walls in U-shaped magnetic nanowires, and achieve the current driven three-dimensional racetrack memory technology.
Dynamics of cascading failure in cyber-physical power systems from cyber attack
Authors: Chen Lei , Guo Sijia , Dou Chunxia , Ge Hui , Cheng Zihao , Li Shengquan
Published: February 2024

Through communication network, cyber-physical power systems can effectively monitor and control physical power grid, but this also increases the danger to systems from cyber attack. In this paper, we study the cascading failure triggered by cyber attack, which infects cyber nodes through malware and to endanger physical nodes through coupling links. First, the flow and topology models for cyber-physical power systems are detailed. In communication network, we analyze the mechanism of diffusion and infection among cyber nodes, and differentiate cyber nodes into three types, corresponding to different state of cyber nodes before and after cyber attack. And in physical power grid, the types of physical nodes are also classified. For different state of cyber nodes, we detail their impact on physical nodes and power flows in physical power grid. Simulation analyzes the robustness of systems and dynamics of cascading failure in different attack scenes and topology structure.
The geometry, electronic and magnetic properties of Zr
n
Ni (n = 2-14) clusters: A first-principles jointed particle-swarm-optimization investigation
Authors: Du Yan , Wang Yizhi , Ji Xu , Cui Xiuhua , Duan Haiming , Cao Haibin , Jing Qun
Published: February 2024

Zirconium-nickel binary alloys and metal glass have superior performance like ultrahigh fracture strength, good toughness. In this paper, the structures of small-sized Zr
n
Ni (n = 2–14) clusters have been searched using the particle swarm algorithm in combination with density-functional theory (DFT). The geometrical configuration tends to form a three-dimensional structure as the number of atoms in the cluster increases. By calculating the average binding energy per atom, second-order difference of energy, and dissociation energy of Zr
n
Ni (n = 2–14) clusters, it is demonstrated that Zr
n
Ni (n = 7, 12) clusters are more stable than their neighbors, and can be used as a candidate structure for magic number clusters. The electron localization function (ELF) calculations reveal those metallic bonds of Zr-Ni and Zr-Zr atoms. The Adaptive natural density partitioning results show that there are 20 three-center and 7 seven-center two-electron orbitals which make the quenching of magnetic moments of Zr12Ni atoms.
Future changes in state-level population-weighted degree days in the U.S
Authors: Gesangyangji Gesang , Holloway Tracey , Vimont Daniel J , Acker Summer Joy
Published: February 2024

This study analyzes future changes in population-weighted degree-days in 48 states over the contiguous U.S. Using temperature data from the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projects and population data from NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center, we computed population-weighted degree-days (PHDD and PCDD) and EDD (energy degree-days, PHDD + PCDD) over the 21st century, under a business-as-usual scenario. Results show that although the rising temperature is the primary driver, population distribution and projection play undeniable roles in estimating state-level heating and cooling demand. Throughout the 21st century, the U.S. is projected to experience a heating-to-cooling shift in energy demand, with the number of heating-dominant states dropping from 37 to 17 and the length of cooling seasons extending by 2 months (indicating a corresponding reduction in heating seasons) in all states by late-century. Meanwhile, a more homogenous EDD pattern is expected due to the increasing PCDD and decreasing PHDD, and the peak EDD month will switch from winter to summer in 15 out of 48 states. Our study provides a more nuanced understanding of future heating and cooling demand by examining both annual and monthly variations in the demands and how their relative dominance in a single framework may evolve over time. The study’s state-level perspective can provide valuable insights for policymakers, energy providers, and other stakeholders regarding the forthcoming shift in demand patterns and related building operations and energy consumption at both state and regional levels.
Parent Support for Physical Activity and Motor Skills During Early Childhood: A Mixed-Methods Application of the Multi-process Action Control Framework
Authors: James Maeghan E , Rhodes Ryan E , Cairney John , Sabiston Catherine M , Finlay-Watson Tracia , Arbour-Nicitopoulos Kelly P
Published: February 2024

Background

Promoting physical activity (PA) and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in early childhood is necessary to address the high rates of inactivity in children. Parent support is a determinant of PA in children, however, parental intentions to support are not always translated into behavior resulting in an intention–behavior gap.

Purpose

Positioned within the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework, this study used an explanatory concurrent mixed-methods design to explore parents’ intentions and support of PA and FMS during early childhood.

Methods

Parents (N=124) of children aged 3–4 years completed an online survey consisting of items assessing reflective (e.g., attitudes), regulatory (e.g., planning), and reflexive (e.g., habit) processes of M-PAC and intentions and support for child PA and FMS. A subset of parents (n=20) completed a semi-structured online interview guided by the M-PAC framework.

Results

Significantly more parents intended to support PA (71%) compared with FMS (44%; p<0.001) and successfully translated intentions into action for PA (57%) compared with FMS (27%; p<0.001). Discriminant function analysis showed parent behavior profiles for PA and FMS support were associated with a combination of reflective, regulatory, and reflexive processes, however, these differed based on support behavior. Qualitative findings highlighted parents’ differential views on PA and FMS support and contextualized the psychological processes associated with each.

Conclusions

Parent PA support interventions during early childhood should include strategies for supporting FMS. Interventions should prioritize fostering a combination of reflective, regulatory, and reflexive behaviors to translate intentions to support PA and FMS into behavior among parents of young children.
Banff scoring of kidney allograft biopsies: “Manual” application vs software-assisted sign-out
Authors: Demetris Anthony J , Lesniak Andrew J , Popp Benjamin A , Frencho Ronald J , Minervini Marta I , Nalesnik Michael A , El Hag Mohamed I , Hariharan Sundaram , Randhawa Parmjeet S
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Pathologists interpreting kidney allograft biopsies using the Banff system usually start by recording component scores (eg, i, t, cg) using histopathologic criteria committed to memory. Component scores are then melded into diagnoses using the same manual/mental processes. This approach to complex Banff rules during routine sign-out produces a lack of fidelity and needs improvement.

Methods

We constructed a web-based “smart template” (software-assisted sign-out) system that uniquely starts with upstream Banff-defined additional diagnostic parameters (eg, infection) and histopathologic criteria (eg, percent interstitial inflammation) collectively referred to as feeder data that is then translated into component scores and integrated into final diagnoses using software-encoded decision trees.

Results

Software-assisted sign-out enables pathologists to (1) accurately and uniformly apply Banff rules, thereby eliminating human inconsistencies (present in 25% of the cohort); (2) document areas of improvement; (3) show improved correlation with function; (4) examine t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding clustering for diagnosis stratification; and (5) ready upstream incorporation of artificial intelligence–assisted scoring of biopsies.

Conclusions

Compared with the legacy approach, software-assisted sign-out improves Banff accuracy and fidelity, more closely correlates with kidney function, is practical for routine clinical work and translational research studies, facilitates downstream integration with nonpathology data, and readies biopsy scoring for artificial intelligence algorithms.
Cefdinir vs cephalexin for the treatment of urinary tract infections: A retrospective evaluation
Authors: Lloyd Andie , Grey Jonathan , Fronczek Christopher , Durkin Heather , Marr Kerry
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Cefdinir and cephalexin are cephalosporin antibiotics commonly used in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Their efficacy depends on achieving sufficient time with concentrations exceeding the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Despite being frequently prescribed for UTIs, cefdinir has markedly lower urine penetration compared to cephalexin. It is possible that differences in pharmacokinetics could result in dissimilar efficacy between these agents; however, comparative studies of cephalosporins in UTIs are lacking.

Methods

This was a retrospective comparative study of patients discharged from emergency departments within a community health system with a diagnosis of acute cystitis who were prescribed cefdinir or cephalexin. Treatment failure rates at 7 and 14 days were compared between the 2 agents using a χ2 or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate.

Results

There were no differences in overall treatment failure between the cefdinir and cephalexin groups. Treatment failure at 7 days occurred in 11.6% (n = 14) of patients in the cefdinir group and 8.3% (n = 10) of patients in the cephalexin group (P = 0.389). Treatment failure at 14 days was higher for cefdinir at 20.7% (n = 25) than for cephalexin at 11.8% (n = 14), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.053). There were no differences in the rate of treatment failure in subgroup analyses of uncomplicated or complicated UTIs.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that cefdinir and cephalexin have comparable efficacy for the treatment of lower UTIs. While there was a numerically higher rate of treatment failure with cefdinir, there were no significant differences in treatment failure between the agents.
Randomized, Single-Blind, Comparative Study of Remimazolam Besylate vs Propofol for Facial Plastic Surgery
Authors: Huang Yunping , Zheng Di , Xu Kai , Li Jun , Gu Yimei , Yin Zhiwei , Pan Junli , Shen Jian , Lu Xiaoyun , Zhong Feifei , Qiu Yanfen
Published: February 2024

Background

Use of local anesthesia and conscious sedation with a combination of a sedative and anesthetic drug during a surgical procedure is an approach designed to avoid intubation, which produces fewer adverse events compared to general anesthesia. In the present study, a comparison was made between the efficacy and safety of remimazolam besylate and propofol for facial plastic surgery.

Objectives

The objective was to evaluate the clinical efficacy, comfort, and incidence of adverse events of remimazolam compared with propofol combined with alfentanil in outpatient facial plastic surgery.

Methods

In this randomized, single-blind, single-center, comparative study, facial plastic surgery patients were randomly divided into remimazolam-alfentanil (n = 50) and propofol-alfentanil (n = 50) groups for sedation and analgesia. The primary endpoint was the incidence of hypoxemia, while secondary endpoints included efficacy and safety evaluations.

Results

There were no significant differences regarding the surgical procedure, sedation and induction times, pain and comfort scores, muscle strength recovery, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, but the dosage of alfentanil administered to the remimazolam group (387.5 μg) was lower than that for the propofol group (600 μg). The incidence of hypoxemia (P = .046) and towing of the mandibular (P = .028), as well as wake-up (P = .027) and injection pain (P = .008), were significantly higher in the propofol group than the remimazolam group.

Conclusions

Remimazolam and propofol had similar efficacies for sedation and analgesia during facial plastic surgery, but especially the incidence of respiratory depression was significantly lower in patients given remimazolam.

Level of Evidence: 2
Introducing π-HelixNovo for practical large-scale de novo peptide sequencing
Authors: Yang Tingpeng , Ling Tianze , Sun Boyan , Liang Zhendong , Xu Fan , Huang Xiansong , Xie Linhai , He Yonghong , Li Leyuan , He Fuchu , Wang Yu , Chang Cheng
Published: February 2024

De novo peptide sequencing is a promising approach for novel peptide discovery, highlighting the performance improvements for the state-of-the-art models. The quality of mass spectra often varies due to unexpected missing of certain ions, presenting a significant challenge in de novo peptide sequencing. Here, we use a novel concept of complementary spectra to enhance ion information of the experimental spectrum and demonstrate it through conceptual and practical analyses. Afterward, we design suitable encoders to encode the experimental spectrum and the corresponding complementary spectrum and propose a de novo sequencing model $\pi$-HelixNovo based on the Transformer architecture. We first demonstrated that $\pi$-HelixNovo outperforms other state-of-the-art models using a series of comparative experiments. Then, we utilized $\pi$-HelixNovo to de novo gut metaproteome peptides for the first time. The results show $\pi$-HelixNovo increases the identification coverage and accuracy of gut metaproteome and enhances the taxonomic resolution of gut metaproteome. We finally trained a powerful $\pi$-HelixNovo utilizing a larger training dataset, and as expected, $\pi$-HelixNovo achieves unprecedented performance, even for peptide-spectrum matches with never-before-seen peptide sequences. We also use the powerful $\pi$-HelixNovo to identify antibody peptides and multi-enzyme cleavage peptides, and $\pi$-HelixNovo is highly robust in these applications. Our results demonstrate the effectivity of the complementary spectrum and take a significant step forward in de novo peptide sequencing.
Should we really use graph neural networks for transcriptomic prediction?
Authors: Brouard Céline , Mourad Raphaël , Vialaneix Nathalie
Published: February 2024

The recent development of deep learning methods have undoubtedly led to great improvement in various machine learning tasks, especially in prediction tasks. This type of methods have also been adapted to answer various problems in bioinformatics, including automatic genome annotation, artificial genome generation or phenotype prediction. In particular, a specific type of deep learning method, called graph neural network (GNN) has repeatedly been reported as a good candidate to predict phenotypes from gene expression because its ability to embed information on gene regulation or co-expression through the use of a gene network. However, up to date, no complete and reproducible benchmark has ever been performed to analyze the trade-off between cost and benefit of this approach compared to more standard (and simpler) machine learning methods. In this article, we provide such a benchmark, based on clear and comparable policies to evaluate the different methods on several datasets. Our conclusion is that GNN rarely provides a real improvement in prediction performance, especially when compared to the computation effort required by the methods. Our findings on a limited but controlled simulated dataset shows that this could be explained by the limited quality or predictive power of the input biological gene network itself.
KGE-UNIT: toward the unification of molecular interactions prediction based on knowledge graph and multi-task learning on drug discovery
Authors: Zhang Chengcheng , Zang Tianyi , Zhao Tianyi
Published: February 2024

The prediction of molecular interactions is vital for drug discovery. Existing methods often focus on individual prediction tasks and overlook the relationships between them. Additionally, certain tasks encounter limitations due to insufficient data availability, resulting in limited performance. To overcome these limitations, we propose KGE-UNIT, a unified framework that combines knowledge graph embedding (KGE) and multi-task learning, for simultaneous prediction of drug–target interactions (DTIs) and drug–drug interactions (DDIs) and enhancing the performance of each task, even when data availability is limited. Via KGE, we extract heterogeneous features from the drug knowledge graph to enhance the structural features of drug and protein nodes, thereby improving the quality of features. Additionally, employing multi-task learning, we introduce an innovative predictor that comprises the task-aware Convolutional Neural Network-based (CNN-based) encoder and the task-aware attention decoder which can fuse better multimodal features, capture the contextual interactions of molecular tasks and enhance task awareness, leading to improved performance. Experiments on two imbalanced datasets for DTIs and DDIs demonstrate the superiority of KGE-UNIT, achieving high area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUROCs) (0.942, 0.987) and area under the precision-recall curve ( AUPRs) (0.930, 0.980) for DTIs and high AUROCs (0.975, 0.989) and AUPRs (0.966, 0.988) for DDIs. Notably, on the LUO dataset where the data were more limited, KGE-UNIT exhibited a more pronounced improvement, with increases of 4.32$\%$ in AUROC and 3.56$\%$ in AUPR for DTIs and 6.56$\%$ in AUROC and 8.17$\%$ in AUPR for DDIs. The scalability of KGE-UNIT is demonstrated through its extension to protein–protein interactions prediction, ablation studies and case studies further validate its effectiveness.
A novel nomogram for prediction of intrahepatic recurrence-free survival in patients with HCC followed by radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Wang Bing , Wu Hao , Wang Song , Zhang Zhong-yi , Wu Wei , Yan Kun , Yang Wei
Published: February 2024

Objective

Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been considered as the favourable treatment option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there still exist some challenges for new recurrence after RFA. The present study aims to determine the factors affecting recurrence and develop an effective model to predict intrahepatic recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Methods

Patients with HCC followed by RFA between 2000 and 2021 were included in this study. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to determine the independent prognostic factors and establish the nomogram predicting intrahepatic RFS after RFA. The predictive performance of the nomogram was assessed according to the C-index, calibration plots, and Kaplan-Meier curves stratified by the tertiles.

Results

A total of 801 sessions in 660 patients (including 1155 lesions) were enrolled into this study. Intrahepatic new recurrence was observed in all patients during the follow-up, and the mean intrahepatic RFS was 21.9 months in the present cohort. According to multivariate COX regression analysis, five independent prognostic factors affecting intrahepatic RFS were determined, including age, Child-Pugh class, tumour distribution, number of tumours, and a-fetoprotein (AFP). Based on all independent prognostic factors, the nomogram model was developed and evaluated, which achieved favourable discrimination and calibration.

Conclusion

This study established five independent prognostic factors and constructed a nomogram model to predict intrahepatic RFS for HCC patients followed by RFA. It could better help clinicians select RFA candidates, as well as offering the important information about whether patients need receive comprehensive treatment to prevent new recurrence after RFA.

Advances in knowledge

(1) In this study, 5 preoperative clinic-pathological variables were determined as the independent prognostic factors affecting RFS after RFA in the current largest sample size. (2) Based on these independent prognostic factors, a prognostic nomogram predicting RFS after RFA was established, which may be used to select patients who benefit from RFA and could help both surgeons and patients provide useful information for choosing the personalized treatment.
Surgical management for massive rotator cuff tears: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Jin Hongfu , Deng Zhenhan , Sun Jianfeng , Vithran Djandan Tadum Arthur , Xiao Wenfeng , Li Yusheng
Published: February 2024

Background

Multiple surgical strategies have been developed for treating massive rotator cuff tears (mRCTs). However, there is still no consensus on the best surgical option for mRCTs. Through a network meta-analysis, we aimed to comprehensively and systematically analyse the evidence in randomized controlled trials to help clinicians make evidence-based clinical decisions for patients with mRCTs.

Methods

Our study was a network meta-analysis of the surgical management of mRCTs (PROSPERO Registration ID: CRD42023397971). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials that examined the efficacy of surgical management for mRCTs up to 3 November 2022. A three-step method was employed for the study process. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias evaluation were conducted by two independent reviewers. R software (version 4.2.1) and Stata (version 15.1) were used for the data analysis.

Results

From 10,633 publications, we included 15 randomized controlled trials (996 participants) for the quantitative analysis. In terms of both long-term and short-term surgical effects, there were no statistically significant differences among surgical interventions such as patch-augmented rotator cuff repair (RCR), RCR with platelet-rich plasma, arthroscopic decompression, bridging reconstruction, arthroscopic RCR with platelet-leukocyte membrane, open RCR, mini-open RCR, arthroscopic debridement, superior capsular reconstruction, arthroscopic suture-spanning augmented repair, subacromial balloon spacer and latissimus dorsi tendon transfer. Based on algorithms, the probability ranking suggests that patch augmentation is the most highly ranked surgical intervention for achieving better short-term surgical outcomes. Furthermore, arthroscopic-associated mini-open RCR was ranked as the highest surgical intervention for achieving better long-term surgical effects.

Conclusions

Based on the available data from the included studies, similar surgical efficacies were observed among the reported intervention measures for mRCTs. The patch augmentation technique was found to potentially achieve better short-term surgical outcomes, which is consistent with previous reports. However, the best surgical interventions for achieving long-term surgical effects remain unknown. More high-quality research is needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these interventions and to guide clinical practice.
“Atom and Dream”: Meatspace and Cyberspace in Jeanette Winterson’s The PowerBook
Authors: Luburić-Cvijanović Arijana , Krombholc Viktorija
Published: February 2024

With an air of twenty-first-century cosmopolitanism, Jeanette Winterson’s The PowerBook (2000) spans countries and centuries in an endlessly shifting narrative that formally mirrors the settings’ and characters’ kaleidoscopic identities. Immersed in the Internet’s opportunities for transformation and switching between cities and the Internet as sites of global circulations and cosmopolitan encounters, The PowerBook takes globalization’s redefinition of location further to juxtapose meatspace and cyberspace and establish an imagined transterritorial, transtemporal community. Using the rapidly growing body of cosmopolitan theory with a tinge of geocriticism, this essay aims at analyzing the novel’s conceptions of meatspace and cyberspace, its independence of location, its focus on community as being-in-common, and the ever-changing cellular narrative structure typical of what Berthold Schoene calls a new cosmopolitan modus operandi for British fiction (97). The article wishes to show that, despite Winterson’s exploration of privileged forms of existence, The PowerBook is a political cosmopolitan fiction on place, space, identity, community, and love as a recurrent trope of “cosmopolitan empathy” (McCulloch 10).
A new distribution and host record for the rare moth, Callioratis millari (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), and some ecological observations
Authors: Janse van Rensburg Paul Duvel , Bezuidenhout Hugo , Steyn Tommie , van den Berg Johnnie
Published: February 2024

Callioratis millari Hampson (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is a Critically Endangered moth endemic to South Africa. Despite extensive searches, it was previously known only from the Entumeni Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, where its larvae exclusively feed on the cycad Stangeria eriopus (Kunze) Baill (Cycadales: Stangeriaceae). In July 2022, a new population of C. millari was discovered in the Kabouga section of Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape. Larvae of C. millari were feeding on the cycad Encephalartos caffer (Thunb.) Lehm (Cycadales: Zamiaceae), which also constitutes a new host record. In June 2023, we determined larval incidence and herbivory at this new locality, offering insights into the ecological requirements of C. millari. Known C. millari localities, although ecologically different, share low altitudes (700–950 m a.s.l.), moderate to high rainfall, and grassy habitats with sparse woody cover. A total of 59 larvae were counted in Kabouga, mostly in the fifth and sixth (final) instars. Herbivory incidence was lower on smaller plants and those covered by other vegetation. The flight period of adult C. millari likely occurs between mid-March and April in Kabouga, but further investigation is needed to clarify this. The peak period of larval occurrence in Kabouga occurs during the driest and coldest months of the year (May–July). Considering limited habitat availability, host plant poaching, and the risk of untimely fires, the species should be considered highly threatened. This study adds to our understanding of the biology of C. millari and provides information on its ecological requirements and may contribute to making informed management decisions.
Muscle eosinophilia is a hallmark of chronic disease in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Authors: Nunes Andreia M , Ramirez Monique M , Garcia-Collazo Enrique , Jones Takako Iida , Jones Peter L
Published: February 2024

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a progressive myopathy caused by the aberrant increased expression of the DUX4 retrogene in skeletal muscle cells. The DUX4 gene encodes a transcription factor that functions in zygotic genome activation and then is silenced in most adult somatic tissues. DUX4 expression in FSHD disrupts normal muscle cell function; however, the downstream pathogenic mechanisms are still unclear. Histologically, FSHD affected muscles show a characteristic dystrophic phenotype that is often accompanied by a pronounced immune cell infiltration, but the role of the immune system in FSHD is not understood. Previously, we used ACTA1;FLExDUX4 FSHD-like mouse models varying in severity as discovery tools to identify increased Interleukin 6 and microRNA-206 levels as serum biomarkers for FSHD disease severity. In this study, we use the ACTA1;FLExDUX4 chronic FSHD-like mouse model to provide insight into the immune response to DUX4 expression in skeletal muscles. We demonstrate that these FSHD-like muscles are enriched with the chemoattractant eotaxin and the cytotoxic eosinophil peroxidase, and exhibit muscle eosinophilia. We further identified muscle fibers with positive staining for eosinophil peroxidase in human FSHD muscle. Our data supports that skeletal muscle eosinophilia is a hallmark of FSHD pathology.
El control de convencionalidad y la concurrencia de intérpretes autorizados de disposiciones constitucionalesThe conventionality control and the concurrence of authorized interpreters of constitutional provisions
Authors: Celis Vela Dúber Armando
Published: February 2024

International instruments on human rights play a decisive role in defining the content of state law. Although the constitutional block constitutes an articulation tool between national and international law, it produces the concurrence of authorized interpreters of documents with equivalent normative ranks. The purpose of this text is to analyze the legal value of interpretations made by multiple authorized bodies in contexts prone to the appearance of interpretative disagreements. The point of reference is the American Convention on Human Rights and the institution of the constitutional block developed in Colombia. In general terms, reasons are given in favor of the progressive implementation of human rights protection standards and a regime of state deference in cases of institutional soundness and genuine interpretative disagreements. The intensity of the conventionality control would have a dynamic and variable character.