bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alkalinity exacerbates phosphorus deficiency in subtropical red soils: Insights from phosphate‐solubilizing fungi
Authors: Su Mu , Mei Jiajie , Mendes Gilberto de Oliveira , Tian Da , Zhou Limin , Hu Shuijin , Li Zhen
Published: May 2023

Red soils in subtropical regions are often low in available phosphorus (P), a vital plant nutrient. Phosphate‐solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) can release P from phosphate reservoir, making it accessible to plants. However, the complex interactions between PSMs and minerals in red soils are not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of Aspergillus niger, a typical phosphate‐solubilizing fungus (PSF), on phosphate dissolution in two representative red soils – an acidic soil and an alkaline soil. In the acidic red soil, the fungal abundance reached 3.01 × 10 7 cfu g−1 after a 28‐day incubation period, with respiration of ~2000 mg C kg−1. The secretion of oxalic acid promoted P release from inorganic phosphate (from ~1 to 187 mg kg−1). Additionally, the contents of amorphous Fe/Al oxides decreased, which otherwise could have contributed to P sorption in the soil. In contrast, P availability declined in the alkaline red soil after the addition of A. niger, regardless of the P source (inorganic or organic phosphate). Meanwhile, the fungal respiration decreased to ~780 mg C kg−1. Therefore, alkaline red soils with abundant carbonates are susceptible to P deficiency due to both the diminished function of PSMs and strong soil buffering. These findings have important implications for sustainable agriculture on alkaline red soils, as they suggest that the use of PSMs to improve P availability may be limited.
Experience with dalbavancin for long‐term antimicrobial suppression of left ventricular assist device infections
Authors: Mansoor Armaghan‐e‐Rehman , Krekel Tamara , Cabrera Nicolo L.
Published: May 2023

Background

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are a common strategy for management of end‐stage heart failure. LVADs carry a risk of infection of the implanted device components, and skin flora are commonly implicated. Long‐term antibiotics may be needed for management of deep device infection or recurrent superficial infections. In appropriately selected patients, dalbavancin can be a feasible option given its extended dosing interval.

Methods

This is a retrospective, single‐center review of patients presenting with an LVAD infection between January 2011 and November 2022, where management included the use of dalbavancin. Data regarding LVAD placement, details of index infection, dalbavancin use and outcomes was obtained from chart review, and documented in a RedCap database.

Results

The mean time from LVAD placement to index infection was 131.6 weeks (standard deviation 87.2 weeks). The most common targeted organism was Corynebacterium striatum in six of 10 patients. Index infection presented as deep driveline infection in four patients and recurrent superficial driveline infection in three patients. Five patients had a concurrent bloodstream infection. Dalbavancin was discontinued in two patients due to breakthrough infection, with one patient requiring surgical intervention. No drug‐related adverse events were noted.

Conclusion

Dalbavancin is an attractive option in the management of long‐term LVAD infection in patients for whom alternative oral or parenteral antibiotics are not a feasible option. Additional studies are needed to determine the optimal dosing of dalbavancin in this setting, and to study adverse events and long‐term outcomes of dalbavancin.

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Monitoring syphilis serology in blood donors: Is there utility as a surrogate marker of early transfusion transmissible infection behavioral risk?
Authors: O'Brien Sheila F. , Drews Steven J. , Yi Qi‐Long , Osmond Lori , Tran Vanessa , Zhou Hong Yuan , Goldman Mindy
Published: May 2023

Background

In Canada the time deferral for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) was progressively shortened (lifetime, 5 years, 1 year, 3 months). Here we describe trends in syphilis rates (a potential sexual risk marker) and risk behaviors from blood donors in the past 12 years.

Study Design and Methods

Syphilis positivity in 10,288,322 whole blood donations (January 1, 2010–September 10, 2022) and gbMSM deferral time periods, donation status, age, and sex were analyzed with logistic regression. Overall, 26.9% syphilis positive and 42.2% controls (matched 1:4) participated in risk factor interviews analyzed by logistic regression.

Results

Syphilis rates were higher in first‐time donors (OR 27.0, 95% CI 22.1–33.0), in males (OR 2.3, 1.9–2.8) and with the 3‐month deferral (OR 3.4, 2.6–4.3) during which the increase was greater for first‐time males (p < .001) but similar for male and female repeat donors (p > .05). Among first‐time donors, histories of intravenous drug use (OR 11.7, 2.0–69.5), male‐to‐male sex 7.8 (2.0–30.2) and birth in a high prevalence country (OR 7.6, 4.4–13.0) predicted syphilis positivity; among repeat donors, history of male‐to‐male sex (OR 33.5, CI 3.5–317.0). All but 1 gbMSM syphilis‐positive donors were noncompliant with the gbMSM deferral. About a quarter of first‐time interviewed case donors had history of syphilis; 44% were born in a high‐prevalence country.

Conclusion

Rising syphilis rates in donors correlates with the general population epidemic. Recent infection rates rose similarly in males and females. GbMSM history may contribute to donor syphilis rates but shortening time deferrals appears unrelated.
Family farming in the Brazilian Amazon: trends for different types of families
Authors: Alves do Nascimento Carlos , Diétima da Silva Bezerra Francisco , Gori Maia Alexandre
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes a new typology to analyze trends among family and nonfamily farms in the Brazilian Amazon between 2006 and 2015. We highlight two opposite trends: a decreasing number of family farmers linked to commercial production; an increasing number of family farmers dedicated to subsistence agriculture. We discuss two main factors that help to explain these trends. First, the official legislation limits the total income obtained outside the farm to be eligible for public policies targeted at family farms. Second, family farms that are still strongly labor-intensive have faced severe difficulties in a competitive and dynamic agricultural sector that emerged in Brazilian Amazon.
Public Policies and Sustainability in Traditional Rural Communities
Authors: Schlindwein Madalena Maria , Back Junior Irineu Luiz , Bomfim Moreno Mateus Hurbano
Published: May 2023

The main goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness, in terms of improvements in social and economic conditions, of a technical assistance and rural reach-out action carried out among a group of families from the Barra Nova Settlement, located in the city of Sidrolândia-MS, between 2013 and 2015. To do so, questionnaires were used, provided by the Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma of the two periods, and a socio-demographic characterization of the families was carried out. Social and economic indicators were also calculated (Socioeconomic Index for Rural Settlements – ISAR), assessing the values before and after the rural reach-out actions, to identify the real impacts on the social and economic conditions of the families. Regarding the classification of the ISAR, it was noted that it remained as regular after the actions were carried out, although it has shown a significant improvement in its value (0.42 to 0.57). The results showed a high percentage of young people in the settlement and that women account for almost half of the properties with a single owner. Improvements were also observed in the quantity of productive assets and constructions, types of housing, generation of income, among others. In addition, there were improvements in food security, satisfaction with housing, fixation in rural areas, income diversification, and access to credit, among others. Likewise, we highlight that attention must be paid to some deficiencies such as the farmers’ low level of education, little participation in associations, poor conditions of access roads to the properties, and commercialization strategies for products produced by the families.
A Design Approach of a Dedicated Exhaust-Gas Recirculation-System for a Naturally Aspirated Gas Engine—From One-Dimensional Engine Process Simulation and Design of Experiments Up to the Experimental Validation
Authors: Beltaifa Youssef , Kettner Maurice , Eilts Peter , Ruchel Bosse
Published: May 2023

This work presents a systematic approach proceeding from the engine process simulation (one-dimensional (1D)-computational fluid dynamics (CFD)) and design of experiments (DoE) up to the experimental validation to build a dedicated exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) system for a stationary four-cylinder naturally aspirated gas engine. This system should ensure an equal distribution of the recirculated exhaust gas, coming entirely from the rich-operated dedicated cylinder. The rich combustion enables an in-cylinder production of highly reactive species (mainly H2 and CO), resulting in increased EGR reactivity, which improves the dilution tolerance, leading to reduced wall heat losses and lower knock tendency in the EGR receiving cylinders. However, the EGR system design represents a challenge due to the pulsating exhaust gas flow from the dedicated cylinder, which leads to a considerable EGR maldistribution in the receiving cylinders. A numerical analysis of this effect demonstrated that the EGR distribution uniformity depends on the design and dimensions of the EGR path. Considering the numerous design parameters and taking into account that the optimum design of the EGR path is not necessarily the sum of optima from the one-factor-at-a-time variations, efficient DoE methodologies were applied. They enabled identifying the optimum set of the EGR path design-parameters, with an EGR rate maldistribution of about 1% points. To evaluate the quality of the numerical results, the dedicated EGR path with the optimum parameters set was built on the engine test bench. The experimental results confirm the simulative prediction accuracy, demonstrating the reliability of the pursued approach.
Using a one-dimensional finite-element approximation of Webster's horn equation to estimate individual ear canal acoustic transfer from input impedances
Authors: Wulbusch Nick , Roden Reinhild , Chernov Alexey , Blau Matthias
Published: May 2023

Knowledge of the sound pressure transfer to the eardrum is important. The transfer is highly influenced by the shape of the ear canal and its acoustic properties, such as the acoustic impedance at the eardrum. Invasive procedures to measure the sound pressure at the eardrum are usually elaborate or costly. We propose a numerical method to estimate the transfer impedance of the ear canal given only input impedance measurements at the ear canal entrance, by using one-dimensional first-order finite elements and Nelder-Mead optimization algorithm. Estimations on the area function of the ear canal and the acoustic impedance at the eardrum are achieved. Results are validated through numerical simulations on ten different ear canal geometries and three different acoustic impedances at the eardrum, using synthetically generated data from three-dimensional finite element simulations.
Conceptualizing, Defining, and Measuring Before-School Physical Activity: A Review With Exploratory Analysis of Adolescent Data
Authors: Woodforde James , Gomersall Sjaan , Timperio Anna , Loh Venurs , Browning Hannah , Perales Francisco , Salmon Jo , Stylianou Michalis
Published: May 2023

Physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents is often reported by time segments centered around the school day, including before school. However, there is no consistent approach to defining the before-school segment, to accurately capture PA levels and facilitate synthesis of results across studies. Therefore, this study aimed to (a) examine how studies with children and adolescents have defined the before-school segment, and (b) compare adolescents’ before-school PA using various segment definitions. We conducted a systematic search and review of literature from six databases, and subsequently analyzed accelerometer data from Australia (n = 472, mean age 14.9 years, 40% male), to compare PA across five before-school definitions. Our review found 69 studies reporting before-school PA, 59 of which used device-based measures. Definitions ranged widely, but justifications were rarely reported. Our empirical comparison of definitions resulted in a range of participants meeting wear time criteria (≥3 days at >50% of segment length) from the latest-starting definition (30 min prior to school; n = 443) to the earliest-starting definition (6:00 a.m.–school start; n = 155), implying that for many participants, accelerometer wear was low in the early hours due to sleep or noncompliance. Statistically significant differences in light and moderate-to-vigorous PA (mean minutes/school day, proportion of segment length, and proportion of wear time) were found between definitions, indicating that before-school PA could potentially be underestimated depending on definition choice. We recommend that future studies clearly report and justify segment definition, apply segment-specific wear time criteria, and collect wake time data to enable individualized segment start times and minimize risk of data misclassification.
Reliability of 400-m Walk Test Performance and Postexercise Cardiac Autonomic Markers in Older Women
Authors: Machado Daniel Gomes da Silva , Fonteles André Igor , Honorato Renêe Caldas , Anselmo-Silva Samara Karla , Elsangedy Hassan M. , Chao Cheng Hsin Nery , Okano Alexandre Hideki , Lima Kenio Costa
Published: May 2023

The 400-m walk test (400MWT) is a useful tool to assess mobility and aerobic fitness, while postexercise heart rate recovery (HRR) and heart rate variability (HRV) are noninvasive tools for assessing cardiovascular health. However, measures of reliability, agreement, minimal detectable change (MDC), and coefficient of variation (CV) in older women with different levels of physical activity are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate measures of the reliability of the 400MWT and postexercise markers of cardiac autonomic control in active and sedentary older women. Eighteen physically active and 18 sedentary older women, performed the 400MWT twice, followed by measures of HRR at 1 (HRR1′) and 2 min (HRR2′), and HRV. Reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and agreement by Bland–Altman plots. The standard error of measurement, CV, and MDC were calculated. The active group walked faster and completed the 400MWT in a shorter time than the sedentary group (all ps ≤ .03). In addition, in general, the active group presented higher HRR1′ and HRR2′ (all ps ≤ .04). 400MWT performance showed good reliability in both groups (ICC ≥ .78; all ps < .001; CVs ≤ 14% and MDC < 49 s). Indexes of cardiac autonomic control showed poor to good reliability (all ps < .001) with higher CVs than the 400MWT: HRV (ICC ≥ .39; CVs = 41.9%–97.6%; MDC = 12.1–31), HRR1′ (ICC ≥ .63; CVs = 36.2%–49.5%; MDC = 8.3–14.3 bpm), and HRR2′ (ICC ≥ .77; CVs = 33%–43.2%; MDC = 12.7–13.8 bpm). The 400MWT and HRR are reliable measures for the assessment of sedentary and physically active older women, but the reliability of HRV indexes varies according to the group.
Warmer temperatures favor slower-growing bacteria in natural marine communities
Authors: Abreu Clare I. , Dal Bello Martina , Bunse Carina , Pinhassi Jarone , Gore Jeff
Published: May 2023

Earth’s life-sustaining oceans harbor diverse bacterial communities that display varying composition across time and space. While particular patterns of variation have been linked to a range of factors, unifying rules are lacking, preventing the prediction of future changes. Here, analyzing the distribution of fast- and slow-growing bacteria in ocean datasets spanning seasons, latitude, and depth, we show that higher seawater temperatures universally favor slower-growing taxa, in agreement with theoretical predictions of how temperature-dependent growth rates differentially modulate the impact of mortality on species abundances. Changes in bacterial community structure promoted by temperature are independent of variations in nutrients along spatial and temporal gradients. Our results help explain why slow growers dominate at the ocean surface, during summer, and near the tropics and provide a framework to understand how bacterial communities will change in a warmer world.
Revealing molecular diffusion dynamics in polymer microspheres by optical resonances
Authors: Wang Jiawei , Li Jin , Sun Shengqi , Dong Haiyun , Wu Lan , Zhao Engui , He Feng , Ma Xing , Zhao Yong Sheng
Published: May 2023

Understanding the diffusion of small molecules in polymer microsystems is of great interest in diverse fundamental and industrial research. Despite the rapidly advancing optical imaging and spectroscopic techniques, entities under investigation are usually limited to flat films or bulky samples. We demonstrate a route to in situ detection of diffusion dynamics in polymer micro-objects by means of optical whispering-gallery mode resonances. Through mode tracking, interactions between solvent molecules and polymer microspheres, including sorption, diffusion, and swelling can be quantitatively analyzed. A turning point of mode response is observed, while the diffusion exceeds the sub-wavelength-thick outermost layer as the radial extent of resonances and starts penetrating the inner core. The estimated solubility in the glassy polymer is consistent with the predicted value using Flory-Huggins theory. Besides, the non-Fickian contribution is analyzed in such a glassy polymer-penetrant system. Our work represents a high-precision and label-free approach to describing characteristics in diffusion dynamics.
Cell survival pathways targeted in rare lung disease affecting women
Authors: Yang Bennett , Moss Joel
Published: May 2023

Novel drug targets are identified in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare disease in women. These targets focus on uterine transcription factors necessary for LAM cell survival.
Autologous neutralizing antibodies increase with early antiretroviral therapy and shape HIV rebound after treatment interruption
Authors: Esmaeilzadeh Elmira , Etemad Behzad , Lavine Christy L. , Garneau Lauren , Li Yijia , Regan James , Wong Colline , Sharaf Radwa , Connick Elizabeth , Volberding Paul , Sagar Manish , Seaman Michael S. , Li Jonathan Z.
Published: May 2023

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) alters viral rebound kinetics after analytic treatment interruption (ATI) and may play a role in promoting HIV-1 remission. Autologous neutralizing antibodies (aNAbs) represent a key adaptive immune response in people living with HIV-1. We aimed to investigate the role of aNAbs in shaping post-ATI HIV-1 rebound variants. We performed single-genome amplification of HIV-1
env
from pre-ART and post-ATI plasma samples of 12 individuals who initiated ART early after infection. aNAb activity was quantified using pseudoviruses derived from the most common plasma variant, and the serum dilution that inhibited 50% of viral infections was determined. aNAb responses matured while participants were on suppressive ART, because on-ART plasma and purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) demonstrated improved neutralizing activity against pre-ART HIV-1 strains when compared with pre-ART plasma or purified IgG. Post-ATI aNAb responses exerted selective pressure on the rebounding viruses, because the post-ATI HIV-1 strains were more resistant to post-ATI plasma neutralization compared with the pre-ART virus. Several pre-ATI features distinguished post-treatment controllers from noncontrollers, including an infecting HIV-1 sequence that was more similar to consensus HIV-1 subtype B, more restricted proviral diversity, and a stronger aNAb response. Post-treatment control was also associated with the evolution of distinct N-glycosylation profiles in the HIV-1 envelope. In summary, aNAb responses appeared to mature after early initiation of ART and applied selective pressure on rebounding viruses. The combination of aNAb activity with select HIV-1 sequence and reservoir features identified individuals with a greater chance of post-treatment control.
Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid Population Pharmacokinetics of Vancomycin in Patients with External Ventricular Drain
Authors: Chen Zhendong , Taubert Max , Chen Chunli , Dokos Charalambos , Fuhr Uwe , Weig Thomas , Zoller Michael , Heck Suzette , Dimitriadis Konstantinos , Terpolilli Nicole , Kinast Christina , Scharf Christina , Lier Constantin , Dorn Christoph , Liebchen Uwe
Published: May 2023

Vancomycin is a commonly used antibacterial agent in patients with primary central nervous system (CNS) infection. This study aims to examine predictors of vancomycin penetration into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with external ventricular drainage and the feasibility of CSF sampling from the distal drainage port for therapeutic drug monitoring.
Evaluation of Gradient Concentration Strips for Detection of Terbinafine Resistance in
Trichophyton
spp.
Authors: Bidaud Anne-Laure , Moreno-Sabater Alicia , Normand Anne-Cécile , Cremer Geneviève , Foulet Françoise , Brun Sophie , Ayachi Aymen , Imbert Sébastien , Chowdhary Anuradha , Dannaoui Eric
Published: May 2023

The number of dermatophytosis cases resistant to terbinafine is increasing all over the world. Therefore, there is a need for antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes for better management of the patients.
The Streptococcus agalactiae Exonuclease ExoVII Is Required for Resistance to Exogenous DNA-Damaging Agents
Authors: Briaud P. , Gautier T. , Rong V. , Mereghetti L. , Lanotte P. , Hiron A.
Published: May 2023

This study examined the role of the ExoVII exonuclease of
Streptococcus agalactiae
within the different DNA repair processes. Our results concluded that ExoVII is involved in bacterial recovery after exposure to different exogenous DNA-damaging agents but not in the mismatch repair pathway. We found that ExoVII is particularly important for resistance to ciprofloxacin, likely as part of the RecF DNA repair pathway.
Diagnostic Performance of BD Phoenix CPO Detect Panels for Detection and Classification of Carbapenemase-Producing Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Murata Mika , Kosai Kosuke , Akamatsu Norihiko , Matsuyama Yumiko , Oda Mitsuharu , Wakamatsu Atsushi , Izumikawa Koichi , Mukae Hiroshi , Yanagihara Katsunori
Published: May 2023

Simple and efficient screening methods of detecting carbapenemase producers are required. BD Phoenix CPO Detect panels effectively screened carbapenemase producers, particularly IMP producers, with a high overall PPA.
Role of sleep-disordered breathing in age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Fang Wendy Ying , Rama Raj Palaniraj , Wu Zhichao , Abbott Carla , Luu Chi D , Naughton Matthew , Guymer Robyn H
Published: May 2023

Aims

To examine the association between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the subphenotype of AMD with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD).

Methods

Case–control study with 351 participants (211 AMD and 140 controls) using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the STOP-BANG Questionnaire (SBQ) validated sleep questionnaires. Participant risk of having moderate-to-severe OSA was determined using a binary risk scale based on the ESS and SBQ combined and an ordinal risk scale based on the SBQ. A prior diagnosis of OSA and whether receiving assisted breathing treatment was also ascertained. Retinal imaging allowed AMD and RPD determination.

Results

Higher risk of moderate-to-severe OSA according to the binary and ordinal scales was not associated with the presence of AMD (p≥0.519) nor AMD with RPD (p≥0.551). Per point increase in ESS or SBQ questionnaire score was also not associated with AMD nor AMD with RPD (p≥0.252). However, being on assisted breathing treatment for diagnosed OSA was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of having AMD with RPD, but not all AMD, (OR 3.70; p=0.042 and OR 2.70; p=0.149, respectively), when compared with those without diagnosed OSA on treatment.

Conclusions

Formally diagnosed OSA undergoing treatment, increased the likelihood of having AMD with RPD, but not overall AMD compared with those who were not undergoing treatment. Risk-based OSA questionnaires showed no difference in risk for all AMD or AMD with RPD. Future research, using formal sleep studies could further explore the potential role of nocturnal hypoxia in AMD.
Factors associated with persistent multiyear frequent emergency department use
Authors: Giannouchos Theodoros , Pirrallo Ronald , Ukert Benjamin
Published: May 2023

Background

Although frequent emergency department (ED) users have been widely studied in cross-sectional settings, there is some evidence suggesting that most frequent ED users do not remain frequent users over multiple consecutive years. The objective of this study was to explore the association between persistent multiyear frequent ED use and individuals’ characteristics.

Methods

A retrospective analysis using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases (2012–2017) for individuals aged 18–59 who visited any ED in Florida, Massachusetts and New York was conducted. Multivariable regression models were used to estimate the association between persistent frequent ED use over time (≥4 ED visits in each data year) and individuals’ characteristics and clinical factors compared with non-persistent frequent users (≥4 ED visits only in the baseline year).

Results

The databases for the three states included 3.3 million patients, who accounted for 4.5 million ED visits in the baseline year (2012). Of those, 3.2% of patients were frequent ED users (≥4 visits) accounting for 13.2% of all ED visits in the baseline year. Longitudinal follow-up revealed that 14.9% (15 617) of frequent users in 2012 remained persistently frequent ED users for 2–3 consecutive years and 3.6% (3774) for 4–6 consecutive years. Persistent frequent ED users differed significantly from non-persistent frequent ED users; they had more ED visits in the index year, were more likely to have no health insurance or public health insurance coverage, and had a higher prevalence of chronic conditions and comorbidities, and more ED visits for less medically urgent conditions.

Conclusion

Differences exist between persistent and non-persistent frequent ED users that should be considered when implementing interventions designed to improve health outcomes and curtail healthcare expenditures generated by the broad population of frequent ED users.
Performance and pitfalls of the tools for measuring glomerular filtration rate to guide chronic kidney disease diagnosis and assessment
Authors: Gama Rouvick M , Griffiths Kathryn , Vincent Royce P , Peters Adrien Michael , Bramham Kate
Published: May 2023

Accurate diagnosis, classification and risk stratification for chronic kidney disease (CKD) allow for early recognition and delivering optimal care. Creatinine-based glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urinary albumin: creatinine ratio (UACR) and the kidney failure risk equation (KFRE) are important tools to achieve this, but understanding their limitations is important for optimal implementation.

When accurate GFR is required (eg, chemotherapy dosing), GFR is measured using an exogenous filtration marker. In routine clinical practice, in contrast, estimated GFR (eGFR) from serum creatinine (SCr), calculated using the enzymatic method±UACR, is recommended. Limitations of SCr include non-GFR determinants such as muscle mass, diet and tubular handling. An alternative or additional endogenous filtration marker is cystatin C, which can be used alongside SCr for confirmatory testing of CKD. However, its role in the UK is more limited due to concerns regarding false positive results.

The recommended creatinine-based eGFR equation in the UK is the CKD Epidemiology Collaboration 2009 equation. This was recently updated to a race-neutral 2021 version and demonstrated reduced bias in people of Black ethnicity, but has not been validated in the UK. Limitations are extremes of age, inaccuracy at greater GFRs and reduced generalisability to under-represented ethnicity groups.

The KFRE (based on age, sex, SCr and UACR) has recently been developed to help determine 2-year and 5-year risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease. It has been validated in over 30 countries and provides meaningful quantitative information to patients. However, supporting evidence for their performance in ethnic minority groups and kidney diseases such as glomerulonephritis remains modest.

In conclusion, early identification, risk stratification of kidney disease and timely intervention are important to impact kidney disease progression. However, clinician awareness of the limitations and variability of creatinine, cystatin C and the eGFR equations, is key to appropriate interpretation of results.
OncoVEXmGM-CSFexpands tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell response in preclinical models
Authors: Estrada Juan , Zhan Jinghui , Mitchell Petia , Werner Jonathan , Beltran Pedro J , DeVoss Jason , Qing Jing , Cooke Keegan S
Published: May 2023

Background

Checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have demonstrated clinical efficacy in advanced melanoma, but only a subset of patients with inflamed tumors are responsive. Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC), a modified herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) expressing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), is a first-in-class oncolytic immunotherapy approved for the treatment of melanoma and has been shown to inflame the tumor microenvironment. To evaluate the potential and mechanisms of T-VEC to elicit systemic antitumor immunity and overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors in murine tumor models, OncoVEXmGM-CSFwas developed similarly to T-VEC, except the human GM-CSF transgene was replaced with murine GM-CSF. Previous work had demonstrated that OncoVEXmGM-CSFgenerated systemic antitumor immunity dependent on CD8+ T cells in an immune checkpoint-sensitive tumor cell model.

Methods

A novel B16F10 syngeneic tumor model with both HSV-1−permissive subcutaneous tumors and HSV-1−refractory experimental lung metastasis was used to study the local and systemic effects of OncoVEXmGM-CSFtreatment alone or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors.

Results

Intratumoral injection of OncoVEXmGM-CSFin combination with an anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1 blocking antibody led to increased tumor growth inhibition, a reduction in the number of lung metastases, and prolonged animal survival. OncoVEXmGM-CSFinduced both neoantigen-specific and tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses. Furthermore, cured mice from the combination treatment of OncoVEXmGM-CSFand anti-CTLA-4 antibody rejected tumor rechallenges.

Conclusions

These data support the concept that T-VEC and checkpoint inhibition may be an effective combination to treat patients with advanced melanoma.
Analysis of Rotterdam Study cohorts confirms a previously identifiedRIPOR2in-frame deletion as a prevalent genetic factor in phenotypically variable adult-onset hearing loss (DFNA21) in the Netherlands
Authors: Velde Hedwig M , Homans Nienke C , Goedegebure André , Lanting Cornelis P , Pennings Ronald J E , Kremer Hannie
Published: May 2023

Background

A 12-nucleotideRIPOR2in-frame deletion was recently identified as a relatively common and highly penetrant cause of autosomal dominant non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss, type DFNA21, in the Netherlands. The associated hearing phenotype is variable. The allele frequency (AF) of 0.039% of this variant was determined in a local cohort, and the reported phenotype may be biased because studied families were identified based on index patients with hearing loss (HL). In this study, we determine the AF in a cohort from a different geographical region of the Netherlands. Additionally, we examine the hearing phenotype in individuals with the variant but not selected for HL.

Methods

The AF was determined in participants of the Rotterdam Study (RS), a large cohort study. The phenotype was characterised using individual clinical hearing data, including audiograms.

Results

The observed AF in the RS cohort was 0.072% and not statistically significantly different from the previously observed 0.039%. The AF in the two cohorts combined was 0.052%. Consistent with previous findings, we found a highly variable audiometric phenotype with non-penetrance of HL in 40% of subjects aged 55–81, which is higher than the 10% at age 50 previously observed.

Conclusion

We found an overall higher AF and lower penetrance than previously reported, confirming that DFNA21 is relatively common in the Netherlands. This supports its potential suitability as a target for therapeutic development. Studying possible modifying factors is essential to explain the phenotypical variability and to identify patients eligible for such a therapy.
Combining the light-demanding Araucaria angustifolia with the shade-tolerant Cabralea canjerana: mixed plantations to produce tropical timber trees outside the Atlantic rainforest
Authors: Olguin Flavia Yesica , Moretti Ana Paula , Pinazo Martín Alcides , Goya Juan Francisco , Gortari Fermín , Vera Bahima José , Graciano Corina
Published: May 2023

Many trees of high timber value require canopy cover to become established, and at present, they are only harvested from native rainforests. Other species require high radiation to establish and can be planted in monospecific stands. The main question was whether the canopy generated by a light-demanding rainforest species could protect mid-successional timber species from high radiation and extreme temperatures. We evaluated the establishment of Cabralea canjerana under the canopy of Araucaria angustifolia stands. We related growth to the number of neighbors to determine the best positions to plant C. canjerana. In one stand, we measured environmental and physiological traits, and we determined that the seedling did not suffer light or water stress. Cabralea canjerana plant establishment was successful in stands of different basal areas, and trees reached the highest growth with up to two A. angustifolia neighbors within a 5 m radius. Therefore, the number of neighbors is a tool to choose the planting location to convert even-aged to uneven-aged mixed stands. In this way, valuable native timber species that require canopy protection during the first few years can be planted outside the rainforest. This is the first report of an uneven-aged mixed plantation of two Atlantic forest timber species.
Khaki conservation: a review of the effects on biodiversity of worldwide military training areas
Authors: Caudal Pascaline , Gallet Sébastien
Published: May 2023

Military training areas (MTAs) are special environments with specific anthropogenic activities. The aims of this review are (1) to understand the interactions between military training activities and biodiversity, (2) to quantify the available scientific literature on this subject, (3) and to highlight the origin of the studies. Queries were carried out on two literature databases: Scopus and Wiley. The queries returned a large number of papers, but few actually matched the research topics. These two databases contain nearly 400 articles that discuss the interactions between military training and biodiversity at different scales. These articles come from all over the world, but the majority were conducted in the United States. In Europe, the studies are mainly conducted on German, English, and Czech sites. Impacts on biodiversity from all types of military training and from restricted areas were studied. The impacts on these areas are multiple and affect the landscape, the soil, fauna, and flora. They can be directly or indirectly related to military activities. Responses to disturbance by military trainings can be complex as they are variable. Thus, the same training may result in positive, neutral, or negative impacts depending on the habitats or taxa targeted and the country studied. Training methods are constantly evolving and vary between countries, and it appears important to maintain research about conservation in those particular areas, which paradoxically represent opportunities for nature conservation.
On the nature of X(3960)
Authors: Chen Yu , Chen Hao , Meng Ce , Qi Hong-Rong , Zheng Han-Qing
Published: May 2023

A near-threshold enhancement in the$$D^{+}_{s}D^{-}_{s}$$Ds+Ds-system, dubbed asX(3960), is observed by the LHCb collaboration recently. A combined analysis on$$\chi _{c0}(3930)~(\rightarrow D^+ D^-)$$χc0(3930)(→D+D-),$$X(3960)~(\rightarrow D^{+}_{s}D^{-}_{s})$$X(3960)(→Ds+Ds-), and$$X(3915)~(\rightarrow J/\psi \omega )$$X(3915)(→J/ψω)is performed using both aK-matrix approach of$$D_{(s)}\bar{D}_{(s)}$$D(s)D¯(s)four-point contact interactions and a model of Flatté-like parameterizations. The use of the pole counting rule and spectral density function sum rule indicate, under current statistics, that this$$D^{+}_{s}D^{-}_{s}$$Ds+Ds-near-threshold state has probably the mixed nature of a$$c\bar{c}$$cc¯confining state and$$D^{+}_{s}D^{-}_{s}$$Ds+Ds-continuum.
X(3860) production in association with $$J/\psi $$ via $$e^{+}e^{-}$$ annihilation at Belle
Authors: Zhang Gui-Yuan , Li Cong , Jiang Ying-Zhao , Sun Zhan
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we study the X(3860) production associated with $$J/\psi $$

J
/
ψ

via $$e^{+}e^{-}$$

e
+

e
-

annihilation at the next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy in $$\alpha _s$$

α
s

, within the nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD) framework. With the hypothesis of $$J^{PC}_{X(3860)}=0^{++}$$

J

X
(
3860
)

PC

=

0

+
+

, the predictions of $$\sigma _{e^{+}e^{-} \rightarrow J/\psi +X(3860)}$$

σ

e
+

e
-

→
J
/
ψ
+
X

(
3860
)

agree well with the Belle measurements, whereas the results following the $$2^{++}$$

2

+
+

assignment significantly undershoot the data. This is consistent with the Belle’s conclusion that the $$0^{++}$$

0

+
+

hypothesis is favored over the $$2^{++}$$

2

+
+

hypothesis for X(3860). Despite fitting the data of the total cross section, the NRQCD predictions seem to be incompatible with the measured $$J/\psi $$

J
/
ψ

angular distributions. We simultaneously calculate the cross section of $$e^{+}e^{-} \rightarrow J/\psi +X(3940)$$

e
+

e
-

→
J
/
ψ
+
X

(
3940
)

under the assumption of $$J^{PC}_{X(3940)}=0^{-+}$$

J

X
(
3940
)

PC

=

0

-
+

, discovering the consistency of the NRQCD predictions with the light-cone results as well as the experiment.
Simulation of photon-generated carrier transport characteristics in CdSe quantum dot thin films
Authors: Zheng Fuzhong , Zhu Hongbing , Huang Yong , Jin Xiaozhao , Huang Danping , Wu Ying , Liu Jiajia
Published: May 2023

Studying the transport characteristics of carriers in quantum dot (QD) film provides theory support for the structure design and performance improvement of QD film device. However, time of flight experiment can only test the global optoelectric current signal brought by the carrier transport, and cannot analyze the carrier transport in the transport layer. Here, the hopping transport model of photogenerated carriers in QD films was established to study the expansion and drift movement of carriers in the PDE module of COMSOL. According to the material properties of the actual QD films, the carrier transport in single-size QD films was studied.
Developing a Seismic Demand Hazard Curve for Seismic Pounding Risk Assessment of Adjacent Buildings
Authors: Lin Jeng-Hsiang
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes a novel seismic demand hazard model conditional on the separation distance between two adjacent buildings to fully explore the possibility of seismic pounding occurrence between buildings during their design life. The model uses an exponential function with two model parameters estimated through a two-point approach to yield an explicit expression for deriving a Seismic Demand Hazard Curve (SDHC) for adjacent buildings. The resulting SDHC provides a basis for seismic pounding risk assessment of adjacent buildings with a specific separation distance and a design tool for the risk-targeted separation distance between buildings. To verify the model, this paper compares the SDHCs derived for six pairs of adjacent buildings having different heights and natural period combinations with corresponding numerical simulation results. The results show that the SDHCs derived from the model, within the engineering interest range, closely agree with numerical simulation results.
TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION DESIGN AND MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF A PERSONALIZED LUMBAR FUSION DEVICE
Authors: WANG ZHAOYAO , FU RONGCHANG , YE PENG
Published: May 2023

Objective: To reduce the shielding effect caused by the large elastic modulus of metal fusion devices after osteotomy for the treatment of scoliosis. Methods: A personalized fusion device was designed using reverse engineering techniques, three-dimensional modeling, topology optimization, and finite element analysis. A finite element model of the lumbar spine after orthopedic surgery was established from an actual case. A fusion device was implanted into the lumbar spine before and after the optimized design for simulation calculations, respectively. The similarities and differences in the mechanical properties of the different fusion devices and vertebrae were compared. Based on the topological optimization of the mechanical properties of the fusion system, a lightweight fusion device was designed and the stress-shielding effect on the lumbar vertebrae was improved. Results: The topologically optimized fusion device described in the current case was 60% lighter while maintaining the strength of the fusion. After optimization, the average strain of the fusion was increased by up to 200% and the stiffness was significantly decreased. The average equivalent stress of cancellous bone was increased by up to 9.55% for the PEEK fusion device. In contrast, the topologically optimized fusion can increase the average equivalent stress of cortical bone by 5.63% and reduce the stress-masking effect of vertebrae. Conclusion: Topologically optimized titanium alloy fusion devices can significantly reduce the mass of the implant as well as reduce fusion stiffness. Additionally, a topology-optimized titanium alloy fusion device can effectively improve the stress-shielding effect of cortical bone.
Overlapping group screening for binary cancer classification with TCGA high-dimensional genomic data
Authors: Wang Jie-Huei , Chen Yi-Hau
Published: May 2023

Precision medicine has been a global trend of medical development, wherein cancer diagnosis plays an important role. With accurate diagnosis of cancer, we can provide patients with appropriate medical treatments for improving patients’ survival. Since disease developments involve complex interplay among multiple factors such as gene–gene interactions, cancer classifications based on microarray gene expression profiling data are expected to be effective, and hence, have attracted extensive attention in computational biology and medicine. However, when using genomic data to build a diagnostic model, there exist several problems to be overcome, including the high-dimensional feature space and feature contamination. In this paper, we propose using the overlapping group screening (OGS) approach to build an accurate cancer diagnosis model and predict the probability of a patient falling into some disease classification category in the logistic regression framework. This new proposal integrates gene pathway information into the procedure for identifying genes and gene–gene interactions associated with the classification of cancer outcome groups. We conduct a series of simulation studies to compare the predictive accuracy of our proposed method for cancer diagnosis with some existing machine learning methods, and find the better performances of the former method. We apply the proposed method to the genomic data of The Cancer Genome Atlas related to lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LHC), and thyroid carcinoma (THCA), to establish accurate cancer diagnosis models.
PIDKG: Propagating Interaction Influence on the Dynamic Knowledge Graph for Recommendation
Authors: Xiao Chunjing , Ji Wanlin , Zhang Yuxiang , Lv Shenkai
Published: May 2023

Modeling the dynamic interactions between users and items on knowledge graphs is crucial for improving the accuracy of recommendation. Although existing methods have made great progress in modeling the dynamic knowledge graphs for recommendation, they usually only consider the mutual influence between users and items involved in the interactions, and ignore the influence propagation from the interacting nodes (i.e., users and items) on dynamic knowledge graphs. In this article, we propose an influence propagation-enhanced deep co-evolutionary method for recommendation, which can capture not only the direct mutual influence between interacting users and items but also
influence propagation
from multiple interacting nodes to their high-order neighbors at the same time on the dynamic knowledge graph. Specifically, the proposed model consists of two main components: the direct mutual influence component and the influence propagation component. The former captures direct interaction influence between the interacting users and items to generate the effective representations for them. The latter refines their representations via aggregating the interaction influence propagated from multiple interacting nodes. In this process, a neighbor selection mechanism is designed for selecting more effective propagation influence, which can significantly reduce the computational cost and accelerate the training. Finally, the refined representations of users and items are used to predict which item the user is most likely to interact with. The experimental results on three real-world datasets illustrate that the effectiveness and robustness of PIDKG outperform all state-of-the-art baselines and the efficiency of it is faster than most comparative baselines.
STA-TCN: Spatial-temporal Attention over Temporal Convolutional Network for Next Point-of-interest Recommendation
Authors: Ou Junjie , Jin Haiming , Wang Xiaocheng , Jiang Hao , Wang Xinbing , Zhou Chenghu
Published: May 2023

Recent years have witnessed a vastly increasing popularity of location-based social networks (LBSNs), which facilitates studies on the
next Point-of-Interest (POI) recommendation
problem. A user’s POI visiting behavior shows the
sequential transition
correlation with previous successive check-ins and the
global spatial-temporal
correlation with those check-ins that happened a long time ago at a similar time of day and in geographically close areas. Although previous POI recommendation methods attempted to capture these two correlations, several limitations remain to be solved: (1) RNNs are widely adopted to capture the sequential transition correlation, whereas training an RNN is rather time-consuming given the long input check-in sequence. (2) The pairwise
proximities
on time of day and geographical area of check-ins are crucial for global spatial-temporal correlation learning, but have not been comprehensively considered by previous methods. To tackle these issues, we propose a novel next POI recommendation framework named STA-TCN. Specifically, instead of RNNs, STA-TCN augments the Temporal Convolutional Network with gated input injection to learn sequential transition correlation. Furthermore, STA-TCN fuses two novel
grid-difference
and
time-sensitivity
learning mechanisms with attention network to learn the pairwise spatial-temporal proximities among a user’s check-ins. Extensive experiments are conducted on two large-scale real-world LBSN datasets, and the results show that STA-TCN outperforms the best state-of-the-art baseline with an average improvement of 9.71% and 7.88% on hit rate and normalized discounted cumulative gain, respectively.