bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti‐Inflammatory, Antiallergic and COVID‐19 Main Protease (Mpro) Inhibitory Activities of Butenolides from a Marine‐Derived Fungus Aspergillus costaricaensis
Authors: Uras Ibrahim S. , Korinek Michal , Albohy Amgad , Abdulrazik Basma S. , Lin Wenhan , Ebada Sherif S. , Konuklugil Belma
Published: March 2022

Amid the current COVID‐19 pandemic, the emergence of several variants in a relatively high mutation rate (twice per month) strengthened the importance of finding out a chemical entity that can be potential for developing an effective medicine. In this study, we explored ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of a marine‐derived fungus Aspergillus cosatricaensis afforded three butenolide derivatives, butyrolactones I, VI and V (1–3), two naphtho‐γ‐pyrones, TMC‐256 A1 (4) and rubrofusarin B (5) and methyl p‐hydroxyphenyl acetate (6). Structure identification was unambiguously determined based on exhaustive spectral analyses including 1D/2D NMR and mass spectrometry. The isolated compounds (1–6) were assessed for their in vitro anti‐inflammatory, antiallergic, elastase inhibitory activities and in silico SARS‐CoV‐2 main protease (Mpro). Results exhibited that only butenolides (1 and 2) revealed potent activities similar to or more than reference drugs unlike butyrolactone V (3) suggesting them as plausible chemical entities for developing lead molecules.
Bio‐Inspired Synthesis of Hollow Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles Using Calcium Carbonate as Solid Template
Authors: Dey Namit , Santhiya Deenan , Das Asmita
Published: March 2022

We report a surfactant free route to synthesize hollow mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles at ambient atmospheric condition. The synthesized particles contain hollow core as a result of mild acid mediated removal of calcium carbonate nanoparticles used as hard template. Removal of template was confirmed through FTIR and XRD while round morphology and sizes below 100 nm could be observed by TEM. In addition, N2 adsorption and desorption analysis confirmed hollow and mesoporous nature of the bioactive glass shell. Interestingly, post removal of template, particles reported higher surface area, pore volume and pore diameter along with decrease in surface charge. Deposition of hydroxyapatite on hollow bioactive glass in Simulated Buffer Fluid (SBF) could be observed from Day 7 of immersion while well‐developed hydroxyapatite depositions could be observed by Day 30. This proved bioactivity of the material while cytotoxicity analysis on Human Osteosarcoma cell line (U2OS) through MTT assay proved the biocompatible nature of the hollow bioactive glass particle.
Rapid Assembly of Magnetoplasmonic Photonic Arrays for Brilliant, Noniridescent, and Stimuli‐Responsive Structural Colors
Authors: Tran Van Tan , Kim Jeonghyo , Oh Sangjin , Jeong Ki‐Jae , Lee Jaebeom
Published: March 2022

There are usually trade‐offs between maximizing the color saturation and brightness and minimizing the angle‐dependent effect in structural colors. Here, a magnetic field‐induced assembly for the rapid formation of scalable, uniform amorphous photonic arrays (APAs) featuring unique structural colors is demonstrated. The magnetic field plays a fundamental role in photonic film formation, making this assembly technology versatile for developing structural color patterns on arbitrary substrates. The synergistic combination of surface plasmonic resonance of the Ag core and broadband light absorption of high refractive index (RI) Fe3O4 shell in hybrid magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles (MagPlas NPs) enables breaking the trade‐offs to produce brilliant, noniridescent structural colors with high tunability and responsiveness. These features enable the fabrication of various types of highly sensitive and reliable colorimetric sensors for naked‐eye detection without sophisticated instruments. Furthermore, large‐scale structural color patterns are effortlessly achieved, demonstrating the high potential of the present approach for full‐spectrum displays, active coatings, and rewritable papers.
Controlling Self‐Sorting versus Co‐assembly in Supramolecular Gels
Authors: Panja Santanu , Dietrich Bart , Smith Andrew J. , Seddon Annela , Adams Dave J.
Published: March 2022

Supramolecular gels formed by the combination of different organic molecules are of significant interest in the search of new functional materials. When two different molecules are mixed to form gels, the self‐assembled fibres can be a result of self‐sorting or co‐assembly. A key challenge is to control the network type. Here, we demonstrate that control over the network type can be achieved either by varying the hydrophobicity of a component or by employing a pH‐switch method.
Long‐term trends of reproductive success of black grouse Lyrurus tetrix in the southern Swiss Alps in relation to changes in climate and habitat
Authors: Zbinden Niklaus , Korner‐Nievergelt Fränzi , Tettamanti Federico , Keller Verena
Published: March 2022

Breeding success of an Alpine black grouse Lyrurus tetrix population in southern Switzerland was monitored from 1981 to 2020. This long‐term dataset allows exploring relationships of reproductive rates with climate and habitat, which have shown marked changes during this period. Over the 40 years, the average elevation of black grouse breeding sites increased by around 100 m in central/southern Ticino but showed only a slight increase in northern Ticino, where black grouse occur at higher elevations. Average reproductive rates in northern Ticino remained constant throughout the study period but declined in central/southern Ticino. Relationships between reproductive success and weather as well as habitat variables were analysed with a multiple regression model. Temperature during the early chick‐rearing phase and the time of egg‐laying was positively correlated with reproductive rate. Correlations between reproductive rates and precipitation were less clear, and only small proportions of the variance in reproductive rates could be explained by precipitation. Brush forest explained the greatest amount of variation in reproductive rate (6.2%). Forest, alpine agricultural areas and unproductive vegetation all showed a positive relationship with reproductive rate, but the proportion of the variance explained was small. Year (5.1%) and its interaction with region (2.3%) explained considerable amounts of the variance. While in northern Ticino reproductive success did not show a negative trend when correcting for weather and habitat changes, there remained a negative trend over the years in central/southern Ticino. Despite the positive correlations of reproductive rate with temperature, increasing temperatures do not appear to have improved reproductive success, likely as a result of habitat changes that forced black grouse towards higher elevations. Changes in reproductive success were limited to the southern region, indicating deteriorating conditions at the edge of the distribution range.
A Framework for Substructural Type Systems
Authors: Wood James , Atkey Robert
Published: March 2022

Mechanisation of programming language research is of growing interest, and the act of mechanising type systems and their metatheory is generally becoming easier as new techniques are invented. However, state-of-the-art techniques mostly rely on structurality of the type system — that weakening, contraction, and exchange are admissible and variables can be used unrestrictedly once assumed. Linear logic, and many related subsequent systems, provide motivations for breaking some of these assumptions.

We present a framework for mechanising the metatheory of certain substructural type systems, in a style resembling mechanised metatheory of structural type systems. The framework covers a wide range of simply typed syntaxes with semiring usage annotations, via a metasyntax of typing rules. The metasyntax for the premises of a typing rule is related to bunched logic, featuring both sharing and separating conjunction, roughly corresponding to the additive and multiplicative features of linear logic. We use the uniformity of syntaxes to derive type system-generic renaming, substitution, and a form of linearity checking.
SMT-Based Planning Synthesis for Distributed System Reconfigurations
Authors: Robillard Simon , Coullon Hélène
Published: March 2022

Large distributed systems with an emphasis on adaptability are now considered a necessity in many domains, yet reconfiguration of these systems is still largely carried out in an ad hoc fashion, a process that is both inefficient and error-prone. In this paper, we tackle the planification problem for the reconfiguration of distributed systems in the component-based reconfiguration model Concerto. Specifically, given some tasks to execute and a desired final state of the system, we show how to compute a reconfiguration plan that guarantees satisfaction of inter-component dependencies and is also optimized for parallel execution. Our technique relies on an SMT solver to compute the required dependencies between components and ultimately schedule the reconfiguration. We illustrate the use of this technique on a variety of synthetic examples as well as a real use case in the context of an OpenStack system.
QMaxUSE: A Query-based Verification Tool for UML Class Diagrams with OCL Invariants
Authors: Wu Hao
Published: March 2022

Verifying whether a UML class diagram annotated with Object Constraint Language (OCL) constraints is consistent involves finding valid instances that provably meet its structural and OCL constraints. Recently, many tools and techniques have been proposed to find valid instances. However, they often do not scale well when the number of OCL constraints significantly increases. In this paper, we present a new tool called QMaxUSE that is capable of automatically verifying a large number of OCL invariants. QMaxUSE works by decomposing them into a set of different queries. It then uses an SMT solver to concurrently verify each query and pinpoints conflicting OCL invariants. Our evaluation results suggest that QMaxUSE can offer up to 30x efficiency improvement in verifying UML class diagrams with a large number of OCL invariants.
Herzerkrankungen im Langzeitverlauf: Wie kann die psychosoziale Versorgung verbessert werden?
Authors: Ladwig Karl-Heinz , Lurz Julia , Lukaschek Karoline
Published: March 2022

Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen, zu denen in erster Linie die koronare Herzerkrankung (KHK), Herzrhythmusstörungen und die Herzinsuffizienz (HI) gehören, sind für die meisten Todesfälle und schwerwiegenden Krankheitsverläufe in der Europäischen Union verantwortlich. Das akute Geschehen steht meist im Vordergrund der klinischen Aufmerksamkeit. Dagegen existieren für den Langzeitverlauf dieser Krankheitsbilder kaum strukturierte Versorgungs- und Therapiekonzepte. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt auf Grundlage einer Literaturrecherche eine Übersicht über die Langzeitfolgen und die Langzeitversorgung von Herzerkrankungen. Defizite in der psychosozialen Versorgung der Patienten und mögliche Lösungsansätze werden diskutiert.

Bei Patienten mit KHK ergeben sich aufgrund einer mangelhaften psychosozialen Langzeitversorgung häufig Probleme mit der Medikamententreue und der Einhaltung von Verhaltensempfehlungen. Psychische Komorbiditäten reduzieren die Lebensqualität und sind ein Antreiber für gesundheitsschädigendes Verhalten. Patienten mit Herzrhythmusstörungen geraten häufig in einen Teufelskreis aus wiederkehrenden körperlichen Beschwerden in Wechselwirkung mit Angst- und Panikattacken und der damit verbundenen Inanspruchnahme ambulanter, notärztlicher oder stationärer Versorgungseinrichtungen. Im Krankheitsverlauf einer Herzinsuffizienz wird eine klinisch bedeutsam wachsende Anzahl von Patienten mit Antidepressiva behandelt, deren Nutzen eher zweifelhaft ist.

Die erkennbaren Defizite der psychosozialen Langzeitversorgung von Herzerkrankungen können durch die verstärkte Anwendung systematischer kollaborativer Versorgungsmodelle von spezialisierten Versorgungseinrichtungen unter Einbeziehung von Hausärzten behoben und die Lebensqualität der Patienten verbessert werden.
Clinical results after arthroscopic reconstruction of the posterolateral corner of the knee: A prospective randomized trial comparing two different surgical techniques
Authors: Weiss Sebastian , Krause Matthias , Frosch Karl-Heinz
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Arthroscopic reconstruction techniques of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee have been developed in recent years. Reconstruction techniques for higher-grade PLC injuries have not yet been validated in clinical studies. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of two different techniques and to present results of the first prospective randomized clinical trial of patients to undergo these novel procedures.

Materials and methods

19 patients with Fanelli Type B posterolateral corner injuries and additional posterior cruciate ligament ruptures were included in this prospective study. They were randomly assigned to one of two novel arthroscopic reconstruction techniques, based on open surgeries developed by Arciero (group A) and LaPrade (group B). Follow-up was conducted at 6 and 12 months postoperatively and included clinical examinations for lateral, rotational and posterior stability, range of motion and subjective clinical outcome scores (IKDC Subjective Score, Lysholm Score, Tegner Activity Scale and Numeric Rating Scale for pain).

Results

At 6 and 12 months postoperative, all patients in both groups presented stable to varus, external rotational and posterior forces, there were no significant differences between the two groups. At 12-month follow-up, group A patients showed significantly higher maximum flexion angles (134.17° ± 3.76° vs. 126.60° ± 4.22°; p = 0.021) compared to patients of group B. Duration of surgery was significantly longer in Group B patients than in group A (121.88 ± 11.63 vs. 165.00 ± 35.65 min; p = 0.003). Posterior drawer (side-to-side difference) remained more reduced in group A (2.50 ± 0.69 mm vs. 3.27 ± 0.92 mm; p = 0.184). Subjective patient outcome scores showed no significant differences between groups (Lysholm Score 83.33 ± 7.79 vs. 86.40 ± 9.21; p = 0.621).

Conclusions

This study indicates sufficient restoration of posterolateral rotational instability, varus instability and posterior drawer after arthroscopic posterolateral corner reconstruction without neurovascular complications.

Increased postoperative range of motion and a shorter and less invasive surgical procedure could favor the arthroscopic reconstruction technique according to Arciero over LaPrade’s technique in future treatment considerations.
Pluriversality and beyond: consolidating radical alternatives to (mal-)development as a Commonist project
Authors: Gills Barry K. , Hosseini S. A. Hamed
Published: March 2022

This article addresses contradictions in the 'pluriverse' of radical alternatives to maldevelopment, and proposes an integrative framework for fostering productive convergences among its forces. It argues that the 2020s and 2030s will be pivotal decades, in which the current global conjuncture, characterized by intensifying economic turmoil, climate change, and ecological crises, will translate into increased mass discontent, global polarization, political instabilities, and social unrest across the world. However, there is no reason to believe that this intensification of crises will automatically result in the end of unproductive divisions among the global left. Thus, we argue that a higher level of proactivism, at a meta-ideological standing, which we refer to here as the ‘Commonist Project’, is both necessary and possible. The article proposes a fourfold framework of how to promote sustainable convergences and solidarities, going beyond temporary pragmatic coalitions and alliances. This proposal draws on the idea of ‘commoning transformative knowledge’, realized through creating new transversal integrative assemblages of alternative-futures-making initiatives. In the end, the argument is empirically supported by drawing on the authors’ critical reflections on their own cross-organizational experiences of fostering dialogic and praxis-based methodologies across various groups and forces pursuing post-capitalist alternatives through the People’s Sovereignty Network.
Insight into the effect of alkali treatment on enhancing adsorptivity of activated carbon for HCl removal in H2 feedstock
Authors: Usmani Anis , Watthaisong Panuwat , Grisdanurak Nurak , Suthirakun Suwit
Published: March 2022

The removal of contaminated HCl gas in the petrochemical plants is essential to prevent corrosion problems, catalysts poisoning, and downstream contamination. Alkali-treated activated carbon (AC) was proposed as an effective adsorbent for HCl removal. Understanding the underlying mechanism of HCl adsorption on modified AC is key to design promising strategies for removal of HCl and other chlorinated hydrocarbon gases in the H2 feedstock. Here, a combined experimental and computational approach was used to study the role of alkali treatment on the adsorption behavior of HCl on the AC surfaces. We find that an interplay between alkali ions and oxygen-containing functional groups on the AC surface plays a crucial role in stabilizing the adsorbed HCl. The origin of such stable adsorbed configurations can be attributed to the dissociative adsorption of HCl leading to a formation of low energy species such as water, OH– and Cl– anions. These anions are electrostatically stabilized by the alkali ions resulting in a strong adsorption of −3.61 eV and −3.69 eV for Na+ and K+, respectively. Close investigation on charge analysis reveals that the epoxy functional group facilitates adsorbent-surface charge transfer where O and Cl atoms gain more charges of 0.37 e and 0.58 e which is in good correlation with the improved adsorption strength. The calculated results are consistence with the experimental observations that the Langmuir adsorptivity has been enhanced upon alkali modification. The maximum adsorption capacity of AC has been improved approximately by 4 times from 78.9 to 188.9 mg/g upon treatment.
Towards an international lexicon
Authors: Mesiti Carmel , Artigue Michèle , Grau Valeska , Novotná Jarmila
Published: March 2022

A significant distinguishing characteristic of the International Classroom Lexicon Project was the documentation of classroom pedagogical practices of mathematics teachers in the original languages of ten communities. These lexicons provide us with an opportunity to compare identified teacher practices within these communities. In this paper, we explore the challenges of conducting a cross-lexicon comparison to explore the possibility of moving towards an international lexicon by focusing on the Australian, Chilean, Czech and French lexicons. We focus on two clusters of terms, namely, those related to assessment and those related to mathematics. Inspired by theories and studies related to networking and boundary crossing, strategies were conceived and tested in order to accomplish the following objectives: to support a meticulous and comprehensive comparison of the lexical items; to classify the complexity of similarity of lexical items; and to reveal connections amongst the four lexicons in a bid towards developing an international lexicon. This analysis has the potential to contribute significantly to the study and promotion of mathematics teachers’ reflective practice and highlights the cultural underpinning of the way classroom practices are perceived.
Current State and Future Perspectives of Artificial Intelligence for Automated Coronary Angiography Imaging Analysis in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Molenaar Mitchel A. , Selder Jasper L. , Nicolas Johny , Claessen Bimmer E. , Mehran Roxana , Bescós Javier Oliván , Schuuring Mark J. , Bouma Berto J. , Verouden Niels J. , Chamuleau Steven A. J.
Published: March 2022

Purpose of Review

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in (interventional) cardiology continue to emerge. This review summarizes the current state and future perspectives of AI for automated imaging analysis in invasive coronary angiography (ICA).

Recent Findings

Recently, 12 studies on AI for automated imaging analysis In ICA have been published. In these studies, machine learning (ML) models have been developed for frame selection, segmentation, lesion assessment, and functional assessment of coronary flow. These ML models have been developed on monocenter datasets (in range 31–14,509 patients) and showed moderate to good performance. However, only three ML models were externally validated.

Given the current pace of AI developments for the analysis of ICA, less-invasive, objective, and automated diagnosis of CAD can be expected in the near future. Further research on this technology in the catheterization laboratory may assist and improve treatment allocation, risk stratification, and cath lab logistics by integrating ICA analysis with other clinical characteristics.
Circulating Level of Blood Iron and Copper Associated with Inflammation and Disease Activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wang Huijuan , Zhang Runrun , Shen Jie , Jin Yehua , Chang Cen , Hong Mengjie , Guo Shicheng , He Dongyi
Published: March 2022

This study aims to compare the concentrations of circulating levels of iron, zinc, and copper in blood samples of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients which determine the correlations with inflammation and disease activity. A total of 102 RA patients and 66 healthy controls were enrolled. Circulation of iron, zinc, and copper levels in whole blood were assessed. Hemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP) levels were collected. A meta-analysis was performed to validate our findings. Single and multiple variate generalized linear regression were applied to identify the correlation between trace elements and clinical characteristics. Blood copper level was significantly higher in RA patients (P < 0.001), while iron and zinc levels were decreased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). Meta-analysis confirmed our findings for zinc (SMD =  − 1.17, P < 0.001) and copper (SMD = 1.24, P < 0.001). Copper level was positively correlated with DAS28-CRP (r = 0.35, P < 0.01), CRP (r = 0.45, P < 0.01) and ESR (r = 0.58, P < 0.01). Iron level was negatively correlated with DAS28-CRP (r =  − 0.37, P < 0.01), CRP (r =  − 0.46, P < 0.01) and ESR (r =  − 0.55, P < 0.01). Circulating blood copper was significantly higher and positively correlated with DAS28-CRP and inflammatory markers, while circulating blood iron was decreased and negatively correlated with DAS28-CRP and inflammatory markers in RA patients.
Synthesis of non-active electrode (TiO2/GO/Ag) for the photo-electro-Fenton oxidation of micropollutants in wastewater
Authors: Kaur P. , Park Y. , Imteaz M. A. , Sillanpaa M.
Published: March 2022

Heterogeneous photo-electro-Fenton oxidation (hPEF) is known to be a robust technique, which can be employed for promoting organic degradation. This paper describes an environmentally friendly approach with the combination of photocatalysis and electrocatalysis in less acidic pH, aiming to achieve faster mineralization of a pharmaceutical micropollutant without adding any external oxidants. TiO2/GO/loaded Ag non-active electrodes are synthesized for the degradation of bupropion hydrochloride (antidepressant drug). The present work also seeks the parametric modeling and optimization of hPEF process parameters by using R programming. Nonlinear kinetic modeling was performed for the determination of kinetic parameters. The role of selected process parameters on the mineralization of bupropion was also explained in detail. The OH• and O2•− showed their active participation in the degradation process, while Ag and UV-C played an active role in the disinfection of treated wastewater.
Comparison of catheters or new arteriovenous fistulas for commencement of haemodialysis in pregnant women with chronic kidney disease: an international observational study
Authors: Jesudason Shilpanjali , Hewawasam Erandi , Moloney Brona , Tan Rachel , Li Joule , Blakey Hannah , Bramham Kate , Hall Matthew , Juneja Rajiv , Jarvis Elizabeth , Lightstone Liz , Lipkin Graham , Hladunewich Michelle A.
Published: March 2022

Background

Evidence surrounding vascular access options for commencing dialysis in pregnancy complicated by chronic kidney disease (CKD) is limited. Creation of new arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in pregnant women is rare.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of approaches to vascular access in pregnancy in centres in Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada (2002–2018).

Results

Twenty-three women with advanced CKD commenced dialysis in pregnancy (n = 20) or planned to commence (n = 3). Access at dialysis start was a tunnelled catheter (n = 13), temporary catheter (n = 1), AVF created pre-conception but used in pregnancy (n = 3) and AVF created during pregnancy (n = 3). No women commencing dialysis with an AVF required a catheter. No differences in perinatal outcomes were observed comparing AVFs and catheters at dialysis commencement. No AVFs were created in pregnancy in Canadian women. From Australia and the UK, 10 women had a new AVF created in pregnancy, at median gestation 14.5 weeks (IQR 12.5, 20.75). Four women still needed a catheter for dialysis initiation and 3 eventually used the new AVF. Six AVFs were successfully used in pregnancy at median gestation 24 weeks (IQR 22.5, 28.5), 2 were successfully created but not used and 2 had primary failure. No catheter-associated complications were identified except one episode of catheter-related sepsis.

Conclusions

Catheter-related complications were minimal. In selected women, with sufficient pre-planning, an AVF can be created and successfully used during pregnancy to minimise catheter use if preferred. Pre-conception counselling in advanced CKD should include discussing vascular access options reflecting local expertise and patient preferences.

Graphic abstract
Wirkungen von Bildungsfreistellung und Bildungsurlaub: Möglichkeitsverallgemeinerungen
Authors: Zeuner Christine , Pabst Antje
Published: March 2022

Regelungen zu einem individuellen Recht auf Weiterbildung durch Bildungsfreistellung, Bildungsurlaub oder Bildungszeit existieren in 14 deutschen Bundesländern. Vorgestellt werden Ergebnisse einer qualitativen, subjektorientierten Studie zur Wirkung der Mehrfachteilnahme an Bildungsurlaub. In explorativ-narrativen Interviews wurden 27 Personen, die öfter an anerkannten Veranstaltungen der beruflichen und politischen Bildung teilnahmen, dazu befragt, welche langfristigen, (bildungs-)biographischen Wirkungen sie vor dem Hintergrund der Mehrfachteilnahme für sich der Bildungsfreistellung zuschreiben. Diskutiert wird, inwiefern sich verallgemeinerbare Erkenntnisse gewinnen lassen im Hinblick auf die Idee der „Initialzündung“ oder „Impulswirkung“ für individuelle lebensentfaltende Bildungsprozesse.
Fast statistical energy analysis modelling of periodic box-like structures
Authors: Yan Feng , Wilson Robin , Rutherford Peter
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes a fast way to create a base Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) model for periodic box-like structures, for which further refining and modification can be conducted with simplicity. A novel numbering system is introduced which enables the model builder to build, locate and change the property of each subsystem as well as to specify the connections between different subsystems in a 3D coordinate system. Two numerical SEA models are studied with the aid of the new method. It greatly decreases the time in model building and increases the simplicity of studying the acoustic attenuation by changing the properties of different subsystems. The results show that when increasing the internal loss factors (ILF) of all structural elements from 0.015 to 0.12, a 13.5 dB sound insulation improvement can be observed for the 2-room system at 1000 Hz and that for the 24-room system is 10.9 dB. This method serves as a promising way to investigate the acoustic transmission in heavily damped periodic box-like structures.

Article Highlights

A fast SEA model building method is proposed.

A 3D coordinate based numbering system is developed for subsystem location and identification.

Application of damping on structural elements results in better sound insulation.
Quantum Computing for Programmers
Authors: Hundt Robert
Published: March 2022

This introduction to quantum computing from a classical programmer's perspective is meant for students and practitioners alike. Over 25 fundamental algorithms are explained with full mathematical derivations and classical code for simulation, using an open-source code base developed from the ground up in Python and C++. After presenting the basics of quantum computing, the author focuses on algorithms and the infrastructure to simulate them efficiently, beginning with quantum teleportation, superdense coding, and Deutsch-Jozsa. Coverage of advanced algorithms includes the quantum supremacy experiment, quantum Fourier transform, phase estimation, Shor's algorithm, Grover's algorithm with derivatives, quantum random walks, and the Solovay–Kitaev algorithm for gate approximation. Quantum simulation is explored with the variational quantum eigensolver, quantum approximate optimization, and the Max-Cut and Subset-Sum algorithms. The book also discusses issues around programmer productivity, quantum noise, error correction, and challenges for quantum programming languages, compilers, and tools, with a final section on compiler techniques for transpilation.
Reduction of unnecessary antibiotic days in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Vyas Dipen P. , Quinones-Cardona Vilmaris , Gilfillan Margaret A. , Young Megan E. , Pough Kimberly A. , Carey Alison J.
Published: March 2022

Objective:

Antibiotics are widely prescribed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and duration of prescription is varied. We sought to decrease unnecessary antibiotic days for the most common indications in our outborn level IV NICU by 20% within 1 year.

Design and interventions:

A retrospective chart review was completed to determine the most common indications and treatment duration for antibiotic therapy in our 39-bed level IV NICU. A multidisciplinary team was convened to develop an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement initiative with new consensus guidelines for antibiotic duration for these common indications. To optimize compliance, prospective audit was completed to ensure antibiotic stop dates were utilized and provider justification for treatment duration was documented. Multiple rounds of educational sessions were conducted with neonatology providers.

Results:

In total, 262 patients were prescribed antibiotics (139 in baseline period and 123 after the intervention). The percentage of unnecessary antibiotic days (UAD) was defined as days beyond the consensus guidelines. As a balancing measure, reinitiation of antibiotics within 2 weeks was tracked. After sequential interventions, the percentage of UAD decreased from 42% to 12%, which exceeded our goal of a 20% decrease. Compliance with antibiotic stop dates increased from 32% to 76%, and no antibiotics were reinitiated within 2 weeks.

Conclusions:

A multidisciplinary antibiotic stewardship team coupled with a consensus for antibiotic therapy duration, prescriber justification of antibiotic necessity and use of antibiotic stop dates can effectively reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure in the NICU.
Dissecting the association between psychiatric disorders and neurological proteins: a genetic correlation and two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Huang Huimei , Cheng Shiqiang , Li Chun’e , Cheng Bolun , Liu Li , Yang Xuena , Meng Peilin , Yao Yao , Pan Chuyu , Zhang Jingxi , Zhang Huijie , Chen Yujing , Zhang Zhen , Wen Yan , Jia Yumeng , Zhang Feng
Published: March 2022

Objectives:

The role of neurological proteins in the development of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) remains elusive now. The current study aims to explore the potential genetic correlations of plasma neurological proteins with BD and SCZ.

Methods:

By using the latest genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of BD and SCZ (including 41,917 BD cases, 11,260 SCZ cases, and 396,091 controls) derived from the Psychiatric GWAS Consortium website (PGC) and a recently released GWAS of neurological proteins (including 750 individuals), we performed a linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis to detect the potential genetic correlations between the two common psychiatric disorders and each of the 92 neurological proteins. Two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis was then applied to assess the bidirectional causal relationship between the neurological proteins identified by LDSC, BD and SCZ.

Results:

LDSC analysis identified one neurological protein, NEP, which shows suggestive genetic correlation signals for both BD (coefficient = −0.165, p value = 0.035) and SCZ (coefficient = −0.235, p value = 0.020). However, those association did not remain significant after strict Bonferroni correction. Two sample MR analysis found that there was an association between genetically predicted level of NEP protein, BD (odd ratio [OR] = 0.87, p value = 1.61 × 10−6) and SCZ (OR = 0.90, p value = 4.04 × 10−6). However, in the opposite direction, there is no genetically predicted association between BD, SCZ, and NEP protein level.

Conclusion:

This study provided novel clues for understanding the genetic effects of neurological proteins on BD and SCZ.
Land occupation as a form of peasant struggle in Turkey, 1965–1980
Authors: Gürel Burak , Küçük Bermal , Taş Sercan
Published: March 2022

This article contributes to the literature on rural politics in Turkey by investigating peasants’ land occupations between 1965 and 1980. We show that agricultural modernization after 1945 created the structural conditions for land conflicts by enabling the reaching of the frontier of cultivable land and facilitating landlords’ displacement of tenants. The 1961 Constitution’s promise of land reform and the rise of the center-left and socialist politics helped peasants press for land reform by combining direct action and legalistic discourse. Moreover, the vastness of state-owned land and the incompleteness of cadastral records allowed peasants to challenge landlords’ ownership claims. During land occupations, villagers often claimed that contested areas were public property illegally encroached upon by landlords, and that the state was constitutionally obliged to distribute it to peasants. Although successive right-wing governments decreed these actions to be intolerable violations of property rights, their practical approach was more flexible and conciliatory. Although nationwide land reform was never realized, land occupations extracted considerable concessions via the distribution of public land and inexpensive land sold by landlords.
A Social Policy Case for a Four-Day Week
Authors: CHUNG HEEJUNG
Published: March 2022

There has been an explosion of interest in the “four-day-week” movement across the globe, especially due to its potential in addressing many of the societal challenges left by the COVID-19 pandemic. Four-day-week is a movement set to shorten the working hours of full-time workers without a reduction in pay. I aim to set out the case for a national move towards a four-day-week explaining why social policy scholars should lead the debate. First, I provide evidence of the societal costs that the current long-hours work culture has on workers’ and their family’s well-being and welfare, social inequality, and social cohesion. Shorter working can help tackle these issues by giving workers right to time, shifting the balance between work and non-work activities in our lives and valuing them both. Social policy scholars need to lead this debate owing to our existing knowledge and expertise in dealing with these social issues and state-level interventions. In addition, without pressing for fundamental changes in our labour market, we cannot adequately address some of the key challenges we face as a society. The paper ends with key research questions social policy scholars should address as a part of this move.
Parallel Logic Programming: A Sequel
Authors: DOVIER AGOSTINO , FORMISANO ANDREA , GUPTA GOPAL , HERMENEGILDO MANUEL V. , PONTELLI ENRICO , ROCHA RICARDO
Published: March 2022

Multi-core and highly connected architectures have become ubiquitous, and this has brought renewed interest in language-based approaches to the exploitation of parallelism. Since its inception, logic programming has been recognized as a programming paradigm with great potential for automated exploitation of parallelism. The comprehensive survey of the first twenty years of research in parallel logic programming, published in 2001, has served since as a fundamental reference to researchers and developers. The contents are quite valid today, but at the same time the field has continued evolving at a fast pace in the years that have followed. Many of these achievements and ongoing research have been driven by the rapid pace of technological innovation, that has led to advances such as very large clusters, the wide diffusion of multi-core processors, the game-changing role of general-purpose graphic processing units, and the ubiquitous adoption of cloud computing. This has been paralleled by significant advances within logic programming, such as tabling, more powerful static analysis and verification, the rapid growth of Answer Set Programming, and in general, more mature implementations and systems. This survey provides a review of the research in parallel logic programming covering the period since 2001, thus providing a natural continuation of the previous survey. In order to keep the survey self-contained, it restricts its attention to parallelization of the major logic programming languages (Prolog, Datalog, Answer Set Programming) and with an emphasis on automated parallelization and preservation of the sequential observable semantics of such languages. The goal of the survey is to serve not only as a reference for researchers and developers of logic programming systems but also as engaging reading for anyone interested in logic and as a useful source for researchers in parallel systems outside logic programming.
The obligation to exercise “leniency” in penal and disciplinary measures against prisoners of war in light of the ICRC updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention
Authors: Hosseinnejad Katayoun , Askary Pouria
Published: March 2022

This paper explores how the general obligation of the Detaining Power to exercise the greatest leniency towards prisoners of war may be used in interpreting the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949 (GC III) related to the sanction regime to fulfil the obligation of humane treatment and to preserve the persons and honour of prisoners of war. The International Committee of the Red Cross updated Commentary on GC III is placed at the core of the arguments of this research.
East–West Reverse Coupling Between Spring Soil Moisture and Summer Precipitation and Its Possible Responsibility for Wet Bias in GCMs Over Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yang Kai , Wang Chenghai
Published: March 2022

The impact of soil moisture (SM) and precipitation coupling (SM‐P‐C) on the subsequent climate at daily to seasonal scales over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a critical issue. In this study, the spring SM and summer precipitation coupling (SSM‐SP‐C) were investigated using multi‐reanalysis and validated with 13 global climate models (GCMs) in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5, and its relationship with the wet bias in GCMs was explored. The results reveal that SSM‐SP‐C shows an east–west reversal, with positive coupling in eastern and central TP and negative coupling in the western TP. The spring surface sensible heat has significantly negative effects on the strength of SSM‐SP‐C in eastern and central TP, while significantly positive effects in western TP; whereas, the SM shows the reverse effects in eastern and western TP. The concurrent SM‐P‐C over TP shows a positive trend from spring to summer, but coupling strength has significant spatial differences. The 13 GCMs ensemble mean underestimates the positive SSM‐SP‐C in eastern TP and can't reproduce the negative SSM‐SP‐C in western TP. The wet bias of summer precipitation is significantly associated with the model's failure in capturing SSM‐SP‐C. This study highlights the impacts of SM‐P‐C on subsequent climate in the alpine cold region and provides a potential way for reducing precipitation biases by improving SM‐P‐C parameterizations in GCMs.
Gender disparities in pediatric research: a descriptive bibliometric study on scientific authorships
Authors: Böhme Katja , Klingelhöfer Doris , Groneberg David A. , Bendels Michael H. K.
Published: March 2022

Background

The proportion of women in medicine, especially in pediatrics, is noticeably increasing. Yet, leadership positions are predominantly occupied by men.

Methods

Academic authorships of 156,642 pediatric original research articles were analyzed with regard to gender disparities. The evaluation included the proportion of female authorships (FAP), distributions over first-, co- and last-authorships, gender-related citation rates, a productivity analysis and investigations on journals, countries and pediatric sub-disciplines.

Results

In all, 46.6% of all authorships in pediatric research were held by female authors. Women held relatively more first-authorships (FAP = 52%) and had higher odds for first- (OR = 1.3) and co- (OR = 1.11) authorships, compared to men. The Prestige Index of −0.13 indicated an underrepresentation of female authors at prestigious first- and last-authorships. Citation rates were not affected by the gender of the key authors. At the country-level pronounced gender-related differences were detected. The time trend showed increasing female prospects forecasting a female-dominated Prestige Index of 0.05 in 2023.

Conclusion

The integration of women in pediatric research has advanced. Opportunities for female authors differ at the country-level, but overall women are lacking in leadership positions. Improving career opportunities for women in pediatric research can be expected in the coming years.

Impact

There is a measurable progress in the integration of female scientists.

Gender-neutrality is partially achieved in pediatric research with yet a female underrepresentation in leading positions.

Our descriptive study presents gender-related dynamics in pediatric research that forecast improving career opportunities for female scientists.
Filopodia rotate and coil by actively generating twist in their actin shaft
Authors: Leijnse Natascha , Barooji Younes Farhangi , Arastoo Mohammad Reza , Sønder Stine Lauritzen , Verhagen Bram , Wullkopf Lena , Erler Janine Terra , Semsey Szabolcs , Nylandsted Jesper , Oddershede Lene Broeng , Doostmohammadi Amin , Bendix Poul Martin
Published: March 2022

Filopodia are actin-rich structures, present on the surface of eukaryotic cells. These structures play a pivotal role by allowing cells to explore their environment, generate mechanical forces or perform chemical signaling. Their complex dynamics includes buckling, pulling, length and shape changes. We show that filopodia additionally explore their 3D extracellular space by combining growth and shrinking with axial twisting and buckling. Importantly, the actin core inside filopodia performs a twisting or spinning motion which is observed for a range of cell types spanning from earliest development to highly differentiated tissue cells. Non-equilibrium physical modeling of actin and myosin confirm that twist is an emergent phenomenon of active filaments confined in a narrow channel which is supported by measured traction forces and helical buckles that can be ascribed to accumulation of sufficient twist. These results lead us to conclude that activity induced twisting of the actin shaft is a general mechanism underlying fundamental functions of filopodia.
Programmable design of isothermal nucleic acid diagnostic assays through abstraction-based models
Authors: Xu Gaolian , Reboud Julien , Guo Yunfei , Yang Hao , Gu Hongchen , Fan Chunhai , Qian Xiaohua , Cooper Jonathan M.
Published: March 2022

Accelerating the design of nucleic acid amplification methods remains a critical challenge in the development of molecular tools to identify biomarkers to diagnose both infectious and non-communicable diseases. Many of the principles that underpin these mechanisms are often complex and can require iterative optimisation. Here we focus on creating a generalisable isothermal nucleic acid amplification methodology, describing the systematic implementation of abstraction-based models for the algorithmic design and application of assays. We demonstrate the simplicity, ease and flexibility of our approach using a software tool that provides amplification schemes de novo, based upon a user-input target sequence. The abstraction of reaction network predicts multiple reaction pathways across different strategies, facilitating assay optimisation for specific applications, including the ready design of multiplexed tests for short nucleic acid sequence miRNAs or for difficult pathogenic targets, such as highly mutating viruses.
Current-induced Néel order switching facilitated by magnetic phase transition
Authors: Wu Hao , Zhang Hantao , Wang Baomin , Groß Felix , Yang Chao-Yao , Li Gengfei , Guo Chenyang , He Haoran , Wong Kin , Wu Di , Han Xiufeng , Lai Chih-Huang , Gräfe Joachim , Cheng Ran , Wang Kang L.
Published: March 2022

Terahertz (THz) spin dynamics and vanishing stray field make antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials the most promising candidate for the next-generation magnetic memory technology with revolutionary storage density and writing speed. However, owing to the extremely large exchange energy barriers, energy-efficient manipulation has been a fundamental challenge in AFM systems. Here, we report an electrical writing of antiferromagnetic orders through a record-low current density on the order of 106 A cm−2 facilitated by the unique AFM-ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition in FeRh. By introducing a transient FM state via current-induced Joule heating, the spin-orbit torque can switch the AFM order parameter by 90° with a reduced writing current density similar to ordinary FM materials. This mechanism is further verified by measuring the temperature and magnetic bias field dependences, where the X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) results confirm the AFM switching besides the electrical transport measurement. Our findings demonstrate the exciting possibility of writing operations in AFM-based devices with a lower current density, opening a new pathway towards pure AFM memory applications.
Genetic variation of macronutrient tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Havula E. , Ghazanfar S. , Lamichane N. , Francis D. , Hasygar K. , Liu Y. , Alton L. A. , Johnstone J. , Needham E. J. , Pulpitel T. , Clark T. , Niranjan H. N. , Shang V. , Tong V. , Jiwnani N. , Audia G. , Alves A. N. , Sylow L. , Mirth C. , Neely G. G. , Yang J. , Hietakangas V. , Simpson S. J. , Senior A. M.
Published: March 2022

Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are essential nutrients to all animals; however, closely related species, populations, and individuals can display dramatic variation in diet. Here we explore the variation in macronutrient tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster using the Drosophila genetic reference panel, a collection of ~200 strains derived from a single natural population. Our study demonstrates that D. melanogaster, often considered a “dietary generalist”, displays marked genetic variation in survival on different diets, notably on high-sugar diet. Our genetic analysis and functional validation identify several regulators of macronutrient tolerance, including CG10960/GLUT8, Pkn and Eip75B. We also demonstrate a role for the JNK pathway in sugar tolerance and de novo lipogenesis. Finally, we report a role for tailless, a conserved orphan nuclear hormone receptor, in regulating sugar metabolism via insulin-like peptide secretion and sugar-responsive CCHamide-2 expression. Our study provides support for the use of nutrigenomics in the development of personalized nutrition.