bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformation of consumer needs in the context of personality environmental culture formation and innovative development of national economy
Authors: Pavelko O , Zaluzhnyi A , Trofimcuk N , Prokopchuk V
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the issues of substantiation of a new ecological worldview built on the basic principles of environmental culture. It is shown that the violation of the means of maintaining balance in the system “a man-nature-society” poses a significant threat to the existence of a man as a biosocial being, determining the appropriate response of nature to destructive human activities, requiring the identification of environmental priorities for further socio-cultural development. It was found that solving problems related to the current environmental situation involves limiting human practical and transformational activities aimed at transforming nature into the introduction of “careful”, “gentle” consumption with the need to adjust the criteria of environmental feasibility, it is possible in the formation of environmental culture and deepening the field of environmental education. We have established that the innovative direction of the state’s development should be focused on the targeted satisfaction of the consumer needs.The main indicators of the labor market in 2013-2019 are analyzed as well as personnel costs of business entities. The closeness of the relationship between net income and labor costs of enterprises is established.
The concept of “environmental sustainability” in scientific and information space
Authors: Pavlyk N , Seiko N , Sytniakivska S
Published: November 2021

The main idea of the study is based on the assumption that the level of representation of a term in scientific journals and articles can represent the main stages of this term formation in scientific discourse. The analysis of the representation of the term “environmental sustainability” in open access scientific journals provides an opportunity to explore the basic patterns of development the idea of environmental sustainability in certain areas of knowledge. The aim of the study is to analyze statistical data on the use of the term “environmental sustainability” in scientific journals to outline the scope of scientific content of environmental sustainability in scientific and information space. The analysis was carried out in two directions: the use of the term in certain areas of research; general presentation of the term in the scientific apparatus of articles. It is established that the leading factors of general social content, which led to the emergence of the concept of ecological sustainability in scientific texts, were global environmental problems. The dynamics of using the term over the past few decades is described and three main stages of this concept implementation in the scientific and information space are identified: fragmentary, gradual stability and dynamic.
The environmental and resource productivity as the key element of green economy in EU
Authors: Niameshchuk H , Bozhanova V , Chala V , Hlushchenko A
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the indicators of environmental and resource productivity of European countries to identify leaders and outsiders and study their trends over recent decades. The results of the analysis showed that the indicators are characterized by uneven development, due to the characteristics of countries and their green policies. The key indicators of the Europe 2020 policy have been used for the analysis, namely resource productivity, greenhouse gas emissions per capita, recycling rate of municipal waste, eco-innovation index, final energy consumption in households. Linear trends for the period 1995-2019 with indication of trend equations were constructed for each indicator. The slope of the functions has been analyzed in order to identify the dynamics of trends. According to the results of the analysis, all indicators except greenhouse gas emissions per capita were characterized by positive dynamics, ie increased. It has been determined that the problematic indicator for EU countries is final energy consumption in households, which requires further detailed research.
Consideration of ecologization and standardization in the management of agricultural business operations
Authors: Petrenko N , Vasylenko O , Kovalenko O , Svitovyi O , Sahaidak I , Gechbaia B
Published: November 2021

The article deals with the formation of financial statements of agricultural enterprises, taking into account the indicators of ecologization and standardization in their activities. It is noted that at present time there is a problem of developing innovative directions of managing the strategic development of enterprises based on the use of new forms of financial evaluation of economic activity and compliance with environmental standards. The approaches to a comprehensive assessment of the financial condition of enterprises have been defined, their characteristics and strengths and weaknesses have been outlined. During the financial estimation of the economic activity of the enterprise the set of coefficients must be taken into account, which are formed taking into consideration the indicators of the rating estimation for each parameter of ecologization and standardization. A comprehensive analysis of the financial condition of agricultural enterprises on the basis of Ukrainian and international financial reporting standards has been conducted. It is summarized that the innovative management system based on the use of environmental and unified reporting standards will ensure the improvement of strategic planning mechanisms of socio-economic policy development at the state, regional and local levels.
Spiral dynamics in the management of sustainable development of society
Authors: Ivanova S , Romin A , Gaynutdinova L , Kvitka S , Paliukh V , Arsawan I W E
Published: November 2021

The article discusses issues related to the implementation of the concept of sustainable development through the prism of the spiral dynamics approach. An example of sustainable models for the implementation of activities in the forestry area and considered inconsistencies in conceptual attitudes necessary to implement such an approach and in the vMems of today. The purpose of this study is consideration of the applied aspects management on the value-based change. As part of the study, an information and management scheme for the forestry industry has been developed, which allows you to see information in the process relationships. General recommendations for the management of values have been developed on a specific example of the forestry industry. Modern society requires specialists of a new formation, able to integrate spiral movements, ready to design new businesses and projects, taking into account the requirements of the 2nd level vMems.
Effect of nano TiC on microstructure and microhardness of composite additive manufacturing 316L stainless steel
Authors: Yang Weiguang , Wang Xi , Zhou Hai , Zhou Ti
Published: November 2021

The lower surface hardness limits the further application of 316 L stainless steel. In this study, selective laser melting (SLM)/laser metal deposition (LMD) composite additive manufacturing technology was used to prepare five kinds of 316L-nano-TiC cermet strengthening layers on the surface of 316L stainless steel, and to study the effect of nano-TiC particle content on the microstructure and the influence of microhardness. Use Laser microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) to analyze the structure, element distribution and phase composition of the strengthening layer. The hardness of the strengthened layer was analyzed using a Vickers micro-hardness tester. The study found that the composite SLM/LMD formed samples changed continuously from LMD forming to SLM forming, showing good metallurgical bonding. Diffusion of TiC particles was observed in the SLM strengthening layer, and TiC phase was detected in the strengthening layer. Compared with the 316L matrix, the microhardness of the strengthened layer is significantly improved. When 50 wt% TiC is added, the average hardness of the strengthened layer is 1.9 times that of the 316L matrix, and the highest is 408.9 HV. The results of this study show that the strengthening layer manufactured by composite additive materials can effectively improve the hardness of the 316L stainless steel matrix. As the content of nano-TiC in the preset powder increases, the microhardness of the strengthening layer first increases and then decreases, and the hardness of the 50wt% TiC strengthening layer is the highest. There are distributed nano-TiC particles in the structure of the strengthening layer, and the distribution of nano-TiC particles in the 50wt% TiC strengthening layer is more uniform than other samples. This research provides a new reference for the strengthening of 316L stainless steel through SLM/LMD composite additive manufacturing technology and the addition of nano-TiC particles.
Holographic photonic neuron
Authors: Daria Vincent R
Published: November 2021

The promise of artificial intelligence (AI) to process complex datasets has brought about innovative computing paradigms. While recent developments in quantum-photonic computing have reached significant feats, mimicking our brain’s ability to recognize images are poorly integrated in these ventures. Here, I incorporate orbital angular momentum (OAM) states in a classical Vander Lugt optical correlator to create the holographic photonic neuron (HoloPheuron). The HoloPheuron can memorize an array of matched filters in a single phase-hologram, which is derived by linking OAM states with elements in the array. Successful correlation is independent of intensity and yields photons with OAM states of lℏ, which can be used as a transmission protocol or qudits for quantum computing. The unique OAM identifier establishes the HoloPheuron as a fundamental AI device for pattern recognition that can be scaled and integrated with other computing platforms to build-up a robust neuromorphic quantum-photonic processor.
KCOSS: an ultra-fast k-mer counter for assembled genome analysis
Authors: Tang Deyou , Li Yucheng , Tan Daqiang , Fu Juan , Tang Yelei , Lin Jiabin , Zhao Rong , Du Hongli , Zhao Zhongming
Published: November 2021

Motivation

The k-mer frequency in whole genome sequences provides researchers with an insightful perspective on genomic complexity, comparative genomics, metagenomics and phylogeny. The current k-mer counting tools are typically slow, and they require large memory and hard disk for assembled genome analysis.

Results

We propose a novel and ultra-fast k-mer counting algorithm, KCOSS, to fulfill k-mer counting mainly for assembled genomes with segmented Bloom filter, lock-free queue, lock-free thread pool and cuckoo hash table. We optimize running time and memory consumption by recycling memory blocks, merging multiple consecutive first-occurrence k-mers into C-read, and writing a set of C-reads to disk asynchronously. KCOSS was comparatively tested with Jellyfish2, CHTKC and KMC3 on seven assembled genomes and three sequencing datasets in running time, memory consumption, and hard disk occupation. The experimental results show that KCOSS counts k-mer with less memory and disk while having a shorter running time on assembled genomes. KCOSS can be used to calculate the k-mer frequency not only for assembled genomes but also for sequencing data.

Availabilityand implementation

The KCOSS software is implemented in C++. It is freely available on GitHub: https://github.com/kcoss-2021/KCOSS.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Drought Response of Eastern US Oaks in the Context of Their Declining Abundance
Authors: Novick Kimberly , Jo Insu , D'Orangeville Loïc , Benson Michael , Au Tsun Fung , Barnes Mallory , Denham Sander , Fei Songlin , Heilman Kelly , Hwang Taehee , Keyser Tara , Maxwell Justin , Miniat Chelcy , McLachlan Jason , Pederson Neil , Wang Lixin , Wood Jeffrey D , Phillips Richard P
Published: November 2021

The oak (Quercus) species of eastern North America are declining in abundance, threatening the many socioecological benefits they provide. We discuss the mechanisms responsible for their loss, many of which are rooted in the prevailing view that oaks are drought tolerant. We then synthesize previously published data to comprehensively review the drought response strategies of eastern US oaks, concluding that whether or not eastern oaks are drought tolerant depends firmly on the metric of success. Although the anisohydric strategy of oaks sometimes confers a gas exchange and growth advantage, it exposes oaks to damaging hydraulic failure, such that oaks are just as or more likely to perish during drought than neighboring species. Consequently, drought frequency is not a strong predictor of historic patterns of oak abundance, although long-term climate and fire frequency are strongly correlated with declines in oak dominance. The oaks’ ability to survive drought may become increasingly difficult in a drier future.
Advancing Equity in Faculty Hiring with Diversity Statements
Authors: Bombaci Sara P , Pejchar Liba
Published: November 2021

Hiring diverse candidates and creating an inclusive and equitable climate has emerged as a top priority for the scientific community. Diversity statements are a common but unexamined tool for recruiting a more diverse workforce. We surveyed more than 200 experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from US academic institutions to synthesize strengths and limitations of diversity statements and to develop guidelines for using such statements in faculty hiring. We found overwhelming agreement that diversity statements are a valuable tool for the advantages they offer the institution and applicant, but the experts indicated that diversity statements should be supported by other evidence. We further found that few institutions provide guidance on how to effectively use diversity statements in the hiring process. We address this need by providing an expert-derived evaluation framework for recognizing and rewarding DEI in the recruitment process that can be flexibly adapted to fit the unique requirements of diverse institutions and positions.
Two-Stage TMLE to reduce bias and improve efficiency in cluster randomized trials
Authors: Balzer Laura B , van der Laan Mark , Ayieko James , Kamya Moses , Chamie Gabriel , Schwab Joshua , Havlir Diane V , Petersen Maya L
Published: November 2021

Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) randomly assign an intervention to groups of individuals (e.g., clinics or communities) and measure outcomes on individuals in those groups. While offering many advantages, this experimental design introduces challenges that are only partially addressed by existing analytic approaches. First, outcomes are often missing for some individuals within clusters. Failing to appropriately adjust for differential outcome measurement can result in biased estimates and inference. Second, CRTs often randomize limited numbers of clusters, resulting in chance imbalances on baseline outcome predictors between arms. Failing to adaptively adjust for these imbalances and other predictive covariates can result in efficiency losses. To address these methodological gaps, we propose and evaluate a novel two-stage targeted minimum loss-based estimator to adjust for baseline covariates in a manner that optimizes precision, after controlling for baseline and postbaseline causes of missing outcomes. Finite sample simulations illustrate that our approach can nearly eliminate bias due to differential outcome measurement, while existing CRT estimators yield misleading results and inferences. Application to real data from the SEARCH community randomized trial demonstrates the gains in efficiency afforded through adaptive adjustment for baseline covariates, after controlling for missingness on individual-level outcomes.
Intrinsic network activity reflects the fluctuating experience of tonic pain
Authors: Deak Bettina , Eggert Thomas , Mayr Astrid , Stankewitz Anne , Filippopulos Filipp , Jahn Pauline , Witkovsky Viktor , Straube Andreas , Schulz Enrico
Published: November 2021

Although we know sensation is continuous, research on long-lasting and continuously changing stimuli is scarce and the dynamic nature of ongoing cortical processing is largely neglected. In a longitudinal study, 38 participants across four sessions were asked to continuously rate the intensity of an applied tonic heat pain for 20 min. Using group-independent component analysis and dual regression, we extracted the subjects’ time courses of intrinsic network activity. The relationship between the dynamic fluctuation of network activity with the varying time courses of three pain processing entities was computed: pain intensity, the direction of pain intensity changes, and temperature. We were able to dissociate the spatio-temporal patterns of objective (temperature) and subjective (pain intensity/changes of pain intensity) aspects of pain processing in the human brain. We found two somatosensory networks with distinct functions: one network that encodes the small fluctuations in temperature and consists mainly of bilateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI), and a second right-lateralized network that encodes the intensity of the subjective experience of pain consisting of SI, secondary somatosensory cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, and the thalamus. We revealed the somatosensory dynamics that build up toward a current subjective percept of pain. The timing suggests a cascade of subsequent processing steps toward the current pain percept.
The challenges of English medium instruction for subject lecturers: a shared viewpoint
Authors: Deignan Tim , Morton Tom
Published: November 2021

English medium instruction (EMI) is seen as a site for improving students’ English language, yet the role of the EMI lecturer in achieving this is contested. Views on what constitutes appropriate training and professional development for EMI lecturers also differ regarding English language skills and EMI-specific methodology. Using Q methodology, this paper explores these issues from a particular perspective, a synthetic viewpoint based on six EMI lecturers with very similar views. Its voice is pro-EMI yet has significant concerns regarding the workload involved, is insecure about its own linguistic performance, fears a loss of subject content depth, and questions the effectiveness of EMI for students learning a subject. The paper highlights the importance of such feelings in relation to perceived language and pedagogy challenges and considers the broader implications for EMI teacher training interventions regarding the practices of disciplinary knowledge-building and the linguistic and communicative resources used to enact them.
The distribution of the rent–price relationship of agricultural land in Germany
Authors: Schaak Henning , Musshoff Oliver
Published: November 2021

This paper studies the profitability of investments in agricultural land, using the rent–price ratio (RPR) as a profitability measure. In order to allow for district-level heterogeneity, the full conditional distribution of the RPR is modelled using a generalised additive model for location, shape and scale. The analysis is based on data from Lower Saxony, Germany. The profitability of investments in land varies between and within districts. The variation can be explained by differences in the farming structure, the production programme and economic indicators. Further, differences in the distribution of the RPR between arable land and grassland are found.
Non-universality of the mass function: dependence on the growth rate and power spectrum shape
Authors: Ondaro-Mallea Lurdes , Angulo Raul E , Zennaro Matteo , Contreras Sergio , Aricò Giovanni
Published: November 2021

The abundance of dark matter haloes is one of the key probes of the growth of structure and expansion history of the Universe. Theoretical predictions for this quantity usually assume that, when expressed in a certain form, it depends only on the mass variance of the linear density field. However, cosmological simulations have revealed that this assumption breaks, leading to 10–20 per cent systematic effects. In this paper, we employ a specially designed suite of simulations to further investigate this problem. Specifically, we carry out cosmological N-body simulations where we systematically vary growth history at a fixed linear density field, or vary the power spectrum shape at a fixed growth history. We show that the halo mass function generically depends on these quantities, thus showing a clear signal of non-universality. Most of this effect can be traced back to the way in which the same linear fluctuation grows differently into the non-linear regime depending on details of its assembly history. With these results, we propose a parameterization with explicit dependence on the linear growth rate and power spectrum shape. Using an independent suite of simulations, we show that this fitting function accurately captures the mass function of haloes over cosmologies spanning a vast parameter space, including massive neutrinos and dynamical dark energy. Finally, we employ this tool to improve the accuracy of so-called cosmology-rescaling methods and show they can deliver 2 per cent accurate predictions for the halo mass function over the whole range of currently viable cosmologies.
Deep learning Bayesian inference for low-luminosity active galactic nuclei spectra
Authors: Almeida Ivan , Duarte Roberta , Nemmen Rodrigo
Published: November 2021

Most active supermassive black holes in present-day galaxies are underfed and consist of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGN). LLAGNs display complex multiwavelength broadband spectral energy distributions (SED), dominated by non-thermal processes which are explained to first order by a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF) and a relativistic jet. Due to the computational cost of generating such SEDs, it has not been hitherto possible to perform statistical fits to observed broadband SEDs, since such procedures require generating many thousands of models on-the-fly. Here, we have used a deep learning (DL) method to interpolate a large grid consisting of dozens of thousands of model SEDs for RIAFs and jets covering the parameter space appropriate for LLAGNs. Not only the DL method computes accurate models, it does so hundreds of thousands of times faster than solving the underlying dynamical and radiative transfer equations. This brings RIAF and jet models to the realm of Bayesian inference. We demonstrate that the combination of a DL interpolator and a Markov chain Monte Carlo ensemble sampler can recover the ground truth parameters of Mock LLAGN data. We apply our model to existing radio-to-X-rays observations of three LLAGNs: M87, NGC 315, and NGC 4261. We demonstrate that our model can estimate the relevant parameters of these accreting black holes such as the mass accretion and outflow rate at a small fraction of the computational cost of previous approaches.
ExoMol molecular line lists – XLIII. Rovibronic transitions corresponding to the close-lying X 2Π and A 2Σ+ states of NaO
Authors: Mitev G B , Taylor S , Tennyson Jonathan , Yurchenko S N , Buchachenko A A , Stolyarov A V
Published: November 2021

The sodium monoxide radical (NaO) is observed in night-glow in the Earth’s mesosphere and likely has astronomical importance. This study concerns the optical transitions within the ground X 2Π state and to the very low-lying (Te ≈ 2000 cm−1) excited A 2Σ+ state. A line list consisting of rovibronic term values, allowed electric dipole transitions, Einstein coefficients, and partition functions for varying temperature are produced using a variational solution of the coupled-channel Schrödinger equations using the program duo. multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) ab initio calculations characterizing the potential energy curves of the two states, spin-orbit and L-uncoupling non-adiabatic matrix elements, as well as permanent and transition dipole moments were integral in the formation of the final deperturbation model. Ab initio potential energy curves are represented in the analytical Extended Morse Oscillator form and refined, along with the spin-orbit and L-uncoupling functions, by least-squares fitting to the available spectroscopic data. The input experimental data consisted of pure rotational transitions within the fine-structure components of the X 2Π state for v″ ∈ [0, 3] vibrational levels as well as the rovibronic A 2Σ+(v′ = 0) ← X 2Π(v″ = 0) transitions, both with limited coverage over rotational excitation. The lack of data detailing the vibrational structure of the X and A states points to the need for further experimental study of higher excited levels, which would provide a more robust spectroscopic model. The NaO NaOUCMe line list is available via www.exomol.com and the CDS data base.
The thousand-pulsar-array programme on MeerKAT VII: polarisation properties of pulsars in the Magellanic Clouds
Authors: Johnston S , Parthasarathy A , Main R A , Ridley J P , Koribalski B S , Bailes M , Buchner S J , Geyer M , Karastergiou A , Keith M J , Kramer M , Serylak M , Shannon R M , Spiewak R , Krishnan V Venkatraman
Published: November 2021

The Magellanic Clouds are the only external galaxies known to host radio pulsars. The dispersion and rotation measures of pulsars in the Clouds can aid in understanding their structure, and studies of the pulsars themselves can point to potential differences between them and their Galactic counterparts. We use the high sensitivity of the MeerKAT telescope to observe 17 pulsars in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds in addition to five foreground (Galactic) pulsars. We provide polarisation profiles for 18 of these pulsars, improved measurements of their dispersion and rotation measures, and derive the mean parallel magnetic field along the lines of sight. The results are broadly in agreement with expectations for the structure and strength of the magnetic field in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The Magellanic Cloud pulsars have profiles which are narrower than expected from the period-width relationship and we show this is due to selection effects in pulsar surveys rather than any intrinsic difference between the population of Galactic and Magellanic objects.
The most metal-rich stars in the universe: chemical contributions of low- and intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch stars with metallicities within 0.04 ≤ Z ≤ 0.10
Authors: Cinquegrana Giulia C , Karakas Amanda I
Published: November 2021

Low- and intermediate-mass stars with supersolar metallicities comprise a known portion of the universe. Yet yields for asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with metallicities greater than Z = 0.04 do not exist in the literature. This contributes a significant uncertainty to galactic chemical evolution simulations. We present stellar yields of AGB stars for $M=1\!-\!8\, {\rm M}_\odot$ and Z = 0.04–0.10. We also weight these yields to represent the chemical contribution of a metal-rich stellar population. We find that as metallicity increases, the efficiency of the mixing episodes (known as the third dredge-up) on the thermally pulsing AGB (TP-AGB) decrease significantly. Consequently, much of the nucleosynthesis that occurs on the TP-AGB is not represented on the surface of very metal-rich stars. It instead remains locked inside the white dwarf remnant. The temperatures at the base of the convective envelope also decrease with increasing metallicity. For the intermediate-mass models, this results in the occurrence of only partial hydrogen burning at this location, if any burning at all. We also investigate heavy element production via the slow neutron capture process (s-process) for three 6-$\, {\rm M}_\odot$ models: Z = 0.04, 0.05, and 0.06. There is minor production at the first s-process peak at strontium, which decreases sharply with increasing metallicity. We find the chemical contributions of our models are dominated by proton capture nucleosynthesis, mixed to the surface during the first and second dredge-up events. This conclusion is mirrored in our stellar population yields, weighted towards the lower mass regime to reflect the mass distribution within a respective galaxy.
Stellar populations in local AGNs: evidence for enhanced star formation in the inner 100 pc
Authors: Dahmer-Hahn L G , Riffel R , Rodríguez-Ardila A , Riffel R A , Storchi-Bergmann T , Marinello M , Davies R I , Burtscher L , Ruschel-Dutra D , Rosario D J
Published: November 2021

In modern models and simulations of galactic evolution, the star formation in massive galaxies is regulated by an ad hoc active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback process. However, the physics and the extension of such effects on the star formation history of galaxies is matter of vivid debate. In order to shed some light in the AGN effects over the star formation, we analysed the inner 500 × 500 pc of a sample of 14 Seyfert galaxies using GMOS and MUSE integral field spectroscopy. We fitted the continuum spectra in order to derive stellar age, metallicity, velocity, and velocity dispersion maps in each source. After stacking our sample and averaging their properties, we found that the contribution of young SP, as well as that of AGN featureless continuum both peak at the nucleus. The fraction of intermediate-age SPs is smaller in the nucleus if compared to outer regions, and the contribution of old SPs vary very little within our field of view (FoV). We also found no variation of velocity dispersion or metallicity within our FoV. Lastly, we detected an increase in the dust reddening towards the center of the galaxies. These results lead us to conclude that AGN phenomenon is usually related to a recent star formation episode in the circumnuclear region.
Triply eclipsing triple stars in the northern TESS fields: TICs 193993801, 388459317, and 52041148
Authors: Borkovits T , Mitnyan T , Rappaport S A , Pribulla T , Powell B P , Kostov V B , Bíró I B , Csányi I , Garai Z , Gary B L , Kaye T G , Komžík R , Terentev I , Omohundro M , Gagliano R , Jacobs T , Kristiansen M H , LaCourse D , Schwengeler H M , Czavalinga D , Seli B , Huang C X , Pál A , Vanderburg A , Rodriguez J E , Stevens D J
Published: November 2021

In this work we report the discovery and analysis of three new triply eclipsing triple star systems found with the TESS mission during its observations of the northern skies: TICs 193993801, 388459317, and 52041148. We utilized the TESS precision photometry of the binary eclipses and third-body eclipsing events, ground-based archival and follow-up photometric data, eclipse timing variations, archival spectral energy distributions, as well as theoretical evolution tracks in a joint photodynamical analysis to deduce the system masses and orbital parameters of both the inner and outer orbits. In one case (TIC 193993801) we also obtained radial velocity measurements of all three stars. This enabled us to ‘calibrate’ our analysis approach with and without ‘truth’ (i.e. RV) data. We find that the masses are good to 1–3 per cent accuracy with RV data and 3–10 per cent without the use of RV data. In all three systems we were able to find the outer orbital period before doing any detailed analysis by searching for a longer-term periodicity in the ASAS-SN archival photometry data – just a few thousand ASAS-SN points enabled us to find the outer periods of 49.28 d, 89.86 d, and 177.0 d, respectively. From our full photodynamical analysis we find that all three systems are coplanar to within 1°−3°. The outer eccentricities of the three systems are 0.003, 0.10, and 0.62, respectively (i.e. spanning a factor of 200). The masses of the three stars {Aa, Ab, and B} in the three systems are: {1.31, 1.19, 1.34}, {1.82, 1.73, 2.19}, and {1.62, 1.48, 2.74} M⊙, respectively.
What Constitutes “Appropriate Care” for Low Back Pain?
Authors: Wiles Louise K. , Hibbert Peter D. , Stephens Jacqueline H. , Molloy Charlotte , Maher Chris G. , Buchbinder Rachelle , Moseley G. Lorimer , O'Sullivan Peter B. , Lin Ivan , Briggs Andrew M. , Slater Helen , Harris Ian A. , Jan Stephen , Dwyer Andrew , Fallon Kieran , Hogg Malcolm , Fried Kal , Needs Chris , Casey Petrina , Dabestani Roya , Kay Debra , Braithwaite Jeffrey , Runciman William B.
Published: November 2021

Study Design.

Multiround wiki-based Delphi expert panel survey.

Objective.

To provide proof of concept for an alternative method for creating sets of nationally-agreed point-of-care clinical indicators, and obtain consensus among end-user groups on “appropriate care” for the assessment, diagnosis, acute, and ongoing care of people with low back pain (LBP).

Summary of Background Data.

The provision of inappropri ate and low value care for LBP is a significant healthcare and societal burden. Vague clinical practice guideline (CPG) recom mendations can be difficult to apply and measure in real world clinical practice, and a likely barrier to “appropriate care.”

Methods.

Draft “appropriate care” clinical indicators for LBP were derived from CPG recommendations published between 2011 and 2017. Included CPGs were independently appraised by two reviewers using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation instrument. Headed by a Clinical Champion, a 20-member Expert Panel reviewed and commented on the draft indicators over a three-round modified e-Delphi process using a collaborative online wiki. At the conclusion of each review round, the research team and the Clinical Champion synthesized and responded to experts’ comments and incorporated feedback into the next iteration of the draft indicators.

Results.

From seven CPGs and six qualitative meta-syntheses, 299 recommendations and themes were used to draft 42 “appropriateness” indicators. In total, 17 experts reviewed these indicators over 18 months. A final set of 27 indicators compris ing screening and diagnostic processes (n = 8), assessment (n = 3), acute (n = 5), and ongoing care (n = 9), and two which crossed the acute-ongoing care continuum. Most indicators were geared toward recommended care (n = 21, 78%), with the remainder focused on care to be avoided.

Conclusion.

These 27 LBP clinical indicators can be used by healthcare consumers, clinicians, researchers, policy makers/ funders, and insurers to guide and monitor the provision of “appropriate care” for LBP.

Level of Evidence: 4
Malignant Proliferating Trichilemmal Tumor of the Scalp: A Systematic Review
Authors: Osto Muhammad , Parry Nathan , Rehman Rafey , Ahmed Uddin , Mehregan Darius
Published: November 2021

Objectives:

Malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumors of the scalp can exhibit aggressive presentation and recurrences. Our objective was to perform an evidence-based systematic review evaluating clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities used to determine which treatment strategies had the best outcomes.

Methods:

The databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant literature by the authors. Patient demographics, imaging, treatments, and other clinical characteristics were obtained. The results were reported using the Preferred Reporting Systems for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

Results:

Thirty-nine studies with a total of 65 patients were identified. The most common presentation was a history of slow-growing, painless swollen mass on the scalp. In total, 10 patients (15.4%) presented with spread to the regional lymph nodes and 6 (9.2%) additional patients presented with metastasis to distant locations. In total, 61 patients (93.8%) underwent surgery. Various chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens were used. Of the 45 cases with documented follow-up, 11 (24.4%) patients had one or multiple instances of local, lymph node or metastatic tumor recurrence.

Conclusions:

Surgery is favored, and the exact approach should be based on clinical judgment. However, Mohs micrographic surgery should strongly be considered because of its superior margin control against such an invasive tumor. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been used as adjuvant therapy in aggressive cases or recurrence. Patients should be followed closely and examined often to frequently assess recurrence or metastasis. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further clarify these findings.
The impact of plant-based diets on female bone mineral density
Authors: Ma Xingfa , Tan Haoyin , Hu Mingjun , He Shengcai , Zou Lijuan , Pan Huashan
Published: November 2021

Background:

An increase in awareness of plant-based diets has brought forth numerous studies on bone mineral density (BMD). The present systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to compare the effect between plant-based diets and omnivores on female BMD.

Methods:

We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science and up to July 1, 2020. Mean difference (MD) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated to compare the outcomes of the groups. We compared BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and whole body respectively between plant-based diets and omnivores. In addition, we performed subgroup analyses according to different clinical characteristics for further exploration. Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. All statistical analyses were performed using standard statistical procedures provided in Review Manager 5.2.

Results:

A total of 17 cross-sectional studies including 13,888 patients were identified for the present meta-analysis. Our pooled result indicated that population with plant-based diets had lower BMD than omnivores at the lumbar spine (MD −0.03; 95% CI −0.04 to −0.02; P < .0001), femoral neck (MD −0.04; 95% CI −0.05 to −0.03; P < .00001) and whole body (MD −0.04; 95% CI −0.06 to −0.01; P = .01), respectively. Further exploration indicated that especially females with plant-based diets experienced significantly lower BMD at lumbar spine (MD −0.03; 95% CI −0.04 to −0.02; 3173 pts), femoral neck (MD −0.04; 95% CI −0.05 to −0.03; 10,656 pts) and whole body (MD −0.05; 95% CI −0.10 to −0.00; P = .04). In addition, we performed subgroup analyses and found lower BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck in both vegetarians and vegans.

Conclusions:

The present meta-analysis indicated that plant-based diets may be correlated with lower BMD of women when compared with omnivore population. However, this does not diminish the fact that a plant-based diet can be a harmful option to the overall bone health of population and more prospective researches are needed to clear the impact of plant-based diets on bone health.
Analysis of the effects of Zhenju antihypertensive tablet on efficacy, safety and vascular endothelial function in patients with essential hypertension
Authors: Zhao Jisen , Guo Dong , Fan Maoxia , Liu Yongcheng
Published: November 2021

Background

: As a compound preparation of traditional Chinese and western medicine included in Volume 20 of Chinese traditional Medicine prescription, Zhenju antihypertensive tablet has been widely used in the treatment of patients with essential hypertension (EH) for many years. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy, safety and vascular endothelial function of Zhenju antihypertensive tablet in the treatment of essential hypertension.

Methods

: The search strategies of different websites were searched on Cochrane Central controlled Trials Registry, PubMed, excerpt database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, WanFang, and other websites. All qualified studies were confirmed to include randomized controlled trials. The search time range was from January 1, 1900 to August 31, 2021. At the same time, the list of references and related reviews were checked. Two evaluators were responsible for the extraction and management of the data independently. The literature quality was evaluated according to Cochrane manual 4.2.2. Heterogeneity test and Meta analysis were carried out by Review ManagerV.5.3 software. The bias risk included in the study was evaluated by Cochrane “bias risk” tool. In addition, the relevant statistical data were evaluated by GRADE3.6 evidence quality grading system.

Results

: This study intends evaluate the efficacy and safety of Zhenju antihypertensive tablet in the treatment of EH from 4 aspects, including changes in blood pressure (systolic blood pressure, diastolic Blood pressure), effective hypotension, changes in endothelial function (NO, the level of plasma endothelin-1 in serum), and adverse reactions.

Conclusion

: The conclusion of this study intends to provide evidence for judging the effectiveness and safety of ZJAHC intervention on EH patients and their endothelial function.

PROSPERO registration number: PROSPERO CRD42021235309.
The efficacy of Tai Chi for intervention treatment of myocardial infarction
Authors: Wu Shanshan , Lu Zuosheng , Li Zhaowei , Li Yuezhong
Published: November 2021

Background:

This protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis aims at assessing the clinical evidence regarding the efficacy of Tai Chi interventions in patients with myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods:

Literature retrieval will use the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and Ongoing Clinical Trials Database. Our search strategy was based on a string of text words, Medical Subject Headings, and subject headings indicative of Tai Chi. The search strings included: tai chi chuan, taiji, and taiji quan interventions in myocardial infarction; MI infarcts; myocardial infarcts; myocardial; coronary artery disease; coronary arteriosclerosis; acute coronary syndromes; and coronary syndromes. Quality assessment of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 software.

Results:

The findings of this study will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.

Conclusion:

This study will provide reliable evidence regarding the efficacy of Tai Chi in patients with MI and provide up-to-date evidence for its application.
Effect of Tai Chi exercise on lower limb function and balance ability in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Zheng Haoyun , Zhang Dong , Zhu Yonggang , Wang Qingfu
Published: November 2021

Background:

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease commonly occurring in middle-aged and elderly people. The main clinical manifestations are joint pain, limited activity, and decreased muscle strength resulting in decreased motor control ability. Exercise therapy is an effective method to enhance muscle strength of lower limbs, while China's traditional skill Tai Chi (TC) is a combination of activity and inertia, internal and external exercise therapy. In recent years, scholars at home and abroad have found that regular TC can effectively improve patients’ lower limb function and balance ability. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of TC on lower limb function and balance ability in patients with KOA.

Methods:

This is a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. One hundred forty-six cases of KOA patients will be randomly divided into experimental group and control group according to 1:1 ratio, 73 cases in each group, the control group: sodium hyaluronate; experimental group: TC added on the basis of the control group. Both groups will receive standard treatment for 5 weeks and will be followed up for 3 months. Observation indicators include: the western Ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis index; hospital for special surgery knee score; balance stability index, liver and kidney function, adverse reaction rate, etc. SPSS 23.0 software will be used for data analysis.

Discussion:

This study will evaluate the effects of TC on lower limb function and balance ability of patients with KOA. The results of this trial will provide a clinical basis for the selection of exercise therapy for patients with KOA.
Effect of Danhong injection on neurological recovery and adverse events in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Gao Junfeng , Shao Xiangzhong , Guan YiXiang , Mei Juxiang
Published: November 2021

Background:

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is characterized by high disabling and recurrent recurrence, and its severe neurological impairment and vascular adverse events (AEs) limit the recovery of patients. Danhong injection is a complementary alternative to the treatment of AIS, and previous studies have demonstrated its efficacy and safety. However, there is no long-term follow-up and rigorous clinical study to evaluate the effect of Danhong injection on neurological recovery and AEs in patients with AIS.

Methods:

This is a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effect of Danhong injection on neurological recovery and AEs in patients with AIS. Participants were randomly divided into treatment and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group was treated with Danhong injection and the control group were treated with placebo under the guideline recommended basic treatment. After 14 days of continuous treatment, the follow-up period was 6 months. Observation indicators include: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin scale, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, the incidence of new major vascular events within 6 months, and all-cause mortality. Finally, the data were analyzed statistically using the SPASS 22.0 software.

Discussion:

This study will evaluate the effect of Danhong injection on neurological recovery and AEs in AIS. The results will provide a reference for the clinical use of AIS.
Acupuncture for amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Zhang Jiayu , Kuang Xu , Tang Chunzhi , Xu Nenggui , Xiao Songhua , Xiao Lingjun , Wang Shengwen , Dong Yu , Lu Liming , Zhang Liang
Published: November 2021

Introduction:

Patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are more likely to develop Alzheimer disease than corresponding age normal population. Because Alzheimer disease is irreversible, early intervention for aMCI patients seems important and urgent. We have designed a pilot multicenter, randomized, parallel controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on aMCI, explore the feasibility of acupuncture in the treatment of aMCI, so as to provide a reference for large-sample clinical trials in the next stage.

Method:

We designed a pilot multicenter, randomized, parallel controlled trial. This trial aims to test the feasibility of carrying out a large-sample clinical trial. In this trial, 50 eligible patients with aMCI will be included and allocated to acupuncture group (n = 25) or sham acupuncture group (n = 25) at random. Subjects will accept treatment 2 times a week for 12 weeks continuously, with a total of 24 treatment sessions. We will select 6 acupoints (GV20, GV14, bilateral BL18, bilateral BL23). For the clinical outcomes, the primary outcome is Montreal cognitive assessment, which will be assessed from baseline to the end of this trial. And the secondary outcomes are Mini-mental State Examination, Delayed Story Recall, Clinical Dementia Rating scale, Global Deterioration Scale, Activity of Daily Life, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section, brain magnetic resonance imaging, brain functional magnetic resonance imaging, and event-related potential P300, which will be assessed before and after treatment. In addition, we will assess the safety outcomes from baseline to the end of this trial and feasibility outcome after treatment. We will evaluate neuropsychological assessment scale (Montreal cognitive assessment, Mini-mental State Examination, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section) at 3 months and 6 months after treatment.

Discussion:

This pilot trial aims to explore the feasibility of the trial, verify essential information of its efficacy and safety. This pilot study will provide a preliminary basis for carrying out a larger clinical trial of acupuncture on aMCI in near future.