bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polyphosphate hydrolysis, sorption, and conversion in two different soils
Authors: Zhou Rongwei , Zhou Jian , Jia Lulu , Wei Jinju , Yan Jiaxin , Ji Jianhua , Wei Zongqiang
Published: January 2023

Polyphosphate fertilizer is an alternative to traditional orthophosphate fertilizer, but it is unclear whether it provides greater soil phosphorus (P) mobility and availability than orthophosphate fertilizer. This study aimed to examine the chemical behaviour of polyphosphate after its application to the soil. The hydrolysis, sorption, and P transformation of two types of polyphosphate fertilizers (short‐chain and long‐chain) were examined for two types of soils (acidic Acrisol and calcareous Cambisol), with orthophosphate serving as the control treatment. 31P NMR spectroscopic analyses indicated that polyphosphate in soil was rapidly converted to pyrophosphate, which was then hydrolyzed to orthophosphate at a slower rate. In general, in the calcareous Cambisol, the addition of short‐chain polyphosphate fertilizer resulted in greater soil P mobility as measured by greater soil pore water orthophosphate concentration than the control. Thus, short‐chain polyphosphate fertilizer tended to be more effective than orthophosphate in calcareous soils. This was in contrast to the result of an aqueous incubation experiment, in which a lower pH increased the rate of polyphosphate hydrolysis. Indeed, in both soils, the sorption of total P was greater when P was added as polyphosphate than when it was added as orthophosphate. Moreover, polyphosphate sorption appeared to be mainly controlled by soil iron and aluminium minerals, because the Acrisol showed stronger polyphosphate sorption than the Cambisol due to its greater amorphous iron content. It appears that polyphosphate was first adsorbed on soil minerals before being hydrolyzed to release orthophosphate, and calcium may have played an important role in the hydrolysis of polyphosphate as evidenced by the greater P release in calcareous Cambisol. Our results suggest that soil characteristics, such as acidity, iron, aluminium, and calcium content, should be considered when evaluating the P efficiency of polyphosphate fertilizers.

Highlights

31P NMR spectroscopy successfully tracked the fate of added Poly‐P in soil

Poly‐P was rapidly converted to Pyro‐P, and then hydrolyzed to Ortho‐P slowly

P supplied as Poly‐P had stronger sorption affinity than Ortho‐P in all soils

Short‐chain Poly‐P induced greater P mobility than Ortho‐P in Cambisol but not in Acrisol
Lyme neuroborreliosis: An unusual case with extensive (peri)vasculitis of the middle cerebral artery
Authors: Palleis Carla , Forbrig Robert , Lehner Louisa , Quach Stefanie , Albert Nathalie L. , Brendel Matthias , Schöberl Florian , Straube Andreas
Published: January 2023

Lyme disease is a tick‐borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu latu. Neuroborreliosis is reported in approximately 10% of patients with Lyme disease. We report a patient with central nervous system (CNS) large vessel vasculitis, ischemic stroke, and tumefactive contrast‐enhancing brain lesions, an unusual complication of neuroborreliosis. A 56‐year‐old man presented with headache and disorientation for 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed basal meningitis with rapidly progressing frontotemporoinsular edema and (peri)vasculitis. Transcranial ultrasound confirmed stenosed medial cerebral arteries. [18F]GE‐180 microglia positron emission tomography (PET) showed frontotemporoinsular signal more pronounced on the right. [18F]FET amino acid PET demonstrated low tracer uptake, suggesting an inflammatory process. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed lymphomonocytosis (243/μl), intrathecal anti‐Borrelia IgM (CSF/serum index = 15.65, normal < 1.5) and anti‐Borrelia IgG (CSF/serum index = 6.5, normal < 1.5), and elevated CXCL13 (29.2 pg/ml, normal < 10 pg/ml). Main differential diagnoses of neurotuberculosis and perivascular CNS lymphoma were ruled out by biopsy and Quantiferon enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Ceftriaxone (28 days), cortisone, and nimodipine (3 months) led to full recovery. Neuroborreliosis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with CNS large vessel vasculitis and tumefactive contrast‐enhancing brain lesions, mimicking perivascular CNS lymphoma or neurotuberculosis as main neuroradiological differential diagnoses. Vasculopathy and cerebrovascular events are rare in neuroborreliosis but should be considered, especially in endemic areas.
Aquaculture ethics: A systematic quantitative review and critical analysis of aquaculture ethics scholarship
Authors: Cooper Katja , Breakey Hugh , Lewis Melea , Marshallsay Rebecca , Naraniecki Alex , Sampford Charles
Published: January 2023

This paper investigates the ethical values, moral principles, methods and reform proposals in aquaculture ethics scholarship to develop a comprehensive and balanced list of aquaculture ethical principles. A Systematic Quantitative Literature Review methodology is employed to parse 150 journal articles on aquaculture ethics. Methodologies, specific ethical values, broad principles, recommended reforms and trends over time are quantified and assessed. Through analysis of invoked values and recommended reforms, six core marine economy ethics principles are identified: Environmental Protection, Fairness, Stakeholder Participation, Harm Prevention, Beneficence and Trustworthiness. A comprehensive multidimensional legitimacy model is employed to uncover ethical gaps and identify promising areas for future aquaculture ethics research.
The influence of temperature on Pacific hake co‐occurrence with euphausiids in the California Current Ecosystem
Authors: Phillips Elizabeth M. , Malick Michael J. , Gauthier Stéphane , Haltuch Melissa A. , Hunsicker Mary E. , Parker‐Stetter Sandra L. , Thomas Rebecca E.
Published: January 2023

Understanding the influence of ocean conditions on predator–prey relationships can provide insight for ecosystem‐based fisheries management. Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) are abundant and commercially important groundfish in the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) that consume euphausiids (krill) as a major prey item. We used data from the biennial joint U.S.‐Canada Integrated Ecosystem & Acoustic Trawl Survey for Pacific hake (2007–2019, n = 8 surveys) to quantify co‐occurrence of age 2+ hake with krill in relation to bottom depth, continental shelf break location, surface chlorophyll‐a, and 100‐m temperature. Vertical distributions of hake varied among years and were not correlated to krill depth. Hake hotspots occurred primarily off the Oregon coast and near Cape Mendocino, while most krill hotspots occurred in the northern CCE. The probability of co‐occurrence was greatest during cool ocean conditions (100‐m temperature 1°C below average), averaging 41.0% and extending throughout most of the CCE. During warm ocean conditions (100‐m temperature 1°C above average), predicted co‐occurrence averaged 17.0% and was concentrated near Cape Mendocino. These results indicate that hake‐krill co‐occurrence is a function of predator and prey spatial distributions and overall krill abundance. Furthermore, temperature influences hake‐krill co‐occurrence and may explain some of the variation in hake growth and recruitment to the fishery.
Functional characteristics rather than co‐occurrences determine the outcome of interactions between neighbouring plants in sub‐Antarctic ponds: Consequences for macrophyte community biomass
Authors: Douce Pauline , Saiz Hugo , Benot Marie‐Lise , Mermillod‐Blondin Florian , Simon Laurent , Renault David , Vallier Felix , Oury Yoann , Fontaine Matthieu , Bittebiere Anne‐Kristel
Published: January 2023

Understanding of the mechanisms underlying species coexistence within plant communities is crucial to predict their fate given the current context of biodiversity loss. Freshwater ecosystems are among the most abiotically constrained habitats because they harbour clonal macrophyte communities. Strong habitat filtering in these ecosystems influences the functional composition and diversity of macrophyte communities, determining the outcome of interactions between neighbours and ultimately affecting local spatial arrangement between neighbours (LSA). This influence may be modulated by environmental conditions in abiotically constrained habitats, such as freshwater ecosystems.

We focused on macrophyte communities living in ponds in the Iles Kerguelen, in the sub‐Antarctic. These freshwater ecosystems are especially abiotically constrained (cold climate), and their plant communities are remarkably species‐poor, simplifying the study of interactions between neighbours. We measured several abiotic variables in the ponds, species LSA and interspecific interactions (using the log response ratio metric), and the functional composition of the community using aerial, root and clonal traits. We also determined the biomass of the whole macrophyte community.

Our results showed that LSA does not effectively assess interactions between neighbours at very small scales, neither at the community (one species vs. all neighbouring species) nor the species level (between pairs of species). Secondly, aerial (leaf and stem) and root traits related to resource acquisition played a more important role in interactions between neighbours than clonal traits (i.e. internode length and specific internode mass related to space acquisition and resource storage, respectively).

Depending on the target species, (1) interactions responded positively or negatively to mean trait and functional diversity of the community; and (2) different traits of neighbours (aerial or root traits) triggered an interaction response. Lastly, abiotic variables, in particular water temperature and light intensity, influenced macrophyte community biomass and plant community structure (i.e. species richness, functional diversity and LSA), either directly or through the modulation of other abiotic variables.

Our results lead to the following conclusions: (1) interactions between neighbours do not reflect their local spatial arrangements but are strongly associated with abiotic variables and neighbourhood functional traits (depending on species); (2) joint integration of biotic and abiotic variables in multivariate analyses enables better inference of biodiversity responses to environment, and the subsequent consequences for ecosystem function, especially in the context of climate change.
Method for assessing the potential of miscanthus on marginal lands for high temperature heat demand: The case studies of France and Belgium
Authors: Colla Martin , Tonelli Davide , Hastings Astley , Coppitters Diederik , Blondeau Julien , Jeanmart Hervé
Published: January 2023

Energy crops on marginal lands are seen as an interesting option to increase biomass contribution to the primary energy mix. However, in the literature there is currently a lack of integrated assessments of margin land availability, energy crop production potential and supply chain optimisation. Assessing the potential and the cost of these resources in a given region is therefore a difficult task. This work also emphasises the importance on a clear definition and discussion about marginal lands and the related ethical issues embedded in the concept to ensure positive societal impacts of the results. This study proposes a methodology to estimate and analyse, in terms of economic costs, the potential of miscanthus grown on marginal lands from the production to the final point of use. Different datasets are assembled and a supply chain optimisation model is developed to minimize the total cost of the system. Miscanthus is used as a representative energy crop for the Belgian and French case studies. High temperature heat demand is considered as final use. The miscanthus can be traded by truck either in the form of chips or pellets. The results show that the miscanthus on marginal lands could supply high temperature heat up to 38 TWh in France and 1.4 TWh in Belgium with an average cost of around 50 €/t. The different sensitivity analyses showed that the yield variation has the strongest influence on the final cost, together with the distances and the cost of production of miscanthus. The main pattern observed is the local consumption of miscanthus chips and export of the surplus (if any) to the neighbouring regions. Pellets are only of marginal interest for France and are never observed for Belgium. Distances and availability of sufficient feedstocks are the two main parameters impacting the production of pellets.
Evaluation of genetic diversity and production adaptability in different germplasms of Paspalum dilatatum
Authors: Xie Wen‐Hui , Yu Qing‐Qing , Zhang Yu‐Jun , Zhao Li‐Li , Wang Pu‐Chang
Published: January 2023

Paspalum dilatatum is an excellent warm‐season forage grass and soil conservation plant in subtropical regions. However, information on P. dilatatum cultivation in southwestern China is limited. A preliminary evaluation of the genetic diversity and adaptability of six P. dilatatum germplasms was conducted in Guizhou based on inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers and field trials. Fifteen polymorphic primers were screened from 50 ISSR primers. A total of 141 bands were generated, 124 of which were polymorphic, yielding 88.63% polymorphic bands. The number of polymorphic loci detected for the different germplasms ranged from 23 to 61, and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 40.67%. The mean number of alleles was 1.23, and the effective allele number was 1.15. Nei's genetic diversity index was 0.08. The Shannon information index was 0.12, and the genetic similarity coefficient (GSC) ranged from 0.6002 to 0.8955, indicating a relatively rich genetic base among the germplasms. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean approach was used to construct the clustering map. Using a GSC of 0.83 as the threshold value, the six germplasm materials were divided into four clusters, indicating that ISSR molecular markers can be effectively applied to analyze the genetic diversity of P. dilatatum germplasms. Cluster analysis of 12 growth characteristics of the germplasms of P. dilatatum showed that germplasm 4 exhibited strong tillering ability and a high crude protein content. Germplasm 3 showed high plant height, fresh yield and hay yield. Germplasm 1 showed the lowest forage yield and crude protein content. Germplasms 2, 5 and 6 showed excellent crude protein and crude fat contents; the remaining indicators showed intermediate performance. This study provides important references for the utilization and variety selection of introduced P. dilatatum resources in the karst areas of Guizhou.
Negotiating masculinities at the expense of health: A qualitative study on men working in long‐term care in the Netherlands, from an intersectional perspective
Authors: van Wees Martine , Duijs Saskia E. , Mazurel Casper , Abma Tineke A. , Verdonk Petra
Published: January 2023

While some areas of care work show increased recruitment of men, the care‐gap remains, especially in low paid occupations. Questions arise how masculinities play a part in this, and if caring masculinities obscure gender inequities while at the same time perpetuating them. This qualitative study focusses the negotiation of hegemonic and caring masculinities of men working in residential long‐term care in the Netherlands, and its consequences for health. Semi‐structured interviews (N = 16) were analyzed thematically, drawing upon gender and intersectionality theory to understand inequities between respondents. Findings describe how men move through long‐term care. On entry, men negotiated hegemonic and caring masculinities to gain access, with black men having to work harder. Once inside, men experienced status‐loss and performed hegemonic masculinity, materializing in financial and sexual rewards, especially for white heterosexual men. In time, this performance of hegemonic masculinity backlashed with respect to their own health; herein racialized and homosexual men were hit harder. Consequently, all the men in this study aspired to move out or up from low‐paid care work, with white heterosexual men doing so more successfully. Our study illustrates the importance of an intersectional perspective on caring masculinities at work, showing how caring masculinities perpetuate male privilege for some men more than for others, creating health and labor market inequities among men. In terms of health, this study shows that gender, racism and sexual discrimination need be on the occupational health agenda.
Direct microwave heating of alumina for different densities: experimental and numerical thermal analysis
Authors: Ghorbel Inès , Ganster Patrick , Moulin Nicolas , Meunier Christophe , Bruchon Julien
Published: January 2023

Microwave heating of pure alumina is studied experimentally and numerically, in a 2.45 GHz single‐mode cavity, for different density levels. Even considering a constant incident power, the results show a complex evolution of the alumina temperature: first a two‐step increase, then a maximum, and finally a cooling stage. In addition, a density dependence of the heating efficiency is observed: a more efficient heating occurs for lower densities. Using the effective medium approximation (EMA) to derive the physical data as functions of density, the numerical simulations are in contradiction with the experiments, proving that the EMA approach is not able to correctly predict the imaginary part of the permittivity. Furthermore, the simulations do not accurately describe the first moments of the heating, nor the long‐term evolution of the temperature (cooling). We then explain the origin of this discrepancy: the need to adjust the movable stub on the one hand, and to account for heat exchange between the cavity and its surroundings on the other.
“Worth it if you could afford it”: Patient perspectives on integrating real‐time benefit tools into drug cost conversations
Authors: Mattingly T. Joseph , Everson Jordan , Besaw Robert J. , Whitmore Christine C. , Henderson Sarah C. , Dusetzina Stacie B.
Published: January 2023

Background

Medication costs can lead to financial burdens for patients, creating barriers to effective medication use. Health care provider use of real‐time benefit tools (RTBTs) may facilitate cost conversations with patients. We sought to explicate patient views on how RTBTs could be used to improve cost considerations in prescribing decisions.

Methods

We conducted focus groups to characterize patient perspectives on holding cost conversations with their physicians and to identify factors that would influence the value of RTBTs. We focused on adults aged 50+ who reported trouble paying for their prescriptions. Three groups included patients with conditions requiring high‐cost treatments and one group included lower‐income patients independent of their medical conditions. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, coded, and categorized to salient themes employing inductive and deductive approaches using the Health Equity Implementation Framework.

Results

Focus groups were conducted from 09/2020–12/2020 including 18 participants representing cancer (n = 6), diabetes (n = 6), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 3), and lower income (n = 3). Participants were between 50–74, eight self‐identified as Black, 10 as White, and eight reported earning <$50,000/year. We identified five themes regarding cost conversations (medication cost importance, past experiences with cost/cost conversations, perception of physician's role and knowledge, knowledge of existing resources, and influence on decision‐making) and four RTBT‐use‐specific themes (advantages/disadvantages, perceived relevance, data quality concerns, and implementation considerations).

Conclusion

Approaches that envision RTBTs as one‐size‐fits‐all technological interventions may underestimate the complexity of incorporating price information into prescribing decisions. Nevertheless, patients highlighted the potential value of accurate, real‐time information on medication costs to inform decision‐making.
Bundling with Resale*
Authors: Vollmer Drew
Published: January 2023

How does resale affect multiproduct bundling? I investigate using a model of monopoly bundling with costly resale. Consumers purchase in the primary market while anticipating resale, then participate in a resale market with market‐clearing prices. Resale forces the monopolist to balance the additional profit from a discounted bundle against the opportunity for consumer arbitrage. In equilibrium, the monopolist may still offer a discounted bundle, but resale reduces the returns to bundling and has an ambiguous effect on consumer and total welfare. When consumers have heterogeneous costs of resale, it is possible for consumers to resell in equilibrium.
Factors influencing compliance with Hepatitis C treatment in patients transitioning from prison to community—A summary scoping review
Authors: McKeever Anna , O'Donovan Diarmuid , Kee Frank
Published: January 2023

It is well‐established that prevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) infection in prisoners is disproportionately higher than in the general population. While developments in screening and treatment for HCV have enabled greater detection and treatment in prison, release is a high‐risk time for HCV infected prisoners returning to the challenges of community living. A scoping review was conducted to examine the evidence on individual, provider and system level factors that influence compliance with HCV treatment in patients transitioning from prison to community. Retrieved articles were screened and those eligible were selected for data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included. Electronic peer‐reviewed databases were searched in February 2022: 140 articles were initially identified of which seven were included in the final review. Six key themes characterized the literature: education, case management and discharge planning, hepatology in‐reach nurses, transition clinics, primary care providers and system wide approach. This summary scoping review highlights the paucity of research in this area. There is a need for experimental research to investigate specific interventions, and to understand HCV care‐specific barriers and facilitators. A multi‐pronged approach is needed to address barriers to healthcare services in general but also specific barriers relating to HCV. Factors that facilitate compliance should also be recognized and amplified across regional HCV elimination strategies.
Statistical and topological summaries aid disease detection for segmented retinal vascular images
Authors: Nardini John T. , Pugh Charles W. J. , Byrne Helen M.
Published: January 2023

Objective

Disease complications can alter vascular network morphology and disrupt tissue functioning. Microvascular diseases of the retina are assessed by visual inspection of retinal images, but this can be challenging when diseases exhibit silent symptoms or patients cannot attend in‐person meetings. We examine the performance of machine learning algorithms in detecting microvascular disease when trained on statistical and topological summaries of segmented retinal vascular images.

Methods

We compute 13 separate descriptor vectors (5 statistical, 8 topological) to summarize the morphology of retinal vessel segmentation images and train support vector machines to predict each image's disease classification from the summary vectors. We assess the performance of each descriptor vector, using five‐fold cross validation to estimate their accuracy. We apply these methods to four datasets that were assembled from four existing data repositories; three datasets contain segmented retinal vascular images from one of the repositories, whereas the fourth “All” dataset combines images from four repositories.

Results

Among the 13 total descriptor vectors considered, either a statistical Box‐counting descriptor vector or a topological Flooding descriptor vector achieves the highest accuracy levels. On the combined “All” dataset, the Box‐counting vector outperforms all other descriptors, including the topological Flooding vector which is sensitive to differences in the annotation styles between the different datasets.

Conclusion

Our work represents a first step to establishing which computational methods are most suitable for identifying microvascular disease and assessing their current limitations. These methods could be incorporated into automated disease assessment tools.
Effectiveness and Accuracy of a Patient‐Specific Instrumentation System for Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Zhang Teng , Jia Zhao , Han Wei , Wang Junqiang , Li Jinqi , Gong Maoqi , Jiang Xieyuan
Published: January 2023

Objective

Traditional total hip arthroplasty (THA) is often performed by visual inspection due to the lack of reliable reference, which results in inappropriate position of prosthesis and poor outcomes. This study attempts to introduce a novel patient‐specific instrumentation (PSI) system and assess its effectiveness and accuracy compared with freehand operation and robot system through bone model experiments.

Methods

Equally divide 30 sawbone models into the freehand group, PSI group, and robot group. Ten sets of prosthesis parameters were randomly generated as planning, and the three groups underwent simulated THA depending on these parameters. After the placement of the femoral prosthesis, the acetabular anteversion plan was adjusted in the PSI and robot groups so that the combined anteversion was maintained before and after adjustment. After the surgery, the actual prosthesis parameters of all bone models were measured and analyzed statistically.

Results

No statistically significant difference was found in femoral anteversion error among the three groups (p = 0.951). The errors of acetabular cup anteversion, acetabular cup abduction, and combined anteversion in PSI group were 3.92° (2.94°, 4.62°), 5.65° (4.63°, 6.70°), and 3.93° (2.94°, 4.62°), respectively, which were significantly smaller than those in the freehand group [11.84° (9.92°, 13.87°), 13.54° (9.81°, 15.21°), 16.04° (8.18°, 19.25°), respectively, p < 0.05], but significantly larger than those in the robot group [1.34° (0.98°, 1.70°), 1.80° (1°, 2.02°), 1.34° (0.98°, 1.70°), respectively, p < 0.05].

Conclusion

Compared with the traditional freehand operation, the patient‐specific instrumentation system is feasible in total hip arthroplasty because it improves the accuracy of prosthesis placement. In addition, the rapid measurement of intraoperative femoral prosthesis parameters can help surgeons optimize preoperative planning.
Infrastructures of Sociality: How Disadvantaged Students Navigate Inequity at the University1
Authors: Budhiraja Kriti
Published: January 2023

Through an ethnography of college life in India, I examine the role of social ties in navigating the inequities of university life. I analyze the socialities of sharing knowledge and resources among disadvantaged students, which I call “infrastructures of sociality.” “Infrastructure” designates here two things: first, the role of the university's infrastructure—its physical spaces and organizational routines—in enabling social ties; and second, the fact that these social ties literally function as infrastructure, in that they make university life possible for disadvantaged students, especially in the context of institutional neglect. I therefore advance Bourdieusian scholarship that views social ties among disadvantaged students as merely lacking in social capital, arguing instead that these ties constitute a form of non‐dominant social capital that is analytically distinct and powerful in its own right. Yet, I suggest that these social ties are a double‐edged sword: while the intensive mutual aid of disadvantaged students makes university participation possible, it nonetheless rests on exclusion from more privileged social groups. Thus, despite mitigating exclusion from the university, infrastructures of sociality also inadvertently participate in the reproduction of inequality, by reinforcing exclusion from the elite cultural and social resources circulating among privileged students.
Numerical study of high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in fat reduction
Authors: Mortazavi Sare , Mokhtari‐Dizaji Manijhe
Published: January 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the effect of fat‐layer thickness and focal depth on the pressure and temperature distribution of tissue.

Methods

Computer simulations were performed for the skin–fat layer models during high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. The acoustic pressure field was calculated using the nonlinear Westervelt equation and coupled with the Pennes bioheat transfer equation to obtain the temperature distribution. To investigate the effect of the thickness of the fat layer on pressure and thermal distributions, the thickness of the fat layer behind the focal point (z = 13.5 mm) changed from 8 to 24 mm by 2 mm step. The pressure and temperature distribution spectra were extracted.

Results

The simulated results were validated using the experimental results with a 98% correlation coefficient (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the pressure amplitude and temperature distribution for the 8–14 mm thickness of the fat layer (p < 0.05). By changing the focal point from 11.5 to 13.5 mm, the maximum acoustic pressure at the focal point increased 66%, and the maximum temperature was 56%, respectively.

Conclusion

Considering the specific treatment plan for each patient, according to the skin and fat layer thicknesses, can help prevent side effects and optimize the treatment process of HIFU.
Discretized skew‐t mixture model for deconvoluting liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry data
Authors: Zhu Xuwen , Zhang Xiang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, new statistical algorithms for accurate peak detection in the metabolomic data are proposed. Specifically, liquid chromatograph‐mass spectrometry data are analyzed. The discretized skew‐t
mixture model for peak detection is proposed. It shows great flexibility and capability in fitting skewed or heavy‐tailed peaks. The methodology is further extended to cross‐sample peak alignment for identifying the true peaks. A measure of peak credibility is provided through the assessment of misclassification probabilities between two cross‐sample peaks. The proposed algorithms are applied to spike‐in data with promising results.
The HLA‐DRB1*04:357 allele first identified in a Chinese transplant recipient
Authors: Pei Yongfeng , Li Haibin , Qin Yinhong , Huang Chengxin , Sun Xuyong
Published: January 2023

HLA‐DRB1*04:357 differs from HLA‐DRB1*04:17:02 by two nucleotides in exon 2.
Corruption, tax reform and fiscal space in emerging and developing economies
Authors: Yohou Hermann D.
Published: January 2023

Several studies have demonstrated that corruption hinders efforts in enhancing public revenue and fiscal space through different channels. This paper assesses the effect of tax reform on fiscal space conditional on corruption control for a large panel of developing and emerging economies from 1990 to 2016. Using a threshold approach, our findings indicate that the tax reform effect on fiscal space is not monotonic and depends on corruption control. Tax reform enhances fiscal space and tax revenue when corruption control is better. The results also suggest that heterogeneity across countries and time does matter. Individual estimates of the elasticity of fiscal space to tax reform support evidence that countries that benefit most from tax reform are those that prove enough ability to control corruption.
Evaluation of serum interleukin 2 receptor and beta‐2‐microglobulin as prognostic factors for canine lymphoma: A pilot study
Authors: Im Jae‐Hyeon , Park Su‐Min , An Ju‐Hyun , Kim Tea‐Hee , Chae Hyung‐Kyu , Oh Ye‐In , Seo Kyoung‐Won , Youn Hwa‐Young
Published: January 2023

Interleukin 2 receptor (IL‐2R) is released from activated T cell lymphocytes and related to proliferation of B cells and T cells. Beta‐2‐microglobulin (B2M) is synthesized from all nucleated cells and constitutes a major histocompatibility complex class I antigen. In human medicine, high concentrations of these two factors have been found to be related to prognosis in aggressive non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess the correlation between the serum concentration of IL‐2R and B2M and the diagnosis and prognosis of canine lymphoma. This study included 8 healthy dogs and 17 dogs with lymphoma. To measure the serum concentration of IL‐2R and B2M, a commercial enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used. In dogs with lymphoma, IL‐2R concentrations were significantly high at the time of diagnosis, but B2M concentrations were not. In relapsed dogs, both IL‐2R and B2M concentrations were significantly higher than those in the control and chemotherapy response groups. When the serum concentrations of IL‐2R and B2M during chemotherapy were monitored in four relapsed dogs, B2M levels were more closely related with relapse. This study demonstrated that serum IL‐2R and B2M concentration can be a diagnostic or prognostic tool for canine lymphoma. Monitoring of serum B2M concentration seems to be useful for predicting relapse.
Monitoring cavitation dynamics evolution in tissue mimicking hydrogels for repeated exposures via acoustic cavitation emissions
Authors: Haskell Scott C. , Lu Ning , Stocker Greyson E. , Xu Zhen , Sukovich Jonathan R.
Published: January 2023

A 700 kHz histotripsy array is used to generate repeated cavitation events in agarose, gelatin, and polyacrylamide hydrogels. High-speed optical imaging, a broadband hydrophone, and the narrow-band receive elements of the histotripsy array are used to capture bubble dynamics and acoustic cavitation emissions. Bubble radii, lifespan, shockwave amplitudes are noted to be measured in close agreement between the different observation methods. These features also decrease with increasing hydrogel stiffness for all of the tested materials. However, the evolutions of these properties during the repeated irradiations vary significantly across the different material subjects. Bubble maximum radius initially increases, then plateaus, and finally decreases in agarose, but remains constant across exposures in gelatin and polyacrylamide. The bubble lifespan increases monotonically in agarose and gelatin but decreases in polyacrylamide. Collapse shockwave amplitudes were measured to have different-shaped evolutions between all three of the tested materials. Bubble maximum radii, lifespans, and collapse shockwave amplitudes were observed to express evolutions that are dependent on the structure and stiffness of the nucleation medium.
Escape from NK cell tumor surveillance by NGFR-induced lipid remodeling in melanoma
Authors: Lehmann Julia , Caduff Nicole , Krzywińska Ewelina , Stierli Salome , Salas-Bastos Adrian , Loos Benjamin , Levesque Mitchell P. , Dummer Reinhard , Stockmann Christian , Münz Christian , Diener Johanna , Sommer Lukas
Published: January 2023

Metastatic disease is a major cause of death for patients with melanoma. Melanoma cells can become metastatic not only due to cell-intrinsic plasticity but also due to cancer-induced protumorigenic remodeling of the immune microenvironment. Here, we report that innate immune surveillance by natural killer (NK) cells is bypassed by human melanoma cells expressing the stem cell marker NGFR. Using in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic assays, we show that NGFR protects melanoma cells from NK cell–mediated killing and, furthermore, boosts metastasis formation in a mouse model with adoptively transferred human NK cells. Mechanistically, NGFR leads to down-regulation of NK cell activating ligands and simultaneous up-regulation of the fatty acid stearoyl–coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) in melanoma cells. Notably, pharmacological and small interfering RNA–mediated inhibition of SCD reverted NGFR-induced NK cell evasion in vitro and in vivo. Hence, NGFR orchestrates immune control antagonizing pathways to protect melanoma cells from NK cell clearance, which ultimately favors metastatic disease.
A conditional
Smg6
mutant mouse model reveals circadian clock regulation through the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway
Authors: Katsioudi Georgia , Dreos René , Arpa Enes S. , Gaspari Sevasti , Liechti Angelica , Sato Miho , Gabriel Christian H. , Kramer Achim , Brown Steven A. , Gatfield David
Published: January 2023

Nonsense-mediated messenger RNA (mRNA) decay (NMD) has been intensively studied as a surveillance pathway that degrades erroneous transcripts arising from mutations or RNA processing errors. While additional roles in physiological control of mRNA stability have emerged, possible functions in mammalian physiology in vivo remain unclear. Here, we created a conditional mouse allele that allows converting the NMD effector nuclease SMG6 from wild-type to nuclease domain-mutant protein. We find that NMD down-regulation affects the function of the circadian clock, a system known to require rapid mRNA turnover. Specifically, we uncover strong lengthening of free-running circadian periods for liver and fibroblast clocks and direct NMD regulation of
Cry2
mRNA, encoding a key transcriptional repressor within the rhythm-generating feedback loop. Transcriptome-wide changes in daily mRNA accumulation patterns in the entrained liver, as well as an altered response to food entrainment, expand the known scope of NMD regulation in mammalian gene expression and physiology.
Supplemental Material: Extreme isotopic heterogeneity in impact melt rocks: Implications for Martian meteorites
Authors: Jaret Steven , al. et
Published: January 2023

Analytical methods, modeling details, and additional sample petrography. 
Factors influencing the integration of planetary health topics into undergraduate medical education in Ireland: a qualitative study of medical educator perspectives
Authors: Brady Bates Oisin , Walsh Aisling , Stanistreet Debbi
Published: January 2023

Aims

Planetary health is a transdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between the escalating climate and environmental crises and human health. In light of the human health cost arising from planetary health issues, there is a need to educate future medical practitioners accordingly. This study investigates the factors influencing the integration of planetary health into undergraduate medical education at an Irish university and makes recommendations for future practice.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study design was employed. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic staff actively involved in teaching on the undergraduate medical curriculum at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Both barriers and facilitators to integrating planetary heath into the curriculum were explored. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings.

Results

Barriers to integration include: a lack of curricular space, a perceived lack of awareness among students and educators and a potential lack of knowledge among educators and senior management in relation to these issues. These barriers were tempered by significant facilitators suggesting a shifting paradigm within institutions, innovative approaches to content delivery and an increasing demand from undergraduate medical students.

Conclusion

This study found a demand from medical educators for the integration of planetary health topics into the medical curriculum. It is suggested that significant adaptation of existing medical curricula is required both in Ireland and further afield, to meet this need. Recommendations based on the barriers and facilitators that emerged during the analysis include: emphasising the clinical relevance of these topics, as suggested by the current evidence base; promoting senior and departmental leadership; and emphasising the potential for improvements in institutional prestige.
Epilepsy genetics: a practical guide for adult neurologists
Authors: Pickrell William Owen , Fry Andrew E
Published: January 2023

An understanding of epilepsy genetics is important for adult neurologists, as making a genetic diagnosis gives clinical benefit. In this review, we describe the key features of different groups of genetic epilepsies. We describe the common available genetic tests for epilepsy, and how to interpret them.
Weyl covariance, second clock effect and proper time in theories of symmetric teleparallel gravity
Authors: Pala Caglar , Sert Ozcan , Adak Muzaffer
Published: January 2023

Just after Weyl’s paper (Weyl in Gravitation und Elektrizität, Sitzungsber. Preuss. Akad., Berlin, 1918) Einstein claimed that a gravity model written in a spacetime geometry with non-metricity suffers from a phenomenon, the so-called second clock effect. We give a new prescription of parallel transport of a vector tangent to a curve which is invariant under both of local general coordinate and Weyl transformations in order to remove that effect. Thus since the length of tangent vector does not change during parallel transport along a closed curve in spacetimes with non-metricity, a second clock effect does not appear in general, not only for the integrable Weyl spacetime. We have specially motivated the problem from the point of view of symmetric teleparallel (or Minkowski–Weyl) geometry. We also conclude that if nature respects Lorentz symmetry and Weyl symmetry, then the simplest geometry in which one can develop consistently alternative gravity models is the symmetric teleparallel geometry; $$Q_{\mu \nu }\ne 0, \; T^\mu =0, \; R^\mu {}_\nu =0$$

Q

μ
ν

≠
0
,

T
μ

=
0
,

R
μ

ν

=
0

. Accordingly we discuss the proper time, the orbit equation of a spinless test body and the Lagrangian for symmetric teleparallel gravity.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN STATE OWNERSHIP PARTICIPATION AND RENT-SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF PRIVATE FIRMS IN CHINA
Authors: ZHANG LIUZHEN , NIU FENG , SU WUNHONG
Published: January 2023

The rent-seeking behavior of firms in economic society destroys the fair market order and hinders the sustainable development of the economy. In the context of the mixed-ownership reform, this study examines whether and how state ownership participation affects the rent-seeking behavior of private firms using Chinese-listed private firms from 2010 to 2019. The findings suggest that state ownership participation significantly eliminates the rent-seeking behavior of private firms. However, the eliminating effect of state ownership participation on private firms’ rent-seeking behavior is weakened by high economic policy uncertainty and government intervention where private firms operate. The findings of this study enrich the characteristics and influencing factors of rent-seeking behavior of private firms, expand the literature on Chinese mixed-ownership participation, provide empirical evidence that is inconsistent with Western theoretical predictions, construct a new theory based on practices with Chinese characteristics and further reveal the characteristics of Chinese accounting practices.
Cryptanalysis and improvement of the measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with hyper-encoding
Authors: Lin Jason , Tsai Chia-Wei , Yang Chun-Wei
Published: January 2023

Recently, Cui et al. [Sci. China Phys. 62, 110311 (2019)] proposed a measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) scheme based on high-dimensional encoding to increase the channel capacity of each individual photon. A secret key is shared among two legitimate parties via the help of a dishonest third-party (TP). They claimed that the proposed protocol can improve the drawback of the low-key generation rate that existed in the past MDI-QKD schemes. However, this study pointed out a loophole during the security check of TP. That is, the two legitimate participants merely use the corresponding qubit pairs that are both generated in the diagonal basis for the discussion, which leads to a potential attack that not only allows TP to avoid the security check but also creates partial inconsistency of key bits for both communicating sides. Fortunately, this problem can be fixed by a minor correction of the protocol.
Effect of Setup Times and Workload Trigger Levels on Order Review and Release Policies Performance in a Stochastic Dynamic Job Shop with Sequence-Dependent Setup Time — A Simulation Approach
Authors: Rani Sushma , Jain Ajai , Angra Surjit
Published: January 2023

Order review and release (ORR) in a job shop considering sequence-dependent setup time (SDST) is among the most challenging job shop problems. This study investigates the effect of varying setup times and workload trigger levels on ORR policies performance in a stochastic dynamic job shop considering SDST. It is essential to examine the effect of varying setup times and workload trigger levels on ORR policies, because, for different ORR policies, workload trigger level plays a major role to control the work-in-process on the shop floor. Further, in manufacturing industries, less setup time is required in some cases, but it can also be equal to or greater than the processing time in others. Promodel[Formula: see text] simulation software is used to develop the simulation model for conducting experiments. The performance of the system is evaluated in terms of mean lead time (MLT), mean throughput time (MTT), number of tardy jobs (NOTJ), and total setups (TS) performance measures. From results, it is found that for a given ORR policy and at a given setup time level, lower workload trigger level provides minimum MTT and maximum MLT, TS, and NOTJ performance measures. As the workload trigger level increases, MTT performance measure increases, whereas MLT, TS, and NOTJ performance measures decrease. Further, for a given ORR policy and workload trigger level, as the setup time level increases, MTT and MLT performance measures increase. In contrast, TS and NOTJ performance measures decrease. A stochastic dynamic job shop considering ORR and SDST where setup time is either less than, equal to or more than operation processing time is the novelty of the work.
Revisiting surfaces with a common null geodesic curve in Minkowski 3-space 𝔼13
Authors: Abdel-Baky Rashad A. , Naghi Monia Fouad
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we study the problem of constructing a surface family from a given null geodesic curve in Minkowski 3-space [Formula: see text]. Using the Cartan frame of the given null curve, we present the surface tangent plane is coincident with the curve rectifying plane, and analyze the necessary and sufficient condition for that curve to be null geodesic. Then, the extension to ruled, and developable surfaces are also outlined. As an application, we derive an explicit solution of the Da Rios vortex filament equation lying in the B-scroll.
Some existence results for a generalization of the prescribed scalar curvature equation on compact manifolds
Authors: Ghomari Tewfik , Maliki Youssef
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we prove some existence results of a critical [Formula: see text]-Laplacian equation involving critical and subcritical Hardy potential on compact Riemannian manifolds.
Ideas from Actions, Alternative Anatomical Architectures
Authors: Stelarc
Published: January 2023

In this curation of his work, performance artist Stelarc, explains the process of extending his body and his self while exploring movement, sound, and autonomy.
The Future of Technology for Cognitive Enhancement and Well-Being
Authors: Amores Judith
Published: January 2023

The sense of smell, or olfaction, is probably the most underappreciated and the least understood and exploited in human-computer interaction. However, in the future, wearable devices will not only be able to sense and provide audio-visual cues but will also augment our sense of smell. How will this impact our interaction with technology? Does the future stink?