bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of greenfluencer credibility on green purchase behaviour (Influencia de la credibilidad del greenfluencer en el comportamiento de compra de productos verdes)
Authors: Cavazos-Arroyo Judith , Melchor-Ascencio Alejandro
Published: February 2023

The communication of environmental awareness through social media can act as a mechanism for adopting more responsible consumption patterns. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyse the impact of greenfluencer credibility on attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, as well as the effect these have on purchase intentions and of the latter on green purchase behaviours. Quantitative, non-experimental, explanatory, cross-sectional research was conducted on 201 Mexican subjects between the ages of 15 and 60, all followers of environmental influencers on Facebook. The results shows that the credibility of greenfluencers had a positive effect on attitude, subjective norms and behavioural control. In addition, both attitude and perceived behavioural control positively impacted purchase intentions, although subjective norms did not. Finally, purchase intentions had a significant effect on the actual purchase of green products. Further exploration would be useful on the role of greenfluencers in the adoption of sustainable lifestyles.
Estimation of transport coefficients of dense hadronic and quark matter*
Authors: Sen Debashree , Alam Naosad , Ghosh Sabyasachi
Published: February 2023

In this study, we calculated transport coefficients including the shear viscosity and electrical conductivity relative to the density of dense hadronic and quark matter. By considering the simple massless limit for the quark matter and two different effective models for the hadronic matter, we estimated the transport coefficients of the two phases separately. Accordingly, density profiles of the transport coefficients were depicted in two parts: the phase-space part and the relaxation time part. From calculating the shear viscosity to density ratio, we also explored the nearly perfect fluid domain of the quark and hadronic matter.
Charged-current non-standard neutrino interactions at the LHC and HL-LHC*
Authors: Yue Chong-Xing , Cheng Xue-Jia , Yang Ji-Chong
Published: February 2023

A series of new physics scenarios predict the existence of the extra charged gauge boson

, which can induce charged-current (CC) non-standard neutrino interactions (NSIs). The theoretical constraints on the simplified

model and further on the CC NSI parameters

from partial wave unitarity and

decays are considered. The sensitivity of the process

to the

model at the LHC and high-luminosity (HL) LHC experiments is investigated by estimating the expected constraints on

(

or μ) using a Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation. We find that the interference effect plays an important role, and the LHC can strongly constrain

. Compared with those at the

LHC with

, the expected constraints at the

LHC with

can be strengthened to approximately one order of magnitude.
Quality Control of YFOSC Data I. The On-site Quick Analysis System
Authors: Wang Jian-Guo , Bai Jin-Ming , Zhao Ying-He , Dong Xiao-Bo , Lu Kai-Xing , Wang Chuan-Jun , Zhang Ju-Jia , Xin Yu-Xin
Published: February 2023

The Lijiang 2.4 m Telescope (LJT) is one of the most important telescopes for general astronomical observations in China. Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (YFOSC) is a widely used instrument mounted on the LJT, which occupies for ∼80% of the observing time of the LJT, and thus instrument health and data quality of the YFOSC are very important for both the telescope maintenance team and users of the LJT. So we develop an automated data analysis system for the quality control (QC) of YFOSC data. This system is also a new function of the observing support of the YFOSC. Based on the system, YFOSC data can be reduced quickly as they are acquired and QC parameters are extracted. Observers can assess the quality of their data and make a possible revision of their observing plan in time. These parameters can also be used to check the health of the YFOSC, which is helpful for the telescope maintenance team to find potential problems. All of these aim at improving the productivity of the LJT.
Hybrid Optimization Algorithm in the Photometric Inversion of Periods for Asteroids
Authors: Li Xin-Ran , Zhang Yong-Xiong , Zhao Hai-Bin , Zhang Xiaoping , Lu Xiao-Ping
Published: February 2023

Asteroids, as the primitive building blocks for the formation of our solar system, could reveal its evolution mechanism, and have attracted more and more attention from the public and professional institutions in recent years. Their physical properties, such as rotational period, spin axis and overall shape, can be inverted from ground- and space-based photometric observations. Since the inversion process is very time-consuming, this paper combines the genetic algorithm with the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm, and presents a hybrid optimization algorithm based on a Cellinoid shape model for the inversion of rotational periods, which greatly improves the inversion efficiency. The proposed hybrid algorithm is applied to the synthetic lightcurves generated for an assumed Cellinoid shape model and the inverted rotational period results are consistent with the preset ones with a reduced search time, compared with the LM algorithm. Finally, multiple numerical experiments on the periods are performed on lightcurves and sparse observations of real asteroids to confirm that the proposed method can perform well in improving computational efficiency.
An Estimation of the Geometrical Structure of Polar Cap and Emission Property of Radio Pulsar: A Treatment from an Analytical Approach
Authors: Roy Tridib
Published: February 2023

Pulsars are believed to be one of the most interesting objects in the universe. The emission mechanism of pulsars is still a conundrum to physicists, as there is no completely acceptable theory that can establish a consensus between theory and observation. Pulsars possess a gigantic magnetic field, to the order of 1012 Gauss, and generate a very powerful radio beam from the magnetic pole. However, the powerful radio beam is generated by some complicated coherent plasma processes and acceleration in the pulsar magnetosphere. The location of the origin of the radio waves has been predicted to come out exclusively from the polar cap zone, whose boundary is defined by the footprint of the last open field line. However, in this paper, we mainly try to generate the shape of the polar cap structure from an analytical solution and discuss how it gets distorted for different geometrical parameters due to the presence of perturbation such as polar cap current flow. Also, apart from that, we try to emphasize understanding the variation of radio emission height and polarization angle with respect to different geometry-related parameters as well as with frequency.
Tritium distributions in castellated structures of Be limiter tiles from JET-ITER-like wall experiments
Authors: Lee S. , Hatano Y. , Masuzaki S. , Oya Y. , Tokitani M. , Yajima M. , Otsuka T. , Ashikawa N. , Torikai Y. , Asakura N. , Nakamura H. , Kurotaki H. , Hayashi T. , Nozawa T. , Ito A.M. , Likonen J. , Widdowson A. , Rubel M.
Published: February 2023

Tritium retention in the castellated structure of beryllium limiters used in JET with the ITER-like wall (ILW) during the first (ILW1), third (ILW3) and all three (ILW1-3) campaigns were examined and evaluated. Tritium was deposited on the surfaces inside the castellation grooves together with deuterium, beryllium, oxygen, carbon and small amounts of metallic impurities such as nickel, copper and tungsten. The tritium content after the ILW1 campaign was greater than after the ILW3 campaign. This is attributed to the steadily decreasing amount of carbon impurities in JET from campaign to campaign. The majority of tritium was retained in shallow regions in the grooves, up to 2 mm from the entrance to the gap. It was comparable on all sides of the castellation, i.e. no difference has been detected between the toroidal and poloidal gaps. Secondly, the tritium retention in the gaps was similar on all specimens independent of their position in the tokamak, while the retention on the plasma-facing surfaces clearly depended on the tile position. The tritium deposition patterns in the castellation were also compared with the deuterium distribution determined in earlier studies.
Effect of current density on tribological properties of micro-arc oxidation ceramic film on Al-Mg-Sc alloy
Authors: Wu Mingjin , Jiang Feng , Tang Zhongqin , Long Mengjun , Wu Feifei , Su Yuanming
Published: February 2023

Ceramic films on Al-Mg-Sc alloy were prepared in alkaline sodium silicate electrolyte solution at different current densities by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technique. The influence of current density on the microstructure and tribological property of the MAO ceramic films was investigated. The experimental results indicated that the surface porosity decreased and roughness increased with the increase of current density. The optimal anti-friction effect of the MAO ceramic film prepared at the current density of 10 A dm−2 was obtained. The wear mechanism of MAO ceramic film was the coexistence of abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidation wear. The wear resistance of MAO ceramic film prepared on Al-Mg-Sc alloy structural components could be increased, which could reduce the risk of failure of structural components due to mechanical vibration.
Regional tropical rainfall shifts under global warming: an energetic perspective
Authors: Nicknish Paul A , Chiang John C H , Hu Aixue , Boos William R
Published: February 2023

Future climate simulations feature pronounced spatial shifts in the structure of tropical rainfall. We apply a novel atmospheric energy flux analysis to diagnose late 21st century tropical rainfall shifts in a large ensemble of simulations of 21st century climate. The method reconstructs 2D spatial changes in rainfall based on horizontal shifts in the lines of zero meridional and zonal divergent energy flux, called the energy flux equator (EFE) and energy flux prime meridian (EFPM), respectively. Two main sources of future atmospheric energy flux changes, and hence rainfall shifts, are identified by the analysis: the high-latitude North Atlantic due to a weakened Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation that shifts tropical rainfall southwards over the greater Tropical Atlantic sector and eastern Pacific; and the eastern tropical Pacific due to a permanent El-Niño-like response that produces zonal shifts over the Maritime Continent and South America. To first order, the shifts in the EFE and EFPM mirror gross distributional changes in tropical precipitation, with a southward shift in rainfall over the tropical Atlantic, West Africa, and eastern tropical Pacific and an eastward shift over the Maritime Continent and western Pacific. When used to reconstruct future rainfall shifts in the tropical Atlantic and Sahel, the method reasonably represents the simulated meridional structure of rainfall shifts but does not do so for the zonal structures.
Impact of Reversion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Immunoreactivity Tests on the Estimated Annual Risk of Tuberculosis Infection
Authors: Schwalb Alvaro , Emery Jon C , Dale Katie D , Horton Katherine C , Ugarte-Gil César A , Houben Rein M G J
Published: February 2023

A key metric in tuberculosis epidemiology is the annual risk of infection (ARI), which is usually derived from tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) prevalence surveys carried out in children. Derivation of the ARI assumes that immunoreactivity is persistent over time; however, reversion of immunoreactivity has long been documented. We used a deterministic, compartmental model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection to explore the impact of reversion on ARI estimation using age-specific reversion probabilities for the TST and IGRA. Using empirical data on TST reversion (22.2%/year for persons aged ≤19 years), the true ARI was 2–5 times higher than that estimated from immunoreactivity studies in children aged 8–12 years. Applying empirical reversion probabilities for the IGRA (9.9%/year for youths aged 12–18 years) showed a 1.5- to 2-fold underestimation. ARIs are increasingly underestimated in older populations, due to the cumulative impact of reversion on population reactivity over time. Declines in annual risk did not largely affect the results. Ignoring reversion leads to a stark underestimation of the true ARI in populations and our interpretation of Mtb transmission intensity. In future surveys, researchers should adjust for the reversion probability and its cumulative effect with increasing age to obtain a more accurate reflection of the burden and dynamics of Mtb infection.
APL@voro—interactive visualization and analysis of cell membrane simulations
Authors: Kern Martin , Jaeger-Honz Sabrina , Schreiber Falk , Sommer Bjorn
Published: February 2023

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of cell membranes allow for a better understanding of complex processes such as changing membrane dynamics, lipid rafts and the incorporation/passing of macromolecules into/through membranes. To explore and understand cell membrane compositions, dynamics and processes, visual analytics can help to interpret MD simulation data. APL@Voro is a software for the interactive visualization and analysis of cell membrane simulations. Here, we present the new APL@Voro, which has been continuously developed since its initial release in 2013. We discuss newly implemented algorithms, methodologies and features, such as the interactive comparison of related simulations and methods to assign lipids to either the upper or lower leaflet.

Availability and implementation

The current open-source version of APL@Voro can be downloaded from http://aplvoro.com.
DaTeR: error-correcting phylogenetic chronograms using relative time constraints
Authors: Mondal Abhijit , Rangel L Thiberio , Payette Jack G , Fournier Gregory P , Bansal Mukul S
Published: February 2023

Motivation

A chronogram is a dated phylogenetic tree whose branch lengths have been scaled to represent time. Such chronograms are computed based on available date estimates (e.g. from dated fossils), which provide absolute time constraints for one or more nodes of an input undated phylogeny, coupled with an appropriate underlying model for evolutionary rates variation along the branches of the phylogeny. However, traditional methods for phylogenetic dating cannot take into account relative time constraints, such as those provided by inferred horizontal transfer events. In many cases, chronograms computed using only absolute time constraints are inconsistent with known relative time constraints.

Results

In this work, we introduce a new approach, Dating Trees using Relative constraints (DaTeR), for phylogenetic dating that can take into account both absolute and relative time constraints. The key idea is to use existing Bayesian approaches for phylogenetic dating to sample posterior chronograms satisfying desired absolute time constraints, minimally adjust or ‘error-correct’ these sampled chronograms to satisfy all given relative time constraints, and aggregate across all error-corrected chronograms. DaTeR uses a constrained optimization framework for the error-correction step, finding minimal deviations from previously assigned dates or branch lengths. We applied DaTeR to a biological dataset of 170 Cyanobacterial taxa and a reliable set of 24 transfer-based relative constraints, under six different molecular dating models. Our extensive analysis of this dataset demonstrates that DaTeR is both highly effective and scalable and that its application can significantly improve estimated chronograms.

Availability and implementation

Freely available from https://compbio.engr.uconn.edu/software/dater/

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Quantification and Standardization of Andrographolide inAndrographis PaniculataSamples by Validated RP-HPLC and HPTLC Methods
Authors: Jana Shibu Narayan , Banerjee Subhadip , Biswas Sayan , Sing Dilip , Kar Amit , Bandyopadhayay Rajib , Haldar Pallab K , Sharma Nanaocha , Mukherjee Pulok K
Published: February 2023

Andrographis paniculata (family Acanthaceae) is known as Kalmegh, one of the traditionally used important medicinal plant contains several biologically active phytochemical including andrographolide. A. paniculata is broadly used by healthcare practitioners in India and also used in different traditional medicinal system. In this study, the leaves of A. paniculata were collected from West Medinipur, East Medinipur, South 24 Parganas, Purulia and Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. This study aiming towards validation and development of a simple, precise and reproducible reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods for quantification of andrographolide in A. paniculata extracts. The validated RP-HPLC and HPTLC study confirmed that different concentrations of andrographolide content present in the plant samples, which are collected from above different districts of West Bengal, India. The amounts of andrographolide were found to be 2.71% (w/w), 3.19% (w/w), 1.83% (w/w), 1.73% (w/w) and 2.94% (w/w) in RP-HPLC study and 2.13% (w/w), 2.51% (w/w), 1.01% (w/w), 1.25% (w/w) and 2.15% (w/w) in HPTLC study. This precise, reproducible, accurate and specific method can be used for the quantification of andrographolide in kalmegh, as per the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) guidelines recommendations.
Immune abnormalities in IgA nephropathy
Authors: Gentile Micaela , Sanchez-Russo Luis , Riella Leonardo V , Verlato Alberto , Manrique Joaquin , Granata Simona , Fiaccadori Enrico , Pesce Francesco , Zaza Gianluigi , Cravedi Paolo
Published: February 2023

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide and it is characterized by mesangial IgA deposition. Asymptomatic hematuria with various degrees of proteinuria is the most common clinical presentation and up to 20%–40% of patients develop end-stage kidney disease within 20 years after disease onset. The pathogenesis of IgAN involves four sequential processes known as the “four-hit hypothesis” which starts with the production of a galactose-deficient IgA1 (gd-IgA1), followed by the formation of anti-gd-IgA1 IgG or IgA1 autoantibodies and immune complexes that ultimately deposit in the glomerular mesangium, leading to inflammation and injury. Although several key questions about the production of gd-IgA1 and the formation of anti-gd-IgA1 antibodies remain unanswered, a growing body of evidence is shedding light on the innate and adaptive immune mechanisms involved in this complex pathogenic process. Herein, we will focus on these mechanisms that, along with genetic and environmental factors, are thought to play a key role in disease pathogenesis.
SalivaDB—a comprehensive database for salivary biomarkers in humans
Authors: Arora Akanksha , Kaur Dashleen , Patiyal Sumeet , Kaur Dilraj , Tomer Ritu , Raghava Gajendra P S
Published: February 2023

Saliva as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid has immense potential as a tool for early diagnosis and prognosis of patients. The information about salivary biomarkers is broadly scattered across various resources and research papers. It is important to bring together all the information on salivary biomarkers to a single platform. This will accelerate research and development in non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis of complex diseases. We collected widespread information on five types of salivary biomarkers—proteins, metabolites, microbes, micro-ribonucleic acid (miRNA) and genes found in humans. This information was collected from different resources that include PubMed, the Human Metabolome Database and SalivaTecDB. Our database SalivaDB contains a total of 15 821 entries for 201 different diseases and 48 disease categories. These entries can be classified into five categories based on the type of biomolecules; 6067, 3987, 2909, 2272 and 586 entries belong to proteins, metabolites, microbes, miRNAs and genes, respectively. The information maintained in this database includes analysis methods, associated diseases, biomarker type, regulation status, exosomal origin, fold change and sequence. The entries are linked to relevant biological databases to provide users with comprehensive information. We developed a web-based interface that provides a wide range of options like browse, keyword search and advanced search. In addition, a similarity search module has been integrated which allows users to perform a similarity search using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool and Smith–Waterman algorithm against biomarker sequences in SalivaDB. We created a web-based database—SalivaDB, which provides information about salivary biomarkers found in humans. A wide range of web-based facilities have been integrated to provide services to the scientific community. https://webs.iiitd.edu.in/raghava/salivadb/
Remnant cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and incident cardiovascular disease among Koreans: a national population-based study
Authors: Lee Sang Jun , Kim Se-Eun , Go Tae-Hwa , Kang Dae Ryong , Jeon Ho-Seong , Kim Young-In , Cho Dong-Hyuk , Park Young Jun , Lee Jung-Hee , Lee Jun-Won , Youn Young-Jin , Kim Sang-Hyun , Kim Jang Young , Ahn Sung Gyun
Published: February 2023

Aims

The synergistic association of remnant cholesterol (remnant-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in various subgroups of Koreans was investigated.

Methods and results

Using the national health insurance data, we included subjects aged between 40 and 70 years without a history of CVD and at least two health screenings between 2009 and 2011. The subjects were divided into four groups by LDL-C and remnant-C levels. The primary outcome was CVD, which occurred between 2014 and 2017. Among 3 686 034 (45.6% women) subjects, 144 004 cardiovascular events occurred. Individuals in both high LDL-C and high remnant-C [hazard ratio (HR) 1.266, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.243–1.289; 7.9%], high LDL-C only (HR 1.098, 95% CI 1.083–1.113; 21.2%), and high remnant-C only groups (HR 1.102, 95% CI 1.087–1.118; 19.1%) had higher risks of CVD than those in the reference group (LDL-C < 3.4 mmol/L and remnant-C < 0.8 mmol/L; 51.8%). A continuous and linear increase in CVD risk was found in those with higher remnant-C levels after adjustment for several confounders, including LDL-C levels. The association of remnant-C ≥ 0.8 mmol/L with an increased CVD risk was consistent across various strata.

Conclusions

Combined high remnant-C and LDL-C levels confer a higher CVD risk than that individually. Elevated remnant-C values independent of LDL-C levels were associated with a risk of incident CVD. Remnant cholesterol levels in addition to LDL-C levels are important considerations in risk stratification for the primary prevention of CVD.
A rapid method of identifying mastitis degrees of bovines based on dielectric spectra of raw milk
Authors: Zhu Zhuozhuo , Lin Biying , Zhu Xinhua , Guo Wenchuan
Published: February 2023

Bovine mastitis is the most complex and costly disease in the dairy industry worldwide. Somatic cell count (SCC) is accepted as an international standard for diagnosing mastitis in cows, but most instruments used to detect SCC are expensive, or the detection speed is very low. To develop a rapid method for identifying mastitis degree, the dielectric spectra of 301 raw milk samples at three mastitis grades, i.e., negative, weakly positive, and positive grades based on SCC, were obtained in the frequency range of 20–4500 MHz using coaxial probe technology. Variable importance in the projection method was used to select characteristic variables, and principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) were used to reduce data dimension. Linear discriminant analysis, support vector classification (SVC), and feed-forward neural network models were established to predict the mastitis degrees of cows based on 22 principal components and 24 latent variables obtained by PCA and PLS, respectively. The results showed that the SVC model with PCA had the best classification performance with an accuracy rate of 95.8% for the prediction set. The research indicates that dielectric spectroscopy technology has great potential in developing a rapid detector to diagnose mastitis in cows in situ or online.
Rewilding with the
cri
in Medieval French Texts:
Yvain
and
Mélusine
Authors: Lewis Liam
Published: February 2023

Focusing on two medieval narratives about identity transformation,
Yvain
and
Mélusine
, this article explores areas of dialogue between medieval literary studies and current perspectives on sound and rewilding the environment. Sound studies have in recent times enabled a more expansive philosophical reflection on the intersections between language, ecology, and identity. This article uses a friction between philosophical perspectives on the French
cri
and ecological ‘acoustemology’ to illustrate such reflection. If, as contemporary ecologists suggest, rewilding is a process underscored by careful human management in order to restore landscapes back to a state of wilderness, the same can be said of moments of narrative transformation in medieval texts that are revealed through sound. How might such interpretations of texts offer ways of linking textual modes of rewilding to the transformation of human and nonhuman subjects? To conclude, the article suggests how listening to medieval texts, to their narrative pivots and the changes in the sounds they depict, modifies the way nonhuman identity is discussed in connection with medieval (and non-medieval) literature.
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Amplifies the Effects of Aging on Decrements in Grip Strength and Its Functional Neural Underpinnings
Authors: Dillon Kaitlyn , Goodman Zachary T , Kaur Sonya S , Levin Bonnie , McIntosh Roger
Published: February 2023

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a trans-prognostic biomarker of physiologic stress and inflammation linked to muscle weakness in older adults. Generation of grip force coincides with sustained activity in the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1). The current study investigates whether whole-brain functional connectivity, that is, degree centrality (CD) of SM1 relates to grip strength and whether both functional measures are predicted by advancing age as a function of the NLR. A structural regression model investigated the main and interactive effects of age and NLR on grip strength and CD of SM1 in 589 adults aged 21–85 years (M = 45.87, SD = 18.06). The model including the entire sample had a good fit (χ 2(4) = 1.63, p = .804). In individuals aged 50 years and older, age predicted lower grip strength and SM1 CD as a function of increasing NLR. In a model stratified by sex, the effect of age, NLR, and their interaction on grip strength are significant for older men but not older women. Analyses support CD of SM1 at rest as a neural biomarker of grip strength. Grip and its neural underpinnings decrease with advancing age and increasing NLR in mid to late life. Age-related decrements in grip strength and functional connectivity of brain regions involved in the generation of dynamic grip appear to be accelerated as a function of systemic physiological stress and inflammation, particularly in older men.
Development and Validation of Multivariable Prediction Models for In-Hospital Death, 30-Day Death, and Change in Residence After Hip Fracture Surgery and the “Stratify-Hip” Algorithm
Authors: Goubar Aicha , Martin Finbarr C , Sackley Catherine , Foster Nadine E , Ayis Salma , Gregson Celia L , Cameron Ian D , Walsh Nicola E , Sheehan Katie J
Published: February 2023

Background

To develop and validate the stratify-hip algorithm (multivariable prediction models to predict those at low, medium, and high risk across in-hospital death, 30-day death, and residence change after hip fracture).

Methods

Multivariable Fine-Gray and logistic regression of audit data linked to hospital records for older adults surgically treated for hip fracture in England/Wales 2011–14 (development n = 170 411) and 2015–16 (external validation, n = 90 102). Outcomes included time to in-hospital death, death at 30 days, and time to residence change. Predictors included age, sex, pre-fracture mobility, dementia, and pre-fracture residence (not for residence change). Model assumptions, performance, and sensitivity to missingness were assessed. Models were incorporated into the stratify-hip algorithm assigning patients to overall low (low risk across outcomes), medium (low death risk, medium/high risk of residence change), or high (high risk of in-hospital death, high/medium risk of 30-day death) risk.

Results

For complete-case analysis, 6 780 of 141 158 patients (4.8%) died in-hospital, 8 693 of 149 258 patients (5.8%) died by 30 days, and 4 461 of 119 420 patients (3.7%) had residence change. Models demonstrated acceptable calibration (observed:expected ratio 0.90, 0.99, and 0.94), and discrimination (area under curve 73.1, 71.1, and 71.5; Brier score 5.7, 5.3, and 5.6) for in-hospital death, 30-day death, and residence change, respectively. Overall, 31%, 28%, and 41% of patients were assigned to overall low, medium, and high risk. External validation and missing data analyses elicited similar findings. The algorithm is available at https://stratifyhip.co.uk.

Conclusions

The current study developed and validated the stratify-hip algorithm as a new tool to risk stratify patients after hip fracture.
How Does Financial Development Affect the Growth–Inequality Nexus? Evidence from a PCHVAR Analysis
Authors: Proaño Christian R , Peña Juan Carlos , Schnellbacher Sven
Published: February 2023

While the important role of financial development for economic growth, as well as for its effect on economic inequality, has been widely acknowledged by the literature, far less attention has been put on understanding how growth and inequality may be differently influenced by alternative types of financial development. Against this background, we investigate the impact of different types of financial development on the growth–inequality nexus with a panel of 110 advanced and emerging economies and yearly data ranging from 1980 to 2016. Using the panel conditionally homogeneous vector-autoregressive (PCHVAR) model of Georgiadis (2014); Georgiadis (2012), we find that the overall level of financial development (measured by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s financial development index) has a significant impact on the growth–inequality nexus. Specifically, our results reveal that a higher level of overall financial development results in more equitable economic growth. Furthermore, an increase in the income share of the top 10% income earners has a significant negative impact on economic growth for low and high levels of overall financial development but is insignificant for middle levels. By looking at more disaggregated subindices of financial development, we find that economic growth increases the income share of the low 10% income earners when financial institutions and markets are deeper and financial markets are more efficient. Thus, our results call for a more differentiated view on the concept of financial development in order to derive policy measures aimed at different parts of the society.
Evaluating parallelized support vector regression and nearest neighbor regression with different input variations for estimating daily global solar radiation of the humid subtropical region in China
Authors: Yu Xiang
Published: February 2023

Indirectly estimating global solar radiation is strongly nonlinear and needs to be addressed by machine learning. Sequentially developing a machine learning model can be very time consuming. Moreover, whether and how the exogenous meteorological, geographical and temporal variables affect regression accuracy still has not been well understood. This paper evaluates parallelized support vector regression (SVR) and nearest neighbor regression (NNR) models for estimating daily global solar radiation of the humid subtropical region in China using existing Python libraries on a multi-core central processing unit (CPU) and a graphical processing unit (GPU). Seven input variations are studied. Two variations are commonly adopted in literature, four variations contain meteorological, geographical and/or temporal features with bounded Pearson correlation coefficients (PCCs), and the other variation simply include all the available features. Experimental results demonstrate that: SVR and NNR are equally powerful for nonlinear regression, and the variation comprising features with absolute PCCs no less than 0.3 (i.e. just all the meteorological features) is able to achieve most accurate estimation; the GPU-parallelized SVR model can accelerate parameter calibration and prediction; compared with the CPU-parallelized and GPU-parallelized SVR models, the GPU-parallelized NNR model is much more efficient and rather more scalable with the increment of the number of data samples; and the CPU-parallelized NNR model consumes quite less parameter calibration time than the GPU-parallelized NNR model, owing to different methods adopted for determining distances and significant time wasted by the GPU-parallelized NNR model on repeatedly calculating required information during cross-validation.
Rational Singularities of Nested Hilbert Schemes
Authors: Ramkumar Ritvik , Sammartano Alessio
Published: February 2023

The Hilbert scheme of points $\textrm {Hilb}^{n}(S)$ of a smooth surface $S$ is a well-studied parameter space, lying at the interface of algebraic geometry, commutative algebra, representation theory, combinatorics, and mathematical physics. The foundational result is a classical theorem of Fogarty, stating that $\textrm {Hilb}^{n}(S)$ is a smooth variety of dimension $2n$. In recent years there has been growing interest in a natural generalization of $\textrm {Hilb}^{n}(S)$, the nested Hilbert scheme$\textrm {Hilb}^{(n_{1}, n_{2})}(S)$, which parametrizes nested pairs of zero-dimensional subschemes $Z_{1} \supseteq Z_{2}$ of $S$ with $\deg Z_{i}=n_{i}$. In contrast to Fogarty’s theorem, $\textrm {Hilb}^{(n_{1}, n_{2})}(S)$ is almost always singular, and very little is known about its singularities. In this paper, we aim to advance the knowledge of the geometry of these nested Hilbert schemes. Work by Fogarty in the 70’s shows that $\textrm {Hilb}^{(n,1)}(S)$ is a normal Cohen–Macaulay variety, and Song more recently proved that it has rational singularities. In our main result, we prove that the nested Hilbert scheme $\textrm {Hilb}^{(n,2)}(S)$ has rational singularities. We employ an array of tools from commutative algebra to prove this theorem. Using Gröbner bases, we establish a connection between $\textrm {Hilb}^{(n,2)}(S)$ and a certain variety of matrices with an action of the general linear group. This variety of matrices plays a central role in our work, and we analyze it by various algebraic techniques, including the Kempf–Lascoux–Weyman technique of calculating syzygies, square-free Gröbner degenerations, and the Stanley–Reisner correspondence. Along the way, we also obtain results on classes of irreducible and reducible nested Hilbert schemes, dimension of singular loci, and $F$-singularities in positive characteristic.
Interoperability with multiple Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®) profiles and versions
Authors: Kramer Mark A , Moesel Chris
Published: February 2023

Objective

To provide a method for evaluating the interoperability of Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®) clients and servers supporting different FHIR resources, profiles, and versions, and to determine the feasibility of FHIR servers supporting multiple FHIR Implementation Guides (IGs).

Materials and Methods

A method of analysis, the FHIR Interoperability Table (FHIT), is proposed. The FHIT involves the concept of a “catchment,” the type or category of data that a profile is intended to represent. The solution first aligns sender and/or receiver profiles according to their catchments, then determines the relationship between the admittances of those profiles, and finally interprets the relationship in terms of the feasibility of data exchange.

Results

The FHIT method is demonstrated by analyzing the FHIR-based exchange between the US Core IG and the International Patient Summary IG.

Discussion

The last few years have witnessed a significant growth in Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), resulting in several major versions of FHIR, hundreds of IGs, and thousands of FHIR profiles. Previous work and available tools have not fully addressed the problem of interoperability between clients and servers that support different FHIR resources, profiles, and versions.

Conclusion

Application of the proposed methodology allows interoperability problems in FHIR networks to be identified. In some cases, new profiles that resolve those conflicts can be derived, using intersections of the original profiles. There is a need for additional tools that implement the proposed method, as well as structured methods for expressing catchments in FHIR profiles.
Ventral-inlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty in a 44-year old female patient with recurrent urethral stricture
Authors: Burkhardt Orlando , Schmid Hans-Peter , Engeler Daniel , Zumstein Valentin
Published: February 2023

Female urethral stricture is a rare manifestation of bladder outlet obstruction in women. According to the current guidelines of the European Association of Urology, urethral dilatation should be offered as first line treatment. Intermittent self-dilatation (ISD) in case of recurrence is recommended. However, if patients wish definitive surgical treatment or are not able to perform ISD, urethroplasty can be considered. So far, there are little data available on urethroplasty in female patients. We present a case of a 44-year old female patient with a postoperative urethral stricture who underwent ventral-inlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty due to inability to perform ISD.
Half-quantized helical hinge currents in axion insulators
Authors: Gong Ming , Liu Haiwen , Jiang Hua , Chen Chui-Zhen , Xie X-C
Published: February 2023

Fractional quantization can emerge in noncorrelated systems due to the parity anomaly, while its condensed matter realization is a challenging problem. We propose that in axion insulators (AIs), parity anomaly manifests a unique fractional boundary excitation: the half-quantized helical hinge currents. These helical hinge currents microscopically originate from the lateral Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift of massless side-surface Dirac electrons that are totally reflected from the hinges. Meanwhile, due to the presence of the massive top and bottom surfaces of the AI, the helical current induced by the GH shift is half-quantized. The semiclassical wave packet analysis uncovers that the hinge current has a topological origin and its half quantization is robust to parameter variations. Lastly, we propose an experimentally feasible six-terminal device to identify the half-quantized hinge channels by measuring the nonreciprocal conductances. Our results advance the realization of the half-quantization and topological magnetoelectric responses in AIs.
Burned Out, Engaged, Both, or Neither? Exploring Engagement and Burnout Profiles among Social Workers in Spain
Authors: Lombardero-Posada Xoán M , Murcia-Álvarez Evelia , Aguiar-Fernández Francisco J , Méndez-Fernández Ana B , González-Fernández Antonio
Published: February 2023

Few studies have analyzed the existence of homogeneous groups (profiles) in burnout and engagement among professionals, and none in social workers. This study with 448 social workers from Spain mainly examined their profiles in burnout and engagement and the characteristics of each profile in relevant job-related variables. Cluster analyses yielded four distinct profiles: the first, Burned Out, showed high burnout and low engagement; the second, Engaged, exhibited the inverse pattern with low burnout and high engagement; the third, Both, displayed simultaneously high burnout and high engagement; the fourth, Neither, showed low burnout and low engagement. The profiles also differed greatly in work-related variables: job demands (i.e., workload and work-–family conflict), job resources (i.e., support from supervisor and coworkers), personal resources (i.e., psychological detachment and relaxation), and outcomes (i.e., intrinsic job satisfaction and intent to leave). The findings support interventions, individual and organizational, tailored to the characteristics of different groups to boost engagement and decrease burnout and turnover.
Nitric Oxide Regulates theRalstonia solanacearumType III Secretion System
Authors: Hendrich Connor G. , Truchon Alicia N. , Dalsing Beth L. , Allen Caitilyn
Published: February 2023

Ralstonia solancearum causes bacterial wilt disease on diverse plant hosts. R. solanacearum cells enter a host from soil or infested water through the roots, then multiply and spread in the water-transporting xylem vessels. Despite the low nutrient content of xylem sap, R. solanacearum grows very well inside the host, using denitrification to respire in this hypoxic environment. R. solanacearum growth in planta also depends on the successful deployment of protein effectors into host cells via a type III secretion system (T3SS). The T3SS is absolutely required for R. solanacearum virulence, but it is metabolically costly and can trigger host defenses. Thus, the pathogen's success depends on optimized regulation of the T3SS. We found that a byproduct of denitrification, the toxic free-radical nitric oxide (NO), positively regulates the R. solanacearum T3SS both in vitro and in planta. Using chemical treatments and R. solanacearum mutants with altered NO levels, we show that the expression of a key T3SS regulator, hrpB, is induced by NO in culture. Analyzing the transcriptome of R. solanacearum responding to varying levels of NO both in culture and in planta revealed that the T3SS and effectors were broadly upregulated with increasing levels of NO. This regulation was specific to the T3SS and was not shared by other stressors. Our results suggest that R. solanacearum may experience an NO-rich environment in the plant host and that this NO contributes to the activation of the T3SS during infection.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .
A Modified Reverse Planning Method for Correction of Distal Femoral Valgus Deformity: Surgical Technique and Early Results
Authors: Iobst Christopher A. , Bafor Anirejuoritse
Published: February 2023

Background:

A reverse planning method is an option for distal femur deformity correction. However, the accuracy of the technique hinges on the precision of the initial guidewire placement. This study describes a modification to the reverse planning method designed to simplify the surgical procedure for retrograde femoral nailing to correct valgus deformities. The steps of the surgical technique and the early results are presented.

Materials and Methods:

After IRB approval, patients with distal femoral valgus deformity treated with retrograde nails using the modified reverse planning method were identified. Data obtained retrospectively included basic demographics, pre and postsurgery mechanical lateral distal femoral angle, the magnitude of limb length discrepancy if present, the duration of surgery, and the occurrence of any complications.

Results:

We analyzed 17 limbs in 15 patients (10 females). The mean age at surgery was 18 years. Four patients had an additional limb length discrepancy (mean value of 2.8 ± 0.9 cm). The mean pre and postoperative mechanical lateral distal femoral angle was 83 degrees and 90 degrees, respectively (P < 0.0001). The mean duration of surgery was 90 minutes.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that the modified reverse planning concept can be applied successfully to achieve accurate correction and healing of distal femoral valgus deformities. Furthermore, by adjusting the level of the osteotomy, this modified approach simplifies the surgical technique in several ways: (1) it creates a reproducible visual cue for the surgeon, (2) it decreases the surgical time by eliminating the need for fixator assistance, and (3) it reduces the need for multiple coronal planes blocking screws.
Pre-operative ultrasound prediction of difficult airway management in adult patients
Authors: Giordano Giovanni , Alessandri Francesco , Zulian Aurora , Bilotta Federico , Pugliese Francesco
Published: February 2023

BACKGROUND

Predicting a difficult airway, including difficult laryngoscopy, intubation or mask ventilation, is paramount in peri-operative management. As clinical predictors are only partially reliable, ultrasound-based measurements might be useful in evaluating anterior neck fat tissues depth.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic review is to report clinical evidence on pre-operative ultrasound as a predictor of difficult laryngoscopy, difficult intubation or difficult mask ventilation.

DESIGN

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials and observational studies.

DATA SOURCES

The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar databases were queried from inception until 28 February 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies involving adult patients who had undergone orotracheal intubation after evaluation with airways ultrasound were considered suitable. Exclusion criteria were a clinical history of difficult airways, cancer or trauma, pregnancy, supraglottic airway devices, video-laryngoscopy. Parameters were classified by reporting their accuracy in discriminating ‘difficult’ vs. ‘not difficult’ laryngoscopy, intubation or mask ventilation.

RESULTS

Thirty-one observational studies were included and a total of 41 single parameters and 12 different combinations of clinical and ultrasound parameters were reported. The distance from skin to epiglottis midway with neutral position of head and neck, the distance from hyoid bone to skin surface with a neutral position of head and neck and the hyomental distance extended/neutral ratio are the most associated with difficult laryngoscopy or difficult intubation. A combination of clinical and ultrasound parameters (a modified Mallampati score, the distance from the skin to the epiglottis midway with neutral position of the head and neck, and the USED-MSH score) showed high accuracy. Only two studies reported the role of ultrasound in predicting difficult mask ventilation: the distance from hyoid bone to skin surface with neutral position of head and neck, the thickness of the base of the tongue with hyperextension of the head, and the hyomental distance with hyperextension of the head and active subluxation of the mandible are the parameters with the highest correlation.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of ultrasound parameters might be useful in predicting difficult laryngoscopy or difficult intubation. Several ultrasound parameters and combinations have been associated with difficult laryngoscopy or difficult intubation prediction. The use of scores combining clinical predictors and ultrasound measures are very promising. Data on difficult mask ventilation are scarce and the role of ultrasound is still controversial. Future studies are needed.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRD42021250574.