bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiplanar continuous fiber reinforcement in additively manufactured parts via co-part assembly
Authors: Kelly Peter G. , Gallup Benjamin H. , Roy-Mayhew Joseph D.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Many additively manufactured parts suffer from reduced interlayer strength. This anisotropy is necessarily tied to the orientation during manufacture. When individual features on a part have conflicting optimal orientations, the part is unavoidably compromised. This paper aims to demonstrate a strategy in which conflicting features can be functionally separated into “co-parts” which are individually aligned in an optimal orientation, selectively reinforced with continuous fiber, printed simultaneously and, finally, assembled into a composite part with substantially improved performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Several candidate parts were selected for co-part decomposition. They were printed as standard fused filament fabrication plastic parts, parts reinforced with continuous fiber in one plane and co-part assemblies both with and without continuous fiber reinforcement (CFR). All parts were loaded until failure. Additionally, parts representative of common suboptimally oriented features (“unit tests”) were similarly printed and tested.

Findings

CFR delivered substantial improvement over unreinforced plastic-only parts in both standard parts and co-part assemblies, as expected. Reinforced parts held up to 2.5x the ultimate load of equivalent plastic-only parts. The co-part strategy delivered even greater improvement, particularly when also reinforced with continuous fiber. Plastic-only co-part assemblies held up to 3.2x the ultimate load of equivalent plastic only parts. Continuous fiber reinforced co-part assemblies held up to 6.4x the ultimate load of equivalent plastic-only parts. Additionally, the thought process behind general co-part design is explored and a vision of simulation-driven automated co-part implementation is discussed.

Originality/value

This technique is a novel way to overcome one of the most common challenges preventing the functional use of additively manufactured parts. It delivers compelling performance with continuous carbon fiber reinforcement in 3D printed parts. Further study could extend the technique to any anisotropic manufacturing method, additive or otherwise.
That Awkward Region: Writing and Advising on the History of Northern Ireland
Authors: Gallagher Niamh
Published: May 2023

The history of Northern Ireland poses two particular challenges for the political historian. First, histories of the region are inextricably bound up with contemporary political positions: historical time becomes distorted as histories are refracted through the lens of modern political controversies. Second, the importance of historical ‘memory’ to contemporary politics leaves little room for doubt, uncertainty or academic expertise. The past is assumed to be known; what place is there for academic historians when politicians and many members of the public are so invested in their own readings of the past? This article explores these challenges through two case studies in which the author was involved: the Historical Advisory Panel established by the UK government for the centenary of Northern Ireland; and subsequent debates around the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. It illustrates the difficult relationship between academic, public and politicised histories, and considers the lessons for historians whose expertise places them at the interface of those different ‘pasts’.
The spaces of religion: a view from South Asia★
Authors: Gellner David N.
Published: May 2023

Anthropologists have spilt much ink deconstructing concepts inherited from the Enlightenment. Religion, possibly the most misleading such concept, has proved highly resistant to the acid of cross‐cultural comparison. Debates about the nature of religion go back to sociocultural anthropology's beginnings as a discipline and beyond. Proposed definitions have been numerous, but none has come close to universal acceptance, mainly because conventional definitions are secularized versions of Abrahamic, and especially Protestant, positions and reproduce their essentialism and intellectualism. I argue that by looking closely at the way religious phenomena are conceptualized in South Asia, and especially at how distinct types of religion are practised in characteristically different spaces, a fresh take on the subject is possible. Religion as practised is not one thing but at least three distinct activities and should be conceptualized as such. But, if that is so, how and why is the totalizing conventional view still so pervasive and so powerful? Seeking the answer to that question takes us back to the constitution of modernity and the relationship of religion to the nation‐state. The way forward is to contest the way in which religion has become the last bastion of pure essentialism.
How do new energy vehicle companies deal with ambiguous product harm crises? Scenario simulation based on three communication strategies
Authors: Xiong Yongqing , Deng Chi
Published: May 2023

In the face of some product harm crises of new energy vehicles, which are difficult to find out the real reasons, it is highly significant for new energy vehicle companies to choose appropriate communication strategies. This study examines the impact of three communication tactics on consumer trust and purchase willingness using two rounds of scenario simulation experiments based on stimulus–organism–response theory. The results show that, when compared with deny and rebuild method, the diminish strategy is the most effective in reducing the influence of ambiguous product harm crises on consumer behaviours. Simultaneously, brand reputation has a moderating effect. For new energy vehicle companies with high brand reputation, the communication effect of diminish strategy is the best. Only a higher‐cost rebuild strategy can be viable for automotive businesses with a poor brand reputation. Thus, when dealing with ambiguous product harm crises, new energy vehicle companies should focus on efficient and low‐cost diminish strategy. Meanwhile, to take the initiative in dealing with an ambiguous product harm crisis, we must improve the technical maturity of products as well as improve the after‐sales service system to continuously enhance the brand reputation.
Influence of variation in calcium content on casein micelle stability and techno‐functional properties of buffalo milk
Authors: Deshmukh Utkarsh , Arora Sumit , Kathuria Deepika , Singh Ashish Kumar , Hussain Shaik Abdul , Singh Richa
Published: May 2023

Changes in techno‐functional properties of buffalo milk were evaluated due to variation in calcium content. Decalcification resulted in significant variation in ζ‐potential, casein size, colour and ηapp. However, calcium addition only influenced ζ‐potential of milk. In case of acid gelation, the time and temperature required for coagulation decreased significantly for both calcium‐depleted and ‐added milks. However, during chymosin gelation, only 20%–30% of calcium‐depleted milk coagulated with an increased clotting time. Furthermore, calcium addition increased firmness, consistency and cohesiveness of both chymosin and acid‐induced gelation.
Risk of adverse obstetric outcomes in patients with a history of endometrial cancer: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Shim Seung‐Hyuk , Noh Eunjin , Lee A Jin , Jang Eun Bi , Kim Minjeong , Hwang Han Sung , Cho Geum Joon
Published: May 2023

Objective

To evaluate adverse obstetric outcomes in women with a history of endometrial cancer (EC).

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

The Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI) claims database.

Population

Women who gave birth between 2009 and 2016, with a history of EC prior to pregnancy.

Methods

The KNHI database was used to compare obstetric outcomes of women with and without a history of EC, using the ICD‐10 codes. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between a history of EC and adverse obstetric outcomes.

Main outcomes measures

Adverse obstetric outcomes.

Results

Overall, 248 and 3 335 359 women with and without a history of EC, respectively, gave birth. When adjusted for age, primiparity and comorbidities, an increased risk of multiple gestations (odds ratio [OR] 4.925, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.394–7.147), caesarean delivery (OR 2.005, 95% CI 1.535–2.62) and preterm birth (OR 1.941, 95% CI 1.107–3.404) was observed among women with a history of EC. We were unable to demonstrate significant differences in the risk of pre‐eclampsia, gestational diabetes, vacuum delivery, placenta praevia, placenta accreta spectrum, placental abruption and postpartum haemorrhage between the groups. In the sensitivity analyses excluding multiple gestations, an increased risk of preterm birth was not observed among women with a history of EC (OR 1.276, 95% CI 0.565–2.881).

Conclusions

There is no convincing evidence of an increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes among women with a history of EC. Our findings would be useful in counselling of patients with EC who are undergoing fertility‐sparing treatment.
Management of dialysis patients with hepatitis C virus in the era of direct‐acting antiviral therapy
Authors: Toyoda Hidenori , Kikuchi Kan
Published: May 2023

The clinical use of direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has dramatically changed management of patients with HCV liver disease since 2014; this is also true for patients undergoing dialysis. Due to the high tolerability and antiviral efficacy of anti‐HCV therapy, most dialysis patients with HCV infection should currently be candidates for this treatment. Many patients with HCV antibodies no longer have HCV infection, and it is difficult to identify patients with actual HCV infection based only on HCV antibody assays. Despite the high rate of successful HCV eradication, the risk of liver‐related events such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the major complication of HCV infection, persists even after HCV cure, and patients at risk of HCC should undergo continuous HCC surveillance. Finally, the rarity of HCV reinfection and the survival benefit of HCV eradication in dialysis patients should be explored in further studies.
The diagnostic value of shear‐wave elastography in the salivary glands of patients with primary Sjögren syndrome
Authors: Ma Haichao , Liu Lihong , Sun Xuehui , Liu Meijuan , Liu Zhongfeng
Published: May 2023

Objective

We aimed to quantify the extent of salivary gland fibrosis using shear‐wave elastography (SWE) to assess its diagnostic value for primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS).

Methods

A total of 58 pSS patients and 44 controls underwent SWE ultrasound evaluation of the parotid and submandibular glands. We measured the degree of salivary gland fibrosis in all participants and investigated the diagnostic accuracy of SWE for pSS and its relationship to disease progression.

Results

The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of pSS were highest when the critical Young's modulus values of the parotid and submandibular glands were 18.4 and 15.9 kPa, respectively, effectively improving the diagnostic value of pSS. The area under the SWE curve of the submandibular gland was higher than that of the parotid gland (z = 2.292, P = 0.02), suggesting that the submandibular gland was damaged earlier. The mean parotid gland thickness of pSS patients was thicker than in healthy controls (mean ± standard deviation 2.5 ± 0.3 vs 2.4 ± 0.2, P = 0.013]. SWE had a 70.3% sensitivity for diagnosing pSS patients with a disease duration of 5 years, but this did not differ significantly from pSS patients with a longer disease duration.

Conclusions

SWE is a valid diagnostic method for pSS. The degree of salivary gland fibrosis related to secretory function and pathological progression, and quantitative measurements of tissue elasticity provide objective criteria for predicting damage in pSS.
Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome with cranial bone involvement: Case report and literature review
Authors: Li Yuan , Hou Xiujuan , Liu Shengyan , Lu Siyi , Du Mengmeng , Dong Xia , Liu Xiaoping , Li Chen
Published: May 2023

Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by osteoarticular and dermatological manifestations. The most common osteoarticular manifestations involve the anterior chest wall, axial skeleton, and long bones. Cranial bone involvement is less reported in SAPHO syndrome. We herein present three cases of SAPHO syndrome with cranial bone involvement, and review the previous literature on similar manifestations. It was revealed that SAPHO syndrome could lead to cranial bone involvement, which could involve the dura mater, leading to hypertrophic pachymeningitis, but the outcome is usually good. Janus kinase inhibitors may be a potential treatment option.
Reporting misstatements as revisions: An evaluation of managers' use of materiality discretion
Authors: Thompson Rachel A.
Published: May 2023

In recent years, firms reporting revisions of prior financial statements outnumber those reporting restatements. Misstatements that are material to prior periods are required to be reported as restatements, whereas immaterial errors can be reported as revisions. Based on SEC guidance and widely used materiality benchmarks, I find a significant percentage (29%) of revisions are suspect in that they meet at least one materiality criterion. These suspect revisions are 15% to 29% more likely to be reported when managers have a strong incentive to avoid restatements—when they face the threat of a compensation clawback for reporting a restatement. This result is especially salient when the clawback policy does not require misconduct for recoupment and when the error correction significantly reduces prior period net income. Overall, this evidence suggests that some managers use materiality discretion opportunistically to report misstatements as revisions instead of restatements.
Description of Euchre gen. nov., a new Coccidulini genus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from the Euchre Valley in Australia
Authors: Szawaryn Karol
Published: May 2023

Australia is inhabited by a very rich and mostly endemic fauna of ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae), with a relatively high proportion of taxa belonging to the tribe Coccidulini. Australian Coccidulini are grouped in 15 genera, of which 11 are endemic. Here, a new distinctive Australian Coccidulini genus and species is described—Euchre australis gen. et sp. nov., which is characterised by compact antennal club, long ventral antennal grooves on head capsule extending to anterior margin of prosternum, and presence of chin piece partially covering mouthparts in repose. Its relationship with other Australian Coccidulini genera is discussed.
The endoscopic‐assisted or endoscopic mini‐ or less‐open preperitoneal (E/MILOP) approach for primary and incisional ventral hernia repair
Authors: Nakabayashi Rumi , Matsubara Taketo , Shimada Gen
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The endoscopic‐assisted or endoscopic mini‐ or less‐open sublay (E/MILOS) concept describes a contemporary approach of trans‐hernial repair of ventral hernia via sublay mesh placement. The term sublay often causes confusion, and preperitoneal placement of mesh should be considered as a distinctive approach. We hereby present our experience of a novel approach, the E/MILOP approach, for the repair of primary and incisional ventral hernias.

Methods

All patients who underwent E/MILOP between January 2020 and December 2022 were identified and their preoperative and perioperative characteristics, as well as postoperative outcomes, were retrospectively analyzed. The surgical procedure entailed an incision over the hernia defect and careful entrance into, and development of, the preperitoneal space trans‐hernially. A synthetic mesh was placed in the preperitoneal space and the defect was closed with sutures.

Results

A total of 26 patients with primary and/or incisional ventral hernias who underwent E/MILOP were identified. Three patients (11.5%) presented with two coexistent types of hernias, and out of a total of 29 hernias, there were 21 (72.4%) umbilical, four epigastric (13.8%) and four incisional (13.8%) hernias. The mean defect width was 2.7 ± 0.9 cm. All cases utilized a mesh with a mean mesh‐to‐defect ratio of 12.9. The mean postoperative stay was 1.9 days. Surgical site occurrence was observed in eight (30.1%) patients, but none required intervention. No recurrence was observed during a mean follow‐up period of 286.7 days.

Conclusion

The E/MILOP approach is a novel alternative for primary and incisional ventral hernia repair.
Maternal and neonatal outcomes after benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine agonist exposure during pregnancy in women with mental disorders
Authors: Knobbe Hennique , Damer Elvera A. , Edens Mireille A. , Nij Bijvank Bas S. W. A. , Hemels Marieke A. C. , ter Horst Peter G. J.
Published: May 2023

Aims

To compare the gestational age of neonates in utero exposed to benzodiazepines (BDZs) with nonexposed controls. Secondary objectives were birth weight, presence of congenital malformations, APGAR score and the need for >3 months (prolonged) maternal psychiatric care.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of women and neonates from 2013 to 2021 with univariate and multivariable analysis to study the associations between BDZ exposure and gestational age compared to nonexposed women with mental health problems.

Results

We found that BDZ exposure was not associated with a lower gestational age. We found that women in the exposed group had an increased risk of psychiatric care (adjusted odds ratio 2.58 [95% confidence interval 1.71–3.91], P < .001).

Conclusion

We found that in utero BDZ exposure was not associated with a significantly lower gestational age of the neonates and was associated with prolonged psychiatric care of their mothers.
IMoS: Intent‐Driven Full‐Body Motion Synthesis for Human‐Object Interactions
Authors: Ghosh Anindita , Dabral Rishabh , Golyanik Vladislav , Theobalt Christian , Slusallek Philipp
Published: May 2023

Can we make virtual characters in a scene interact with their surrounding objects through simple instructions? Is it possible to synthesize such motion plausibly with a diverse set of objects and instructions? Inspired by these questions, we present the first framework to synthesize the full‐body motion of virtual human characters performing specified actions with 3D objects placed within their reach. Our system takes textual instructions specifying the objects and the associated ‘intentions’ of the virtual characters as input and outputs diverse sequences of full‐body motions. This contrasts existing works, where full‐body action synthesis methods generally do not consider object interactions, and human‐object interaction methods focus mainly on synthesizing hand or finger movements for grasping objects. We accomplish our objective by designing an intent‐driven full‐body motion generator, which uses a pair of decoupled conditional variational auto‐regressors to learn the motion of the body parts in an autoregressive manner. We also optimize the 6‐DoF pose of the objects such that they plausibly fit within the hands of the synthesized characters. We compare our proposed method with the existing methods of motion synthesis and establish a new and stronger state‐of‐the‐art for the task of intent‐driven motion synthesis.
How Will It Drape Like? Capturing Fabric Mechanics from Depth Images
Authors: Rodriguez‐Pardo Carlos , Prieto‐Martin Melania , Casas Dan , Garces Elena
Published: May 2023

We propose a method to estimate the mechanical parameters of fabrics using a casual capture setup with a depth camera. Our approach enables to create mechanically‐correct digital representations of real‐world textile materials, which is a fundamental step for many interactive design and engineering applications. As opposed to existing capture methods, which typically require expensive setups, video sequences, or manual intervention, our solution can capture at scale, is agnostic to the optical appearance of the textile, and facilitates fabric arrangement by non‐expert operators. To this end, we propose a sim‐to‐real strategy to train a learning‐based framework that can take as input one or multiple images and outputs a full set of mechanical parameters. Thanks to carefully designed data augmentation and transfer learning protocols, our solution generalizes to real images despite being trained only on synthetic data, hence successfully closing the sim‐to‐real loop. Key in our work is to demonstrate that evaluating the regression accuracy based on the similarity at parameter space leads to an inaccurate distances that do not match the human perception. To overcome this, we propose a novel metric for fabric drape similarity that operates on the image domain instead on the parameter space, allowing us to evaluate our estimation within the context of a similarity rank. We show that out metric correlates with human judgments about the perception of drape similarity, and that our model predictions produce perceptually accurate results compared to the ground truth parameters.
An Optimization‐based SPH Solver for Simulation of Hyperelastic Solids
Authors: Kee Min Hyung , Um Kiwon , Kang HyunMo , Han JungHyun
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes a novel method for simulating hyperelastic solids with Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). The proposed method extends the coverage of the state‐of‐the‐art elastic SPH solid method to include different types of hyperelastic materials, such as the Neo‐Hookean and the St. Venant‐Kirchoff models. To this end, we reformulate an implicit integration scheme for SPH elastic solids into an optimization problem and solve the problem using a general‐purpose quasi‐Newton method. Our experiments show that the Limited‐memory BFGS (L‐BFGS) algorithm can be employed to efficiently solve our optimization problem in the SPH framework and demonstrate its stable and efficient simulations for complex materials in the SPH framework. Thanks to the nature of our unified representation for both solids and fluids, the SPH formulation simplifies coupling between different materials and handling collisions.
Stochastic Subsets for BVH Construction
Authors: Tessari L. , Dittebrand A. , Doyle M. J. , Benthin C.
Published: May 2023

BVH construction is a critical component of real‐time and interactive ray‐tracing systems. However, BVH construction can be both compute and bandwidth intensive, especially when a large degree of dynamic geometry is present. Different build algorithms vary substantially in the traversal performance that they produce, making high quality construction algorithms desirable. However, high quality algorithms, such as top‐down construction, are typically more expensive, limiting their benefit in real‐time and interactive contexts. One particular challenge of high quality top‐down construction algorithms is that the large working set at the top of the tree can make constructing these levels bandwidth‐intensive, due to O(nlog(n)) complexity, limited cache locality, and less dense compute at these levels. To address this limitation, we propose a novel stochastic approach to GPU BVH construction that selects a representative subset to build the upper levels of the tree. As a second pass, the remaining primitives are clustered around the BVH leaves and further processed into a complete BVH. We show that our novel approach significantly reduces the construction time of top‐down GPU BVH builders by a factor up to 1.8×, while achieving competitive rendering performance in most cases, and exceeding the performance in others.
Face Editing Using Part‐Based Optimization of the Latent Space
Authors: Aliari Mohammad Amin , Beauchamp Andre , Popa Tiberiu , Paquette Eric
Published: May 2023

We propose an approach for interactive 3D face editing based on deep generative models. Most of the current face modeling methods rely on linear methods and cannot express complex and non‐linear deformations. In contrast to 3D morphable face models based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we introduce a novel architecture based on variational autoencoders. Our architecture has multiple encoders (one for each part of the face, such as the nose and mouth) which feed a single decoder. As a result, each sub‐vector of the latent vector represents one part. We train our model with a novel loss function that further disentangles the space based on different parts of the face. The output of the network is a whole 3D face. Hence, unlike part‐based PCA methods, our model learns to merge the parts intrinsically and does not require an additional merging process. To achieve interactive face modeling, we optimize for the latent variables given vertex positional constraints provided by a user. To avoid unwanted global changes elsewhere on the face, we only optimize the subset of the latent vector that corresponds to the part of the face being modified. Our editing optimization converges in less than a second. Our results show that the proposed approach supports a broader range of editing constraints and generates more realistic 3D faces.
Evolving Guide Subdivision
Authors: Karčiauskas K. , Peters J.
Published: May 2023

To overcome the well‐known shape deficiencies of bi‐cubic subdivision surfaces, Evolving Guide subdivision (EG subdivision) generalizes C2 bi‐quartic (bi‐4) splines that approximate a sequence of piecewise polynomial surface pieces near extraordinary points. Unlike guided subdivision, which achieves good shape by following a guide surface in a two‐stage, geometry‐dependent process, EG subdivision is defined by five new explicit subdivision rules. While formally only C1 at extraordinary points, EG subdivision applied to an obstacle course of inputs generates surfaces without the oscillations and pinched highlight lines typical for Catmull‐Clark subdivision. EG subdivision surfaces join C2 with bi‐3 surface pieces obtained by interpreting regular sub‐nets as bi‐cubic tensor‐product splines and C2 with adjacent EG surfaces. The EG subdivision control net surrounding an extraordinary node can have the same structure as Catmull‐Clark subdivision: two rings of 4‐sided facets around each extraordinary nodes so that extraordinary nodes are separated by at least one regular node.
Preserving the autocovariance of texture tilings using importance sampling
Authors: Lutz Nicolas , Sauvage Basile , Dischler Jean‐Michel
Published: May 2023

By‐example aperiodic tilings are popular texture synthesis techniques that allow a fast, on‐the‐fly generation of unbounded and non‐periodic textures with an appearance matching an arbitrary input sample called the “exemplar”. But by relying on uniform random sampling, these algorithms fail to preserve the autocovariance function, resulting in correlations that do not match the ones in the exemplar. The output can then be perceived as excessively random.

In this work, we present a new method which can well preserve the autocovariance function of the exemplar. It consists in fetching contents with an importance sampler taking the explicit autocovariance function as the probability density function (pdf) of the sampler. Our method can be controlled for increasing or decreasing the randomness aspect of the texture. Besides significantly improving synthesis quality for classes of textures characterized by pronounced autocovariance functions, we moreover propose a real‐time tiling and blending scheme that permits the generation of high‐quality textures faster than former algorithms with minimal downsides by reducing the number of texture fetches.
Scene‐Aware 3D Multi‐Human Motion Capture from a Single Camera
Authors: Luvizon D. C. , Habermann M. , Golyanik V. , Kortylewski A. , Theobalt C.
Published: May 2023

In this work, we consider the problem of estimating the 3D position of multiple humans in a scene as well as their body shape and articulation from a single RGB video recorded with a static camera. In contrast to expensive marker‐based or multi‐view systems, our lightweight setup is ideal for private users as it enables an affordable 3D motion capture that is easy to install and does not require expert knowledge. To deal with this challenging setting, we leverage recent advances in computer vision using large‐scale pre‐trained models for a variety of modalities, including 2D body joints, joint angles, normalized disparity maps, and human segmentation masks. Thus, we introduce the first non‐linear optimization‐based approach that jointly solves for the 3D position of each human, their articulated pose, their individual shapes as well as the scale of the scene. In particular, we estimate the scene depth and person scale from normalized disparity predictions using the 2D body joints and joint angles. Given the per‐frame scene depth, we reconstruct a point‐cloud of the static scene in 3D space. Finally, given the per‐frame 3D estimates of the humans and scene point‐cloud, we perform a space‐time coherent optimization over the video to ensure temporal, spatial and physical plausibility. We evaluate our method on established multi‐person 3D human pose benchmarks where we consistently outperform previous methods and we qualitatively demonstrate that our method is robust to in‐the‐wild conditions including challenging scenes with people of different sizes. Code: https://github.com/dluvizon/scene‐aware‐3d‐multi‐human
GOD IS BEAUTIFUL, UGLY, DEAD: NAVID KERMANI, FERIDUN ZAIMOGLU AND (MORE THAN) CHRISTIAN ART
Authors: Twist Joseph
Published: May 2023

Navid Kermani's and Feridun Zaimoglu's engagements as Muslims with Christian art reveal the possibilities and limitations of aesthetic experiences of the divine beyond all doctrinal divides. Although Kermani's own research into the aesthetic dimension of Islam highlights the potential for art to offer spiritual insight, his rejection of some Christian imagery, especially of the crucifix, in his book Ungläubiges Staunen: Über das Christentum (2015), suggests this potential has limits which are not only matters of subjective taste but also epistemological barriers that are difficult to overcome. However, some of Kermani's interpretations lead to a syncretic understanding of Christian and Islamic ideas and aesthetics, pointing towards new notions of the divine. Similarly, Zaimoglu's series of contemporary icons featuring Jesus and other Biblical figures opens up spiritual possibilities beyond religious divides through their ambiguous links to Christianity and Islam. This distinction between an experience of the divine across religious boundaries and its failure can be theorised through Jean‐Luc Marion's understanding of the ‘icon’ and the ‘idol’ respectively, whereby the former returns the viewer's gaze and unleashes a destabilising openness to the sacred, whereas the latter involves the dominant gaze of the viewer and reinforces what they already know.
Long maternal working hours were linked to obesity, underweight and stunting in children under age 5 in China
Authors: Ding Xinyue , Li Jianghong , Zhao Li‐yun , Yang Zhen‐yu , Zhao Wenhua
Published: May 2023

This study assessed the relationship between maternal working hours and stunting, underweight and obesity in children under age 5 in China, using data from the China Nutrition and Health Survey (CNHS) conducted in 2002 and multivariable logistic regression. We found that maternal work hours 25–40 or >40 h per week were associated with a higher risk for underweight and stunting (under growth) in children under age 5. The association between working 25–40 h per week and stunting was somewhat stronger for children from low‐income families and the effect of working >40 h per week on underweight was larger among children from mothers with lower education, although with marginal significance (90% confidence). In contrast, we found that long maternal work hours (>40 h per week) were associated with a lower risk for overweight and obesity in children under age 5. This association was stronger among children from mothers with lower education.
Inhibiting N‐glycan processing increases the antibody binding affinity and effector function of human natural killer cells
Authors: Rodriguez Benavente Maria Carolina , Hughes Harrison B. , Kremer Paul G. , Subedi Ganesh P. , Barb Adam W.
Published: May 2023

Novel approaches are required to improve the efficacy of immunotherapies and increase the proportion of patients who experience a benefit. Antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) contributes to the efficacy of many monoclonal antibodies therapies. Natural killer (NK) cells mediate ADCC, though responses are highly variable and depend on prior treatment as well as other factors. Thus, strategies to increase NK cell activity are expected to improve multiple therapies. Both cytokine treatment and NK cell receptor engineering are being explored to increase ADCC. Post‐translational modifications, including glycosylation, are widely recognized as mediators of cellular processes but minimally explored as an alternative strategy to increase ADCC. We evaluated the impact of treatment with kifunensine, an inhibitor of asparagine‐linked (N‐)glycan processing, on ADCC using primary and cultured human NK cells. We also probed affinity using binding assays and CD16a structure with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Treating primary human NK cells and cultured YTS‐CD16a cells with kifunensine doubled ADCC in a CD16a‐dependent manner. Kifunensine treatment also increased the antibody‐binding affinity of CD16a on the NK cell surface. Structural interrogation identified a single CD16a region, proximal to the N162 glycan and the antibody‐binding interface, perturbed by the N‐glycan composition. The observed increase in NK cell activity following kifunensine treatment synergized with afucosylated antibodies, further increasing ADCC by an additional 33%. These results demonstrate native N‐glycan processing is an important factor that limits NK cell ADCC. Furthermore, optimal antibody and CD16a glycoforms are defined that provide the greatest ADCC activity.
Effect of sinus resection combined with vacuum‐assisted closure on sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus
Authors: Liu Xiao , Zhao Xiaoyu , Shen Guoliang , Fan Shuwen , Xu Jun , Fan Zhaojun , Li Ke
Published: May 2023

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of sinus removal combined with vacuum‐assisted closure in the treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus. From January 2019 to May 2022, 62 patients with sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus were treated and their information was collected at our hospital. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: an observation group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 30). The control group underwent a simple sinus resection and suture, while the observation group received a sinus resection combined with closed negative pressure drainage of the wound. A retrospective analysis of the data obtained was conducted. Perioperative indicators, clinical efficacy, postoperative pain, complications, aesthetic effects, and satisfaction scores at six months after the operation were compared between the two groups, and the recurrence rate at six months after the operation was recorded. Through this study, we found that the observation group had significantly shorter surgery time, hospital stay, and return time compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the observation group had a higher overall recurrence rate (ORR) of 100.00%, which was significantly better than the control group's ORR of 86.67% (P < 0.05). The visual analog scale (VAS) score at 6, 12, and 24 h after the operation was significantly lower in the observation group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Although the differences were not significant (P > 0.05), the observation group had decreased white blood cell, neutrophil, and C‐reactive protein levels after the operation. Moreover, the total occurrence rate of postoperative complications in the observation group was significantly lower (6.25%) than that of the control group (26.67%; P < 0.05). The observation group also had significantly lower scores on the postoperative scar scale and higher satisfaction scores than the control group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the postoperative recurrence rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). Our study demonstrated that sinus resection combined with vacuum‐assisted closure was more effective in treating sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus compared with simple sinus resection and suture. This approach significantly reduced surgery time, hospital stay, and return time. It also effectively relieved postoperative pain, reduced the occurrence of postoperative complications, resulted in smaller postoperative scars, and yielded better aesthetic outcomes and higher patient satisfaction.
RETRACTED: Enhanced recovery after surgery care to reduce surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications for patients undergoing liver surgery
Authors: Wang Yu‐Ling , Zhang Fa‐Biao , Zheng Ling‐E , Yang Wei‐Wei , Ke Lan‐Lan
Published: May 2023

This study comprehensively assessed the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing liver surgery. The PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang electronic databases were searched to collect published studies on the use of ERAS in liver surgery until December 2022. Literature selection was performed independently by two investigators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality evaluation and data extraction were performed. RevMan 5.4 software was used in this study. Compared with the control group, the ERAS group showed a significantly lower incidence of postoperative wound infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41–0.84, P = .004) and overall postoperative complication rate (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33–0.57, P < .001) and significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (mean difference: −2.30, 95% CI: −2.92 to −1.68, P < .001). Therefore, ERAS was safe and feasible when applied to liver resection, reducing the incidence of wound infection and total postoperative complications, and shortening the length of hospital stay. However, further studies are required to investigate the impact of ERAS protocols on clinical outcomes.
The effect of prolonged 60° head of bed elevation on sacral subepidermal oedema in healthy adults: A quantitative prospective exploratory study
Authors: Latimer Sharon L. , Bone Madeline , Walker Rachel M. , Thalib Lukman , Gillespie Brigid M.
Published: May 2023

Head of bed elevation is used to manage some medical and surgical conditions however this may increase a patient's risk of sacral pressure injuries. Novel point‐of‐care technologies that measure subepidermal moisture can identify changes in localised subepidermal oedema and potential pressure injury risk. This prospective exploratory study investigated variations in sacral subepidermal oedema in healthy adults during 120‐min of 60° head of bed elevation. Sacral subepidermal oedema was measured at 20‐min intervals using the Provisio® subepidermal moisture scanner. Descriptive analysis, one‐way repeated measures analysis of variance and an independent t‐test were conducted. Slightly more male volunteers (n = 11; 55%) were recruited and the sample mean age was 39.3 years (SD 14.7) with an average body mass index of 25.8 (SD 4.3). Little variation in the mean sacral subepidermal moisture of healthy adults was observed. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean sacral subepidermal moisture measurements between males and females (Mean difference 0.18; 95% confidence intervals: 0.02 to 0.35; P = .03). Healthy adults can tolerate prolonged 60° head of bed elevation without developing increased subepidermal sacral oedema. This warrants further investigation in other populations, in various positions and over different time periods.
A trans‐African migrant shows repeatable route choice in males and repeatable timing in females
Authors: Vansteelant Wouter M. G. , Gangoso Laura , Viana Duarte S. , Shamoun‐Baranes Judy Z. , Figuerola Jordi
Published: May 2023

Migrant bird populations often show substantial variation in route choice and timing. Determining whether this population‐level variation is driven by between‐individual differences and/or flexibility within individuals is key to identifying drivers of migration patterns. ‘Repeatability' (R, the proportion of population‐level variation attributable to between‐individual variation) has become a central metric for the relative consistency of individual behaviour. Individual repeatability in migratory route choice and timing is often reported to vary between seasonal and regional contexts and may also differ between demographic groups (e.g. sexes), but interpreting repeatability requires careful consideration of the underlying changes in between‐ and within‐individual variation. We GPS‐tracked repeat migrations for eight male and five female Eleonora's falcons Falco eleonorae and quantified the magnitude of within‐ and between‐individual variation and the individual repeatability of their seasonal routes and timing at 100 km intervals all across Africa. We did this across both sexes, and then separately for males and females. We found greater between‐individual variation in spring routes, albeit with substantial regional fluctuations in both seasons. The greatest between‐individual variation in routes occurred during the spring desert‐crossing, but this coincided with high within‐individual variation, and thus only low repeatability of route choice. Route repeatability instead peaked (R = 0.6–0.8) through the Horn of Africa in spring, and during the rainforest‐crossing in autumn. Variation and repeatability of timing was stable across regions, with generally higher between‐individual variation and repeatability in spring. Sex‐specific analyses suggest males exhibit higher route repeatability, while females exhibit stronger seasonal contrasts in timing repeatability. Such sex differences were unexpected, but overall, between‐individual variation and repeatability in routes and timings appear greater where environmental and annual cycle constraints are weaker. Route repeatability is especially high where falcons show fidelity to stop‐over sites, or individual barrier‐crossing preferences. Individual routines may be acquired through early‐life exploration‐refinement.
ClSnRK2.3 negatively regulates watermelon fruit ripening and sugar accumulation
Authors: Wang Jinfang , Wang Yanping , Yu Yongtao , Zhang Jie , Ren Yi , Tian Shouwei , Li Maoying , Liao Shengjin , Guo Shaogui , Gong Guoyi , Zhang Haiying , Xu Yong
Published: May 2023

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) as non‐climacteric fruit is domesticated from the ancestors with inedible fruits. We previously revealed that the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway gene ClSnRK2.3 might influence watermelon fruit ripening. However, the molecular mechanisms are unclear. Here, we found that the selective variation of ClSnRK2.3 resulted in lower promoter activity and gene expression level in cultivated watermelons than ancestors, which indicated ClSnRK2.3 might be a negative regulator in fruit ripening. Overexpression (OE) of ClSnRK2.3 significantly delayed watermelon fruit ripening and suppressed the accumulation of sucrose, ABA and gibberellin GA4. Furthermore, we determined that the pyrophosphate‐dependent phosphofructokinase (ClPFP1) in sugar metabolism pathway and GA biosynthesis enzyme GA20 oxidase (ClGA20ox) could be phosphorylated by ClSnRK2.3 and thereby resulting in accelerated protein degradation in OE lines and finally led to low levels of sucrose and GA4. Besides that, ClSnRK2.3 phosphorylated homeodomain‐leucine zipper protein (ClHAT1) and protected it from degradation to suppress the expression of the ABA biosynthesis gene 9’‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 3 (ClNCED3). These results indicated that ClSnRK2.3 negatively regulated watermelon fruit ripening by manipulating the biosynthesis of sucrose, ABA and GA4. Altogether, these findings revealed a novel regulatory mechanism in non‐climacteric fruit development and ripening.
The Impact of Extreme Heat Exposure on Pregnant People and Neonates: A State of the Science Review
Authors: Baharav Yuval , Nichols Lilly , Wahal Anya , Gow Owen , Shickman Kurt , Edwards Maya , Huffling Katie
Published: May 2023

The relationship between heat exposure and perinatal morbidity and mortality is of increasing concern as global temperatures rise and extreme heat events become more frequent and intense. Heat exposure can lead to a multitude of harmful outcomes for pregnant individuals and neonates, including hospitalization and death. This state of the science review explored the evidence on the associations between heat exposure and negative health outcomes during pregnancy and the neonatal period. Findings suggest that improving health care provider and patient awareness of heat‐related risks and implementing specific interventions could mitigate adverse outcomes. Furthermore, public health and other policy interventions are needed to increase thermal comfort and reduce societal exposure to extreme heat and related risks. Early warning systems, medical alerts, provider and patient education, and increased access to health care and thermal comfort may improve pregnancy and early life health outcomes.
Non‐pharmacological interventions for older adults with postprandial hypotension: A scoping review
Authors: Huang Lei , Cheng Linan , Xie Xiaofeng , Pu Lihui , Jiang Wenyi , Zou Ying , Zhang Fengying
Published: May 2023

Background

Older adults frequently suffer from postprandial hypotension, associated with an increased risk of falls, syncope, acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and even death. Researchers use non‐pharmacological interventions, but related literature is dispersed and lacks a latest summary.

Objective

The aim of this study was to map and examine non‐pharmacological interventions currently employed to assist older adults with postprandial hypotension and lay a solid foundation for future studies.

Methods

This study adhered to the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses extension for scoping reviews. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Chinese Biomedical Journal, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and WAN FANG Data were retrieved from their inception to 1 August 2022.

Results

Two randomized controlled trials and seven quasi‐experimental studies were included. Small meals, exercise interventions, fibre with meals, green tea and water therapy have been reported to prevent postprandial hypotension effectively; however, position changes have been reported to have no impact on postprandial blood pressure decrease. Additionally, the blood pressure determination methods and test meals may affect observed trial effects.

Conclusion

Large samples and long‐term follow‐up studies are needed to prove the efficacy and safety of existing non‐pharmacological interventions. Future studies should develop a BP determination method based on the postprandial BP decline trajectory induced by a given test meal to improve the reliability of study results.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

This review broadly summarizes existing studies on developing and validating non‐pharmacological interventions for older adults with postprandial hypotension. It also analyses special factors that may influence the trial effects. This may provide a useful reference for future research.