bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of blank size on impact hydroforming of 2195 Al-Li alloy half-tube part with curvature
Authors: Zhu H L , Xu Y , Chen S F , Zhang S H
Published: June 2023

Aluminum-Lithium (Al-Li) alloy has excellent properties such as low density, high elastic modulus and high specific strength, and it is considered as the most ideal structural material in aerospace. However, due to the low plasticity of Al-Li alloy at room temperature, it is easy to crack during cold forming, so its application and development have been limited. In order to explore the possibility of improving the plasticity of 2195 Al-Li alloy at room temperature, a half-tube part with curvature and deep cavity structure was formed by using impact hydroforming (IHF) technology. In this paper, the process route of half-tube part was optimized and four sizes of blank were designed. Through finite element numerical simulation and analysis, it was found that the F area was prone to wrinkle defects when there was less material at the inner arc position, and the most serious thinning occurred in the design margin area. After analysis and comparison, the blank size with drawing ratio of 2.22 was finally selected. Based on the verification experiment, it was found that due to the material properties of Al-Li alloy and the characteristics of IHF, one-step forming was difficult, and the forming of half-tube part was prone to insufficient drawing depth or large area fracture; Although the part obtained by two-step forming also had cracks, the overall forming quality of the part would not be affected because they were located in the design margin area to be removed later. In addition, it was observed that the surface quality of the part removed the design margin area were free of wrinkles and cracks, which meets the objective design requirements.
Influence of elevated surface temperature on the formability in cold forming of aluminum alloy sheets
Authors: Hodžić E , Shafiee Sabet A , Silvayeh Z , Auer P , Drexler A , Sommitsch C , Domitner J
Published: June 2023

In recent decades, deep drawing has been widely used in the automotive industry for producing lightweight car body components of 5xxx and 6xxx aluminum alloys. Although sheets of these alloys are usually deep-drawn at room temperature, heat generated by friction and plastic deformation may locally increase the surface temperature of the drawing tools during the serial production of components. Therefore, this work investigates the influence of elevated surface temperatures of the tool on the formability of commercial hotmelt-lubricated 1.5 mm-thick EN AW-5182 and EN AW-6016-T4 sheets. Deep drawing experiments were performed at different constant surface temperatures between room temperature (RT) and 80 °C using a cross-shaped tool with open die. With increasing surface temperature, the maximum drawing depth – that was considered as indicator for the formability – decreased by about 21 % and 28 % for EN AW-6016-T4 and EN AW-5182, respectively. Tribological experiments performed using a pin-on-plate tribometer confirmed this trend. The results clearly showed that the coefficient of friction (COF) between the sheet and the tool significantly increase at elevated surface temperature; the most notable increase of the COF occurred between 40 °C and 60 °C.
Material variability effects on automotive part production process
Authors: Chezan A R , Atzema E H , Pilthammar J , Sigvant M
Published: June 2023

The current efforts to reduce the carbon footprint throughout the chain in the automotive industry by increased use of recycled materials poses new challenges for materials production and their use. The increase of steel scrap fraction in the current primary steel making processes, used for producing steel sheet metal for automotive components, possibly affects the material properties variability beyond the limits observed in the materials produced today despite mitigating actions in steel production. In this paper material variability increase was modelled by selecting deterministic values outside the range of the material grade used to design and manufacture an automotive part. The values were selected from an experimental data set representing the cold rolled mild steels material class range. The effects were studied numerically on a reverse engineered model of an existing automotive part production process. It was found that the manufacturing feasibility in this particular case is mainly affected by the weighted average plastic strain ratio and less by the degree of planar anisotropy.
Numerical modelling of shear cutting using particle methods
Authors: Sandin Olle , Prieto Juan Manuel Rodríguez , Hammarberg Samuel , Casellas Daniel
Published: June 2023

The use of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) allows for lightweighting of sheet steel components, with maintained structural integrity of the part. However, AHSS grades show limitations in edge crack resistance, primarily influenced by sheared edge damage introduced by the shear cutting process. Numerical modelling of the shear cutting process can aid the understanding of the sheared edge damage, thus avoiding unforeseen edge cracking in the subsequent cold forming. However, the extreme deformations of the blank during the shear cutting process are likely to cause numerical instabilities and divergence using conventional Finite Element modelling. To overcome these challenges, this work presents the use of a particle-based numerical modelling method called the Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM). PFEM accurately solves some of the challenges encountered in shear cutting with the standard Finite Element method, such as large deformation, angular distortions, generation of new boundaries and presents an efficient way of transfer historical information from the old to the new mesh, minimising the results diffusion. The present work shows prediction of cut edge morphology of AHSS using a PFEM modelling scheme, where the numerical results are verified against experiments. With these results, the authors show new possibilities to obtain accurate numerical prediction of the shear cutting process, which promotes further advances in prediction of edge damaged related to shear cutting of AHSS.
Displacement driven simulation and material calibration based on digital image correlation Part I - Theory
Authors: Liebold C , Ilg C , Haufe A , Usta T , Sreenivasa V
Published: June 2023

Standard material characterization methods for subsequent finite element analysis rely on the simulation utilizing ideally discretized specimen that represent its geometrical characteristics as in the real experiment. Since many material models hold a set of parameters which is dependent on the discretization, e.g. the mesh size, especially when failure prediction for crash analysis is relevant, various mesh sizes are utilized during this calibration process. Optical measurement systems accompanying the experimental tests have become a standardized procedure, at least for a 2-dimensional (or specimen top-surface) measurements. Investigated calibration methods relying on the results of these optical measurements either include the derived strain field into the characterization process (full-field calibration), determine the crack path and iteratively derive plasticity curves (stepwise-modelling approach) or establish virtual fields based on the principal of virtual work allowing to solve for the scalar unknowns of the underlying chosen constitutive equation (virtual fields method). In the presented work, we directly use displacements measured using a GOM/ARAMIS system, mapped as boundary conditions for the nodal displacements of differently discretized specimen to establish a material characterization scheme being as close to the experiment as possible.
An overview of Methods for Simulating Sheet Metal Forming with Elastic Dies
Authors: Pilthammar J , Sigvant M , Islam M S , Schill M , Sjöblom S , Sjöblom V , Lind M
Published: June 2023

Sheet metal forming (SMF) simulations are traditionally carried out with rigid active forming surfaces. This means that the elasticity and dynamics of presses and die structures are ignored. The only geometries of the tools included in the simulations are the active forming surfaces. One reason for this simplification is the large amount of computational power that is required to solve finite element (FE) models that incorporates elastic stamping dies. Another reason is the lack of die CAD models before the later stages of stamping projects. Research during the last couple of decades indicated potential large benefits when including elastic dies in SMF simulations. For example, for simulating die try-out or for Digital Twins of presses and dies. Even though the need and potential benefits of elastic dies in simulations are well known it is not yet implemented on a wide scale. The main obstacles have been lacking data on presses and dies, long simulation times, and no standardized implementation in SMF software. This paper presents an overview of existing methods for SMF simulations with elastic dies and discuss their respective benefits and drawbacks. The survey of methods shows that simulation models with elastic tools will be needed for detailed analyses of forming operations and also for purposes like digital twins. On the other hand, simplified and robust models can be developed for non-FEA users to carry out simple one-step compensation of tool surfaces for virtual spotting purposes. The most promising and versatile method from the literature is selected, modified, and demonstrated for industrial sized dies.
Displacement based Simulation and Material Calibration based on Digital Image Correlation Part II - Application
Authors: Ilg C , Liebold C , Sreenivasa V , Haufe A , Karadogan C , Liewald M
Published: June 2023

An alternative approach to calibrate material models is proposed. The entire displacement field of a specimen measured with a DIC system was converted into boundary conditions by the Envyo® mapping software. These boundary conditions were imposed on all nodes in the corresponding LS-DYNA® simulation model. In this way a digital twin of the specimen geometry and the experimental kinematics was obtained. Considering the local stress equilibrium over the entire specimen and the equilibrium of global force integrated over many hypothetical cross sections, LS-OPT® was used to iteratively determine the isotropic model parameters of the tested material. A new tensile specimen geometry is introduced to get the most out of a single test. The findings suggest that, at present, convergence in iterative parameter optimization cannot be attained without prior filtering and smoothing of the DIC input data in time and space, despite the utilization of the chosen material model.
Impact of elastic modulus evolution on springback prediction
Authors: Lemoine X , Devin J M
Published: June 2023

Today, the hardening Yoshida-Uemori model is implemented in the most used FEA stamping codes (Autoform®, Pamstamp®, LS-Dyna®…) with occasionally some variations. This forming material card is requested regularly by the car manufacturers. The Yoshida-Uemori model is a combined hardening model coupled with the elastic evolution modulus which depends on the equivalent plastic strain. According to the experimental tests conducted and their identification protocol, the set of parameters improves the springback prediction compared to the prediction with a purely isotropic hardening model. The numerical analysis shows that the elastic modulus evolution has an influence on springback prediction of the same order as the combined hardening (isotropic and kinematic). The adjusting parameters governing the evolution of the elastic modulus are identified thanks to hysteresis loops conducted between 0.2% of plastic deformation and uniform elongation (Uel). For each loop, there are several ways to define an unloading elastic module: the chord of loop; the slope deducted from the linear regression on unloading path on a range. According to the choice of range, the value differs. What is the impact of these choices on the springback prediction of a stamped part?
Experimental investigation of the effect of W-temper forming process parameters on springback
Authors: Jemal D E , Zsolt L
Published: June 2023

High strength aluminium alloys have drawn a lot of attention because of the expanding demand for lightweight vehicle design in the automotive sector. Due to poor formability at room temperature warm and hot forming have been advised. However, warm and hot forming methods need more steps in the production process and an advanced tooling system. In contrast, since ordinary tools can be used, forming sheets at room temperature in the W-temper condition is advantageous. However, a significant problem that must be resolved during the use of this technique is the springback of supersaturated sheets and their thinning. In this study, the high strength aluminium alloy was solution heat treated, and a U-shaped bending test was carried out at different time periods between W-temper heat treatment and forming operation. As a result, it is noted that the springback is highly dependent on the time between W-temper heat treatment and forming operations, and the change in shape increases with increasing time. The change in shape after forming was also evaluated using numerical simulation aiming to validate the experimental result. To determine the material parameters of the kinematic hardening model for numerical simulation, uniaxial tension-unload tests were performed under different ageing conditions.
Artificial intelligence-based springback compensation of EV motor component
Authors: Choi Hyunsung , Kwon Yongnam , Cho Joon Ho , Whan Yoon Jeong
Published: June 2023

The hairpin is a crucial component of the drive motor of an electric vehicle, consisting of a copper coil and a very thin enamel layer. It is manufactured using successive forming processes due to its complex shape. After the forming processes, springback is inevitably observed, which causes critical issues in fabricating the drive motor. Compensating springback is a time and cost-inefficient process, and a new process is required for a cost-efficient forming process. In this research, an intelligent forming process has been proposed for springback compensation of hairpin forming by applying Artificial Intelligence to the forming process. The key parameters for the AI are the dimensions of the copper coil, including bobbin information, material property variance in a coil bobbin, punch stroke, and amount of springback. As a preliminary design, the data set has been constructed through the finite element simulation. For the springback compensation, punch stroke was optimized with the trained AI and optimization algorithm. The results show that AI could play a key role in solving the manufacturing issue.
Optimised parametrisation of the MMC fracture model using AE and FE analysis
Authors: Stockburger E , Wester H , Behrens B-A
Published: June 2023

To save resources in component production, finite element (FE) simulations are state of the art during process design to prevent expensive tool modifications. For a high accuracy of a FE simulation, realistic material data is required. Unlike for flow behaviour, the determination of the fracture behaviour is not standardised. Conventionally, tensile tests with different geometries are performed, monitored with digital image correlation (DIC) and fracture is determined on the surface. However, for many specimens the initiation of fracture is assumed to occur inside the material prior to a macroscopic fracture on the surface. Therefore, various tensile tests with butterfly specimens were performed for a HCT980X steel and monitored with a DIC as well as an acoustic emission analysis (AEA) system. The displacement at fracture was evaluated conventionally for fracture on the specimen’s surface based on the DIC and unconventionally for fracture inside the specimen by AEA. FE models of the butterfly tests were created with fracture displacements of both evaluation methods as boundary conditions. Using the numerically determined stress state and fracture strain from the butterfly models, the MMC fracture model was parametrised for both evaluation methods and compared by applying both models to a FE simulation of a forming process.
A uniform method for the characterization of shear fracture strain for high-strength steel sheets under quasi-static and crash loading
Authors: Klitschke S , Westhäuser S , Schneider M , Heitzmann A , Pearce A , Friebe H
Published: June 2023

In the conflict between lightweight design and crash safety of high-strength steel components failure models for crash simulation have to be calibrated precisely. To predict shear failure strains in a wide strain rate range shear experiments must be performed from quasi-static up to crash-relevant strain rates of about 100 s-1. In particular, asymmetric notched shear tensile specimens have proven useful for this purpose in previous investigations. Using this type of shear specimen, a characterization concept for shear loading in a wide strain rate range is presented for high strength steel sheets of different strength, ductility and sheet thickness in this contribution. Within a round robin test of different laboratories the influence of the degrees of freedom in the clamping area and the free clamping length on the kinematic of the specimens and on the deformation and failure behavior in the shear zone are investigated in detail. The main outcome is that the disadvantages of a fix clamping in terms of shear deformation, shear fracture and homogeneity of the shear zone can be compensated by a large free clamping length. An evaluation method based on digital image correlation (DIC) is presented, which enables an operator- and laboratory-independent determination of shear strains up to failure.
Multistate multiscale docking study of the hydrolysis of toxic nerve agents by phosphotriesterase
Authors: Gupta Prashant Kumar , Tarannam Naziha , Zev Shani , Major Dan Thomas
Published: June 2023

The G- and V-type nerve agents are among the most toxic compounds known, where inhalation of a few mg could cause potential death. Over the years wild-type phosphotriesterase (PTE) has gained much attention due to its capability of detoxifying these deadly compounds. The underlying mechanism proceeds via a hydroxyl attack on the P or C centers of the organophosphate nerve agents followed by the departure of the leaving group. Two Zn2+ cations present in the active site center of PTE indirectly assist the hydrolysis. Apart from the wild-type PTE, several designer enzyme variants reportedly catalyze the hydrolysis process much more efficiently. Herein, we studied the hydrolysis of eight toxic compounds with one of the enzyme variants (PTE_27) that show higher efficiency than the wild type as reported in a recent article. We docked both the high energy intermediate state and substrate for all the eight ligands using a consensus docking scheme as implemented in the docking program EnzyDock. Additionally, we investigated the hydrolytic reaction mechanism for all eight ligands employing density functional theory in implicit chloroform solvent and found that hydrolysis for these ligands follows three different possible mechanisms. Finally, EnzyDock successfully predicted correct enantiomeric poses and also score these as low energy docked structures.
Recent advances in meniscus-on-demand three-dimensional micro- and nano-printing for electronics and photonics
Authors: Hu Shiqi , Huan Xiao , Liu Yu , Cao Sixi , Wang Zhuoran , Kim Ji Tae
Published: June 2023

Highlights

The significance and universality of meniscus-on-demand 3D printing method for micro- and nano-fabrication are introduced.

The theoretical dynamics and physics behind the meniscus formation are summarized.

The applicability to various printable materials and capabilities for fabrication of photonic and electronic devices are demonstrated.

The existing challenge and potential research opportunities in terms of micro/nano-scale meniscus-on-demand 3D printing are pointed out.
Weld defect identification and characterization in radiographic images using deep learning: Review
Authors: Bansal Abhi , Vettivel S C , Kumar Mukesh , Agarwal Muskan
Published: June 2023

Defects in the welds degrade the quality of the weld. Weld defect identification is a challenging task in the industry because of the wide range of weld imperfections. Weld defect detection using radiographic images is an effective technique for achieving good weld quality in shipbuilding and aerospace applications. Foreign inclusions, cracks and pores are examples of welding joint imperfections. Several appropriate computer-based image processing techniques have made the detection of weld defects possible. It is challenging because weld imperfection can show various sizes, shapes, contrasts and locations in radiography images. The accuracy of this inspection process is more dependent on various external factors and is also time-consuming. Automatic weld defect detection is needed by analyzing the images obtained directly from digital radiographic systems. This paper uses a unique image-based approach to a small batch of x-ray imaging datasets to investigate a potential solution for weld defect identification. This article compares a deep learning network’s performance for various parameter and hyper-parameter combinations. Also it compares the traditional approaches of defect detection using manual inspection method, feature-based defect identification, and finally deep - learning based approach on several types of weld defects in various industrial applications. This comparative analysis concludes that deep learning-based approaches have achieved more accuracy as compared to conventional techniques. This research paper also highlights a few challenges and future directions in welding area.
Have We Been Underestimating Modifiable Dementia Risk? An Alternative Approach for Calculating the Combined Population Attributable Fraction for Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors
Authors: Welberry Heidi J , Tisdell Christopher C , Huque Md. Hamidul , Jorm Louisa R
Published: June 2023

Estimating the fraction of dementia cases in a population attributable to a risk factor or combination of risk factors (the population attributable fraction (PAF)) informs the design and choice of dementia risk-reduction activities. It is directly relevant to dementia prevention policy and practice. Current methods employed widely in the dementia literature to combine PAFs for multiple dementia risk factors assume a multiplicative relationship between factors and rely on subjective criteria to develop weightings for risk factors. In this paper we present an alternative approach to calculating the PAF based on sums of individual risk. It incorporates individual risk factor interrelationships and enables a range of assumptions about the way in which multiple risk factors will combine to affect dementia risk. Applying this method to global data demonstrates that the previous estimate of 40% is potentially too conservative an estimate of modifiable dementia risk and would necessitate subadditive interaction between risk factors. We calculate a plausible conservative estimate of 55.7% (95% confidence interval: 55.2, 56.1) based on additive risk factor interaction.
Preventing Retraction With Use of Primary Eyelid Spacer Grafts in Cosmetic Lower Lid Blepharoplasty
Authors: Bui Huyen , Li Dong , Kim H Joon
Published: June 2023

Background

Lower eyelid retraction is a challenging complication that can develop after a cosmetic lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Factors such as proptosis and negative orbital vector may place patients at a higher risk for developing postblepharoplasty retraction. Rather than addressing this complication after it occurs postoperatively, this study focuses on preventing its occurrence through the use of primary eyelid spacer grafts during the initial blepharoplasty.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to review the outcomes of primary eyelid spacer graft placement during the initial cosmetic lower lid blepharoplasty.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed at Emory Eye Center between January 1, 2014, and January 1, 2022. Patients that underwent lower eyelid blepharoplasty with primary eyelid spacer graft placement were identified and included in the study. Fifteen patients with Hertel measurements of >17 and adequate preoperative and postoperative photographs were analyzed.

Results

Fifteen patients with exophthalmometry measurements of >17 and adequate preoperative and postoperative photographs were analyzed. The mean change in marginal reflex distance 2 was 0.19 mm (range, −1.05 to 1.24 mm). Two patients developed eyelid retraction at their long-term follow-up. Both patients developed retraction about 2 years after the initial surgery.

Conclusions

Although this study was limited by its retrospective nature and had a small sample size, none of these high-risk patients developed immediate post blepharoplasty retraction. Careful preoperative evaluation should be performed to identify these high-risk patients, and placement of a primary eyelid spacer graft during the initial lower eyelid blepharoplasty should be considered in this population.
A Novel Technique for the Permanent Restoration of Pretarsal Fullness of the Lower Eyelids
Authors: Chang Ray-Hon , Chang Yean-Lu
Published: June 2023

Background

The presence of static pretarsal fullness is an essential aesthetic feature in Asian culture that endows a youthful and smiling attractive look to the face. The restoration of static pretarsal fullness using acellular dermal matrix implantation or autogenous fascia grafting can result in suboptimal outcomes because of the unpredictable resorption rate. Therefore, a new method is required to achieve a stable, long-term, and natural result.

Objectives

The authors describe a new method to address the deficiency of static pretarsal fullness.

Methods

Sixteen Asian female patients with a deficiency of static pretarsal fullness who received implantation of a bundle of implants consisting of segmented Gore-Tex sutures (W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Flagstaff, AZ) overlaid with a mastoid fascia graft were retrospectively evaluated in a 15-year period from July 2007 to July 2022. Patients were assigned to categories based on the pretarsal fullness contour.

Results

Sixteen female patients aged between 22 and 40 years (mean age: 30.375 ± 7.580) underwent the procedure. The mean follow-up period was 52.25 (±33.757) months (range, 6-120 months). Fourteen patients were considered to have satisfactory results. However, 2 patients encountered complications, one of which was a case of infection that was successfully managed through revision and led to an excellent outcome. The other patient experienced malposition, which was also corrected successfully through revision.

Conclusions

Our new method for creating pretarsal fullness using Gore-Tex suture implants overlaid with a retroauricular mastoid fascia graft is effective in achieving aesthetic static pretarsal fullness and obtaining excellent permanent cosmetic outcomes.

Level of Evidence: 4
MEvA-X: a hybrid multiobjective evolutionary tool using an XGBoost classifier for biomarkers discovery on biomedical datasets
Authors: Panagiotopoulos Konstantinos , Korfiati Aigli , Theofilatos Konstantinos , Hurwitz Peter , Deriu Marco Agostino , Mavroudi Seferina
Published: June 2023

Motivation

Biomarker discovery is one of the most frequent pursuits in bioinformatics and is crucial for precision medicine, disease prognosis, and drug discovery. A common challenge of biomarker discovery applications is the low ratio of samples over features for the selection of a reliable not-redundant subset of features, but despite the development of efficient tree-based classification methods, such as the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), this limitation is still relevant. Moreover, existing approaches for optimizing XGBoost do not deal effectively with the class imbalance nature of the biomarker discovery problems, and the presence of multiple conflicting objectives, since they focus on the training of a single-objective model. In the current work, we introduce MEvA-X, a novel hybrid ensemble for feature selection (FS) and classification, combining a niche-based multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (EA) with the XGBoost classifier. MEvA-X deploys a multiobjective EA to optimize the hyperparameters of the classifier and perform FS, identifying a set of Pareto-optimal solutions and optimizing multiple objectives, including classification and model simplicity metrics.

Results

The performance of the MEvA-X tool was benchmarked using one omics dataset coming from a microarray gene expression experiment, and one clinical questionnaire-based dataset combined with demographic information. MEvA-X tool outperformed the state-of-the-art methods in the balanced categorization of classes, creating multiple low-complexity models and identifying important nonredundant biomarkers. The best-performing run of MEvA-X for the prediction of weight loss using gene expression data yields a small set of blood circulatory markers which are sufficient for this precision nutrition application but need further validation.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/PanKonstantinos/MEvA-X.
Efficiently quantifying DNA methylation for bulk- and single-cell bisulfite data
Authors: Fischer Jonas , Schulz Marcel H
Published: June 2023

Motivation

DNA CpG methylation (CpGm) has proven to be a crucial epigenetic factor in the mammalian gene regulatory system. Assessment of DNA CpG methylation values via whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) is, however, computationally extremely demanding.

Results

We present FAst MEthylation calling (FAME), the first approach to quantify CpGm values directly from bulk or single-cell WGBS reads without intermediate output files. FAME is very fast but as accurate as standard methods, which first produce BS alignment files before computing CpGm values. We present experiments on bulk and single-cell bisulfite datasets in which we show that data analysis can be significantly sped-up and help addressing the current WGBS analysis bottleneck for large-scale datasets without compromising accuracy.

Availability and implementation

An implementation of FAME is open source and licensed under GPL-3.0 at https://github.com/FischerJo/FAME.
Postbiotics as potential new therapeutic agents for sepsis
Authors: Lou Xiran , Xue Jinfang , Shao Ruifei , Mo Chunyan , Wang Fuping , Chen Guobing
Published: June 2023

Sepsis is the main cause of death in critically ill patients and gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a crucial role in sepsis. On the one hand, sepsis leads to the destruction of gut microbiota and induces and aggravates terminal organ dysfunction. On the other hand, the activation of pathogenic gut flora and the reduction in beneficial microbial products increase the susceptibility of the host to sepsis. Although probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation preserve gut barrier function on multiple levels, their efficacy in sepsis with intestinal microbiota disruptions remains uncertain. Postbiotics consist of inactivated microbial cells or cell components. They possess antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Microbiota-targeted therapy strategies, such as postbiotics, may reduce the incidence of sepsis and improve the prognosis of patients with sepsis by regulating gut microbial metabolites, improving intestinal barrier integrity and changing the composition of the gut microbiota. They offer a variety of mechanisms and might even be superior to more conventional ‘biotics’ such as probiotics and prebiotics. In this review, we present an overview of the concept of postbiotics and summarize what is currently known about postbiotics and their prospective utility in sepsis therapy. Overall, postbiotics show promise as a viable adjunctive therapy option for sepsis.
The role of music in promoting health and wellbeing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Viola Erica , Martorana Marco , Airoldi Chiara , Meini Cristina , Ceriotti Daniele , De Vito Marta , De Ambrosi Damiano , Faggiano Fabrizio
Published: June 2023

Background

The higher disease burden and related costs due to an increasing aging population have placed tremendous pressure on the healthcare systems worldwide. Given that music, both listened and actively performed, promotes and maintains good health and wellbeing among the population, we sought to perform a systematic review that would assess its biopsychosocial effects on a population over 40 years of age.

Methods

A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles up to April 2021 was conducted on six electronic databases (i.e. Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus). Our study population only included healthy adults of 40 years and older. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) matched the inclusion criteria and were therefore analyzed.

Results

Despite the heterogeneity of the methodologies used in the selected studies, our findings suggest that active musical participation can lead to beneficial effects on both cognitive and psychosocial functioning, whereas the positive impact of listening to music seems to be predominantly restricted to the cognitive domain.

Conclusions

Although our results are consistent with both active and passive music activities favouring health and wellbeing in individuals 40 years old and over, future prospective RCTs, employing more uniformed and sensitive measurements, should allow us to better gauge the role of music participation in healthy aging and longevity, especially in countries with a high population density of elderly people.
Androgens and Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators to Treat Functional Limitations Associated With Aging and Chronic Disease
Authors: Bhasin Shalender , Krishnan Venkatesh , Storer Thomas W , Steiner Mitchell , Dobs Adrian S
Published: June 2023

Testosterone, many steroidal androgens, and nonsteroidal ligands that bind to androgen receptor and exert tissue-specific transcriptional activity (selective androgen receptor modulators [SARMs]) are being developed as function-promoting therapies to treat functional limitations associated with aging and chronic diseases. This narrative review describes preclinical studies, mechanisms, and randomized trials of testosterone, other androgens, and nonsteroidal SARMs. Sex differences in muscle mass and strength and empiric use of anabolic steroids by athletes to increase muscularity and athletic performance provide supportive evidence of testosterone’s anabolic effects. In randomized trials, testosterone treatment increases lean body mass, muscle strength, leg power, aerobic capacity, and self-reported mobility. These anabolic effects have been reported in healthy men, hypogonadal men, older men with mobility limitation and chronic diseases, menopausal women, and HIV-infected women with weight loss. Testosterone has not consistently improved walking speed. Testosterone treatment increases volumetric and areal bone mineral density, and estimated bone strength; improves sexual desire, erectile function, and sexual activity; modestly improves depressive symptoms; and corrects unexplained anemia in older men with low testosterone levels. Prior studies have not been of sufficient size or duration to determine testosterone’s cardiovascular and prostate safety. The efficacy of testosterone in reducing physical limitations, fractures, falls, progression to diabetes, and correcting late-onset persistent depressive disorder remains to be established. Strategies to translate androgen-induced muscle mass and strength gains into functional improvements are needed. Future studies should evaluate the efficacy of combined administration of testosterone (or a SARM) plus multidimensional functional exercise to induce neuromuscular adaptations required for meaningful functional improvements.
The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Musculoskeletal Health: The VITAL and DO-Health Trials
Authors: LeBoff Meryl S , Bischoff-Ferrari Heike A
Published: June 2023

Previous clinical trials and systematic reviews on the effects of supplemental vitamin D on musculoskeletal outcomes are conflicting. In this paper, we review the literature and summarize the effects of a high daily dose of 2 000 IU vitamin D on musculoskeletal outcomes in generally healthy adults, in men (≥50 years) and women (≥55 years) in the 5.3-year US VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) trial (n = 25 871) and women and men (≥70 years) in the 3-year European DO-HEALTH trial (n = 2 157). These studies found no benefit of 2 000 IU/d of supplemental vitamin D on nonvertebral fractures, falls, functional decline, or frailty. In VITAL, supplementation with 2 000 IU/d of vitamin D did not reduce the risk of total or hip fractures. In a subcohort of VITAL, supplemental vitamin D did not improve bone density or structure (n = 771) or physical performance measures (n = 1 054). In DO-HEALTH, which investigated additive benefits of vitamin D with omega-3 and a simple home exercise program, the 3 treatments combined showed a significant 39% decreased odds of becoming prefrail compared to the control. The mean baseline 25(OH)D levels were 30.7 ± 10 ng/mL in VITAL and 22.4 ± 8.0 ng/mL in DO-HEALTH and increased to 41.2 ng/mL and 37.6 ng/mL in the vitamin D treatment groups, respectively. In generally healthy and vitamin D-replete older adults not preselected for vitamin D deficiency or low bone mass or osteoporosis, 2 000 IU/d of vitamin D had no musculoskeletal health benefits. These findings may not apply to individuals with very low 25(OH)D levels, gastrointestinal disorders causing malabsorption, or those with osteoporosis.
Cohort Changes and Sex Differences After Age 50 in Cognitive Variables in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: O’Keefe Patrick , Muniz-Terrera Graciela , Voll Stacey , Clouston Sean , Wanström Linda , Mann Frank D , Lee Rodgers Joseph , Hofer Scott M
Published: June 2023

Objectives

This paper models cognitive aging, across mid and late life, and estimates birth cohort and sex differences in both initial levels and aging trajectories over time in a sample with multiple cohorts and a wide span of ages.

Methods

The data used in this study came from the first 9 waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, spanning 2002–2019. There were n = 76,014 observations (proportion male 45%). Dependent measures were verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall, and orientation. Data were modeled using a Bayesian logistic growth curve model.

Results

Cognitive aging was substantial in 3 of the 4 variables examined. For verbal fluency and immediate recall, males and females could expect to lose about 30% of their initial ability between the ages of 52 and 89. Delayed recall showed a steeper decline, with males losing 40% and females losing 50% of their delayed recall ability between ages 52 and 89 (although females had a higher initial level of delayed recall). Orientation alone was not particularly affected by aging, with less than a 10% change for either males or females. Furthermore, we found cohort effects for initial ability level, with particularly steep increases for cohorts born between approximately 1930 and 1950.

Discussion

These cohort effects generally favored later-born cohorts. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Development and process evaluation of a new entertainment-education TV series for cancer prevention in Portugal
Authors: Ribeiro Nuno , Carvalho Luís , Oliveira Pedro , Marcos Nuno T
Published: June 2023

Cancer is a primary societal challenge worldwide, with over 23 million new cases/year, and 10 million deaths/year. Estimates of preventable cancer deaths rise as high as 70%, but such estimates rely heavily on individual behaviors, which in turn are correlated with knowledge and attitudes towards health and cancer. This paper describes the iterative evidence-based development of the first entertainment-education series on cancer prevention to be televised, and reports its effectiveness evaluation. A nominal group defined the guiding principles that were translated into key characteristics for a series named ‘2’ Life-changing minutes’. Pilot episodes were produced and evaluated in two complementary studies—a focus group study with medical doctors and a survey study with prospective viewers. Results from these studies guided the optimization and production of the full series, which was broadcast on national public TV, in prime time. An evaluation study was performed afterwards with naturally-occurring viewers and results show audience reach on par with purely entertainment series, that health messages can be clearly conveyed through fictional narratives, and that the series has high levels of appreciation and health promotion potential. ‘2’ Life-changing minutes’ constitutes a novel and effective proposal for health promotion, that challenges the primacy of information and statistics still common in health communication, with a new format based on stories, characters and social contexts to successfully promote health.
Clonal Patterns Between Pouch Neoplasia and Prior Colorectal Neoplasia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: An Exploratory Cohort Study
Authors: te Groen Maarten , Derikx Lauranne A A P , van Lierop Lisa , Ylstra Bauke , Hoentjen Frank , Nagtegaal Iris D , Simmer Femke
Published: June 2023

Lay Summary

Prior colorectal neoplasia is the strongest predictor of pouch neoplasia in inflammatory bowel disease, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. We observed clonality between colorectal and pouch neoplasia in 30% of patients, indicating that most pouch neoplasia develops clonally independent from prior colorectal lesions.
Toward an Understanding of Octopus Arm Motor Control
Authors: Olson Cassady S , Ragsdale Clifton W
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

Octopuses have the extraordinary ability to control eight prehensile arms with hundreds of suckers. With these highly flexible limbs, they engage in a wide variety of tasks, including hunting, grooming, and exploring their environment. The neural circuitry generating these movements engages every division of the octopus nervous system, from the nerve cords of the arms to the supraesophegeal brain. In this review, the current knowledge on the neural control of octopus arm movements is discussed, highlighting open questions and areas for further study.
Neuroethology in The Age of Gene Editing: New Tools And Novel Insights into The Molecular And Neural Basis of Behavior
Authors: Alward Beau A , Juntti Scott A
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

Fifty years ago, animal models studied in the lab were highly diverse, and biological insights were derived from experiments in many species. However, the pursuit of mechanistic explanations in organismal biology led to a shift in the species most commonly studied. The advent of genetic manipulations and economies of scale promoted the consolidation of research into fewer species (eg, Drosophila melanogaster, Mus musculus, Danio rerio, Caenorhabditis elegans). As a result, the tremendous variety of evolutionary adaptations across species provided insights into ultimate causes of evolution, but their proximate mechanisms have been understudied in recent decades. Within the last decade, developments in genome modifications have enabled functional genetic studies in a wide variety of species. This special issue combines papers derived from a symposium organized at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology conference in January 2023 in Austin, Texas. The symposium entitled “Neuroethology in the age of gene editing: New tools and novel insights into the molecular and neural basis of behavior” was convened to catalyze the transfer of knowledge and skills from researchers who have applied genome modification technologies in new model organisms to scientists who would like to bring these approaches to their own research programs. We highlight this work here, and suggest how the future of biological knowledge will be informed by these powerful experiments.
Variance component estimation and genome-wide association of predicted methane production in crossbred beef steers
Authors: Lakamp Andrew D , Ahlberg Cashley M , Allwardt Kristi , Broocks Ashely , Bruno Kelsey , McPhillips Levi , Taylor Alexandra , Krehbiel Clint R , Calvo-Lerenzo Michelle S , Richards Chris J , Place Sara E , DeSilva Udaya , Kuehn Larry A , Weaber Robert L , Bormann Jennifer M , Rolf Megan M
Published: June 2023

Enteric methane is a potent greenhouse gas and represents an escape of energy from the ruminant digestive system. Additive genetic variation in methane production suggests that genetic selection offers an opportunity to diminish enteric methane emissions. Logistic and monetary difficulties in directly measuring methane emissions can make genetic evaluation on an indicator trait such as predicted methane production a more appealing option, and inclusion of genotyping data can result in greater genetic progress. Three predicted methane production traits were calculated for 830 crossbred steers fed in seven groups. The methane prediction equations used included mathematical models from Ellis et al. (2007), Mills et al. (2003), and IPCC (2019). Pearson correlations between the traits were all greater than 0.99, indicating that each prediction equation behaved similarly. Further, the Spearman correlations between the estimated breeding values for each trait were also 0.99, which suggests any of the predicted methane models could be used without substantially changing the ranking of the selection candidates. The heritabilities of Ellis, Mills, and IPCC predicted methane production were 0.60, 0.62, and 0.59, respectively. A genome-wide association study identified one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that reached the threshold for significance for all of the traits on chromosome 7 related to oxidoreductase activity. Additionally, the SNP slightly below the significance threshold indicate genes related to collagen, intracellular microtubules, and DNA transcription may play a role in predicted methane production or its component traits.
A new species of crayfish (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae) from the Cumberland Thrust Block (eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, USA), with notes on the evolution ofCambarusErichson, 1846 in the Ohio River Basin of the Appalachian Mountains
Authors: Thoma Roger F , Fetzner James W
Published: June 2023

Cambarus intermontanus n. sp. is described from mountain streams in the Clear Creek basin along the Kentucky/Tennessee border between Cumberland and Pine Mountains on the Cumberland Thrust Block. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cambarus jezerinaci Thoma, 2000. It differs nevertheless from C. jezerinaci most consistently in the tuberculation of the opposable margins of the propodus. The new species possesses five or six tubercles and C. jezerinaci has four. Cambarus intermontanusn. sp. and C. jezerinaci differ from C. parvoculus Hobbs & Shoup, 1947 and C. distans Rhoades, 1944 in the thickness of the rostral margins and a more truncate rostral tip. The gonopod of C. jezerinaci has a central projection that is normally shorter than the mesial process, whereas that of C. intermontanusn. sp. is longer than the mesial process, C. distans is much shorter, and C. parvoculus is generally equal in length. The new species is genetically distinct from C. jezerinaci, C. magerae Thoma & Fetzner 2015, C. distans, and C. parvoculus differing by a 4–5% sequence divergence on average. Cambarus intermontanusn. sp. was found to be sister to a clade containing C. parvoculus, C. jezerinaci, and C. magerae.